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Thom Hartmann has written a dozen books covering ADD / ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.
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THE END IS NEAR FOR AMERICA!!!
The Federal Reserve is Buying 70% of U.S. Treasuries. The Federal Reserve has been buying 70% of all new U.S. treasury debt. Up until this year, the U.S. has been successful at exporting most of its inflation to the rest of the world, which is hoarding huge amounts of U.S. dollar reserves due to the U.S. dollar's status as the world's reserve currency. In recent months, foreign central bank purchases of U.S. treasuries have declined from 50% down to 30%, and Federal Reserve purchases have increased from 10% up to 70%. This means U.S. government deficit spending is now directly leading to U.S. inflation that will destroy the standard of living for all Americans.
Rachel Maddow was great on her March 29, 2011 show. She had a segment that discussed authoritarian conservatism and libertarian conservatism. The Fascist-Nazi Party talks about small, leave me alone government but they really embrace big, intrusive government. We have liars in fascist-Nazis. With these conservative crazies in power we are not a democracy. As Americans we are enslaved and impoverished by fascist-Nazis. We are their personal slaves. Rachel mentioned that her email is flagged by the American government. She must really be bugging the conservative crazies.
There is talk about the power of one. Each person can help to change our world for the better. Each person has the power of one.
Our son subscribes to several magazines, such as Harper’s, The Atlantic, and The New Yorker. Our son is also avid reader. There was an essay in the April, 2010 of Harper’s. The title was “The Vanishing Liberal: How the Left Learned to be Helpless” by Kevin Baker, pages 29-37. Here are some highlights from the essay – Democrats are reduced to a state of psychological helplessness; they are no longer able to overcome political obstacles; the progressives have rejected nations of destiny; they prefer the authority of experience to the claims of ideology; and for a generation or more liberalism became an almost perfect machine for the reformist impulse. When the Supreme Court ruled that corporations are people, our democracy has ended forever. We can no longer rely on a party or a person for the work to be accomplished. Change can only come from the ground up and the work will have to be accomplished by you and me.
Our son has entered a charitable bike ride for the Red Cross. He has raised $3,200. The bike ride is 520 miles. The bike riders will travel ninety miles per day for six days. The charitable bike ride is in Louisiana. All money raised will go to Japan and the Japanese for the destruction in their country through the tsunami earthquake and the radiation released from the nuclear plants.
Why is it that so many Americans hate other Americans? We are all God's children. Mother Teresa said that we belong to each other. I say we are connected to each other whether we like it or not. Why does the pain and suffering of other Americans make so many Americans ecstatic?
Both Republicans and Democrats are playing us. We all see the polls telling them that we the people want the taxes raised on the rich,to leave social security alone and to improve our social programs. Still they continue down this road. Both parties are owned by the big guys. We need to vote in representatives that are not bought. And that may take starting all over again.
enkrypt@yahoo.....I tend to agree with you very strongly in most everything you say. I believe that the Democratic party (as it is today) is used as a sort of "cushion" or "blow valve" that the wealthy use to give false hope to those they have pushed to the limits of exploitation. The media talk show hosts that pretend to be on the side of the little guy usually has a lot of money socked away themselves and would probably, economically, be in the same boat as the rich corporations they rail against. So are they really "our" friends that we should look up to and believe? It is really fun to listen to someone that rants against those who are exploiting us but what good does it really do unless they actually inspire us to lash out against our oppressors, physically...because "sticks and stones...." won't get us anywhere. I tend to wonder about anyone's motives when they continue to support a turncoat, wimp, who doesn't follow through with their campaign rhetoric when they finally convince people to vote for them. Obama, and many other Democrats are NOT OUR FRiENDS! They have proven what they are through their actions or inactions. It would be just as tragic for the well being of the majority of hard working, tax-paying Americans if we reelected a "turncoat" as it would be to elect a Republican. The Republicans, we know are our enemies; but, the Democrats are a menagerie of cloaked weasels pretending to work for the people but sell us out to the rich. We need to get rid of the faux Democrats and blatantly criminal Republicans and put another party in charge for a while....and not the Tea Party..they are a bunch of controlled-by-the-rich (Kochs, et al) useful idiots. Hell, I'd vote for Jessie Ventura before I'd vote for Obama again.
SassyLass924...Scott A. Bonn sounds like someone interesting to read, and hopefully listen to, if Thom manages to interview him. I'd also like it if Thom was able to get Michael Hudson, the economist, on for an interview. I know Thom has had the other Michael Hudson on who also has similar views and has written similar books on the subject of our economy but the professor from the University of Missouri in Kansas City, who was also Kucinich's economic advisor would be fantastic to have on.
If, after listening to, or reading, Scott A. Bonn, and you can buy what he says...then how can it so far fetched to believe that these same devious and manipulative people are not behind the 911 false flag operation...planting explosives in the WTC buildings, installing specially programmed computer controllers on the airplanes and controlling them to crash into the WTC buildings, and using 19 Arab patsies who may have had absolutely no idea that this was going to happen?
Leigh3605...and just like there are bullying men, there are bullying women, and bullying institutions....watch "Agora".. the movie. What? You don't believe all of the non-sense that I do? Let's stone them or burn them to a stake. I know the kind of wind-bags and controllers of whom you speak and shun them with a passion.
What the wealthy republicans are too sociopathic to see, is that if they succeed in their goal of entirely eliminating America's middle class and driving the poor class to the point of Africa-style malnutrition starvation and dying in the streets, and gain absolute power over the entire world, they (the hyper-wealthy) will suffer because of it. I know, they will laugh if they read this. But consider the self-evident fact that republican corporations are directly responsible for virtually all of the pollution on this planet, and if they got total power that would mean they would have total freedom to dump far more toxic industrial wastes into the water, air, soil, and food that we all share; republican corporations are directly responsible for making, selling, advertising, and ignoring and lying about the dangers of chemical fertilizers, insect poisons, and weed poisons, promoting nuclear power while ignoring safe ways to generate nuclear power, and promoting hatred, fear, and war all over the world. Obviously, if the republicans get the total power that they obsess about, they will turn every square inch of this planet into a poisonous, radioactive, smoking ruin that can't support any life of any kind. And I would find small comfort in the fact that some of them, as they took their last gasping breath of poisonous, radioactive air, and died, would realize what they had done, and feel regret. But I think that many republicans are so insane that they would rejoice even in realizing that they had killed their own families and themselves- they are that fixated on causing suffering. Therefore, republicans can't be trusted to control their own behavior, and they can't be allowed to get what they want, even when they throw sociopathic snits and threaten to run this country further into the ditch that they have already run it into.
And how fascinatingly ironic- and Biblically correct- it is that in protecting ourselves from the republicans, we will save the republicans from themselves. Truly, we are all in this together.
Obama gave the class warfare victory to the economic elites and big business interests in his State of the Union, speech to the Chamber of Commerce and the budget he submitted to Congress. It is not a Republican victory but a victory of the wealthy. But, there is not really a fight in Washington, DC -- elected officials agree on the basic philosophy it is only a question of degree.
Obama's budget focused on cutting the deficit at a time when we need stimulus. He promised a budget "freeze" but he excluded the security state budgets from the freeze and let their budgets increase -- military, war, intelligence, and domestic security. The security budget is 66% of discretionary spending. Everything else in Obama's budget would be cut or kept at their current level. The Republicans just pushed the same agenda further in favor of the wealthy, militarists and corporatists.
In addition to not cutting the bloated security state budget, Obama has taken discussion of taxing the wealthy, making corporations pay their fair share and taxing purchase of stocks, bonds and derivatives off the table. Big businesses that received hundreds of billions in bailouts after crashing the economy are getting billion dollar tax refunds instead of paying taxes. Obama is silent on this economic theft (he wrote the laws that allow it!).
If you are not going to face up to security state spending and the wealthy not paying their fair share, then there really is no debate. It is all imaging and positioning by the Dems. In the end, they push a "Republican" agenda. After-all, Obama wants to raise a billion for his re-election. That is not coming in $25 donations!
Join us in revolt this Friday: www.ItsOurEconomy.US.
KZ
http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2011/04/make-wealthy-pay-their-fair-share
Thom is simply wrong - the problem cannot be solved on the revenue side. This years deficit will be at least 1.5 trillion dollars: ( http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/120xx/doc12039/SummaryforWeb.pdf ).
“In 2008 there were 4,359,000 tax returns filed with modified taxable income (MTI) of $200,000 or above. The total amount of MTI above $200,000 was $1.189 Trillion.” ( http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/03/higher_taxes_cant_solve_the_de.html )
Therefor, even if we completely confiscated the total income of everybody making more than $200,000 a year, we would still be a half a trillion dollars or so short. We simply MUST cut.
As for the cuts being “Draconian”, here’s a few definitions:
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/03/budget_cuts_lingo_stranger_tha.html
“In the interest of fairness and balance, a budget cuts language reference guide is in order.
Budget Cuts - Sanity version
------------------------------------
Minute = 1-1.6%
Minor = 1.7-3%
Small = 4-6%
Average = 7-10%
Large = 11-15%
Significant = 16-20%
Serious = 21-25%
Drastic = 26-30%
Severe = 31-35%
Draconian = 36-40%
Budget Cuts - Insanity version
------------------------------------
Draconian = 1-1.6%
Catastrophic = 2-3%
Demonic = 4-5%
Apocalyptic = 6-10%”
Read again "The New Golden Age" by Ravi Batra. These times are the beginning of the change. Expect some social oscillation. They are winning the battle but will lose the war.
It is truly amazing. I am away from my computer for four weeks and the Republicans always win. Even the question," Have the Republicans Won the Budget Debate?," seventy-four percent says yes. The more things change, the more they remain the same. While I was away from my computer, I did write down some information and thoughts that I will share with you next week.
Thanks, Thom! I will spread this message as far as I can. Perhaps it will win over some of the mis-informed and the un-decided.
However, we need to understand that simple, rational arguments, like those by (Logic_It_Exists -above) are great for those that have the capacity to listen to reason , but given the folks we are dealing with, crayon drawings wont be enough to get the message across. We know that there are a few politicians in our federal government that care about serving us, like Bernie and a few others. The rest are owned by their corporate sponsors. If we want substantial change then we must demand of the people we elect to represent us to negotiate on a level that the rethugs do. What does that mean? I am happy you asked!
Instead of constantly starting off a negotiation with "Yes, we will give up $50,000,000 and Medicare, are we done now?", we need to start off with "Hey, okay, if you want 1 billion in cuts we want to repeal the Bush tax cuts, or place some other tax on the wealthy" and negotiate from there. (A small increase on the wealthy would solve multiple financial problems.) The rethugs are using "Shock Doctrine" arguments. They will use any threats to win points. Democrats need to show some spine. (A strong President would come in handy here.) Of course, this argument assumes that the Democrats in office actually want to negotiate in good faith in our name. I, for one, am not convinced of that.
Where exactly are the Democrats that can and will negotiate from a position of strength? Its not like there isnt a moral position to stand upon. It is moral in our Democracy to keep religion and corporate interests out of the government sphere. Its not like there arent already arguments to support this. Its not like we have to reinvent the wheel. Its not like there are no citizens that would back them up.
Perhaps "The Onion" had it right, when they offered the headline- "American People Hire High-Powered Lobbyist To Push Interests In Congress" . Should we 'outsource our representatives'? Wouldnt the rethugs love that! Lets push the message to our representatives that the first response you always give to the rethugs, is, NO!
Sirota was such a douche today in his defense of kadaffi. He was rude and condescending. I normally like when he fills in but not today. Come back soon Thom!!!
oh thom your so silly you know their not going to pay their taxes! they have friends called
presidents congresspersons and senators to stop this from happening. had to use the woman to
man dialogue to explain the silliness of this.
The Tea Partiers and their Corporate Sponsored Republicans are going to get a big BUTTCHEW!
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Gary Johnson, former Governor of New Mexico:
Gary Johnson was a disaster. He cannot be considered for President.
It was a quaint idea to elect a political neophyte as governor that had no ties to any special interests and was independently wealthy and didn’t need to make money from the position. My dad always said this made the best type of politician. But then we found out how he made his millions at Intel in Albuquerque by stuffing a worker into a pipe with running water to lower the pressure and pass a plumbing inspection to get a bank draw-down. Risking that man’s life for money.
This was the first of many deceptions; in fact, he promised during the campaign to be a one term governor which didn’t happen. I met with Gary Johnson six times in meetings and found out a lot about who he really is; an egomaniac-liar.
On one occasion, a man who was standing in line with him at the Division of Motor Vehicles who had encouraged him to run for governor, shared with our group the libertarian and anti-government views that he and the future governor shared. This is disqualification enough—you want to change government by destroying it. Then why participate in government if you do not have altruistic motives?
Those 700 vetoes, the veto record---were damaging, one was the line item veto of 24 of the 26 Constitutional Amendments developed over six years by the nonpartisan Constitutional Revision Commission a work in progress since the 1969 Constitutional Convention that failed (nearly 100 years of work down the drain). Another veto was the Tax Overhaul Bill that Rep. Jerry Sanderson and the bipartisan Tax Study Committee worked on for nine years. They brought the 45 tax exemptions and 54 tax deduction special interests into a room and put everything on the table. Then they crafted a bill in the best interests of the state. If the bill had not been vetoed by Johnson it had triggers in it that would avoid the economic downturn we faced in 2008-2009. Thanks Gary for our recession! Enough said…..
But I believe he was penny wise and pound foolish. His cabinet people like Heather Wilson touted that they were saving money by turning in their official cars (thus saving $25,000). Then promptly spent over $110,000.00 to remodel an office in Albuquerque so she could stay there and not commute to Santa Fe (the seat of government).
On another occasion federal funds were misspent so the feds started an audit that Senator Domenici was asked to call off. He told DHHS that if they wanted to preserve their budget they would stop the audit.
I wrote a 110 page book about these misdeeds. As an employee, I actually met five times with him at his "Open Door at Four" for five-10 minutes each and I gave him cost savings ideas that he just couldn't get. He said that sounds good then didn’t follow up.
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Gary Johnson, former Governor of New Mexico:
Gary Johnson was a disaster. He cannot be considered for President.
It was a quaint idea to elect a political neophyte as governor that had no ties to any special interests and was independently wealthy and didn’t need to make money from the position. My dad always said this made the best type of politician. But then we found out how he made his millions at Intel in Albuquerque by stuffing a worker into a pipe with running water to lower the pressure and pass a plumbing inspection to get a bank draw-down. Risking that man’s life for money.
This was the first of many deceptions; in fact, he promised during the campaign to be a one term governor which didn’t happen. I met with Gary Johnson six times in meetings and found out a lot about who he really is; an egomaniac-liar.
On one occasion, a man who was standing in line with him at the Division of Motor Vehicles who had encouraged him to run for governor, shared with our group the libertarian and anti-government views that he and the future governor shared. This is disqualification enough—you want to change government by destroying it. Then why participate in government if you do not have altruistic motives?
Those 700 vetoes, the veto record---were damaging, one was the line item veto of 24 of the 26 Constitutional Amendments developed over six years by the nonpartisan Constitutional Revision Commission a work in progress since the 1969 Constitutional Convention that failed (nearly 100 years of work down the drain). Another veto was the Tax Overhaul Bill that Rep. Jerry Sanderson and the bipartisan Tax Study Committee worked on for nine years. They brought the 45 tax exemptions and 54 tax deduction special interests into a room and put everything on the table. Then they crafted a bill in the best interests of the state. If the bill had not been vetoed by Johnson it had triggers in it that would avoid the economic downturn we faced in 2008-2009. Thanks Gary for our recession! Enough said…..
But I believe he was penny wise and pound foolish. His cabinet people like Heather Wilson touted that they were saving money by turning in their official cars (thus saving $25,000). Then promptly spent over $110,000.00 to remodel an office in Albuquerque so she could stay there and not commute to Santa Fe (the seat of government).
On another occasion federal funds were misspent so the feds started an audit that Senator Domenici was asked to call off. He told DHHS that if they wanted to preserve their budget they would stop the audit.
I wrote a 110 page book about these misdeeds. As an employee, I actually met five times with him at his "Open Door at Four" for five-10 minutes each and I gave him cost savings ideas that he just couldn't get. He said that sounds good then didn’t follow up.
Great people of history understood Dependant origination.
one for all all for one to help the weak to guide the strong to leave no one behind Ode to Joy
As David noted the War Powers Act is limited to authorizing military action only when the US is at risk.
There is reason for this - under UN treaty we have agreed to a prohibition against war except in self-defense. By treaty - which under our Constitution is higher law than law passed by Congress - war other than self defense is only legal 1) when authorized by the Security Council or 2) when required to prevent genocide or atrocities as defined by the UN Charter and/or the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
By ratifying the UN Charter and the Human Rights Declaration - Congress has delegated its war making power - except in the case of self-defense.
Despite my misgivings - it appears that the President is under sound constitutional grounds when using military action on humanitarian grounds with Security Council approval.
Personally I think we already have our plate full with two asian wars and should let the rest of the world take this one.
Check out the Huffington Post note worthy print of Wisconsin's missing data found on Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus personal computer that was added to the vote count;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/07/david-prosser-wisconsin-supreme-court_n_846431.html
Our only choices are between paper or plastic. The wealthy own America. They own our media, the courts, and our government. How can one not feel despair?