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I need to find a way to break the brain washing of those that blame working people for our economic woes. They refuse to see who the true villains are. Middle claas people are paying a greater percentage of their income then the millionares and billionares. I won't even mention the multinational corporations. Don't we have rules forbiding foriegn nationals from contributing to our campaigns?
On June 27 1992, Dorothy Bush LeBlond (George W. Bush's sister) and Bobby Koch exchanged wedding vows during a ceremony held at the Evergreen Chapel at Camp David. It was the first wedding ever performed at the chapel.
The wedding festivities began at 4PM when arriving guests gathered at Laurel Lodge for refreshments while waiting for the ceremony to begin.
The Evergreen Chapel was decorated with peach roses. Music played above in the balcony and the bride came down the aisle escorted by her father President George H.W. Bush. The bride wore a wedding dress designed by Arnold Scaasi with salmon chiffon and lace.
The reception was held behind the Aspen Lodge. Tables were set up for 130 guests on the terraces and around the pool. The White House chefs made a cake and cooked a buffet dinner which included fresh salmon that Senator Ted Stevens sent from Alaska. The Marine Band played country music.
Some White House staff members volunteered on the day of the event. Off-duty White House butlers helped with serving the guests and some staff from the florist shop decorated the chapel and the reception tables.
They have 2 children, Robert Koch born 1992 (short pregnancy?)
And Gigi Koch born 1995. Has anyone ever seen them?
Historians may look back and refer to this time as the beginning of the Great Lessoning. A time when human beings accepted the twin realities of burgeoning population growth and finite material resources. A time when nature made the link between human activity and climate change obvious. A time when we learned to measure human success in ways other than simply growth and consumption. A time to agree that as our natural material wealth is limited, to consume more than one's share should be viewed as a source of shame not pride. An economy based on waste is suicidal and yet that is the model for civilization America is promoting and much of the world is pursuing.
In order to save democracy, capitalism and civilization we need to consume less not more. We need to stop promoting and subsidizing waste, and find ways to include wear and tear on the planet in the price of everything. All goods will cost more and for this reason we need to strengthen our social safety net not shred it. For starters we should rescind the Bush tax cuts for all, not just the wealthy. We should abandon the hard won health care bill, agree it's unconstitutional and extend medicare for all. We cannot afford to cover everyone for everything but we can cover everyone at some basic level. The same is true for education. Let's decide what a quality basic education is and provide it for all. Public education has served our country well, let's not abandon it. I find the specter of uncontrollable climate change far more frightening than any likely terrorist attack. We need to invest in green technology as though our children's lives depended on it.
Everything will cost more in the future. This is likely to happen regardless of what we do. The question is what will be our prevailing narrative? Will we see ourselves as victims being robbed of our material wealth or will we purposefully find ways to minimize waste, so our children will inherit a planet that is still capable of providing for everyone's needs? The narrative is all important. During times of scarcity, it is natural to want to blame others for our dwindling lifestyle. It is in these circumstances that the worst of human behavior often takes place. But not always. History is full of examples of people overcoming fear and choosing to act in ways that put the welfare of others ahead of their own. They become our heros, and rightly so. Is America still the home of the brave and land of the free? We have an opportunity to be the people we like to think we are and lead the world to a better future.
"I'll put on a comfortable pair of shoes myself ..." - uploaded to YouTube 3 Nov 2007
http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/02/flashback-from-candidate-obama-ill-walk-the-picket-line-with-you/
Well, Mr. President?
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/02/24/broun_shoot_obama&source=newsletter&utm_source=contactology&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Salon_Daily%20Newsletter%20%28Not%20Premium%29_7_30_110
A Republican hopes for Obama to be shot!!!
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/02/25/government_showdown_wisconsin_david_sirota&source=newsletter&utm_source=contactology&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Salon_Daily%20Newsletter%20%28Not%20Premium%29_7_30_110
Greed!
February 25, 2011
The conservative crazies keep harping about the unions giving money to the Democrats but it is wonderful for the conservative crazies to receive one to three billion dollars from American corporations and the American rich. When are we going to hear that there needs to be an increase in taxes for American corporations and American rich? My above words highlight how stupid Americans are in terms of taxes. We tax the working and middle class but we have a hemorrhage whenever there is mention of taxing American corporations and the American rich.
As usual, this isn't black-and-white. The solution has to be at a national level, because raising taxes in one geographical unit simply drives companies and people with options to lower-tax locations (whereas the people who need services tend not to be as mobile). We need to collect taxes from the people who have been making all the money (www.usucut.org)
One of my friends is a working artist, and she and her husband lived in the city limits. He ran a one-man business repairing musical instruments, and she sold her artwork in the front of the shop. He couldn't keep up with all the business he had, but they had to leave the city because they weren't making enough to stay above water after taxes (even living over the shop). They paid federal tax, state tax, city wage tax, and city business taxes. Which left them in a place where they couldn't afford health insurance. Further taxing the shrinking middle and lower-middle class isn't going to provide more revenue. We need to find ways to make the top 1% pay their fair share (and find a way to provide individuals and tiny businesses with affordable health insurance)
Meanwhile, several of the city's large law firms are operating completely tax free right in the middle of the city, in a skyscraper that was called an "opportunity zone" (a block away from non-opportunity zone buildings). Again, we need to aggressively go after all the top-1% deadbeats before further taxing the 99% of people whose incomes haven't kept up.
International Harvester is to blame. Let's roll back to 1934. Harvester sold countless fire trucks to municipalities and firefighter troops galore were employed to maintain them. They sold the school buses, public transit buses, all the vehicles needed to sustain population growth. However, after a few warless years, it became clear that defense manufacturing allows an endless stream of bilking national governments versus penny-ante Centerville contracting, so Harvester Navistar International St. Joe (aka Norfolk Southern) deliberately wasted those assets in America, in favor of defense manufacturing facilities.
From 1963 it was General Dynamic's goal to take over Boeing. And they had to do it from the inside- in WA.
Defense contracting is more profitable than internal improvements contracting, and our transportation suppliers like car manufacturers have been bilked to bankruptcy to expand the new wave of Bechtel government bilk. They have Lex Bechtel, we have, "suffer not them kids."
Worse than tax issues is what they are planning to do with all that expensive military bling.
What about the dens leaving the state nobody talks about the process of government. All you libs should be talking about that also, it is only a process when it fits you and the chosen ones agenda. You need to stop talking out of both sides of your mouth.
Get a clue!
So the only people who should be on the supreme court are the ones that agree 100"% with a certain politcial partys view? If not they should be replaced? That's very fair? Idiots!
An old and an ongoing effort!
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Union-Busting-in-America-by-Stephen-Lendman-110224-319.html
CAN I REALLY BELIEVE AN INVESTMENT BANK???
http://www.salon.com/technology/how_the_world_works/index.html?story=/tech/htww/2011/02/23/goldman_sachs_budget_showdown&source=newsletter&utm_source=contactology&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Salon_Daily%2520Newsletter%2520%2528Not%2520Premium%2529_7_30_110
"Republicans always seem to overreach when they get any power. "
I predict that by Election Day Nov 2012 there will be another 1-2 million jobs lost in this country. The repugs are actually betting on this and working VERY hard to make it happen. Their rational - the American people will be so pissed at Obama and the liberals that they will vote repug and win in a landslide. That is their actual game plan. And the hell with all the suffering that it will cause to happen in this country!
Here is another prediction - if that WILL be the case in Nov 2012, the repugs will get their clocks cleaned!
"The problem is, the people who tend to continue to pay attention to these things are generally the people who would have supported the unions from the start, which mean possibly little popular shift in opinion as time passes."
Walker got 52% of the vote. Anywhere from 56-65% say he should drop collective bargaining. So by the figures alone there are some who voted for him that want him to drop the collective bargaining. If the figures remain at 56-65%, and there is NO change in opinion, than this is a VERY UNPOPULAR action by walker!
Why are we letting the lunies drive the bus? Reagan and Shrub spend more than anyone could dream while cutting taxes & did it all on a loan from the taxpayer. We have two endless senseless wars we never even tried to pay for. We extend tax cuts for the rich. Now we are expected to swallow that civil services, civil servants and their salaries as the cause of the deficit spending and the Republicans claim to be the responsible ones reigning in Democrat free spending. Why do we let them drive the arguments and a get away with these lies? I think it's because they have megaphones in every corner between corporate control of most of the media and corporate personhood. It's funny that we consider a physician influenced if they accept a ballpoint pen from a drug rep but we allow billions of dollars in influence detrimental to the public good to flow into the pockets of our lawmakers without a thought. Notice we can't have a civil discussion anymore or even agree on basic facts with anyone except those that agreed with us in the first place? Propaganda got Rowandans to hate and slaughter each other for the size of their noses! We are not so far from that now in this country. Who do you think wins? Only the modern Krupp families. These liars and theives, criminals and psychopaths are inventing not only history but reality in a really scary way and it's not only the nutters they are influencing. We may have already lost our democracy but if not we will soon if we don't get some sort of fairness in broadcasting and public campaign financing so we can actually have sensible discussions over the course we want to take that's best for our whole society.
"bicyclingjroad Here's my idea, man the departments with volunteers for the brown out day. That might work. What's your idea? And please, something more orginial than a tax increase."
Novel idea! Guess you'll be first. Then all the lying folks at fox noise - they only live a short distance away in NYC. Then all the nearby millionaires/Billionaires - god knows there must be 1000s of them in that 50 mile radius! Shucks man - fill everything up with volunteers. And that will then allow MORE tax breaks for the Rich!!
Personally, from your point of view, this is just more of what the repugs offer and suggest all the time - worthless opinions and suggestions! This is in the area of the proverbial "I Can Think of 6 Impossible Things before Breakfast" and then state that they are categorically TRUE before my cereal is done! TALK IS CHEAP!!!
Children died here, and you make it sound like it’s just a “Tax” Issue!
You repugs are all sick, heartless and headless! Who cares about Reagan, anyway?? If that man is your idol, than mine is Howdy Doody!
When you volunteer for anything that will result in the saving of at least ONE child, let me know – we’ll dedicate a statue to you! But I will not be holding my breath!
IMPEACH Governor Walker. I thought he was elected to representative the common people. And this is supposed to be democracy. I belong to a union. I work for Macy's. They are doing everything they can to go around the union and it is ugly. Many employees had issues recently and we got together to speak to the union. They have been finding new ways to harass us ever since. Perhaps you can do a show on that. We were told by the union representative that without the union we have no rights whatsoever. The company can do just about anything it wants to non-union employees. To say that collective bargaining is going to be the cause of thousands of layoffs is a total twisting of the truth and a means of threatening the people. To ignore all these people protesting in a democracy, Walker is no better than the likes of Ghaddafi. I wish you would have more serious, intelligent people on your debates. The NRA guy and Mr. T.J. sound like idiots. The election of Mr. Obama has brought out the hidden side of the republicans. The public debate is showing just how ignorant these guys can be. I actually thought they were trained lawyers or something close to that. Some of them breathe rascism.
One question I would like to see debated: Why can't the United Nations send troops to Libya? Are the governments of the world just going to sit by and watch on TV as this Ghaddafi massacres his people. The UN sends troops to other places like Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq and God knows where else. Do they care about the men, women, and children that are being massacred. Shame on America and the world goverrnments for not helping the people.
I don't see how the Republicans think they can win when they are so blatantly for the rich. I guess they will pull the election by using their money. IMPEACH THE GOVERNOR FOR not representing the wishes of the people who elected him.
Virtual Protest: There are a number of protests taking place around the country on Saturday February 26, 2011. The purpose of these protests is to draw attention to the fact that Bank of America received $45 billion in government bailout funds, while funneling its tax dollars into 115 offshore tax havens. And to highlight the fact that the poor and middle class are now paying for this largesse thru drastic government cuts.
If you are unable to attend one of these protests in person, there is a Virtual Protest where you can join with others online. For information and to sign up:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=188911557807460&index=1
Don't Get Angry Get Active!!
Thank You,
Safiya Balekian Colorado
John Prine - Your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore.
Now that people are waking up and realizing the state that this Country is in is bad unemployment, high food prices... Maybe, just maybe they will take further action. Such as selling their stock in Koch industries and their subsideraries! Boycott, Boycott, Boycott, this can be done it has worked in the past and it can work again. These people cannot hold on to all of that money they need to live too. Maybe then they will see what its like with the everyday person. Don't leasve it at the Koch brothers steps there are more players in this senereo. BP, Exxon Mobile and yeh whats up with CLEAN COAL! Coal is not clean when your burn it, if you touch it you end up with residue on your hands.
Well Mr Hartman, you have a dilemma here. Ronald Regan was governor of Califorina, and President of the USA, but never mayor of Philadelphia. Prehaps you could blame Bernard Samuel, the last Republican Mayor of Philadelphia. He left office in 1952, so that might be as big a stretch as blaming Regan. What do you do! How can you be a progressive and not blame someone for a problem. Here's a suggestion, come up with a solution. Here's my idea, man the departments with volunteers for the brown out day. That might work. What's your idea? And please, something more orginial than a tax increase.
Tim-mccoy: Thom had that great quote from the New York Times in 1944 about the American Fascist. It is disheartening how some people believe the Fascist ideology is left, progressive, or communist... almost as if the poisoning of the very channels of communication outlined in the previously mentioned quote exists today.
I'm afraid that we'll see more of this. i'm hoping that somehow - maybe through current Union efforts in Wisconsin or some such (like all of us getting active) we can encourage or mandate the rich contributing their fair share... how about 25% of their income, no write offs?
Bicycle must watch Fox News, where all you get are sound bytes and headlines. Never the full story !
"He did offer a solution bicycle...raise taxes. Did you not read the entire blog". . . Or read the books, or listen to the show. My thoughts exactly, LH.