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Corporations have already figured out how to get around US ports on the west coast by using Mexican and Canadian ports. Not only do they get the benefit of our stronger dollar, they also take advantage of M and C having lower import tariffs. When was the last time you bought anything "Made in Canada"? Yet Canada maintains a trading surplus with the US. Take athletic shoe, US imposes a 20% tariff while Canada only charges 18%. NAFTA allows the shoe company to then bring the shoe across the border for free.
Corporations offset taxes with foreign tariffs while the US collects no tariffs on goods sold in this country. And, Boehner says the government doesn't have a revenue problem.
What we can say for sure (whether or not it would have made a difference in this specific instance) is that, IN GENERAL, more firefighters and equipment make for a safer city - fewer, not so much... duh.
- Pretzelogic in Philly, PA
And now for some feedback: Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
"Universal Soldier" by Buffy St. Marie.
When I shared the FT.com article to my FB page, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0369c1bc-3f71-11e0-a1ba-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1Eu08JJvw , the following message was embedded in the sharing: "Goldman Sachs warning used to validate Democrat argument" I find that a little disturbing.
I prefer the more cautionary words of Matthew 7:15: Beware of false prophets who appear in sheep's clothing for inwardly they are ravening wolves.
And the first part 7:16: By their fruits ye shall know them...
Balance
America and Americans need balance in their existence and lives. A car is important and so is mass transportation. Oil driven cars are important and so are electrical cars. Humane American corporations are important and so is a humane federal government. The American military is important for defense but not for offensive aggressions. We need to read fiction and non-fiction books AND WE MUST READ THE HOLY BIBLE BECAUSE THE BIBLE IS GOD’S LOVE LETTER FOR YOU AND ME. Work is important and so is leisure time and rest. A salary is important and so is the enjoyment for our labor. Idealism is important and so is realism. Balance is necessary for a viable country and people.
If you have any doubt that the Holy Bible is God’s love letter for you and me, please read Matthew 25:31-46! When you do it to the least of my brethren, you do it for me and read Matthew 5:1-12! The Beatitudes! These verses in the Bible are words of love. Love is wanting and wishing the best for another person or persons. God wants and wishes the best for you and me.
True that. Certainly looks like a dismal state of affairs. What could be or could not be isn’t the only discussion to be had but the very fact that things are headed this way is appalling.
:amen: I prefer Malcolm X to MLK anyday.
Here is your Prez promising to walk the line with us,union peoples.
Well,that was a lie just like everything else that came out of his mouth.
http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/02/flashback-from-candidate-obama-ill-walk-the-picket-line-with-you/
For those out there with iPhones or iPods, Thoreau's Civil Disobedience is available in iBooks for free. Worth checking out.
I just called Ians Pizza (http://www.ianspizza.com/) on State Street in Madison, WI - a few blocks for the Capital. They have brought staff from out of state to help with the orders. Donate in $20 Blocks (I gave two blocks) - one block buys (and delivers) one large Pizza to the Capital. This feeds 8 hungry people. They take them up as the protestors need them (and this is great pizza - I live in Madison)... I can't go up there (I will be fired), but I can send them food!
machineman
http://www.ianspizza.com/
Fair and Balance
From my posts you know my thoughts on Bush. But, I must be fair and balance at times even for a person whom I believe is a mass murderer and a war criminal. Here is one quote he spoke that was the truth and the whole truth. Take time to reflect on this quote.
SEE, IN MY LINE OF WORK YOU GOT TO KEEP REPEATING THINGS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR THE TRUTH TO SINK IN, TO KIND OF CATAPULT THE PROPOGANDA.
Bush calls his lies, propaganda, and I call his lies what they are LIES.
When myBb-I-L (brother-in-law) was a lineman for Southeastern REMC, the corporate gluttons wanted to uy it at original cost!
He grabbed a 33KV transmission line and lostwo fingers and was moved to management and became a hard-lind Reananite. He also supported "God's Time" rather than saving money with DST. Never did understand that all time is standardized for convenfence of transportation timetables. Lots of fun visiting but never taught him anything. Guess that since I was a college graduate I wasn't to be believed. Thus goes the political themes. Those with technical degrees tend to be liberals and those with business-law degrees tend to be conservatives and those who drop out of schools tend to be Tea-Partyers. All votes are equal except in Florida and Ohio so I guess we'll just have to hunker down in our tornado cellars and bear it!
Overcome (the Recapitulation) by Rx Bandits
We've had enough
We've had enough
We've had enough of the politicians
We've had enough yeah
Of these politician's wars
All we need right now is love
We've had enough of these military scoreboards
What we need right now is love, come on
We've had enough of these politician's wars
All we need right now is love
We've had enough of these military scoreboards
All we need right now is love
We've had enough of these politician's wars
All we need right now is love
We've had enough of these military scoreboards
All we need right now is love
Turn it up
The future is held in the hands
Who right the textbooks
Ignorance is bred when falsified thinking is taught
To the youth instead of
Past mistakes and mind elevation,
Like the graves that manifest destiny has created
So we can build our
Capitalist consumer based economy,
To build, market,
And sell commodities we don't need
But we are trained to believe like celebrity imaging
Well I'm here to take my feelings back and I hope That you will be with me
I can't wait for that day
When I hear us all screaming.
Ahhhhhhhhh,
I can't wait for that day
When I hear us all singing together,
Ooooohhhhhh
I can't wait for that day
When I hear us all screaming.
Ahhhhhhhhh
I can't wait for that day
When I hear us all singing together,
Ahhh,
I can't wait for the day
When I hear us all screaming,
HERE COMES THE REVOLUTION.
When every race color
And creed of militant human beings stand up
With fists together for substance and true meaning
Because right now we got our feet stuck in cement
We're too caught up in
A material status quo punishment
And one thing is for sure
And that's the sun will always set,
Darling you can bet our moon is quite the opposite
So baby take a axe to your makeup kit
Set ablaze the billboards and their advertisements
Love with all your hearts and never forget
How good it feels to be alive
And strive for your desire
Just cause you can't see
Your cage doesn't mean that you are free
When there are laws against nature
But its ok for you to be
Addicted to over the counter prescriptions
And magazines dictate all our human relations
I'm not buying, no I'm not giving in
To a culture that objectifies all of our women
I'm not buying, no I'm not consuming
The apathetic dribble on the news media's chin
I'm not buying, no I'm not giving in
The lies that are sold through textbooks to children
I'm not buying, no I'm not consuming
Cause the positive will
Always overcome the negative right
And we stay inside, its right outside,
We stand in line
We all enjoy the fences to keep it at bay
But I'm not giving in
Yeah, they think they are all over it like white on rice, but NO corporate-owned network will mention anything about the legislation to permit Koch Industries to "no-bid" and purchase the coal-fired power plant. No investigations will be conducted by these people. No corruption will be exposed by Big Business Media. To quote Bill-O, "Am I wrong about that"?
There are two="UNIVERSAL SOLDIER" by the inimitable Buffy St. Marie is the ONE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27x25sdW9wQ
This is disgraceful. A reporter misrepresents himself and tapes the conversation without consent and you think Gov. Walker looks bad. You know you make it easy for the right to look good. This is a dirty underhanded trick utilized by those that have no cleverness or intelligence. This reporter should go hid under a rock with the rest of the democratic representatives. Remember the tax payers are the real victims in this mess.
Yesterday, I was reading a NY Times article about the "Wisconsin Power Play." In the reader's comments, someone mentioned that WI had a budget surplus until Walker gave away millions to business. What if the plan was to manufacture a deficit in order to put the rethuglican plan in motion to bust the unions and sell its power structure to Koch?
Did anyone see the NBC Nightly News last night? Brian Williams reported on a phone conversation between Walker and a fake David Koch in where Walker gave away the "real" plan, which is to bust the unions--in his own words. Thank God for investigative work.
Let's look for the upside here. Khodorkovsky eventually ended up in jail. Maybe when the Koch brothers run afoul of president Huckabee (Il Duce), he will exile them to Alaska. I thought that we were "turning Japanese" not Russian.
The corporatization of America and the application of the shock doctrine roll on.
The corporatization of America is becoming more entrenched and the shock doctrine is in full force in Wisconsin and throughout the nation. Selling off public assets is one of the techniques. The regressives are the ones who have learned from history. They learned how to more effectively amass great wealth and subjugate the masses. The attack on unions, public education, along with privatization, control of the media, etc. are all parts of the war of the oligarchs on the working and middle classes.
So, my assessment is that Walker and the Koch Brothers will probably get what they want, including the sale of the power plants. This will create a monopoly for the brothers. Where's TR when we need him. We have a representative corporatocracy moving towards a direct corporatocracy. We need democracy, not corporatocracy.
This is moot now! And the answer is YES!! walker was punked today and his whole vile, obscene, criminal, un-ethical machinations and plans repalyed for the whole world to hear!
WISCONSIN IMPEACH low-life gov walker now! Forget recalling him!
Chilling isn't it!
Well well, now we know the truth! Low life gov walker has been punked and we now know the real agenda of the repug party! Destroy the unions and the middle class!
The gander in this case is going to get his just desert!
When will the people of this country wake up - The Reugs and the Plutocrats DO NOT HAVE YOUR BEST INTEREST AT HAND! In fact they want to stomp on the middle class SO bad that they are willing to collude criminally to make it happen.
walker should be investigated. A lot of laws have been broken here and he needs to be prosecuted!
And i'm not even going to respond to the nonsense spouted by jnkesrouan above. Garbage in garbage out.
@ Making Progress
Only problem with using MLK quote: "We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory." ---MLK, Jr."
is that these Mammons have no heart or consciences. What really did MLK accomplish? We are all N----s, or Indians, now! I think Malcolm X had a better idea. What do you think would have happened during the 20s and 30s if we all bought into the idea that "we'll appeal to the heart and consciences of Wall Street and the banksters and rail-road barrons, etc."? We never would have had Unions strong enough to win anything for the workers...no 8 hour work days, no decent wages, etc....and FDR, if he even would have won, would not have been "moved" to create the social programs that pulled us out of the reality that was more akin to slavery. It took more of what is now happening in Wisconsin and elsewhere...very active rebellion against the sinister forces of corruption, greed, and power. Our political system is broken and corrupt and as long as money controls our politics, then those with the money will continue to buy power. The only way to fight that is to get really pissed off and take to the streets en masse. Those liberals who try to convince us that all we need to do is to do anything less is really working for the ones who want to control us. Just like Obama was the "friendly face" and "JFK-like persona" that the privileged ruling elite used, after the 8 years of Bush/Cheney created such discontent and ire, to squeeze out yet another 4 years control in their war against us. Yes, they fooled us into believing that we finally had someone who would fight back...but he turned out to be either a big pussy too afraid to fight back ...or he was their man to begin with. Either way, Obama has to go! I voted for him because I thought, like most of the country did too, that he was going to fight back. But, for whatever reason, he did not.
Murdoch, Koch what's the difference... My question is why? Why tear at the fabric of our country. A country based on progressive thought (sorry faux News) but our founding fathers for the most part were progressive.
Yeah, yeah the Kochs of the world love the money... but when they have accomplished ripping the citizens a new One with their fuck-u-America truly criminal-evil acts what will they have? They'll will own a bankrupt country... with a very pissed off population.
In the end the Koch's and Murdoch's of the world will die... and if their Doporations (spelling correct) continue with their legacy's of deceit and criminality they'll die too. It won't be pleasant and it won't happen in the near future, but unless these incredibly rich people don't let it truly trickle down... there will be blood.
Their legacy could be the destruction of our country.