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@DRichards, its even stranger that by saying you're American by default means you're from the US, not Canada, Mexico, Panama, Chile, Brazil, etc... yet in truth they are also Americans. I mean could you imagine a English man declaring he's a European, and by default you're supposed to know he's English? How about an Egyptian, declaring he's African, or a Russian saying he's Asian? So on and so forth. Its strange that not only Americans consider that by default they represent almost the whole western hemisphere, but the world recognizes it too. Canada, Central, and South America by implication just live in our shadow. I know it at least goes back to the Monroe Doctrine, but still, its weird when you think about it.
N
Maxrot Isn't it interesting that the term "America" does not represent the American People, but rather a group of ruling elites?
@cmoore68 1st: the trade agreements America has and continues to foster makes me tear my hair out.
2nd: I've never heard (or considered) the argument of taking 5 million men out of the work force thus lowering the unemployment rate to nil at the end of the Great Depression. Not sure if I like that argument or not, because how many people would we have to remove from the job pool now to get the same results? However, it is an excellent point, and you just can't ignore it once you consider it. Heck because of WWII, my Grandmother became a spot welder at the local McDonnell Douglas factory, because of the lack of men to do the work. She was already an employed teacher at the time too, so its not like she was in desperate need for another job. Yes you make a very good (and scary) point with that one.
N
RE: Egypt
If only Mubarak had only given everyone a television set and a bag of potato chips, he'd still be in power.
Thom -- Thank you for a wonderful conversation with Alex(?) Cortez (?).
Brilliant job. Well done. I will commence use of Edison Factor at once.
Obvious ---------------------------------
Thom, in response to your guest who suggested "lowering taxes will save the economy"... just how much in taxes are people paying right now? Between new hires being paid a pittance, and the unemployed paying next to nothing, everyone's taxes can't get much lower than that. Yet, it sure hasn't turbo-charged the economy, has it?
Also, regarding the claim "WWII ended the Depression", I debunked that myth last December with the following video:
It's a Wonderful Depression - Debunking a GOP Myth
Good job Thom. That guy was giving all the right wing Great Depression talking points. FDR made it worse, Morgenthau said it didnt work. the New Deal stimulus didnt work. etc.
Rightwing propaganda is remarkably consistent. But Thom had correct answers for all. I think the best comeback when they say FDR made it worse is that in 1932 the last year of Hoover the unemployment was 25% but three years later after FDR took office the unemployment was 14% -which was when he started listenign to the deficit hawks and cut back in 1937 causing unemployment to rise to 19% again. But by 1940 it was only 14% again because of increased spending preparing for WW2.
Why cant we consider Global Warming the new enemy to declare a "world war" on?
The problem I have with Sirius is only getting to listen to the first hour. I change the channel when the foul-mouthed old woman comes on.
How did WWII impact unemployment? Maybe drafting 5 million men out of the workforce had something to do with that.
Maxrot, yet Obama continues to support trade agreements that deteriorates that protection.
HARSH WINTER: Obama To Propose Energy Cuts For The Poor
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/09/obama-poor-energy-cuts-kerry-le...
Good thing Obama is a democrat!
Professor Hartmann has almost converted another. Watching the video feed, you could see he hadn't done his homework before sitting down with Thom.
Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs!
Without tariffs, there's no manufacturing protection.
No manufacturing protection... soon no manufacturing.
No manufacturing... service jobs are left.
Service jobs do not pay enough to live on.
No tariffs = no living wage.
Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs!
N
How about this, LET'S HAVE OUR OWN REVOLUTION RIGHT HERE AT HOME! I have a list of greivances that dates back to before the FED was illegally created in 1910. It is long past time to demand radical change in this country, and I don't mean in the Tea Party way! Quite the opposite! The world is waiting for the American people to act and demand accountability from our own government. There was a lot of energy during the Civil Right's Movement, The Vietnam War and even right up into the 80's when Regan came into office. Now, everyone is so busy working 3 jobs so that their family can scrape together basic survival needs that there are few bodies available for a mass demonstration. Egypt is a wonderful example of what happens when business as usual stops- people can work together and help each other survive and change their destiny. What is our destiny if we don't act now? How much more can we, the American People take? Isn't your backside sore yet?
Johhny I Hardly Knew Ye - Trad. Irish
Come Away Melinda - Weavers, Judi Collins, Uriah Heep...Ah
Call you Congressman!
Another vote is likely later today on the "Patriot" act extension.
Last month Thom linked to a DU post on the German manufacturer who was being interviewed on a cable news show(?). The interviewer kept returning to Germany's high taxes until he finally said he didn't mind the high taxes, he didn't to be a rich man living in a poor country.
I have been searching but have not found a link to the actual interview, video or transcript but no luck so far. Can anyone help me find this? When I send great stories like this one to people, I want them to be the real deal so people can't just dismiss them as just liberal fibs.
The Crusades? You mean the "War of Muslim Agression"? ;-)
"...back when we called things what they were..."
I'd call Issa what he really is, but I understand you prefer the commentary here to be "PG", so...
;-)
"You should make it clear that
You should make it clear that you are talking about the National Chamber of Commerce, not the local Chamber of Commerce folks see in their communities."
True - but the National CoC speaks for the local chapters. Otherwise why have a National CoC?
Also, if that is the case, why don't the local chapters speak out? And what amazes me, and I've seen this play out in many communities, when Big Corporate chains, Wal-Mart in particular, move into communities and literally 'Kill" local businesses, where is the outrage from the National and local CoCs? The 'Wal-Mart’s', the 'Lowes' and the 'Home Depots' and many others have done more in the way of destroying 'Small Businesses’ than any Government, Regulations or Taxes have done! And yet, not a whimper from the local CoCs! After all, they have the Democrats, Taxes and Regulations to kick around, while their businesses get swallowed up by the big conglomerates, and once proud small business owners then have to work for these 'job killing' Big Business for yeoman's wages and minimal benefits.
The Obama administration has done “More” than any Republican to save, bolster and create small businesses than any Republican or Republican administration has. And yet the local CoCs are still anti-Obama and fully support the Republican administration and its voodoo economics.
I used this analogy lately to depict this: You are saved from drowning by a Democrat, but on hearing that the person who saved you is a Democrat, you jump back into the water because you just do not like who saved you.
This is the status of the American Right at the moment – they just do Not like Obama, the Democrats and Liberal ideals; even to the detriment of there own lives and livelihoods.
If the Local CoCs want to save their businesses, looking to the National CoCs, the Republicans and corporate conglomerates to save them will not help them – in fact just the opposite, as the main agenda of the Big Corporations is to swallow the small businesses, period. This leads me just using Common Sense, forget logic, that the Local CoCs would do better to support the Democratic agenda so as to save their small businesses in their communities, then to rail against the very people that are literally trying to save small business and create jobs!.
And what is the Republican party doing right now - Abortion Bills! Nothing about jobs, nothing! And I can predict with almost 99% certainty that they will NOT do anything to create jobs or save small businesses in the next 2 years. Reason - they simply do not have any solutions; None!
Hr. 1: my favorite Richard Dreyfuss movie was "The Big Fix" with Susan Anspach.
Hr. 3: Right wingers have islamophobia 'cause they cant forget we lost the Crusades, just like some southerners cant forget the civil war. "Forget, Hell!!"
http://www.osjspm.org/economic_justice_for_all.aspx
NO PERSON CAN BE CONSIDERED A CATHOLIC UNLESS THEY BELIEVE IN ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR ALL. I AGONIZE OVER THE KNOWLEDGE THAT MOST CATHOLICS IN CONGRESS AND IN OUR SUPREME COURT ARE NOT REAL CATHOLICS.
The acceptance of bribes identifies us as TRUE Americans.
Consumer boycotts organized on a grand scale can really mess them up. Why not have a real Tea Party? If they are going to lobby, there is nothing wrong with counter-lobbying by targeting and laying under seige the cash flow of offenders.
We have the power to not buy anything they sell, things which we have become hypnotized into believing are necessities.
It's your money, and they need it now because the pyramided debt of the inner circle has reached its peak.
You should make it clear that you are talking about the National Chamber of Commerce, not the local Chamber of Commerce folks see in their communities.