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I also wanted to insure that others saw this column that Thomas Frank published in the WSJ this week about Pete Peterson's attempt to privatize Social Security...
Avoiding the Austerity Trap by Thomas Frank
[...]America Speaks, was going to conduct a high-tech "national town meeting" on—of course—the burning issue of the federal deficit.
For liberals of the more skeptical variety, this combination of electronic populism with the agenda of the Peterson Foundation was an obvious warning flag, a signal that propaganda was in the offing. Several members of the president's own fiscal commission were to be in attendance at the get-together, and the results of the proceedings were to be presented to the full commission later on. Clearly the fix was in!
The event took place as scheduled last Saturday, with thousands of citizens meeting in different cities. They duly absorbed a booklet alerting them to the danger of deficits. They deliberated. And then something funny happened on the way to the consensus.
According to a preliminary compilation of results, participants supported "an extra 5% tax" on incomes of greater than $1 million per year (by 68%) and an increase in the corporate income tax rate (59%). They thought a "carbon tax" was a good idea (64%) as well as a "securities transactions tax" (61%). On Social Security, austerity was nowhere in sight as 85% backed raising the limit on taxable income, and only a miserable 27% thought that we should "create personal savings accounts." Majorities favored cutting defense spending and expressed support for further recovery measures even if they increase the deficit. [..] end of excerpt.
Can we remember that the deficit commission was/is a creation of the "Hope and Change" Obama administration? Can we? Or are we to be suckered into thinking that we have no choice but supporting said administration? For myself, that direction leads to dispair, indeed.
Written on the Fourth of July
As we contemplate our joys and pains, with the rockets red glare a cruel reminder that the brilliance of the pyrotechnic display is but a reflection of our militaristic beginings and modern tendencies.
We have been chided that we abandon support of Obama with perhaps a left-leaning primary challenge, or alternately with a third party challenge, at our own peril. That the coming predicted vacancies at the Supreme Court and the ability of a Democrat to fill those vacancies outweigh the deficiencies of the present administration, no matter how similar the Obama strategies appear to be to those of the former Bush regime. (Not to be long winded in the examples, but let me just say Gates, Bernanke, Petreaus, 'nuff said.)
We have been given the example of the loss of Jimmy Carter after the failed insurgent campaign of Ted Kennedy to show that the primary challenge so weakens an incumbent as to make reelection almost impossible.
But, I am going to argue that there was more than Ted Kennedy's primary challenge that tipped the scales at that historical moment and that in retrospect, Kennedy's attempt was not even the primary cause of Carter's failure. Remember the October Surprise? Robert Parry certainly does and I think his recent article illustrates quite clearly that Kennedy was of little effect in the final outcome.
Rethinking Iran-Contra: A Much Darker Story?The Iran-Contra/ October Surprise was the missing link in a larger American political narrative
by Robert Parry
We are in need of a larger political narrative, indeed. We need to be able to reject the false and misleading rhetoric of "Hope and Change" for the real challenge of working for justice and liberty for all, including economic equity.Happy Fourth of July - Zero G.
I hope BP collapses completely and is dissolved. Maybe then will other Companies wake up... hahaha...kidding...they never sleep! Sleeping costs money. Sign the petition...
http://www.change.org/petitions/view/president_obama_we_the_people_want_...
I'm getting sick of Corporate abuse... so sick!! How do we wake people up??
http://www.change.org/petitions/view/president_obama_we_the_people_want_...
The Jefferson bible? I just listened to a great podcast about this. It is called stuff you should know. It is available on iTunes. I would like thoms take on it. Something to ask the lady froma few days ago that said Jefferson was mis quoted.
Subjective, yes . . . but they queried actual credentialed historian types . . .
HOUSE APPROVES EMERGENCY FUNDING BILL W/$9 BILLION IN NUCLEAR LOANS
BILL WILL NOW GO BACK TO SENATE
July 2, 2010
Dear Friends,
First, let me thank you: in the past month you sent in well over 13,000 letters to your Representatives in the House against more taxpayer loans to the wealthy nuclear power industry, and made thousands of phone calls on top of that. Great job!
Even so, last night the full House of Representatives rammed through the emergency supplemental funding bill, including $9 Billion for new loans for nuclear reactor construction.
There was no separate vote on the nuclear loans. These were included in a broader domestic spending package which was approved by a 239-182 vote. Most Democrats voted for the package, most Republicans voted against it. As of 11 am this morning, a detailed breakdown of that vote has not been posted on the Congressional website.
Attention will now turn to the Senate: because it earlier passed a different version of the bill (without the nuclear loans), the Senate must now decide whether to accept the House version. That will not happen until after the week-long July 4th recess.
We will keep you posted on when to take action in the Senate. In the meantime, if you want to get a head start you can go here and send a letter to your Senators opposing the Kerry-Lieberman American Power Act and its massive nuclear subsidies!! Yesterday, the Union of Concerned Scientists released a new analysis that says that bill and other Senate proposals could be worth an astonishing $140+ BILLION to the nuclear industry.
And, during this break period, if you can help us with a tax-deductible contribution to help us prepare for the upcoming Senate action not only on the $9 billion in nuclear loans, but the much broader energy/climate bills coming at us in July, we'd be eternally grateful. Just about every bill now being talked about in the Senate would provide major new gifts to the nuclear industry and it's going to take all of us acting and reaching out as much as we can to stop them.
Finally, we know it's a little confusing, but....the House Appropriations Committee has not yet taken up the $36 Billion in nuclear loans requested for next year's budget by the Obama Administration. We will also let you know when and how you can take new action to stop those--with your help we have a real good chance.
Thanks so much for all you do,
Michael Mariotte
Executive Director
Nuclear Information and Resource Service
Isn't ranking a President really just an exercise in subjectivity. I mean to some people (at least 1% of Americans) GW Bush was a top President because he enriched them, defense contractors probably have a sweet spot for him too. What are the metrics that determine if a President is ranked hi or low? and who makes these metrics? And why can't whores be treated as respectfully as refined ladies? (sorry a bit of Geraldism slipped in there at the end).
N
President rankings . . . http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/07/01/2010-07-01_barack_obama_is_among_best_presidents_ever__george_w_bush_not_so_much_say_schola.html
Reagon Democrats- As Lyndon Johnson said when he signed the Equal rights Act, and I paraphase We just lost the south for the next 100 years. All the turmoil and riots etc. scared the hell out of a group of reactionaries country wide, both Democrats and Republicans but southern reactionary Democrats in particular.
Losing is a better teacher than winning. When Nixon got slaughtered by Kennedy in the first televised presidential election debate a hot lightbulb went off the Republican heirarchy's collective heads. And now we can look back on 30 years of Reagonomics and GOP control of our hearts and minds through the wonders of TV and radio. Their biggest victory, maybe it's just a conspiracy, is in cowing the Democrats. Amazing bit of brainwashing.
The country is just plain scared of it's own shadow. Some of us wonder whether fascism is here. In the standing definition maybe not but we have truly been subverted.
We won't change a damn thing until we all pull ourselves up and hit the streets. Only massive demonstrations will change anything and these demonstrations have to include a broad philosophical base not just the left, not just the right but all those who want to rid ourselves of the Corporatists, the Totalitarianists, the subverters of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
@camplunalinda... I have three sisters, devil incarnate still works for me ;-)
N
i suggest --
men who have no sisters --
might see women as the devil incarnate or the virgin on a pedestel --
women are neither!!! --
find yourself some sisters --
thank-you for your consideration --
GRATEFULLY EVERYTHING CHANGES --
with so many options --
@camplunalinda, but if you don't change the KKK from within, who will ever get them to stop burning raw wood crosses and switch over to recycled paper crosses, after all someone needs to help them get green. ;-)
N
"i wouldn't join the KKK to change them from within" --
http://progparty.org/ on KBOO last Friday 06-25-2010 --
http://kboo.fm/node/22262 --
"stop drilling" -- we would not ask for a moratorium!!!!
We can't afford war.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/we_cant_afford_war_20100629/http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/we_cant_afford_war_20100629/
On a side note the U. S. Senate voted last night to fund the surge, 99-0. I have little doubt that the United States of Hell is a nation of blood-thirsty vampires.
America is truly a nation that loves to kill God's children.
I see a moral decay spreading among our nation and our people. The American soul is damned for eternity.
California's governor has placed 200,000 employess on minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Yet our hell-hole nation cannot increase taxes on the rich to pay for goods and services. How will $7.25 per hour generate an economic recovery in California? Money in the hands of the people is needed for an economic recovery. We are truly a nation divided.
The United States of Hell has lost the Afghan War.
http://the-diplomat.com/2010/07/01/why-west-lost-afghan-war/
The Great Fall!
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2010/0629/US-wars-in-Iraq-and-Afghanistan-lessons-from-Humpty-Dumpty
Antiwar.com for July 2,2010 has several great articles to read.
http://www.amconmag.com/tactv/2010/06/28/our-afghan-war-is-crazy/
@rladlof, I am not angry at Hitchens. Personally, he is free to believe what he wants to believe. I have heard it said that there are no atheists in foxholes.
They are not conservative . . . They are "Recessivist".
> > > Take back the message. Create an accurate conversation. < < <
Scooby Do, WTF moment: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/steele-afgahnistan-a-war-of-obamas-choosing-that-us-didnt-want-video.php?ref=dcblt
God, I love Larry Flynt: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/larry-flynt-to-david-vitter-donate-your-diapers-to-gulf-relief.php
Worth the read and the watch: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/grilling-ms-kagan----tpms-list-of-the-toughest-questioners-at-scotus-hearings.php
Gerald,
As an acolyte/adherent of a faith based religion, your inquiry regarding Christopher Hitchens yesterday makes sense to you. The rest of us may have truly divergent understandings of the universe and how it works. Being angry about his understanding of the universe, does not make yours more palatable. Disrespect is not sexy . . .
On Thursday, July 1, 2010 I mentioned that the Portland Police was going to reopen a woman's claim that Al Gore groped her in 2006. I do not know if he did grope her. I want to share with you some information on women.
Women
I have chosen to love only one woman because even though I have loved only one woman, she has to some degree screwed up my mind. I firmly believe that any man who tries to love more than one woman will have a brain of mush and he will be relegated to the level of a babbling idiot.
Any man who claims to know a woman or women is a fool. Women are too illusive to be known. Here is a factual statement – “A man chases a woman until she catches him.” To love a woman and to be loved by a woman is a heavenly experience. God has given a man and a woman through love a close feeling of heaven.
Let me start by sharing with you some information. When I was a freshman at WMU in Kalamazoo, a neighbor friend from the same city had a roommate whose first name was Rex. Rex was a senior going to school on the GI Bill. He was twenty-seven years old. After graduation he went to the University of Indiana to complete his doctoral degree in speech therapy.
We would talk on various subjects. We talked about love as one area in our conversations. He said that when you love, you want the best for a person or persons. Love is not just about sex. He also said that women are difficult to gage. There are ladies who want to be treated like whores and there are whores who want to be treated like ladies. It is not always easy to know how a man should treat a woman.
Let us take a look at what is happening in our country at the present time. There has been a proliferation of women wearing hooker heels. The spike on a woman’s shoe could easily puncture a man’s lung. Hooker heels could also be used as a weapon. These hooker heels could entice a man or kill a man. No one has been able to know what is on a woman’s mind. We are seeing more protruding cleavage in woman’s ware. We are seeing shorter skirts. There are women who are wearing short shorts and about a third of the cheeks in their behind is seen.
The question is how should men treat these women as a lady or as a whore? Will someone please answer the question!!! Thank you for any help!