Recent comments
ADHD: Hunter in a Farmer's World
Thom Hartmann has written a dozen books covering ADD / ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.
Join Thom for his new twice-weekly email newsletters on ADHD, whether it affects you or a member of your family.
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Thom,
You mean ACORN was a good organization.
Watt Childress,
Yes, the tilt toward MORE corporate control is possible. I am hoping that Obama becomes more energized to push for more progressive legislation, tho I know this is not a sure thing, since he is not really a progressive...
Yes Thom, we need to untie the knot between corporations and our government. But doesn't the insurance mandate package, without a public option, tie that knot tighter?
It vexes me to hear progressive commentators lump everyone who is concerned about this mandate into the same pile with right wingers. Over the past week I've heard you tilting in that direction. Maybe I've just been listening at the wrong times.
As you probably know, the legislation just passed exclusively by Democrats was first crafted by the architects of the Contract with America. Without a vocal challenge from progressives to improve this legislation, we could be entering a new era of corporate control.
Where's Frum comin' from?
The GOP is not only the party of no as in no constructive solutions and no genuine regard for the American labor and products and for the entire spectrum of Right to Life issues but it is using the same tired old tactics wearing a different cloak this time around for the GOP’s one and only purpose for its existence which is protecting the wealthy and corporate elite from paying their fair share of the cost of a free and productive and safe society. This time around they are fraudulently portraying themselves as the party of small government and individual freedoms when for decades beginning with Reagan they drove up record levels of federal debt and deficits to underwrite the unregulated and non-productive largesse of banks, investment firms, insurance companies, and transnational corporations and foreign governments creating by its tax and corporate subsidy policy the greatest re-distribution of wealth to the very thin upper crust of taxpayers in our country in history. Republicans have threatened and weakened through their politics of fear practically every one of our sacred Bill of Rights that distinguishes America from every other country in the world and makes her great. The only thing that Americans need to fear is the return of the GOP to power to resume their destruction of managed capitalism and individual rights that almost destroyed America’s working and middle class during Bush II. Those of the Tea Party Movement who are acting in good faith should fear the GOP far more than the Democratic Party.
Khalid Sheik Mohammad, waterboarded over 180 times.
I studiouly avoid Cutie Kurik nowdays, after hearing her ask the EPA chief "Commissioner, its true that the purpose of the EPA is to protect us from the environment, is that correct?" ...and he said yes.
But I accidentally caught her on 60 mins Sunday interviewing somebody about terrorism, she mention Sheik Kalid Mohammed, or whatever Bin Ladens's successor is called. While she was talking about SKM, they showed a picture of bin Laden in the background! did anybody else see that?
"Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit." -R.E. Shay
Scott,
The people giving them authority are Mike Pence, Michelle Bachman, et al, who egged them on from the steps, balconies, halls and floor of Congress.
Forgot to mention these people are very dangerous as the last week has shown. It is going to get worse. They feel this has been authorized by the likes of Beck, Limbaugh and Fox News.
It's fascinating to me that it has taken Thom this long to figure out that the Tea Party is not a movement that progressives or liberals can work with even on economic issues. Today he is saying they might be dangerous for the country and democracy. I have known this fact for a year and it is not surprising considering what kind of personality is making up the movement. They are Authoritarians, highly submissive individuals who have eaten whole the right wing propaganda. They think they are some kind of independent movement but they are not.
By prosecuting them for illegal wars and torture...
The Great American Stupid Test!!!
http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/The-Great-American-Stupid-by-thepen-1...
Frum on John Yoo: http://www.frumforum.com/the-real-john-yoo
Jon Stewart opened his interview last night with John Yoo by inviting Yoo to give himself a pity party. “You are infamous. Do you feel that … people have impassioned feelings about you without knowing you? Do you feel that’s unfair.”
Yoo gently answered: “The same thing must happen to you.”
That’s the John Yoo I know – modest, realistic, and smilingly tough.
Stewart then tossed him the opposite pitch. “Are you a good lawyer?”
Yoo, startled, “You mean did Bush ask me that – or are you asking me that?” Then, Yoo pushed this aside too. “Well usually they say that those who can’t do teach.”
Yoo had come to the interview to elucidate a couple of simple points. The question he had been asked by the security arm of government was not, “How can we torture?” but “What can we do that isn’t torture?” Yoo is a lawyer, not an expert in interrogation. He did not recommend techniques. He tried to do something that the U.S. government had not done before: define the legal limit of the permissible.
What a softball segment, Thom. David Frum talk about your mother...
Whisky Tango Foxtrot.
Repulicans everywhere: Fire all the extremists in the party and put Real Republicans back in the government.
@Charles, I know, that was the point I alluding to. Completely free press is nearly incomprehensible if ayone with a little cash can produce their own paper (radio or TV show). Sure you'll get some wonderful people out there providing insightful information, and then you'll get a bunch of misinformed nut cases spouting their own point of view, avoiding and misrepresenting facts.
However, the Internet is what it is, most people that go on it can understand this and views it with a bit of incredulity. Yet they'll go and watch CBS, NBC, ABC, etc... and take it as GOSPEL.
I don't know the answer to this dilemma. (I'm sure that's obvious by now). I'm just giving my two cents worth. I appreciate the Internet model, its not perfect, but its good, and I don't see why I have to make the perfect the enemy of the good.
Hearing on Rise of the Drones: Unmanned Systems and the Future of War
On March 23, 2010, the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs held a hearing to address the rise in unmanned systems technology and the implications for the current U.S. war efforts in the Middle East and South Asia, U.S. national security, and the future of war. Discussion focused on a variety of operational, political, and legal questions about unmanned systems, as well as related questions about the acquisition process and export controls.
Drone Wars, Without Any Rules
by Dan Froomkin
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/03/24-5
The CIA's extensive use of unmanned drones to kill alleged terrorists in Pakistan and elsewhere is arguably against international law and raises the possibility that top U.S. officials will someday be tried at the Hague for war crimes, a law professor told a congressional oversight panel on Tuesday.
Despite the rapidly increasing use of drones in warfare and anti-terrorism -- and the legal and ethical issues their use raises -- the U.S. government has never publicly advanced a legal justification for sending its drones on targeted killing runs overseas; up until Tuesday, Congress hadn't even held a single hearing into the question.
Kenneth Anderson, an American University law professor, told the panel he believes there is legal justification for the U.S.'s use of drones, not just by the military but by the CIA, under the doctrine of self-defense.
But, he said, government lawyers "have not settled on what the rationales are, and I believe that at some point that ill serves an administration which is embracing this. Now, maybe the answer is: This is really terrible and illegal and anybody that does it should go off to the Hague. But if that's the case, then we should not be having the president saying that this is the greatest thing since whatever. That seems like a bad idea."
Progressives Take Heart: Successful Presidents Historically Push for MORE Reform
Very interesting comments by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin on the effect of achieving historic legislative success on the agenda of that president. She said the healthcare bill's success will affect Obama's leadership from now on. She cited LBJ's success with passage of the civil rights act outlawing segregation as invigorating him to push for MORE reforms, even tho advisors told him to "take a break." Video (min. .44):
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30031533/ns/msnbc_tv-the_ed_show
Nels,
"Don’t think for a moment that their not plotting on ways to take over the Internet too."
The internet is its own worst enemy. It is so vast that messages get lost in the rabble. Seems only messages picked up by established media get traction.
The Politics of Media
By Robert Parry
March 24, 2010
http://consortiumnews.com/2010/032410.html
If you believed what you saw on Tuesday’s NBC evening news or what you read in the Washington Post’s lead editorial on Wednesday, you wouldn’t have a clue that Republicans are engaged in a scorched-earth political strategy to destroy the Obama administration.
Instead, you’d think that everyday Americans are solidly behind the congressional Republicans in their unanimous opposition to health reform (NBC) and that President Barack Obama and the Democrats have done next to nothing to bridge the partisan divide (the Post).
Let’s start with NBC’s biased coverage of Obama’s signing into law the landmark health care reform. The multi-part opening segment could have been scripted by the Republican National Committee.
“Make no mistake,” NBC anchor Brian Williams said, “for millions of Americans who were not in the East Room [of the White House] today, it was the beginning of a fight against what they see as a government health-care behemoth that they have to now live by.”
Then, after dismissing the White House signing ceremony as a political pep rally of “giddy supporters” – and after explaining none of the new law’s features – NBC lovingly interviewed Republicans about their determination to roll back this government overreach.
NBC correspondent Kelly O’Donnell gave Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, his say without mentioning DeMint’s foiled scheme to make health reform President Obama’s “Waterloo” to “break” him. Normally, that would seem like a natural question to ask, but NBC apparently didn’t want to cast the GOP’s stalwart opposition to the new law as part of any partisan strategy.
more....
Rick,
The article said this was the second of three appearances in Canada, the first went off. I am inclined to believe she is attempting to shift attention from the fact that she had a small turnout for her. If ticket sales are low at the third event, what better way to drum up sales than create controversy.
@Thom, you can't possibly be old enough to remember when Journalism was separated from sales. The press has been co-opted by sales since the day they put advertisements in their newspapers. However, it has gotten progressively worse over the years, so much so, that it can seem that back in your youth it was pure and unbiased.
Charles,
From what I have seen, the Ann Coulter talk was canceled for security reasons, I suppose also because there were 100 people there to see her and 2000 protesting.
We do have hate speech laws but I don't think that was the direct reason.
I'd almost rather she didn't get any more press coverage out of this.
It may well have been a problem in not matching the gender listed on 'Her' passport. We have those scanners now too ;-)
Cheers,
Rick
Interesting article about Rumsfeld's house, which includes NEIGHBORS and a description of the neighborhood. Interesting.
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/06/30/travel/escapes/30michaels.html
Say it with me "The country is moving to the left." You don't have to believe it, just say it.
Remember the Bloom County where Opus declared he can feel the country moving to the right? Well, the pendulum is due to swing back now. So while this latest "victory" isn't everything we were hoping for, it's evidence things are moving the progressives way.
Don't think it's true? Then spread the meme and make it true. Next time some ditto head blasts you with fox talking points, just say "Well, the country is moving to the left, with or without you."
Communal Penance
On March 23, 2010 my wife and I attended a Communal Penance service at our Church. The pastor invites additional priests to hear individual confessions after a short service in examination of our conscience. A Communal Penance service is twice a year, such as just before Christmas and just before Easter.
The guest priest talked about the Prodigal Son, workers in the vineyards, and John Schultz, a gangster from New York who killed many persons in his lifetime.
Was it fair for the master to a vineyard worker the same amount of money who worked one hour while some workers worked a full day? Was it fair for the father to have a party for the Prodigal Son who left home for years and lost all his money on wine, women, and song while the older son remained near his father and working the land for his father?
John Schultz, a notorious gangster from New York, was shot and near death when he asked to see a priest. John Schultz confessed his sins and the priest gave him absolution for his sins. Thousands of parishioners from the Diocese of New York called and let their outrage be heard that John Schultz received absolution for his sins.
The priest at the Communal Penance service said something that startled me. He said that God is not about fairness. God is about love, mercy, and forgiveness. I knew that God is about love, mercy, and forgiveness but not about fairness startled me. I also knew that I wanted a God to judge me who is about love, mercy, and forgiveness because as a sinner such a God judging me means that I may have a chance for salvation. If God is about justice and fairness very few sinners would have a chance for salvation.
On other matters and thoughts as side notes we should never underestimate the stupidity of Americans. There should be no doubt that hatred is rampant in the United States of Hell.
I also want to say that the United States Supreme Court will repeal health care reform for Americans. The Catholic Mafia in the Supreme Court is a private corporation and as a corporation they rule in favor of corporation. Health care companies are corporations who will receive a favorable ruling from the Supreme that repeals health care for Americans.
The United States Supreme Court should be abolished because each state has a supreme court and the Department of Commerce could rule on certain interstate issues The Supreme Court building could be renovated into a museum that will remind Americans of our nation’s history of carrying ongoing mass murders and crimes against humanity in order to expand America’s empire.