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Excellent Critique of Dodd Financial Reform Bill
Steve Pearlstein of the Washington Post gives a thoughtful assessment of the Dodd bill (video):
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35890658#35891075
Sometimes I wonder what the word “progressive” is supposed to mean, at least by Thom’s standard.. On Friday and again on Monday, Thom in tone disparaged former United Farm Workers founder Cesar Chavez, who I had the privilege to hear speak in Sacramento (along with Jerry Brown and Jesse Jackson) a few years before he died. Of course, I can’t say that I’m that not surprised that Thom would condescend a man who was then speaking on behalf of public employees whose health care benefits were under threat—if he’s a Latino, he doesn’t “count.” Point-of-fact, the reason why I started posting here almost a year ago was because I was tired of Thom’s and his callers’ anti-Latino screeds going unanswered.
For the sake of eliminating any complete dearth of knowledge that some people might have on who Cesar Chavez was, he was a native-born U.S. citizen, worked with Saul Alinsky, a noted community and labor activist in his time, organized farm workers and led strikes against various California produce industries (most notably grape producers)—famously going on a hunger strike before breaking bread with Robert Kennedy. His labor bargaining skills impressed the Teamsters Union (who like the rest of the country had little previous interest in improving the lot of farm workers)—so much so that they tried to muscle-in on his turf, creating their own competing farm workers union. After years of conflict and with the support of the AFL-CIO, the Teamsters were forced to recognize the UFW as having the sole right to organize farm workers.
It doesn’t surprise me that someone would link Chavez with terrorists, but Thom should know better than to pass on such base ignorance to listeners, even he is just a “Mexican.”
In regard to other things said yesterday, as I remarked in a post last week in the wake of the Jihad Jane arrest, white folks don’t seem to get all that worked-up over issues of privacy so long as it is only dark-skinned people being discomfited by it—it’s only when the net is expanded to include them that it causes concern. Also, in regard to “caging lists,” a court in the state of Washington has already ruled that a state law banning convicted felons who have completed their sentences from voting was unconstitutional and violated the Voting Rights Act; the question then is why nobody in Florida has taken the caging list issue to court, seeking to ban their use on the same grounds used in the Washington court ruling.
Washington’s 9th Congressional District was created after the 1990 Census, and was intended to be one of those “competitive” districts where whether you voted for a Democrat or Republican depended on what side of the bed you rolled off on. Adam Smith, a Democrat who is the principle target of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ads I’ve seen, is a “moderate,” so it is obvious why he is being targeted. I sent him my two-bit opinion, reminding him that the people who oppose the health care bill don’t want a better bill, they don’t want a bill at all. The question then is whether the country needs health care reform, and if it does, then there is no constructive alternative but to vote for the bill that eventually comes down. Only once the provisions of the bill go through the test of real world application will we know what works and what needs to be altered. Access for all has to be the primary concern, and then cost—which includes finding ways of cutting down on skyrocketing health care inflation (far in excess of any other consumer “product”), and unneeded or duplicate procedures.
Just out ---
"The vanishing liberal:
How the left learned to be helpless"
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2010/04/0082894
The last paragraph of this very interesting piece:
"Coming to power when he did, with the political skills and the majorities he possesses, Barack Obama squandered an almost unprecedented opportunity. But it is increasingly clear that he never intended to challenge the power structure he had so skillfully penetrated. With the recent Supreme Court ruling that corporations are, once more, people, American democracy has snapped shut again—the great, forced opening of the past 130 years has ended. There is no longer any meaningful reformist impulse left in our politics. The idea of modern American liberalism has vanished among our elite, and simply voting for one man or supporting one of the two major parties will not restore it. The work will have to be done from the ground up, and it will have to be done by us."
P.S.
I don't know if the link above will work if one is not a subscriber. If not, I will be glad to post the enitre article here if anyone requests it.
Thom,
You keep saying "Cesar Chavez," but I think you mean "Hugo." And he's more "socialist" and "populist" than "terrorist." He's using Venezuela's oil revenues to help the people.
That Ralph Nader is just a useful idiot as he scapegoats "the oil industry" for not having solar power up. Well, we recently witnessed that solar panels were blocked in the Mojave desert and it was not "big oil" that stopped it. When it comes down to it, it is environmentalists that block most projects that I have seen.
Why do you think that is???
Ron Rutherford -- What is it you are trying to say? Your point is unclear.
Oh, can't take criticisms, I see...
Sorry,
Quote: The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun. — Ralph Nader Great quote there Thom.
Must explain the reasons why no solar in the Mojave Desert and the Kennedy’s are patsies for the “big oil”. Do they not own the wind also???
You sound like your useful idiots more each day…
Sorry,
Quote: The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun. — Ralph Nader Great quote there Thom.
Must explain the reasons why no solar in the Mojave Desert and the Kennedy’s are patsies for the “big oil”. Do they not own the wind also???
You sound like your useful idiots more each day…
Sorry,
Quote: The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun. — Ralph Nader Great quote there Thom.
Must explain the reasons why no solar in the Mojave Desert and the Kennedy’s are patsies for the “big oil”. Do they not own the wind also???
You sound like your useful idiots more each day…
Sorry, Quote: The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun. — Ralph Nader Great quote there Thom.
Must explain the reasons why no solar in the Mojave Desert and the Kennedy’s are patsies for the “big oil”. Do they not own the wind also???
You sound like your useful idiots more each day…
Sorry, not formated right the first time. Quote: The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun. — Ralph Nader Great quote there Thom.
Must explain the reasons why no solar in the Mojave Desert and the Kennedy’s are patsies for the “big oil”. Do they not own the wind also???
You sound like your useful idiots more each day…
Quote: The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun. — Ralph Nader Great quote there Thom.
Must explain the reasons why no solar in the Mojave Desert and the Kennedy’s are patsies for the “big oil”. Do they not own the wind also???
You sound like your useful idiots more each day…
http://rdrutherford.blogspot.com/2010/03/thom-hartmann-is-hypocrite.html
In case anyone missed it:
So Thom, You consider being stupid by not having a "socialist security" for health care also, no? Didn't your mother ever tell you that just because everyone else is going to jump in a lake does not mean that you should. If other industrialized countries also forced women to wear burkas would you also think we should follow that example.
The big question is why do you think just because government provides the services that it somehow is free then?
Your blog does not get too much traffic and your forum is losing interest. Why do you think that might be? I really want to know if you want lively dynamic conversations on your forum or is it meant only for "Libs". Considering that people get banned for the slightest while the "forum pets" get to insult all day, I have to wonder.
Maybe if you paid attention more to even your own words, you would in fact notice your hypocrisy as in http://www.thomhartmann.com/board/./viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3852
Thom Hartmann is a hypocrite!
Link: Why are we the only stupid industrialized country in the world?
Thom: You have another issue that I am sure you will get right on to responding to at:
http://www.thomhartmann.com/board/./viewtopic.php?f=19&t=3875
T.H. says Geo. Washington wanted Fed Gov Health Care
Probably just making the shit up again, hey Thom???
PS: If you have some actual data to add to the discussion, bring it. I don’t think you do. You’re just another lazy right wing freeper (who clearly was not banned for his insulting tone), throwing grenades at the parade.Why???? It is Thom’s blog and he never even provides a link to his "facts" in his comments. His books are even worse for not having footnotes or much of a bibliography.
PS2: Ron: did Thom say it would be free? Standard attack mode: to put words in the mouths of those you attack that they did not say.
I am asking Thom, not one of his cheerleaders. I’m asking him where will he find the money. I have read and listened enough to know that he is just pushing that issue under the rug or has some “hope and change” mantra that he repeating.
Yes, and thanks for the vacuous link…
Thom: You have another issue that I am sure you will get right on to responding to at:
http://www.thomhartmann.com/board/./viewtopic.php?f=19&t=3875
T.H. says Geo. Washington wanted Fed Gov Health Care
Probably just making the shit up again, hey Thom???
Sorry, accidentally hit post before it was all fixed for errors.
If DNA info becomes available to big corporations, why can't I reserve, based on the rights of a copyright owner. If these corporations had this much valuable information, they would charge me to sift through for my personal interests. I reserve the right to do the same. Especially if my DNA is used to design medicines that I will be charged to use from a for-profit health care system.
When I had my first child the nurse told another nurse to prepare my placenta and make sure it was properly stored. A conversation with the nurse revealed to me realize that the hospital was selling my placenta to a pharmaceutical company. I said that I wanted my bill credited for that sale. Which of course the nurse scoffed and said I had no need of it so therefore I was not entitled to payment. Then she left.
Anyway, my dad who is a retired Fed judge said that by that reasoning, that if I were an airplane pilot and owned my own plane and then went blind, I should be forced to sell if for free because I have no use for it.
If corporations are people then why is a person's personal stats and all that can be learned for them free game.?
War crimes against humanity by the US Military are mounting up.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/This-Time-It-s-Pregnant-Wo-by-Dave-Li...
Thom talked about getting nightmares reading "1984". Worse than that is listening to Mike Malloy read from "1984" for several nights before bed until I realized that this was extremely counterproductive to restful sleep. Malloy's hypnotic inflection of Orwell's words totally creeped me out.
Since the Republicans control the fraudulent voting machines, the Democrats will be slaughtered in 2010 and 2012. Whoever controls our rigged voting machines controls our nation's destiny.
I have shared with you and you may have read about Monsanto control the food seeds with their patents. It seems remarkable for Monsanto to have a monopoly on the production of food. There are probably other corporations who want to control certain resources. Coca Cola is trying to control the water distribution around the world. Control of the world's resources will be a fact by a certain number of corporations.
“Should corporations be socially responsible?” The truth is that profits trump social responsibility. In 1989, corporations met to control the entire planet and its resources. Fifteen corporations want to control the entire planet.
Corporations are privatizing the resources and selling it back to the people for whatever price it desires. For example one corporation privatized the water in an emerging country and the corporation demanded twenty-five percent of a person’s daily wages for each day he wanted water.
Sixty-seven percent of the planet will not have fresh drinking water by 2025. Governments are powerless against corporations. In fact, corporations can overthrow governments.
Governments work with corporations to suppress dissenters. Dissenters are idealistic and corporations are realistic and the corporations are winning. Governments and corporations want to take away the people’s freedoms and rights. Corporations with the help of governments are gaining more and more control over our lives. Three billion people are living in poverty. More children are being exploited as slave laborers by corporations in the emerging countries. Slavery continues in the world and in the United States of America.
What is a real concern of mine is that Glenn Beck may the mirror image of more than 50% of Americans.
Social justice is important to many faiths and religions.
Catholic Social Teaching
To consider yourself a Catholic Christian and not a Catholic Fundamentalist, a Catholic Nazi, or a Catholic Taliban you must adhere to Catholic Social Teaching. The Catholic bishops have stressed ten areas that are important in Catholic Social Teaching.
1. Respect for the dignity and life of the human person, from conception to NATURAL DEATH
2. Call to family and community life
3. The right and duty to participate in social, economic, and political life
4. Advancing the common good to love our neighbor
5. Promoting peace and social justice
6.Promoting human rights and responsibilities
7. Special care and concern for the poor and vulnerable
8. The dignity of work and the rights of workers
9. Solidarity – loving our neighbor locally and globally
10. Caring for God’s creation: stewardship of the earth
Unless these areas are important to you, you cannot consider yourself a Catholic Christian.
The Catholic Right stresses these five areas: abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, and capital punishment. These are important areas but Catholic Social Teaching goes beyond these specific areas. Of the five areas there are four areas that stress life issues and one area stresses family and community life. Eight important areas are excluded from Catholic Social Teaching. The hijacking of my Catholic faith must not be allowed to continue by the Catholic Right.
Dave Robinson, Executive Director of Pax Christi USA, makes a profound statement and I am in total agreement with him. Here are his words. “We will directly challenge the religious right and particularly the Catholic right, who would reduce Catholic identity to a handful of issues while rejecting the broader teachings of the Church. We can no longer allow a partisan hijacking of our Catholic identity to define Catholicism in the political dialogue here in this country.”
Late News: Republican presidential candidate (likely) Tim Pawlenty caught using money intended for veterans to fund a political operative
"When Minnesota motorists paid out $30 apiece for "Support Our Troops" license plates, it's a good bet they had no idea they were supporting Lee Buckley, a political appointee of Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Last year $30,000 from the license-plate fund was used to pay a portion of Buckley's salary. Buckley worked in Pawlenty's office as a $92,000 a year special adviser on faith and community services.
[...]
By state law, money from the plates is split between the Department of Military Affairs for family members of deployed service members and the Department of Veterans Affairs for grants for homeless and needy veterans...."
http://networkedblogs.com/p29585716
$160 Billion in investment banker salary and bonusses
divided among 300 Million Americans.
is
$533 per American!
re: Diebold
Put aside for one moment the possibilities of outright vote stealing and computer hacking, which I believe have been used.
The mere distribution of these voting machines is inherently biased against city voters (ie, predominantly Democratic voters).
If you put 10 voting machines in the inner city, and 10 machines in the sparsely populated ruras areas (ie predominantly conservative voters), which place will have the long voting lines? after a 10 hour wait, many city voters give up and go home, and who can blame them?
In most towns, if 1 or 2 people get killed at a dangerous intersection, they put up a stop sign and correct the problem. How many elections do we have to lose before we get rid of Diebold?
how about a class action suit by city voters against Diebold for limiting their access to voting? what happened to equal voting rights?