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Is Michael Steele actually smart enough to help sabatoge the party he knows only put him in his place because he is black?
The President Obama's 'Healthcare reform is the toothless Senate bill that Joe Lieberman extorted for me' pony show will be held at Blair House . . .
Whenever Thom has a conservative guest on who is spouting talking points, shouting him down and using linguistic manipulation I would like to see Thom follow up with an analysis of "the code" they were using to control, manipulate and divert the conversation away from meaningful dialogue. I would like to hear Thom's take on how they use NLP skills to trick the audience into believing their schtik and how to turn the tables on them.
Yesterday, one of Thom’s callers said she was so “enraged” at what was in her view a failure of keeping the promise of “change” that she was ready to pick-up a gun. Frankly, I think that if this “rage” to violence is what that media opinion-shapers are forming in the minds of some sectors of the populace, laughing it off as a few fanatics isn’t an option, since the fanatic who perceive him or herself and their “problem” as being ignored tend to be more “explosive” in their wish not to be ignored (like Joe Stark). Once opinion-makers give these people rationales to unleash their proclivities to violent means, it is hard to control them.
I was in a coffee shop yesterday where the proprietor had Fox News on a wide-screen TV, and after five minutes asked her to turn the channel; it isn’t hard to understand how the paranoid who chooses to be exposed to the constant, unreasoning denunciations of "liberals" and government in general can be turned toward violence, especially when they are made to feel “helpless” before the colossus of "big government." It doesn’t help that you have the likes of Glenn Beck—who has absolutely no sense of accountability for the effects his irresponsible propagandizing has on the paranoid, bigoted mind—imply that people may have no choice but to resort to violence. When the German political elite gave Hitler the chancellorship, they thought that they could control him and his movement, but they didn’t realize that Hitler had no respect for democratic institutions, nor the fact that he was more than willing to resort to violence to achieve his ends. I’m not sure where Beck falls in this scenario, but if he excuses himself by claiming that he is doing this because it is “good” for ratings, that he is merely an “entertainer” like Rush Limbaugh, then political discourse has reached such a nadir that it can be no wonder that many people have a distorted sense of reality.
I would prefer to think that listeners on the left who are “enraged” have a better sense of reality than those on the right who simply have “rage.” If we need a “revolution,” it has to be channeled into a coherent program addressing specific needs. I don’t see the “rage” of the right as being anything more than the alarming result of the cynical self-aggrandizement of right-wing charlatans.
Calvo:
I don't believe we have reached a point of no return. You are right about an armed revolt being unfeasible, this is precisely why I think we need to to hit where it hurts the most...financially. Why do you think our enemies have been targeting wall street and financial headquarters? It is the real power behind this mess. I disagree with violence and am against harming anyone, unless they try to harm me physically. I believe we could change things using Gandhian principles and by focusing on depriving the financial power that is behind all of this.
No Mark- I just don't think too highly of YOU!
Here is a great article from one of my favorite writers.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/kwiatkowski/kwiatkowski244.html
WTF?!? Teabaggers being taken over by the billionaire racists that founded and astroturfed them?!?
DUDE!!! Chronologically challenged much . . . The barn door started open and the ponies were branded out in the wild.
Does Mark not realize he is the guest and was asked on to answer questions.
And read this gem Quote: ...the Civil Rights Movement was about confiscating the fruits of the labor of the working people for "redistribution" among the parasitical class."
http://foodfascist.blogspot.com/2009/09/tea-bagger-mark-williams-on-ande...
This bastard Mark Williams lives in my community. See what he proudly published in his paper incl link to actual article, which has been removed the last time I checked And read this gem Quote: ...the Civil Rights Movement was about confiscating the fruits of the labor of the working people for "redistribution" among the parasitical class."
When JFK was running for President being labeled an Irish-Catholic was considered a bad thing.
If there's "nothing wrong with it" (falsely claiming Obama is a Muslim), then WHY BRING IT UP?
Thom, the other day you and a guest were trying to pronounce the international name for the Chinese currency. I have a friend from China who has been in the US for three years. I asked her to pronounce the word. It sounds like
R-M-B Just say the three letters as one word. Everyone in or from China will know exactly what you're saying.
Funny! Pigeon commuter caught on tape!
Thank God for European sanity!!!
http://news.antiwar.com/2010/02/23/gates-european-aversion-to-war-a-dang...
1054 architectural and engineering professionals
and 6864 other supporters including A&E students
have signed the petition demanding of Congress
a truly independent investigation.
http://www.ae911truth.org/
We live in a national security state, not a democracy. Sure we hold elections, we can chose one from column A and two from column B, but we can never change the menu.
Jan Schakowsky, Sibel Edmonds has testified under oath. Are you calling her a perjurer? Would you do so under oath? Would you even address the question? If she is merely falsifying, why did the Bush administration place her under gag orders, twice?
If the article I referenced this afternoon is true about the attack on Marja being motivated by domestic concerns, to (is it "djinn up" as in djinni or "gin up" as in engine? [or maybe I've just had one too many?]) support for our Afghan efforts, what does that say about us, our leaders and our media?
One thousand architects and engineers sign a petition saying that 9/11 needs to being re-investigated forensically, is that not news?
But, no, we only hear that European cuts in military spending are a threat to peace: Gates Calls European Mood a Danger to Peace http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/24/world/europe/24nato.html
I don't believe we can have a revolution based on the historical context and the term "Revolution", even in comparison to our own in the eighteenth century. Those in power own the municipalities,comerce, the corporations, the government, the Armed Services. To have a revolution would mean facing far greater capabilities of those in power than we ever have in the past.
The outcome of a revolution would not rely on fist to fist, or arms to arms as it was historically. Those in power have weapons of mass destruction like bio technology, and surveillance technology.
I don’t believe our protesting is working anymore either. Look at the rnc convention, peaceful non-violent protesters were accosted and arrested, and not just there, it’s happening all over the Country.
It seems revolutionaries would need such capitol that only the politicians, the banksters and corporatists have.
Too we have the added guilt complex or complex of hypocrisy. To actually harm another even if it was in defense.
I believe we are at a point of no return.
Those in power do not believe in “We The People”. They have let us know in countless ways from the Patriot act to Eminent Domain law and lots and lots in-between and “We The People” have slept too long.
A real time revolution here in America, today would be unlike any other anywhere. The cost would be great if not all for not.
@Zero G. Thanks for mentioning Sibel. She has more credibility than Jan Schakowsky, who, as you note, hasn't shown genuine opposition to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
What kind of country do you want your kids to inherit? If we don't deal with these issues now then our children will have to only by much more serious means!
It is not so bizarre that the banks are basically forcing foreclosures – Thank you Bush !@#&*!
It used to be that the Banksters lost money if properties foreclosed but The Banksters and the Corporations want property for power. They want to control the government, the money, the land, the property, indeed the people.
During the 2009 Presidential campaign I remember a buzz phrase “Didn’t like the direction the Country was going”. I did not understand the phrase. I didn’t know the direction of our Country was in question. Sure we have our differences but to me the “direction of our Country was clear based on the Constitution, Human rights, Civil Liberties…etc. You know self evident stuff.
But this is not true. Our Country has become about fraud, greed, lies, oppression, submission. The more money, the more buying of politicians/political process, and the more land or property than the more power and I sense this is just the beginning.
Could there be a revolution in the U.S. ? The question isn't could there be the answer is when will it be?? You can look at the progression of events here in the U.S. in regards to the taking away of rights and dismantling of the middle class and it matches almost every other model in world history in which revolution occurred. Almost step by step. I honestly believe it is just a matter of time. Americans are still relatively comfortable but it is changing rapidly at almost exponential rates. Unfortunately people will not start fighting back until they're backed into a corner. At that point the fighting becomes so much more difficult than if they were to start sooner. In addition the majority of the public is not educated on whats going on and how it is being achieved so they feel they are not a apart or can be apart of it.
One of your listeners called in today and said she was ready for armed revolt. That is just one listener. I guarantee you that for everyone that calls in and admits that, that there is hundreds more that feel the same way but are afraid to say it. I believe she was wrong in saying that she would fight the police law enforcement. We should not be mistaken, they are our friends. Like you said Tom they may also very well be our neighbors and are suffering too. We would need to win their sympathy over.
I believe an armed revolt is out of the question at this point and should only be a last resort. I believe our forefathers did set up the constitution to protect us in this sense. That's why they gave us the right to bear arms. Not to protect us from foreign threats, but to protect ourselves from our own government should the time ever come. They knew that it was a possibility based on history.
The way we should be revolting right now is financially. We should be targeting the extremely wealthy. The distribution of wealth is the real problem here. Right now we are financially supporting the entity that is killing us. The way to fight back right now is with financial conservatism and modesty. Pay off your credit cards immediately or as soon as you possibly can and don't use them anymore. We need to go back to a cash based culture. Don't use credit unless it is a severe emergency or life threatening event, but even then pay off as soon as possible. We need to start living frugally in order to do this. Stop buying crap other than what we really need. When products are purchased, buy them from the most local and smallest business that you can afford to buy from. We need to promote renewable energy such as solar since we can't be charged for sunlight (yet). Start getting active locally in politics and start paying attention to whats going on. If you spend less you can work less and then you will have more time to pay attention and educate yourself on the circumstances that are affecting us the most. But most of all spend less.
This is how the wealthy are getting their power. The interest you pay on your credit cards is giving these guys the financial power to rule over you. Also if you are having a mortgage problem then walk away. So your credit takes a small hit. That's still better than paying these guys to hurt you more. People will still give you credit if you absolutely have to have it. They will be desperate for your business.
If we hit them where it hurts them most....in their pocket books then we can start to take back the power that they hold over us!
Thom - I wish you would not have contacted PETA to discuss animal rights. They are about as educated on animal rights as Sarah Palin is on foreign policy.
The Banks of Marble:
I've travelled around this country
From shore to shining shore
And it really makes me wonder
What the world is coming to
I see the weary farmer
Just plowing up the loam
And I see the auction hammer
A'selling off his home
Cho:
But the banks are made of marble
With a guard at every door
And the vaults are made of silver
That the workers sweated for