DDay, Anoka MN.

I'll give Obama a D for damn it! (I'm an easy grader)

I give him a C- for the change not yet given to the American people.

The fix is in on everything

Why are we letting the Democrats off the hook? Lieberman is not the government neither is Ben Nelson,Landrieu, Blanche Lincoln etc.. Yet we continue to allow Reid and the Democrats to use these few Senators as cover for not fighting. They pay lip service, spout some indignation and then take millions of dollars from corporate interests who are doing their best to undermine the progressive agenda. It’s time to admit that these moderates provide cover for a big chunk of our “representatives” and that is why they are never punished. When I see no consequences for derailing the agenda I know the fix is in and its not just the “moderates” who are playing the game.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/attytood/
"Obamania"

Last week I directed folks to an excellent -- and highly controversial -- piece about the Obama administration kowtowing to Wall Street, by the great rabble-rouser Matt Taibbi of Rolling Stone. Now Taibbi's back with a blog post on the some of the reaction, and I think he hits the nail on the head here:

I supported Barack Obama. I still do. If I had to vote tomorrow between Obama and Tim Pawlenty, or Sarah Palin, it wouldn’t be a choice that required a whole lot of thought. He’s done some good things. He’s restored some confidence in the United States among foreign leaders. We had something of a revolutionary regime for eight years under George Bush, and Obama has put the United States back into the club of rule-abiding nations, at least to some degree.

But I’m a little mystified by the letters I’m getting from people who suggest that being a supporter of a politician means that you should “give him a break” on this or that shortcoming, and behave more like a fan than a citizen.

I think part of the problem -- and we've seen this from liberals and conservatives -- is that both sides feel their opposite number will destroy the country if it wins the next election (ignoring the remarkable similarity between the two parties on some issues, like dealing with powerful corporations...or Afghanistan). So for the Americans who get most worked up about politics these days, their interest isn't so much in debating right and wrong but in "winning," which now isn't everything, but the only thing.

For example, from the mindset of many liberals, criticizing Obama from the left -- when added on top of the unrelenting and unmitigated criticism that he gets from the right -- will weaken the president and his allies in the mind of that tiny sliver of actual undecided voters, which means Democrats losing Congress and the White House over the next four years, which means going back to a Bush-inspired nightmare of endless tax cuts for the rich and bomb, bomb, bombing Iran; you can say the same for the conservative mindset but just substitute "socialism" and "gun confiscation."

On a certain level, it's an understandable impulse. Back in the day, the Democrats in particular had this crazy notion that you could go to a political convention and say whatever was on your mind; in 1972 they argued a lot and nominated wacky choices for vice president and looked terrible on television and pushed back nominee George McGovern's speech until the middle of the night. Over time, both parties decided that avoiding defeat meant avoiding that kind of disunity, which meant avoiding dissent -- and so what if that's undemocratic.

The problem is that "winning," which is supposed to be the only thing, is pretty much an empty thing if you don't keep pushing the "winners" to do the difficult tasks you elected them to do. If Obama isn't nagged by voters to close Gitmo or fight for the public option that a majority of Americans support, then he's not really that different from George W. Bush, and then what was the whole point? I think it makes sense to criticize when criticism is warranted, and let the chips fall where they may. America's a big country. We can handle it.

"Obama Far Outdoes Bush in Escalating War -- The Numbers Will Surprise You"

http://www.alternet.org/world/144449/obama_far_outdoes_bush_in_escalatin...

The highest number of troops the Bush administration ever had in Iraq and Afghanistan at the same time.....186,000.
The number of troops the Obama administration now plans to have in Iraq and Afghanistan at the same time.....222,000.

Nora I think you are a little confused. You lambasted Bill Mckibben for doing all the things you said were necessary to change the world in your second post. Educate. Guerilla marketing.Research. Share your research. Bill has done all that. The only thing he might be a little weak on according to your scenario is humor. And I think he more than makes up for that in his sincerity.

There is a lot of lying, cheating and stealing going on right now but in order to survive you have got to be able to tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys.

First and foremost you have to look to the intent of someone's action before you pass judgment if you are ever going to make a correct decision.

I do not believe George W had an honest bone in his body. The man lied on a regular basis. My judgment of him as a dishonest and untrustworthy person was based on the facts of matter. He gave me good reason not trust him. He lied, a lot. He had a secret agenda for everything he did and profited at everyone else's expense. He used the power and position of the Presidency to his own selfish ends. He did nothing on your list. You have to see the difference between him and Bill McKibben.

Bill McKibben is trying to save the planet by using science the truth and a love for the human race. The man doesn't get anything for doing this. He is not getting rich. He doesn't want to be king. He is doing a good thing for heaven sakes. Really Nora if you can not tell the difference between Bill McKibben and George W you really are missing a great many opportunities to do some real good.

RE: Thom Hartmann's suggestion yesterday to go to Tea Parties and his call yesterday for REVOLUTION

There is another method. EDUCATE THE POPULATION who haven't had time or resources (interest, time, education, computer, accessible library) to get the information.

Every local ballot or poltical battle I've participated in and been on the winning side of, was won by getting the general population UP-TO-SPEED with the facts of the issue.

We usually had to do this ourselves because the local papers and media were in solidarity with the Power Elite/Establishment opposition who were planning on getting a piece of the action eventually from the project or development.

And we did it by doing all sorts of things:

1/ Teach In: Set up a table and chairs with photocopied info available in someone's frontyard/driveway or public spot and discuss the issue; we often invited the opposition to be there at the same time to give their point of view, but they never showed up. (The Big Money High Rollers don't care to rub elbows and debate because their paid people only MEMORIZE scripts, can't think on their feet and don't have answers for any question they have not been trained to answer! They prefer controlled situations where they actually PLANT questions/questioners.)

2/ Guerilla Marketing: Pass out "Dear Neighbor" leaflets and fliers to people in public places. Or at night put them at people's front sidewalk to pick up in the morning. (How NOT to do it: We used to put them on the windshields of parked cars, but people are getting really fussy about having their cars touched, so I'd find another way to get it to them. NEVER put anything in a mailbox.)

3/ Use humor: Draw cartoons, make clip art cartoons, make up songs and skits that bring a smile about the usually CRAZY reality of the opposition is attempting to squeeze passed the Public! When you are looking for it, you will have MORE THAN ENOUGH material to work with, because bad ideas, scams, and destructive projects, and follow-the-money connections are ripe for satire! And once people start laughing at the scammers and profiteers, A SHIFT HAPPENS in what the public is noticing about what the oppostion claims. It is one of the easiest ways to REFRAME the issues which the Authorities/Insiders/MoneyBags usually defined as they began their campaigns. And people feel so much better approaching these serious issues if they can LAUGH; it melts the ice of apprehension that the issues are too complex for a normal person to understand (which is why the Elite/Authorities usually get normal folks to back away saying "I can't figure it out -- I'll have to trust you.")

4/ Share YOUR research: The facts that WOW you and references for those are just what you should share. Make your hand-outs, fliers, leaflets, cartoons a composition of your hours of research all in a single place. Be clear. Say "This is the position to support/oppose because of these things reasons/facts" and show those referenced facts and arguments that have made a difference for you. Keep it simple. Forget paragraphs. Use bulleted items with just a sentence or two.

5/ Keep your references handy: Whether talking, singing satirical songs, leafletting, etc., ALWAYS have your references with you. Referencing local newspaper articles or internet research is easy; just put the reference in parentheses() after each fact. Carry your list of winning facts with you with full references wherever you go to leave with the person/s who are interested or you think you can reach.

If we went in large numbers to the streets doing stuff like this for six months or so, we might UNDO years of the Corporate Media's non-reporting, slanted reporting, censorship, lousy priorities, and their sensationalizing of meaningless stuff. We MUST make our own NEWS MEDIA via actions of this kind to replace the corrupt Corporate Media which backs only the Transnational Corporate goals.

EDUCATE FIRST.

Hi Tom,

I listen to you in the car. The other day I heard the word 'revolution' come out of your mouth. You admitted that this is something you have avoided saying for a very long time. But there you said it. Revolution is not something anyone takes lightly. It has always represented a complete upheaval of our lives and we are so prone to accepting the worst conditions before we commit to the change that is necessary.

I always learn something every time I listen to your show. No matter if it just for 5 minutes or 3 hours. This is why you are my favorite show. I learned about the different schools of thought, people are born bad, and people are born good, Locke was the good reference. I did not get the other. I am of the belief all people are born good. I guess I came to this conclusion by being a mom and looking into my babies eyes. Every baby is born with love in their heart and full of goodness. Any evil or harm has to be taught or learned. But I digress.

Back to the scary revolution. Because of where we came from and references in the Declaration of Independence to revolution, "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." we have avoided the idea of another revolution with all our might.

I have struggled with this concept of revolution also and have come to the following conclusion. I love this country, this democracy. But we are not a democracy anymore. We have been taken over by corporatacracy. This is what I want to change. This is what I want to overthrow. The corporatacracy.

Our democracy and the Constitution that has empowered the people to protect, defend and promote it is the tool we have been provided to revolt against invaders and intruders.

Our Congress, even our President is being held hostage by the Corporations that provide the ways and means by which our Officials campaign and get elected. The corporations have infiltrated, infringed and trespassed on every segment and element of our form of government. So to me the call for revolution is a call to free our Congress and our President from the kidnappers that are holding them hostage.

Congress even the President is powerless against the Corporatacracy. For any member of Congress to propose a finance reform bill is certain sudden death to that members political career. Corporate will kill them by simply refusing to contribute to their reelection. It's that simple and everyone knows it.

Corporate does not have that kind of power over the people. So, the way I see it is that the people are the only ones who have the power to overthrow the corporatacracy and in so doing still keep our democracy and Constitution in tact.

You made reference to Roosevelt and what he thought of the corporate imperialists. It was a problem then and because we did not do what was necessary then to end it once and for all we are having to deal with it now in it's most advance stage. I would dare to suggest that it is nearly at the point where revolution under a democracy is going to be almost impossible.

The only way, as I see it, to dissolve the power that corporate has over our elected officials is to take the power of the vote that the corporatacracy needs from Congress to empower legislation that further promotes, protects and defends corporations by forbidding any member of Congress from voting on any bill that even suggests a conflict of interest. That means if any member of Congress has accepted any considerations from any corporation that would benefit in any way from a bill they are about to vote on they can't vote on it.

This has to be a people thing. I am not sure of the logistics. I am not even sure what you would call it because I don't think anything like this has ever been suggested or tried before. Wanting to break away from England and trying something new like writing the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution did not seem to stop, thank god, our founders from doing what they needed to do to set us free.

I think they gave us everything we need in our Constitution now to carry on a revolution against the corporatacracy and return our government to the democracy we all signed onto. Status quo is not what got us a democracy. Status quo is not what will get it back either.

They will think it's a mystery book. The real mystery is why anyone ever put a microphone in front of her.

Let's energize for a law against corporate "Personhood".

"Good on you" Thom Hartmann. What a great phrase.