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Tim,
Exactly.
Trying to redeem myself here.
Why isn't the right wing clammering for a scoring by OMB of the escalation of the war in Afganistan?
s.b. transplants
"Opt Out" Brilliant, Thom?
A recent pundit said it might result in a race to the bottom. States who give more generous benefits often end up on Republican hit lists (as Minnesota has, with its history of more generous, relatively speaking, welfare benefits.) States who have more generous benefits are constantly under attack, allowing for Republican slander and the ouster of Democratic governors (as happened in Minnesota.
In Minnesota, the Republican talking point was, for years, that so-called "generous" welfare benefits were attracting trasplants from Chicago, who, according to the meme, migrated to Minnesota for the welfare benefits It didn't matter that this was mostly a lie. Reagan's "welfare queens" ideology was accepted as the truth. Hence, enter Tim Pawlenty.
NBC news correspondent Richard Engel has compiled a documentary on Afganistan, "Tip of the Spear." It will be aired this weekend. Engel, a longtime foreign correspondent in that part of the world, says the U.S. needs to get out. Here's video:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789#33223170
Hey John from Hastings, NE, glad to know others from NE are listeners. We do have an active peace group that meets in G.I. monthly with a state wide Nebraskans for Peace Conference in G.I. Oct. 24, 2009. We are the only Spragues in the St. Paul phone book.
Hey, Thom,
Snow in Minneapolis, too!
BRoll
It seems to me that the US government & the Israel governments use each other; the US uses Israel as a foothold in the Middle East, and Israel gets a country in return. (And the fundamentalist Christians blindly support Israel because their (Jewish) holy book says that they (Israel) are God's chosen people (and that God will bless those who support Israel).
Why is Bernie Sanders asking "what is our goal, what is our exit strategy and what is the time-line?"
Shouldn't the question be "what right do we have to have our troops and mercenaries in Afghanistan?"
If Michael Steele thinks the Nobel Prize shouldn't go to yet another Democrat, he should spend some time trying to find a Republican who strives for peace, rather than profit.
Thank you Quark. So nice to write to you!
Interesting discussion this morning between Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Dylan Ratigan on healthcare and financial reform legislation. (Video)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31510813/ns/msnbc_tv-morning_meeting#33241082
Loretta,
'So good to "hear your voice" again!
DRichards
This can't be so for Thom Hartmann spaketh and said that Israel is our very most besttes buddy in the Middle East and so it must be so. He even spaketh that truth this week.
On the other hand, last month I heard that only 4% of Israelis said that they believe Obama is a friend of Israel in a recent poll. The person who said that emphasized that number by then pointing out that it was 4% not 40% because the number was so stunning.
This was John Fugelsang's facebook status update this morning: John Fugelsang "awoke to find that America's President had won the Peace Prize and Bombed the Moon."
'U.S. furious over Israeli incitement against Obama'
The source, who met in Washington with administration officials and members of Congress, told Haaretz he was stunned by the level of anger there over attempts to portray Obama to the American public as an enemy of Israel because of his efforts to restart peace talks and freeze settlement construction.
"There are people here who are playing with fire by damaging our relationship with the U.S.," the source said.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1119819.html
Gosh I hope I don't get in trouble for that. I was thinking about King Henry the Eighth, but a person can't make jokes like that.
George Bush is one evil dude and President Obama is, at the moment, having to run through a mine field left by that criminal, and he is still accomplishing miracles.
In the long run, President Obama's work bringing republicans into negotiations will, in the end, pay off very slowly, year by year, when individual rightwingers are enlightened by his efforts. He has the brilliance to work every angle, and I bet he is working on education, infrastructure, women's rights and peace building in Afghanistan while having to juggle the MIC (Military Industrial Complex)
We more than likely don't get to hear much about this work.
I am feeling very protective of our President and it is becoming irrational and a bit unhealthy, I think. I love Gore Vidal, but his criticism just seriously pissed me off, even though his criticisms are justified.
But check this out! From King George to the Nobel Peace Prize in ten months!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/10/09/ST20091009...
Don't you feel so much rage at President Bush for what he is now putting President Obama through? Just think what President Obama could be accomplishing if he weren't having to clean up the mess left by King George. Off with his head:-)
"Booing Santa Claus" was nothing compared to this
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/attytood/
"Surrounded by supporters, Hilda Sarkisyan marched into Cigna Corp.’s Philadelphia headquarters on a chilly fall day, 10 months after the company refused to pay for a liver transplant for her daughter.
"You guys killed my daughter," the diminutive San Fernando Valley real estate agent declared at the lobby security desk. "I want an apology."
What she got was something quite different.
Cigna employees, looking down into the atrium lobby from a balcony above, began heckling her, she said, with one of them giving her "the finger."
This why when you hear some windbag politician in Washington bemoaning that the public option would destroy private insurance in this country, people say, "So?""
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/attytood/
Gore Vidal: Obama ‘incompetent’ but GOP ‘like Hitler Youth’
http://rawstory.com/2009/10/gore-vidal-obama-incompetent-but-gop-like-hi...
My wife and I saw Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story.
I favor Democracy but I have little use for Capitalism, especially Predatory Capitalism.
Last Friday, Thom was commiserating with someone over the surprising rejection of Chicago as the site for the 2016 Olympics, having failed to receive a single vote in support. I think that despite Obama’s popularity overseas, there is nevertheless the continuing hangover of Bush administration; perhaps Obama would have received a sympathy vote if he hadn’t assumed too much, and had shown a little more humility by emphasizing the U.S.’s desire to make-up for its past sins. In any case, the right’s gloating over this is testimony to the fact that they would prefer to see the country go down in flames rather than see Obama succeed.
What really disturbed me, however, was Thom’s attempt to disparage Rio de Janeiro’s claim for the Olympic site, and Latin American cities in general. Yes, there is crime, and in certain cities in Brazil, gangs of vigilante police roam ghettos and indiscriminately kill homeless youths who may or may not be criminals. Thom seems loath to acknowledge the effect of the class (and caste) separation based on race and ethnicity in Latin America, which in many ways is far more pronounced than in the U.S. Terms used to delineate persons of European-descent from all others is still the determining factor in social status, like Mestizo, Mulatto and Zambo (where the term “Sambo” originated). This enforced social strata has made Latin America the region of the world with the most pronounced differential between rich and poor, with Euro-elites keeping wealth in their possession. Most analysts blame this grinding inequality for the high crime rates; the fact that teenage males are the principle victims of homicide in Latin American indicates a decided lack of expectations for the future among the young. In any case, few believe that this will change any time soon, particularly with the U.S.’ continuing support for oppressive regimes.
Not that this inspires much concern or understanding around here. I saw parts of a Schwarzenegger movie the other day, in which he—in defense of some oppressive right-wing Latin American regime—kills a number leftist rebel men and women, most of them half his size. I’m sure he, Eastwood, Norris, Willis and these other Republican action “heroes” are proud of their “heroics” in defense of oppression of the indigenous masses. Schwarzenegger, who speaks English in the manner we’d imagine that a Neanderthal would, has in the past showed contempt for Latinos in his state, oblivious to the fact that most are U.S. citizens, and most speak English much better than he does. Schwarzenegger also seems completely unacquainted with the history of the state he has played the role of governor in, or wondered why this “Anglo-Nordic” state of California has so many Spanish place names.
In other news, Boeing is learning the hard way that “downsizing” does not necessarily pay. Having laid-off tens of thousands of skilled local workers over the past ten years, it now finds itself in the midst of a critical shortage of skilled labor, forcing extended production delays not only for the 787 but for the latest iteration of the 747—delays that are causing decreasing trust by customers and threatening to cut down new orders.
Also, there is a new report out that claims increases in bullying and aggression in schools. However, there is a caveat: it is admitted that the numbers mix the significant with the insignificant, and perhaps even the drama queen imaginary, suggesting deliberately over-broad definitions and typical teen angst. The infamous “study” that claimed that one-in-four women in college are raped comes to mind; a newspaper story on campus crime at the University of Washington a few years ago listed 6 reported cases of sexual assault in the previous year, none which led to charges; if it was one-in-four, we would expect 6,000 cases at a university the size of UW. Yet the student union building was plastered with posters from the women’s studies department about the “epidemic” of rape on campus. This problem is too important to be subjected to the questionable credibility of its sources.
The GOP Czar bill has 117 cosponsors (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-3226).... 18 more over the past week or two. They are going to use this issue in campaigns if we don't figure out how to neutralize it (i.e. educate the electorate on what's really going on).
Thom... since you read the blogs... I have a suggestion. When your podcasts were free via Green 960, I could distribute your work via links. I understand why you've stopped giving away your work.... but please consider posting a segment or two a week on the Green 960 blog (http://www.green960.com/main.html) or someplace like it. Your Mike Weinstein interview / backgrounder would be a good example.
Ken Burns is extremely popular and has made some excellent programs. However, he has upset many Latinos by leaving out their contributions out of his series “The War” and “Jazz”.
Latinos play a major roll in the military of the U.S. and, may be the highest the most decorated ethnic group in the military. They played a large roll in WWII. Latin jazz was and is a major part and influence in jazz.
Interesting! Carl Wolfson mentioned two Democrats who ran for the Democratic Party nomination for President and whose birthdays are today, Dennis Kucinich and Jesse Jackson.
Christine Alexander's response was to say "Happy Birthday Dennis" after Carl mentioned his name but said nothing after Carl mentioned Jesse Jackson's name.
Everyone should hear Wednesday's The Story on NPR, with Dick Gordon. He interviewed a couple who had United Healthcare, but had their policy cancelled retroactively after their premature twins were out of the hospital. Nearly a half a million in bills, and to really redefine chutzpah, United Healthcare kept all the money they had paid in premiums. The Mroz family should be wall to wall on TV and Radio. Maybe Tom could get them on.