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Signs of life. Faint, but heartbeat.<br>
<br>
*<br>
<br>
IMPEACH [this space for rent]. <br>
<br>
It's a great idea. But why single out CT? Because he's "black"? <br>
It seems that at least 4, 5 or 6 maybe 7 why not all 8 of the other
clowns in<br>
the Star Chamber need to go. CT seems a vulnerable target. Taking out
this pawn they hope a progressive queen will grow back in the hole
created. More likely to get a neo-con neo-lib neo-fascist. Judges are
selected from among lawyers. Affiant further saith not.<br>
<br>
*<br>
<br>
Certainly a tax on transactions would not just raise revenue in the
short term.<br>
It would sling a spanner into the works of the machine [trading] that
creates the virtual mindscape known as Wall Street. Talk about being
out of the picture. Captain o Captain we've lost video contact with
the mother ship. Go pixel on someone your own size. Dow ke dao
feichang dao.<br>
<br>
*<br>
"Obama can be made to ____________."<br>
<br>
How high can Silly Putty bounce?<br>
<br>
There is no doubt that he is for sale or rent. <br>
There's also a long queue and a high entry fee.<br>
<br>
The DNC doesnt seem to be a highly credible threat<br>
to the Obot. But why not a new Obot. <br>
BO plus plus ("BO<sup>++</sup>").<br>
<br>
A new ergonomically designed superelliptical. <br>
Not quite round but not square,<br>
not brown or grey, not crisp not fuzzy, not mediocre no tautology,<br>
neither verb nor adverb, participle nor preposition. <br>
Fun for the whole family. <br>
Get yours today.<br>
<br>
"I supported War. Because I believe in Peace.<br>
I supported the Financial System.<br>
Because I believe in Equality for All Americans.<br>
I supported surveillance and repression. Because I<br>
believe in free will and the rights of all.<br>
Let us move forward,united by the diversity of our<br>
heritage. I trust in your support and your vote as I<br>
bring the war back home."<br>
<br>
Il Duce! Il Duce! <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 07/02/11 22:48, C. G. Estabrook wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:4E0F2FCC.10208@illinois.edu" type="cite">[I'm
using "millionaires" as does the recent "Merrill Lynch Cap Gemini World
Wealth Report" - not to mean those whose net worth, including homes,
amounts to a million dollars - but those who have what bankers call
"investible assets" of over a million dollars - and that's only 1% of
the US population (although many of that 1% have much more than $1
million of investible assets. That's the 1% whom Obama et al. are
working for. See Joseph Stiglitz (Nobel prize in economics) in Vanity
Fair, on inequality, "Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1%"
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105"><http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105></a>.
<br>
<br>
<br>
Imagine a MoveOn That Doesn't Answer to Democrats
<br>
By David Swanson
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://warisacrime.org/node/58348">http://warisacrime.org/node/58348</a>
<br>
<br>
On Friday I read in the New York Times that President Obama would be
happy to cut $200 billion out of Medicare in order to inflict pain on
his Democratic base, part of an imagined tradeoff in which the two
parties inflict pain on their imagined bases in order to reduce the
deficit without imposing sensible taxes on billionaires or shrinking
military spending to sane levels. Also on Friday I got an Email from
True Majority asking me to celebrate Obama's defense of Medicare.
<br>
<br>
We've progressed from "I feel your pain" to "I inflict your pain," and
we're being told to like it.
<br>
<br>
"President Obama: If you stand up to the Republican hostage-takers and
protect Medicare," it says on MoveOn.org's website, "we will have your
back." Or, of course, even if you don't do that, President Obama, even
if the whole idea of it is based on myths about who is on whose side,
MoveOn and most other online groups that don't have the back of the
Republican Party will have yours. That's the way this game works.
Except that it hasn't been working.
<br>
<br>
True Majority's traditional focus was on reducing military spending,
but during the early Obama years it celebrated particular weapons cuts,
masking overall increases. MoveOn used to organize anti-war rallies,
albeit only in Republican congressional districts, as long as the
president was a Republican and the Democrats tolerated it. Now, you'll
have a hard time finding any of our wars' existence acknowledged on
MoveOn's website, which is dominated by opposition to the Tea Party.
<br>
<br>
Even in the bad old days of a Republican president, True Majority had
to be pushed hard by its members to oppose wars, and MoveOn conducted a
poll of its members asking if they preferred Nancy Pelosi's plan to
keep the wars going or President Bush's, and then used the inevitable
result to dishonestly claim that its members preferred Pelosi's plan to
Congresswoman Barbara Lee's proposal to actually end a war.
<br>
<br>
All of the Democratic Party groups turned against single-payer
healthcare when instructed to do so, just as they can be counted on to
steer clear, cave in, and avoid a fight on any issue the Democratic
Party is on the wrong side of, which is of course just about all of
them.
<br>
<br>
I'm not suggesting we devote our energies primarily to criticizing
those who are gently nudging in the general right direction. I'm not
saying there's anything wrong with opposing Tea Party lunatics. I'm
suggesting that we need to understand what's happening in order to
create something better that is desperately needed and could alter our
entire public discourse.
<br>
<br>
What if we had an online organizing force that answered only to
concerns of peace, civil liberties, and social and economic justice?
What if this new movement opposed Wall Street bailouts regardless of
partisan positions? What if it opposed wars no matter who was commander
in chief?
<br>
<br>
When it came to electoral politics, all the same choices would remain.
Voters could still choose to back the best candidates or the lesser
evil compromises. Legislators could still choose to vote down imperfect
bills or negotiate the best deals they could pass. But the left edge of
the acceptable range of policy positions would cease its rapid slide
rightward. Elected officials of all parties would know that no
betrayals of popular progressive positions were going to be free.
<br>
<br>
A new online movement at <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://rootsaction.org">http://rootsaction.org</a> is rapidly growing and
holds just this vision of independent progressive activism and
communication. In this moment when the President and the Secretary of
State have reportedly
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://warisacrime.org/content/obama-wants-more-dead-rachel-corries-boost-aipac-standing"><http://warisacrime.org/content/obama-wants-more-dead-rachel-corries-boost-aipac-standing></a>
condoned the possible killing of unarmed American activists on a
legitimate humanitarian mission, as opposed to a "humanitarian" war,
don't hold your breath for Democratic Party subservient groups to speak
out. But do count on RootsAction to be on top of the issue:
<br>
<br>
Freedom Riding to Gaza
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6503/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4377"><http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6503/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4377></a>
<br>
<br>
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,
<br>
<br>
You have urged our fellow citizens not to participate in an unarmed
nonviolent humanitarian mission to Gaza by sea.
<br>
<br>
But have you urged Israel not to interfere with ships in
international waters?
<br>
<br>
Have you urged Israel not to harm unarmed activists engaged in an
actual humanitarian mission, the very thing your government pretends
its wars are?
<br>
<br>
Have you urged Israel to lift the illegal and murderous blockade of
Gaza?
<br>
<br>
We encourage you to take these steps to ensure the safety of
Americans on board The Audacity of Hope sailing for Gaza in the Freedom
Flotilla. And we encourage you to pressure Israel in the way that only
a nation providing Israel with billions of dollars worth of weapons
every year can, by threatening to cut them off.
<br>
<br>
We look forward to your response.
<br>
<br>
In Peace,
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
When President Obama shut down any possibility of the U.S. Department
of Justice prosecuting top U.S. officials for war crimes, Spanish
courts took up the burden, until the White House leaned too heavily on
the Spanish government. Pushing back was RootsAction, which organized
events at Spanish embassies and consulates to thank and encourage
Spain:
<br>
<br>
Spain: Please do what the U.S. won't. Prosecute torturers.
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://rootsaction.org/take-action/54-spain-do-what-the-us-wont-prosecute-torturers"><http://rootsaction.org/take-action/54-spain-do-what-the-us-wont-prosecute-torturers></a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
When presidents launch illegal wars, RootsAction doesn't stop to ask
which party the president belongs to:
<br>
<br>
We Will Never Accept Unconstitutional War
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://rootsaction.org/take-action/109-never-accept-unconstitutional-war"><http://rootsaction.org/take-action/109-never-accept-unconstitutional-war></a>
<br>
<br>
The U.S. Constitution placed the power to make war in the hands of
elected representatives in Congress. The founders feared giving war
powers to an individual. Their decision leaves us, the people, to
compel our Senators and Representatives to accept their responsibility.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
RootsAction is not accepting the slow de-escalation in Afghanistan:
<br>
<br>
Obama Can Be Made to Withdraw More Troops
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://rootsaction.org/take-action/134-obama-can-be-made-to-withdraw-more-troops"><http://rootsaction.org/take-action/134-obama-can-be-made-to-withdraw-more-troops></a>
<br>
<br>
The majority of Americans want the war in Afghanistan ended.
President Obama promised a "significant" withdrawal this July. But what
he announced on Wednesday amounted to withdrawing about 1 percent of
U.S. personnel in July (10,000 withdrawn over six months from a total
of 200,000 troops and contractors). A White House spokesperson told a
conference call of reporters on Wednesday that public opinion plays no
role in such decisions.
<br>
<br>
Can public opinion play any role in Congressional decisions? Obama
cannot keep so many troops in Afghanistan so long if Congress refuses
to pay for it. In recent weeks, the House has twice passed measures
barring the use of funds for U.S. warmaking in Libya. Now before both
houses is the 2012 "Defense Appropriations" bill which would dump over
$100 billion into wars including Afghanistan.
<br>
<br>
Enough is enough, and Obama's "drawdown" is not enough!
<br>
<br>
Ask Congress to deny war funding.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
RootsAction is pressuring the President (and with him the media and our
society) to adjust his outlook in fundamental ways:
<br>
<br>
Mr. President, Wall Street's Dollars Can't Vote
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://rootsaction.org/take-action/124-mr-president-wall-streets-dollars-cant-vote"><http://rootsaction.org/take-action/124-mr-president-wall-streets-dollars-cant-vote></a>
<br>
<br>
President Barack Obama, holding the previous record (in 2008) for
campaign funding from Wall Street, is out to set a new mark in 2012.
With unemployment, foreclosures, and health expenses shattering the
lives of millions, Obama is pursuing cuts to human services and massive
spending on wars. How will that win an election? Perhaps by raising
enough Wall Street funding to purchase every advertisement on every
television network.
<br>
<br>
Sign an open letter to the President right now that tells him we'll
be thinking for ourselves, and reminds him that our government was
formed in the name of We the People, not We the Wall Street.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
When you click on a RootsAction alert (click on any headline in this
article), the letter that you end up sending to Congress or the
President or whatever target is involved reads like the alert you were
Emailed, not some watered-down version that misses the point. In this,
too, RootsAction is unique.
<br>
<br>
RootsAction is even seeking to keep the power of impeachment alive in
our Constitution:
<br>
<br>
Impeach Clarence Thomas
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.rootsaction.org/featured-actions/139-impeach-clarence-thomas"><http://www.rootsaction.org/featured-actions/139-impeach-clarence-thomas></a>
<br>
<br>
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been very busy accepting
gifts from organizations that file briefs before the court, attending
political fundraisers, ruling on suits in which he or his wife have a
conflict of interest, and hiding income. No wonder he hasn't had time
to ask a question from the bench in five years. Ask your U.S.
Representative to move to impeach him.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
These progressive leaders have strongly endorsed the launch of
RootsAction:
<br>
<br>
* Jim Hightower, publisher and author
<br>
* Naomi Klein, author of Shock Doctrine, columnist
<br>
* Cornel West, Princeton professor and author
<br>
* Daniel Ellsberg, released Vietnam-era Pentagon Papers, author
<br>
* Barbara Ehrenreich, author Nickel and Dimed, activist
<br>
* Glenn Greenwald, civil rights attorney and blogger
<br>
* Bill Fletcher Jr., labor and racial justice leader
<br>
* Laura Flanders, GritTV host
<br>
* Former U.S. Senator James Abourezk
<br>
* Coleen Rowley, former FBI agent and whistleblower
<br>
<br>
You can join and ask all of your friends to join. It's free. You don't
get more than one or two Emails per week. And it will bring our public
discussion up to the level of our public. See you there:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://rootsaction.org">http://rootsaction.org</a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
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