Category Archives: ALEC

Krugman on Cyprus

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(hat tip to common dreams)

Paul Krugman has a few thoughts on Cyprus:  Leave the euro now.

The only issue with Krugman’s column is that he should get a little more detailed and put it into context.  Most folks are not literate in the financial world (which I think they bank on (pun intended)), so a little “lesson” on the history of economics and why we continually bail out banks and financial institutions and anyone else they deemed “worthy”…just as long as they don’t give those sleazy poor people food stamps!!

Banks and profiteering on food.

Christie private profiteering

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Well, the good feelings towards Christie for his actions during the storm crises is evaporating rapidly…with the news of him continuing to destroy public education for private profiteers.

Looking at the comments, Amitola mentions how the town has gone the way of most in the U.S.–jobs dry up, people move or the ones that stay are scraping by–not able to support a robust economy.  And the schools follow–poverty is the number one reason for school’s poor performance.  It’s hard to concentrate on school work when you’re hungry, dirty, and your folks are stressed out because you’re *this close* to being out on the street.  (or worse, you’re already out on the street, living in a shelter, with noise all night long and no privacy and no life).

Another poignant comment is by John Randolph:  the 1% bring the city to its knees and then profit off of the carcass.
Disaster capitalism, folks….(speaking of unions, they announced on the news the other day that Indiana has now lost more union members than gained, thanks to “Right to Work” law.  Also, they are airing commercials promoting a tax break…yes, a tax break in this economy…for Hoosiers—Gov. Mike Pence, an APEC toadie, first spouted this hairbrained idea right after election.  Legislature said no.  Now *cough* Americans for Prosperity are taking it to the airwaves trying to get people to call their representatives.)

Unfortunately, charter school takeover is not just here in the U.S., but now in Haiti. (insert a few choice expletives here). Note that Bill Gates has his filthy little fingers in this, too.  Like I said before, he is not the philanthropist he tries to imitate.

See previous posts here. And here. And here. 

And here.

Accepting responsibility

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…is the first step towards correcting the problem….Washington Post hasn’t quite gotten *there* yet.  The media was absolutely culpable for instilling fear into the public and credibility into the Bush Administration where no credibility existed.

What’s worse is that they are still giving air time to Cheney, et al, as if this guy has any credibility at all.

From the New York Times:

Most notably, Mr. Cheney defends his position on Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction, the Iraq war and the use of waterboarding with his usual aplomb and deft obfuscation. Other key players, including George W. Bush, have acknowledged mistakes and expressed dismay over decisions that proved misguided. Mr. Cheney says he did nothing wrong and has no regrets.

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One incident is almost chilling. Barton Gellman, a journalist and the author of a Cheney biography, recounts how in 2004 Mr. Cheney fought Justice Department lawyers who had determined that the top-secret, warrantless surveillance program that he had pushed for was illegal. Mr. Cheney was so insistent on keeping the wiretaps going that he kept Mr. Bush, then in his re-election campaign, out of the loop until the 11th hour, when two dozen Justice Department lawyers and the F.B.I. director threatened to resign

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And let’s not forget the profit factor for Cheney.  More here.  Blood on your hands, Dick.

Here’s a good article on those that were promoting the Iraq War through the media.  They use powerful words and the “if you’re not with us, you’re against us…or a fool….”  Hard to go against the grain when put in that context…I tried talking with a friend about it, but she was military and absolutely refused to believe that there was any doubt there were WMD’s.  They wouldn’t lie to her….

The media is very powerful in influencing people.  And the fact that Ronnie Reagan removed the Fairness Doctrine has had huge impacts in our ability to get both sides of a story in order to flush out the truth.  The press is no longer obligated by law to present the whole picture instead of something that suits them.  The fact that in my community there are nothing but rightwing radio announcers is testament to how unfair and unbalanced our media is…

Not only Reagan, but Clinton allowed media consolidation.   The media owners get to promote their own political views and world views without having to air the opposing side’s views.

From the article:

(This is my beef, also, about what happened in Fort Wayne last June–save for one station on Friday night, there was no live broadcast talking about the super storm.  NO ONE was live on the air on the next day, Saturday, telling people where they could go for cooling stations, when the power would be back on, how many people were affected (so folks would know that it was going to be awhile to get power and to plan accordingly.))

 

January 18, 2002 A train carrying hazardous materials derails at 1:30 a.m. in Minot, North Dakota, spilling 210,000 gallons of anhydrous ammonia in an incident federal regulators call “catastrophic”. Clear Channel Communications owns six out the seven commercial stations in Minot. Minot authorities say when they called with the warning about the toxic cloud, there was no one on the air who could’ve made the announcement. Clear Channel says someone was there who could have activated an emergency broadcast. But Minot police say nobody answered the phones.

Frankenfish and other nightmares…

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From PR Watch:

Frankenfish salmon coming to your table, whether you like it or not.

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…because they couldn’t destroy voter access by destroying ACORN….

…note the “guilty until proven innocent” mindset that seems to be the way things have become in the U.S. instead of innocent until proven guilty.

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More on the dangerous food industry trying to keep you from knowing what the hell is in your food or how badly they treat the animals.

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Take action against Fix the Debt.

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Promoting  “activist” judges….conservative activist, that is….

 

 

Your food

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The Organic Farmers network of New York has posted this:

Message

Begin forwarded message:
> From: “Amy Little” <amylittle@hvc. rr.com>
> Date: March 14, 2013 11:36:40 AM CDT
> Subject: Action needed today on Biotech and GIPSA Riders
>
> From: Amy Little, NESAWG
> Action Alert and Mobilization TODAY
>
> The Senate released its Continuing Resolution (appropriations legislation) that includes “riders” on 2 big issues. Legislative riders are controversial policy provisions that “hitch a ride” on appropriations bills that otherwise deal only with funding matters in order to escape full and open debate in the committee that has jurisdiction over the relevant policy area.
> 1. The “Biotech Rider” would undercut current biotech safety regulations by striping federal courts of their authority to halt the sale and planting of illegal, potentially hazardous GE crops, and compel the USDA to allow continued planting of that same crop upon request regardless of its potential to cause transgenic contamination in the food supply and ecosystem.
> 2. The “GIPSA Rider” overrides the GIPSA rule that protects farmers from abuses by the meat industry, by denying contract producers protection under the Packers and Stockyards Act .
>
> TODAY, Senator Jon Tester plans to introduce two amendments that removes those riders from  the Continuing Resolution. Many organizations that participate in NESAWG are issuing alerts and mobilizing phone calls and emails.
>
> Please consider making a call to your Senator’s DC office, alerting your lists to take action, and spreading the word quickly.
> You can find your Senators’ phone numbers here: http://bit.ly/ findmySenator
>
> Many organizations have issued alerts, here is the basic message:
>
> “Please tell the Senator to vote for two amendments to the Continuing Resolution introduced by Senator Jon Tester of Montana that protect family farmers from abuses by the meat industry and support review of biotechnology products. These two amendments will stand up for family farmers, ensure that independent producers have a fair chance in the livestock market, and ensure that courts can review biotechnology products.”
>
>
> From the NSAC Blog: This is an affront to justice and fairness for farmers and is an unfortunate example of legislating on an appropriations bill on behalf of a very few powerful corporations.
>
> Phone calls are needed right now, but Food and Water watch has an on-line letter campaign athttps://secure3. convio.net/ fww/site/ Advocacy? pagename= homepage& page=UserAction& amp;id=591& autologin= true& JServSessionIdr0 04=w8pdw3w8a5. app340a

In harmony with nature

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Bhutan is the first country to go entirely organic.  Good for them!  Note that they see this as not only a practical idea, but they incorporate their spirituality in their reverence for nature.  It’s not easy, as the article states, because it’s hard to reorient oneself to farming without chemicals.  Chemicals are just too, too easy.  It takes creative thinking and hard work to do the right thing.

<sigh> I wish the so-called progressive America did the same.  (Remember when the United States used to lead the world?)

No, we’re not the leaders anymore….

…we’d much rather do stupid stuff like genetically engineer a life form and then persecute farmers into bankruptcy for using that technology unknowingly.

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In other environmental news, Canadian Prime Minister Harper is being urged to walk away from yet another trade agreement.

From the article:

The Australian government decided in 2011 it would stop including these rights and investor-state dispute settlement in its trade and investment agreements. Many countries, including South Africa and India, are rethinking their investment treaties because of the way corporations and law firms have abused them to undermine democracy and public policies globally. Several Latin American countries are cancelling their investment treaties for the same reason.

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Again, I ask, “remember when the U.S. used to lead the world….?”  Why are other countries doing the right thing while America lists like a battered ship in the sea?

Fixing the debt

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PRWatch has this up on the Fix the Debt faux “concern group” led by Pete Peterson.

More on Peterson here.  Another “Romney” who makes his living off of looting firms and destroying jobs.

(A side note~listening to Limbaugh today–a wife of a gov’t employee of the defense dept was saying that they had been sent a letter that they had to mind their finances because their paycheck was going to be cut by one day per week.  She was going on and on in a nearly hysterical voice saying how her husband had worked his butt off for the U.S. and he deserved his pay.  I thought that she sounded….um….entitled.… 🙂

Creating the artificial crisis.  Creating a hysteria, much like War of the Worlds. and keep repeating the lie over and over until people believe it.

Making free speech illegal

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…is what the Indiana Senate is trying to do with trying to make it illegal for animal rights activists to publish photos of animal abuse.

Story here.

People have a right to know if  farms are abusing animals.  And journalists have every right to publish that information without going through the police.  This is outrageous.

You will note that Rose Acre Farms complained about the bad publicity they received after video of their operations was made public.  Story here of the abuse. Well, of course they don’t like activists who photograph the abuse–it’s not the abuse that bothers them–it’s the bad publicity!  And if they can keep the photos from reaching the public, who refuse to buy their eggs, well then…

Once again, folks, know where your food comes from–I buy Amish chicken that is raised cage free, without hormones or antibiotics. Same with the eggs, which are locally produced.  And humbly thank the chickens for their sacrifice.