Trumpcare 2.0 – They are trying to sneak it quietly through the Senate
FromReutersand other sources emerges: “Democratic” Senators criticize the closed-door meetings that Republicans have been holding to craft a replacement for Obamacare (as you know, even worse than Obamacare). They are calling for open committee hearings and more time to consider the bill before a Senate vote, which Republicans say could come in the next two weeks, although a draft bill has yet to emerge publicly. Continue reading →
Jamarl Thomas (a really bright guy who went to check it out) finally got around to make up his mind about the People’s Summit which at the start didn’t sit quite right with him. He also adds some other sharp thoughts, especially about Bernie Sanders’ role in our politics (to which I would add that Bernie might be doingwhat Richard Wolff suggested: namely prove that he has tried everything to save and reform the “Democratic” Party before turning his back on it when the attempt eventually has failed visible to all). This speech is really long, and has stretches that are rambling or recursive. But it is worth spending the time listening, maybe while you cook and do house chores or such. (1:20 hours)
(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Jamarl Thomas Talks Bernie, People’s Summit and more #pplsummit | Context with Jamarl Thomas”)
Two days ago, Jamarl added another evaluation of the People’s Summit, concluding that there is a serious co-opting attempt, but that the visitors seem to have successfully resisted, so far. Also, he feels this kind of summit should be more action oriented like hammer out a political agenda (29 min):
(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Discussion of People’s Summit and Push Back Against Criticism By People That Didn’t Attend“)
I might add that the slippery slope I wrote about last time is something to truly be wary of. People don’t necessarily get corrupted by it and the corporate money that sloshes around on it. They can become co-opted even with their best intentions intact, simply by being forced into compromises, restricted by the mechanics of private campaign financing, and such. To overcome these old co-opting weapons, I kind of agree with Debbie the Sane Progressive that we need to alter our mindset, consciously stop doing what hasn’t worked before, keep our sights on a bold vision for the future, and get creative about new ways of doing things (for instance create our own alternative media, run political campaigns heavily relying on grassroots volunteers (canvassing, distributing yard signs…) rather than money-sucking TV ads, etc.).
Please call to mind that independent citizen journalists like Jamarl (and me) are strapped for resources and can use your help, not some day far in the future, but now. Share, subscribe, discuss, and – if you can afford to – help us out a little financially.
Broken families. Broken hearts. Used up lives. Violated human rights. Human trafficking. Slavery. When the focus of our society isn’t people and human values, this happens.Continue reading →
Remember the moment you may have had telling yourself you must become more skeptical about what you hear on the mainstream media and coming out of the mouths of politicians? Remember, perhaps, Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction?
Remember also the horrific chemical gas attack in Syria a few days ago, the one which allegedly prompted Trump to commit an act of war against Syria (for OUR national security somehow)?Continue reading →
I saw this piece some time ago and let it go. However, having run into ignorant and shortsighted thinking and behavior again this week (some even aimed at me, a lot more at others), I now decided to showcase this video which talks about people acting politically from a position of ignorance who thereby shoot themselves (and their fellows) in the foot:
(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Man Shocked To Learn He’s Been Bashing His Own Health Care”)
So, unless you want to shoot yourself and innocent bystanders in the foot, don’t allow yourself to be ignorant or shortsighted. The same warning goes for those who apply sectarian thinking, so they regard as deplorable spoilers all those who share their goals but run with a different crowd which seeks to achieve these goals with a different tactic. It’s impossible to know beforehand which tactic will work (so, until we have hindsight we arein a position of at least someignorance); and successmay even require multiple tactics. Therefore, we should never view or treat our allies as foes or insist we discard a potential cardwe have up our sleeves.
Since the last election cycle, the establishment’s manipulation efforts have been in overdrive. I hope you manage to resist their brainwashing. A brief review: Continue reading →
For anybody who missed it, this month, Rep. Rick Nolan (MN) reintroduced the We the People Amendment in Congress to amend our Constitution to firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.
Move to Amend, which seems to be the driving force behind this effort, describes itself as a coalition of hundreds of organizations and hundreds of thousands of individuals committed to ending corporate rule. They make it quick and easy to petition our members of Congress and ask them to co-sponsor H.J.R. 48, the We the People Amendment:
As I reported two days ago, the state house of “representatives” in South Dakota this Tuesday voted that their corruption is sacrosanct and the will of the voters, who passed an anti-corruption ballot initiative to keep their politicians honest, counts for nothing. In the article I called for a barrage of phone calls of these malfeasant politicians’ offices. My reach is sadly far too small, but I don’t seem to have been the only one spreading the news and calling to action on social media. And so, today, Represent.Us sent out a message that a wave of national attention, local outrage, and – yes – a deluge with calls from angry voters has given these goons pause. They have delayed the repeal vote, apparently for five days.
