Woke Video Weekend 2019-07-07 (20 videos)

Twenty of the best videos published and found this week, many especially useful in advancing our mindset, understanding what is really going on in our rigged system, and the directional change we – the people – can and must take. The official reality we have been taught is not very real, and underneath attractive varnish dark secrets hide. And we are much closer to the change we long for than we realize. If only we step out of our box. Many stars in this week’s compilation you have never seen or heard of before. A lot of new stuff to discover. And it starts out with a great satire!

Topics:

1. Satire: The Two-Party One-Party System
2. Deep Insight: The New Deal’s Secret
3. News: The Toilet Toast
4. Debates: Debate Rigging
5. Surveillance & Censorship
6. Bernie: Why & How Attacked by the Mass Media
7. Bernie on Iran, SA, and Warmongering Lies
8. Capitalism: Why & How our Jobs Screw Us
9. Revolutions Getting Hijacked
10. Connectedness: Conservative Learning and Turning
11. Woke: A Former Right-Wing Reagan Official Turning on Capitalism
12. Woke: Another Right-Winger Getting DEPROGRAMMED
13. Woke: Our Self-Silencing Culture
14. Mohammed, Christ, and Buddha: Were they Theologists or Socialist Revolutionairies?

 

I. Satire: The Two-Party One-Party System

… and the waste-your-vote-by-voting-for-what-you-want myth reflected in Australia:

(Note: If the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for thejuicemedia and the title: “Honest Government Ad | Preferential Voting”)

Video Weekend 07-07-2018 (14 videos)

Starring, among others: Thom Hartmann, Susan George, Paul Jay, Thomas Frank (‘Listen, Liberal’), Kyle Kulinski, Mike Figueredo, Ro Khanna, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Steve Grumbine, Bernie Sanders. — One theme emerging from this compilation is the journey of the Republican party through brainwashing to a rich people’s party supported by its brainwashed, and also the journey of traditional conservatives from the GOP to the “Democratic” Party and possibly beyond the false twin-party dichotomy. Yet another indication that conservative, liberal, and progressive are labels that often obfuscate how we really feel and think. Categories:

1. Awakening Journey
2. Language, Narratives, Mindset
3. Vote Shaming
4. Immigration & Deportations
5. Brainwash by the Oligarchy
6. Neoliberalism brilliantly Explained
7. New Deal Repeal & Recovery
8. Corruption
9. Grassroots Campaigning
10. Being Human

 

I. Awakening Journey

The Journey from “Conservative” to “Liberal” to What? (Paul Jay with Thomas Frank). Topics: Reagan. Populism and liberty flipped on their heads.

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for Paul Jay, Thomas Frank, and the title: “From Ronald Reagan to Bernie Sanders – RAI with Thomas Frank (5/9) “)

The next part of this clip series may also be of interest, concluding that we live in a system now that BREEDS inequality: Prisoners of Hope – RAI with Thomas Frank (6/9)

 

II. Language, Narratives, Mindset

Kyle Kulinski on a topic I recently wrote an article about which I have yet to publish (false label use, in particular the confusion between social democracy and democratic socialism), and that what we really want is what really matters, regardless of labels and smears (Addendum: Psst… my piece is published now.):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for Kyle Kulinski, Secular Talk, and the title: “Democratic Socialism Vs Social Democracy“)

 

III. Vote Shaming

Deportations & Protecting the Establishment (and getting us fascism) through vote shaming:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for The Humanist Report , Mike Figueredo and the title: »Kathy Griffin Vote Shames Jill Stein Voters: “F**K YOU ALL.”«)

Comment: The thing to remenber is that fascism is a tactic for protecting the establishment during times of popular unrest!

 

IV. Immigration & Deportations

Hear a Central American talk about Deportations and abuse of immigrants

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for Greg Wilpert, Roberto Lovato, and the title: “Media Coverage of Trump Immigration Policies Ignores Democrats’ Complicity”)

America benefits from being an immigrant nation:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for Aaron Maté, Ro Khanna, and the title: “Rep. Ro Khanna: Democrats Can’t Be Liberal at Home But Hawkish Militants Overseas“)

 

V. Brainwash by the Oligarchy

Outrage and Civility: The self-satisfied, easy-living political gentry have anesthetized political debate:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for Thom Hartmann and the title: “Is it Time to be Outrageous?“)

The Oligarchy’s “Libertarian” Brainwash has been Working Globally

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Susan George: Trump in Europe“)

 

VI. Neoliberalism brilliantly Explained

A Physics Model of Neoliberalism (get ready for the bang)

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Neoliberalism as a Water Balloon“)

 

VII. New Deal Repeal & Recovery

What does it mean to be Republican?

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for Thom Hartmann and the title: “How Far will the Morbidly Rich & Donald Trump Go“)

Having money and time for life when employed full time used to be possible before the oligarchy’s raid on and restructuring of our economy. To a small degree, even self-defined conservatives are beginning to agree that a better structure might be possible:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for Thom Hartmann and the title: “Conservative Says If You Work, You Can’t Be Poor? “)

Comment: I wonder if the innate respect for authority and fear of upturning the apple cart makes typical conservatives admire abusive employers.

 

VIII. Corruption

Government letting the big banks steal:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for TheRealNews, Greg Wilpert and the title: “Fed Lets Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley Off Hook, Investors Profit Billions”)

Comment: I can litterally see Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley asking for a bailout soon. (Note: the guy is really off when declaring low unemployment, though)

 

IX. Grassroots Campaigning

Remix of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez talking:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Could Be The First Latina to Represent Her District in Congress”)

Note: Building local grassrootsis a workable alternative to spending big moeny in order to get on the ballot.

 

X. Being Human

This week, Steve Grumbine held a moving and inspiring Fourth of July speech I can relate to in a whole number of ways. Maybe so can you. It touches especially upon what it means to be human and living in a society:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Happy Interdependence Day | Steve Grumbine of Real Progressives “)

Comment: Basically the same line along which I wrote my I-Day post this week. Let’s say it together: Happy Interdependence Day! Let’s unf*ck America!

An old man walking… (if it doesn’t display for you, try this link (oh, the eternal trouble with Facebook videos…!)):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title “#BernieSanders @ #Warrens 4th of July parade in Vermont” and pray since this is a Facebook video.)

Comment: Those kinds of clips are very moving for me. A thought that comes to mind, besides gratefulness for Bernie’s impact on public debate, is that most of us are ignored to the extent of becoming invisible when we reach this age, and very surprised how bad life then becomes for most of us captivated in aching withering old bodies and failing minds with no preparation for it by our society or ourselves, as we were busy all our lives struggling to survive within a system of exploitation and oppression.

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Yeah! Bravo, New York! The Candidate for the People Won!

Hooray! She did it! She won, and thus we the people won… in New York for now. There are many more places where we must and can win. If you missed it, here is last night’s election coverage of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (about whom I shared again on Sunday) running against one of our top corruptitians (by TYT, the only good coverage I could find so far… sure, TYT has its issues often still being stuck in old-fashioned party politics, but they still do good work with some regularity, better than the big corporate networks for certain):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for TYT and the title: “JUSTICE DEMOCRAT ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ DEFEATS JOE CROWLEY “)

Note: Remember, NY has public campaign financing making victories of people’s candidates running against the establishment so much more possible. Alexandria described it in a video clip shared on here last November. Here it is again, the part on Public Campaign Financing at 13:52 – 15:45 minutes:  

Video Weekend 02-24-2018 (9 videos)

This weekend video compilation exposes our massive systemic corruption and stark economic truths, the repeal of the New Deal, the latest Russiagate nonsense, a silver lining for Net Neutrality, illegal government agency (“deep state”) activities, and candidates for the people.

1. Corruption
2. Economy
3. Manipulative Russia Narrative
4. Net Neutrality
5. Deep State (can we trust the spies who spy on us?)
6. Candidates for the People

 

I. Corruption

What is illegal anymore?

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Oligarchs Have Captured Our Criminal Justice System”)

Yes, he screams a lot, but he has reason to scream. Who can hear this and not resolve to oust our inhumane, greedy, callous oligarchy? We are an occupied country. Do you get it?

 

More on Ajit Pai, one of the plutocracy’s moles in government

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Ajit Pai Now Being Investigated for Corruption by His OWN Agency“)

 

II. Economy

Some stark economic truths (for me really good starting at 9:40):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Economic Update: Capitalism’s Excuse: Blame Government [S7 E7]“)

 

They’re Coming for our Last Drops of Blood. In this interview by Thom Hartmann, Richard Wolff explains how our society is hanging by the thread of its last remaining shreds of the New Deal’s social safety net which the GOP-aligned plutocrats are now coming for:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Dr. Richard Wolff On What America Will Look Like If The Republicans Get Their Way“)

 

III. Manipulative Russia Narrative

I wonder how much brain it takes to figure out that a handful of misguided Russian trolls weren’t a big deal…:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: »Here Are The Russian Memes That “Swung The Election”«)

 

IV. Net Neutrality

The way to deal with net neutrality:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Hawaii Taking BOLD Action to Protect Net Neutrality “)

What’s the trick? Unprivatize it! Return it into the hands of the state (the people) who created it in the first place. Enough corporate hijacking on behalf of the plutocracy! We the people count more than profits for a few. We rightfully own our nation and our states, even our places of work, our economy, our parks, our forests, our lands… Enough of the plunderers and oppressors from the top!

 

V. Deep State (The String Pullers Behind the Curtain)

The Deep State Revealed:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Mindblowing Corruption At FBI – NSA Whistleblower Reveals“)

 

VI. Candidates for the People

What we need: Candidates with Skin in the Game of American Life

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Progressive With Unbelievably Powerful Story Set To WIN Congressional Seat- Amy Vilela“)

And another candidate to unseat a lifelong crook. This one’s a union working “stiff”:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Iron Stache Makes Bold Promise To Progressives“)

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Tax Cuts as an Excuse for Government Spending Cuts on the People

People need to wake up to the game that has been played by the Republican and neoliberalized “Democratic” Party to defraud the American People.

To summarize, our founders intended to create a government which would ensure liberty, justice, and prosperity for all. Any other kind of government they considered subject to revolution. But our government has since then be bought up by our plutocratic and kleptocratic oligarchs to kill democracy and have government do the reverse of its duty to us. 

MMT: Money Doesn’t Matter

I have, for a long time, been looking for a short, to the point, and intelligible explanation of a term that has been floating around a lot in progressive circles: “MMT,” which stands for Modern Monetary Theory, a name created by someone who commented on this academic interpretation of the government’s role in the economy. I think I have finally found it. (see the video interview below)

Perhaps MMT can be summed up with this statement: Deficit spending by the government is normal, common, modern practice, and not a problem. Austerity politics is deceitful idiocy. The size of the national deficit and debt doesn’t matter. What matters is what the government spends on. It can be a wasteful gift to the rich or a valuable investment (into infrastructure, employment, healthcare, education, and so on) that spurs on the economy and brings about all sorts of paid-for benefits (like better infrastructure, employment, healthcare, education, and so on). Unlike productivity and natural resources which do impose limits, money is not a limited resource for any government issuing its own currency, but a mere accounting and exchange tool to keep track of things. The things we spend it on is what matters as that reflects what we use our natural resources and productivity for and how evenly or unevenly we distribute our national prosperity.

Here is the succinct video of a prominent MMT economist explaining it in understandable terms:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Have You Heard of Modern Monetary Theory?”)

I’d like to note: Basically, the proof is right there under our noses. 

Video Weekend 9-23-2017 (8 Videos)

Once again, a collection of fine videos to brighten your weekend with enlightenment and fuel for our political revolution:

I.
Jimmy Dore and Lee Camp together. A fine duo. Unfortunately, I felt they had both made the same statements before, and better, when they did them alone and better prepared. Still, I like what comes up 14:20 minutes into this clip (asking why you would donate to the “Democratic Party” when its primaries are rigged by its own admission!). The talk then moves to the topic of our rigged debates keeping out third parties… handcuffing presidential candidates to keep them away from the rigged debates… and record climate events in the past two months. Later Lee Camp, talking about Bannon, reveals how our corporate media lift up right-wingers by allowing only THEM to criticize corruption even though they are part of it):

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Jimmy Dore On The Corporate State And The Power Of The Petrodollar “)

 

II.
Political wrangling surrounding Bernie’s Medicare for All bill:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Some Democrats Are Pretending Bernie’s ‘Medicare for All’ Bill Doesn’t Exist “)

 

III.
The usual lies about healthcare costs and single-payer:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Aetna CEO is Scared To Death of Single-Payer”)

Debunking one of the biggest lies: No, single-payer coverage such as Medicare for All is not single-provider healthcare, meaning a government-run healthcare, but merely a government-secured payment system. So, you can pick and choose your doctors as before, except this time their will be no question whether or not you can pay. It is simply our government doing its sworn duty to look out for its citizens.

 

IV.
Cha-Ching:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Obama Enriches Self With Back Room Oil Deal”)

 

V.
We have a responsibility not only for ourselves to fix our country:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Propaganda Buries Facts & Manipulates Emotions – Abby Martin with Chris Hedges”)

Various revelations about our country’s dark history. Also: an interesting and creepy revelation from former war correspondent Chris Hedges. He explains how the despotic regime in a foreign country went through the same motions as our southern states with their glorification of the Confederation: basically, when people are getting desperate over their worsening lives, give them a myth to feel good about, the better to control them. In our case, that myth would be the ‘noble heroism’ of our civil war’s slavery defenders, building up a white-against-black and south-against-north mentality that keeps us from uniting against the blood-sucking establishment controlling and exploiting us from above. The more divided we are, the better controlled from the top we are.

 

VI.
An older but very nice conversation:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Cornel West and Richard Wolff talk about Capitalism and White Supremacy”)

How much better off are freed slaves when they become enslaved by a wage slavery system? When one king of a company can hire and fire you, abuse you, rip you off and make you lick his boots – and every alternative job is just as bad – it is anathema to democracy!

 

VII.
Nice historic review of the last century of our economy and politics – the New Deal and its repeal:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “Full Show 11/11/15: How Reaganomics Killed America’s Middle Class”)

Conclusion: we can’t keep a golden age after getting it, if we don’t topple the plutocrats who will roll back everything to resume their godlike status among a sea of serfs. The pendulum will always swing back to the dark side if we do nothing to lock it in place.

 

VIII.
And not to forget: the environment we depend on. One thing apparently forgotten in this conversation was the great danger that lies in our getting the permafrost soil to melt, releasing huge amounts of methane, which is a far worse greenhouse gas than CO₂. Basically, we are terraforming ourselves off this planet:

(Note: if the video linked above gets deleted, you may search the Internet for the title: “After Maria “Obliterates” Puerto Rico, Trump Pushes Dangerous Climate Policy”)

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