Wednesday, November 16, 2011
A Must Read
I have thought and said that the Patriot Act was being used against environmental activists...that the Department of Homeland Security helped coordinate the (attempts) at closing down Occupy Wall Street is another major factor that indicates our democracy is in crisis.
Yesterday the NYPD were erected a "ring of Steel" to protect financial institutions. We, as a people, the 99%ers, have not been helped out of our economic crisis; in fact it has gotten worse for many; foreclosures are happening at a faster pace, for instance. The only people who forced to live on austerity are the ones who can less afford to...more people are living paycheck to paycheck (that is if they still have a job). If you have not read Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine read it, it is what is unfolding here (and in Greece, Italy and coming soon it seems to France).
Here is the must read with info about OWS and DHS
http://www.inthesetimes.com/uprising/entry/12303/mayors_dhs_coordinated_occupy_attacks/
Yesterday the NYPD were erected a "ring of Steel" to protect financial institutions. We, as a people, the 99%ers, have not been helped out of our economic crisis; in fact it has gotten worse for many; foreclosures are happening at a faster pace, for instance. The only people who forced to live on austerity are the ones who can less afford to...more people are living paycheck to paycheck (that is if they still have a job). If you have not read Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine read it, it is what is unfolding here (and in Greece, Italy and coming soon it seems to France).
Here is the must read with info about OWS and DHS
http://www.inthesetimes.com/uprising/entry/12303/mayors_dhs_coordinated_occupy_attacks/
Labels: democracy, DHS, OWS, Patriot Act
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Democracy in Action
How many of you are following the protests on Wall St? Hear anything about them on the main stream media? Why or why not? If the protests are not being reported out, are they not happening? Why is there a protest?
Here is a website to look at : https://occupywallst.org/
[What happens when news falls off the front page--does it mean that everything is X is no longer an issue?]
Here is a website to look at : https://occupywallst.org/
[What happens when news falls off the front page--does it mean that everything is X is no longer an issue?]
Labels: democracy, Economy, occupy wall st, protests
Monday, May 02, 2011
Did we win?
Amid the jubilance and the flag waving, here is my question of the day: When did revenge become justice? Is that the American way now? If so, then perhaps Osama has won in a fashion--our liberal democratic principles are in shreds.
Years ago Christiana Amanapour reported that he was living comfortably in a suburb in Pakistan, though we were still being fed the media hype that he was living in Afghan caves. Do we dehumanize our enemies that much, that our thinking is distorted, that we think a man on dialysis would be cave dwelling?
Years ago Christiana Amanapour reported that he was living comfortably in a suburb in Pakistan, though we were still being fed the media hype that he was living in Afghan caves. Do we dehumanize our enemies that much, that our thinking is distorted, that we think a man on dialysis would be cave dwelling?
Labels: democracy, justice, Osama
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Democracy in America
Charlie Sheen has over 1.3 million followers on Twitter.
Every week millions of votes are cast for American Idol singers.
The Department of Defense said it has @$1billion to spend on Libya without asking Congress for more money... (oh, if only the DoD had to hold bake sales to raise monies, and not schools)
People are watching the democratisation of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria. . . but are they paying attention to the democracy here at home?
GE the nation's largest corporation ". . . reported worldwide profits of $14.2 billion, and said $5.1 billion of the total came from its operations in the United States. Its American tax bill? None. In fact, G.E. claimed a tax benefit of $3.2 billion." http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/business/economy/25tax.html
Other states are joining Wisconsin in their anti-labor move...from banning collective bargaining to making their state "business friendly" by removing WPA murals and renaming conference rooms--No more Frances Perkins room--in Maine.
Federal, State and local budgets are cutting off aid to children, cutting education spending, cutting police forces. . . most target working poor and the middle class.
The income gap is getting bigger (SEEhttp://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-in-america-chart-graph).
13.7 million people are currently unemployed. According to Bob Herbert's column 3/26 there is currently only 1 job for every 5 job seekers.
Wait, I thought cutting corporate taxes would create jobs. Doesn't seem to be happening.
No, what seems to be happening is that we are losing sight of democracy.
In Wisconsin, Republicans are trying to silence William Cronon who published a study guide that begins with "After watching the sudden and impressively well-organized wave of legislation being introduced into state legislatures that all seem to be pursuing parallel goals only tangentially related to current fiscal challenges–ending collective bargaining rights for public employees, requiring photo IDs at the ballot box, rolling back environmental protections, privileging property rights over civil rights, and so on–I’ve found myself wondering where all of this legislation is coming from." His questions lead him to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)...he follows the conservative rise to power and its affects on politics, the economy and America. http://scholarcitizen.williamcronon.net/2011/03/15/alec/
Where is democracy in America? It is in everyone of us, if we are paying attention. But, most of us are distracted by Charlie "Winner" Sheen, by American Idol...
Some of the other resources mentioned, so you may read for yourself.
Obama's Budget proposal: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Overview/
NYS budget proposal: http://publications.budget.state.ny.us/eBudget1112/1112_budgetLegislation.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/opinion/26herbert.html?_r=4&hp
Cronin's OP Ed piece 3/22
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/opinion/22cronon.html
His 3/24 blog piece
http://scholarcitizen.williamcronon.net/2011/03/24/open-records-attack-on-academic-freedom/
Every week millions of votes are cast for American Idol singers.
The Department of Defense said it has @$1billion to spend on Libya without asking Congress for more money... (oh, if only the DoD had to hold bake sales to raise monies, and not schools)
People are watching the democratisation of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria. . . but are they paying attention to the democracy here at home?
GE the nation's largest corporation ". . . reported worldwide profits of $14.2 billion, and said $5.1 billion of the total came from its operations in the United States. Its American tax bill? None. In fact, G.E. claimed a tax benefit of $3.2 billion." http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/business/economy/25tax.html
Other states are joining Wisconsin in their anti-labor move...from banning collective bargaining to making their state "business friendly" by removing WPA murals and renaming conference rooms--No more Frances Perkins room--in Maine.
Federal, State and local budgets are cutting off aid to children, cutting education spending, cutting police forces. . . most target working poor and the middle class.
The income gap is getting bigger (SEEhttp://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-in-america-chart-graph).
13.7 million people are currently unemployed. According to Bob Herbert's column 3/26 there is currently only 1 job for every 5 job seekers.
Wait, I thought cutting corporate taxes would create jobs. Doesn't seem to be happening.
No, what seems to be happening is that we are losing sight of democracy.
In Wisconsin, Republicans are trying to silence William Cronon who published a study guide that begins with "After watching the sudden and impressively well-organized wave of legislation being introduced into state legislatures that all seem to be pursuing parallel goals only tangentially related to current fiscal challenges–ending collective bargaining rights for public employees, requiring photo IDs at the ballot box, rolling back environmental protections, privileging property rights over civil rights, and so on–I’ve found myself wondering where all of this legislation is coming from." His questions lead him to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)...he follows the conservative rise to power and its affects on politics, the economy and America. http://scholarcitizen.williamcronon.net/2011/03/15/alec/
Where is democracy in America? It is in everyone of us, if we are paying attention. But, most of us are distracted by Charlie "Winner" Sheen, by American Idol...
Some of the other resources mentioned, so you may read for yourself.
Obama's Budget proposal: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Overview/
NYS budget proposal: http://publications.budget.state.ny.us/eBudget1112/1112_budgetLegislation.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/opinion/26herbert.html?_r=4&hp
Cronin's OP Ed piece 3/22
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/opinion/22cronon.html
His 3/24 blog piece
http://scholarcitizen.williamcronon.net/2011/03/24/open-records-attack-on-academic-freedom/
Labels: American Idol, budget, Charlie Sheen, democracy, General Electric, Obama, Wisconsin
Thursday, September 11, 2008
9/11+7
Seven years ago this very moment as I write our world, our politics, our lives changed. Yes, it all was set into motion way before the first plane was hijacked and slammed into the World Trade Center. But that initial impact not only brought down a building, but marks the beginning of the dismantlement of our Constitution, of the Geneva Conventions, of democracy, of sovereign rights and the respect for human rights --all in the name of fear.
As we remember those who died on 9/11 let us also remember the words of President Franlin Delano Roosevelt: "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" (3/3/33) and work to reclaim the liberal democratic state that the USA once was, and to restore our moral standing vis a vis the rest of the world. So that those who died on 9/11 and in the 7 years since should not have died in vain.
It is also interesting to note that on Sept. 11, 1786 at Annapolis under the Articles of Confederation a confernce was called to look at enhancing commerce, the members of this conference recommended changes to the Articles of Confederation which started the ball rolling towards the Constitutional Convention that gave us the Constitution.
The first step would be to take the time and re-read The Declaration of Independence, the Us Constitution and the UDHR.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html
http://www.hrweb.org/legal/udhr.html
see http://ccrjustice.org/
As we remember those who died on 9/11 let us also remember the words of President Franlin Delano Roosevelt: "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" (3/3/33) and work to reclaim the liberal democratic state that the USA once was, and to restore our moral standing vis a vis the rest of the world. So that those who died on 9/11 and in the 7 years since should not have died in vain.
It is also interesting to note that on Sept. 11, 1786 at Annapolis under the Articles of Confederation a confernce was called to look at enhancing commerce, the members of this conference recommended changes to the Articles of Confederation which started the ball rolling towards the Constitutional Convention that gave us the Constitution.
The first step would be to take the time and re-read The Declaration of Independence, the Us Constitution and the UDHR.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html
http://www.hrweb.org/legal/udhr.html
see http://ccrjustice.org/
Labels: 9/11, Constitution, democracy, fear, UDHR
