Tuesday, January 31, 2012

#OWS Update 400 Arrested in Oakland Democracy Now! & Ron Paul's Mean Spirited "Libertarian Ideology "


Ron Paul's Libertarian Ideology is not benign and should not be confused with the values of liberals and Progressives but rather supports a bully mentality and not justice for all. In Paul's view even the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 represented government intrusion by forcing desegregation on the American people depriving them in Paul's view of having the freedom and the right to discriminate in any way they saw fit.

As Paul Rosenberg senior editor of Random Lenghts News argues in his article( quoted below )exposing the darker side of Ron Paul's Bullying Libertarianism that Ron Paul believes any change in society is to be determined by the market place and not by government even in cases where the government is trying to defend the rights of all Americans including minorities against the Tyranny of The Majority. After being freed from slavery African-Americans were subjected in the South to the brutal and humiliating Jim Crow laws and the KKK and other White Supremacists in the South and in the North. Ron Paul even tries to co-opt the Civil Rights Movement and leaders such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. but his views do not fit with the beliefs of Martin Luther King Jr. as Rosenberg says:
When King was assassinated, he was in Memphis to support a public employee's strike - a strike by municipal sanitation workers, who under Paul's libertarian philosophy would have no right to even organise. And he was there taking time out from his larger project of organising the multi-racial Poor People's March, a concerted attempt to vastly increase federal assistance to the poor - yet another activity that Paul would have bitterly opposed as not just wrong-headed, but unconstitutional.
To the sanitation workers in Memphis, King said:
All labour has dignity. You are … reminding the nation that it is a crime for people to live in this rich nation and receive starvation wages. We know that it isn't enough to integrate lunch counters. What does it profit a man to be able to eat at an integrated lunch counter if he doesn't earn enough money to buy a hamburger and a cup of coffee?
But as far as Paul's libertarian philosophy is concerned, the Memphis sanitation workers were receiving a market wage and that was all they were entitled to. If their children starved, that was just too bad. Any attempt they made outside the marketplace to try to raise themselves up from poverty was an act of bullying on their part. That's just the way the world looks when the liberty of bullies is the highest value that you know.
King, however, knew that all the libertarian talk about free markets was just so much rubbish: "We all too often have socialism for the rich," he once said, "and rugged free market capitalism for the poor."
Above quote from : Ron Paul and the liberty of bullies: Ron Paul's libertarian ideal is a far cry for the idea of 'freedom for all'.Paul Rosenberg at AlJazeera, January 23, 2012



There is a controversy over who started the violence during this past weekend in Oakland .
The police and those in authority claim the violence was started by the protesters.
The protesters say they were non-violent and the police once again over-reacted.
There is also the case to be made that members of the Anarchist group Black Bloc may have deliberately instigated violent clashes with the police.
And some have argued the Black Bloc are being used or have been infiltrated by police or others who are acting as "agents provocateurs" who are working with the police or other agencies ie FBI, CIA who knows.
So the issue here is if there is a group of agitators whether acting on their own or guided by police who are doing all they can to disrupt the peaceful protests they should be isolated by not just the police but also by the Occupy Movement and make it be known that these Black Bloc agitators do not represent the Occupy Movement.


Uploaded by gothgod/gordspoetryfactory.com on Jan 31, 2012

Democracy Now! Amy Goodman discusses the latest clashes in Oakland between the police and the OccupyOakland movement .



Ron Paul's stand on various issues appear to many as reasonable and so they champion his policies without critically examining the impact of his Libertarian ideology on other issues . Ron Paul's libertarian ideology is one that I believe will not benefit but in fact have a negative impact on the average American citizen and would be disastrous for those who already feel marginalized in America including a large portion of the so-called 99% such as the homeless, the poor, the working poor, minorities and so on.

The problem with Ron Paul is that he is not a liberal or progressive but rather a "libertarian" which is the bases of his policies some of which sound reasonable even to liberals and progressives but there are other policies which Ron Paul supports which are also based upon his "Libertarian "Ideology which are at odds with liberal or progressive values and policies.

Liberals and Progressives believe that government has a role to play in insuring equal rights and opportunity of all citizens. Liberals are in favor of programs such as a national education policy and programs in order to provide all American children with a basic eduation no matter what their income level or race or religion etc. Ron Paul would in fact gut the department of education at the federal level and leave this issue to the states and individual parents. As far as he is concerned as a libertarian there is not a "Right to education" and therefore the government has no obligation to insure that all American children are given the same high quality of education.

So we see that his Libertarian ideology regarding policy on education would lead to a patchwork of educational policies with each state deciding on how to fund public education or to simply put an end to any form of government financed public schools.

Ron paul insists as a libertarian that the US must stop or redefine its war on terrorism and stop American military interventionism or expanding its Empire. Those who agree with this policy champion Ron Paul without examining Ron paul's other policies on foreign affairs and domestic policies.

But he is also against any form of foreign aid to other nations. Ron Paul as a libertarian is also against America's participation in the United Nations or other international organizations. His reasoning is that belonging to such international organizations the United States is giving over some of its sovereignty to these organizations . America having become a member of the UN for example must abide by rulings from the UN which may or may not be in America's best interests . His view is that the US must decide upon its own policies without interference from other nations or international organizations.So according to Ron Paul the US cannot be dictated to by the UN or the International Criminal Court which means the US could not be prosecuted for war crimes by the international Court because it has no juridiction over US citizens or its government or military.
So Ron Paul, George W. Bush and president Obama agree that no other nation or international body has any say over America's policies and actions.

There are those who support Ron Paul because he says he will put an end to the "War on Drugs" and is therefore in favor of decriminalizing all prohibited recreational drugs. But there is a catch in his proposals of which many are not aware.

But and this is a big but Ron Paul as a libertarian believes in state's rights over the rights of the federal government and so he would as president decriminalize drugs at the federal level while allowing each state in the union to develop its own policies on prohibited drugs such as Marijuana, cocaine etc. But further the states' legilature's do not all agree on decriminalizing Marijuana or other drugs. Some states want stiffer penalties for drug offenses while others would allow marijuana for medical purposes to be dispensed while still others would simply decriminalize marijuana and make it legal to sell.

As a libertarian Ron Paul is against big government and is against any federal financed programs from education to the department of the environment and any so called entitlement programs from food stamps and welfare or unemployment benefits to social security.
Ron Paul believes that the Civil TRights bills of the mid 1960s are he believes an infringement on the rights of individuals and businesses and corporations and so he would overturn or nullify such laws which he believes are unnecessary government intrusions.

Ron Paul's Libertarian Ideology is not a liberal or progressive ideology and nor is it so benign . Paul Rosenberg in an article at AlJazeera argues Ron Paul's libertarian ideology is that of permitting bullies to write the laws and call the shots. Libertarian is based in the assumtion that the smartest most entreperneual and successful should be given complete freedom to achieve their goals while the rest of society if need be does without the basics of life from education to Unemployment benefits, welfare, food stamps , environmental and consumer protection to medicaire and medicais social security and so forth.

It can be argued that Ron Paul's views are elitists and racists . He may claim that this is not true but whatever their motivations libertarian ideology can only lead to rewarding the haves even more and taking more away from the have nots especially when it comes to various social programs which are seen by others as improvents in our society on the road to a more just society or as Obama argued "A More Perfect Union".

Ron Paul and the liberty of bullies Ron Paul's libertarian ideal is a far cry for the idea of 'freedom for all'.by Paul Rosenberg at AlJazeera ,January 23, 2012


San Pedro, California - On January 12, a great blow was struck against freedom, if you subscribe to the philosophy of Ron Paul. The Ohio Civil Rights Commission voted 4-0 to uphold its earlier finding that a Cincinnati landlord, Jamie Hein, had discriminated against a ten-year-old biracial girl by posting a "White Only" sign in June 2011, aimed at keeping her out of a swimming pool. According to Paul's worldview, this was a grave and terrible blow to the white landlord's liberty.

The girl's white father, however, sees things a bit differently.

"My initial reaction to seeing the sign was of shock, disgust and outrage," the girl's father, Michael Gunn, said in brief comments the day the final decision was announced. The family quickly moved away, in order to protect their daughter from exposure to such humiliating bigotry - but they also filed the lawsuit.

According to Ron Paul's view of "liberty", they were right to move, but wrong to sue. Both Ron Paul and his son, Rand, oppose the 1964 Civil Rights Act, because it outlaws private acts of discrimination. This is an "infringement of liberty", they argue. And they're right: just like laws against murder, it infringes the liberty of bullies. And that's precisely what justice is: the triumph of right over might.

The same logic also applies to the Civil War. It resulted in the abolition of slavery - infringing the liberty of hundreds of thousands of slaveholders. And Ron Paul thinks that was wrong, too.

In June 2004, the House of Representatives voted to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Paul was a lone voice in opposition. On the House floor, he said:

"I rise to explain my objection to H.Res. 676. I certainly join my colleagues in urging Americans to celebrate the progress this country has made in race relations. However, contrary to the claims of the supporters of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the sponsors of H.Res. 676, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not improve race relations or enhance freedom. Instead, the forced integration dictated by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 increased racial tensions while diminishing individual liberty."

One is tempted to ask, how, exactly, Ron Paul thinks we made such progress, if not in large measure because of the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and other similar legislations? But that would only distract attention from the truly odious and absurd central claim that the act diminished individual liberty. Who, but a die-hard racist, thinks that way? Only one who thinks of die-hard racists' "rights" first, and the rights of everyone else a distant second, if at all

Just to take one commonplace example, at the time of the Freedom Rides, preceding the Civil Rights Act by a few years, when the national consensus was still asleep to the evils of racism, any form of interstate travel for black people - at least in the South, where most lived - was an ordeal not simply bereft of freedom, but filled with potential danger.

The interstate bus service, desegregated by Federal Court ruling, but segregated in fact - reinforced by mob violence - was the well-chosen target of the Freedom Riders. The wretched truth of this situation was exposed forever by brave young students, white and black, who took their lives in their hands to change the course of history.

But this target was only the weak link in the chains that shackled black people's freedom to travel. Private car trips were anything but a freedom-filled alternative. Blacks travelling cross-country by car - whether crossing state lines or not - faced denial of individual liberty at every turn: segregated gas stations with segregated water fountains and segregated restrooms (if they were lucky), segregated restaurants with segregated restrooms (if they were lucky), segregated motels with segregated water fountains and segregated restrooms (if they were lucky). And God help any black family travelling thus, if some emergency should arise. They would be lucky, indeed, to reach their destination unharmed. A mere flat tyre could put life and limb at risk. But thank God that white bigots, white bullies were free.

Because in Ron Paul's eyes, things looked exactly the opposite: Each of these experiences of black humiliation, subjugation and unfreedom was actually a triumph of individual white property-owning freedom. And the 1964 Civil Rights Act swept all that precious freedom away. All that liberty for bullies, gone in a single "tyrannical" stroke of the pen.

...Thus, Paul's benign world-historical generalisation has no relationship at all to the actual history of the bloody and protracted struggle to rid the world of legal slavery. But Paul's grasp of US history is no better. Historically, Lincoln did not initiate the Civil War, the South did. Nor was the North originally fighting to abolish slavery - its aim was simply to preserve the Union against Southern secession.

Indeed, Southern states began to secede, and form themselves into the Confederacy, even before Lincoln took office. Lincoln was elected on November 6, 1860, and was to be inaugurated almost exactly four months later, but the Southern states were not about to wait around for that.

South Carolina seceded in December 1860, with six other states following shortly afterward. The Confederacy was formed in February 1861, the month before Lincoln's inauguration, on March 4, 1861. The act of secession was rejected by outgoing President Buchanan, who still officially held office, as well as by Lincoln as incoming president.
also see Paul Rosenberg article
Racism 'happens': Inexplicable events haunt GOP primary
Although several Republican presidential candidates have made racist remarks, none will admit or condemn the statements.by Paul Rosenberg at AlJazzeera,January 16, 2012

Monday, January 30, 2012

"Black Bloc" Is Not #OWS & Bill Maher On Saul Alinsky Conspiracy & TYRANNICAL War On Terror Turns US Not Free

Violent actions of anarchist Black Bloc opens the door for police brutality.
The anarchists want riots not peaceful actions and change.
They are now trying to shut down livestreaming ie @TIMCAST or any videoing of their violent illegal and unnecessary acts of violence. #OWS needs to develop a simple policy of no tolerance for violent actions which allow police to over-react bu targeting all protesters and not just those who are violent.
This is also why there should be no tolerance for verbally or physically abusing police officers. Calling the police officers names ie pig etc or chanting "F... the police " leads to enraging police officers and protesters alike .
Singing a song such as We Shall Overcome is more persuasive then saying f... the police.
Otherwise the occupy movement will lose support .

OWS - Jan 29 -Tim Pool aka TimCast Attacked By Black Bloc For Filming March.flv

Uploaded by 12160info on Jan 29, 2012
http://12160.info
Tim Pool of TIMCAST was attacked by a masked "anarchist". Luke Rudkowski of We Are Change helped save Tim's streaming equipment and then pulled the attackers mask off on camera. Violent Anarchist are NOT Occupy (for all we know they are infiltrators). GO LUKE!

Blac bloc feds most likely IMO
Tim Pool attacked by Black Bloc for filming Jan 29, 2012 march in solidarity with Occupy Oakland. Thankfully Tim was not injured.
Video by: @Timcast (http://ustream.tv/timcast)




First up Bill Maher On the Right Wing Newt Gingrich promoted Conspiracy theory which claims that all US liberals and Obama take their marching orders from the liberal Community organizer Saul Alinsky.

Bill Maher points out that when he and others were criticizing former President Bush they were criticizing him for his actual policies whereas the right and GOP are criticizing Obama for policies he has not endorsed but they believe is thinking about though never spoken about outloud.

Real Time with Bill Maher (1-27-12) - Obama's "Grab a Corona and Call in Sick" Act



Gingrich's "ability to enrage an audience"
Newt Gingrich's Plan to Start WWIII



TYRANNICAL War On Terror Turns US Not Free



Internet freedom being gutted by US government and Big Corporations

TYRANNICAL "Mega Song" Censored by UMG Without SOPA/PIPA Shows Celebrity Support Of Megaupload


TYRANNICAL US Feds Raid Foreign-Based Megaupload Without Censorship Laws SOPA, PIPA, ACTA

Sunday, January 29, 2012

#OWS Update : Twitter Censorship & 300 protesters Arrested at Occupy Oakland & Protests In Poland Against Internet Censorship


Twitter's New Censorship Policy

Uploaded by TheAlyonaShow on Jan 27, 2012
Yesterday, Twitter made a major announcement that they're expanding their operations world-wide. They have yet to say which countries they'll be extending their business to, but with the news of their expansion, they also announced that they'll be using a new censorship policy. See in order for twitter to exist in certain countries, they have to agree to comply with that country's policies on freedom of expression when it comes to censoring certain information. So twitter will begin censoring on a country by country basis.






ACTA of War: Cyber attacks & street protests over 'censorship' bill


Uploaded by RussiaToday on Jan 26, 2012
There's swelling anger in Poland over the country signing up with others to a global anti-piracy pact. Critics say the deal is as bad, if not worse, than America's planned laws, which were shelved when web giants like Wikipedia and Google went on a protest blackout. RT's Alexey Yaroshevsky is in Warsaw where the fear is that big corporations now have the power to take individual internet users offline at a whim.



Saturday, January 28, 2012

Obama Cozies Up To Bush Family Gingrich Attacked By Conservative Pundits And Romney Just A bit of A Crook


Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.  Martin Luther King, Jr

As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Abraham Lincoln

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. Abraham Lincoln

Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable - a most sacred right - a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world. Abraham Lincoln


“The Commerce Department says U.S. based global corporations added 2.4 million workers abroad in first decade of 21st century, while cutting their US workforce by 2.9 million.” Robert Reich Huff Post.


So Abraham Lincoln and the Founding Fathers of America would support the #OWS Occupy Wall street movement since the US political system has been hijacked by a wealthy and powerful Oligarchy.
The Wall Street K Street thugs are only interested in accruing more wealth and power for themselves while ignoring the needs of the American people.
If war will make them richer and more powerful then war it shall be.
If cutting back on essential services give them more power and wealth then de-financing or under-financing such services and related government departments then so it shall be.
If militarizing the police protects the rich and powerful then basic civil and human rights be damned and so unleash a brutal draconian police force on #OWS protesters.
So according to the GOP and Democrats  the main purpose of a government is to defend not the American people but the status quo of the rich and powerful

These propositions are not that far from where the U.S. is currently.
Even Obama given the powers he and the executive branch have under the Patriot Act and the NDA National Defense Act.


#OWS Update:
#OWS Called on to protest war with Iran.




Why OWS Should Lead the "No Iran War!" Resistance by Joe Scarry (source: Joe Scarry Blog) Saturday, January 28, 2012

A national call went out just a week ago for a National Day of Action to resist U.S. war against Iran. Will the Occupy movement be the leading voice saying "No Iran War!" ?

COURAGE TO THINK DIFFERENT

Some people might argue that the problem of preventing the newest U.S. war is not squarely within the area of concern of Occupy. I would argue that, in fact, there is no one better-positioned to take up this resistance than the biggest group of people in the U.S. who have gotten first-hand experience of U.S. government threats and repression.

It is not a coincidence that legislation that aimed at both Iran and at the Occupy movement was signed into law on New Year's Eve. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provides sanctions on Iran, and it also has sweeping provisions for indefinite detention of U.S. citizens that amount to "Guantanamo for EVERYONE!" and are clearly aimed at the Occupy movement (among others).

The Occupy movement is not the first group within the U.S. to find itself in the federal government's cross-hairs -- but it's quite clearly the one that's there right now. It takes courage to stand up to that, and that's why every day more and more people are signing on to the call to support OWS and help it resist its suppression.

It also takes courage to talk sense when a large part of the U.S. population has been convinced that another country is full of "bad" people, and is "asking for" a confrontation with the United States. This situation needs mass courage of the kind that few but OWS today possess.



Most disturbing picture of the week Gord's Pick
President Obama with former President H.W. Bush and son Jeb Bush.
Is Obama giving them the heads up that he is starting criminal investigation of Former George W. Bush for War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity or for his treasonous disregard for The U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights and so forth .
Or should the caption read all is well since afterall George W. is a "Made Man" ala the Washington Mafia (see Joe Pesci Goodfellas)

Joe Pesci in Goodfellas Made Man -not so much



George W. Bush "A Made Man" in The Washington Mafia -100% Immunity
War Crimes? What War Crimes??? Lies, Torture, murder, War of Aggression, fixed elections, bribes etc.
Has Obama now officially been accepted as one of them and part of their "Crew"???




So now we know Bush Family and Obama are friends and will protect each others' backs.
So it is no wonder Obama refuses to go after George W. or members of his administration no matter what crimes they have committed.
Obama has also given notice that US troops or even the military's Top Brass at Pentagon , Special Ops, U.S. Torturers , mass murderers , rapists all are granted immunity except for the occassional " bad apple" who may pay a small fine or spend a couple of months in jail for rape, torture and murder ala Haditha Massacre or Baghdad Helicopter massacre of civilians and journalists.
Obama like George W. as we now know holds all journalists in contempt especially those like Bill Moyers, Seymour Hersh, Democracy Now's Amy Goodmann and others  who actually do their job honestly and diligently who seek the truth wherever it leads them.

Obama hosts George H.W. and Jeb Bush at White House by Donovan Slack via Politico January 27, 2012

...The Bushes are in town to attend the exclusive Alfalfa Club dinner Saturday, an annual get-together for Washington power brokers that Obama also is scheduled to attend, according to the Associated Press.

The meeting came at an interesting time politically, just one day after Obama, in an interview with ABC News, blamed predecessor George W. Bush for policies that brought on the greatest recession since the Great Depression. He also blamed him for initiating the expansion of food stamp rolls.

Dems bash, bank secret cash by Kenneth P. Vogel and Alexander Burns Politico ,January 28, 2012

Democrats have seized on Republicans as the party of unlimited secret money.
The only problem: so are Democrats.

...Obama’s team has blessed a network of super PACs trying to raise the same seven-figure checks as Romney’s. And Obama’s allies have gone even further than Romney’s, setting up nonprofit groups that do not disclose their donors at all.
In fact, top Democrats are so ardent about the need to raise unlimited — and sometimes secret — cash this year that some operatives aren’t pleased about the recent attacks, grumbling that it makes it a whole lot tougher to get wealthy liberals to fork over mega-checks when the politicians who’d benefit are ripping Republicans for taking the same types of contributions.



Blood Money Mitt Romney Medicaid fraud via Washington Times

Debating in Tampa, Florida in late-January, while falsely characterizing Newt Gingrich’s income from his government consulting work, Mitt Romney denied that Bain did “any work with the government like Medicaid and Medicare”. Now we learn that Bain, under Romney’s “supervision”, purchased and ran the Damon Corporation, who pled guilty to Federal conspiracy charges as a result of tens of millions of dollars in systemic Medicare fraud committed under Romney’s and Bain’s control. Damon was fined over $119-million which was, at the time, the largest criminal healthcare fine in Massachusetts history and Mr. Romney’s participation was characterized in 1996 by Corporate Crime Reporter thusly: “As manager and board member of Damon Corp, Mitt Romney sits at the center of one of the top 15 corporate crimes of the 1990’s.” Watch the substantiated mini-documentary, BLOOD MONEY: MITT ROMNEY’S MEDICARE SCANDAL, to learn the truth about Mitt Romney.




And from Politico GOP and conservatives pundits attack Newt Gingrich- they fear he might become the GOP presidential candidate.

Drudge, conservative media criticize Newt Gingrich by Jim Vandehei and Mike Allen at Politico.com, January 26, 2012

Newt Gingrich better hope voters who lapped up his delicious hits on the “elite media” and liberals don’t read the Drudge Report this morning.
Or the National Review. Or the American Spectator. Or Ann Coulter.
If they do, Gingrich comes off looking like a dangerous, anti-Reagan, Clintonian fraud.



Gingrich found guilty of ethics violations while he was Speaker of the House

Romney camp gives Gingrich a 'history lesson' by maggie Habeerman Via Politico January 28, 2012

This is the latest ad from Mitt Romney's campaign, which is simply the Tom Brokaw newscast from when the former House Speaker was found guilty of some of the ethics charges he was facing.
The snippet happens to speak to precisely what the Romney campaign's message is - that Gingrich had ethical woes and his "future effectiveness" were called into question.




reality check
From Robert Reich: Exporting jobs

The State of Our Disunion: A Globalized Private Sector, A Corporate-Dominated Public Sector Robert Reich at Huff Post, January 23, 2012

...American business won't and can't lead the way to more and better jobs in the United States. First, the private sector is increasingly global, with less and less stake in America. Second, it's driven by the necessity of creating profits, not better jobs.

The National Science Foundation has just released its biennial report on global investment in science, engineering and technology. The NSF warns that the United States is quickly losing ground to Asia, especially to China. America's share of global R&D spending is tumbling. In the decade to 2009, it dropped from 38 percent to 31 percent, while Asia's share rose from 24 to 35 percent.

One big reason: According to the NSF, American firms nearly doubled their R&D investment in Asia over these years, to over $7.5 billion.

GE recently announced a $500 million expansion of its R&D facilities in China. The firm has already invested $2 billion.

GE's CEO Jeffrey Immelt chairs Obama's council on work and competitiveness. I'd wager that as an American citizen, Immelt is concerned about working Americans. But as CEO of GE, Immelt's job is to be concerned about GE's shareholders. They aren't the same.

GE has also been creating more jobs outside the United States than in it. A decade ago, fewer than half of GE's employees were non-American; today, 54 percent are.

and :

...According to the New York Times, Apple Computer employs 43,000 people in the United States but contracts with over 700,000 workers abroad. It makes iPhones in China not only because of low wages there but also the ease and speed with which its Chinese contractor can mobilize their workers -- from company dormitories at almost any hour of the day or night.

An Apple executive says "We don't have an obligation to solve America's problems. Our only obligation is making the best product possible." He might have added "and showing a big enough profits to continually increase our share price."

Most executives of American companies agree. If they can make it best and cheapest in China, or anywhere else, that's where it will be made. Don't blame them. That's what they're getting paid to do.

What they want in America is lower corporate taxes, less regulation, and fewer unionized workers. But none of these will bring good jobs to America. These steps may lower the costs of production here, but global companies can always find even lower costs abroad.

Friday, January 27, 2012

#OWS President Obama's Disturbing Militaristic Triumphalism, Hypocrisy and His Hollow Rhetoric & His Attempt To Co-Opt The Occupy Wall Street Movement

#OWS Update:


And here to start with is some good news reported on RT. Julian Assange may get some revenge by having his own show on RT in which hopefully he will do what journalists are supposed to do but rarely do.
This is also a difficult one for Obama who has Julian Assange on his enemies list and possibly could be in line for a targeted assassination . That is never underestimate how far those in power in America will go to take out their enemies real or perceived.

Julian Assange to launch show on RT this March

Uploaded by RTAmerica on Jan 25, 2012
Since 1980 ABC, CBS and NBC have lost over 20 million viewers. According to some critics, the big three networks have been slacking when it comes to news coverage. But where the big three fail the cable networks have picked up the slack. In reaction to the lack of real media coverage, RT is raising the bar. Julian Assange has become a part of the RT network and will have his own show starting in March. Stay tuned to RT.




And from RT The Real State of the Union not as rosy as Obama says and the world does not look to America as a moral example but rather sees America as overly militarized and having no concerns for the sovereignty of other nations or a concern for the civil and human rights of their citizens.




Ninety-Nine Point Nine
performed by Rocker-T w JahWave
OFFICIAL OCCUPY OAKLAND ANTHEM

Uploaded by TheRealRockerT on Jan 26, 2012
Ninety-Nine Point Nine (99.9) Official Music Video
Performed by Rocker-T with Jah Wave
Directed by Francesco Thomas & Rocker-T
Produced by I.Livity Productions in association with Luvinnitt Productions
Edited by Francesco Thomas
Music Recorded & Mixed by Doyle Johnson & Rocker-T
@ Fo'Way Studios (Oakland, Ca)
(c)(p)2012 Luvinnitt Productions
This is da OFFICIAL VIDEO ANTHEM SONG from Occupy Oakland! AN ANTHEM FOR THE WHOLE WORLD! Filmed on location primarily at Occupy Oakland and also at Occupy Wall Street. Feed the People. Freeness, Justice, Peace, Safety and LUV! Repatriation of Mother Earth IS A MUST! OCCUPY THE MIND WITH AMAZINGNESS! cp2012 Luvinnitt Productions


Tiananmen Square Protests 1989 and Occupy Wall Street Movement and the Arab Spring all are seen as unwaranted attacks on the powers that be. That is average citizens demanding justice and fairness and that they are not just cast aside as part of the surplus population as Charles Dickens would have it.
Is this to be part of the Obama vision that is to allow the use of the military or militarized police to shut down the pesky and annoying Occupy Movement even though all Obama has offered in response to the movements demands are more rhetorical flourishes or useless investigative committees which may take years to come to any real conclusions let along actually re-think US economic and social policies.

Stop, or I'll occupy!

http://youtu.be/9-nXT8lSnPQ


As #OWS activist and journalist Jesse LeGreca opines words are fine but they need to be backed up by a real commitment to action and not just the creation of toothless committees or what have you. These are usually created as window dressing to appease a particular sector of the electorate so they won't campaign against those in power.

We have to step back for a moment and take in consideration that this is an election year and Obama fears he may not do as well as he did in 2008 and so will reach out to various groups some of them having agendas which are at odds with other groups or at odds with obama's real agenda.
State of the Union address ignores OWS
His main appeal is that the GOP alternatives appear as Wingnuts and idological extremist.

RT: OWS Response to Obama's State of the Union Address




Military triumphalism America is safer???
I found Obama's use of US troops and the Rangers as representative of the Real America as insincere as when Bush stooped to these tactics. That is; the USA is no. 1 militarily and that's what matters most .
This is especially disturbing given his own record on human rights and the rights of POWs as defined by the Geneva Convention. But even Obama as a true American has no respect for international law or agreements unless they are completely in line with his own agenda.
And Obama did not mention his illegal incarceration of Bradley Manning or his calling for the arrest of Julian Assange and others who work for Wikileaks and anyone who has leaked US documents to Wikileaks or any news agency. Obama says anyone leaking information to the press is a traitor who should be executed so if he had his way Daniel Ellsberg would have been executed for revealing the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam era. I fear Obama would have also gone after Woodward and Bernstein and a host of other public spirited journalists who seek the truth wherever it might lead.
As it is there has been a chilling effect on journalists in America as they realize this president and his government wants total control of their message and their Talking Points. Obama it appears has learned a great deal from Karl Rove, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld how to spin a lie in as many different ways as possible.


Odd how so called liberals from Rachel Maddow, Cenk Uygur, and Dylan Ratigan and Ed Schultz were taken in by this macho militaristic triumphalism as being somehow more important than the fact that Guantanamo is still in operation and that US interrogators C.I.A. or special forces or reserves are still brutalizing so called detainees .
One even begins to suspect these liberals in the US are themselves too tied into this sort of American bravado.
It reminded me of the sort of stories Ronald Reagan like to tell to keep the electorate off guard and distracted from the criminal actions of his administration.

No one mentioned that Osama Bin Laden was summarily executed as was Gaddafi or that the US used its tactic of scorched earth policy in Libya or that he did not leave Iraq willingly but was kicked out as American forces were also kicked out of Pakistan because of the uproar raised by Afghan citizens over the innocent civilians killed in America's Drone Wars against the Pashtun peoples or that Afghanistan is still a mess and yet is still the World's biggest supplier of Opium and that the corrupt War Lords and the Taliban are still terrorizing the people of Afghanistan . Nor does anyone mention the people of Afghanistan have also said they want the Americans out of their country.
Isn't President Obama's militaristic triumphalism and personalizing of the troops just the same sort of sentimental nonsense and hyper-patriotism spewed out by other presidents ie George W. Bush, Clinton , Bush senior and Ronald Reagan .
So Obama like Bush when it comes to domestic issues is undermining the rights and civil liberties of Americans in his fight to maintain America's democracy and freedom-destroying democracy in order to save it.
But the USA even under the Obama Regime ignores international law and the human rights of the citizens in foreign nations where the USA is active militarily or otherwise.

President Hypocritical when it comes to the criminal activiies of Wall Street and the insider trading of the members of Congress and those who are part of Obama's administration who are pro-Wall Street, pro-Big Business , pro-profit and pro-war profiteering and see nothing wrong with breaking the law or just amending the laws to suit their own criminal activities which then become legal-so where's Obama's ethical and moral stand on this .

The other issue about Obama is that once he says something publicly it is as if the thing is already done or fixed.

And his military triumphalism another way to prepare Americans for more wars that is against Iran and Syria etc. while 'kow towing' to Israel's every wish while also supporting unconditionally brutal governments of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain for example.

Why should anyone take Obama at his word since what he says or promises has little to do with his actions which he sees as necessary compromises with his detractors the GOP and the not so liberal Democratic Party members in the Congress. Does he just use these critics as a smoke screen for his inaction or that he is far too conservative himself and is a champion of the status quo.

Obama seems to believe all this hype for instance that since his election America is now post-racial or post-racism -if so he too is deluded as those who support him no matter what.

So there is no reason to take Obama at his word since he appears to be just another career politician who is more concerned with helping his friends in high places no matter how conservative and corrupt they are.
Otherwise why would he have surrounded himself with a number of people who have been Washington insiders in some cases for decades and who have played their part in destroying the American economy while they get richer.

So is Obama really concerned about the ever widening gap between the lower classes and the 1% and their greedy upper middle class supporters who worship the God of Greed and Avarice above all else.
So will Obama take on the rich and powerful changing various laws so that the 1% pay their share of taxes and force them into actually acting like responsible American citizens ala Citizens United-with power with profits made from the sweat of America's flesh and blood persons will they be accountable for their actions or will they be allowed to hide behind laws constructed with the help of these Corporate Giants battalions of ethically-challenged Corporate lawyers and wily unsavory accountants and their thugish Lobbyists who are just the bag men for the Corporate Mafia which now rules America .
But this underlying bred in the bone belief in material success and to hell with the other guy is just part of America's DNA. The idea of actually ensuring that everyone gets a fair chance and is guranteed good health care a decent living wage with the same benefits that those in the government have .
But Obama has still not made at least a phone call to show support for the Occupy Movement or made calls to individual mayors to stop their violence against these Americans who are protesting instead he just makes more empty promises.



reality check from Robert Reich
From Robert Reich: Exporting jobs

“The Commerce Department says U.S. based global corporations added 2.4 million workers abroad in first decade of 21st century, while cutting their US workforce by 2.9 million.”

The State of Our Disunion: A Globalized Private Sector, A Corporate-Dominated Public Sector Robert Teich at Huff Post, January 23, 2012


...American business won't and can't lead the way to more and better jobs in the United States. First, the private sector is increasingly global, with less and less stake in America. Second, it's driven by the necessity of creating profits, not better jobs.

The National Science Foundation has just released its biennial report on global investment in science, engineering and technology. The NSF warns that the United States is quickly losing ground to Asia, especially to China. America's share of global R&D spending is tumbling. In the decade to 2009, it dropped from 38 percent to 31 percent, while Asia's share rose from 24 to 35 percent.

One big reason: According to the NSF, American firms nearly doubled their R&D investment in Asia over these years, to over $7.5 billion.

GE recently announced a $500 million expansion of its R&D facilities in China. The firm has already invested $2 billion.

GE's CEO Jeffrey Immelt chairs Obama's council on work and competitiveness. I'd wager that as an American citizen, Immelt is concerned about working Americans. But as CEO of GE, Immelt's job is to be concerned about GE's shareholders. They aren't the same.

GE has also been creating more jobs outside the United States than in it. A decade ago, fewer than half of GE's employees were non-American; today, 54 percent are.
and :
...According to the New York Times, Apple Computer employs 43,000 people in the United States but contracts with over 700,000 workers abroad. It makes iPhones in China not only because of low wages there but also the ease and speed with which its Chinese contractor can mobilize their workers -- from company dormitories at almost any hour of the day or night.

An Apple executive says "We don't have an obligation to solve America's problems. Our only obligation is making the best product possible." He might have added "and showing a big enough profits to continually increase our share price."

Most executives of American companies agree. If they can make it best and cheapest in China, or anywhere else, that's where it will be made. Don't blame them. That's what they're getting paid to do.

What they want in America is lower corporate taxes, less regulation, and fewer unionized workers. But none of these will bring good jobs to America. These steps may lower the costs of production here, but global companies can always find even lower costs abroad.


and so it goes,
GORD.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

#OWS Arrests Cost US Dearly in Press Freedom - #47

Free pres under attack in the USA
Other Western countries have greater freedom of the Press than the USA.
USA is not #1 in defending freedom of the press
but is rather #47 of those countries which refuse to defend the freedom of the press.



Amnesty International Doctors without borders, Reporters Without Borders , International Committee of the Red Cross and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights accuse those now in control of Libya of widespread use of torture and other human rights abuses.

Human Rights groups are also critical of America's human rights violations of Occupy protesters and of journalist covering the Occupy protests.

Libyan detainees died after torture, human rights group says CNN, january 26, 2012

"In that just-released Reporters Without Borders ranking, the United States — the Land of the Free — ranked 47th: tied with Romania and Argentina, just ahead of Latvia, and behind El Salvador, Tanzania, and Slovenia, among others. That 47th ranking is 11 spots below where the U.S. finished in 2008. The organization cited the many arrests of journalist covering Occupy Wall Street protests” as most responsible for this decline, and in prior years has cited U.S. treatment of journalists in war zones as well as the imprisonment of journalists at Guantanamo.



It is rather disingenuous for President Obama to claim he is suddenly on the side of the people and against The Wall Street tycoons and gamblers and thugs since he has done nothing to stop Wall Street's armed robbery of the American people .
If Obama was so concerned why did he agree to these insane bail outs to the Wall Street coven of greed.

The problem is that Obama is himself part of the 1% and the rest of the 1% know he is not going to pass legislation to stem Wall Street greed.

Wall Street execs are major Obama fundraisers
Bundlers from the securities industry have raised at least $9 million for the Obama campaign so far by justin Elliott at Salon.com, January 26, 2012


and as Robert Scheer chimes in about Obama's stance on Wall Street as "Faux Populism" that Obama is trying to place himself somehow on the side of the Occupy movement.
President Obama has indeed betrayed those who helped him get elected and just keeps adding to that betrayal. If he believed in the basic rights of Americans why was he silent about the police brutality and the arrests of journalists at the Occupy protests.

Now he appears to be concerned that if he doesn't throw a bone or two to the Occupy movement his re-election might be in doubt.
If anything the Occupy movement should keep criticizing Obama and should not give any sign of supporting his re-election.
The main reason he will probably get re-elected is because the alternatives of the GOP candidates are or appear to be much worse. But I think that's debatable given Obama's poor record on a variety of issues but especially foreign policy as there seems no real difference between Obama and the GOP views on foreign policy. All are in favor of perpetual war and the curbing of the freedoms of average Americans.

Obama’s Faux Populism Sounds Like Bill Clinton By Robert Scheer at Truthdig.com, january 26, 2012

I’ll admit it: Listening to Barack Obama, I am ready to enlist in his campaign against the feed-the-rich Republicans ... until I recall that I once responded in the same way to Bill Clinton’s faux populism. And then I get angry because betrayal by the “good guys” for whom I have ended up voting has become the norm.

Yes, betrayal, because if Obama meant what he said in Tuesday’s State of the Union address about holding the financial industry responsible for its scams, why did he appoint the old Clinton crowd that had legalized those scams to the top economic posts in his administration? Why did he hire Timothy Geithner, who has turned the Treasury Department into a concierge service for Wall Street tycoons?

Why hasn’t he pushed for a restoration of the Glass-Steagall Act, which Clinton’s deregulation reversed? Does the president really believe that the Dodd-Frank slap-on-the-wrist sellout represents “new rules to hold Wall Street accountable, so a crisis like this never happens again”? Can he name one single too-big-to-fail banking monstrosity that has been reduced in size on his watch instead of encouraged to grow ever larger by Treasury and Fed bailouts and interest-free money?

When Obama declared Tuesday evening “no American company should be able to avoid paying its fair share of taxes by moving jobs and profits overseas,” wasn’t he aware that Jeffrey Immelt, the man he appointed to head his jobs council, is the most egregious offender? Immelt, the CEO of GE, heads a company with most of its workers employed in foreign countries, a corporation that makes 82 percent of its profit abroad and has paid no U.S. taxes in the past three years.

as for Obama's record in foreign affairs he is as Hawkish as George W. Bush ever was .
Obama even had the gall to claim victory in Iraq when in fact the Iraqi government kicked the US military out of Iraq . And Pakistan one of America's great allies kicked the US military out of their country.
Meanwhile Obama to prove himself as a worthy Commander in Chief used his power to bomb and invade Libya on the pretext of humanitarian concerns. This is odd coming from a president who has ordered assassinations of alleged enemies of America and who revved up the drone wars killing thousands of innocent civilians. Obama like Bush and Cheney appears to have little regard for the lives of non-Americans.
Obama has also shown his disregard for international law with permitting the intentional murders of Gaddafi and Osama Bin Laden because he didn't want some sort of messy trial which might uncover America's intelligence agencies darker side.
Even G. W. Bush insisted on taking Saddam alive and then allowed for a trial albeit a farce of a trial followed by the lynching of Saddam-another proud moment in American history.

Now those in power in Libya (& in Iraq by the way) are involved in human rights abuses including detaining people without charges or torturing detainees going after those who supported Gaddafi
whether or not they committed criminal acts or committed human rights violations.

As Glenn Greenwlad points out that removing a tyrant might be laudable but it is questionable if those replacing that tyrant are no better and may turn out to be worse. In both Iraq and Libya the new regimes look a lot like the old regimes except that are more in tune with America's agenda.

The human rights “success” in Libya by Glenn Greenwald at salon.com, January 26, 2012

It quickly became ossified conventional wisdom that NATO’s war in Libya to aid rebel factions in overthrowing Moammar Gaddafi was a clear human rights victory. But the reality in post-Gaddafi Libya has long been in tension with that claim, and that’s true today more so than ever:

"Doctors Without Borders is halting work in detention centers in the Libyan city of Misrata because detainees are “tortured and denied urgent medical care,” the international aid agency said Thursday.

The agency known by its French acronym MSF said it has treated 115 people with torture-related wounds from interrogation sessions.

Some of the patients treated were tortured again after they were returned to detention centers, according to the agency.

“Some officials have sought to exploit and obstruct MSF’s medical work,” said Christopher Stokes, the agency general director.

“Patients were brought to us for medical care between interrogation sessions, so that they would be fit for further interrogation. This is unacceptable. Our role is to provide medical care to war casualties and sick detainees, not to repeatedly treat the same patients between torture sessions”. . . ."

...Obviously, the Gadaffi and Saddam regimes were horrible human rights abusers. But the point is that one cannot celebrate a human rights success based merely on the invasion and overthrow of a bad regime; it is necessary to know what one has replaced them with. Ironically, those who are the loudest advocates for these wars and then prematurely celebrate the outcome (and themselves) bear significant responsibility for these subsequent abuses: by telling the world that the invasion was a success, it causes the aftermath — the most important part — to be neglected.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

#OWS " A Man's A Man For A' That " Critics Say Haditha Sends Message That U.S. Won’t Punish Military


Robert Burns birthday:

 Burn's belief in the equality of all humankind is an ideal which has not been realized as those in power the 1% and their quislings and toadies insist that they are in all accounts superior to the rest of humankind. That is as long as the 1% are treated as our betters we will not be truly free and there will not be justice for all but only for the few. While our society preaches honesty and morality and the rule of law those privileged few are treated as if no man made law or Jesus 's teachings of equality  apply to them. They see themselves as the Elite or the Saints of the Puritan tradition who we are told have a right to Lord-it over the rest of us.

also check out :  Burns Country

" A Man's a Man for A' That " Rabbie Burns.

Uploaded by HAZRIC on Sep 27, 2008
A Man's a Man For A' that. A song written by Rabbie Burns, performed by The Macalmans.
Notes for the Sasunnach and other strange folks:
aboon -- above
birkie -- a lively, young, forward fellow
coof -- fool, ninnie
fa' -- have as one's lot
gree -- prize
gowd -- gold
hame -- home
hing -- hang
hoddin -- coarse, woollen cloth
maunna -- must not



As the #OWS Occupy Movement has discovered freedom of speech the freedom to protest freedom of association etc. are no longer considered rights under the Obama administration but are regarded as privileges which can be arbitrarily denied depending on the mood of the elites of the rich and powerful and the well connected.

And here's a funny song about the freedom of the Internet versus the Obama oligarchy and the elites who are out to destroy the internet as we know it.
The elites want complete and utter control over what is permitted on the internet they have declared war on free downloading and uploading sites as well as more politicized sites such as Wikileaks or AlJazeera or even Youtube.

Dan Bull Releases His Own Megaupload Song at Torrentfreak.com, January 23, 2012



Obama administration once again shows its cowardice in not pursuing war crimes committed by US troops.
By the way did he mention that he never intended to go after anyone in the Bush administration for war crimes or for actions amounting to treason.
Bush lied about Iraq and now Obama says the war was worthwhile and another great win for America. He never mentions the million Iraqis killed based upon lies.
Did he mention alleged whistle-blower Bradley Manning being kept in indefinite detention as an example for anyone who dares to reveal uncomfortable truths about American troops and the US government.
Did he mention the unnecessary war in Libya in which tens of thousands of civilians were murdered by NATO bombers which were acting on orders from the Pentagon and White House.
Did he mention that he has given aid to Egypt over the last year so the Military Junta could slaughter and torture protesters and dissidents.
Did Obama just make another rousing speech about nothing except the promise of more war, more job loses , more homeless , more foreclosures and to hell with everybody except the 1%.
Did Obama explain why he has made the whole world into one big battlefield with his legislation NDAA and that anyone anywhere on the slightest suspicion can be detained indefinitely and undergo so -called torture Lite aka Standard operating procedures.
Did Obama offer up steps he would take to stop the Massive incarceration of Black and Hispanic Americans.
Did Obama explain why he did nothing about police forces brutal and unnecessary treatment of peaceful #OWS /Occupy protesters.
Did he mention why he is still gunning for Juliane Assange and Wikileaks.
Did he promise to end the police state actions at US airports.
Did he promise to halt Mountaintop Removal Mining .
Did he promise to stop the useless insane inept expensive and destructive war on drugs.

Critics Say Haditha Sends Message That U.S. Won’t Punish Military

January 23, 2012 "LA Times' -- Several analysts said they feared that the deal Monday to end Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich's court-martial in the killing of 24 Iraqis would harden the widespread conviction in the international community that the U.S. does not hold its troops accountable for misdeeds or meet the standards of conduct it attempts to impose on other countries.

"This is only going to reinforce that sense," said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch, which seeks to curtail inhumane conduct in war. "This has contributed significantly to the cynicisms of people in the region about America's rhetoric — about America standing for principles. When push comes to shove, when it comes to looking at the misconduct of their own soldiers, there is no accountability."

Wuterich will plead guilty to a single count of negligent dereliction of duty, with a maximum sentence of three months in the brig. Other charges were dropped. Wuterich, 31, was accused of manslaughter, assault and dereliction of duty for allegedly leading his squad on a bloody rampage on the morning of Nov. 19, 2005, after a roadside bomb killed one Marine and injured two in the Euphrates River town of Haditha. Twenty-four unarmed Iraqis died.

One former Marine prosecutor said the Haditha case would be studied by future generations of military lawyers as an example of how not to investigate and prosecute suspected war crimes.

Amos Guiora, a University of Utah law professor and former career legal officer with the Israeli Defense Forces, agreed that the plea deal "creates a greater perception that the misconduct of American soldiers goes largely unpunished by the United States."

“It’s going to be hard to explain to the world that at the end of the day this fellow will serve three months and that the charges have been so significantly reduced,” Guiora said.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

#OWS: Mitt Romney's Taxes & Rick Santorum Anti-Abortion but Pro-death Penalty



Poor Mitt Romney only makes about 40 million a year much of it is except from taxes.
So Mitt Romney is definitely among the 1% and it is no wonder he doesn't want any real changes in taxation policies in America.
But it should be noted that President Obama and many of his friends and those in his administration are also part of the 1%
So Obama or Romney or Gingrich's claims to understand or feel the pain of average Americans is a bit dubious and disingenuous.



Mitt Romney's Tax Returns Show 13.9% Tax Rate, Highlight Challenges For Wealthy Candidates by paul Blumenthall, Huff Post, January 24,2012


WASHINGTON -- In an attempt to stop a steady stream of bad press over questions about his income, assets and tax rate, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney released one year of his tax returns and an estimate for his 2011 tax returns on Tuesday morning. The disclosure comes four days after Romney's big loss to Newt Gingrich in the South Carolina primary on Saturday and after weeks of escalating questions about when he would release his tax returns and why he would not promise to disclose them.

The returns show that Mitt and Ann Romney, who are worth from $190 million to $250 million, earned $21.7 million in 2010 and paid a 13.9 percent tax rate, lower than that of a person earning $50,000. The total amount the Romneys paid in taxes in 2010 was about $3 million.

Along with releasing their tax returns from 2010, the Romneys released estimates for their 2011 taxes, which have not yet been filed. The estimates show an income of $20.9 million, with the couple paying a tax rate of 15.4 percent, closer to the estimate that Romney gave at a January 17 press conference. The Romneys' income came entirely from investments, mostly from capital gains, which are taxed at a lower rate than other types of income.

Those investments are littered across a series of accounts in places stretching from America to the Cayman Islands and Luxembourg and even include a now-closed Swiss bank account. Many of these accounts hold few assets.

Also revealed in the tax returns is the amount the candidate gave to charity. In total, the Romneys in 2010 gave nearly $3 million to charity, with half of that going to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormon church.

Gingrich, Romney's chief opponent in the Republican primary, released his tax returns on January 19 during a Republican debate. Gingrich's tax rate, 31 percent, is more than double that of Romney. President Barack Obama last year released his 2010 tax returns, which showed a 23 percent tax rate. Both Gingrich and Obama, while earning in the millions of dollars in 2010, made just a fraction of Romney's income.

Rick Santorum and the other GOP candidates are anti-abortion and see nothing wrong with forcing a woman to give birth to a child even though the pregnancy is a matter of rape or incest.
Santorum and the pro-lifers believe life begins at the moment of conception and so believe that the Zygote the fertilized egg has all the rights of a person or even of a corporate entity ( ie Citizen United SCOTUS)

Rick Santorum On Opposition To Abortion In Cases Of Rape: 'Make The Best Out Of A Bad Situation'



So the woman who has been raped gets further punishment by being forced to carry the pregnancy to term. This is typical of the reasoning in a patriarchal society in which the rapist may never be made to pay for his actions while his victim gets to be a victim for the rest of her life as the child born of the rape is a daily reminder of the rape.
From the Pro-lifers view each child is sacred from the moment of conception because each pregnancy occurs in their view as due to God's Will.

If the Zygote and the fetus are given the rights of a person then there arises issues such as to what extent is the woman carrying the child responsible for its growth and well being.
So any behavior a pregnant woman engages in which might have a negative impact on the Zygot or the fetus is therefore a criminal act willfully endangering the person growing inside her body.
Another legal issue is that if a pregnant woman is assaulted and thereby loses her child though she herself lives should the person who assaulted her be charged with with murder or just assault causing physical harm. If the fetus and mother die should the person who assaulted her(them) be charged with a double murder.
Should insurance companies for instance be compelled to pay for the death of the Zgote or fetus in the same way they would the death of a child.
The legal entanglements created by guaranteeing the same rights of personhood to a Zygote and fetus are in fact far-reaching .
A woman who drinks alcohol or smokes tobacco or has a poor diet can she be arrested forced into some form of incarceration whereby she can be monitored in order that she not endanger the health of her child.
By extension has the child once born on becoming an adult have the righ to sue or press criminal charges against their birth mother for behaviors which have or may have had detrimental effects on the fetus which have created some physical, neurological or psychological problems for that Zygote which is now an adult. For instance born with fetal alcohol syndrome, or born a crack baby or because of the birth mothers poor diet deficient in nutrients which led to permanent damage. There are many such disorders which are possibly caused by the behaviors of the birth mother.
Is this the path the US and other countries are willing to follow with all of its legal and ethical issues.

Rick Santorum rejects abortions but is fine with the use of the Death penalty.
He says the death penalty should only be used in cases where there is certainty. Which may sound reasonable but the law is that in criminal cases including murder the rule is that the defendant must be found guilty based on evidence "beyond a shadow of a doubt".
So anyone on death row must have been found guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt.
To put it another way the defendant is found guilty given the evidence at the time of the trial and the sentencing and that no new evidence comes to light before the defendant is executed.
So Santorum's argument about certainty is merely stating what is already supposed to the law of the land in the USA.
If he wanted his argument to have some weight he should be arguing that the courts must be open to new evidence in any specific case especially when the death penalty is involved.
This is part of the problem in the USA as various states and governor's and attorney generals have different notions of what constitutes new evidence and whether it should be considered at all.
So what happens in the real world is that real flesh and blood human beings are executed even though there may be reasonable doubt but the court having made its decision refuses to look at new evidence.
This may be part of the state's rulings on new evidence or it could be just a matter of a particular judge who sentenced the defendant to be executed not willing to have any of his decisions questioned in any way shape or form.
So either there is a need to change how new evidence can be introduced and whether the judge's decision in a specific case was in fact justified based on what evidence was available at that time.
It is not just a matter on new evidence in the form of DNA testing but alos witnesses recanting in some cases claiming they were pressured by law enforcement agents or the crown to give false or misleading statements.

Because of such mitigating factors in the sense that we can never be 100% certain that it is therefore incumbent on the state to reconsider the death penalty in any case because the finality of the death penalty. Life imprisonment is therefore more reasonable since if new evidence appears and the accused is found to be innocent they can be freed from prison . But you can't free the accused after being executed.
So Rick Santorum and those who defend the death penalty in the end just want their pound of flesh from someone whether the guilty party or not since if they are innocent after their death God will know and allow them through the pearly gates I guess.

Monday, January 23, 2012

#OWS & Robbie Burns & Bill Moyers David Stockman PT.2 & GOP Flaunts Its Racism Un- Apologetically



First in Honour of Robbie Burns birthday January 25 (253rd) and the Occupy Movement a wee verse about the elites " Such A Parcel of Rogues" who sell out the nation and its people for (English ) Gold

Robert Burns "Such a Parcel of Rogues" Poem animation



The Occupy Wall Street movement's complaints about the 1% having too much power in Washington is not some wild leftist claim but as financial expert David Stockman shows the take over of America by this elite has been going on since the beginning of Ronald Reagan's administration.
Both Republicans and Democrats used their influence not to protect the average citizens of America but instead put their own personal greed and that of Wall Street before the needs of the nation.
In a word these politicians and these investors on Wall Street including Big Corporations committed as it were criminal and unethical actions which amount to High Treason .

It is rather strange that when someone cheats on welfare and gets a few thousand dollars more than they should the public in America and the Media take a fit but when investors on Wall Street and Big Money interests rob from the public purse this is seen as Capitalism and the Free Market Place at work.
Its like New Gingrich who is among the 1% blaming American workers including unionized maintenance workers in New York City for destroying the American economy and not the members of the 1% 's disregard for the law or for morality and ethics.

David Stockman argues that Wall Street investors were and are more concerned about increasing their profits by legal or illegal or at least unethical means.
These Wall Street investors and bankers were not acting as true patriotic Americans as they had no concern for the American people or the nation as they sought to enhance their profits and wealth even if it had a negative or even disastrous impact on the American people or the nation..
Their only concern was for profits at any cost or by any means necessary and so to satisfy their greed they manipulated the markets and used their influence and the use of lobbyists to force the government of the USA to bend to their will .
Of course the politicians in power in Washington could have stood up to this pressure from Big Money interests but unfortunately American politicians are themselves more interested in feathering their nests than doing what is right for the nation or the American people.


#OWS Bill Moyers "Crony Capitalism" David Stockman Pt. 2




Chris Mathews on Newt Gingrich's and GOP's appeal to racism

Chris Matthews Accuses Newt Gingrich Of Racially Charged Use Of The Name ‘Juan’ VIDEO by Jon Bershad at mediaite.com January 17th, 2012

Matthews’ comments came during an appearance on Andrea Mitchell Reports in which he and Mitchell discussed the tone in yesterday’s all white audience. Matthews accused Rick Perry of using terms bordering on “succession” when he talked about the South Carolina people’s “war” with the government. However, the focus was on Gingrich and Williams and particularly Williams’ first name. While Matthews agreed with a lot of what Gingrich said, he argued that this was a coded message to the crowd.

“That use of the name ‘Juan,’ the way he did it. You can’t argue these things. You either see them or you don’t. It’s just the way he did that. I sensed a little applause when he said ‘Let me help you’ when he answered the Juan question. It’s in the eye of the beholder. And, by the way, calling someone a racist is the worst way to get them to stop being racist because everyone gets defensive. … So it’s stupid to say it but, honestly, if you notice it, you sort of ought to blow the whistle. Because there is a dog whistle going on here.”
Matthews isn’t the only one accusing Gingrich of being condescending to WIlliams. Meanwhile, the Right is accusing Williams of race baiting Gingrich.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

#OWS : Essential Viewing " Bill Moyers Crony Capitalism Pt. 1"

#OWS Update: From The Guardian,UK





Occupy protests around the world: full list visualised
The Occupy protests have spread from Wall Street to London to Bogota. See the full list - and help us add more The Guardian


and OMG! Racist elitist Fat Cat adulterer  New Gingrich wins SC primary by appealing to racism and disingenuously claiming to be on the side of average Americans . When in fact like Obama he is on the side of the rich and powerful hates minorities , hates the poor, hates any government assistance to those who are unemployed or poor or bankrupt -he wants to overturn the hard fought for labor laws in the USA. His view of America is winner take all but if a rich person or business gets into trouble the government is always there to bail them out.


Marking a triumph for the return of unvarnished racism on the American political stage, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich handily won the South Carolina Republican presidential primary on Saturday, leaving in tatters the presumed inevitability of a Mitt Romney romp to the Republican presidential nomination. Finishing with 40 percent of the vote, Gingrich vanquished Romney, who garnered only 28 percent. Rick Santorum and Ron Paul managed 17 and 13 percent, respectively, while Herman Cain brought up the rear with 1 percent.

Bill Moyers on US Democracy undermined by Big Money and "Crony Capitalism

Uploaded by gothgod on Jan 22, 2012
 #OWS -This is essential viewing for understanding how the rich and powerful, Wall Street speculators and bankers and corporation plundered America's public purse.

When we attack and criticize Wall Street and Big Business it is not necessarily to overthrow the Capitalist system but rather the greedy, plundering , bullying beast the Capitalist System has become.
As we see in this on going economic crisis there is a need to regulate and rein in unfettered unaccountable Crony Capitalism as it exist now.
Much of what has occurred can be blamed on the former administrations from Reagan to Bush senior to Clinton to Bush Jr but President Obama could have taken a different stance on these matters but instead has kept to the status quo of systemic corruption and cronyism .
Economist David Stockman argues that President Obama should have let these bankers, speculators and high risk takers fail because they were guilty of over-reach and even criminal activities to increase their profit margins knowing if they got into trouble the Government would help to bail them out.

Obama bailed these folk out but did nothing to help out the millions of Americans who were negatively impacted by this financial boondoggle in which the rich were able to make themselves rich while driving millions of average Americans into unemployment, bankruptcy and even homelessness.
 And now we have the Mainstream media and the corrupt politicians whether Newt Gingrich or President Obama blaming the real victims in this so called economic crisis that is the average American and not those at the top who used and abused the system .
 Obama knows when he is no longer president he will be able to pick among a variety of plum jobs that pay a few million a year  so much for being the idealistic selfless community organizer.
Obama has now passed laws which will give his administration the freedom to lock up indefinitely anyone who criticizes the current administration and its policies because now the Whole World is now defined as a Theater of War. And as he down sizes government services and ignores those Americans who are suffering the most his prority is it appears to firstly to acquire the couple of hundred million he needs to be re-elected and to decide at what point in time to bomb , invade and occupy Iran

Bill moyers investigates how big money is destroying America's Democracy and the free market place. Capitalism has become "Crony Capitalism" by which the rules of the game have been changed and rigged to protect the big investment bankers with the aid of the US government.
The so called finacial crisis of 2008 would not have had a severe impact on the whole system if the government just allowed these investment banks and corporations to fail as a consequence of the natural organic forces at work in the free market place .
For all the hype we hear about government interference in the Free market Place what the Wall Street Tycoons and banks wanted was to have the US government save these banks and corporations from bankruptcy.
One can to some extent understand that the conservative Republican administration of George W. Bush took steps to prop up those who should have been allowed to fail but that Obama also adhered to the Republican financial economic policy was and is still disheartening.
The hundreds of billions of dollars given to these corporations and bankers did nothing to stabilize the economy.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

GOP Candidates Racism On Display & Limbaugh's Spin on Newt's Open Marriage Request & OWS Disowns Fascist Lyndon LaRouche & " Birthers' " Redux




" one flaming cross short of a Klan rally" Kevin Alexander gray referring to the debate and campaign in South Carolina the past week.

Menu:

GOP Candidates' Racism
Occcupy movement & Lyndon LaRouche connections denied
GOP Birthers Arizona
Limbaugh 's Spin Gingrich 's open-marriage request sign of good  character

GOP Candidates' Racism On Display Part 1/2 DemocracyNow!


Uploaded by gothgod on Jan 20, 2012
In America it seems there is a significant number of white voters who are comfortable with and even applaud and cheer politicians who express racist views whether in coded language or just bluntly as in Gingrich calling President Obama The Food Stamp president and erroneously arguing that black folk do not have a work ethic or that undocumented citizens are lazy or commit more crimes than other US citizens.

Gingrich also praised President Andrew jackson who is known as the exterminating president due to his support for slaughtering native Americans .
Andrew Jackson Gingrich says knew how to deal with our enemies kill them. Jackson wasn't referring to foreign enemies but to Native Americans & "Jackson's Indian Removal Act America's legalization of ethnic cleansing"

President Obama's remarks to black American's has shown that he too buys into the stereotypes of poor Blacks in America.

Democracy Now discusses issues of racism in the Republican Presidential Candidates debates and campaigns.
"Leading up to the South Carolina primary, several Republican presidential candidates have been criticized for comments made over issues of race. This week Newt Gingrich defended his description of President Obama as "the food stamp president," while offering praise for President Andrew Jackson, the architect of the Indian Removal Act. We speak to South Carolina civil rights activist Kevin Alexander Gray and longtime political reporter Wayne Slater about how Republicans have adopted the long-held "Southern strategy" of race baiting in order to win over bigoted white voters. "Democrats come here to get their black ticket punched. Republicans come here to punch black people," Gray says" Democracy Now!

GOP Candidates' Racism On Display Part 1/2



GOP Candidates' Racism On Display Part 2/2



#OWS Update:

#Ows officially disowns LaRouche's and rejects any accusations of  similarity between the two groups.

"Though often dismissed as a bizarre political cult, the LaRouche organization and its various front groups are a fascist movement whose pronouncements echo elements of Nazi ideology.[1] Beginning in the 1970s, the LaRouchites combined populist antielitism with attacks on leftists, environmentalists, feminists, gay men and lesbians, and organized labor. They advocated a dictatorship in which a 'humanist' elite would rule on behalf of industrial capitalists. They developed an idiosyncratic, coded variation on the Illuminati Freemason and Jewish banker conspiracy theories. Their views, though exotic, were internally consistent and rooted in right-wing populist traditions."[9]
Chip Berlet & Matthew N. Lyons, Right-Wing Populism in America, p. 273. found at
www.sourcewatch.org

Occupy Wall Street from the beginning in September of 2011 has had to deal with the extremist anti-Semitic fascist wing-nut Conspiracy group of Lyndon LaRouche which attempted to infiltrate the Occupy Movement as it had previously attempted to infiltrate The Tea party movement . It was the LaRouchies who showed up at Tea Party rallies with the most outrageous signs such as Obama depicted as Hitler.

from Wikipedia: "Members of the LaRouche movement see LaRouche as a political leader in the tradition of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Other commentators, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, have described him over the years as a conspiracy theorist, fascist, and anti-Semite, and have characterized his movement as a cult.[3] Norman Bailey, formerly with the National Security Council, described LaRouche's staff in 1984 as one of the best private intelligence services in the world, while the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, wrote that he leads "what may well be one of the
strangest political groups in American history."

also see : Conspiracy and Conspiracism
Lyndon LaRouche adheres to a belief in a number of ongoing conspiracies including a world wide Conspiracy of Jews, the british Royal Family, Straussians, the Rockefellers, Henry Kissinger, the Council on Foreign relations etc.

and Lyndon laRouche's Executive Intelligence Review

LaRouchies DON'T speak for Occupy Wall Street! Why are some here conflating their messages?
byLefty Coaster at dailyKos.com, january 20, 2012


LaRouchies have become to political protests all across the spectrum what the Westboro Baptist Church has become to military funerals.
...Conflating the LaRouchies message with Occupy Wall Street's is absurd. While a few similarities do exist we need to keep in mind that the two groups couldn't be more different. The LaRouchies are a top down cult of personality with a fascistic political philosophy. Occupy Wall Street is a consensus building community that rejects following a single leader, that a very progressive political philosophy.

The news this week reports that Newt Gingrich asked his wife to consider having an open marriage since he was having an extramarital affair. Gingrich has been criticized for being a bit of a hypocrite in his defense of traditional marriage since he has been married three times .
But Rush Limbaugh has found a way to put his own spin on the facts showing that Gingrich 's offer of an open marriage was in fact a positive 'Mark of Character' .

Rush Limbaugh says Newt Gingrich's adultery is a 'mark of character' by Kaili Joy Gray at DailyKos, january 19,2012

Sleazebags have to stick together, right?
Tonight, ABC is airing an interview with the ex-wife one of the ex-wives Newt Gingrich abandoned for another woman, while his wife was battling illness. The second ex-Mrs. Gingrich will supposedly discuss Newt's request for an open marriage so he could screw around, sans guilt, before he just up and left her altogether.


So naturally, Rush Limbaugh, who has been married even more times than Newt, is rushing to Newt's defense:


Now, there's an accusation out there that Newt wanted an open marriage, just like Bill and Hillary. And in fact, Newt even had the politeness to ask permission for it. Do you think Bill ever did that?
Hardy har har. See, even when a Republican cheats on his wife, it's really about Bill Clinton, and how the Most Important Blowjob In HistoryTM was was so much worse. Because, um ... well, because. So there.


...But Rush's defense goes even further, in the form of a "note" from a "friend":


So Newt wanted an open marriage. BFD. At least he asked his wife for permission instead of cheating on her. That's a mark of character, in my book. Newt's a victim. We all are. Ours is the horniest generation. We were soldiers in the sex revolution. We were tempted by everything from Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice to Plato's retreat, Deep Throat to no fault divorce. Many of us paid the ultimate price, AIDS, abortion, or alimony for the cultural marching orders we got. Hell, for all I know we should be getting disability from the government.
As for conspiracy theories the Republicans in Arizona are at it again trying to push for an amended Birther Bill that is the conspiracy theory which alleges that President Obama is not a US Citizen . The Birther Bill presented to the Arizona legislature a year ago was vetoed by Governor Jan brewer

Arizona's new Birther Bill: Now penis-free! by Mother Mags at Salon.com, january 18,2012


The Governor said the Birther Bill, which required presidential candidates to submit their birth certificate to Arizona's Secretary of State before their name would appear on the state's ballot, was "a bridge too far." You might ask, what constitutes "too far" for Jan Brewer, she of "Headless Bodies" fame? Here's a clue:


If [a birth certificate] was not available, the candidate would have had to provide at least two of the following: an early baptismal or circumcision certificate, hospital birth record, postpartum medical record signed by the person who delivered the child or an early census record. Arizona Republic


As far as I know, a certificate saying your male child had his pecker tip snipped off isn't a document that's required in other legal circles, but that didn't stop the dripping brainpans at the Arizona legislature from adding it to the list of affidavits they'll accept in order to prove one's fitness for Arizona.


...So, Carl Seel is back this session with a penis-free version. Rather than deal with a lot of documents, dickish or otherwise, Seel's new bill will require candidates to sign a statement testifying that they meet the citizenship qualifications for office. I guess the Federal requirement that's already on the books isn't enough for Seel and his merry band of bigoted conspiracy nuts at the legislature. The bill also includes a provision for citizens to file suit against a candidate, if they feel his or her paperwork is not satisfactory. Gee, I can't imagine anyone in Arizona questioning Obama's certificate!

and so it goes,
GORD.