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.
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