Keith Olbermann writes: "The march of this nation has been, from the day of its founding, inexorably towards progress. We are not a 'center-right country' ... we are not leftist and we are not conservative and we are not socialist and we are not Christian and we are not Muslim and we are not Jewish and we are not Protestrant. We are a Progressive nation."
Keith Olbermann. (photo: orlandoshaped/Photobucket)
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Those of us who gather the lessons of history and human nature also know this: if you squeeze the end of a balloon the pressure goes elsewhere, or burst in your face.
I predict a new series of worker processes and reactions far more direct and focused than general strikes and walkouts.
When individual and collective workers find their courage, they will creatively respond.
Think also of the fact that the GOP vampires in state and federal positions are also insisting on free, unhindered markets and marketplaces. That, carried to its end, is lawlessness--for all sides. And all involved, including workers and consumers.
As the saying goes, may all of their wishes be granted...
Yes...unfortunately we are in the minority. Wisconsin has breathed fresh air back into progressive action-but will this breath be inhaled nationwide?
I have my doubts because I reside in Florida where Rick Scott was elected as governor. Mr Scott (for those of you not familiar with this corporate thief) was head of Columbia HCA-a healthcare conglomerate that stole billions from medicare/medicaid in a quirky billing scam. Mr Scott conveniently resigned with about $300 million in his pocket as part of a "deal" to avoid prosecution.
He has re-appeared as Governor of the "sunshine" state (so called, I believe, since most residents are seemingly baked by too much sun.)-they certainly don't have much ability to read or even watch news as Mr Scott's trail of fraud was well publicized and documented prior to the election.
As Governor Tricky Ricky has turned down 2 billion in federal money for high speed rail, demonized public employees as solely responsible for state debt, and is pursuing wide spread business de-regulation to make Florida "the most business friendly state" in the nation.
All this while running as the "let's get back to work" candidate who is attempting to lay off 8000 state workers. How many other Floridas are there ?
Unreal, but all too real. We should change the refrain from "What's the matter with Kansas?" to "What's the matter with Florida?" Even in these times of unlimited corporate campaign commercial (mostly) lies on tv, it's hard to believe he got elected with his record publicized. If I were a Floridian, I'd be quite embarrassed to say so.
The progressive spurts happened when the abuse was too much. Perhaps we are almost there again with the example of the Likes of Scott WAlker and the Tea Party folks, plus creeping middle of the roaders like Gov. Cuomo (Yep, balance the budget on the backs of the children - not the sector that prints the cash on wall street.
BTW Tompkins County was the only one in NY State that voted for O'Bama instead of Hilary - yes, we got taken for a ride, and still got the team tyhat Hillary would have had!
Sour grapes from Ithaca (Time to prune the grapes - almost - a sunny day)
What I'd like to know Todd, is why? I feel the same and am the same age,slightly older,.. We saw em blast JFK right in front of the World and God.. They'll do any thing they can get away with and they have all the war toys to make you let them get away with it. With it ALL.. What's a poor boy to do? Join the French Foreign Legion? Learn French? were screwed dude.. Cpl. Pierson 101st Airborne,Vietna m
Just months before the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and after his inspirational writing "Common Sense" Paine made his closing argument for Revolution in his "Four Letters on Interesting Subjects": "As to Corporations themselves, they are without exception so many badges of kingly tyranny, and tend, like every other species of useless pomp, to the oppression and impoverishment of the place, without one single advantage arising from them. They keep up a perpetual spirit of distinction and faction, engross emoluments and advantages to themselves, which ought to be employed to better purposes, and generally get into quarrels and lawsuits with the other part of the inhabitants. They diminish the freedom of every place where they exist."--last paragraph of Letter III.
In 1802 Paine recognized that the same faction "had lost sight of first principles" and "were beginning to contemplate government as a profitable monopoly, and the people as hereditary property."-- Letter I of Eight to U.S. Citizens(1802-03).
Will tell you one thing, that Whether it is Governor or Supreme Court, they will try to wear people out, use yur money to fight them. time we turn those tables around on them. Stop buying. Get a good supply of American Food, pay attention to survival guide. Stock up on safe food. Then show them.
Saw an article to see where your money is in your Pension, other savings. Got to show your own strength. Right now they are banking on your not doing anything. Prove them wrong
We are a Progressive nation."
This is just wishful thinking and really beside the point. The US has from its very beginning been a plutocracy. A cabal of super rich has run the country at every moment. Today it is the military industrial banking complex. Earlier it was the slave holders. This is the same class that has always run England. Check out Carroll Quigley's The Ango-American Elite. There has never been a progressive moment in US history. Things have always been are they are right now. If workers did get somewhat ahead in the post WW II era, that was only because the ruling elites were desperate for workers after so many economies had been blasted to hell in the war.
Amerikkka is hell. It has always been and will always be.
The best line of all -- "The whole premise of being Republican is the awful thought that somewhere, some poor person has a dollar that some rich person actually deserves." That one's going up on the wall.
Go, Keith, Go, and please, consider running for office, unappetizing as that might be. You'd have immediate support.
Hamlet, NC
Imperial Foods Chicken Processing Plant
Fire; emergency exits locked from outside; 25 dead, 54 injured
enter "hamlet nc chicken processing plant fire" in search engine and read or yourself the eerie similarities to the Triangle Waist fire/murder
I want to believe, and I think there is lots of evidence for what you are saying. Things happening around the edges. Democrats are coming out more and tuning in more. So are young people. Behind the scenes corruption is being attacked in many places. There are even some English-language, International news outlets around that are growing and will be hard to ignore.
I hope we are watching the last gasp of an outdated, simple minded greed driven, religion spouting, cave men who can't adapt and will thus go extinct. I see our job as trying to stay free enough to ride out their inadequate I.Q. temper tantrum until the people who voted for them see through them.
I know, I know, that's a bit of euphoric and utopian thinking, (maybe) but as Keith says it can happen if we make it happen. For instance, what America is all about is collective bargaining--that IS Democracy. So lets make this movement count for all we can and make it an un-American idea that goes hand in hand along with many others these Repugs. are spouting. We have a starting place. We should all stop calling what we want to happen here our "values." We should always refer to them as American principles. "Values" in conservative mouths has become an oxymoron to say the least.
Thank you for speaking the truth and keeping us informed of their actions.
I can't wait for you new show on Current TV!
whatever the reason, you don't lock your employees in or spy on them. if you don't trust them and honor the work they do for you, you shouldn't employ them.
but that's an employer who sees his or her workers as fellow human collaborators, not mere resources to exploit.
if only we didn't need unions.
one thing that's happened over the last hundred years is that the poor and middle class have grown lazy, content, and self-entitled with the prospects and comforts of the idea the "so called american dream" supposedly promises. at the same time, those masses didn't pay attention or didn't care how this lifestyle was created by their government and american corporations. the rest of the world is tired of their natural resources being exploited by western imperialists that have created this lifestyle so many in america are so used to. it's not so easily done these days, so, these capitalists are making sure they achieve their bottom line at our expense as well as whoever they're able to bully elsewhere on the globe.
dave w. makes an excellent point that many of those eligible to vote and change things won't exercise that right, and genierae reminds us how the 04 election was stolen with rigged voting machines.
much is broken but we must be the change or else
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