The Open Mind

Survival mode

2006-07-19T21:47:00.000-04:00

So ddjango, over at "P!" makes the case pretty well. We must all begin to switch over to survival mode. He says, and I agree, that the chances of any of the resistance movements afoot today actually being able to stop, slow or divert the juggernaut of late capitalist empire are pretty slim. Most people in America are completely clueless as to what's really going on, and all our efforts at

Someone agrees with me!

2006-07-19T21:30:00.000-04:00

Well, at least he seems to... The blog is called "P!" and he says:"Indeed, some of the recent cries of "conspiracy", "coming financial collapse", "total environmental breakdown", and "apocalypse/end times" may be somewhat alarmist in terms of their scale and immediacy, but they should be considered and studied seriously - there is much substance to them. We should be afraid . . . very afraid. And

Ya gotta watch what you say!

2006-07-09T17:45:00.000-04:00

This article from the NY Times underscores the dangers I mentioned earlier for progressives. As the government becomes more and more desperate to prove that they are effective, and that the administration needs to be allowed free rein to fight threats, the action required to get one arrested is less and less.The NY Times report says:By ERIC LIPTON Published: July 9, 2006 WASHINGTON,

Transitions

2006-07-02T15:56:00.000-04:00

The way things are going...I often feel that the political situation in this country is beyond hope. The mainstream media are certainly lost as an avenue of information leading to change of heart, as this Media Matters post makes clear (thanks to Jessica Wilson for the link). The threat to the internet as a vehicle for other, alternative sources mounts, and despite the heavy hitters lining up to

John Stewart had him first...

2006-04-09T20:19:00.000-04:00

Well, when Joe Wilson was a guest on John Stewart's "comedy news" show - July 24, 2003 it was (check Lisa Rein's archives) - I knew Stewart could count a major coup, because it would turn out to be the big story on Bush's war. It may not bring Bush down, but it looks like Libby and Cheney are in for some serious dusting off over it, and it should be clear to all but the blindest that the war was

Stan on The Shootist

2006-02-28T17:21:00.000-05:00

Stan Goff, my hero, is freaking eloquent on the Cheney shooting incident! Carries it far beyond the typical analysis into a whole send-up of the silly machismo that gets people elected in this pseudo-democracy. Read it! at: The Shootist.......and his comment re: mass movements and what we need to do is also right on the mark:Mass movements that struggle against existing power relations cannot

Times video

2006-02-11T14:19:00.000-05:00

The NYTimes article on Bolivia (see previous post) also has a great, 8 min. video on Bolivian coca production. Several good, on-location scenes with real cocalero allowed to speak on camera. Also some good commentary from Bolivian officials. Despite their problems, the Times does a good job on many subjects. (Note: you'll probably have to register to view this, but it's free.)

The Times on Bolivia and coca

2006-02-11T14:00:00.000-05:00

The NY Times has a good article on Bolivia, Evo and coca today! Fair and level, for the most part, the article even includes this great little paragraph:Stripping the small, shiny leaves from a branch, Pasquale Quispe, 53, owner of a 7.4-acre farm, explained that she and other peasants saw coca in almost spiritual terms. "Coca is our daily bread, what gives us work, what gives us our livelihood,"

A New World is Possible

2006-01-28T20:45:00.000-05:00

Venezuela's Hugo Chavez released another bombshell Friday night. He declared war on “the imperialisms of the world,” in the name of the people of Latin America, Africa and Asia. A “new offensive” he called it. “This century we will bury the North American empire, you can be sure of that,” he proclaimed. He called George Bush “Mr. Danger” and the leader of a “perverse empire.” And he promised to

Evo's face reflects the future

2005-12-26T22:20:00.000-05:00

Recent events in Bolivia reveal much about what is wrong with US policy in most of the world. Wielding the “Big Stick” has always been the American approach in Latin America, and just like in the middle east, this approach is generating hatred and violence. One of the elements which brought Evo Morales to power in Bolivia last week was his identity with and championing the cause of the cocaleros

Evo Morales links

2005-12-26T18:16:00.000-05:00

These are links to articles on Evo Morales and his election as El Presidente of Bolivia:NarcoSphere: http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2005/12/19/01427/982Z Net - http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=52&ItemID=9353Democracy Center - also, http://www.democracyctr.org/blog/2005/10/washington-post-article-on-evo-morales.htmlThe Nation (D. Eviatar) - http://www.thenation.com/

A New Post

2005-12-22T16:12:00.000-05:00

Before the year ends, I must post at least this, as 2005 may be a significant marker year:The Revolution Starts Now! Steve Earle said, and it has. Evo Morales has won big in Bolivia, and the implications of that are startling. Argentina and Venezuela are joining the battle against the IMF, so Morales (Evo, his supporters call him) may precipitate true revolutionary solidarity in South America.

Season of the witch...

2005-09-25T17:43:00.000-04:00

September 24, 2005 “Rabbits running in the ditch, must be the season of the witch...” (Donovan) This morning I have final and incontrovertible proof that Earth is slipping off course, altering spin and shaking Her atmospheric mantle about Her great shoulders. Two days into fall, by the calendar, and yet here in south Georgia, the temperatures are still well into the nineties, the humidity

Amnesty Calls for Kevin's Release

2005-09-06T22:04:00.001-04:00

This just in from Monica Benderman:Amnesty International issued a second worldwide appeal on Kevin Benderman's behalf yesterday. The link that follows is to the webpage that Amnesty has established on Kevin's behalf, and includes a petition that you may sign appealing for Kevin's release from prison, which will be forwarded directly to George Bush. Thank you for everything you have

Reaching the tipping point

2005-08-13T19:31:00.000-04:00

“You get America out of Iraq and Israel out of Palestine and you'll stop the terrorism.” -Cindy Sheehan(live blog and videos at Truthout's Cindy page - the 8/11 press conference video has the couple from Hinesville, Ga in it) We are clearly near some kind of tipping point. Cindy Sheehan is inspiring Americans to make their own stand, speak their own truth about the Iraq

Halliburton pursuit

2005-07-14T13:30:00.000-04:00

The Halliburton scandal, nearly eclipsed by first Rove and now the London bombings, is still being pursued by 28 Democratic Senators.Halliburton has now billed the government for over $10 billion in services to the Iraq occupation, and something like $1.5 billion of that is contested by the Pentagon. We must hold them accountable, not only for the money but for the cost in lives and danger to our

You don't have to change much...

2005-07-04T16:46:00.000-04:00

In this Declaration of Impeachment, from Veterans For Peace, only the names have been changed.... Otherwise, it's just like Jefferson wrote it. The implications should be clear.Declaration of ImpeachmentIssued by Veterans For Peace, July 4th, 2005Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and are instituted to secure the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of

Selling out the soldiers

2005-06-29T14:33:00.000-04:00

"Support our troops" ribbons and signs are everywhere as you ride around our little town, or across the south, or across the nation I'd imagine. But the reality is, we're not supporting our troops. They don't have what the need to do the job, they don't have protection and supplies that could perhaps help them out in these horrible circumstances, they're not paid what you'd expect for putting

...and the Times (NY) confirms

2005-06-17T16:46:00.000-04:00

... and a quick post-script to The Israeli Connection: the NY Times article on Conyers' hearing, though treating the event more seriously and even-handedly, fails to mention either McGovern's comment or Rep. Moran's question on Israel. The Times is probably highly sensitive to charges on anti-semitism, and thus reluctant to put such ideas in print.In addition, here's a link to McGovern's reply to

The Israeli connection

2005-06-17T15:30:00.000-04:00

It's the unspeakable truth that's killing us. The unmentionable elephant in the room. The dirty little secret that undermines our integrity.I haven't dared mention this here before, because I'm a rank coward and fear alienating many whom I love and respect. But Kurt Nimmo has convicted me of my sins, and so I'm saying it: Israel is the linchpin of American imperialism.The Iraqi invasion clearly

Then the General spoke...

2005-06-16T19:52:00.000-04:00

We've been saying it for a long time now, from the beginning really, us radical anti-war types, and perhaps a few other folks too, but no one would listen. Then the General spoke, and it's in the mainstream press!The Detroit Free Press reported Monday that Brig. Gen. Donald Alston, no less than the chief military spokesman for the US in Iraq (so said the Free Press), said that the Iraq war "is

More from the Brits...

2005-06-12T16:17:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Hanna's Blog, I've just read the latest "smoking gun" memo from the British. This one's from July 21, 2002 and is even more specific on the subject of "Iraq - conditions for military action." I'll not comment on this, just excerpt a few lines from it and you can draw your own conclusions... the title is a link to the entire document in The Sunday Times. The Michael Smith article is here

MoveOn Petition

2005-06-09T21:36:00.000-04:00

Move On has a link to John Conyers petition demanding that Bush respond directly to the "smoking gun" memo and its clear evidence that Bush lied to the public about what they knew and what their intentions were.Sign up! Maybe he'll actually do something.Here's the link: http://www.moveonpac.org/tellthetruth/?id=5653-1240247-MOALPvnmhtV0SFAjoNbrwg&t=3

The Downing Street memo

2005-06-08T22:02:00.000-04:00

The "Downing Street memo" - what I have called the "smoking gun memo" - is finally getting some air time! We're a good five weeks down the pipeline from it's revelation in the London Times, but at last we're getting some response. Bush and Blair were asked about it in the press conference Tuesday, and USA Today reported on the non-answers today, dropping this hilarious paragraph into the story:"

High School student confounds the Army

2005-05-17T21:14:00.000-04:00

This is the best stuff to come out in a long time! A 17-year-old journalist has exposed the recruiting practices we've been hearing about..."David McSwane, a 17 year old editor of a high school newspaper in Golden, Colorado... posed as a high school dropout, with a drug problem that he was "unable to kick". Then he recorded, on audio tape, conversations allegedly showing that the recruiters told

No Child Left...

2005-05-15T20:53:00.000-04:00

There are a few nodal points in society that bring together all or most of the current trends toward fascist empire.No Child Left Behind is one of those nodes. Most everything said publicly about NCLB is likely either wrong or lies. It's one of the subjects the administration has been paying people to write fake news about, so discount all that.What NCLB is all about is undermining confidence in

And this just in...

2005-05-15T14:44:00.000-04:00

The NY Times this morning, reporting on the 33 base closures proposed by the Pentagon, dropped this little gem: Closing bases, though, does not mean shrinking the military, just rearranging it. "Our current arrangements, designed for the cold war, must give way to the new demands of the war against extremism and other evolving 21st-century challenges," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said.

The Media snooze

2005-05-15T14:34:00.000-04:00

The US media have snoozed through what may turn out to be the single most signigficant leak in recent history. But the "smoking gun" memo is finally getting some play - here's a rundown (from Media Matters) of how they've slowly begun to wake up:"The Washington Post ran an article about the memo on page A18 of its May 13 edition, five days after Post ombudsman Michael Getler noted that readers

It's in the news now...

2005-05-06T19:26:00.000-04:00

This is the link to the original SGM article in the Sunday Times of London, and it's reprint of the memo.And here's the Knight-Ridder article on Common Dreams.Google didn't turn it up anywhere else yet. I'm sure Fox will have it on soon....

Juan Cole reports on the SGM

2005-05-06T18:54:00.000-04:00

Juan Cole has the whole Smoking Gun Memo, and his right-on analysis, in his post today. I have spammed practically my whole e-mail list, with apologies, with the link to his post. And it appears from Common Dreams that Knight-Ridder is now carrying the story. I haven't heard if it's out on the cable shows or major outlets yet. Doesn't pop up in NY or LA Times headlines - may be buried in the

Blair's woes/Bush's end?

2005-05-04T19:09:00.000-04:00

The news in Britain about Tony's troubles should be filling the pages and airwaves of US media, because what's out now is the "smoking gun" according to investigative reporter Greg Palast. All over the news in Britain is the memo that has Blair, Bush & Co. planning the whole Iraq thing months in advance. Plain language reporting that in the meeting, "Military action was now seen as inevitable.

Bill Maher on air...

2005-04-26T17:27:00.000-04:00

My son sent me this exerpt from Bill Maher's Friday night show - "insightful" he says. And he's right. Maher nails it! "And finally, New Rule: Because it's Earth Day, I get to ask this question: How come we have cars with global positioning systems, satellite radio and voice-activated web access, and we still power them with the black goop you have to suck out of the ground?-- Well, I hate to

A few more links...

2005-04-18T20:37:00.000-04:00

I can't quit.I have found so much astounding information and so many articulate writers laying out the case for income and wealth inequity in America and how it is affecting our country that I must add yet another post-script to my original post on the subject.I really thought I knew how bad it was, but even I have been shocked to read the most recent numbers.So just to make things really simple:

A chart....

2005-04-18T18:48:00.000-04:00

As a post-script to the income gap post, here's a chart - hey, if you talk about economics, ya' gotta' have at least one chart! So here's my chart. It's pretty revealing... check out the entire site, full of such data! The following chart shows the effectiveness of a progressive tax system. When the top rates were truly high from 1950 to 1978, American income at all levels grew at about the same

The Rich get - obscene!

2005-04-18T16:46:00.000-04:00

Our country, and perhaps the entire world, is about to fall into a huge chasm, the consequences of which are likely to be worldwide economic collapse, worker revolution, and social chaos of a magnitude not experienced since the middle ages. I just paid my income taxes last week. I'm not opposed to taxes, I know it's how things get done, and I'm a big supporter of working for the common good. But

Must-read article

2005-04-17T12:25:00.000-04:00

No time to blog, but this is so hot I have to post at least a link... the central issue for all of us should be getting out a clear progressive message. This article from In These Times (a great magazine, right up there with The Nation!) is as clear an analysis of the problem, complete with downloadable charts, as I've seen. It also has a very good summary of what we need to do.I found the

Terry Schiavo, abortion, and Iraq

2005-04-01T21:27:00.000-05:00

Juan Cole's blog, Informed Consent, is essential reading for progressives. I have relied on him for some time for perspective and information on the Iraq occupation, but his latest entry, 4/01/05, is political analysis at its most astute. He is able to show in a few words the bankrupt philosophy behind the right wing resurgence as nothing more than patriarchy and machismo.The right-wingers basic

Rumsfeld's Bully Pulpit

2005-03-27T22:29:00.000-05:00

Do the people of this country want the U.S. to pursue the establishment of an empire? Do we want our government to follow policies calling for global domination based on massive military buildups, aggressive military interventions, and a super-heated arms race designed to intimidate the world? Do we want to get even more deeply embroiled in the internal affairs of developing nations around the

Rumsfeld's woes may worsen...

2005-03-05T18:45:00.000-05:00

As Secretary Rumsfeld faces ever-increasing questions from the American people, from Congress, and from the recent lawsuit, reasonable people might expect that he might at last begin to question his own wisdom and judgement, and begin to act in more circumspect ways in the pursuit of the Empire he and his PNAC friends seem to think would further the interests of America.The events of Friday night

Murder mystery in Iraq

2005-02-17T17:13:00.000-05:00

This chilling story is from Sojourners' email for Feb. 17:Murder mystery in Iraq by David Batstone My friend Kirk von Ackermann has joined the list of American casualties in Iraq. Not that long ago he was designated as "missing." He is now "presumed dead." Suspiciously so.