Few seem to realize how the Internet is the biggest tool of Socialism. By definition, the cumulative wisdom and collaboration of the masses is socialism. It has leveled the playing field in so many areas. No longer can large corporate interests monopolize media. My little blog can stand alongside Fox News and the NY Times. The Internet can compete with whitehouse.gov and create whitehouse2.org. The internet is changing the world in ways that no single election or single person can.
It is great amusement to see Rubert Murdoch, among others, struggling to monetize the Internet for their own greedy, self-interest. I jump with glee when moveon.org raises $125,000 over the insane antics of Sarah Palin. I love the health care alerts where people are encouraged to send their elected representatives emails and faxes — give their $5 and $10 to help support the cause — and call their elected representatives. I put the White House switchboard on my cell’s MyFavs and I call them when I have a few minutes. I love talking to the people who answer the phones — I express my opinion and they ask me follow-up questions — it is impressive how informed they are.
Influence is nothing new for the rich and powerful. Long before the Internet, these people had their full time paid lobbyists calling on elected representatives with their campaign contributions and fundraisers. Now, at least, the electorate can be notified and vote the bastards out. It will take a while but now we have President Obama, far from perfect, instead of Georgie W — supreme idiot and tool of the right. Cheney is gone, along with his assassination squads. In time, America will elect people far more liberal than Obama. Think, Dennis Kucinich — who is offering a single payer health care amendment today. I know this — because of the Internet. There is a shaky 60 votes in the Senate now for the left but as many as 10 of these are not really liberal — this is going to improve in the years to come. It might be dumping more of the red meat Republicans or dumping the conservatives when register as Democrats. It will improve eventually because of the Internet.
I love getting the emails from the ACLU and Green Peace. The are mobilizing. They don’t have to pay for stamps to send me paper in the mail. They can reach me easily, cheaply, and from time to time get a donation from me. I give much more to groups that are doing the right thing than ever before. Many people do the same. This is going to change America eventually.
I enjoyed reading the item in the Murdoch’s NY Post today that rich people in NY might end up paying 54% of their income in taxes — too bad it isn’t 90%. Of course, 54% is not true (Murdoch’s media are expert liars), because rich people have access to tax havens, tax lawyers, and tax deductions that will prevent this. Yet, I do agree that the populists are going after the income of the rich. The more they do, the less rich people will have to influence others. Ditto for corporations. I enjoyed seeing that CIT’s stock dropped 99% yesterday after they proclaimed there would be no bailout. Great. It’s about time.
There is still lots of work to do. For one thing, America needs to convince poor people that voting Republican doesn’t make any sense, no matter what their views on abortion are. Abortion has been one of the tools Republicans have manipulated the disenfranchised — along with school prayer, evolution, stem cell, anti-science, blah, blah, blah. Republicans will continue to use such tools. Climate change is not real — say the Republicans — no matter how many scientists disagree. In fact, only 6% of scientists are Republicans — because you need education to be a scientist and education is the greatest enemy of Republicans — along with the Internet.
Meanwhile, Republicans are still out with the racist attacks against Judge Sotomayor — soon to be Supreme Court Justice. The Repubilcans are definitely appealing to their base — you know — the 25% of the country who would vote for Sarah Palin as President. Can you imagine? Sarah Palin as President?
America is doomed.
America’s biggest war is not in Iraq and Afghanistan — it is domestic. Do you feel the hostility? The Animus? Welcome to America’s ever-escalating culture wars between the rich and poor, the religious and the not, and the powerful and the exploited.
The Culture Wars’ New Front: U.S. History Classes in Texas – WSJ.com
Three reviewers, appointed by social conservatives, have recommended revamping the K-12 curriculum to emphasize the roles of the Bible, the Christian faith and the civic virtue of religion in the study of American history. Two of them want to remove or de-emphasize references to several historical figures who have become liberal icons, such as César Chávez and Thurgood Marshall.
The budget impasse in California has the Republicans whose only issue is to keep taxes low opposed to Democrats who want to maintain social programs. Even though California votes very liberal, the Republicans are winning because Democrats don’t have 2/3rds of the votes. Somewhere democracy was redefined from 50% to 67% in California. As a result, the electorate’s wishes are being foiled as long as 1/3 of the state are crazy, greedy Republicans.
Meanwhile, Democrats are trying to tax rich people to pay for universal health care. Republicans are arguing that America can’t afford health care for everybody — even though the rest of the industrial world does. This issue makes it very easy to hate and despise Republicans who unequivocally want people to die — because of money. These are the same people who believe in a Jesus who wanted nothing to do with money. But, today’s Republicans don’t believe in traditional Christianity — unless your idea of Jesus is a investment banker.
It’s too bad a winner cannot be declared in the culture wars — like an election or referendum. Aside from that, the fighting will continue. California will have to elect more liberals in order to get over the 67% mark. Republican efforts to crush social programs will make this more likely. Unemployment increases will motive more. Eventually, Democrats will succeed or there will literally be people dying in the streets from lack of jobs, housing, food, and health care. That’s the end game that Republicans never consider.
If Republicans were to win the culture war then America would be a religious quackery with the disenfranchised abundant. There would be a greater divide between the rich and the poor and the poors’ suffering would be widespread. Eventually, the poor would rise up with violence — there will be no alternative — this is the pattern for thousands of years of human history. It will happen again if Republicans win the culture wars — and they probably will.
America is doomed.
As America Doomed has discussed previously, President Obama is not seizing the opportunity for changing this country. Perhaps, Obama has little influence over the Congress. Perhaps, Obama wants everybody to like him. Perhaps, Obama is so post-partisan that he doesn’t even know what he believes. Perhaps, Obama is just happy to be the first black President. Perhaps, Perhaps. In any case, Obama is missing the opportunity.
Unemployment is rising. Foreclosures are surging. Lending is still constrained. So why exactly is the Obama administration waiting to act?
If wait-and-see is anything other than a near-term tactic, it’s bound to be a miscalculation. The need for expanded relief and recovery efforts is compelling. Rather than avoid those fights, the Obama team must win them.
Certainly, Obama still believes in capitalism which is very sad. I wonder how high unemployment will have to get? How high will the deficits have to soar? How many people have to die without health care or fighting in unnecessary wars? How bad will climate change have to get? How desperate will food production and distribution have to become?
I don’t expect miracles from Obama but what I do expect is for him to criticize Congress for not acting. I expect him to be fighting for America — doing the right thing. I expect him to be a real leader which to me is speaking his mind and not worrying about the political consequences. I believe America can figure out who is telling the truth and who is looking out for America. Right now, President Obama is doing neither. And time is running out for America.
America is doomed.
Free Trade is a lie. Most of the so-call free trade is the result of off-shoring of jobs. For example, Hewlett Packard laid off 17,000 people and sent those jobs to China. They setup a subsidiary in China who manufacture their products. When these products are sent back to the U.S. they are counted as imports. Free Trade people have an erection because America was just fucked. These tactics have nothing to do with trade — they are off-shoring jobs. Hewlett Packard made a few extra bucks but the destruction to America with companies doing such tactics is profound. Let China produce products for China and let America produce products for America — but make it even more local.
Another trend in food is Localvore – people who will only consume food that was produced locally, e.g. within a 100 miles. Money spent locally has a multiplier effect of 3 to 1. That is, every one dollar spent by a consumer on locally produced food will create two more dollars for the local economy. Spend money are your local farmers’ market and confirm that the farmers are nearby. Money spent on food produced by large multi-national corporations will not help the local economy — it will enrich other countries and a few rich shareholders. Plus, these large companies pay very little American taxes.
Buying America isn’t enough. Americans need to buy local and ONLY buy things outside of their local region that are essential. In those cases buy it from sources as close to where you live as possible — buy it directly from manufacturers over the internet so that these people get more of the money. Let your money be used to help your regional neighbors. Socialize your money to help your region and employ your neighbors. Don’t shop at stores like Walmart, Costco, Ikea, etc. These stores are conduits for products from distant lands. These companies are destroying America and your job will be next.
America is doomed.
Just an example of how screwed up the priorities are in California. While California is slashing spending for their public Universities, they are dramatically increasing the spending on prisons. Keep spending on prisons, because a lot more people will be heading there if they cannot get an education and support themselves.
University of California Budget News
In the past 20 years, the amount of money allotted to the University through the state budget has fallen dramatically: General Fund support for a UC student stood at $15,860 in 1990. If current budget projections hold, it will drop this year to $7,680.
In the same time frame, by the way, funding for state prisons has more than doubled, from $5 to $11 billion. It’s been reported that, based on current spending trends, California’s prison budget soon will overtake that of the state’s universities and community colleges.
Exactly how screwed up does a society have to get to privilege prisons over education? Republicans love spending money on prisons because they are always afraid. When they get afraid they want to put more people in jail. It doesn’t matter if the crimes are nonviolent. It doesn’t matter is 70% of the prisoners have simple drug possessions. Lock them up — lock them all up — so that the coward Republicans can feel safer. They are not actually safer because as more and more people lose jobs and can’t get them, there will need to be more prisons.
America is doomed.
