tagged w/ Collective Journalism
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A higher stock market is of little comfort to the millions who don't have jobs, are facing foreclosure, fraudulent or otherwise, or have no health coverage.
January 3, 2011 |
There are two potential ways to measure the economic performance of a political leader. One is by the profitability, stock prices and executive bonuses of a nation’s corporations. The other is by the financial condition of the majority of its population. Since he came to power, President Obama and his economic team have propped up the former and failed miserably to aid the latter. (For the record, ever since the first paragraph of Obama’s pre-primary website economics plan put free markets before people, this is where we were going, but it still hurts to get there.)
The S&P 500 index is up 50% since Obama took office. But unemployment remains higher than it was when he entered the White House, home foreclosures continue to mount to the detriment of borrowers and entire neighborhoods, health insurance companies responded to his health care “reform” bill by raising premiums, and the financial system’s largest banks continue to prosper in the wake of a multi-trillion dollar bailout with no strings attached to share their subsidizations with the rest of American citizens. To top it all off, as he approaches the midpoint of his first, and likely last, term, Obama bowed to the pressure of the Republican Party and extended tax cuts for the richest Americans in order to be able to also extend them for everyone else more sorely in need. There’s only so long you can blame another administration for your actions.
Obama’s economic policies have either been continuations of his predecessor’s, as in the case of taxes and bank bailouts, or bills so watered down to appease corporations, notably banks and insurance companies, that they are ineffective. In the process, he continues to alienate his supporters—individual voters, not the companies that funded his candidacy—leaving their economy in shambles. Here’s the recap.
Taxes
Just in time for Christmas, we got Obama’s big tax-cut compromise. Obama’s reverse Robin Hood deal with the Republicans disproportionally takes from the poor to give to the rich. The plan adds another $1 trillion to the record United States deficit, $700 billion of which would be the cost of extending tax breaks to the wealthiest 2 percent of the country, the rest going toward jobless benefits—necessary to help those victims of the wider economic problems, but not complemented with a job-creation program.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, American millionaires would get 22 percent (or $200 billion over two years) of the benefits of the deal, while the bottom 20 percent of American workers would get less than one-half of one percent. According to David Cay Johnston, the 45 million households that make less than $20,000 a year will be slapped with a tax increase of $150 to $200.
Even though the majority of his own Democratic Party supported extending cuts only to Americans making less than $250,000 a year (on TV anyway, apparently not at their seats once the compromise was inked, notables with balls like Sen. Bernie Sanders aside), Republican “all-or-nothing” pressure was met by Obama’s capitulation. He could have bargained harder—say by suggesting that tax cuts not be extended for people making more than a million dollars, rather than punting the tax cut issue into the 2012 presidential election period.
What Obama effectively did was adopt George W. Bush’s tax policy in total rather than come up with a better deal, even though the Bush tax cuts increased the net worth of the wealthiest Americans while the wages of the rest of Americans (the ones that had jobs) stagnated or decreased per hour worked. The Republicans obviously considered the deal a victory, to hell with any Republican voters in the bottom 98 percent of the country. Wall Street thought it was better than expected. Jamie Dimon was all but salivating. Even though the majority of Americans wanted to end tax breaks for the wealthiest, plus extend unemployment benefits, Obama couldn’t pull it off.
To go to the next page:
http://www.alternet.org/news/149394/obama's_economic_report_card:_a%2B_for_helping_the_wealthy_--_failing_the_rest_of_us/A higher stock market is of little comfort to the millions who don't have jobs,... more
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Posted on January 4, 2011 by Crushing Bastards
Crew photo from my first deployment. The plane is a RC-135 "Rivet Joint."
I am a US Air Force Intelligence veteran of the war in Afghanistan and I support Wikileaks.
During my service I held a Top Secret security clearance and worked as an Afghan-Pashto linguist; my duties included consuming and producing a large number of intelligence reports. After reading many of the Iraq/Afghan/Cablegate logs I am compelled to inform my fellow citizens that I saw nothing in these logs that could endanger our troops or public servants.
Here’s what I did see: I saw Iraq war logs that painted a very bleak picture of the situation there which doesn’t match up with the “improved security” that’s been reported by the “Defense” Department for years. I saw proof of public officials acting dishonestly and abusing their posts. Overall, I saw an out of control government that is in over its head and does more to endanger the lives of its people than any publishing organization ever could.
I volunteered to protect this country under the impression that my government followed the will of the American People and adhered to the US Constitution. As it turns out, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were never constitutionally declared and despite public opinion being against the two wars they continue to grow more destructive. My experiences in these wars differed greatly from the propaganda the American people were sold by America’s mainstream media outlets; many times I would return from a mission to see wild inaccuracies being reported on Fox/CNN/MSNBC about the very operation I had just been supporting. Wikileaks has helped shine light on the true nature of these illegal wars and the policymakers that perpetuate them, for this I am thankful.
Speaking of policy makers that perpetuate war… Apparently, this nation is bankrupt. The US dollar, under the custodianship of Ben Bernanke’s Federal Reserve System, continues to lose its purchasing power as new dollars are printed to pay for warfare and corporate welfare (in the form of bailouts for bankers). We must recognize that printing more money will not solve our problems, it will only make Americans increasingly poorer. The foundation of America’s financial system is corrupt and dishonest; Wikileaks is also working to unmask this corrupt central-banking system.
For too long, bastards (using Julian Assange’s definition) have been able to use America’s good reputation as a cover for their misdeeds. These days, it seems that powerful interests wield more influence in Washington than the whole of the American electorate. These interests see the American people as nothing more than sheep to be fleeced and so they use their influence to make it easier for us to be held down. I support Wikileaks because I want to see these insidious influences exposed. My hope is that the 21st Century will be one of liberty and transparency, not of greater secrecy and slavish submission to authority.
Let it be known that there are many of us who will resist any attempts to stifle 1st Amendment protections; that America’s veterans take seriously their oaths to the US Constitution and will demand transparency and honesty from government officials; that America’s veterans stand ready to defend the ideals of a free society in the 21st century.
http://crushingbastards.org/blog/2011/01/04/i-am-a-us-air-force-intelligence-veteran-of-the-war-in-afghanistan-and-i-support-wikileaks/Posted on January 4, 2011 by Crushing Bastards
Crew photo from my first... more
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It's probably the oldest question in capitalism.
Make no mistake, there are a myriad of reasons why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and only a few apply to any one instance. That doesn't prevent generalization from being made. The defenders of the status quo explain it as thus:
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer because the rich learn to become stewards of the talents given to them. The poor have squandered their talents and are not given more.
Clean and simple. The poor are poor because they've brought it upon themselves. The rich are just better than you. Case closed. It's a very convenient philosophy if you're rich.
In reality there is only one reason for the growing wealth disparity that applies to practically every instance, and it isn't because one group is better, or smarter, or more amoral than another group.
It's not a hidden secret. Everyone is aware of it, but few understand it as well as they think they do.
This long and information-packed movie goes into more detail.
Go to the full article:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/1/3/933143/-Why-the-rich-get-richer-and-poor-get-poorerIt's probably the oldest question in capitalism.
Make no mistake, there are a... more
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This is a hot track for the Radio/clubs
http://twiturm.com/95phc
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Every thought that swimming in a Chlorinated pool was just a little mundane, repetitive and well boring... Well you are not alone, if you're one of those people who love to swim in the Sea or just love being in the great outdoors check out t he outdoor swimming society where you can connect with people from all over the U.K who just love to strip down and get fresh in the great outdoors.
http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/
Watch this amazing documentary to get the adrenaline pumping
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/rp5dh/Every thought that swimming in a Chlorinated pool was just a little mundane,... more
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dansHQ
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1 year ago
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The War of the Worlds was an episode of the American radio drama anthology series "Mercury Theatre on the Air". It was performed as a Halloween episode of the series on October 30, 1938 and aired over the Columbia Broadcasting System radio network. Directed and narrated by Orson Welles, the episode was an adaptation of H. G. Wells' novel, 'The War of the Worlds'.
The first two thirds of the 60-minute broadcast were presented as a series of simulated "news bulletins", which suggested to many listeners that an actual alien invasion by Martians was currently in progress. Compounding the issue was the fact that the Mercury Theatre on the Air was a 'sustaining show' (it ran without commercial breaks), thus adding to the program's quality of realism.
Although there were sensationalist accounts in the press about a supposed panic in response to the broadcast, the precise extent of listener response has been debated. In the days following the adaptation, however, there was widespread outrage.
Because the program's oration included a segment in which "radio has a responsibility to serve in the public interest at all times," the news-bulletin format was decried as cruelly deceptive by some newspapers and public figures, leading to an outcry against the perpetrators of the broadcast and some confirmed suicides.
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The Full, Unedited 1938 Welles Production is brought to you in 7 parts:
(Part One) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wf5TPVz56A
(Part Two) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUBisKB5l98
(Part Three) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejt_aWUrEp8
(Part Four) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aYZPkHEp_s
(Part Five) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wxLjcz1oE8
(Part Six) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fFLmXZ9Lmk
(Part Seven) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuDdAe17OL0
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For more on "Yellow Journalism," please indulge in the following:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalismThe War of the Worlds was an episode of the American radio drama anthology series... more
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Street to Street puts street youth in Sierra Leone in touch with UK students via vlogs as they try and get off the street and into education. This week Youngest talks of jail and fighting, They all talk about how they get food, Marie talks about what she hopes for her baby and Immanuel loses his job in the car wash.Street to Street puts street youth in Sierra Leone in touch with UK students via vlogs... more
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The street youth taking part in S2S are now in education but Marie is pregnant and Youngest is having a drugs problem. They talk about their dreams and what England might be like.The street youth taking part in S2S are now in education but Marie is pregnant and... more
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Episode 1 of Street to Street introducing the street youth in Freetown who will take part in an online exchange with UK students as we follow their journey off the streets and into education. Meet Youngest, Ballack, Timberland, Marie, Immanuel and White Boy.Episode 1 of Street to Street introducing the street youth in Freetown who will take... more
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Sierra Leone, Freetown. In a country barely able to take care of it's people, one vet is supporting people to take care of their pets. Partly animal welfare but also to combat rabies and other diseases. An unexpected look at Sierra Leone.Sierra Leone, Freetown. In a country barely able to take care of it's people, one... more
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Gansta Marcus first cd put together
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A 68 year vegetarian man with a healthy lifestyle has challenged a 45 year-old, pizza-loving, caffeine guzzling, junk-food-eating, former Marine to keep up with him on a dangerous, 10-day backpacking trek, that takes them 8000+ feet up into the Washington mountains? This is not a competition as both men have agreed to simply use this trek as a setting to discuss each others dietary lifestyles as they put each to the test in their own way. It is a comparison between two different dietary lifestyles and the consequences of each, played out in a physically visible, entertaining way. This story is called "The Secrete Valleys Above Napeequa;" it is a place where very few humans travel, where you will see some of the most beautiful countryside the America's have to offer. And We are filming the entire trip, naturally.
The 68 year old vegetarian man is Rich Anderson, and he owns a company called Arise and Shine Herbal Products, Inc. Martin Grant is the 45 year old, former Marine who is now a gold trader and entrepreneur.
We will be filming this trek and their discussions, challenges, successes, arguments, and moments of clarity along the way. The purpose? ... to explore the real effects that the food we choose to eat has on our bodies, our health and our overall well being. What, if any, are the consequences of ignoring your diet until you're older, slower and heavier?
Get The Background Story On Martin Here:
LINK: http://ariseandshine.com/interest-stories/martin.html
Get The Background Story On Rich Anderson Here:
http://ariseandshine.com/interest-stories/rich-anderson.html
Produced By Freedom's Design
http://www.freedomsdesign.comA 68 year vegetarian man with a healthy lifestyle has challenged a 45 year-old,... more
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RICHMOND, VA May 18, 2010- As Massey Energy stockholders convened inside Richmond's Jefferson Hotel, a large and spirited demonstration took place on the streets outside with protesters demanding the removal of company CEO Don Blankenship.
The United Mine Workers of America and the AFL-CIO brought in busloads of workers from West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylviania and D.C. to publicly shame Blankenship for his responsibility in the deaths of 29 miners at the Upper Big Branch coal mine in early April. The mine had been cited for more than 500 safety violations in the months leading up to the tragedy. Miners that work for Massey Energy are not unionized and 52 workers have died at work during Blankenship's tenure as Massey CEO.
Although the stockholders did not vote Blankenship out as CEO, the UMWA leadership and its members vowed to remove Blankenship from power and to unionize his workers.RICHMOND, VA May 18, 2010- As Massey Energy stockholders convened inside... more
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Meet Marco Calasan, the world’s youngest Microsoft systems engineer and official computer genius. At the advanced age of 9, Marco, who calls Macedonia his home, is already the author of a book on Windows 7 that he’s hoping to publish and has earned four Microsoft certificates. Oh, and he speaks three languages. And they say all the youngsters like the Macs these daysMeet Marco Calasan, the world’s youngest Microsoft systems engineer and official... more
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Should a revolutionary humanitarian food product be protected by commercial patent, when lifting restrictions might save millions of starving children?Should a revolutionary humanitarian food product be protected by commercial patent,... more
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As this groundbreaking band begin their new tour, they shatter traditional music business models as they release their new record, involve an interactive light show and ask fans to design T-shirts.
Guitarist and song writer Ben Weinman chats about launching into the unknown as the band begins their tour in NYC..As this groundbreaking band begin their new tour, they shatter traditional music... more
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eroc
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Louisiana-born musician Tab Benoit talks about disappearing coastal wetland and how it affects everyone..Louisiana-born musician Tab Benoit talks about disappearing coastal wetland and how it... more
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eroc
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1 year ago
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