Politics
We have already learned that the United States has killed its own citizens with secret military drones, but many people are unaware of just how prevalent these robot assassins have now become around the globe. In the three years since President Obama took office, more than five hundred civilians have been murdered by U.S. military drones in Pakistan alone, including scores of young children.
South Carolina native and comedian, Stephen Colbert, announced on his program last night that he might just run for president. Recent polls already show Colbert with 5% support, placing ahead of several candidates who have actually been actively campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination in the state.
Rhodes Scholar and former AIDS activist Dr. Rachel Maddow’s greatly anticipated first book deals with how the bloated expanding military budget has highjacked our nation. “Drift” will be released by Random House on March 27th of this year. The publication analyzes the unsustainability of the distorted over-militarization of our culture, and what we must do to change course.
This week Governor Jerry Brown announced that all youth prisons in the state will be permanently closed. These historic child jail closures are being partially driven by budget crisis concerns, and partly as one component of larger progressive prison reforms that will be implemented throughout California.
This new year my home state of California has strengthened my faith in our culture, and in humanity, by passing the California Dream Act, which becomes law today. This intelligent new legislation allows for any academically qualified student, who has graduated from a California high school, to be able to receive financial aid to attend college in the state, regardless of their immigration status.
The highly esteemed economist, Robert Reich, clearly explains what some of our country’s largest financial system problems are, offers a clear plan with well defined policy solutions, and presents this concise message to President Obama:
“We’ll give you a mandate in your second term to raise taxes on the rich, including capital gains taxes, and put a tax on financial transactions, also, resurrect the Glass-Steagall Act, limit the size of big banks, and force them to modify the loans of millions of Americans who are now underwater; and invest in public schools and other infrastructure so that all Americans can prosper in this new economy.”
Massive corporate banks and billionaire plutocrats are proving that they have a vested interest in dismantling the growing Occupy protests. Chris Hayes has just revealed that a politically connected lobbying firm with close ties to Republican John Boehner, has asked a wealthy banking group for nearly a million dollars to develop a strategic plan to destroy the Occupy Wall Street movement, as well as any politicians who might express support for the activists.
Elizabeth Warren is a fiercely intelligent, compassionate and incredibly competent woman, who is very likely to become the next senator from Massachusetts. This soon to be reality is freaking Republicans out so much that they seem to have lost touch with reality. They have just created a hilarious attack ad, complete with scary menacing music, attempting to smear Warren. The ad is so inadvertently funny, that I have difficulty believing that it is really a legitimate commercial, and not just some kind of satirical prank
The Daily Kos reports the arrest of activist Bill McKibben of 350.org at the White House Tar Sands Protest on Saturday August 20, 2011. Scheduled protests beginning Saturday run until September 3rd. Protestors speaking out against a plan allowing the Keystone XL pipeline’s run from Alberta to down through Texas are using civil disobedience to raise awareness and gain political attention.
Believing that the Earth is our god, government, economy and culture – all wrapped into one big institution – that is simple common sense!
Regardless of the politics behind the deaths in Somalia, and the whole event reeks of international drama, there are 29,000 dead children in a world where starvation is avoidable. Maybe if 29,000 dead children can be made visually commanding, more of the world would take notice.
Just before the murder of the Death Row prisoner, this week the U.S. Supreme Court split on another contentious 5-4 decision, with the conservative majority voting to not delay the Texas execution of Mexican citizen Humberto Leal Garcia, even though he was never allowed any aid or consular access from his home nation, as is guaranteed by international law. President Barack Obama also weighed in against the execution; but unfortunately his serious concerns fell upon the deaf and oblivious ears of right wing extremist Texas Governor Rick Perry.
In his weekly address this Father’s Day, President Barack Obama discusses the importance of being a present and attentive parent. He emphasized how vital it is for dads to be active in the lives of their children, and how very much kids need your time, guidance and unconditional love.
Obama also mentioned the impact upon his own childhood of his absent father while he was growing up. He pondered how his life might have been different if his dad had been more involved in his life and had not left when he was just an infant.
The new Congress seems to be spending too much time drinking Tea and not catching up on the latest science (or it is just gets all its science information from the fossil fuel industry). It has launched a full out attack on science and the environment. The Endangered Species Act and certain iconic species haven’t been spared.