What a wonderful world it could be,..

Slacker!

The Eternal Vigilante is neither vigilant nor eternal... maybe time to take this blog down. As I've watched Obama slowly become mostly all that I detest about politics this blog has lost all relevance to my daily life. It stands more as a historical document to how things once were. It seems so innocent in it's 2008/2009 ways. Nothing here is what it seems. Obama is not the plucky hero, the USA is not an evil empire, and this is not the grand arena,... Oh yeah,... And that's not incense, I can tell because politics still stinks.

I am not a Democrat! I am not a Republican! I am not a Tea Party!

I am not affiliated so don't put your labels on me. But I voted for Obama and might do it again if everyone else keeps acting this stupid. I'm getting into campaign mode again- ready for round two- destruction of America here we come,... oh wait, was that the goal we signed up for? I forget.

Pandemic of journalists looking for a story

From a friend in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where business has dropped off drastically since the U.S. "news" started reporting on the "Pandemic Mexican Killer Flu". What a load of shit.

Just as the U.S. media has done with regard to border area violence, they have painted Mexico with one broad brush. It seems incredible to those of us in Mexico that the U.S. seems so oblivious to the immense size and diversity of Mexico. All the major TV media outlets depict Mexico as a uniformly dangerous, violent place, source of illegal and undesirable immigrants, and which is now “plagued by contagious disease.” The fact is, most of Mexico, including Puerto Vallarta, is peaceful, safe, and healthy. The violence is over 1,000 mile away. Puerto Vallarta has a lower crime rate than MANY U.S. cities…perhaps even yours! The nearest case of H1N1 virus is some 600 miles away.
To CNN and other 24/7 news outlets, we say this: Please check your map. Mexico is somewhat larger than Rhode Island, and Mexicans resent being depicted generally as gangsters, victims, or dying of illness. U.S. media treatment of Mexico is neither accurate nor fair.
So, here are some facts.
· There have been no confirmed or even suspected cases of H1N1 flu in Puerto Vallarta. In fact, there have been no cases in the state of Jalisco (which includes Guadalajara, the second largest city in Mexico), where Vallarta is located. If you live in a U.S. state or city where H1N1 has been confirmed, you are more at risk of contracting the virus at your local grocery store than you are in Puerto Vallarta. But even going to your grocery store, your major risk would be an auto accident on the way… not catching a case of the Swine Flu.

· The Secretary of Health for Mexico has announced that the number of cases in Mexico generally, is beginning to decline. This is in keeping with epidemiological models that predict the rise and decline of contagions based on a number of factors such as the season, general health of a population, population density, etc. Thus, it’s no surprise that this is turning out to be much less of an “event” than the U.S. media has made it out to be during the past week.

· There is, to date, no scientific evidence that the behavior of this particular strain of flu is any different from normal, seasonal flu virus. It seems no more contagious, and does not seem to have a higher mortality rate than normal, seasonal flu (which may kill over 30,000 people per year, but this doesn’t make the news!).

· All the aforementioned being said, the response of the Mexican government has been both rapid, and admirable. Not because there was any certainty that this could become a vast and deadly pandemic, but out of an abundance of caution. The most recent indications are that, in Mexico, the worst is over, and it wasn’t nearly the big deal that the media made it out to be. Bars and clubs that were ordered closed in Puerto Vallarta are re-opening today. Schools will be opening this week. It is time to get back to normal (because, in fact, nothing abnormal has occurred).

· Most of the public does not understand the scientific community’s use of the term “pandemic.” It does not refer to the deadliness of an outbreak of illness. It means merely that the outbreak is spread across multiple countries, and is spread from human to human, thus has the potential for many cases to develop. The fact is, we have a number of pandemics of flu every flu season, but it doesn’t become the #1 item on CNN round the clock for weeks on end.

Some Good News

To prove that all is not bad news and I'm not completely insensitive to the good in the world,... Oh, and this also further shows that Jim James or (Yim Yames?) of My Morning Jacket is the greatest musician alive.

From the MMJ website: yim yames recently had the honor of traveling to new orleans to record live with the legendary preservation hall jazz band in grand old school new orleans fashion. the recordings will be part of a benefit album to raise money for the hall (www.preservationhall.com) which hopefully will be released in the fall. stay tuned for more info.

All Hail President ZOD!

http://www.zod2008.com/



http://www.zod2008.com/

Owning Life

Continuing with the very real theme of the evils of large corporations,.. this after seeing a Monsanto ad on the back cover of the New Yorker- what Hypocrits! Really! The New Yorker- what a joke!

Read this-- http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/05/monsanto200805

Watch this movie-- The Future of Food- available on Netflix instant watch

MOVIES!!

My Top 40 Movies: Andrei Rublev to Amorres Perros

My top 40 movies reviewed since April 2008 (9 months in which I've watched over 250 movies and averaged a movie a day) this is a personal and subjective ranking based on my own 6 star system. The movies here all rank at the very top with the first 12 winning my full 6 star rating. Many great 5 star movies were excluded to keep this list short and current. A few years ago my #40 Amorres Perros would have been listed as #1- things change. Of these 40 movies it can be added that all have had at least some critical acclaim. I tend to watch multiple films of a director if I like their work- some directors are represented more than once. My sole criteria- a great movie transcends the screen! Enjoy.


#1) Adrei Rublev, dir. Andrei Tarkovsky, Russia- 1966
2) The Grapes of Wrath, dir. John Ford, USA - 1940
3) There Will Be Blood, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, USA - 2007
4) The Empire Strikes Back, dir. George Lucas (not Irvin), USA- 1980
5) 2001, dir. Stanley Kubrick, USA- 1968
6) Rashomon, dir. Akira Kurosawa, Japan - 1950
7) Red Beard, dir. Akira Kurosawa, Japan- 1965
8) To Have and Have Not, dir. Howard Hawks, USA- 1944
9) Stalker. dir. Andrei Tarkovsky, Russia- 1979
10) Todo Sobre Mi Madre, dir. Pedro Almodovar, Spain -1999
11) Habla Con Ella, dir. Pedro Almodovar, Spain- 2002
12) Rear Window, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, USA- 1954
13) Once Upon A Time in America, dir. Sergio Leone, Italy/USA - 1984
14) Apocolypse Now Redux, dir. Francis Ford Coppola, USA- 1979
15) The Dark Knight, dir. Christopher Nolan, USA- 2008
16) The Asphalt Jungle, dir. John Huston, USA- 1950
17) Seven Samurai, dir. Akira Kurosawa, Japan- 1954
18) Blade Runner, dir. Ridley Scott, USA- 1982 (see new director's cut)
19) On The Waterfront, Elia Kazan USA- 1954
20) A Woman Under the Influence, John Cassavetes, USA- 1974
21) Faces, John Cassavetes, USA- 1968
22) Night of the Iguana, dir. John Huston, USA- 1964
23) Hiroshima Mon Amour, dir. Alain Resnais, France- 1959
24) Days of Being Wild, dir. Wong Kar Wai, Hong Kong- 1991
25) Fitzcarraldo, dir. Werner Herzog, Gemany- 1982
26) Three Times, Hou Hsiao Hsien, Taiwan- 2005
27) Treasure of the Sierra Madre, dir. John Huston, USA- 1948
28) The River, dir. Tsai Ming-Liang, Taiwan- 1997
29) Opening Night, dir. John Cassavetes, USA- 1977
30) Killer of Sheep, dir. Charles Burnett, USA- 1977
31) Killing of a Chinese Bookie, dir. John Cassavetes, USA- 1976
32) Tampopo, dir. Juzo Itami, Japan - 1986
33) 2046, dir. Wong Kar Wai, Hong Kong - 2006
34) Vive L'Amour, dir. Tsai Ming-Liang, Taiwan, 1994
35) Millennium Mambo, dir. Hou Hsiao Hsien, Taiwan - 2001
36) Ashes of Time Redux, dir. Wong Kar Wai, Hong Kong - 2008
37) The Return, dir. Andrei Zvyaginstev, Russia- 2003
38) Chinatown, dir. Roman Polanski, USA - 1974
39) The Maltese Falcon, dir. John Huston, USA - 1941
40) Amorres Perros, dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu, MEXICO- 2000

My 10 "Ultimately Bad" Worst movies

10) W, dir Oliver Stone, 2008
9) Enigma of Kasper Hauser, dir. Werner Herzog, Germany - 1975
8) Waiting for Happiness, dir. A. Sissako, Africa - 2002
7) 10,000 BC, dir. R. Emmerich, 2008
__Special disgust for the entire French New Wave including but not limited to the next three directors (hipsters cringe now):
6) Jean Luc Goddard's films of 1960's, FRA (Pierrot Le Fou and Breathless excluded as those are 4 star films worth watching)
5) Robert Bresson's film Pickpocket and L'Argent, FRA- 1959 (A Man Escaped is maybe worth seeing once)
4) All Jean-Pierre Melville's films, FRA, 1960s (except of course Army of Shadows, a classic)
3) Nashville, dir. Robert Altman, USA- 1975
2) Max Payne, dir. who cares, 2008
1) TIme of the Wolf, dir. French wannabe, FRA, unwatchable, 2003


FIN!

The #1 post on Obama's "Change.gov" website- 95,000 people voted "YES" and counting,...

Ending Marijuana Prohibition
I suggest that we step back and take a non-biased "Science Based" approach to decide what should be done about the "Utter Failure" that we call the War on (some) Drugs.
The fact is that Marijuana is much less harmful to our bodies than other Legal Drugs such as Tobacco and Alcohol. And for the Government to recognize Marijuana as having Medicinal Properties AND as a Schedule I drug (Has NO medicinal Properties) is an obvious flaw in the system.
We must stop imprisoning responsible adult citizens choosing to use a drug that has been mis-labeled.

I like Nader now,... see what I mean.

Oh Boy,...ugh,..

IMF and World Bank

What are the IMF and World Bank?

The IMF and World Bank have been empowered by the governments which control it (led by the U.S., the U.K., Japan, Germany, France, Canada, and Italy -- the "Group of 7," which holds over 40% of the votes on their boards) with imposing economic austerity policies in the countries of the so-called "Third World" or "global South." Once Southern countries build up large external debts, as most have, they cannot get credit or cash anywhere else and are forced to go to these international institutions and accept whatever conditions are demanded of them. None of the countries has emerged from their debt problems; indeed most countries now have much higher levels of debt than when they first accepted IMF/World Bank "assistance."
Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs)

The IMF/World Bank conditions -- "structural adjustment programs" -- force Southern countries to promote sweatshops, exports to rich countries, and high-return cash investment. The resulting increase in international commerce -- corporate globalization -- led to demands by corporations and investors for ways to lock in their privileges and protection against the perceived danger of governments seizing assets or imposing new regulations. The WTO was the answer to those demands, an institution whose secret tribunals can overrule national laws if they are found to violate the rights of corporations.
The World Bank is best known for financing big projects like dams, roads, and power plants, supposedly designed to assist in economic development, but which have often been associated with monumental environmental devastation and social dislocation. In recent years, about half of its lending has gone to programs indistinguishable from the IMF's: austerity plans that "reform" economic policies by suffocating the poor and inviting corporate exploitation.

Although the IMF finally got some of the criticism due it with the East Asian financial crisis (where it imposed austerity programs on South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand), the two institutions continue to be the chosen tools of the political and business elites for ruling the global economy, and run, to one degree or another, about 90 Southern countries' economies. These countries are forced to adopt policies even more committed to deregulation and withdrawal of government from insuring public welfare than those in the U.S. Considering how impoverished many of these countries were to start with, the effects of these policies have been predictably devastating. The of "emerging market success stories" we sometimes read about generate wealth which goes to very small segments of the populations, and much of it ends up in the North. The great majority of the people of the South are enduring increased poverty, decreased access to basic services, and decreased control over their own economies.

SAPs Work for Corporations and Elites--Impoverish the Rest

How--and why--do the structural adjustment programs that the IMF & World Bank impose create conditions that multinational corporations desire and that devastate most people in the Southern countries? A look at the most common SAP conditions show how economic "advice" is used to maintain the interests of the wealthy at the expense of continued suffering for the bulk of the people.






So Why Do Countries Agree to SAPs?

SAPs are anti-democratic in more than one way. The institutions are correct in saying that the plans are formulated in part, and agreed to, by the governments. But the government officials involved are usually limited to the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank, usually among the most conservative, Northern-educated, and wealthy members of the government -- in other words, those most likely to agree with IMF economics and benefit from the policies. In many cases even they feel coerced into going along with IMF/World Bank demands. If they don't cooperate, the consequence can be a complete cut-off of credit because other lenders follow the lead of these institutions.
With such unpopular policies, it is the rare government that can "sell" structural adjustment to its people, especially after 20 years of similar failed policies. The slogan "short-term pain for long-term gain" sounds hollow when people have heard it for a whole generation. SAPs encourage instability in democratic countries by forcing elected governments to institute measures which make them illegitimate among their people. It has been argued that the IMF prefers dictatorships to democratic governments, because dictators can more successfully impose SAPs. And once the rules are in place the WTO extends the attack on democracy by overruling any regulations that corporations claim interfere with their right to profits.

The fact that institutions based in Washington and largely controlled by the U.S. Treasury Department have been starving peoples around the world for two decades is a scandal. That people in the U.S. are barely aware of the fact is a disgrace.

The first signs the shine is wearing off our new President

YES We CAN!

“Hello, Chicago.

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

“It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

“It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled, Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

“We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

“It’s the answer that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

“It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment, change has come to America.

“A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain.

“Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he’s fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

“I congratulate him; I congratulate Governor (Sarah) Palin for all that they’ve achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

“I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

“And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation’s next first lady Michelle Obama.

“Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the new White House.

“And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother’s watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

“To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you’ve given me. I am grateful to them.

“And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best — the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

“To my chief strategist David Axelrod who’s been a partner with me every step of the way. To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics, you made this happen and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

“But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

“I was never the likeliest candidate for this office.

“We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements.

“Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

“It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give 5 and 10 and 20 to the cause.

“It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy, who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

“It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organised and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

“This is your victory.

“And I know you didn’t do this just to win an election. And I know you didn’t do it for me.

“You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

“Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

“There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage or pay their doctors’ bills or save enough for their child’s college education.

“There’s new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

“The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

“I promise you, we as a people will get there.

“There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can’t solve every problem.

“But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

“What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

“This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

“It can’t happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

“So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

“Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

“In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let’s resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

“Let’s remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

“Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

“As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

“And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

“And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

“To those — to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

“That’s the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we’ve already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

“This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight’s about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

“She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the colour of her skin.

“And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America — the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

“At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

“When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

“When the bombs fell on our harbour and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

“She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that ‘We Shall Overcome’. Yes we can.

“A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

“And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

“Yes we can.

“America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves — if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

“This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

“This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

“Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.”



The next morning,...

Predicated upon the assumption

This is the election map I put together last week before everyone got fired. It is admittedly a little optimistic- but I think possible given what I've experienced leading up to election day. Tonight I will be updating this map in Photoshop and will give a final map of actual results later tomorrow (hopefully) for compare and contrast- just to see if I'm really psycho or not.

I need a massage chair!

US Senator Stevens found guilty

The longest-serving Republican in the US Senate has been found guilty of lying about gifts worth $250,000 he received from an oil company. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

In two weeks it will all be over! And just beginning again!

In just two weeks we will have elected the next president of the United States. We. Elected. United. Obama. And then there will be those who didn't elect the 44th president. But they are included too. We. Elected. United. Ahh, what does it all mean? Forever renewed, forever changing. Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Republic USA. One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Good luck America- round 56! Ding Ding!

OBAMA WINS!

There. I'm over it. Exhausted by it. Used up by it. Just want it to be over with. Not sure how people do this full time. Got to give them props those politicians. Now, moving on. My next posting will be on something only very indirectly related to Obama or McCain. Special New Story Coming. Stay Tuned! --But I have to say thanks to the Solitatron 5000 for reminding me how this all started. OBAMA 2004

The Great Economic Rescue Plan of 2008!?

I'm really not sure what just happened with our now $1 trillion dollar plus "bailout" plan. I don't think any of us know for sure. But it stinks!- Ok, just the facts please,... but where to find them??

On the Library of Congress THOMAS site to search the text of the bill:
Wow, this is confusing,... I'm no lawyer but is this bill about economic bailout or mental health?

What I have figured out is that it's all in what you call a bill; and you can call it anything and people will believe that the name means what it says. That poor bill on capitol hill I feel so sorry for him- he must be so confused constantly getting renamed and asked to carry all kinds of odd things, and porky things, that have seemingly nothing to do with his stated purpose.

Actually the "new" Emergency Economic Rescue Stabilization Act of 2008 has been called several things since it started- the final stage, the Economic Rescue stage, was just a few lines tacked on at the end. Here are the other names, and content, that poor bill is still carrying:

It first started as the --
Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008
Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2008
Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008
Heartland Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2008
Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008
Tax Extenders and Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008
Bill To amend section 712 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
Bill To amend section 2705 of the Public Health Service Act
Bill To amend section 9812 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008--- Finally, again!

Funny thing is none of the stuff above goes away- it's all in there. Oh well, it all looks like good stuff I guess. Increase a bit of tax relief for some low income earners, make it easier to buy an alternative energy car, providing that group health insurance plans don't limit the amount of mental health treatment you can get, also some disaster relief money, some tax incentive money (how does that work) to encourage clean energy, etc... Good stuff. A sizable chunk of money will go to helping Detroit re-tool for alternative energy cars. All this sounds like a move in the right direction.

And then of course there is the final Biggie cola part that is supposed to give tons of money to Wall Street firms so they will ease up on all of our banking and personal credit needs- because without credit America can't survive (Ok that was sarcasm but it is essentially true- credit is a necessary part of business and it is shrinking up with all these recent bank failures.) Ahh, and we did manage to squeeze in some significant golden parachute restrictions that might actually limit the millions corporate CEOs get for abandoning ship if their firm receives money from this bill. Hope you jumped ship last week boys!

Personally, I say if bands like My Morning Jacket can no longer expect to become millionaires because of the "democratization" (stealing) of music– then why should Wall Street CEOs (rock stars in their own minds) expect to make millions by stealing, and helping others steal money? I vote for My Morning Jacket favorable economics every time! --Go Bill!

Worth Repeating- Lincoln in Peoria 1854

More than 6 years before he was elected president Lincoln gave a famous speech in Peoria, Illinois. The 3-hour speech was largely a protest against the expansion of slavery. Lincoln said, "Little by little, but steadily as man's march to the grave, we have been giving up the old for the new faith. Nearly eighty years ago we began by declaring that all men are created equal; but now from that beginning we have run down to the other declaration, that for some men to enslave others is a 'sacred right of self-government.' These principles cannot stand together. They are as opposite as God and Mammon; and whoever holds to the one must despise the other." --Let there be no doubt that Lincoln was deeply involved in the question of slavery and that slavery was the central problem and issue around which all politics revolved leading up to, and during his presidency. The current republican party sometimes tries to re-write history, to say Lincoln didn't really care that strongly about slavery. The fact is he came to office as the first "republican" president in the newly founded "republican" party- a party whose central purpose, platform, and reason for being was an opposition to slavery. The "republican" party at that time wanted to hold together the union from separatists in both the north and south. The political parties have changed positions many times since Lincoln's time. The current republican party is lead by the "right" of the party that is strongly 'social conservative' and opposed to progressive social policy and thought. Since the time of Reagan the republican party has also acted on the belief that the national debt does not matter- and can be increased exponentially without concern. Our society seems to have forgotten early 20th century terms like "moderate" republican or "socially liberal" republican. These terms once identified presidents like Eisenhower. But a transition in the parties began in the 50s and then there was a tidal shift in the 60s when the south, once solidly a part of the old stolid "conservative" democratic party, switched party affiliations and formed part of what is now the current republican party. This transition happened over the issue of civil rights (some republicans will say this change happened over the issue of state's rights and that civil rights had little to do with it- but again this is just a distraction to turn attention away from their opposition to civil rights). Lincoln's legacy was not one of opposition to civil rights or even one of support for the so called "states rights". Eisenhower was not a republican of the sort you find in office today. The ideological positions and policies developed by Lincoln, FDR, JFK, MLK, now find their modern expression in today's democratic party. Any question's America? --Oh, yeah, I'm back!

Eternal Vigilante is taking a break!!

I've got to get away from politics for a while. I know that things will continue without me, the same games, the same lies, the same un-informed, under-informed, or simply indifferent and vicious opinions or "myopic" (thanks Bastard) distortions. But I'm going to think about something else for a while. This isn't avoidance of the duty to think and process those thoughts into coherent structures- I will be eternally vigilante– but a brief change of focus in now called for. I'm sure this election will draw me back soon enough.

The July 31, 2008 official report from the House of Representative's Committee on the Budget

Click Here to View PDF file

I've got to say Thanks Mom for inspiring this one!

The Truth about Tax and Spend!!

Clinton raised taxes but worked hard to reduce the national debt and balanced the budget with the extra money he took. He told us all that reducing the budget and spending would take work and sacrifice- do you remember him speaking to the American people and saying these things? I do. Bush has given tax breaks yes, with the biggest tax breaks to the top earners at a disproportionate rate, but he has greatly, hugely, massively increased the national debt. What most analysts are now saying is that more intelligent investment is needed at home to continue to compete in the future. But I think the idea of the tax and spend 'liberal' was largely a republican campaign invention, also at times a rather racist invention based off what whites saw as money unfairly going to blacks through welfare. The fact is this "tax and spend" description has not applied to democrats if you look at the real numbers– but in fact to republicans. Obama is much more conservative economically and has much more serious an economic understanding than McCain. Obama's tax plan actually reduces taxes for more people and he is focused on reducing corporate loopholes- the real reason corporations pay less in taxes. He would raise taxes only on the richest yes- as compensation for all the breaks given by Bush to his "base" of supporters. While we, the lower and middle class, would see more take home income according to every independent analysis I've seen. McCain's plan continues to give bigger cuts than average to the super rich. As far as medicare/medicaid spending go- most cost to benefit studies put these programs at about equal in cost to private insurance companies. The problem I think is expensive medical care in general is costing a lot more, doctors are prescribing more expensive treatments and drugs on average, and more and more people are needing these programs.


National debt: (the amount our government owes to other countries), which undercuts future spending and programs like Social Security, and effects the economy in many ways. It seems it is always increasing but,...

National Debt under George W. Bush has increased by over 4 trillion! Not since Reagan and the first Bush has there been an increase like this. And never before in the history of this country. Clinton nearly held down the national debt and made a balanced budget mandatory but still National Debt under Clinton did continue to increase- just not nearly as much.

Total national debt now at $9,645,755 ,000,000-trillion (4 trillion increase under Bush and mainly from war in Iraq)
at the end of 2000 it was at $5,662.216,000,000-trillion (1.5 trillion increase under Clinton)
Under Clinton:
National debt started at the end of 1994 at $4,177,009,000,000-trillion
Under Reagan and first Bush
National debt started at the beginning of 1981 at only $904,073-billion (nearly 4 trillion increase under Reagan/Bush)

Almost the entire, soon to be 10 trillion dollars of national debt came from the last 3 republican presidents.

The actual national debt records I took this from can be seen here- http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/mspd/mspd.htm



What Bill Clinton actually did do in office if you doubt:
-Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
-Earned Income Tax Credit 1994
-The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of August 1993, which passed Congress without a single Republican vote. It cut taxes for fifteen million low-income families, made tax cuts available to 90% of small businesses, and raised taxes on the wealthiest 1.2% of taxpayers (to offset Reagan cuts). Additionally, through the implementation of spending restraints, it mandated the budget be balanced over a number of years. The bill, which both raised taxes and cut government spending, has been credited as the major cause behind the deficit reduction and eventual surpluses during the 1990s, by sources such as the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
--Then in 1994 people like Newt Gringrich came on the scene with the Conservative Coalition's "Republican Revolution" of evangelicals and nothing happened because of stalemates for several years.
-Iraq Liberation Act 1998- Clinton Recognized Sadam Hussein as a problem and sought economic and joint international political means to limit his power and bring about a regime change. (This was way before 9/11 and the Iraq War- remember?)


Here's a somewhat "liberal" biased representation of what I've said above about national debt. The person who made this went a little far in the graphical representation of his point, no doubt trying to graphically counter the prevailing lies of republicans about "liberal tax and spend" presidents, but the numbers are accurate and it makes the point clearly. In his first 4 years in office G.W. Bush increased national debt spending $96 billion more than Bill Clinton did in his entire 8 years!! And don't try and say it was the republicans in congress that held down spending cause that is a load- not a single republican even voted for Clinton's Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993- you know, that policy that Clinton was fighting for that brought the budget down and mandated fiscal responsibility to the tax and spend republicans? Remember that? So what did George W. Bush do in his second term, to make up for his record spending, to reduce spending and national debt? He continued to spend at record levels- while cutting taxes to gain popularity, and so he could say he cut taxes- further increasing our national debt because, well, we are the top dog and he don't have to think about paying our bills so let's run up that credit card debt- just like he ran those businesses into the ground- and our economy!

How they're doing it this time

Taken from Newsweek without permission:

BETWEEN THE LINESJonathan Alter
‘Jim Crawford’ Republicans
The GOP is working to keep eligible African-Americans from voting in several states.
Sep 11, 2008 | Updated: 2:37 p.m. ET Sep 11, 2008


It was a mainstay of Jim Crow segregation: for 100 years after the Civil War, Southern white Democrats kept eligible blacks from voting with poll taxes, literacy tests and property requirements. Starting in the 1960s, the U.S. Supreme Court declared these assaults on the heart of American democracy unconstitutional.

Now, with the help of a 2008 Supreme Court decision, Crawford vs. Marion County (Indiana) Election Board, white Republicans in some areas will keep eligible blacks from voting by requiring driver's licenses. Not only is this new-fangled discrimination constitutional, it's spreading.

GOP proponents of the move say they are merely trying to reduce voter fraud. But while occasional efforts to stuff ballot boxes through phony absentee voting still surface, the incidence of individual vote fraud—voting when you aren't eligible—is virtually non-existent, as "The Truth About Vote Fraud," a study by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, clearly shows. In other words, the problem Republicans claim they want to combat with increased ID requirements doesn't exist. Meanwhile, those ID hurdles facing individuals do nothing to stop the organized insiders who still try to game the system.


The motive here is political, not racial. Republicans aren't bigots like the Jim Crow segregationists. But they know that increased turnout in poor, black neighborhoods is good for Democrats. In that sense, the effort to suppress voting still amounts to the practical equivalent of racism.

In Crawford, the court upheld an Indiana law essentially requiring a passport or driver's license in order to vote. But more than two thirds of Indiana adults have no passports and nearly 15 percent have no driver's licenses. These eligible voters, disproportionately African-American, will need to take a bus or catch a ride from a friend down to the motor vehicles bureau to make sure they obtain a nondriver photo ID. Otherwise, they cannot vote in Indiana this year.

To get an idea of how many African-Americans nationwide lack driver's licenses, recall Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when thousands were stranded without transportation. "Crawford Republicans" could make the old "Jim Crow Democrats" look like pikers when it comes to voter suppression.

Consider Wisconsin, a swing state. Republicans officials there are suing to enforce a "no match, no vote" provision in state regulations, where voters must not only show a photo ID, but establish that it matches the name and number in the Department of Motor Vehicles or Social Security Administration database. (Democrats are resisting the suit.) These lists are riddled with errors in every state, as the Brennan Center has proven in its report, "Restoring the Right to Vote."

for the full article go here: http://www.newsweek.com/id/158392

Finally a major news source prints the truth!

Maybe now I can relax a little- the anger was really starting to get to me.

New York Times:
McCain Barbs Stirring Outcry as Distortions
WARNING: Reprinted in part without permission!

By MICHAEL COOPER and JIM RUTENBERG
Published: September 12, 2008
Harsh advertisements and negative attacks are a staple of presidential campaigns, but Senator John McCain has drawn an avalanche of criticism this week from Democrats, independent groups and even some Republicans for regularly stretching the truth in attacking Senator Barack Obama’s record and positions.

Mr. Obama has also been accused of distortions, but this week Mr. McCain has found himself under particularly heavy fire for a pair of headline-grabbing attacks. First the McCain campaign twisted Mr. Obama’s words to suggest that he had compared Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, to a pig after Mr. Obama said, in questioning Mr. McCain’s claim to be the change agent in the race, “You can put lipstick on a pig; it’s still a pig.” (Mr. McCain once used the same expression to describe Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s health plan.)

Then he falsely claimed that Mr. Obama supported “comprehensive sex education” for kindergartners (he supported teaching them to be alert for inappropriate advances from adults).

Those attacks followed weeks in which Mr. McCain repeatedly, and incorrectly, asserted that Mr. Obama would raise taxes on the middle class, even though analysts say he would cut taxes on the middle class more than Mr. McCain would, and misrepresented Mr. Obama’s positions on energy and health care.

A McCain advertisement called “Fact Check” was itself found to be “less than honest” by FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan group. The group complained that the McCain campaign had cited its work debunking various Internet rumors about Ms. Palin and implied in the advertisement that the rumors had originated with Mr. Obama.

for the complete article go to http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/13/us/politics/13mccain.html

YOu have made me,..so ve–ry hap-py!! Sing-a-long!!

You have made me– so very happy! La la la la I love Barack Obama!! Unicorns and sunshine and moonbeams, ahh haha haha, republicans can't get me down cause I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love with my wonderful candidate,.. WEEEEEE!!!
(Or maybe I just ate an angus burger from McDonalds and I'm a–swim in brain altering chemicals- either way this is great!)

Un-edited thoughts while watching the RNC

So after letting myself calm down a little from the latest Palin nonsense I've decided to go back and trouble the waters again. Here is the post I self-censored last week after deciding it was only feeding my obsessions. Now, after seeing the disgusting negative ads John McCain is running (see here)– I can say that I no longer care to censor myself. For those who care here are my un-edited, un-censored, thoughts, as they spewed forth while watching John McCain speak at the RNC.




"When you've lived in a box," spoke the deep voice of the narrator... And then emerged John McCain to deliver his speech to literally a few thousand (with the very wealthy in the private VIP boxes above)... Wrapping up an otherwise sleep inducing round of dreary "patriotic" speeches from speakers who seemed to be lacking sleep themselves (and sincerity). Oh, and the one from Cindy McCain actually daring to say that the Republicans of today were the party of Lincoln- ha ha- in name only sister. Try and study a little history please! But, then there was John McCain praising Bush for invading Iraq. Oh, and thanks for the green screen behind McCain again during the first part of his speech- what were they thinking!? I'm sure there will be videos on you tube tomorrow. He does at least say to Obama "you have my respect and admiration- much more unites than divides us- we are fellow Americans and that is an association that means more to me than any other." Of course there was the whole new round of negative attack ads he put out this week but, umm.... Whoa, Whoa, was that an attempted streaker!? McCain said it,.. "Americans want us to stop yelling at each other,"- thanks McCain for at least affirming in your speech how Obama has been running his campaign since the beginning. If only you weren't quite so devoted to the failed ideology and policies that have been the bread and butter of the republican party for 20+ years. Oh, and you say, "I work for you." Well, John McCain, Barack Obama said it first and better- what you didn't get was that this election was never about you- Barack Obama get's it. "I fight, I fight,..I fight," we get it John,.. you fight- go fighting republicans! Woo hoo! Bring out the McCain cheerleaders again they were great! Ouch, McCain just admitted to being a Washington insider- "we lost their (the American people's) trust," but then says, "we are going to change that." And again, "the party of Lincoln," what a load of crap John you should know better! "We believe in a culture of life," just not your life if you are too culturally different from us,... oh and "don't legislate from the bench," please that is all your Supreme Court judges do. Oh God I prey this country will not let this happen again. I prey that people have grown smarter (I know it is a tall order). Next McCain says, and I quote loosely here, "my plans" are better because I lie about them and lie about Obama's plans even though more independent analysis has confirmed Barack has a better economic plan for all except the uber rich like myself- umm that was what he meant to say I guess. Wait what's happening, now McCain is basically mouthing all the same policy Barack talked about in detail, or is that just plagiarism- Oh right, I forgot, it's all in the rhetoric. For McCain "improving schools" means underfunding public schools and offering "vouchers" for private christian schools. And now here is the crux of it- "we will stop sending 700 billion to other countries," [I guess for things like, ohh, humanitarian support, medical aid, food, and national debt payments], and instead spend that money and much more to wage war in other countries. "We'll drill more wells off shore and we will drill them now!" OK, well that's good right?! And then, "It's time for us to show the world again, how Americans lead." Well, if you mean by following George W. Bush 90% of the time "leading" then I guess following Barack never looked so good. "I know how the world works,....I know how to secure the peace [by more war]." "I hate war," says John McCain, but he sure is proud of those scars and the time he spent in the box as he tells the whole story once again with that big grin- cheeky, cheeky McCain. Sounds like maybe he realized early on in his experience that he'd be able to milk that story for a supposed moral high ground for the rest of his life. "I always liked to strut a little after I'd been roughed up," says McCain, but finally they broke him. "No man can always stand alone," a fellow cell mate told him [ except George Bush or Ronald Reagan of course, or McCain if he's president]. "Instead of not using good ideas because we didn't think of them first,.. let's work together." Good idea but,.., um well how about having a few good ideas of your own if you want to be president John McCain!? Is that too much to ask for America?! -- But good concession speech all the same. "Nothing brings greater happiness in life than to serve a cause greater than yourself," but then , "I'm going to fight for my cause everyday." What is your cause McCain? "Fight with me, fight with me, fight, fight... Stand up, stand up, stand up," (starting to sound like Kecinich Wake Up, Wake Up). "We never hide from history,"... unless it's the history of the republican party...cut to more country music, oh it's the McCain Vietnam story as a song, "Raising McCain" and whoosh! It's over! -- Well, no tears for this one as there was not really much for inspiration I'm afraid - just more of the same old B.S. But at least McCain is taking notes from Obama- that's a good sign coming from a man who lived in a box right? Enjoy America!

Pure Regurgitation!

Just moving this to its proper home.... you may have already seen this at the Bullshit blog. But I've got to keep organized!!!

Here, as copied from the Brookings Institutions Aug. 15th updated analysis of the candidates economic tax plans- see the trend? The chart shows how much after-tax income will likely go up by income category under each candidates tax plan. This isn't so much about politics as bank! The high bars on the right are the top 1% and .01 percent under McCain's plan. The blue bars on the left show the income increase for the rest of us under Obama's plan. (Click on the graph for a better view) The richest of the rich have been getting disproportionate tax breaks since Reagan (even Clinton didn't stop that trend). McCain wants to continue that trend. For all reading this blog in the middle income "Quintiles" (I love new words) mostly #2 and #3 Obama is trying to help. And I know a few of those #5 quintile top earners who see the wisdom of Obama's plans for our future. We will be the first generation not to afford the "american dream" and do better financially than our parents if trends continue (and they usually do if you do nothing but the same). No! Re-adjusting the taxes on the highest wage earners back to reasonable 1980 levels after decades of disproportionate tax breaks will not mean the end of this country. Obama and Biden are more likely to take less money out of your pocket than the other guy– and they are more likely to do better things with what they do take creating a better environment for us all to make, and keep, more money. Follow the money. Period.

Trouble the Water!

Trouble the Water– It's not about a hurricane. It's about America.

See this movie for first hand accounts of surviving Katrina and what it has meant for the real residents of New Orleans. I saw this movie with the producers at a screening in NYC. They were told by the national guard that, "Farenheit 911 ruined it for all of you [documentary filmmakers]." The interviews and story they had planned on the national guard and relief work after Katrina was forced to an end after just 3 days. So instead they made a documentary of the real Katrina experience after encountering Kimberly Roberts. This documentary contains nearly 20 minutes of video footage provided by Kimberly Roberts, a resident of the 4th ward of New Orleans, who filmed her own survival story on a portable video camera during Katrina!

http://troublethewaterfilm.com/


Katrina Pain Index: New Orleans Three Years Later
Tuesday 26 August 2008
by: Bill Quigley, t r u t h o u t | Perspective


As the three-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches this week, the city ranks No. 1 in the nation in percentage of housing vacant or ruined. (Photo: Reuters)
Katrina hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast three years ago this week. The president promised to do whatever it took to rebuild. But the nation is trying to fight wars in several countries and is dealing with economic crisis. The attention of the president wandered away. As a result, this is what New Orleans looks like today.

0. Number of renters in Louisiana who have received financial assistance from the $10 billion federal post-Katrina rebuilding program Road Home Community Development Block Grant - compared to 116,708 homeowners.

0. Number of apartments currently being built to replace the 963 public housing apartments formerly occupied and now demolished at the St. Bernard Housing Development.

0. Amount of data available to evaluate performance of publicly financed, privately run charter schools in New Orleans in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 school years.

.008. Percentage of rental homes that were supposed to be repaired and occupied by August 2008 which were actually completed and occupied - a total of 82 finished out of 10,000 projected.

1. Rank of New Orleans among US cities in percentage of housing vacant or ruined.

1. Rank of New Orleans among US cities in murders per capita for 2006 and 2007.

4. Number of the 13 City of New Orleans Planning Districts that are at the same risk of flooding as they were before Katrina.

10. Number of apartments being rehabbed so far to replace the 896 apartments formerly occupied and now demolished at the Lafitte Housing Development.

11. Percent of families who have returned to live in Lower Ninth Ward.

17. Percentage increase in wages in the hotel and food industry since before Katrina.

20-25. Years that experts estimate it will take to rebuild the City of New Orleans at current pace.

25. Percent fewer hospitals in metro New Orleans than before Katrina.

32. Percent of the city's neighborhoods that have less than half as many households as before Katrina.

36. Percent fewer tons of cargo that move through Port of New Orleans since Katrina.

38. Percent fewer hospital beds in New Orleans since Katrina.

40. Percentage fewer special education students attending publicly funded, privately run charter schools than traditional public schools.

41. Number of publicly funded, privately run public charter schools in New Orleans out of total of 79 public schools in the city.

43. Percentage of child care available in New Orleans compared to before Katrina.

46. Percentage increase in rents in New Orleans since Katrina.

56. Percentage fewer inpatient psychiatric beds compared to before Katrina.

80. Percentage fewer public transportation buses now than pre-Katrina.

81. Percentage of homeowners in New Orleans who received insufficient funds to cover the complete costs to repair their homes.

300. Number of National Guard troops still in City of New Orleans.

1,080. Days National Guard troops have remained in City of New Orleans.

1,250. Number of publicly financed vouchers for children to attend private schools in New Orleans in program's first year.

6,982. Number of families still living in FEMA trailers in metro New Orleans area.

8,000. Fewer publicly assisted rental apartments planned for New Orleans by federal government.

10,000. Houses demolished in New Orleans since Katrina.

12,000. Number of homeless in New Orleans even after camps of people living under the bridges have been resettled - double the pre-Katrina number.

14,000. Number of displaced families in New Orleans area whose hurricane rental assistance expires in March 2009.

32,000. Number of children who have not returned to public school in New Orleans, leaving the public school population less than half what it was pre-Katrina.

39,000. Number of Louisiana homeowners who have applied for federal assistance in repair and rebuilding who still have not received any money.

45,000. Fewer children enrolled in Medicaid public healthcare in New Orleans than pre-Katrina.

46,000. Fewer African-American voters in New Orleans in 2007 gubernatorial election than in 2003 gubernatorial election.

55,000. Fewer houses receiving mail than before Katrina.

62,000. Fewer people in New Orleans enrolled in Medicaid public healthcare than pre-Katrina.

71,657. Vacant, ruined, unoccupied houses in New Orleans today.

124,000. Fewer people working in metropolitan New Orleans than pre-Katrina.

132,000. Fewer people in New Orleans than before Katrina, according to the City of New Orleans current population estimate of 321,000 in New Orleans.

214,000. Fewer people in New Orleans than before Katrina, according to the US Census Bureau current population estimate of 239,000 in New Orleans.

453,726. Population of New Orleans before Katrina.

320 million. Number of trees destroyed in Louisiana and Mississippi by Katrina.

368 million. Dollar losses of five major metro New Orleans hospitals from Katrina through 2007. In 2008, these hospitals expect another $103 million in losses.

1.9 billion. FEMA dollars scheduled to be available to metro New Orleans for Katrina damages that have not yet been delivered.

2.6 billion. FEMA dollars scheduled to be available to State of Louisiana for Katrina damages that have not yet been delivered.

Bill is a human rights lawyer, a law professor at Loyola University New Orleans and author of the forthcoming book, "STORMS STILL RAGING: Katrina, New Orleans and Social Justice."

Wake Up America!

The Future is Now!

Eternal vigilante is the price of liberty. It is a price, however it is not expensive; it is not unreasonable. However, at the same time, this vigilance requires dedication, perserverance, and passion. It requires a love for liberty that never demands anything less than that liberty. That liberty is required of liberty itself to be the kind of liberty that is worth that cheapness that is still worthy of true liberty. We must be forever vigilante!!