liveonearth: (moon)
Listening to the media reports about Trump and Clinton, I understand the frustration of the majority of voters.  Most of us know that the "establishment" politicians, like Clinton, are part and parcel with the corporatocracy that has made our two party system a joke.  The two parties are simply different faces of the same government which is beholden to big business and rich investors.  While the Democrats make more of an effort to care for the most impoverished, neither side is actually effective at reducing poverty.  The Republicans assert that the poor are not helped by a free ride, and this may be true.  It is true that during the Great Depression here in the US, people got healthier.

Trump, on the other hand, is not part of the "establishment" except in so far as he is rich, and he is stupid enough to become their tool, just as Shrub did.  His daily empty statements, like what I just heard that he "will win" 95% of the black American vote, are lunacy.  There is no way that he is getting 95% of any vote, except perhaps of those white male voters who are angry and desperate enough to commit suicide but would rather have someone else do it for them.  I understand the line of thought that says "crash this train", that is to say, destroying our corporatocracy is the first step toward building something new.  This is more the approach of libertarians who understand that big business will not be dethroned by small measures.  Electing Trump would be a drastic measure that could crash this train, except for the fact that the corporate Republican powers will feed his ego and narcissism and keep him busy and distracted by giving him televised glory while they run things.  In other words, it won't work.  Electing Trump will not derail the corporate train.

The Libertarian and Green candidates are relatively attractive in this election.  Unfortunately the Libertarians appear to be almost as "estalishment" as Clinton, see Gary Johnson's positions here.  Jill Stein of the Green party is a physician and one smart cookie, and she actually makes the most sense to me of any of the candidates.  She knows that our two-party system is broken, and she addresses that question and others with a raft of information instead of party lines or defund-it-all ideology.

I do not know what it would take to persuade a majority of voters to choose third-party candidates, but I pray that I live to see it.  At this moment it appears to me that Clinton will win because so many people are terrified of the specter of a Trump presidency.  His racism, bogus claims and impetuous thin-skinned personality are enough to disqualify him for all but the most blindered of voters.  It is true that if he were elected the Republican party would attempt to control him, but we all know that he would be more likely to push the nuclear button than any other president in living memory.  While it bears discussing why we refrain from using nukes, just as it bears discussing why we can't as a society afford freeloaders, we might want to discuss it very well before we hand any control to a tool such as Trump.

I am sure I've mentioned it before, but it is my belief that in order to build a majority that can beat both established parties, we need to build a bridge between the far right Libertarians and the far left Greens.  When this happens we might actually wrest our democracy back from its service to business.  It would be heralded as a great crisis, just like the Brexit vote, but don't believe everything you hear in the news.  A reduction in our GDP might be good for us.  More unemployment is not an entirely bad thing.  We Americans need to get back to the project of taking good care of ourselves and our dear ones, building community, and being real people face to face with other real people.  This wealthy life of internet and automobiles has created a Great Satan that is making us sad.

** first use of tag: green party
liveonearth: (moon)
If you don't want the culture clock turned back to the 50's, you better muster the guts to get registered and turn out to cast your ballot.  Else the progress we've made in terms of tolerance and social justice will be undone, by Rump and his old white guy fans.  You may not like Hillary much better, but that doesn't matter.  Vote.  Vote for anybody.  Vote for a third party.  Vote for someone you actually agree with.  Vote for Hillary to be sure Rump doesn't get in.  Vote against destruction, because a Trump presidency will not only finish off the Republican party, but it will also devastate the American Dream.  Be a part of the process and keep the old white guys from making you irrelevant and thoughtlessly destroying any good relations we have with other nations.
liveonearth: (Oprah_shocked)

"It seems inappropriate that I would debate the second place finisher," Trump said in a statement, referring to Sanders' likely loss to Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.
--found it on the Week

full news release:

- MAY 27, 2016 -

DONALD J. TRUMP STATEMENT ON DEBATING BERNIE SANDERS

Based on the fact that the Democratic nominating process is totally rigged and Crooked Hillary Clinton and Deborah Wasserman Schultz will not allow Bernie Sanders to win, and now that I am the presumptive Republican nominee, it seems inappropriate that I would debate the second place finisher. Likewise, the networks want to make a killing on these events and are not proving to be too generous to charitable causes, in this case, women’s health issues. Therefore, as much as I want to debate Bernie Sanders -  and it would be an easy payday - I will wait to debate the first place finisher in the Democratic Party, probably Crooked Hillary Clinton, or whoever it may be.

**1st use of "rump" and "assumption" tags

liveonearth: (business dance)

What's distinctive about Sanders is not (or not simply) that he's an ideological purist who refuses to think pragmatically but that he just doesn't know or care very much about the details of how the world works, how to affect concrete change, and what the possible unintended consequences of major changes is likely to be. He'd rather rally the troops and give a rousing speech.
--Damon Linker in the Week, here:
http://theweek.com/articles/617065/bernie-sanders-hollow-aspirational-politics

I share this quote because I disagree.  I think that Bernie sees the writing on the wall, that this crash will either happen sooner and in an intentional way, or later in an even more devastating way.  Take apart the banks, or watch them take us apart.  Re-establish human decency or take care of just yourself.  This crossroads leads one way, the other way is inconceivable.  You just can't change directions when there is so much momentum.  Not without a crash.  Bernie knows that many people will die in the process, that poor people will loose the game, and that over generations rich people will be able to relocate to wherever they need to go to survive and propagate.  Idiocracy will come to pass if tRump is any indication of wealthy breeding.

I thought since the beginning that this polarity between tRump and Bernie is representative of the deepest cultural fissure in this nation.  It has been fascinating to watch it play out.

To assert that Bernie doesn't know how the world works is a pretty low blow.  He knows.  His heart broke a long time ago.  Now he's trying to do something to change it.  I appreciate his efforts and I wish that he'd team up with my old buddy Ron Paul (he's not too old) and connect the political circle.  If anybody knows what's going on, it's these old dudes.

liveonearth: (moon)
I sample propaganda from all sides of the US political spectrum. Today I got an email from Dick Cheney. I will have to check with my republican friends to find out if they actually think highly of Dick, because as far as I can tell he is evil incarnate. Anyway, Dick sent me a link and asked me to give money to the National Republican Congressional Committee. The headline on the donation page is "Stop Democrats from controlling all of Washington" and the image is one of Obama, Hillary and Biden walking toward the camera, smiling. Here: https://www.nrcc.org/defeat-liberal-democrats/. I showed it to my coworkers today and they could not figure out how that image supports the republican desire to oust the Dems, aside from who was in it. I did notice that Obama's hands are in his pockets (hidden hands = deceitful), and that all three are laughing as if about an inside joke. Also Biden has his arm around Hillary in comfortable buddy gesture. The last thing to notice about the image is that it is shot from above, looking down on Obama's head as he looks down to walk. I am told that this angle makes a person seem less powerful. I would have thought, though, that they'd go for something that made him look more evil, but I guess that having an inside joke with hands in pockets is bad enough. Dick didn't get any of my money, though.
liveonearth: (T Mug)
(post bumped forward from 5/24/08)

Constant toothy smiling can cause stress, high blood pressure, depression and heart problems according to Johann Wolfgang Goethe who studies smiles at the University of Frankfurt. "Zapf recommends that 'professional smilers' take regular breaks to relax, rid themselves of aggression and recuperate from the effort of smiling." There are some jokes in the article about how German customer service isn't the friendliest on the planet, anyway.

SCIENCE:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053482202000487 on emotional work
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13594320500412199
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10615800903254091
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10615806.2010.530262
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1348/096317905X39666/full

more )
liveonearth: (Default)
I like Hillary more and more in her new job. In this clip see Ron Paul speaking broady about the change in tone, but the lack so far of visible change of foreign policy action, by the Obama administration. Hillary's response is well considered and she actually compliments Ron Paul at the end. Someone off screen says "You're going to encourage him," and all laugh.
liveonearth: (Default)
I keep noticing these frowns in the news. When the lips are turned in just a little bit, the person is only moderately bothered. When a person's lips are stretched wide and folded inward until you can't see the lips at all, they are extremely troubled and insecure. This tight grimace with no lip visible and the edges turned down is the ultimate sign of disgrace. These facial expressions are universal because they are controlled by the limbic system. Monkeys make the same faces for the same reasons.


note: too bad the pix don't stay up, huh? I just deleted some image links that were defunct but more will become so over time. June 2010

lots of images )

Hillary

Oct. 9th, 2008 12:21 pm
liveonearth: (Default)

I don't exactly agree with her about America having a chance to be "back on track"....but I'll still feel relieved if Obama is elected and not McCain. I dread hearing that the neocons truly have taken over the electoral machine.....and McCain is our next president....
liveonearth: (Default)
This link from my FL provoked a little more research:
http://gilmoure.livejournal.com/933886.html?view=853246#t853246
I want to see a VP candidate debate!
Joe Biden vs Sarah Paulin
It hardly seems fair but maybe she has some Ace In The Hole.

First of all, I hadn't realized that McCain has such a history of ditching significant women for someone younger and prettier. How icky can he get? Second, I didn't know that he had chosen a running mate, or that she is a hottie from Alaska. Her name is Sarah Palin and she is governor.

There are some rumblings about "what is McCain thinking" when he chose this inexperienced backwoods cutie for his VP. Well, I think I know. His choice of a pretty woman is parts of these and more:
1) to feed his male pride and look better on TV
2) to add youth to the ticket since McCain's prevailing presentation seems to be of old age and forgetfulness
3) to hold onto maximum power and avoid having an influential VP
4) to try to gain support from the Clinton supporters for whom gender is a driving issue

To the Clinton supporters I suggest Cynthia McKinney. And to the rest of the republicans who might vote for McCain I say WHAT IF THE OLD FART SUDDENLY DIES and we end up with a beauty queen who's good on TV for president? Hmmm? The LAST thing we need is another neocon puppet. Even if she's a woman.
liveonearth: (Default)
The good news for Bob Barr of the Libertarian Party is that he's got about 5% of the polling vote, up to 10% in some states. Historically third party voters get less of the actual votes than they get of the polls. Still, Barr may get the most votes ever given to a Libertarian candidate. There are some who hope.
more on the Libertarian and Green Party candidates for President )
liveonearth: (Default)
Thanks to [livejournal.com profile] ngakmafaery for sharing this article. In it Mark Morford of San Fransisco suggests that Obama inspires people not through great speeches or brilliant policy, but because he has a higher energy. Something about his presence blows people away. Perhaps Obama is an exceptional being who touches our higher nature and raises collective consciousness. I believe that he has begun to do that, already. He doesn't know much about foreign policy, but he seems to have an open heart. I still have hope that we will turn back from the precipice.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/06/06/notes060608.DTL
news brainstorm: thoughts about VPship and sexism vs racism )
liveonearth: (Default)
It seems the last time she was willing to tackle the issue directly was back in 2000 when we had a budget surplus. Here's what happened then:
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/hillary_rodham_clinton/index.html?query=NATIONAL%20DEBT%20(US)&field=des&match=exact
***
Government action to tackle recession, not tax cuts. (Feb 2008)
The economy is not working for middle class families. (Jan 2008)
We need immediate relief for home heating & housing crisis. (Jan 2008)
Voted to limit credit card interest to 30%. (Jan 2008)
FactCheck: Consistently against making bankruptcy stricter. (Jan 2008)
2005 bankruptcy bill was by big credit cards & lenders. (Jan 2008)
No evidence as to how Obama would pay for new programs. (Jan 2008)
Foreclosure moratorium mitigates agony; doesn't prolong it. (Jan 2008)
90-day moratorium on foreclosures; freeze interest rates. (Jan 2008)
Call for a moratorium on housing foreclosures for 90 days. (Jan 2008)
Freeze mortgage interest rates for five years. (Jan 2008)
Look back to 1990s to see how I'd be fiscally responsible. (Dec 2007)
Help people facing foreclosure; don't just bail-out banks. (Aug 2007)
Balanced budget replaced with rising costs & falling wages. (Jun 2007)
Last six years were challenging; let's try a new direction. (Oct 2006)
Co-sponsored bills totaling $502B in spending thru 2005. (Oct 2006)
Use tax dollars to upgrade infrastructure, not for stadium. (Oct 2000)
Pay down debt & cut taxes within balanced budget. (Sep 2000)
Stimulate upstate economy by more local decision-making. (Sep 2000)
Supports Niagara casino, but prefers job creation strategy. (Sep 2000)
Protect next generation by paying off national debt. (Aug 2000)
We have outlived the usefulness of Bretton Woods. (Jun 1999)
The economy creates consumers but cannot create citizens. (Jun 1999)
Invest in people instead of “smokestack chasing”. (Feb 1997)
Voted NO on paying down federal debt by rating programs' effectiveness. (Mar 2007)
Voted NO on $40B in reduced federal overall spending. (Dec 2005)
Require full disclosure about subprime mortgages. (Dec 2007)
SOURCE: http://www.ontheissues.org/hillary_clinton.htm
***
Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton, who wants to be president, told CNBC last week (in March 08) that recent volatility in the U.S. stock market, which began with a sell-off of Chinese stocks, "should be a real wake-up call for our country." "Obviously, the level of our debt that is now held by central banks and foreign governments is a problem," she said. "And I don't want the administration to ignore this wake-up call and just hit the snooze button again." Critics say Clinton is exaggerating the problem, particularly the danger of so much debt being held by overseas creditors.
(Whatever. THIS critic says she's not offering any solutions, and that's what we need.)
***
more but it's all old )
liveonearth: (Default)

I don't know why she came to mind today, but I had to look her up and see which Democrat she had endorsed. She has been politically active for many years and a staunch Democrat. She also has been a devoted supporter of Israel. Barbara chose Hillary. "It's the woman thing," said Suzanne. I agree. The more vocal lesbians of the Portland Lesbian Choir also favor Hillary, though the choir does not hold any official position. Anyway, here's the Clinton campaign press release about the endorsement, on Barbara's rumor-stopping website.
Extra. )
liveonearth: (Default)
This site has detailed comparisons of the contenders in the US presidential race. Very interesting.
http://www.health08.org/sidebyside_results.cfm?c=5&c=11&c=16
liveonearth: (Default)
The Weekly Update from Media Matters for America is behind the cut. This org watches what is reported and what is not, and thinks critically about it. In this case the media is clamoring for Hillary's tax returns but not even noticing that McCain hasn't released his. It sounds like some are falsely reporting that McCain's tax returns have already been released. I find it interesting that the supposedly "liberal media" continues to dig dirt on non-Republican candidates but quietly shelters McCain. This media would be more aptly named the "corporate media". Its power and profitability will be at stake when their guys are out of the whitehouse. Ron Paul would have cut them a new one. Obama and Clinton are pawns in their game. It's painful to admit to what degree the media controls public opinion. Thank goodness for rebel blogs, shows like Democracy Now and orgs such as Media Matters. Independent media is out there!
MM on the pulse )
liveonearth: (Default)


(Spoof warning: don't believe everything on youtube!)
liveonearth: (Default)
They're doing it because they think that she'll lose to McCain, so "a vote for Hillary is a vote for McCain". One more reason to support the brown upstart Obama.
a report from an election volunteer in rural Texas )
liveonearth: (Default)
I just picked up Barack Obama's book from the library today. I like the title. I sucked down the first 10 pages or so, and he is a frank and entertaining writer. I am so pissed at Hillary, think McCain sux, and don't think Ron Paul can win because he doesn't have that Hollywood thing.....and Obama sounds better all the time. I put in my request for this book about 2 months ago---it took that long to work through the waiting list.

audacious = taking risks without worrying about convenion, unafraid, not easily put off )

Profile

liveonearth: (Default)
liveonearth

May 2025

S M T W T F S
    123
45678910
11121314151617
1819202122 2324
25262728293031

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated May. 28th, 2025 05:18 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios