Mike Lofgren | Art Does Not Imitate Life: TV Dramas Can’t Capture the Real World of Politics Mike Lofgren, Truthout: Fictionalized representations of the American political system such as “House of Cards” are digestible to public understanding in a way that reality is not. A documentary of the skullduggery that went into introduction and passage of the Authorization for Use of Military Force in Iraq or Wall Street’s efforts to buy off politicians and evade financial reform is unlikely to appeal to a similar audience. “Frackgate”: Ohio Regulators Planned To Subvert Eco-Groups, Promote Fracking in State Parks Mike Ludwig, Truthout: Republican Gov. John Kasich and Ohio regulators are in hot water over internal documents that environmental groups and state lawmakers say show the administration planned to collude with the oil and gas industry to publicly promote fracking in state parks. The plan included strategies for fending off criticism from a “Nixon-style enemies list.” Western States’ Regulation of Pot Provides Template for Rest of Nation Paul Armentano, Truthout: Colorado lawmakers are applying the tried-and-true principles of legalization, regulation and public education to cannabis. Ultimately, only criminals benefit from the ongoing imposition of cannabis prohibition. How Obama Could Kill the Democratic Party The Daily Take, The Thom Hartmann Program: In the coming weeks, the president is expected to announce his new budget plan for fiscal year 2015. And while more than a year into his second term in office, when he should have the Democratic Party behind him, many progressives are worried. Predator Banks Enter Brave New World of Epic Scams; Public Hasn’t Got a Clue Lynn Parramore, AlterNet: Wall Street watchers have been concerned for some time about the monopolizing trend among big banks. One of the most alarming developments in recent years is a buying spree in which megabanks have been gobbling up physical assets. FCC Considers New Net Neutrality Rules Mike Ludwig, Truthout: The FCC says it will write new net neutrality rules to prevent telecommunications companies from discriminating against web content. But the White House issued a statement that suggested President Obama would not direct the agency to reclassify the Internet as a common carrier. Richard D. Wolff | A Lesson From Chattanooga Richard D. Wolff, Moyers & Company: Many factors led to the United Auto Workers’ loss in the recent union election at the Volkswagen factory in Tennessee. Likewise, many lessons can be learned. One especially important lesson concerns how one factor – “outside influence” – works so one-sidedly in the United States. Holder’s Speech on Felon Disenfranchisement: A Step Forward or Just Lip Service? Candice Bernd, Truthout: In a speech at Georgetown University on Tuesday, Attorney General Eric Holder called for a ban on laws prohibiting more than 6 million felons from voting. But what is the Obama administration’s real track record on these racist disenfranchisement policies? David Palumbo-Liu, Truthout: In the United States, perceptions of possible deadly threats are too often race-inflected. And while the assertion that “hate” factored into the murder of Jordan Davis is hard to prove convincingly, we need a way socially to express our abhorrence of such acts. In today‘s On the News segment: The Department of Homeland Security wants to keep a record of where you drive your car; while many states around our nation are moving closer to equality, Indiana is pushing toward discrimination; raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour could decrease jobs for low-wage workers; and more. Watch the Video and Read the Transcript Fed Orders Post-Crisis Crackdown at Big Banks Kevin G. Hall, McClatchy Washington Bureau: A long-anticipated rule will require domestic and international banks with assets above $50 billion to hold more capital in case things go bad. It was required as part of the sweeping revamp of financial regulation back in 2010 that followed the most devastating financial crisis since the Great Depression. US Support for Regime Change in Venezuela Is a Mistake Mark Weisbrot, The Guardian: The US push to topple the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro once again pits Washington against South America. Banning Home Births: Next Wave of Reproductive Control? Robin Marty, Care2: There is a growing movement to regulate midwives and home births. That’s the situation in Arizona, where an “emergency” proposal is being introduced in the Legislature to undo new advances when it comes to allowing assisted home births. |
February 20, 2014 at 12:04 am
God that 1% is so disgusting~
February 20, 2014 at 12:31 am
I think its easy for people so distanced from others to dehumanize and disregard others well being. I am heartened by the notable few like Warren Buffett who refuse to be part of that and instead use their wealth to help others and try to push society toward more fairness and caring.
As I discovered when I first encountered the deconstruction of privilege with things like “white privilege”, the position of being privileged whether based on wealth, social capital like skin color, gender, national citizenship etc always steals something deeply valuable from those so privileged-and usually like the experience of privilege itself, the missing things are also invisible to the person.
So as much as most of us wish for wealth and ease, and experience shock and horror at some of the behavior, we might be glad to be where we are in comparison if we were able to fully deconstruct and understand what was lost and gained in those positions.
The “trustafarian syndrome” is a good example. 2nd, 3rd etc generation wealthy are often tho not always noticeably dysfunctional: drug addiction is common, lack of decent social skills, exceptionally poor life choices, grown adults who act like spoiled children-even when they are over 70 years old.
Imho disconnecting from the inner network of all living beings is awful but majority in colonized society experience that to some degree but the majority of the 1% appear to also be completely disconnected from their own species. What a horrible way to live.
On one hand I am quite as disgusted as anyone but I do try to generate compassion and after meditation on it I feel like for all the real lack and suffering the poor experience even the most destitute scraping by subsistence farming in villages in the third world often have treasures the 1% cannot even imagine-community, love, trust, dignity, integrity, awareness.
This makes sense now because I have eaten today-tho true I probably will perceive it differently on days without food!:-)