It appears conservatives would completely sell out American liberty if doing so bought them the key profits their business dealings obsessively revolve around.
Since 9/11, the Bush administration has used that day's terrible events as a maliciously manipulated excuse for a creeping fascisification of American political and economic life.
We've seen successive steps, domestically and abroad, that correspond with the historic merging of police state excess and rampant militarism -- engaged in at the behest of the most reactionary monopoly interests -- which characterized both Mussolini and Hitler's wicked rise.
While our country still remains a "bourgeois democracy", the USA Patriot Act's frighteningly totalitarian bent, the virtual pogrom being waged against American citizens of Arabic and Islamic background, the constant Republican effort to equate objectively well-warranted dissent with "aiding" the enemy, overthrowing foreign governments under the euphemism of "regime change", and the operative anti-unionism in Homeland Security...all take us incrementally closer to revisiting the surpassing bane that gave humanity its worst and most costly experience ever.
Growing up during the Cold War, I can recall being told in school how people in the Stalin-era Soviet Union were forced to spy on one another, to weed out traitors to the revolution. How lucky, teacher said, that we lived in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Well, TIPS surveillance of our neighbors, plus the wholly unfettered wire-tapping and other eavesdropping of the general populace that's been authorized by secret judges have pretty much made the US and the old USSR interchangeable in the pivotal aspect that determines the death of democracy: rule by orchestrated fear.
Republicans/conservatives have made a virtual cottage industry of extolling American freedom; that is to say, the freedom which existed before the Ashcroft era. (Actually, we've had several periods of tremendous repression in our nation's past, but that's a story for another time.)
In any case, these superpatriots always piously wrapped in the flag have now passed a series of demarcational junctures where they could have -- should have -- run screaming into the streets: "Bush is sabotaging our democratic heritage!"
But they've been totally silent, replicating the German circumstance Pastor Niemoller so famously wrote about. In today's America they've already come for our "Jews" (people with "al" or "Muhammed" in their names), and unions are being targetted for extinction. Additionally, since the anti-war movement is primarily organized by leftists, they'll soon be coming for our "communists" as well.
I'll put a simple question to these hypocrites currently seeing or hearing no authoritarian evil:
"Do you love money more than Jefferson's ideals?"
The German industrial and banking elite made huge fortunes via the awful expedient of fascism.
By tying your investments and production to the American military-industrial complex in this time of its steady rightward drift, you'll make a bundle, too. At least for awhile.
But it'll come at an exploitative, oppressive and, yes, murderous price...as Bush forcefully extends Pax Americana around the globe and makes more Orwellian inroads at home.
Last week during a speech at the Great Hall of the People, Hu Jintao, the newly appointed head of China's   Communist Party, claimed that under his leadership China would "contribute to peace and prosperity in the rest of   the world."
However, Hu, a conservative hard-liner known for his anti-American rhetoric, supported the Tiannamen Square   crackdown, used the military to crush Tibetan protestors in 1989, and authorized anti-U.S. demonstrations in 1999.   During a visit to Malaysia last April, Jintao pledged that China would counter American influence in Asia and   oppose the "bullying superpower," echoing Chinese Defense Minister Chi Haotian's sentiments that war between   China and the United States was "inevitable."
More alarmingly, there are strong indications that China is preparing to capitalize on the growing American militarycommitments in the Middle East by invading the island nation of Taiwan.
Ever wonder why, despite the massive killing of Iraqis by the U.S. during the Gulf War, there were so few bodies evident when journalists finally were permitted onto the battlefield?
<
<...the virtual pogrom being waged against American citizens of Arabic and Islamic background...>>
Dennis, I keep up with the news pretty thoroughly and I haven't seen any evidence of this. What I do see is most of America bending over backwards to avoid it.
Hi, Muskwa, Long time no talk :) How are you doing ? What's new down in TX ? It sure is good to see you.
the virtual pogrom being waged against American citizens of Arabic and Islamic background
Dennis, I keep up with the news pretty thoroughly and I haven't seen any evidence of this. What I do see is most of America bending over backwards to avoid it.
Exactly. No matter what sadly there will always be a few who will be prejuduced no matter what. What can be done about it ? I don't know it's a centuries old problem. But on the whole there seems to be an effort to try to be as open and understanding and respectful to a culture who has had their religion highjacked by their extremist element.
He is conservative. Does it make a difference if he has a radio show or only writes a newspaper column?
If he writes a coulmn in a paper and is liberal he's the salt of the earth. If he's a conservative who also has a talk radio show then he's a hack. c'mon, get with it will ya damnit.
Rick,
"This is not just ridiculous. It's not just offensive. It is 100 percent ugly, poisonous, vomitous dishonesty. It is political phlegm."
Does this guy have a right-wing talk radio show?
He writes likes someone who might.
Sounds like a hollywood actor, Dan Rather or any other liberal to me. Either political persuasion could and would write it. I mean geez, that'd be like a guy with a show on say,,,public radio, casting innuendo and personal attacks on someone. I'm sure that wouldn't happen though since libs are so virtuois.
(November 22, 3:20 p.m. CST) - After a year's worth of corporate CEO scandals, it is time to distinguish between the recent exposures of a few corporate malefactors and the preponderance of responsible, productive businessmen and women in this country.
It is also time to realize that the blurring of the line between the two is no accident to many on the left, who see no distinction between the two. While in no way apologizing for the guilty few, we need to be equally cognizant of the contributions of the good actors - how overwhelming they are and how important is their contribution.
In approaching the issue of corporate malfeasance it is important to recognize two things. First, everyone believes without hesitation that any executives guilt of knowingly cheating should be punished. Second, a significant group on the political left doesn't see such behavior as the aberration it is but fundamental to the private enterprise system itself.
The first premise is so evident that it needs no discussion. Yet the second is so overlooked that there is real danger in oversight. Simply, we must make sure that we choose the prudent course of fixing a private enterprise system that works well in the absence of ethical aberration. And we must avoid the course of those who see the system itself as an ethical aberration and want to use recent scandals to pursue a broader agenda that is as dangerous or worse than the scandals themselves.
The magnitude of the scandals and their universal condemnation has momentarily eclipsed the fact that there has long been a group for whom private enterprise itself is suspect. These prophets of doom see in capitalism profits of doom.
For the profits of doom prophets, the paragon of enterprise is the non-profit organization. Contrastingly, the for-profit operation is their pariah because the very idea of profits carries a taint and there is little if any difference between ill-gotten gains and gains at all. Evidence of how easily this mindset insinuates itself is seen in the definition of the "good corporate citizen" as someone "who gives something back to the community" - as if creating jobs and selling goods the public wants is somehow taking something away from the community in the first place. For the left in general and the prophets in particular, wealth is something to be ashamed of and business is a zero-sum game whereby one person's gain automatically equates with another's loss. Not surprisingly the wealthy most likely to accept this argument - and therefore the prophets' idols - are those of inherited wealth. Having done nothing themselves to create their wealth, they are especially susceptible to the guilt of the prophets' mentality.
Not a pervasive rot running through to the system's very core.
Are Enron, Global Crossing, WorldCom, Xerox, Tyco, Quest, Adelphia, Anderson, Merck & Co., Halliburton, ImClone, Bristol-Meyers, Merrill Lynch, etc., etc. (plus countless others yet to be exposed) just an "isolated few"?
I guess you still believe God...is God.
Not monopoly capitalism's all-corrupting, endemic, necessary drive for More Profit at any price, however societally destructive.
Yeah, government providing retirees a guaranteed income during their golden years.
That's really selfish and corrupt.
How about focusing on the many thousands of employee pensions that were wiped out by greedy malfeasance -- no, corporate crime in the suites -- that systemic Enronitis so obscenely represents.
And don't think this inherent corruption will "clean itself up".
It'll take an unrelenting struggle by the people to force rectifying changes on a mass basis.
Otherwise, a few prominent individuals will be sacrificed, the establishment media will declare "victory"...but the pervasive problem will remain, under the rug.
To surface again with lethal impact on our economy and entire culture.
This isn't something that can be dealt with by Bush-style "self-policing" of business and finance.
Thoroughgoing reforms with real teeth are required.
But your post about invading Iraq setting a precedent for other countries acting accordingly was absolutely correct.
The entire notion of preemptively attacking those you don't like is deadly recklessness that should never have been raised.
If you think school-shooting copy cats are bad, wait till a host of belligerents on the international scene start following our "regime change" example.
Yeah, government providing retirees a guaranteed income during their golden years.
Perhaps, but my Social security account has no money in it at all.
Simply a promise to kind of , sort of, should, will might. Also the Mutual Funds are optional. And, for almost everyone, doing quite well.
For me to get Social security in 30 years will depend not on investments , not on my planning and thinking ahead, but on the trust that my government will take the money of young people and give it to me.
O.K I noticed about 14 or so on your list of companies. As was pointed out there are over 13,000 publicly traded companies. And many more that are not. The majority hasn't done these things. Are they all perfect ? Heavens no. The numbers are very small when you look at the scale. You mention the others to come. I'm sure their will be but not on the scale you think or maybe even hope. Throwing the baby out with the bath water is and would be highly reactionary. I don't nor have I seen anyone that would defend the b.s that these execs in the mentioned companies pulled. My Father works for Qwest so I know all to well what can happen. He's worked hard all his life and will have to work more now before he can retire. Nobody would defend those peoples actions who screwed many people. But generalizing I suspect is a simplistic way of trying to achieve greater socialistic policies and the real motive behind it. It is the action by a few that have caused a great many pain. I cheer as you do when I see them doing the perp-walk and getting what they deserve. It doesn't mean we scrap the same system that allows you to have what you do. Wether you admit it or not.
jethro - 07:36am Nov 22, 2002 PST (# 2155 of 2172) It must not be fun being Tom Daschle in the wake of losing the Senate. Who can he blame?
Well, he did finally blame the low Democratic turnout as well as the Republicans trying to "steal" the black and Hispanic votes. THAT’S the real joke here.
Several years ago I was given the same answer about the Republican landslide - more Republicans voted than Democrats. HEY! That year in California Dems were driving people to the polls and giving them donuts! Did the Reps complain? No, we didn't as long as they were not told how to vote, and as it is a secret ballot that wouldn't have worked anyway.
But I figured out how to make the elections much fairer.
Each Republican that votes MUST pick up a Democrat and drive them to the polls.
Then there is the "Habitual Voter" issue. Meaning there are people who vote in every election, as I have done since I was able to vote. And, check it out, they almost certainly are the "Gray Factor!"
Those Habitual Voters actually voted several California Supreme Court judges out of office, and that came from a grass-roots organization, and the opposition said it couldn't be done!
Recently, in my state, there was a vote that wasn't announced until the night before, and then on only one local channel. It was a levy on property. They claimed it would only cost 3¢ per $1000 of the value of said property, however it was WRITTEN that this 3¢ could be raised at the discretion of the agency to as high as $1.00 per $100.00 value, and how long does anyone think that would have taken? How about 5 minutes.
The idiots running the voting expected about 300 people to vote (probably the ones they told by word of mouth, because although they said it was announced in the local papers, not one carried anything about it until after this fiasco was over) and there were only 3 polling places. They ran out of English ballots, had over a 7,000 person turnout, and, of course, it was defeated soundly. The lesson here being NEVER try to pull a fast one on the Gray Factor (most of the voters were older people) and their ability to inform people within a matter of hours.
The party of the "little guy" which wants to limit the president's ability to hire and fire workers is getting rid of 25 to 30 percent of the DNC staff, including many minorities. Link
Are there well-intentioned business owners in America?
Of course.
Are there rich people with social consciences?
Unequivocally.
I've often posted about the Responsible Wealth group of billionaires that advocates proper, progressive taxation and other forms of social responsibility by the very wealthy.
But the undeniably increasing, corrupt and exploitative nature of the monopoly segment of business and finance that controls and guides our economy HAS to be brought into check.
Because if the "rules of the game" are perverted at the top, smaller firms in your town and mine will inevitably have to play accordingly or be squeezed out as being too "nice" to compete on a dirty playing field.
Workers and small businesses have a mutual interest in uniting to curb Monopoly's undue power and influence, and the spreading greed which is like a cancer on our nation's very soul.
The number of owners who'll cheat, chisel and exploit will exponentially rise -- at all levels -- unless much more than wrist-slapping, cosmetic changes are made to a system that's gone sickly awry.
It was 1987! At a lecture the other day they were playing an old news video of Lt.Col. Oliver North testifying at the Iran-Contra hearings during the Reagan Administration. There was Ollie in front of God and country getting the third degree, but what he said was stunning!
He was being drilled by some senator; "Did you not recently spend close to $60,000 for a home security system?"
Ollie replied, "Yes, I did, Sir."
The senator continued, trying to get a laugh out of the audience, "Isn't that just a little excessive?"
"No, sir," continued Ollie.
"No? And why not?" the senator asked.
"Because the lives of my family and I were threatened, sir."
"Threatened? By whom?" the senator questioned.
"By a terrorist, sir" Ollie answered.
"Terrorist? What terrorist could possibly scare you that much?"
"His name is Osama bin Laden, sir" Ollie replied.
At this point the senator tried to repeat the name, but couldn't pronounce it, which most people back then probably couldn't. A couple of people laughed at the attempt. Then the senator continued. Why are you so afraid of this man?" the senator asked.
"Because, sir, he is the most evil person alive that I know of", Ollie answered.
"And what do you recommend we do about him?" asked the senator.
"Well, sir, if it was up to me, I would recommend that an assassin team be formed to eliminate him and his men from the face of the earth."
The senator disagreed with this approach, and that was all that was shown of the clip.
By the way, that senator was Al Gore
Also: Â Â Â Â Â Terrorist pilot Mohammad Atta blew up a bus in Israel in 1986. The Israelis captured, tried and imprisoned him. As part of the Oslo agreement with the Palestinians in 1993, Israel had to agree to release so-called "political prisoners".
However, the Israelis would not release any with blood on their hands.
The American President at the time, Bill Clinton, and his Secretary of State, Warren Christopher, "insisted" that all prisoners be released. Thus Mohammad Atta was freed and eventually thanked the US by flying an airplane into Tower One of the World Trade Center. This was reported by many of the American TV networks at the time that the terrorists were first identified. It was censored in the US from all later reports.
I recall the flaring naplam and the children it consumed in Indochina's countries, in the villages we doomed And my mind blinks back the horrors of a highway named for death Where we made a pact with Satan and sweet Jesus gasped for breath
But we wonder why we're reaping what we've sown!
From the Guatemalan mountains to the Indonesian shores through our many interventions and our dirty little wars We have crucified the peoples of a multitude of lands putting shame upon our nation with the blood that's on our hands
And we wonder why we're reaping what we've sown!
Our flyers loose their bombloads from the gleaming stratosphere and the cackle of their radios is all that they can hear No screams of abject terror as explosions rock the earth those dark-skinned populations...what could they be worth?
Yet we wonder why we're reaping what we've sown!
Remember El Chorillo back in 1989 And the massacring Contras past the Nicaraguan line Plus the teachers and the medics who were singled out to die in the Salvadoran jungles for a cruel and callous lie
Do you wonder why we're reaping what we've sown?
There's a gap along the skyline where two buildings used to be but the reasons for Ground Zero are still something we can't see For the tears we weep in mourning are the ones we never shed for the Asians and the Africans our policies left dead
Strom reminds me of 3rd world - especially Chinese and Indian - leaders. Geriatrics whose gory past has been forgotten and who are venerated only by those who as extreme as these geezers were in their prime.
Kerry is a WAR HERO Jethro. He is also a NICE GUY.
He is not a nice guy. This man has had political calculations upper most in his mind probably since the day he was born. I see you have no comment on the allegation he threw away fake medals to gain political points while keeping the real ones in a safe place. Totally dishonest, if true.
Strom reminds me of 3rd world - especially Chinese and Indian - leaders. Geriatrics whose gory past has been forgotten and who are venerated only by those who as extreme as these geezers were in their prime.
A strong case for Euthanasia.
AHHH, another tolerant person! What a fresh of breath air!
We take you now on yet another depressing trip into the minds of the men and women who pass themselves off a teachers, professors and assorted what-nots at our nation’s colleges and universities.
For today’s expedition we take you to the hallowed halls of the University of Virginia in the hills of Charlottesville. There we find one M. Rick Turner is has found gainful employment as the Dean of the Office of African-American Affairs. (No, I don’t know if there is an Office of European-American Affairs.). Here’s a quote from Mr. Turner that you can find in the December 4th issue of the Charlottesville Daily Progress:
“The root problem in black communities across America is race and the unjust distribution of our nation’s wealth, power and resources. I think that’s the only way we’re going to solve the race problem in America, is to redistribute the wealth.”
May I be so bold as to translate Mr. Turner’s comments for you: Here is what he is really saying:
“The root problem in black communities across America is that white folks have too much of the money, the power and the resources. The only way we can fix this is if we take more of that money away from white folks and give it to black folks.”
Mr. Turner is one of those leftists who believe that all income in the United States is the property of government, and that it is the government’s responsibility to “distribute” that income. He is now willing to acknowledge that income is “earned” not “distributed.” To acknowledge that income is earned would be to admit that some blacks don’t have enough money because they haven’t earned it. Earning is tied to achievement. The concept of earning, then, is not well regarded in a culture of anti-achievement.
It’s amazing, isn’t it. How many days in a row now have I pulled out some comment by some obscure liberal telling us that we need to do a better job of “distributing” the “nation’s wealth”?....Neal Boortz
I'm seriously thinking of defecting to Tasmania, where people know who the Devil is.
Why stay?
This is no longer a country of liberty and opportunity.
Adolf Ashcroft and his spies-and-starchambers repression have terrorized freedom into submission.
Crooked capitalist cronies and their abysmal greed have poisoned the economic wellspring.
Selling out Godly morality and exploiting or otherwise harming others is the only way our perverted system will allow someone to prosper.
Big fish gobble little fish.
Think not?
Delve into the labor relations and environmental records of the multinational companies in your stock portfolio. Oh what evils you're complict in, Christian!
---
(update)
Well, I tried to defect.
But my United flight had to land in Fergus Falls due to impending bankruptcy.
They did give me a Razor knock-off scooter and a personally-drawn road map.
My soles are too thin for the Big Trip, though, so it's back to Duluth I go.
Look for me.
I'll be that screaming flash going down Mesabi Avenue at 90 miles an hour.
This is no longer a country of liberty and opportunity.
I wonder if anyone bothered to tell that to the thousands who risk their life daily to come here. The ones clamoring to be here wether it be legally or illegally. They should have checked with you first Dennis you could have saved them the headache.
In a related development Tasmania is reporting a huge wave of immigration.
Bill and Rob, I really appreciate your voices of reason. You are usually on opposite sides, but you're both open to rational argument and have worthwhile things to say.
First of all, OH BULLSHIT. I did comment on it, when I said that he is not alone, and it doesn't surprise me that you, would NOT understand.
I understand perfectly. Kerry is a dishonest man and you give him a pass because he is a veteran and a democrat. I don't remember you being against Clinton because he was not a veteran. And boy did he have a bad attitude about the military.
WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THEY TRIED TO KILL FREEDOM?
It appears conservatives would completely sell out American
liberty if doing so bought them the key profits their business dealings obsessively revolve around.
Since 9/11, the Bush administration has used that day's terrible events as a maliciously manipulated excuse for a creeping fascisification of American political and economic life.
We've seen successive steps, domestically and abroad, that
correspond with the historic merging of police state excess
and rampant militarism -- engaged in at the behest of the
most reactionary monopoly interests -- which characterized both
Mussolini and Hitler's wicked rise.
While our country still remains a "bourgeois democracy", the
USA Patriot Act's frighteningly totalitarian bent, the virtual
pogrom being waged against American citizens of Arabic and
Islamic background, the constant Republican effort to equate objectively well-warranted dissent with "aiding" the enemy, overthrowing foreign governments under the euphemism of "regime change", and the operative anti-unionism in Homeland Security...all take us incrementally closer to revisiting the surpassing bane that gave humanity its worst and most costly experience ever.
Growing up during the Cold War, I can recall being told in
school how people in the Stalin-era Soviet Union were forced
to spy on one another, to weed out traitors to the revolution.
How lucky, teacher said, that we lived in the land of the free
and the home of the brave.
Well, TIPS surveillance of our neighbors, plus the wholly
unfettered wire-tapping and other eavesdropping of the general populace that's been authorized by secret judges have pretty much made the US and the old USSR interchangeable in the pivotal aspect that determines the death of democracy: rule by orchestrated fear.
Republicans/conservatives have made a virtual cottage industry of extolling American freedom; that is to say, the freedom which existed before the Ashcroft era. (Actually, we've had several periods of tremendous repression in our nation's past, but that's a story for another time.)
In any case, these superpatriots always piously wrapped in the flag have now passed a series of demarcational junctures where they could have -- should have -- run screaming into the streets: "Bush is sabotaging our democratic heritage!"
But they've been totally silent, replicating the German circumstance Pastor Niemoller so famously wrote about. In today's America they've already come for our "Jews" (people with "al" or "Muhammed" in their names), and unions are being targetted for extinction. Additionally, since the anti-war movement is primarily organized by leftists, they'll soon be coming for our "communists" as well.
I'll put a simple question to these hypocrites currently seeing or hearing no authoritarian evil:
"Do you love money more than Jefferson's ideals?"
The German industrial and banking elite made huge fortunes via the awful expedient of fascism.
By tying your investments and production to the American military-industrial complex in this time of its steady rightward drift, you'll make a bundle, too. At least for awhile.
But it'll come at an exploitative, oppressive and, yes, murderous price...as Bush forcefully extends Pax Americana around the globe and makes more Orwellian inroads at home.
Bloody dollars or the Sons of Liberty's legacy.
Which will it be?
Funny, getting lessons on freedom from a SOCIALIST.
Al Gore is back, breathing fire and revising history. His fire--that Bush's economic policy is ``catastrophic'' and his foreign policy goal is world domination--is harmless. His revisionism is not.
Interesting article. I'm new to reading the sftt site, but I like that it tends to be 'contrarian' in a good way.
http://www.sftt.org/dwa/2002/11/20/2.html
Will Iraqi War Tempt China to Invade Taiwan?
By Tom Knowlton
Last week during a speech at the Great Hall of the People, Hu Jintao, the newly appointed head of China's
  Communist Party, claimed that under his leadership China would "contribute to peace and prosperity in the rest of
  the world."
However, Hu, a conservative hard-liner known for his anti-American rhetoric, supported the Tiannamen Square
  crackdown, used the military to crush Tibetan protestors in 1989, and authorized anti-U.S. demonstrations in 1999.
  During a visit to Malaysia last April, Jintao pledged that China would counter American influence in Asia and
  oppose the "bullying superpower," echoing Chinese Defense Minister Chi Haotian's sentiments that war between
  China and the United States was "inevitable."
More alarmingly, there are strong indications that China is preparing to capitalize on the growing American militarycommitments in the Middle East by invading the island nation of Taiwan.
Just throwing out some thoughts.
http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0211/sloyan.html
"What bodies?"
Ever wonder why, despite the massive killing of Iraqis by the U.S. during the Gulf War, there were so few bodies evident when journalists finally were permitted onto the battlefield?
<
<...the virtual pogrom being waged against American citizens of Arabic and Islamic background...>>
Dennis, I keep up with the news pretty thoroughly and I haven't seen any evidence of this. What I do see is most of America bending over backwards to avoid it.
It must not be fun being Tom Daschle in the wake of losing the Senate. Who can he blame?
Hi, Muskwa, Long time no talk :) How are you doing ? What's new down in TX ? It sure is good to see you.
Exactly. No matter what sadly there will always be a few who will be prejuduced no matter what. What can be done about it ? I don't know it's a centuries old problem. But on the whole there seems to be an effort to try to be as open and understanding and respectful to a culture who has had their religion highjacked by their extremist element.
"This is not just ridiculous. It's not just offensive. It is 100 percent ugly, poisonous, vomitous dishonesty. It is political phlegm."
Does this guy have a right-wing talk radio show?
He writes likes someone who might.
He is conservative. Does it make a difference if he has a radio show or only writes a newspaper column?
Senator Daschle complains that he has been accused of being an obstructionist. But Republicans have been accused of much worst -- by Daschle and his fellow Democrats. According to them, Republicans want to destroy the livelihoods of the elderly who depend on Social Security, ruin the environment, destroy the public schools, harm the poor, and turn back the clock to a time when blacks did not have civil rights.
Can the above be honestly disputed?
If he writes a coulmn in a paper and is liberal he's the salt of the earth. If he's a conservative who also has a talk radio show then
he's a hack. c'mon, get with it will ya damnit.
Rick,
"This is not just ridiculous. It's not just offensive. It is 100 percent ugly, poisonous, vomitous dishonesty. It is political phlegm."
Sounds like a hollywood actor, Dan Rather or any other liberal to me. Either political persuasion could and would write it. I mean geez, that'd be like a guy with a show on say,,,public radio, casting innuendo and personal attacks on someone. I'm sure that wouldn't happen though since libs are so virtuois.
From an Editorial in todays Star Trib.
(November 22, 3:20 p.m. CST) - After a year's worth of corporate CEO scandals, it is time to distinguish between the recent exposures of a few corporate malefactors and the preponderance of responsible, productive businessmen and women in this country.
It is also time to realize that the blurring of the line between the two is no accident to many on the left, who see no distinction between the two. While in no way apologizing for the guilty few, we need to be equally cognizant of the contributions of the good actors - how overwhelming they are and how important is their contribution.
In approaching the issue of corporate malfeasance it is important to recognize two things. First, everyone believes without hesitation that any executives guilt of knowingly cheating should be punished. Second, a significant group on the political left doesn't see such behavior as the aberration it is but fundamental to the private enterprise system itself.
The first premise is so evident that it needs no discussion. Yet the second is so overlooked that there is real danger in oversight. Simply, we must make sure that we choose the prudent course of fixing a private enterprise system that works well in the absence of ethical aberration. And we must avoid the course of those who see the system itself as an ethical aberration and want to use recent scandals to pursue a broader agenda that is as dangerous or worse than the scandals themselves.
The magnitude of the scandals and their universal condemnation has momentarily eclipsed the fact that there has long been a group for whom private enterprise itself is suspect. These prophets of doom see in capitalism profits of doom.
For the profits of doom prophets, the paragon of enterprise is the non-profit organization. Contrastingly, the for-profit operation is their pariah because the very idea of profits carries a taint and there is little if any difference between ill-gotten gains and gains at all. Evidence of how easily this mindset insinuates itself is seen in the definition of the "good corporate citizen" as someone "who gives something back to the community" - as if creating jobs and selling goods the public wants is somehow taking something away from the community in the first place. For the left in general and the prophets in particular, wealth is something to be ashamed of and business is a zero-sum game whereby one person's gain automatically equates with another's loss. Not surprisingly the wealthy most likely to accept this argument - and therefore the prophets' idols - are those of inherited wealth. Having done nothing themselves to create their wealth, they are especially susceptible to the guilt of the prophets' mentality.
Continued on next
The Strib must have one, or more big customers evaluating their advertising budgets for next year. They need to run a little love letter for them.
Rob:
You said it was from the Strib's editorial page. That's an Op-Ed.
People say it's liberal but I think it's soulless.
"J.T. Young is a deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Treasury Department."
And from a federal bureaucrat, yet. The Republicans tell me federal employees are lazy idiots.
Just a few bad apples, huh, Rob?
Not a pervasive rot running through to the system's very core.
Are Enron, Global Crossing, WorldCom, Xerox, Tyco, Quest, Adelphia, Anderson, Merck & Co., Halliburton, ImClone, Bristol-Meyers, Merrill Lynch, etc., etc. (plus countless others yet to be exposed) just an "isolated few"?
I guess you still believe God...is God.
Not monopoly capitalism's all-corrupting, endemic, necessary drive for More Profit at any price, however societally destructive.
More Profit is God.
God is bad.
In fact, Satan's in charge.
choose to not buy their products.
Yeah, government providing retirees a guaranteed income during their golden years.
That's really selfish and corrupt.
How about focusing on the many thousands of employee pensions that were wiped out by greedy malfeasance -- no, corporate crime in the suites -- that systemic Enronitis so obscenely represents.
And don't think this inherent corruption will "clean itself up".
It'll take an unrelenting struggle by the people to force rectifying changes on a mass basis.
Otherwise, a few prominent individuals will be sacrificed, the establishment media will declare "victory"...but the pervasive problem will remain, under the rug.
To surface again with lethal impact on our economy and entire culture.
This isn't something that can be dealt with by Bush-style "self-policing" of business and finance.
Thoroughgoing reforms with real teeth are required.
Radical reforms.
But your post about invading Iraq setting a precedent for other
countries acting accordingly was absolutely correct.
The entire notion of preemptively attacking those you don't like
is deadly recklessness that should never have been raised.
If you think school-shooting copy cats are bad, wait till a host
of belligerents on the international scene start following our
"regime change" example.
Dennis
Perhaps, but my Social security account has no money in it at all.
Simply a promise to kind of , sort of, should, will might. Also the Mutual Funds are optional. And, for almost everyone, doing quite well.
For me to get Social security in 30 years will depend not on investments , not on my planning and thinking ahead, but on the trust that my government will take the money of young people and give it to me.
Dennis,
O.K I noticed about 14 or so on your list of companies. As was pointed out there are over 13,000 publicly traded companies. And many more that are not. The majority hasn't done these things. Are they all perfect ? Heavens no. The numbers are very small when you look at the scale. You mention the others to come. I'm sure their will be but not on the scale you think or maybe even hope. Throwing the baby out with the bath water is and would be highly reactionary. I don't nor have I seen anyone that would defend the b.s that these execs in the mentioned companies pulled. My Father works for Qwest so I know all to well what can happen. He's worked hard all his life and will have to work more now before he can retire. Nobody would defend those peoples actions who screwed many people. But generalizing I suspect is a simplistic way of trying to achieve greater socialistic policies and the real motive behind it. It is the action by a few that have caused a great many pain. I cheer as you do when I see them doing the perp-walk and getting what they deserve. It doesn't mean we scrap the same system that allows you to have what you do. Wether you admit it or not.
Hey Dennis, one other thing. I've noticed you don't report on the DOW the way you did right after 9-11. Hmmm Wonder why that is ?
jethro - 07:36am Nov 22, 2002 PST (# 2155 of 2172)
It must not be fun being Tom Daschle in the wake of losing the Senate. Who can he blame?
Well, he did finally blame the low Democratic turnout as well as the Republicans trying to "steal" the black and Hispanic votes. THAT’S the real joke here.
Several years ago I was given the same answer about the Republican landslide - more Republicans voted than Democrats. HEY! That year in California Dems were driving people to the polls and giving them donuts! Did the Reps complain? No, we didn't as long as they were not told how to vote, and as it is a secret ballot that wouldn't have worked anyway.
But I figured out how to make the elections much fairer.
Each Republican that votes MUST pick up a Democrat and drive them to the polls.
Then there is the "Habitual Voter" issue. Meaning there are people who vote in every election, as I have done since I was able to vote. And, check it out, they almost certainly are the "Gray Factor!"
Those Habitual Voters actually voted several California Supreme Court judges out of office, and that came from a grass-roots organization, and the opposition said it couldn't be done!
Recently, in my state, there was a vote that wasn't announced until the night before, and then on only one local channel. It was a levy on property. They claimed it would only cost 3¢ per $1000 of the value of said property, however it was WRITTEN that this 3¢ could be raised at the discretion of the agency to as high as $1.00 per $100.00 value, and how long does anyone think that would have taken? How about 5 minutes.
The idiots running the voting expected about 300 people to vote (probably the ones they told by word of mouth, because although they said it was announced in the local papers, not one carried anything about it until after this fiasco was over) and there were only 3 polling places. They ran out of English ballots, had over a 7,000 person turnout, and, of course, it was defeated soundly. The lesson here being NEVER try to pull a fast one on the Gray Factor (most of the voters were older people) and their ability to inform people within a matter of hours.
The party of the "little guy" which wants to limit the president's ability to hire and fire workers is getting rid of 25 to 30 percent of the DNC staff, including many minorities. Link
Hypocrites.
Are there well-intentioned business owners in America?
Of course.
Are there rich people with social consciences?
Unequivocally.
I've often posted about the Responsible Wealth group of billionaires
that advocates proper, progressive taxation and other forms of
social responsibility by the very wealthy.
But the undeniably increasing, corrupt and exploitative nature of the
monopoly segment of business and finance that controls and guides our economy HAS to be brought into check.
Because if the "rules of the game" are perverted at the top, smaller
firms in your town and mine will inevitably have to play accordingly or be squeezed out as being too "nice" to compete on a dirty playing field.
Workers and small businesses have a mutual interest in uniting to curb Monopoly's undue power and influence, and the spreading greed
which is like a cancer on our nation's very soul.
The number of owners who'll cheat, chisel and exploit
will exponentially rise -- at all levels -- unless much more
than wrist-slapping, cosmetic changes are made to a system that's
gone sickly awry.
I've noticed you don't report on the DOW the way you did right after 9-11. Hmmm Wonder why that is ?
Up 7 weeks in a row!
Are there rich people with social consciences?
There's as many poor people with no conscience as there are rich.
Anyone remember this??
It was 1987! At a lecture the other day they were playing an old news video of Lt.Col. Oliver North testifying at the Iran-Contra hearings during the Reagan Administration. There was Ollie in front of God and country getting the third degree, but what he said was stunning!
He was being drilled by some senator; "Did you not recently spend
close to $60,000 for a home security system?"
Ollie replied, "Yes, I did, Sir."
The senator continued, trying to get a laugh out of the audience,
"Isn't that just a little excessive?"
"No, sir," continued Ollie.
"No? And why not?" the senator asked.
"Because the lives of my family and I were threatened, sir."
"Threatened? By whom?" the senator questioned.
"By a terrorist, sir" Ollie answered.
"Terrorist? What terrorist could possibly scare you that much?"
"His name is Osama bin Laden, sir" Ollie replied.
At this point the senator tried to repeat the name, but couldn't pronounce it, which most people back then probably couldn't. A couple
of people laughed at the attempt. Then the senator continued. Why are you so afraid of this man?" the senator asked.
"Because, sir, he is the most evil person alive that I know of",
Ollie answered.
"And what do you recommend we do about him?" asked the senator.
"Well, sir, if it was up to me, I would recommend that an assassin team be formed to eliminate him and his men from the face of the
earth."
The senator disagreed with this approach, and that was all that was shown of the clip.
By the way, that senator was Al Gore
Also:
     Terrorist pilot Mohammad Atta blew up a bus in Israel in 1986.
The Israelis captured, tried and imprisoned him. As part of the Oslo
agreement with the Palestinians in 1993, Israel had to agree to release so-called "political prisoners".
However, the Israelis would not release any with blood on their hands.
The American President at the time, Bill Clinton, and his Secretary
of State, Warren Christopher, "insisted" that all prisoners be released. Thus Mohammad Atta was freed and eventually thanked the US by flying an airplane into Tower One of the World Trade Center. This was reported by many of the American TV networks at the time that the terrorists were first identified. It was censored in the US from all later reports.
In all fairness, that is not what happened and is an urban legend.
See this link for more information.
May the stock market rise without weekly interruption forever.
May sleazy crony capitalism heal itself.
May Roseanne learn to sing.
And here's the link debunking the Atta claim: http://www.snopes.com/rumors/atta.htm
Dennis
Skip a bit brother.......breakfast cereals, fruitbats......
REAPING WHAT WE'VE SOWN
I recall the flaring naplam and the children it consumed
in Indochina's countries, in the villages we doomed
And my mind blinks back the horrors of a highway named for death
Where we made a pact with Satan and sweet Jesus gasped for breath
But we wonder why we're reaping what we've sown!
From the Guatemalan mountains to the Indonesian shores
through our many interventions and our dirty little wars
We have crucified the peoples of a multitude of lands
putting shame upon our nation with the blood that's on our hands
And we wonder why we're reaping what we've sown!
Our flyers loose their bombloads from the gleaming stratosphere
and the cackle of their radios is all that they can hear
No screams of abject terror as explosions rock the earth
those dark-skinned populations...what could they be worth?
Yet we wonder why we're reaping what we've sown!
Remember El Chorillo back in 1989
And the massacring Contras past the Nicaraguan line
Plus the teachers and the medics who were singled out to die
in the Salvadoran jungles for a cruel and callous lie
Do you wonder why we're reaping what we've sown?
There's a gap along the skyline where two buildings used to be
but the reasons for Ground Zero are still something we can't see
For the tears we weep in mourning are the ones we never shed
for the Asians and the Africans our policies left dead
And we wonder why we're reaping what we've sown!
--DR
While liberal judicial activism and conservative judicial activism are equally contrary to the rule of law, they have not been equally prevalent in our times. Despite determined efforts in recent years among liberals in the media and in academia to create such equivalence, what have been called "conservative judges" in our times have usually been judges who stick to the law as written. "Conservative activism" has become a clever slogan, seldom documented with concrete examples among contemporaries.
What if the administration could find someone who is not merely an advocate of judicial restraint but someone with a strong record of having unabashedly practiced it? And what if it would be someone who would present real political problems to the Democrats if they filibustered or launched a smear campaign?
'the least amongst us'
When Kerry returned from Vietnam he became an anti-war activist, famously "returning" medals to the U.S. government by throwing them on the steps of Capitol Hill for a photo-op. It was later revealed that they were not in fact his own medals, which he kept safely at home.
Strom reminds me of 3rd world - especially Chinese and Indian - leaders. Geriatrics whose gory past has been forgotten and who are venerated only by those who as extreme as these geezers were in their prime.
A strong case for Euthanasia.
Kerry is a WAR HERO Jethro. He is also a NICE GUY.
He is not a nice guy. This man has had political calculations upper most in his mind probably since the day he was born. I see you have no comment on the allegation he threw away fake medals to gain political points while keeping the real ones in a safe place. Totally dishonest, if true.
AHHH, another tolerant person! What a fresh of breath air!
<sarcasm off>
We take you now on yet another depressing trip into the minds of the men and women who pass themselves off a teachers, professors and assorted what-nots at our nation’s colleges and universities.
For today’s expedition we take you to the hallowed halls of the University of Virginia in the hills of Charlottesville. There we find one M. Rick Turner is has found gainful employment as the Dean of the Office of African-American Affairs. (No, I don’t know if there is an Office of European-American Affairs.). Here’s a quote from Mr. Turner that you can find in the December 4th issue of the Charlottesville Daily Progress:
May I be so bold as to translate Mr. Turner’s comments for you: Here is what he is really saying:
“The root problem in black communities across America is that white folks have too much of the money, the power and the resources. The only way we can fix this is if we take more of that money away from white folks and give it to black folks.”
Mr. Turner is one of those leftists who believe that all income in the United States is the property of government, and that it is the government’s responsibility to “distribute” that income. He is now willing to acknowledge that income is “earned” not “distributed.” To acknowledge that income is earned would be to admit that some blacks don’t have enough money because they haven’t earned it. Earning is tied to achievement. The concept of earning, then, is not well regarded in a culture of anti-achievement.
It’s amazing, isn’t it. How many days in a row now have I pulled out some comment by some obscure liberal telling us that we need to do a better job of “distributing” the “nation’s wealth”?....Neal Boortz
Hey Wolvie!
How goes it?
Pretty good THX, been away for awhile but I am back for a little bit. Time allowing! =) Hope all is well with you and everyone else here!
All's right with the world, Wolvie.
We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Have a good one!
I'm seriously thinking of defecting to Tasmania, where people know who the Devil is.
Why stay?
This is no longer a country of liberty and opportunity.
Adolf Ashcroft and his spies-and-starchambers repression have terrorized freedom into submission.
Crooked capitalist cronies and their abysmal greed have poisoned the economic wellspring.
Selling out Godly morality and exploiting or otherwise harming others is the only way our perverted system will allow someone to prosper.
Big fish gobble little fish.
Think not?
Delve into the labor relations and environmental records of the multinational companies in your stock portfolio. Oh what evils you're complict in, Christian!
---
(update)
Well, I tried to defect.
But my United flight had to land in Fergus Falls due to impending bankruptcy.
They did give me a Razor knock-off scooter and a personally-drawn road map.
My soles are too thin for the Big Trip, though, so it's back to Duluth I go.
Look for me.
I'll be that screaming flash going down Mesabi Avenue at 90 miles an hour.
We won't become the envy of other nations until we stop giving their people reason to hate us.
Big Truth of the Day:
We need to clean up our own house instead of bombing, rocketing and shelling others' houses, around the world.
"So get off your high-horse Dennis, and just leave, if that is what will make you happy."
You've been telling people who don't agree with you to get out of the country a couple times in recent days, now Bill.
What's up with that?
C-Span was live from Paris this morning, with the bureau chiefs of the Washington Post and the New York Times.
I was jealous. I wished I was out of the country, and walking the gray, chilly, noisy streets of Paris.
I wonder if anyone bothered to tell that to the thousands who risk their life daily to come here. The ones clamoring to be here wether it be legally or illegally. They should have checked with you first Dennis you could have saved them the headache.
In a related development Tasmania is reporting a huge wave of immigration.
Bill and Rob, I really appreciate your voices of reason. You are usually on opposite sides, but you're both open to rational argument and have worthwhile things to say.
First of all, OH BULLSHIT. I did comment on it, when I said that he is not alone, and it doesn't surprise me that you, would NOT understand.
I understand perfectly. Kerry is a dishonest man and you give him a pass because he is a veteran and a democrat. I don't remember you being against Clinton because he was not a veteran. And boy did he have a bad attitude about the military.