The Big Lie of Recession Politics: ‘Shared Sacrifice’ by Shamus Cooke

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by Shamus Cooke
Global Research, March 3, 2009

It’s everywhere you look and in every speech you listen to. Every time a politician or businessmen talks about the recession, an almost in-synch, repetitive mantra can be heard: “Shared sacrifice, equality of sacrifice, hard choices.” Oh my.

There must be something to it, since EVERYBODY seems to be regurgitating the phrase in harmony. Even union bureaucrats have caught the shared sacrifice fever, using it to subdue their members in contract negotiations.

Obama himself has turned this once-extinct phrase into the linchpin of his economics policy: “We will, each and every one of us, have to compromise on certain things we care about but which we simply cannot afford right now.”

Obama has used this reasoning to reduce the wages of auto workers, while also talking about so-called “entitlement programs” like social security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

When asked about how this applied to the 28 new helicopters planned for the White House — costing $11.2 billion — Obama gave a heroic lead to the American people, saying that he “could do without them.”

Anti-Coal Day on Capitol Hill + We shut them down!

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AmericanNewsProject

This weekend, twelve thousand students converged on Washington demanding the U.S. lead the world with a cleaner, greener, and more innovative energy policy. Powershift 09 attracted double the numbers of its 07 convention. All day long, students filled the halls of Congress lobbying their elected officials to fight global warming. Meanwhile, a parallel protest called the Capitol Climate Action was taking place out in the streets. Thousands marched to the Capitol Power Plant (owned by Congress) demanding that it convert from coal to natural gas. Activists like writer Bill McKibben, poet Wendell Berry, and NASA scientist James Hansen—who all risked arrest to make their point—hailed the days activities as the kickoff for a year of worldwide mobilizations leading to the Copenhagen Climate Conference in December.

Why is the Bank playing Monopoly alone? By Roland Michel Tremblay

By Roland Michel Tremblay
Featured Writer
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The Marginal
3 March, 2009

Monopoly is one of the oldest board games in the Western World. It has become a symbol to everything that we are about, a symbol to capitalism. It is such a simple game, anyone can learn to play it in minutes, and yet, within this simple game, it is amazing how our whole way of life can be resumed. Is it still worth playing the game though, or is the bank playing alone nowadays?

I always loved playing Monopoly, I have been playing since I was born. My first time must have been when I was 3 years old. Today I play it on my Nintendo DS, on my PC, and even on my phone/Pocket PC. I still enjoy it tremendously. Critics of the game have pointed out that you can get tired of playing Monopoly, since it is always the same, and it lasts for a bloody long time, before everyone goes bust, except the winner.

Of course, they are right, which is why my generation is so lucky: now I play alone, with five other AI players. Artificial Intelligence or CPU players. They never get tired of playing Monopoly, they will play as soon as I order it, they will also lose on command (once set at the easy level), because I still have to lose one game.

It’s Time to Make Free Energy our Next Grass Roots Victory By Steve Windisch

By Steve Windisch (jibbguy)
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
March 3, 2009

In the 1950’s and 1960’s ; the Civil Rights movement vastly grew and was ultimately successful because of Grass Roots Activism. In the 1970’s and 1980’s ; the Woman’s Rights and Ecology movements also had many great successes… All because of the grass roots pressure put on by millions of every-day Americans standing up and having their voices heard collectively.

In this new Century…. We can also be likewise victorious in the quest to end oil and coal as fuels: Through the use of new and thoroughly viable and safe technologies that are now being held secret and suppressed by our governments, that are not being studied by our Universities, and that are languishing on the dusty and hidden shelves of corporate giants. These technologies will provide the world with cheap, utterly clean, safe, and abundant energy…. Ending the control and vast power of the energy cartels forever; and changing our society and planet for the better.

Nothing we could possibly do right now would help this planet more: Without fossil fuels dominating the landscape and atmosphere, we can start to repair the deep damage to our sacred home that the long decades of unbridled pollution have caused. Without the corrupting influence of the energy cartels and their allies, the international banks… Wars would no longer be profitable; thus no longer funded. Without the draconian, wholly regressive secret tax set on us by the energy corporations (larger than any tax ever complained about by politicians), we will have much more money in our pockets for reviving the economy and for education, infrastructure, and building a new future based on peace and prosperity for all… This will become possible with the new independence of thought that will come from no longer being in thrall to the electrical grid and the corner gas stations: For we will now be Free Citizens of a society based on abundance… And not scarcity.

Fascist Times In The Land Where Lemon Trees Bloom by Gaither Stewart

by Gaither Stewart
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
3 March 2009

Rome Diary: March 2009 Update—Fascist Times In The Land Where Lemon Trees Bloom

“Tottering Steps Along The Rim Of Fascism And Revolution”

(Rome) ISTAT, Italy’s Statistical Office, has announced that for the first time the nation’s population has passed 60,000,000. The disconcerting reality behind the statistic is that while Italy ages and Italians produce less children, immigration is providing the growth of the nation that until a few decades ago was an emigration country and Italian workers spread over north Europe. Today, as usual, immigrants do what Italians don’t. Over 1,000,000 Romanians are in Italy today, followed closely by Albanians and Moroccans. Immigrants make front page news. Usually negative news. Not a day passes that foreigners (until the crisis immigrants were the manpower necessary for Italian industry), are not accused of nefarious crimes.

After any crime the rule is cherchez l’étranger. Police immediately accused an Albanian gang for a series of nocturnal burglaries in houses and apartments near me. Statistics showing that proportionately Romanians commit more crimes—robbery, rape and prostitution—are regularly headlined. Moreover, the Romanian government itself is accused of sending its criminals abroad. Ditto for Albanians, who were the crime leaders until not long ago. In general, illegal immigrants prefer the chaos of Italy where they can easily evade the law.

SECURITY AND POPULISM

It is a piece of cake for the populist, authoritarian regime of Silvio Berlusconi to gain accolades from public opinion for a political platform based on security. Concerning immigration and crime, the issue today is, who is to guarantee public security, police, the military or the people themselves.

Mosaic News – 3/2/09: World News From The Middle East

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Warning

This video may contain images depicting the reality and horror of war/violence and should only be viewed by a mature audience.

linktv

Mosaic needs your help! Donate here: http://linktv.org/contribute

“Clinton: Urgent action needed to turn Gaza crisis into opportunity,” Al Jazeera English, Qatar
“Livni Rejects Coalition with Israel’s Next PM Netanyahu,” Abu Dhabi TV, UAE
“Yemeni Jew killer ordered to pay blood money,” Al Arabiya TV, UAE
“Swat Refugees Demand Security Before Returning,” Al Jazeera TV, Qatar
“Iran & Bahrain Reconcile Differences,” Al-Alam TV, Iran
“Another death sentence for Iraq’s ‘Chemical Ali’,” Dubai TV, UAE
“Iraqi Journalists Remain Under Attack,” Baghdad TV, Iraq
Produced for Link TV by Jamal Dajani.

Capitol Climate Action: Mass Civil Disobedience in D.C.

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Democracy Now!
3.2.09

Capitol Climate Action: Mass Civil Disobedience in D.C. Against Use of Coal at Capitol Hill Power Plant

Over a thousand activists representing a broad alliance of civic groups are converging on Washington, D.C. today for the country’s largest mass civil disobedience against global warming. Dubbed the “Capitol Climate Action,” people are demonstrating against coal at the Capitol Hill Power Plant, which still uses coal to heat and cool several key buildings, including House and Senate offices, the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, and Union Station. We speak with two well-known environmentalists: Bill McKibben and Judy Bonds. [includes rush transcript]

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via Democracy Now! | Capitol Climate Action: Mass Civil Disobedience in D.C. Against Use of Coal at Capitol Hill Power Plant

Modern Money Mechanics Federal Reserve

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Here is a series of videos that Mark put together explaining the mechanics of our money and the Federal Reserve using this governmental publication, Modern_Money_Mechanics.pdf.

The 1st and part of the 2nd video is the Introduction.

MelodicNightmare

A breakdown of “Modern Money Mechanics” which was published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Do you want to understand the core concepts(flaws) to the US monetary system and economics? Do you want to know how new US currency is created? Watch this series and you’ll soon understand why there is so much debt and why we need change.

Inflation and the Dollar’s crash (2008)

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hetgow

November 29, 2008

Vodpod videos no longer available.

America’s Fiscal Collapse by Michel Chossudovsky

by Michel Chossudovsky
Global Research, March 2, 2009

“We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger” ( President Barack Obama, State of the Union Address 24 Feb 2009)

“Those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account—to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day—because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.” President Barack Obama, A New Era of Responsibility, the 2010 Budget)

“Strong economic medicine” with a “human face”

“Promise amid peril.” The stated priorities of the Obama economic package are health, education, renewable energy, investment in infrastructure and transportation. “Quality education” is at the forefront. Obama has also promised to “make health care more affordable and accessible”, for every American.

At first sight, the budget proposal has all the appearances of an expansionary program, a demand oriented “Second New Deal” geared towards creating employment, rebuilding shattered social programs and reviving the real economy.

Obama’s promise is based on a mammoth austerity program. The entire fiscal structure is shattered, turned upside down.

To reach these stated objectives, a significant hike in public spending on social programs (health, education, housing, social security) would be required as well as the implementation of a large scale public investment program. Major shifts in the composition of public expenditure would also be required: i.e. a move out of a war economy, requiring a movement out of military related spending in favour of civilian programs.

In actuality, what we are dealing with is the most drastic curtailment in public spending in American history, leading to social havoc and the potential impoverishment of millions of people.

Underground Group Declares War on Western Industrial Civilization

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Crossposted at Thomas Paine’s Corner thanks, Jason.

(Graphic: Fist by ~Nicholas-Neruda)

Thomas Paine’s Corner received this communiqué from a group calling itself The Army of Gaia. The communication was typewritten with no return address and was post-marked in Los Angeles. I transcribed their message, have destroyed the envelope and its contents, and am now passing it along to the world. Make of it what you will.

—Jason Miller Senior Editor and Founder of Thomas Paine’s Corner

TPC/TSI Disclaimer: The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of Thomas Paine’s Corner (TPC), The Transformative Studies Institute (TSI), their contributors, their staff, their faculty, their board members, nor their editors. TSI does not endorse the content of TPC. TPC is an independent media source for writers to express themselves in an open and democratic manner. TPC and TSI do not intend to encourage illegal/unethical activity or behavior. The information herein is solely intended for entertainment, educational, research, academic, or other lawful purposes.

3/2/09

Anonymous Communiqué from The Army of Gaia:

We battle for all the exploited, oppressed, and genocided human beings—wage slaves, gays, blacks, Latinos, women, indigenous people, Muslims, Palestinians, trafficked children, conscripted military personnel, NAFTA-impoverished farmers, those enslaved and murdered by US imperialism, and all the victims of Western industrial civilization, a relentless, merciless machine that churns out nothing but profits and misery.

We battle for all the exploited, oppressed, and genocided animals—factory farmed cows, pigs and chickens; vivisected mice, rabbits, and primates; slaughtered fish, dolphins, and whales; imprisoned zoo animals; and the many innocent beings slaughtered by sadistic murderers calling themselves “hunters.”

Sermon From The Corporate Church By Peter Chamberlin

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By Peter Chamberlin
March 03, 2009 “Information Clearing House”

Hurricane winds pound at the gates of Fortress America and our leaders send out the order for more straw and sand to pound into the widening cracks. The harder the winds of change blow the more apparent it becomes that our “leaders” cannot lead, when they themselves await orders from above. As our house of cards flies apart at the seams, the master planners send their minions scrambling to salvage their disintegrating investments, worrying only about their “property,” caring less about the human life that is huddled in fear within.

This belief, that property is more valuable than human life itself, is the basis of humanity’s current problems. Capitalism, the embodiment of this belief, is in its death throes. The multiple crises which proponents of the capital faith have engineered were not unanticipated events; in fact, they were foreseen very clearly, as they have always been key elements of the planned grand finale to be implemented. The plan has always been to turn the coming catastrophe into the grandest opportunity of all time for men with no souls, having been consumed by greed.