Obama reaffirms our special relationship with Israel...

...and has no comment.

http://www.uruknet.de/?s1=1&p=50118&s2=30

blogging where i am

i am not a political blogger per se- i mean i certainly have blogged political issues for years but mostly, i try to blog around where i am at at any given time. at present, i am tapped out. i suspect many of us feel that way after living through the last 8 years. frankly, i don't know that any of us ever really recovered from 9/11/01. no, i am not pulling a giuliani- whether it be foreign terrorists- or domestic as i believe, the attacks damaged the american psyche. having said that, i have seen the american spirit be 'misunderestimated' by the neocons time and again- and i won't be sorry to see them out of positions of power come january. gone but not forgotten.

but as life intrudes on politics- i find myself overwhelmed by it. the crushing worry and loss is really taking its toll on me spiritually- and as supportive as my friends are- it's much to handle. i won't go into blow by blow- but finances and personal loss in the family recently- leaves a hole. being the sole support system for my family has emotionally wiped me out. sigh.

and then, i started thinking about all of the families in iraq and gaza and afghanistan and lebanon- displaced and homeless in many cases with loved ones missing or dead or wounded- and i thought how lucky i am to have such things in my life to worry about. apples and oranges i am sure- but human beings are all the same underneath. we all feel the same types of emotions- we all love our families (or hate them), we bleed red, and our hearts break or swell with joy. we are all people and we all share the same planet. and as hopeless and helpless as many american situations are- we have created so much more for those folks.

i haven't written too much about the atrocities in gaza. mainly due to feeling the same white hot anger at the israeli government that i have felt towards the bushco cabal. i had to pick a battle and i chose to deal with the issues i felt i could have the most (little to none) control over the outcome. i guess i don't really care that the israelis believe that israel was given to them by god. i guess i don't care that they demand the right to exist as a jewish state. you see, they lost their credibility the moment that they stopped fighting terrorists and started wholesale genocide against the palestinians. there was a time when hamas and the palestinians committed terrorist acts against civilians in israel- and they were roundly condemned for that.

but that time is over. now, the israeli government- against the wishes of many israelis- have rounded the palestinians up and put them behind walls so that access is limited to them. that way, you see, folks in the outside world can't see the forced starvation and horrible living conditions the arabic folks are living through. only the names of the 'palestinian areas' in israel are different- but forcing people to starve and go without basic necessities of life such as medical help and water/sanitation, etc. and walling them in- well, sounds an awful lot like a detention facility for thousands. forcing these people to only travel in certain areas with identification and under the careful guns of the army- sounds familiar also. yes- i am comparing it to the forced roundups of jews in europe during world war 2. the single biggest reason that so many jews returned to palestine to start with. within a generation- everything that they had lost and learned-- had been lost again. they learned nothing.

so, while i continue to try and quiet the sadness and soothe my psyche- i have the luxury of food to eat, water to drink and wash with, garbage pickup, emergency rooms, bandaids, antibiotics, getting in my car and going where i want with no repercussions- or just staying home in my quiet neighborhood in my quiet home with those who love me and good friends. and i continue to marvel at the ugliness that can be human nature.

A Fable Explaining Why the Magic Negro CD Is Offensive!

Hi,
My name is Dee. I write the Blog "Immigration Talk with a Mexican American." On my blog, I write about Immigration and Politics and allow commenters from all sides of the issues to comment as long as they remain civil.
I am an America loving Liberal. I am a Humanitarian. I long for Peace in the World.
My husband and I have been married over 30 years. We have 2 sons and 2 grandsons.
I am a Proud Latina.
The Editors of "The Peace Tree" have invited me to post here once a week.
For my first post, I am sharing a Fable I wrote which explains why Rush Limbaugh's Magic Negro CD is Offensive and cannot be considered "just a parody or a joke."

Let me know what you think.
Your New Friend,
Dee

---------------------------------------
The FABLE of the GOB


Long, long ago in a land far, far away, lived a group of colorful people led by men who called themselves the Good Ole Boys or GOB for short. The GOB always married perky, pretty, "real women." What most people didn’t know for sure was the GOB quickly made their "real women" wives disappear and replaced them with perky, pretty robots who did their every bidding.
The Real People were always suspicious of the GOB and their robotic wives. Even though they suspected the GOB´s deviltry, the Real People had very little say since the GOB was in charge of their government.
Through the decades, the GOB controlled the movies and the media. Often, the starring role in many of their movies was one of their Stepford Wives. In the movies, they were not only pretty and perky, they had magical powers which, with a twitch of the nose, provided magical perks for their GOB husbands who were always the heroes of the movies.
Over the years, the Real People including the Real Women (RW) grew in numbers. Soon there were several RW in government and in films, although they were still outnumbered and led by the GOB. Occasionally, an RW would speak out her own views. One renowned RW Movie Director, Penny Lee, spoke out in an interview. She said, “In my neighborhood, we look up to real women, smart women, women with hearts and guts enough to stand up for themselves, not bow down to the GOBs.” Then she lamented, “The Magic Stepford Wife does not help RWs. They offer an image that promotes a step and fetch-it mentality, a safe image for the GOBs."
Finally, as the country advanced, a Real Woman, Jennifer Grandhome, was nominated for President. In the early months of her campaign, she was not well known. All anyone could see was, she was a pretty, perky woman who spoke, some felt, scriptedly, to the crowds attending her rallies. One RW Journalist, Kitty Cure-it, opined, “Although I don´t know her, I see she is pretty and perky and well scripted. I hope she is not a Magic Stepford Wife!”
As candidate Grandhome continued her campaign, the public learned more about her and found she was an extremely intelligent, charismatic, well qualified, "Real Woman" candidate. As the crowds grew, the statistics illustrated the country´s support for her. She became the candidate that could win.
The GOB was in a frenzy. Their loudest media bully, Rutt Limpbutt, pounded and attacked Grandhome in every way possible! Limpbutt, a cigar chomping, overweight blowhard was a GOB media attack dog. He yowled, howled, twisted and spun his attacks. He latched on to the Magic Stepford Wife reference by Journalist Cure-it. Limpbutt had his soundman create a CD with a man mimicking the voice of Betty Freewomen chanting:
“Jennifer the Stepford Wife lives in D.C...cause she´s perky but not authentically.”
Rutt and his Soundman attacked and attacked Grandhome and published the CD on his website, promoting it endlessly, planning on ending Grandhome´s campaign!! Real People tried to tell Rutt his plan was not working but Rutt did not listen. He never did. Finally, election day came. The RWs and all of the Real People came to realize Jennifer Grandhome was not only a Real Woman, but the most qualified candidate that could change the nation! Therefore she received the most votes and won the Presidential election. Additionally, ironic though it was, some GOBs voted for her because they thought she was a Stepford wife.
The GOB was out of power at last! It was clear Rutt and the GOB were in a real rut. Real Women and the Real People no longer listened to Rutt or the GOB. The REAL PEOPLE did not like the GOB attack tactics! They wanted a Change!!
The GOB mourned their loss and they scratched their heads wondering why they lost. Several GOB leaders grunted, “Perhaps we have to change and LISTEN to the REAL PEOPLE and welcome them to our party!” The rest just oinked and shrugged their shoulders.
Rutt Limpbutt didn´t change. He continued his rants against the new President. He continued the promotion of the CD on his website.
One GOB candidate, Salty Chip, sent the vile CD to all of his comrades at the GOB with the note, “I look forward to working together in the New Year, Please enjoy the enclosed CD by my friend Soundman from the Rutt Limpbutt Show.” Salty did not understand how offensive this CD was to Real Women and to the Real People.
Once the Real People got wind of Salty´s gift to the GOB, they were angry and proclaimed to the GOB, “if you don’t refute Salty´s message, we will never vote for you again!” The next day, the Chairman of the GOB, aghast by the response of the REAL PEOPLE, announced, “This election was a wake-up call for the GOB to reach out and bring more people into our party. I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate, as it clearly does not move us in the right direction."
Salty still did not get it. He responded to the GOB Chairman´s announcement, “It was a Joke!” Salty did not understand the RWs found out about the years of terror and death their RW wives experienced and how reprehensible the Stepford Robot replacements were to all Real Women! The RWs had every right to question and oppose their existence. The vile CD making a joke of the Magic Stepford Wives was certainly nothing for Limpbutt or the GOB to joke about!
LimpButt did not get it either. He continued to yowl, howl, twist and spin his attacks against President Grandhome.
Meanwhile, the Real Women and the Real People of the country simply turned off Limpbutt´s radio show. And most important of all, Real Women never married anyone from the GOB again.

Volcano by Damien Rice

don't hold yourself like that you'll hurt your knees
i kissed your mouth and back that's all i need
don't build your world around volcanoes melt you down
what i am to you is not real
what i am to you you do not need
what i am to you is not what you mean to me
you give me miles and miles of mountains
and i'll ask for the sea
don't throw yourself like that in front of me
i kissed your mouth your back is that all you need?
don't drag my love around volcanoes melt me down
what i am to you is not real
what i am to you you do not need
what i am to you is not what you mean to me
you give me miles and miles of mountains
and i'll ask for the sea
what i give to you is just what i'm going through
this is nothing new no no just another phase of finding
what i really need is what makes me bleed
and like a new disease she's still too young to treat
volcanoes melt me down
she's still too young
i kissed your mouth
you do not need me

reality intrudes into our illusion

Think Or Be Eaten: There Is No Oz

the america were fed during history class- well, it's an illusion. the above linked post can attest to that.

Replacing the Cultural Ethos of Predatory Conservatism

The topic below was originally posted on my blog, the Intrepid Liberal Journal, on December 26th. Happy New Year to the Peace Tree.

Presidents define our country's cultural ethos. Our cultural ethos impacts how large America's economic pie is and whether the benefits and sacrifices are proportioned fairly. The Republican presidencies of Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43, promoted a cultural ethos of hyper individualism that rationalized waging ruthless class warfare against the middle class, working poor, the unemployed poor, the very old and the very young. Liberals were lonely voices against the tide as predatory conservatism eroded protections for consumers and wage earners alike.

Predatory conservatism's rationale was the virtues of entrepreneurial capitalism. Alas, it was crony capitalism that was promoted at the expense of America's meritocracy instead. As an American kleptocracy consolidated its grip, conservative Republicans justified their immoral excess as the establishment of an "ownership society" that would transition wage earners into the investor class and magically create wealth for everyone. Republicans also believed their electoral majority would be enhanced as more Americans joined this "investor class" and even hoped to dump Social Security in our fraudulently toxic stock market. Now investors, entrepreneurs and wage earners are all hoping the Democratic Party can pull our collective chestnuts out of the fire.

Sadly, Democratic presidents such as Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton were unable to redefine this cultural ethos and with too many policies were even co-opted by predatory conservatism's influence peddling machine. Indeed, the Democratic Party was itself corrupted as illustrated by New York Senator Charles Schumer's relationship with Wall Street predators who dumped hydrochloric acid on our economy's deregulated naked raw flesh. Democrats often rationalized such compromises as the price for power.

In fairness to Democrats, power and principle can be a delicate balance. The discredited former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was fond of saying, "Power without principle is barren. Principle without power is futile." Despite Blair’s legacy as George W. Bush’s poodle, that is a sagacious quote. It expressed a sentiment that largely defined the Clinton years and thankfully he possessed the political skills to squeeze as much juice on behalf of regular folks as his political capital allowed when predatory conservatism was riding high.

Times have changed and the body politic is currently debating whether America remains a center-right country - if it ever truly was. My admittedly unscientific visceral sense is that an old cliché still applies: Americans are ideologically conservative and operationally liberal. During prosperous times Americans embrace an ideologically conservative mindset and favor the preservation of their individual equity over policies they consider "redistributionist." An economic calamity such as we're experiencing today translates into Americans channeling a more operational mindset as they struggle making ends meet on a daily basis.

Put another way, John and Jane don't want Uncle Sam to subsidize a jobs program or healthcare when they have good paying jobs, healthcare and a valuable home in a nice neighborhood. But once John and Jane are threatened with foreclosure, are out of work themselves or working harder for less and their retirement pensions are disappearing into the free market ether, government intervention doesn't feel so intrusive. Hence, the cultural ethos of the moment is economic security over hyper-individualism.

It is imperative that President-Elect Barack Obama strikes while the iron is hot because predatory conservatives are always lying in the high weeds to seize at any soft underbelly they can exploit. One such underbelly is the newly formed Blue Dogs Caucus in the Senate founded by Indiana's Evan Bayh with Majority Leader Harry Reid's approval. With Republicans in the minority, predatory conservatives will look to establish a fifth column through so-called Democrats such as Bayh and peddle as much influence as they can. Thank goodness Obama didn't pick Bayh to be his Vice President. At least Joe Biden had the excuse of supporting bankruptcy legislation while a senator because it favored his Delaware constituents.

Yet even with predatory conservatism always lurking and dubious cabinet nominees such as the corporatist friendly Colorado Senator Ken Salazar for Interior and former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack at Agriculture, I am encouraged by what I hear from the nascent Obama administration. Franklin Roosevelt also had to soothe the body politic with some of his appointments too and so far Obama's team is talking big with respect to his economic recovery plan.

When Tom Daschle was nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services, it was with the understanding that universal healthcare is an indispensable component of economic recovery. The brilliant and unapologetic liberal Jared Bernstein was also recently appointed as Joe Biden's chief economist. Biden will chair a task force with respect to recommending economic policies designed to help the middle class. It's reassuring to know that Bernstein is in a position to influence Biden who in turn will influence policy.

The upshot is that the current calamity has the American public in an operationally liberal mindset and a Democratic president-elect with stratospheric poll numbers. The stars haven't been this aligned to establish an enduring progressive legacy since the New Deal under Franklin Roosevelt. Roosevelt skillfully used his political capital to establish institutions that even endured predatory conservatism's feculent rule decades later. Today, Obama has a bully pulpit and progressive Democrats in a congress such as the new House Committee Chairman for Commerce and Energy, Henry Waxman, have a platform to educate the public about why we need polices that consider the American community as a whole while the citizenry is receptive to it.

Yes, I fully recognize that predatory conservatism has not surrendered and never will. Yes, we liberals must remain vigilant and put Obama on notice whenever he compromises too much such as cultural pandering to homophobic evangelical preachers like Rick Warren or with respect to civil liberties issues such as FISA. The challenges ahead are immense. Predatory conservatism has left behind considerable debris and Obama won't bat 1.000 during the cleanup.

No president could and re-educating the public that the pursuit of empire is self-defeating as well as immoral while simultaneously maintaining political viability is a juggling act. Hence, Obama will have to sometimes tread carefully and dance through the raindrops as a public addicted to consuming a quarter of the world's resources endures withdrawal symptoms. Cleansing Americans from decades of predatory conservative brainwashing will not be accomplished overnight.

Yet, even as my 401K disintegrates and I'm scared about my own economic future, I am optimistic as we approach the new year. Debris and wreckage also means the opportunity to build something that is new, better and enduring. Instead of debating whether we need healthcare reform the conversation will instead be about how to achieve it. The days of having to scream that global warming is real are no more. Instead the debate will be focused on how to address it. Rather then having to justify the necessity of government as a check on private corporate power, the conversation will instead be about how to reform and establish public institutions that effectively protects wage earners and consumers.

After years of activism and blogging in the wilderness of opposition, I'm eager to roll up my sleeves and get to work.

Brain Mapping, Civil Liberties & Obama

The topic below was originally posted on my blog, the Intrepid Liberal Journal on December 23rd.

Longtime readers of the Intrepid Liberal Journal may recall my April 2006 posting entitled, "Brain Fingerprinting and Civil Liberties." One mistake I made at the time was conflating the acronym FMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) with the term brain fingerprinting. Perhaps the most accurate generic term is brain mapping.

At the time I came across numerous references with respect to how brain mapping technology is implemented within India's criminal justice system. Specifically, I noted how an article in the March 17th, 2006 edition of New Kerela reported that Javed Shukat Khurshid, one of seven convicted murderers escaped police custody after sentencing. It read like any other newspaper might over such an event except for this:

“The court had earlier awarded life imprisonment to Javed and six others, including Ismail Barafwala, Amjad Khan Pathan, Mehboob Khan Pathan, Sajid Khan alias Anna, Usman Gani alias bhola and Younis Sheikh for rioting and murdering a man on November 11, 2003.

The judge awarded the sentence after considering the results of the brain finger printing tests performed on the accused, among other facts in this case.”

As I learned two years ago, the integration of brain mapping technology with India's criminal justice system is common practice. Since then I've been concerned with how America reconciles sophisticated technology such as brain mapping and civil liberties. With respect to the federal judiciary, our body politic typically obsesses over cultural issues and neglects to ask what predisposition or ideology any justice a president nominates will bring to cases involving high technology. Instead we wage culture wars over reproductive rights, gay marriage, affirmative action and so forth. I fear America could integrate brain mapping technology into our criminal justice system without any debate or even notice it happening.

Two years ago I wrote:

"We know that polygraphs, commonly known, as lie detectors are unreliable. Whether FMRIs are reliable requires more empirical data. Perhaps such a device may prove effective in solving crimes or preventing terrorism. The potential to save lives certainly exists and can’t be casually dismissed.

However, it’s use means encroaching upon the province of an individual’s thoughts and what government on Earth can be entrusted with such power? What is the legal framework for deploying this technology? Suppose employers coerce employees into signing waivers for FMRI scans to be administered? What if whistle blowers are intimidated into silence because of FMRI scans? Do the potential lives saved from crime prevention justify the potential abuse?"

These are the sort of questions future justices nominated by President-Elect Barack Obama for the Supreme Court as well as lower courts will have to answer. Now two years later I've come across a September 16th article of Finding Dulcinea that reports India's courts are being criticized for using brain scans.

Specifically, Finding Dulcinea reports how an Indian student named Aditi Sharma was convicted earlier this year of murdering her ex-boyfriend Udit Bharati by giving him a “Prasad” laced with arsenic. Brain Electrical Oscillation Signature (BEOS) profiling, a brain-scanning technique developed by Indian neuroscientist Champadi Raman Mukundan was a component of the government's case against Sharma.

As the article notes, Sharma underwent a BEOS test, which involves an electroencephalograph measuring the electrical activity in her brain:

"Wearing a cap with 32 electrodes connected to a computer, Sharma sat quietly as she was read a description of the crime in the first person. When she recognized an event, specific parts of her brain that contain 'experiential knowledge' lit up and were detected by the BEOS computer."

With respect to Sharma's case, a July 21st edition of The Times of India, also referenced by Finding Dulcinea, reported that,

"Aditi was found to have experiential knowledge for having a plan to murder Udit by giving him arsenic. Experiential knowledge was also found of her having gone to a temple to collect 'prasad', buying arsenic from a shop, calling up Udit and giving him the poison-laced 'prasad'.

Emotional experience of getting relieved and scared in connection with giving the arsenic laced 'prasad' to Udit was also found present on the BEOS test. Aditi also underwent a lie-detector test, which revealed deception on all relevant questions. The judgment copy dedicates about 10 pages on how the BEOS technique was conducted."

Ultimately, how technology is developed elsewhere has repercussions everywhere. Whatever you want to call it - FMRI scans, BEOS tests, brain mapping or brain fingerprinting - is technology scientists are actively pursuing worldwide and monitoring the innovations of their peers. The BEOS system was created from technology and theories devised by several American scientists, including Lawrence Farwell, Emanuel Donchin and J. Peter Rosenfeld. Farwell is known as the pioneer of brain fingerprinting and even used the technology to help free innocent convict Terry Harrington after he had been falsely convicted of murder.

As I noted two years ago, the potential benefits of brain mapping technology should not be casually dismissed. Whether it's freeing an innocent person of a crime they didn't commit or preventing terrorism, the potential for good certainly exists. One could even argue that use of such technology completely obliterates the rationale for torture. How can the government justify water boarding when they have the ability to utilize a high-tech mind meld at their disposal?

But the technology remains unproven and right now the price for integrating it into our our justice system appears too high. India's experience with brain mapping technology is instructive and should give all of us pause.

As one of the aforementioned American scientists on the cutting edge of developing brain mapping technology, J. Peter Rosenfeld noted:

“Technologies which are neither seriously peer-reviewed nor independently replicated are not, in my opinion, credible. The fact that an advanced and sophisticated democratic society such as India would actually convict persons based on an unproven technology is even more incredible.”

Fallout from the Sharma case may result in India's criminal justice system no longer using brain mapping technology to administer justice. A six member committee led by India's director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences concluded that there is "sub-optimal scientific basis for them to be used as evidence in court of law.”

Yet the technology continues to go forward. Private security firms and scientists are actively soliciting America's federal government to utilize brain mapping technology in the "war on terror." What happens when the U.S. Supreme Court presides over cases in which brain mapping technology is a factor? How will the Supreme Court as well as lower courts rule if the technology is abused by the government or private corporations?

A decade ago President-Elect Obama taught constitutional law. Has he, I wonder pondered what the legal framework for brain mapping technology should be? Will President-Elect Obama or his Attorney General ask any prospective nominee to the federal judiciary their view of how to reconcile technology and civil liberties? He should. And it's our obligation in the progressive community to remind him.

23 Days...

“Such is the state of life, that none are happy but by the anticipation of change: the change itself is nothing; when we have made it, the next wish is to change again. The world is not yet exhausted; let me see something tomorrow which I never saw be”
__Samuel Johnson

Karmani ave adhikars te
you have the power to act only
ma phalesu kadachana
you do not have the power to influence the result
ma karmaphal hetur bhoo
therefore you must act without the anticipation of the result
ma sangostu akramani
without succumbing to inaction
__Bhagavad Gita

Twelve Days of Christmas is a must see!

Twelve Days of Christmas - A Cappella Remix @ Yahoo! Video

SANTA'S AN A-HOLE!

Shira Erlichman, "Daddy's Parking Lot Sermon" with an afterword by thepoetrytman

-An afterthought from thepoetryman-

Slam poetry is one of my favorite forms of expression. I had never read or heard Shira's poems before, so when I stumbled across her You Tube of "Daddy's Parking Lot Sermon" I was quite delighted.

My slam experience---

I used to Slam on a regular basis
Every other week
A few years back.

It’s an upfront medium
Writ large from page to stage,
From reflection to form,
From experienced-legs splayed
In a varicose/bellicose vein.


Wide, cracked open and read
With swift thrusts to head,
Uproar a downtrodden spirit
From child's crib to atom bomb,
Life’s tender shell in transit.

Pay your dues or succumb
To the pen’s agonizing caress,
To the reader’s waiting orifice,
From throat, to tongue
to expresshhhhhhhhun,
To eternal/internal rants
Inching the blood’s distance.

Plunging, swimming… immersed,
Slammed or spoken verse
Can deeply weaken an iron-knee
With a figure made of speech,
Or twist tall subjects
Away from themselves
And hoist them inside out.

Slam poetry can slip, drip and split
Clean off the inside edge of
The coffee stained page,
Rap a steel bar
To the back of the head
Or massage steely minds
With angel's hands.

not dancing the cmas polka

today is the start of a new chapter in my family's lives. yesterday, i had to help lay to rest her best friend of almost 20 years and there's nothing like digging a hole in frigid weather to help with perspective. i have essentially checked out since the election in november- and i am glad i did. it isn't because i don't care what's going on in the world- but there comes a time when you need a refuge from it. so, i haven't been caught up in the holiday hoopla.

i have yet to figure out why folks make such a big deal about 'the holiday season'- oh, can't get anything started 'cause 'it's the holiday season,' etc. people rushing to and fro checking off lists of folks they have to buy for; getting up at the butt crack of dawn to get the early bird deals at the corporate chain stores; risking getting trampled to death at said chain stores. i don't get it. most folks claim to love the holidays but in reality- they are stressed and dread them. why do we do it?

'everybody needs a little holiday' now and again- it's a special time and a time to be celebrated. but is what 'cmas' has become really a celebration? perhaps for the corporates who were behind the invention of the modern cmas season. 'black friday' started because that's the day traditionally they made the biggest profits and santa claus as we know him comes from coca cola. not to belabor the point- but we need to re-evaluate our holidays and realize that not everyone celebrates them in the same way. there isn't a 'war on cmas' but there's a war by the christians to stamp out any other way to celebrate during what is traditionally the winter solstice season.

there are many folks this time of year experiencing great loss- personally, financially, spiritually- and yet we are supposed to buy, buy, buy and continue on as if we haven't exeperienced anything other than joy that a single human being was born 3,000 years ago or so. many folks have been born before and after that one person who were far more important and i just think that we need to be mindful that america is not a norman rockwell painting and this is not the season of peace.

jim reeves- merry cmas polka

Why Conservatives Aren't Slam Poets...

Ode to Elizabeth Alexander, Obama's Inauguration Poet

DEAR POET, WHEN I THINK OF

New York's New World

The topic below was originally posted in my blog, the Intrepid Liberal Journal.

For my home state, Governor David Paterson's budget is a window into the future. Simply put, we are witnessing what happens when New York State ceases to be the financial capital of the world. At the moment the world doesn't really have one as the global economy sorts through massive wreckage. Truthfully, the era of financial centers concentrated in western port cities such as New York or London is a relic.

This had long been been predicted because information technology makes it possible to outsource back office functions remotely and utilize cheap labor. Why pay for New York City real estate and labor when a trader can just as easily play with other people's money from a computer in Dubai? However, until the recent economic catastrophe Wall Street stubbornly hung onto its symbolic trappings as the center of the universe.

As a result, Albany could count on revenues generated from Wall Street to finance union pensions, government services, medicaid spending, corporate welfare, our prison industrial complex and so forth. The financial services industry also generated millions of jobs in our region from stock brokers to janitors. Hence, Wall Street's titans were able to leverage their influence with power brokers such as New York State's senior Senator Charles Schumer.

Expand the post +/-

As many of you know, the New York Times recently profiled the intimate relationship between Wall Street and Schumer. Liberals are justifiably outraged at Schumer's enthusiastic pandering to Wall Street's desire for excessive deregulation and lax oversight in exchange for campaign donations for himself and his party. Instead of a Democrat standing up for working people we elected an enabler of our economic meltdown.

In fairness to Schumer, any New York senator would have to some degree catered to this industry's interests just as Joe Biden championed the banks and credit card industry while representing Delaware. All politics is local as Tip O'Neill used to say and even Wall Street enemy Eliot Spitzer raked in contributions from the financial sector during his 2006 campaign for Governor. That's where the action was that created jobs for New Yorkers and filled the state's coffers.

However, Schumer's excessive pandering to Wall Street has facilitated a calamity for the working people in New York he claims to represent and helped wreck the global economy with it. Figures such as Clinton Treasury Secretary and Wall Street powerhouse Robert Rubin were never Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Today New York is confronted with a $1.7 billion 2008 shortfall and a projected 2009-10 deficit of $13.7 billion while Governor Paterson promotes an "obesity tax." Important government services such as healthcare, education and emergency first responders will take a hit. And New York's Mass Transit Authority ("MTA") with its chronic incompetence in good and bad times will impose painful rate hikes and service cuts in 2009 to make up for its own steep revenue shortfall. As always the working stiffs are hit the hardest.

The pain is no fun and hardships abound for New Yorkers as our manufacturing industry was sucking wind well before Lehman Brothers collapsed, AIG was bailed out and Bernard L. Madoff became a household name. Like all New Yorkers I'm feeling the pain too but thankfully still have a job.

Yet even during this challenging period an opportunity exists. Necessity is a mother to invention and New York needs to reinvent itself. Just as oil is a dangerous narcotic that has arrested the development of petro states the financial services sector and manufacturing industry have undermined New York's ability to retool for the 21st century. Such innovation requires leadership and vision.

Whatever critique one may have with the specifics of Paterson's hardship budget he is at least showing leadership by not ducking the tough choices. Personally though I am dismayed by Paterson's unwillingness to more fairly distribute the pain. He should worry less about taxing millionaires and instead embrace New York's Working Families Party approach of shared sacrifice.

My question though is what sort of people does Paterson listen to as the corporate private sector vies for his favor in New York's new world? Alas, Paterson's consideration of Caroline Kennedy to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate because of her ability to raise millions from friends such as billionaire Mayor Mike Bloomberg is not encouraging.

The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus: The Illegal Immigrant!

I saw Santa today.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
Working so hard, Working to save!
Sending home dollars and always so brave!

I think he was illegal though I didn’t know for sure.
All I could see was his motives so pure.
No passport. No papers. He just dropped in.
I could hear the ANTIs say, “How dare him!!”
All the families received him just fine!
They embraced him and offered him wine.
I wondered if he heard all the rants!
Accountable for all illegals´accidents.
The Antis were angry! Would they post a website!
Would they call in Arpaio or ICE Raid tonight?
Thrown in a Detention Center with torture to bear?
Or jailed and forced to wear pink underwear?
I need not have worried. He was a wise man
This globalized guy. He did understand.

When he finished his work.
He filled all the stockings and turned with a jerk.
Then waving a finger, aside of his nose.
And giving a nod.
Up the chimney he rose.
And as I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of site,

he said, “Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight.”

This piece originally appeared on the blog Immigration Talk with a Mexican American by Dee who composed it herself. I've been following her blog recently; it looks like a great resource for people interested in immigration issues. Gracias, Dee!

Saturday Sonata XIX: Lucie Idlout

Howdy folks, LT here with the Saturday Sonata.

I've been away for some weeks - my apologies. Last time I was here we listened to some music from Mongolia. Today we'll spin the globe a bit, stay up North, and end up in Iqaluit, Nunavut, where we'll find Inuit rocker Lucie Idlout.

And look: in the course of searching the internet for her music, I found Native American Tube, a YouTube-like site for Native Americans. Who knew?

But back to Lucie Idlout. Hold on. I'm serious - hold on. This song will raise your hackles like an angry dog got inside your head. This is "E5-770: My Mother's name":

You farmed my mother, E5-770

You imposed your name number

E5-770, my mother's name

Your tongue unfitt, too frail to speak

Identities of thousands cattled 'E'

E5-770, my mother's name.

Had you ever wondered of the days to face you

Now in your future I testify

Had you ever wondered of the days to face you

Now in your future you wish I was lying. I'm not lying.

You farmed my mother, E5-770

You imposed your name number

E5-770, my mother's name.

Your tongue unfitt, too frail to speak

Identities of thousands cattled 'E'

E5-770, my mother's name.

And what beautiful number

Would I be called by, born unto, tagged?

You farmed my mother, E5-770

You imposed your name number

E5-770, my mother's name.

Your tongue unfitt, too frail to speak

Identities of thousands cattled 'E'

E5-770, my mother's name.

Lucie Idlout on MySpace.

A bio and short interview.

Counting Up...

By Lenka Clayton and James Price

Part of www.portablefilmfestival.com

People in Order's Age is part of a series of short films that assembles the people of Britain in a given order. In just 3 minutes, we meet 100 different people who are arranged according to their age, starting from age 1.

VIEW THE FILM +/-

'tis the season?

i am not a scrooge- i know what the meaning behind the 'holiday season' is. anyone who reads anything i write on a regular basis knows how i feel about the christian bigotry in america- especially around their 'christmas.' but that's not what my musing is about this time- no, although i could tie it all together nicely i am sure :)

i have been talking to many of my blog buddies and 'real life' buddies about the holiday- and what i hear often- 'cmas is supposed to be about _____, but it isn't anymore'- and i guess i wonder why not? if we aren't happy with the way things are, why do we suppose that others are? why do we suppose that we have to continue in the same vein in order to keep folks happy- who probably feel the same way we do? and why are we so afraid to talk about this with people we are allegedly close to? it baffles me.

family is family- we should be able to put our ideas and feelings and thoughts out there safely- and if we can't- why are we 'celebrating' with these kind of toxic folks in the first place? we pick our friends- so if we can't have that conversation with them openly- why are they still our friends?

this is the last season we are going to have a 'traditional' cmas. the only reason we have any trappings of the 'traditions' i grew up with- we still enjoy them. the food, the drinks, the games, the small gifts, the decorations, the music- right at this moment we like them enough to keep them. we have scaled back though- and i know that next year- i won't be baking enough to send to people because i don't enjoy it enough to do it anymore. next year, i won't be doing many cards- because i don't enjoy it anymore. but we have had conversations with our friends and family. this is the last year we will do a gift exchange with my friend and her kids- because they will be grown and adults. i won't be making the journey to her home an hour away because quite frankly, we haven't enjoyed that for years. not so much because of her and the kids- but her extended family. i want to appreciate what our ancient forbears celebrated at this time of year- life, and getting through the dark days of winter. i want that stark simplicity and lack of complication that we seem determined to layer onto everything we do in modern life.

i have a feeling i will always like the food though :)

Dear Mr. President - spoken word poetry by Alix Olson

Alix Olson

“A slam poet and activist, she can go from raging to adorable in the space of a couplet.”

all the same under the skin

in this economic downturn in america, it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. i try not to. that doesn't mean that i don't appreciate everything i have and the fact that i live in a land of excess. i do. but it makes me aware that because i have so much- many have nothing. america has always been the land of plenty for most, but we have always had our share of poverty too. we don't like to think about them, but their numbers are growing.

i just read a post with a few interesting links- about poverty, malnourishment, need:

one in 5 humans starving

this earth cannot survive the billions we have become but that doesn't tell the whole story. human beings run on a monied system and the folks with the most money- always win. if you take the planet as a whole- and look at the inhabited continents- most of the world is poor. it isn't just ethiopia that is starving anymore. i just want people in this country to be aware that because of poverty, war, drought, blight, and myriad other issues- one in 5 people on the planet are currently starving.

what can we do? grow our own food; consume less overall; pressure washington to pressure other western nations to stop propping up dictatorships in impoverished nations and to put together plans to help our fellow human beings. we can help end poverty globally by working together for peace and realizing that for all of our differences- we are all the same underneath- human beings.

one.org

Invisible Children

In the spring of 2003, three young Americans traveled to Africa in search of a story. What they found was a tragedy that disgusted and inspired them. A story where children are weapons and children are the victims. The "Invisible Children: rough cut" film exposes the effects of a 20 year-long war on the children of Northern Uganda. These children live in fear of abduction by rebel soldiers, and are being forced to fight as a part of a violent army. This wonderfully reckless documentary is fast paced, with an contemporary beat, and is something truly unique. To see Africa through young eyes is humorous and heart breaking, quick and informative - all in the very same breath.

See this film, you will be forever changed.

Can Obama Be A Transformative President?

The topic below was originally posted yesterday on my blog the Intrepid Liberal Journal.

Listening to conservatives whine that America is a "center-right" country in spite of the recent election has me reflecting about Ronald Reagan as well as pondering what makes a transformative presidency. During the Reagan era, liberals like me frequently complained that America really wasn't that conservative. We cited polls that illustrated the American people really preferred the Democrat's policies on issues ranging from healthcare to nuclear weapons and only supported Reagan because of his "personality."

Yet Reagan got his way, America moved to the right and his presidency is regarded as transformative. Reagan was a transformative president because he laid the foundation in which America's center of political gravity remained to the right for a quarter century with respect to economic, social and foreign policy. Even two terms of a Democratic Bill Clinton presidency did not alter America's conservative course regarding de-regulation and raging privatization.

Transformative presidencies with broad popular support like Reagan's are rare. The Reagan model was to nurture an above partisanship veneer while aggressively waging partisan warfare and exploiting racial cultural subtexts. Presidents that successfully thread the needle between partisanship and statesmanship achieve an exceptional leadership nexus and transform the center of political gravity as Reagan did. In achieving this leadership nexus, Reagan was able to prosecute class warfare from the top and still enjoy popular support from America's middle class.

A more positive example of this transformative leadership model is liberal Franklin Roosevelt. Both Roosevelt and Reagan enjoyed the support of key core constituencies that strongly identified each with their respective parties. Yet both Roosevelt and Reagan were also perceived as being far above the body politic while their administrations ruthlessly engaged in partisan combat. As we liberals note with fondness and gratitude, Roosevelt shifted the center of political gravity in a manner that grew and nutured the middle class. Even two terms of a Republican Dwight Eisenhower presidency did not alter the body politic's support for Roosevelt's New Deal. Remarkably, both Roosevelt and Reagan retained the support of white working class blue collar voters.

From the earliest days of his presidential campaign, Barack Obama has assidiously laid the foundation to become a transformative figure. One who retains the enthusiasm of his core supporters while simultaenously appearing inclusive and respectful to the entire body politic. I must admit that following Bill Clinton's triangulation and George W. Bush's partisan reign of indecency, I saw little benefit to this approach.

Hence, my initial preference for John Edwards who adopted the Theodore Roosevelt model: progressive change by aggressively taking on the entrenched forces of America's kleptocracy. Before the Iowa caucuses (remember that?!?) the Edwards approach made far more sense to me than Obama's fight fire with water persona or rewarding Hillary Clinton's efforts to be the custodian of her husband's pro-corporatist/pro-war political machine. Ultimately, Edwards was unable to compete against the celebrity power of Clinton or Obama and as it turned out his personal failings would have doomed his candidacy anyway.

Nearly a year after Iowa, as I observe Obama during the transition I can envision the potential for a transformative presidency. Reagan appointed political figures that were reassuring to the establishment and upset his core supporters such as his Chief of Staff James Baker. Similarly, Obama has picked some figures for his inner circle that don't thrill me such as Rahm Emanuel, Timothy Geitner and ironically, Hillary Clinton.

Yet as we analyze the policy direction we're likely to see in the coming years, dramatic progressive domestic change will take place. Obama has signaled his committment to invest heavily in infrastructure and tackle global warming with his "green team." His nomination of Tom Daschle as Secretary of Health and Human Services also suggests a committment to healtchare reform as a component of a comprehensive economic recovery plan.

With respect to foreign policy, Obama's national security team of Hillary Clinton at the State Department, National Security Advisor James Jones and the retention of Robert Gates at the Pentagon concerns me greatly. Hopefully, this team will give Obama the political cover he needs to leverage Israel to the bargaining table and nuture a foreign policy that transitions America from its imperial ambitions of empire and instead forms sensible coalitions. If it turns out Clinton, Gates and Jones enable Obama to preside over a shift in our geopolitical paradigm then a liberal transformative presidency is not out of reach.

Sadly, the cascading global economic crisis, the ticking time bomb of global warming and weak national governments such as Israel, India and Pakistan that preside in powder keg regions means anything less than a transformative presidency will result in more calamity, destitution and turmoil. Of course greatness does not stem from times of tranquility.

WOUNDS (Rutger Hauer Filmfactory)

A short film produced during the Rutger Hauer Filmfactory 2008, directed by Doris Yeung.

More Short Subject (films)

from my email

5 lessons to make you think about how we treat people

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor
gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student
and had breezed through the questions until I read
the last one:

'What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?'

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the
cleaning woman several times.. She was tall,
dark-haired and in her 50's, but how would I know her name?

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question
blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if
the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

'Absolutely,' said the professor.. 'In your careers
you will meet many people. All are significant. They
deserve your attention and care, even if all you do
is smile and say 'hello.'

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her
name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:3 0 p.m., an older African American
woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride.
Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.
A young white man stopped to help her, generally
unheard of in those conflict-filled 60s.. The man
took her to safety, helped her get assistance and
put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his
address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a
giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A
special note was attached..

It read:
'Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.'

Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

'How much is an ice cream sundae?' he asked.

'Fifty cents,' replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and
studied the coins in it.

'Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?' he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.

'Thirty-five cents,' she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins.

'I'll have the plain ice cream,' he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on
the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice
cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress
came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the
table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish,
were two nickels and five pennies..

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.


4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a
roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if
anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the
king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by
and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of
vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the
peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the
stone to the side of the road. After much pushing
and straining, he finally succeeded. After the
peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a
hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who
was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood
transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had
miraculously survived the same disease and had
developed the antibodies needed to combat the
illness. The doctor explained the situation to her
little brother, and asked the little boy if he would
be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a
deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will
save her.' As the transfusion progressed, he lay in
bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did,
seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his
face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a
trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away?'.

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the
doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his
sister ALL of his blood in order to save her but he had chosen to save her anyway.

MANKIND IS NO ISLAND

Yes. It is cold here,
Bitterly cold in Northwest Arkansas...
Soon, however, it will quickly warm...
In a few days the temperature will increase,
I'd prefer it that way, warm;
Not a blazing heat, but more like 75 degrees.

I wonder what temperature the homeless prefer?

"Mankind is no Island" was the winning "film" of Tropfest NY 2008! Every frame was shot by a cellphone video camera. Music by John Roy. Directed by Jason Van Genderen.

To see more short films visit SHORT SUBJECT...

Wednesday, cloudy with a chance of sleet and friggin' cold!

My muse doesn't like bitterly cold weather, says it makes it hard for her to think, to which I replied, "That would certainly explain Sarah Palin." My muse laughed and then sternly instructed me to not write a post about Palin or she, my muse, would take an "extended" vacation.

So, with that, I offer another film from my new blog "SHORT SUBJECT" called  "Super Powers"; a rather funny short film by Jeremy Kipp Walker and J. Anderson Mitchell.

the war on christmas- and other things

so, i went to the office cmas party this past weekend- mr. betmo's not mine. my 'office party' is going to consist of me, mr. betmo, 2 cats and a bottle of bully hill sweet walter white. and it will be infinitely less tedious. and there are oddly enough- right wing christians in the financial industry. who would have thought that right winger christian capitalists would go into the financial industry? color me surprised :) wink wink. anyhoo- i generally behave myself because any reader familar with my posts here, there and over at my place- know i have little to no tolerance of christianity these days.

my biggest pet peeve is the fact that these asshats are so incurious about a religion that allegedly rules their lives. these people who believe that mere words and symbols negate an entire religion- so you can't even say 'xmas' let alone write it out. for the record, Xmas is not sacriligous. it doesn't mean "taking the christ out of christmas" it's greek for christ's sake.

"The use of "Χ," derived from Chi, the Greek alphabet initial, as an abbreviation for Christ (most commonly in the abbreviation "Χmas") is often misinterpreted as a modern secularization of the term. Thus understood, the centuries-old English word Χmas, is actually a shortened form of CHmas, which is, itself, a shortened form for Christmas. In fact, the use of "Χ" to represent the full word goes back to the earliest days of Greek Christianity."

but, don't try and educate these people- who generally get upset over being called on the fact that the holiday season encompasses chanukah, christmas, eid-ul-adha, and kwanzaa- not to mention celebrating the winter solstice. nope- they feel victimized by the fact that they aren't allowed to put creches on courthouse lawns and that private business have employees say 'happy holidays' instead of 'merry cmas'- even though you only ever hear cmas music piped out of every speaker in the northern hemisphere. mr. betmo has held firm on including other religions being represented in his office if there will be christmas displays- and i support him wholeheartedly. i am not anti-christmas. i am anti-christian. the two are mutually exclusive.

so, in the alleged season of peace while the christians sing 'silent night'- i wonder if they will truly listen to the words and read the words of their bible regarding 'the prince of peace?' nah. if they haven't in the last 2,000+ years- what would make me think that they would now?

Change I Can Believe In: Economist Jared Bernstein

The topic below was originally posted on my blog, the Intrepid Liberal Journal.

Many liberal activists are disillusioned by President-Elect Obama's transition. Managing the American government is complicated business and Obama has opted for experience. Experience translates into insiders from the Clinton Administration. Conceptually, this has not surprised me and I expected it.

It's only natural Obama would staff his nascent administration with people from the Clinton era. The Carter Administration was over thirty years ago. And Obama certainly can't staff his White House with people who worked in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations during the 1960s. That said, I've found certain appointments jarring. Specifically, I disapprove of Hillary Clinton's nomination to be Secretary of State. Also, even though we both went to Sarah Lawrence College, I have mixed feelings about Obama tapping Rahm Emanuel to be his Chief of Staff.

My disenchantment with certain appointments aside, I ultimately believe that Obama's administration will move America in a more sensible direction while retaining broad popular support over time. Obama has spoken repeatedly about the necessity of nurturing a "working majority" and compromise with some appointments are part of that process.

Yeserday however liberals claimed an important victory with Jared Bernstein's appointment as the chief economic adviser to Vice-President Elect Joe Biden. Bernstein has worked as a longtime economist with the liberal think tank the Economic Policy Institue. I find it especially ironic that Bernstein will advise Joe Biden who as the Senator from Delaware was an advocate for the banking and financial services industry with respect to bankruptcy legislation.

As longtime readers of the Intrepid Liberal Journal may recall, I had the good fortune of interviewing Bernstein twice. The first time was in 2006 by email after the publication of his book, All Together Now: Common Sense For A Fair Economy. In April I conducted a podcast interview with Bernstein following the publication of his acclaimed book, Crunch: Why Do I Feel So Squeezed? (And Other Economic Mysteries).

Bernstein was ahead of the curve in diagnosing what ails the economy while conservative chuckle heads chortled that the Bush-Cheney Administration were not getting sufficient credit for our "prosperity." While other economists take pride in their intellectual detachment, Bernstein is a man who understands that the lives of every day people are impacted by those in power. Indeed, when reading Bernstein's books or reviewing the two interviews I had with him, one constant theme comes across: the super wealthy in America have benefitted at the expense of the middle class because of superior access to the levers of power. Hence, in Jared Bernstein, wage earners and small business entrepreneurs finally have an advocate with a seat at the table.

By itself Bernstein's appointment is not an elixir or cureall. Bernstein is but one voice in a Washington cultural nexis that has celebrated hyper-individualism and corporatist values as being "mainstream" and "centrist." As our job losses mount and the cost of economic recovery escalates, Bernstein will have to struggle against the forces of the status quo and corporate elites who will mount a vigorous defense against any encroachment.

Yet even people like Robert Rubin and Larry Summer's have moved closer to the policy positions of liberals such as Bernstein and former Clinton Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich. Joe Biden would have never agreed to serve as Barack Obama's running mate if he wasn't guaranteed an opportunity for heavy input in Obama's decision making process. And Bernstein will be in a position to influence how Joe Biden shapes the economic debate in the new administration. That is fantastic news.

The upshot is that Bernstein's appointment represents a real victory during these perilous times as job losses continue to mount. It's why I and others liked me worked so hard over the years to achieve a majority in congress and take the White House. Jared Bernstein represents change I can believe in.

Please refer to the flash media player below to listen to the podcast interview I had with Bernstein on April 6th. Our conversation lasted approximately forty-eight minutes and among the topics we discussed at the time were the housing and credit crisis, needed regulatory reform, health-care, globalization, Social Security, America’s investment deficit and free trade.



This interview can also be accessed for free by searching for “Intrepid Liberal Journal” on Itunes.

Hillary Clinton on Morales and Bolivia

(This morning's post is reprinted from The Democracy Center, a progressive blog on Bolivia.)

As the Bush administration heads out the door, the U.S. Bolivia relationship is basically in political tatters. A relationship that started off rocky but hopeful when President Morales took office, descended into an ongoing diplomatic spitting war – over issues ranging from the U.S. Embassy asking Fulbright scholars and Peace Corps volunteers to gather intelligence for it, to charges that Morales was abandoning the battle against illegal coca.


All that hit rock bottom in September when Morales charged the U.S. Ambassador with stirring up political protest against the government and sent him back to Washington, followed by the U.S. sending Bolivia's ambassador packing, decertifying the Bolivia anti-coca effort, and axing Bolivia from a trade program threatening 20,000 jobs.


So the question is whether that sour turn in U.S. relations will change course under President Barak Obama. Morales has made it clear both in private and in public, in a series of speeches in the U.S. last month, that he is hopeful for a new start. How does the incoming administration feel about Bolivia?


Last January, we asked a friend of the Democracy Center, Tim Provencal, a former Maryknoll lay missioner in El Alto, to wade through the snows of Dover, New Hampshire and ask then-candidate Hillary Clinton a question about Bolivia. That video is a part of the Democracy Center's Voices from Latin America campaign which you can learn more about here.


Today Clinton is President-elect Obama's designate for U.S. Secretary of State. That makes her public comments in January, in which she voiced strong support for Morales, all the more relevant. Here's a video of her comments:

Here is a portion of what she had to say:


I understand the pent up desire of the people of Bolivia, especially the indigenous people, to finally have a say in their country and in their future…and I think that the United States has made a series of miscalculations. Granted they go back decades but they've been a particular problem in this [the Bush] administration. I believe we should have done much more to support Morales. He has done what is understandable, as a populist leader, he has turned to those like Chavez who have offered to help him…so I will try to create a new relationship with Latin America and that certainly includes Bolivia.


Time and politics, and the developments in the U.S./Bolivia relationship since September, can certainly have an effect on the way Secretary Clinton will steer that relationship. But if her views expressed in public in Dover a year ago hold, the door seems open for a change of course – and that would be a good thing for both countries.

validation

12 Days of (the war on) Christmas

Ho! Ha! Ho!

taking a stand

mmmmm...... having my second morning cuppa on a chilly december morning and looking through the google reader. that was probably mistake number one :) my intention is to bake cookies today and get packages ready to send out to relatives out of state next week to be there in time for the holiday. i questioned myself as to why i continue to participate- and i came to a conclusion about the holidays and life in general these days-- folks are clinging to tradition in the face of collapse. yep. we are clinging to the facade of normalcy and i don't think for one moment most folks are not aware that this country and this planet are in grave danger of having everything collapse. indeed, many ecosystems and ways of life are cascading into extinction before our eyes. i mean, it's pretty visceral when you actually see that there's no ice in the northwest passage or your neighbors getting evicted from their foreclosed home and everything auctioned off in the street.

so, when i read fiona's piece about standing up for peace or shutting up- it started me thinking naturally.

"It's time to stop talking about wanting peace and start working for it folks or it just ain't going to happen. If you don't care or can't be bothered, just stop reading now and go bury your head in the sand while those of us who haven't given up yet get to work."

there are always a few who go down fighting and others who go about their usual routine stoically waiting for the other shoe to drop. which is the 'right' course? of course, there are also those of us in the human race who go into complete denial mode and do nothing- so there's that. i truthfully don't have any answers. i mean i have been advocating accountability and impeachment for years to no avail- and with everything so unstable- i don't know that there is anything we can do but perhaps just soften the blows as best we can for each other.

you see, i have really come to the conclusion that we really are our own safety nets. i truly believe that we will come to a time when money isn't going to matter but defending your home against people who want what you have for a variety of reasons- will be paramount. really, kind of mad maxian. i think our world governments believe that too- why else would they be deploying troops in our own homelands for the first time in history?

so, i guess we will all be at a crossroads soon. are we the soft suburbanites who have simply fallen on hard times? or will we become the hardened protectors of home and hearth? or do we simply accept what is coming and realize human nature will never change? do we recognize and stare reality squarely in the face and not back down? many before us have. but these times are unlike any in recent history because for the first time in history- it isn't simply about economics. our whole planet is in peril. are we too late to stop it? i don't know. i really don't know.

i do know that each person in their lifetime comes to a time when they have to take a stand for something. whether they stand up and are counted or back down and fade into the background- their time comes. i guess we have to start asking ourselves what we are going to do now.

NPR - Santa On The Couch (all things considered)

1.
Martin O'Donnell (wchurchill6)

2.
Patrick Clark (thebuzz)

3.
Brad Taie (btaie)

4.
Steve Thorpe (theflyingtinman)

Milk

Out, Proud, and Fighting
by Sherry Wolf

Milk portrays the man Harvey Milk as he truly was -- not a cartoon character hero, but a real human being who was shaped by events and people around him, and used his wit, flair, and passion to give expression to the gay outrage of the 1970s. Read the rest of the article at Monthly Review.