The Lies We Love

One of the biggest things I have learned about my country, and what so many seem to shrug off by saying, "that's just the way it is," is that what matters most - above health and human wellness, above happiness, above morality and care for out neighbors -- is profit.

The fogginess surrounding my thoughts of a country that has not only held up the enlightened ideals forged over two hundred years ago by men of heart and soul, but carried them forward into ever new and promising visions of "certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," is only growing more dark and dim.

What is the reason NASA has chosen not to release a study to the public about airline and air traffic safety (which shows twice as many bird-strikes and near mid-air collisions)? "A senior NASA official, associate administrator Thomas S. Luedtke, said revealing the findings could damage the public's confidence in airlines and affect airline profits." (Emphasis is mine).

In other words - people may demand something be done! In the meantime, they just might take the train. If something must be fixed, that's going to cost money. And if less people fly, that's less money the airlines (and corporations like Boeing) make. Our safety doesn't matter as much as profits, so NASA won't tell us the truth in order to protect bottom lines. Countries that put their citizens (the true holders of governmental power) first are great countries. At least it's something we used to be.




Remember, President Bush vetoed the S-chip bill that would have given health insurance to poor children. He said that $35 million was too much money to spend on something like this. Thankfully, today he came to his senses and asked Congress for $46 billion - with a B - for war. "To date, Congress has already provided more than $455 billion for the Iraq war, with stepped-up military operations running about $10 billion a month."

In saying why he vetoed S-chip, "Mr. Bush argue[d] that the expansion is too costly..."

Kudos to Rep. David Obey (D-OH), here.





We're all in really big trouble. Everything we use runs on oil: our cars; the machines that make our cars; the trucks and ships that get our cars and good to the stores; the machines that make the machines that make the ships and trucks; the combines and harvest our food, the plants that process our food - everything. Our entire life-support system is based on oil.




As if undermining out life support system wasn't enough; we're REALLY stabbing ourselves in the back with this: "...an alarming new study finds that warming signals are stronger, and happening sooner than expected, due to increased human emissions of carbon dioxide and an Earth less able to absorb them."





P.S. Glenn Beck is an idiot.

Living in an Alternate Universe

That's how I feel lately. Like I'm living in an alternate universe. Everything I was brought up to believe in has been used and exploited, at the expense of people's lives and freedoms, so that a few powerful, rich white men can maintain their exploitative dominance.

For instance, while growing up I was imbued with a sense that pollution was not just wrong, but immoral and that we as a society were actively cleaning up our lakes, rivers, and air to right our wrongs. As a kid and into my young adulthood, it gave me a sense of pride in the U.S. and made me want to give back to society. To paraphrase from my fraternity's guidebook of brotherhood activities, "the situation in which I find myself must make sense to me if I am to be a contributing member to my country and to transmit the country, not only not less, but greater than it was transmitted to me."

What a detriment to us all - especially children and those not yet born - that President Bush doesn't have the same moral compass. And we wonder why our children (and adults) are so apathetic and Bowling Alone. "The Bush administration signaled...that is has no intention of taking enforcement actions against [power plant pollution] for the same kind of Clean Air Act violations in the future." The full story is here.



I've been thinking that Bush and company like where the Iraq war is at. Even though the war is a horrible, disgusting mess, there's really not much more that can go wrong. The fact that mistakes keep being made; simple ones, easily fixable ones - and yet nothing happens aside from blunder after blunder after blunder, I've concluded that this all must be part of the plan. Because, in reality, the guys who started this war have only enjoyed immense amounts of power and profits. (At the start of the war in March 2003, oil was at $35 a barrel - today it is over $88 a barrel).

• Debate on troop withdraws is on hold. (Democratic front-runners say they won't pull out troops)
  
• $592 billion dollar, 104 acre U.S. embassy in Iraq. (Why so big and permanent if we're not staying?)
  
• Gen. John Abizaid (Ret.), the former CENTCOM Commander, said about the Iraq war: "Of course it's about oil, we can't really deny that."
  

Which brings me to this:

"Iraq is 'unwinnable', a 'quagmire', a 'fiasco': so goes the received opinion. But there is good reason to think that, from the Bush-Cheney perspective, it is none of these things. Indeed, the US may be 'stuck' precisely where Bush et al want it to be, which is why there is no 'exit strategy'. Iraq has 115 billion barrels of known oil reserves. That is more than five times the total in the United States. How will the US maintain hegemony over Iraqi oil? By establishing permanent military bases in Iraq. Five self-sufficient 'super-bases' are in various stages of completion."

Must Read Articles---------------------------------------

1. Qwest CEO Not Alone in Alleging NSA Started Domestic Phone Record Program 7 Months Before 9/11


2. More on what happens to people who demonstrate for democracy in Burma. Too bad the U.S. doesn't care.

3. I like my food natural. No chemicals, pesticides, or insecticides and definitely not genetically modified. Looks like I won't be drinking anything Anheuser Busch makes.

"Rice used by Anheuser-Busch Cos. to brew Budweiser beer is tainted with an experimental, genetically engineered rice strain, according to an analysis released yesterday by the environmental organization Greenpeace."

Word Definition

According to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, the word "condemn" means, "to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil usually after weighing evidence and without reservation."

According to the United States Constitution, the First Amendment says that, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Today, the House of Representatives voted to condemn - to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil - MoveOn.org's Petraeus ad that was in the New York Times. Last week, the Senate voted to condemn - to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil - MoveOn.org's Petraeus ad.

In effect, what we have here is Congress saying that - because they did not like the ad - it is wrong. Since when did freedom of speech become wrong? When did it become so important for Congress to stop work on actually running this country (Iraq war, health care, infrastructure), to find time to condemn freedom of speech?

And not once - not once - was this idea of condemning free speech brought up when the republicans placed an ad in Georgia where Sen. Max Cleland, a veteran who lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam, was placed in a TV ad with Saddam and Osama.

There are numerous ads, both on television and in print, that I have seen and read and in no way, shape, or form like or agree with. Yet I do all I can to ensure that they are able to say what they believe and have a viable avenue to express it.

The actions by the House and the Senate I condemn. This is something one would expect from China or Stalinist Russia; not from the supposed "leader" of the free world. Not from the country who invades other countries to bring "liberty" and "freedom."



But then again, this same country engages in revising history. Compare what the White House website says Bush said yesterday here with what he actually said here. One may say they were just fixing a mispronunciation, but that is still changing the official record of what was said. If you can fix it in print, why not edit it out of the video as well? When does it stop?

I barely know what to say...how can this be allowed to happen? And this isn't the first time. Look here. The official White House press transcript has words purportedly said by the President that were NOT said by the President! Why doesn't the House and Senate condemn this?

Is this not what Winston did in 1984, for Big Brother?

"Day by day and almost minute by minute the past was brought up to date. In this way every prediction made by the Party could be shown by documentary evidence to have been correct; nor was any item of news, or any expression of opinion, which conflicted with the needs of the moment, ever allowed to remain on record."

How soon will it be before the White House changes what facts and figures Bush (or any president) said? How long before the president has always been correct and said the right things?



It is actions like this that make me truly proud to be an American. There is hope -- better 6 years late than never.



Here we have devoutly peaceful monks staging protests against a military junta (government by a committee of military leaders). In 1990, the military junta called a general election, which the National League for Democracy won decisively. Being the NLD's candidate, Aung San Suu Kyi under normal circumstances would have assumed the office of Prime Minister. Instead, the results were nullified, and the military refused to hand over power. Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest - and is still there today.

Why isn't President Bush sending into troops to Burma? Here is a total crackdown on peaceful, nonviolent protesters demonstrating for democracy (which was stolen from them); something Bush loves to say he is bringing to the world.

Why, then, are we doing nothing for these people? Sorry noble citizens of Burma, maybe if you weren't so geographically close to China or maybe if you had some oil under your land, we'd actually care about you.



Here are true American patriots. In a time of war, in a time of need, they show us what sacrifice really means.

Democracy and Representation Part II

The White House doesn't care about people who support their views either. (Walter Reed or 15 months in a war-zone anyone?) They care about your vote, that's about all. If they did care about you, why would they hide a potentially VERY dangerous situation from you and your family? Like they did here. And why would they not rush armored vehicles to Iraq?


If they cared about you and "family values" so much, why would they bail out the shady mortgage companies instead of helping the families who are losing their homes?

First, read this and learn what these sub-prime mortgages are all about. There's even a cool video go to with it.

Then read this to see the fallout this is generating.



If the people who run the government are also the people who own huge corporations, including almost every major media outlet - will we ever see all sides to a story?

First - check this out to learn how 10 corporations own all of our newspapers, television stations and internet access points.

Then watch this to see how even ABC news (part of the big 10) manipulate us.

Then watch this and and see what propaganda looks like. Josef Goebbels couldn't be prouder.

Do something.

The time is now.


Nazi Germany didn't just happen. People didn't just wake up one day to find Jews in concentration camps and the SS asking for allegiance to Hitler. It was a slow, gradual, and legal maneuver. The National Socialists actually brought much needed relief at first. But, slowly, things changed. Everything they did was legal - passed into law by the government. And it was all for their safety. Just trust us, they said. There's an evil enemy out there, let us protect you.

Well, here in America we have no-fly lists - that Senator's and 4-year olds are on; a national ID card is in the works; the Pentagon keeps track of you if you support peace; the Patriot Act allows federal agents to track what books you borrow, access your health records, and search your house without you ever knowing it. We had TIPS - which asked neighbors and friends to spy on each other; our elected President has signing statements where he chooses which laws he wants to obey; we have a President who has the power to call anyone, even a U.S. citizen, an "enemy-combatant," thereby stripping them of all rights guaranteed in our Bill of Rights. This is all to keep us safe. There's an evil enemy out there, let them protect us.

Just turn your iPod back on and stop paying attention.

or

DO SOMETHING!