Tax the rich, end the wars and cut the military budget--- tax problem solved

The Democrats and all of these phony liberals, progressives and leftists will now start talking about "taxing the rich" as the 2018 Election draws near. They have no intent of doing this even if they had a veto-proof majority.


They don't want to talk about how militarism and these dirty imperialist wars along with corruption deprive society of needed revenues to finance real health care reform.


They don't want to talk about how a National Public Health Care System would save billions of dollars while providing everyone with free health care.

In Minnesota Democrat Mark Dayton campaigned on the pledge to "tax the rich." He had a veto-proof House and Senate Democrat majority. He reneged on his promise and raised property taxes and other regressive taxes hurting the working class the most.


We need a new working class based party advocating real tax reforms which must include reordering priorities and legislating full employment with real living wages along with lowering the retirement age while increasing Social Security.


Real tax reform will require an anti-monopoly/anti-imperialist struggle which challenges Wall Street for political and economic power while focusing on the needs of workers and working class families.


In Minnesota, the Democrats dumped their own governor Rudy Perpich with a vicious red-baiting campaign calling him "Red Rudy" because he advanced legislation that would have taxed the hell out of the mining and forestry industries to pay for education which would have provided the people of Minnesota property and sales tax relief. Corporate Democrats pushed Perpich out and saddled Minnesotans with years of Republican tyranny where Democrats often supported, when they didn't acquiesce, to Republicans increasing every single regressive tax.

Why can't we keep trains on their tracks?

This is supposed to be the most industrialized and technologically advanced nation in the world and we can’t keep trains on the track.

And we can’t keep trains on the track but drones can be controlled to kill people with pin point accuracy.

We can't keep trains on their tracks because of the screwed up priorities in this country.

Unemployment down and poverty soars.

Trump’s big boast is unemployment is down.


Unemployment is down only because so many people have been under-employed and unemployed for so long they are now forced to work for poverty wages.


What business wouldn’t want to expand with such cheap labor costs?


But this capitalist “boom” cycle will be very short lived simply because these jobs do not pay people anywhere near enough to buy back what they are producing.


We will experience severe “over-production.”


And when this “boom” cycle crashes it is going to be one hell of a collapse hurting tens of millions of people.


And when this capitalist economy crashes this time all the pension funds are going to disappear and people are going to have to work until they die... many people already have to do this.


Unfortunately, many people learn the hard way and don’t start to think until they are suffering the consequences of this rotten capitalist system.


Don’t count on the Dumb Donkeys to save you because they will not even take the most basic steps to defend the integrity of Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, Unemployment Insurance or public education. Their idea of reforms is to make sure Wall Street is free to rip us off while making it sound good for us while it is killing us.


How can unemployment be lower while poverty increases?


The answer is very simple: When you pay people poverty wages they are going to be poor.

George McGovern and Lyndon Johnson

Opinion

Discovering Greatness in Lyndon Johnson

By GEORGE MCGOVERN        DEC. 5, 1999


As Published in the New York Times

Like many Americans, I was deeply opposed to Lyndon Johnson's pursuit of the Vietnam War. My views on the war have not changed, but my opinion of Johnson has. I believe now that with the exceptions of Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt -- and perhaps Theodore Roosevelt -- Lyndon Johnson was the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln.

John Kenneth Galbraith called recently for a reassessment of Johnson, arguing that history was unfair in identifying his presidency primarily with the war. Professor Galbraith is on the mark.

The Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations were all wrong in Vietnam. This issue was central to my 1972 presidential run against Richard Nixon. But despite his involvement with the war, Johnson used his remarkable political skills to build the most far-reaching progressive domestic program since the New Deal. Johnson's opponents like to ridicule the Great Society, but what is wrong with an American president who envisions his nation as a great society? Johnson did more than any other president to advance civil rights, education and housing, to name just three of his concerns, through enactment of laws.

I now regret not devoting more time to praising the Johnson record at home. And I wish I had known earlier what the Johnson White House tapes, published two years ago, show: Johnson was agonizing over Vietnam policy from his first day as president until his last.

Johnson shared his doubts and fears about Vietnam primarily with Senator Richard Russell of Georgia, chairman of the Armed Services Committee. I knew that both Johnson and Russell opposed American involvement in Vietnam when it was proposed to them as senators by the Eisenhower administration. The tapes show that they continued to have terrible doubts and regrets, even while publicly supporting the war.

On May 27, 1964, six months into his presidency, Johnson asks Russell on one tape, ''What do you think of this Vietnam thing?'' Russell answers: ''It's the damn worst mess I ever saw, and I don't like to brag. I never have been right many times in my life. But I knew that we were going to get into this sort of mess when we went in there.'' To which Johnson replies: ''That's the way that I've been feeling for six months.''

Russell answers: ''If I was going to get out, I'd get the same crowd that got rid of old Diem to get rid of these people and get some fellow in there that said he wished to hell we would get out. That would give us a good excuse for getting out . . . .''

''How important is it to us?'' Johnson asks.

''It isn't important a damn bit, with all these new missile systems,'' Russell replies.

Later, Johnson tells Russell: ''I've got a little old sergeant that works for me over at the house, and he's got six children, and I just put him up there as the United States Army, Air Force and Navy every time I think about making this decision, and think about sending that father of those six kids in there. And what the hell are we going to get out of his doing it? And it just makes the chills run up my back.'' To which Russell replies: ''It does me. I just can't see it.''

Later that day Johnson tells his national security adviser, McGeorge Bundy: ''I don't think it's worth fighting for, and I don't think that we can get out. It just the biggest damn mess I ever saw.'' To which Bundy replies: ''It is. It's an awful mess.'' Johnson makes a final observation to Bundy: ''It's damned easy to get in a war, but it's gonna be awfully hard to extricate yourself if you get in.''

I assumed in those years that Johnson was fully convinced of the soundness of his policy and not eager to consider other alternatives. I assumed the same was true of Senator Russell and his powerful allies in the Senate. If I had been privy to the mind of either Johnson or Russell, I would have assembled a group of a dozen senators and asked for a no-holds-barred meeting on Vietnam policy.
Such a group could have included J. William Fulbright, Mike Mansfield, Frank Church, Eugene McCarthy, Joseph Clark, George Aiken, John Sherman Cooper, Mark Hatfield, Robert and Edward Kennedy, Gaylord Nelson and Albert Gore Sr. Whether we could have made a difference, knowing that we were talking to a president tortured by his policy and looking for a way out, I do not know. I do know that I wish we had tried.

If it had been up to Lyndon Johnson, we would not have gone into Vietnam in the first place. It would be a historic tragedy if his outstanding domestic record remained forever obscured by his involvement in a war he did not begin and did not know how to stop.

George McGovern


A note:

It is interesting to note that the details of the meeting which took place at Johnson's ranch in Texas Hill Country between LBJ and George McGovern are still being with-held from the American people.

It is time to make all notes, audio and video recordings of this meeting available to the public.

LBJ endorsed McGovern for president at this meeting.

Apparently LBJ understood in endorsing McGovern we can't have both guns and butter as advised by liberal economist John Kenneth Galbraith.

It is time for the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas to stop concealing these materials and release all of the materials relating to the Johnson-McGovern meeting.

The people must assert their voices for peace.

Trump is in the process of updating the U.S. "strategy" for when nuclear weapons will be used...


Once the nuclear bombs are dropped and nuclear missiles are launched, our only defense will be to bend over, put our heads between our legs and kiss our ass good-bye.


A suggestion:

This might be a good time to think about the need for revitalizing a powerful mass united peace movement.

Another phony "leftist"

I have been meaning to comment for quite sometime about this “writer” referring to herself as a “rogue journalist” pretending to offer the U.S. left advice from Australia... Caitlin Johnstone.


She is part of this grouping trying to derail movement building by pushing this idea that the left and right have enough in common to work together.

She demeans efforts being made to impeach Trump and Pence as being detrimental to the left but encourages working with a Trump supporter like Mike Cernovich.


This is essentially the line which was used by Norman Thomas when he decided to work with the America Firsters instead of the People’s Front. With this line, Norman Thomas left the huge, powerful Socialist Party of the United States in ruins.


Ironically, these people pose themselves as some kind of super-leftists.


In the case of this Caitlin Johnstone, she is willing to work with a bunch of racist bigots like Mike Cernovich. How could any real leftist even suggest working with a scumbag like Cernovich?


Certainly not anyone who wants to build a united movement for real reforms and socialism which requires the unity of all people which requires a struggle against racism.


So, why are so many people claiming to be leftists providing money to Caitlin Johnstone to peddle her poison?


I have had leftists from the United States and Canada tell me they would never think of reading the ideas of people like William Z. Foster, Tim Buck, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Henry Winston, Gus Hall or Victor Perlo but they will peddle the poison being published by Caitlin Johnstone under the guise of leftism.


Want to read left wing thinking from Australia? Check out the Communist Party of Australia:


http://www.cpa.org.au


The U.S. and Canadian left is being bombarded in the same way by writers associated with this outfit Syriza in Greece... which, not coincidentally, has formed an alliance with a bunch of outright fascist bastards. Well, why not read what the real left in Greece has to say about things? The Communist Party of Greece (KKE). They have a web site, too:


https://inter.kke.gr/en/firstpage/

Hey Dumb Donkeys... Its all about guns and butter.

Democrats still don’t get what the liberal economist John Kenneth Galbraith tried to explain to them:


You can’t have both guns and butter.


Lyndon Johnson insisted that he could fund the barbaric carnage in Vietnam while still funding his “Great Society” which ended up getting mired, and then sunk, in the morass of Vietnam.


Lyndon Johnson only came to the reality of what John Kenneth Galbraith tried to explain to him shortly before he died in endorsing George McGovern for president.


Now we have Democrats voting for trillions for militarism and these dirty imperialist wars which have ended up torpedoing and sinking Hillary Clinton’s very limited and much ballyhooed “CHIP” health care program for children.


In fact, financing these dirty imperialist wars and this insane militarism is depriving us all of free health care provided through a National Health Care Program based on the model of public education:


Publicly financed.


Publicly administered.


Publicly delivered.


This is the only sensible, and cost effective way, to provide an entire Nation with their human right to health care.

The Dumb Donkeys think we are going to be stupid enough to keep voting for them even though it is obvious more and more people are not turning out to vote for these Democrats. They are Dumb Donkeys because they can’t be taught basic economic facts relating to the politics and economics of livelihood... the only politics and economics that really matter... its about guns and butter, stupid!


Charles Barclay is correct in pointing out these Democrats want our votes while having provided nothing for us in return for our votes.


We need to stand up and fight as a class, the working class, for our rights, our health & welfare and our livelihoods because these Dumb Donkeys are never going to do anything for us.


We need a reinvigorated labor movement not afraid to struggle and bring forward the socialist alternative to capitalism while advancing real solutions to our everyday problems; and, we need our own political party setting forth our own agenda based on peace and the politics and economics of livelihood.


We need some kind of mass non-sectarian socialist organization using Marxism to guide these movements because otherwise the opportunists get lost in all the machinations of the foundation funded organizations overseen by the well-heeled upper middle class muddle-headed intellectuals all financed by the great “philanthropists” who are in reality our Wall Street exploiters constantly looking for ways to use the Democrats to divide, trick, sidetrack, confuse and disorient us in trying to get us to believe this rotten capitalist system which breeds war, racism and poverty is some how in our best interest.


We need these Wall Street parasites about as much as our cats and dogs need ticks and fleas.


Progressive religious activists have pointed out the necessity of beating swords into plowshares. Karl Marx pointed out that when a Nation spends the wealth created by the working class on militarism and wars it is like dumping that Nation’s wealth into the deepest depths of the ocean for all the good it does. The great liberal Eleanor Roosevelt helped draft the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights which should provide liberals, progressives and leftists a program to unite around.


We know what needs to be done.

Are we up to the task of what needs to be done?
These dirty wars and this insane militarism is the price we pay for not having health care while all of our other public institutions like public education and infrastructure go to hell... we pay and the Wall Street merchants of death and destruction profit as society suffers... only a bunch of Dumb Donkeys would not understand this. Every single dollar of the trillions of dollars being spent on militarism and wars is a dollar we don't have to spend on what we really need like a National Public Health Care System.


Think about this:


What kind of government never questions funding another dirty imperialist war but then can't even come up with the funds to pay for very limited health care of our children?

The FCC ruling repeals Net Neutrality

New York Times:

F.C.C. Repeals Net Neutrality Rules

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/12/14/technology/net-neutrality-repeal-vote.html?referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

****************


Democracy is too big a hindrance to corporate profits... we are in for a very rude awakening.


There is only one way to defend democracy in light of this attack by Republicans and acquiescence of the Democrats on net neutrality and that is to bring the Internet under full public ownership and control; taking corporate interests completely out of the picture.


Obviously we can’t depend on the Democrats to mobilize the American people in defense of democracy any more than we can rely on the Democrats for peace or to solve this health care mess.
We need to mobilize millions of people behind the demand for public ownership and democratic control of the Internet.


Perhaps the real solution to the problems of privatization and monopoly ownership, domination and control of the Internet would be to place it under the control of UNESCO... the United Nation’s Scientific, Education and Cultural Organization?


There really is no reason why everyone shouldn’t have free access to the Internet other than Wall Street monopolies consider it their right to profit from a publicly funded and financed operation... the epitome of what neo-liberalism is all about... the government giving corporations the right to profit from a publicly funded and financed enterprise which the Internet is.

In one way or another, what the public has paid to create and maintain, the Internet, should be publicly owned, controlled and operated as a public democratic enterprise and institution.


For some reason, no one is talking about when we could get free access to the Internet through local co-operative ventures usually through networks operating through our public libraries.


Public funds created the Internet and the Internet must be brought back under public control as a democratic institution and enterprise... just like the U.S. Postal Service and public education.



The two Democrats on the FCC have done a fine job of explaining why corporations should not control the Internet, but they have done a very poor job when it comes to articulating the solution:


Public ownership which is the only alternative to handing the Internet over to profit-gouging monopolies.


The reality is we will either have monopoly corporate ownership and control over the Internet or the Internet will be a public institution and enterprise.


Which do you want? Take your pick.


Once again it seems socialists and Communists are far too timid when it comes to bringing forward the response required to the FCC ruling which places Wall Street monopolies in complete control of the Internet by destroying this so-called “net neutrality” which really hasn’t been any kind of neutrality at all in that it has enabled the corporations instead of the people to become dominant over most aspects of the Internet and setting the stage for overturning “net neutrality” in favor of the monopoly corporations.

The Internet was, and should have remained, a public entity with its construction continued as part of a public works project.


In fact, our entire communications network should be a public entity, a public enterprise creating a public institution instead of allowing Google, Verizon, AT&T and Microsoft to become dominant over the Internet in quest of profits rather than the public good.


Some now suggest the way to oppose this recent FCC ruling is to stop using the Internet.


This would only further concede control of the Internet to the Wall Street monopolies who seek to profit from it just like they do with telephones, television, radio, newspapers.


The whole idea behind the Internet was supposed to be to democratize all of this and the way we interact and communicate with one another.


We need to use our access to Internet to struggle against these monopolies.


Do we fear raising the solution of public ownership under democratic control for fear of being red-baited? Is it easier to advocate withdrawing from a struggle?


We must begin to think in terms of public solutions to our problems rather than the capitalist Wall Street centered market oriented for-profit approach with these parasites always feeding off of us at the public trough.


The Internet was created and financed by the public sector as such it should be publicly owned and democratically controlled free from the Wall Street monopolies which already control and dominate far too much in our country.


Check out what the Democrats on the FCC had to say:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WRYTqzNGnvU

Mignon Clyburn at the FCC on net neutrality

youtube.com

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V6cuzSxjE54

Jessica Rosenworcel Tells it Like it is!

STANDING OVATION I didn't get a chance to watch Mignon Clyburn's speech, but from what I heard it was also pretty good.

youtube.com

Convicted ex-coal boss Blankenship to run for Senate

This begs the question:


Why aren't workers running for office in opposition to the employers?


http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/362333-convicted-ex-coal-boss-blankenship-to-run-for-senate


Why don't we have a working class based people's party?

Convicted ex-coal boss Blankenship to run for Senate

A former coal company executive who was convicted for conspiracy to violate federal mine safety laws is running for the Senate in West Virginia.

thehill.com

Health Care is a Human Right

Today is the 69th anniversary of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights:


http://unudhr.blogspot.com/


Notice that nothing was included to make its enforcement mandatory.

The only way we will ever get these articles enforced is through legislation yet not one single president since Lyndon Johnson has made any effort to bring forward legislation for enforcing this Declaration.


We will never get New Deal or Great Society type legislation unless we as a class, the working class, have our own political party with working class candidates.


In order to assure us of most of these rights we will probably have to get rid of capitalism and get our country on the road to socialism.


Half the people in this country say they are willing to consider the socialist alternative to capitalism so socialists are going to have to start bringing forward solutions to our most pressing problems in a way that demonstrates the superiority of socialist alternatives to the problems created by capitalism.
One of the best ways to do this, in my opinion, is with the health care issue.


We need to begin a campaign to win a National Public Health Care System... not Obamacare, not single-payer, not HR 676 nor Medicare for All--- all of which leave the for-profit, free market health care system intact... but a National Public Health Care System based on the model of public education:


Publicly Financed.


Publicly Administered.


Publicly Delivered.


The United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares health care to be a human right.


Only a National Public Health Care System can fulfill this human right.


Martin Luther King Jr. on health care:


“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

King Berates Medical Care Given Negroes

Oshkosh Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wis.), March 26, 1966


CHICAGO (AP) - Massive direct-action is needed to "raise the conscience of the nation" to the segregated and inferior medical care received by Negroes, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said Friday night.


Calling for court suits to force doctors and hospitals to comply with the Civil Rights Act, King and officers of the Medical Committee for Human Rights accused the American Medical Association of a "conspiracy of inaction" in civil rights.


At a press conference before his speech to the committee's annual meeting. King said: "We are concerned about the constant use of federal funds to support this most notorious expression of segregation. Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhuman because it often results in physical death.


"I see no alternative to direct action and creative nonviolence to raise the conscience of the nation."

United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Today is the 69th anniversary of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights:


http://unudhr.blogspot.com/


Have you read this important document which Eleanor Roosevelt played an important role in drafting?


Do your children study this document in school?


Please read and share widely.

Is the U.S. Senate any less unethical, dishonest and corrupt with Al Franken gone?

Democrats say they want to shed themselves of Al Franken because they want to be seen as honorable, ethical and decent... this is laughable given these same Democrats just supported a corrupt warmonger like Hillary Clinton for president... if they really believed this why do they take Wall Street bribes?

I would suggest that Al Franken, in spite of political and ideological differences I have with him, is one of the more decent, ethical, honest and honorable people sitting in the United States Senate.

Al Franken, in announcing his resignation, didn't apologize for anything because he didn't do anything he was accused of doing.

If Al Franken is unworthy of occupying a chair in the U.S. Senate, the rest of the senators certainly need to go, too.

We should take the way Al Franken has been treated as the need to form a progressive "New Broom Electoral Coalition" to sweep Washington clean.

And ditto for the U.S. House... and the Oval Office.

We need a good stiff new broom--- a militant, mass people's movement and electoral coalition--- to sweep Washington clean and create the kind of democracy articulated on paper in the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Jerusalem is an international city.

Most of the world agrees that Jerusalem should be an "international city."


Why then has Trump with support from Netanyahu pushed this scheme that is sure to further inflame the situation and incite people to war?


This scheme concocted by Trump and Netanyahu completely defies international public opinion and all attempts to achieve peace in the Middle East.


Corpus separatum (Latin for "separated body") is a term used to describe the Jerusalem area in the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine. According to the plan the city would be placed under international regime, conferring it a special status due to its shared religious importance.


Most of the world still supports this... but not Donald J. Trump nor Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu... both of whom seem to prefer continued never-ending carnage, destruction and war to peace and friendship with people living in harmony with one another.


Jimmy Carter declared in 1980: "As to Jerusalem, we strongly believe that Jerusalem should be undivided, with free access to the holy places for all faiths, and that its status should be determined in the negotiations for a comprehensive peace settlement."


Obviously, there has been no "comprehensive peace settlement." Any such settlement will most likely once and for all make Jerusalem an "international city" contrary to the imperialist desire of Trump and Netanyahu.


By the way, had the proponents for establishing Israel in the first place not accepted Jerusalem being designated an "international city" Israel would not exist today.


In fact, many Israeli politicians have been opposed to Israel proclaiming Jerusalem the capital of Israel. Among the most notable of these politicians was one of the original founders of Israel and who had been the longest serving and a most respected elected member of the Knesset, Meir Vilner, who served from 1949 to 1990... some forty years.

It Can't Happen Here? Better think again. Try reading this...

Fascists rally in support of Republican Roy Moore while Democrats focus their attacks on John Conyers and Al Franken

What does an American fascist rally look like?


Can it--- fascism--- happen here?


It---fascism--- is dangerously on the rise here.

The mainstream media doesn't want you to know how dangerously close we are to fascism so we didn't get the live coverage of this entire rally for fascism.


I strongly suggest you watch this entire rally for Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore in a barn in southern Alabama where Steve Bannon was a featured speaker as it was live-streamed on a fascist network.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICI1jtzUMOk


And think about this: Is the Democratic Party capable of defending democracy from these racist fascist bigots posing as "populists?"


Steve Bannon and his band of "alt-right" followers want to destroy the present very limited and fragile democracy provided by capitalism and replace it with a way--- fascism--- for Wall Street to control us more easily so there is no resistance to capitalist exploitation, poverty, racism and imperialist wars.

LIVE: Roy Moore Rally w/Special Guest Steve Bannon - LIVE COVERAGE

Join us for LIVE COVERAGE of the Roy Moore rally with special…

youtube.com

Hillary Clinton and "What Happened"

Democrats all over the United States are helping Hillary Clinton promote her new book, "What Happened," but they are attacking me for discussing what Hillary Clinton wrote in her book.

I would suggest we organize discussions of Hillary Clinton's new book all over the United States to determine if her analysis is correct or not.

It seems Democrats would rather such a thorough discussion not take place.

What these Dumb Donkeys want is for everyone to buy the book and accept without question what Hillary Clinton has written in an attempt to prepare us for supporting another warmonger like Clinton, or perhaps a re-run with Clinton, in 2020.

Hillary Clinton has repeatedly ridiculed attempts to create a new party because a new party has no chance of winning... interesting advice coming from such a big loser whose loss gave us a moron like Trump.

And Hillary Clinton and her supporters have not even called on Trump to resign... figure that one out.

What I find really interesting is Hillary Clinton and her backers are even carefully manipulating and controlling her book sale/signing events... they try to exclude anyone who questions what she has written.

If Hillary Clinton was honest, she would organize events in a way she would respond to challenges and invite discussion and debate.

Trump should resign!

The other day I mentioned I found it very hypocritical for Nancy Pelosi to call of Senator Al Franken and Congressman John Conyers to resign while not taking up measures to impeach Trump...

But, I should have gone further...

In fact, Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats haven't even called on Trump to resign!

Trump is destroying our Nation and leading us into World War III and a nuclear winter while he destroys many social programs hurting the lives of millions.

Just compare the harm Trump has already done and never mind what he might do to what Al Franken and John Conyers have been accused of, but not proven guilty of, and any thinking person has to wonder why Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi has not called on Trump to resign.

Come on you Democrats... at least have the moral and political courage to call on Trump to resign.

Obviously Trump needs to be impeached and then prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

But, again, neither Franken nor Conyers have been tried and convicted for anything so it begs the question, why are you Democrats calling for them to resign and not calling on Trump to resign?

In fact, both Franken and Conyers have been the target of long-term vicious right wing campaigns orchestrated by Trump's closest political allies which would cause any thinking person to question that these accusations against both Franken and Conyers have their origins in these right wing attacks on them.

Nancy Pelosi and her fellow corporate serving Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for taking up with these right wing outfits in attacking Franken and Conyers when they haven't lifted one little finger... or even their middle finger... towards stopping Trump.

Demand Nancy Pelosi calls on Trump to resign as a first step towards getting this moron out of office before he does any more harm and damage to our Nation and the world.

Are you willing to help organize a national campaign for a National Public Health Care System?

The time is long overdue to kick off a national campaign for a National Public Health Care System so the American people can consider all options for health care reform.

Are you willing to actively participate in such a campaign?

Social Justice and the capitalist market.

Our monthly Social Justice Book Club at the Lake Travis Community Public Library has been reading, "What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets" by Michael J. Sandel.

I initially made the comment I didn't care for the book because it brought forward no solutions. Another person responded suggesting we read a book by David Harvey as a next selection.

I just wanted to share an e-mail comment I made to the group:

I think reading David Harvey would be a great idea since Marxism remains the primary opposition to capitalism. All too often we only hear the voices of the anti-Marxists; and, like with the current book, we only get a critique of what is wrong with providing rationing for the well-being of people through the market-based system with no alternatives suggested... perhaps the biggest failing of the capitalist market-based for-profit system is in the area of health care and our failure to be able to bring the concept of a National Public Health Care System (socialized health care) into the proverbial public square even just for discussion because the two major parties are the guardians of this present health care system when in fact, a National Public Health Care System is no more controversial than public education which functions very well when properly funded and not controlled by an arrogant well-heeled intellectual elite although a much more progressive way of funding a National Public Health Care System would have to be considered since the reactionary and regressive property tax has provided a much better public education for the wealthy than for the working class.

I would hope our discussion of the current book would focus on market-based health care so we become voices for opening up a real dialog on something that really counts... for real change which social justice is all about.

Priorities also have to be questioned since Lyndon Johnson, in spite of his proclaiming we could fund a “Great Society” and wars at the same time has been proven wrong... apparently a conclusion he came to too late in life while endorsing George McGovern for president... an endorsement which took place right here in Texas Hill Country at Johnson’s ranch during a lengthy meeting and discussion between the two... the content of which is still being concealed from the public... and concealed by? A market-driven corporate media. Apparently “the market” can’t deliver information to us any better than it can deliver health care.

For more info on a National Public Health Care System check out my blog post and the links in it here: https://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/2017/11/one-of-my-blog-posts-hits-all-time-high.html

The movie "LBJ;" what is missing?

The liberal Rob Reiner had the perfect opportunity to include this very important event in his movie, "LBJ," starring Woody Harrelson.

But, Rob Reiner being a very loyal Democrat dutifully ignored this historic event while portraying Johnson as a buffoon compared to the Kennedy's.

The Democrats just hate to talk about and acknowledge two politicians:

Lyndon Johnson and George McGovern.

George McGovern opposed Johnson's war in Vietnam and Johnson ended up endorsing George McGovern for president... a point Rob Reiner completely omitted from his movie even though this meeting would have made for a perfect conclusion to the movie.

In many ways Lyndon Johnson was both the best president ever and one of the worst; while George McGovern was the Democrat's best candidate ever... bar none.

One would think this meeting on its own would be worthy of study and discussion... even a movie or a play.

This is a photo of the Johnson-McGovern meeting at the Johnson Ranch in Texas Hill Country but the LBJ Library refuses to make the notes, audio and video recordings of the meeting public. Why? Because Johnson with his hair grown long acknowledged by supporting McGovern that we can not have war and a "Great Society" at the same time?
The Democrats just hate to talk about and acknowledge two politicians:

Lyndon Johnson and George McGovern.

George McGovern opposed Johnson's war in Vietnam and Johnson ended up endorsing George McGovern for president.

One would think this would be worthy of study and discussion... even a movie or a play.

This is a photo of the Johnson-McGovern meeting at the Johnson Ranch in Texas Hill Country but the LBJ Library refuses to make the notes, audio and video recordings of the meeting public. Why? Because Johnson with his hair grown long acknowledged by supporting McGovern that we can not have war and a "Great Society" at the same time?

Why is it no other researchers have insisted this material be made public?

Certainly Rob Reiner's researchers for the movie "LBJ" must have been aware of this important meeting?

According to the New York Times their meeting lasted over three hours. Certainly the American people are entitled to know the content of this discussion; aren't we?

Are we being denied what transpired at this meeting between Johnson and McGovern because of this ongoing debate?

One of my blog posts hits an all time high for The Podunk Blog

My blog post on health care hit an all time high for my blog posts. People continue to read and share this post:

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/2017/07/democrats-led-by-bernie-sanders-are.html

The hits on this post have reached 1,729,234.

This leads me to conclude there is tremendous interest in a National Public Health Care System... socialized health care.

So, why aren't more people talking about a National Public Health Care System as an alternative to the mess we have now with this for-profit health care system?

It seems people are afraid to venture beyond what is considered appropriate to talk about with-in Democratic Party circles... "affordable health care (Obamacare)," single-payer universal health care and Medicare for All... all of which leave the for-profit system of health care intact... and each leaves us with private delivery of health care intact.

I encourage more people to join me in speaking out for a National Public Health Care System... don't be bullied by the Democratic Party hacks.

The Democrats have no intention of delivering single-payer or Medicare for All. They have been using both to get votes and then once elected, these Dumb Donkeys capitulate to the health care industry which includes a bunch of greedy insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment manufacturers, hospitals and nursing homes, credit card companies and doctors.

There are those who peddle the lie that socialist Tommy Douglas fought for single-payer universal health care in Canada... this is another great big fat lie. Canadians won single-payer as a compromise while fighting for socialized health care and even after winning the single-payer reform, Tommy Douglas urged Canadians to continue the struggle for socialized health care because he realized the short-comings of allowing the for-profit crowd to feed at this huge public trough and leaving health care delivery in the hands of greedy doctors seeking to make their fortunes from people who are sick.

I appreciate you continuing to share my blog post on National Public Health Care... I encourage you to pick up your pen and write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper today. The letter need not be long. Just hit on the main points as I did in this letter to the editor:

http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letters-readers-sound-off-on-abortion-and-health-care/article_0ca775ed-97a4-5d56-9b66-6ac79817d9ed.html

Real health-care reform

Health-care reform discussion is being manipulated with the choices — Ryancare versus Obamacare — being dictated to us just like the candidates placed before us in the last election. We are supposed to select the lesser evil and be happy.

What we need is a national public health-care system based on the model of public education. Publicly financed. Publicly administered. And publicly delivered.

Alan Maki, Lakeway

Or, if you want to get further into it, something like this letter which I wrote that was published previously in the Austin American-Statesman:

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-austin-american-statesman-publishes.html

I do not understand how it is that people who call themselves socialists and revolutionaries can be bullied, badgered and intimidated into allowing Democratic Party hacks and politicians to manipulate and control this health care debate when the whole idea behind the need for socialism is solving the problems of working people... problems like health care.

It would seem to me advocating socialized health care would be the best way to show people WHY we need socialism... I don't understand how you explain the need for socialism by advocating capitalist "solutions" to our problems... and make no mistake--- "affordable health care," single-payer universal health care and Medicare for All are capitalist "solutions" to this health care mess... all of which only alleviate part of the problem/s for very short periods of time before very severe problems inherent in the for-profit health care system arise.

Compare the speech by Xi Jinping to Trump’s “America First” speech delivered in Vietnam

Compare this speech by Xi Jinping to Trump’s “America First” speech delivered in Vietnam:


http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2017-11/12/content_34425873.htm

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/11/10/remarks-president-trump-apec-ceo-summit-da-nang-vietnam

Two speeches; two different political and economic systems.


What do you make of these speeches?


Have the American people been invited to participate in this discussion?


Do you have a say in the economic decision-making process?


How do we as working people have a say?


What has been the role of Wall Street and its junior partners in all of this?


Do we understand the nature of imperialism, the most advanced stage of capitalism?


Do we understand socialism?


How do these two views fit in with the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the anti-imperialist struggles and the struggle for socialism?


Must we wait, like Immanuel Wallerstein the anti-globalization intellectual says, to analyze what is taking place in China before we draw conclusions?


Do we as working people understand politics and economics from an anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist pro-socialist perspective in a way which enables us to work towards solutions to our own pressing problems which includes ending militarism and these dirty imperialist wars so we can implement legislation for real health care reform, to defend the integrity and future of public education, to win full-employment and a real living Minimum Wage, to break the back of racist discrimination by implementing and enforcing Affirmative Action, for decent and affordable housing for all, for affordable transportation, for a public banking system, in defense of Social Security and expanding benefits to include real living incomes, for a Basic Income Guarantee that assures everyone a real living income, for protection of our living environment and combating global warming?


Do we understand Wall Street and its international junior partners including Bay Street, the Square Mile and the money bags of Germany and Japan are our common enemies?


Do we as working people understand who are friends and enemies are?


Do we understand we can’t have an economy which works for all of us as long as Wall Street drags us into never-ending costly war after war?


Do we as working people have a common understanding these wars are making us all poor?


No matter what one thinks of China’s Xi Jinping... there is no doubt China is determined to better its own country through peace while both the Democrats and Republicans Working for Wall Street push us towards World War III.


I am wondering why the Chinese and Vietnamese did not insist on the right of North Korea to participate in this Asia-Pacific Conference that was key-noted by Xi Jinping and Donald Trump since North Korea is part of this community?


In my opinion, it is way past time for the working class to weigh in on all of these concerns because billionaires like Trump should not be allowed to do our thinking for us let alone speak for us.


The time is now to bring our Working class voices into the public square through leaflets, petitions, statements, forums, letters to the editor, protests and demonstrations...


And what is with this timid labor leadership of the AFL-CIO which lacks the ability to initiate and lead working class struggles to improve our lives at a time when Wall Street profits are at an all time high while pissing away millions of dollars supporting a bunch of Dumb Donkeys? Where is the accountability?


Why would any union leader join Trump in attacking China? Yet Trumka and Leo Gerard and James Hoffa do just this... they align themselves with our class enemies instead of our friends.


We need these Wall Street parasites and their bribed politicians about as much as our dogs and cats need ticks and fleas.

Full text of Xi's remarks at Session I of APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting - China - Chinadaily.com.cn

President Xi Jinping delivered a speech titled Working Together for a New Chapter of Win-Win Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific here Saturday at the first session of the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting.

chinadaily.com.cn

It is almost impossible for most people to understand people actually sit around figuring these things out.

You have to read this to believe it:

https://lieu.house.gov/sites/lieu.house.gov/files/Response%20to%20TWL-RG%20Letter%20on%20NK.pdf

North Korea: Trump condems "strategic patience;" Jimmy Carter offers to negotiate the peace. Others calculate the costs of war.

Here we go, again, with Trump's attacks--- from threatening war to sanctioning the people to death--- on North Korea claiming "strategic patience" is a "failed policy."


What right does Trump have to dictate anything to North Korea when he won't even sit down and have face to face talks with the North Koreans--- in spite of his often stated campaign promises to do just that?


Where is Trump's response to Jimmy Carter who publicly made an offer to help resolve this situation by going to North Korea?

"Jimmy Carter offers to talk peace with North Korea's Kim, says academic"...


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/10/jimmy-carter-offers-to-talk-peace-with-north-koreas-kim-says-academic


And this from Carter himself:


"Guest editorial: What I've learned from North Korea's leaders"...


http://napavalleyregister.com/opinion/editorial/guest-editorial-what-i-ve-learned-from-north-korea-s/article_71d62e37-d495-5be5-a748-b3974c58aa8b.html


Trump has a lot of unmitigated arrogant gall disdaining "strategic patience" when the only alternative may be war and nuclear annihilation.


Obviously there are those imbeciles and morons in the United States government hard at work calculating the costs of war:


https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/ground-invasion-only-way-destroy-north-korea-s-nuclear-arsenal-n817651


Sanctions against North Korea intended to cause the people of North Korea extreme hardships are acts of war.

Make sure you check this out at the link above...

Guest editorial by Jimmy Carter: What I've learned from North Korea's leaders