End The Tax-Exempt Status Of The NRA

Yes, you are.

I  was recently made aware (h/t @AgendaHawaii) that the NRA is a tax-exempt organization.  We can work together to end that by signing this White House petition: Revoke The Tax-Exempt Status Of The NRA - it's quick and easy to set up an account at the White House and they DON'T bug you or send emails or share out any of your information.

At first I didn't believe the NRA was tax-exempt, but a quick trip to the NRA's own website (which I will not link to) confirmed it.  Hint: if you search the term "nra tax-exempt" you will see a page called "A Brief History Of The NRA".  Read that in its entirety if you like.

Here, I will quote paragraph 13:

In 1990, NRA made a dramatic move to ensure that the financial support for firearms-related activities would be available now and for future generations. Establishing the NRA Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt organization, provided a means to raise millions of dollars to fund gun safety and educational projects of benefit to the general public. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible and benefit a variety of American constituencies, including youths, women, hunters, competitive shooters, gun collectors, law enforcement agents and persons with physical disabilities.

And, paragraph 14:

 While widely recognized today as a major political force* and as America's foremost defender of Second Amendment rights, the NRA has, since its inception, been the premier firearms education organization in the world. But our successes would not be possible without the tireless efforts and countless hours of service our nearly four million members have given to champion Second Amendment rights and support NRA programs. As former Clinton spokesman George Stephanopoulos said, "Let me make one small vote for the NRA. They're good citizens. They call their Congressmen. They write. They vote. They contribute. And they get what they want over time."
*emphasis mine

 The NRA is no longer engaged in enhancing the fine art of marksmanship or of educating fledgling hunters.  They are no longer engaged in the practice of assuring gun safety.  They don't appear to provide any "public benefit" even if they once did.  So what do they do?

They are engaged in the business of representing firearms manufacturers and expanding the market for firearms.  See, guns are durable goods.  They seldom break or wear out; many guns are passed down from generation to generation - with pride - as fully usable weapons.  So they aren't a disposable item - they can hang around for hundreds of years.  In order to EXPAND sales, manufacturers need to EXPAND THE MARKET - get more new customers buying their first guns, and get more repeat customers buying second, third, and fourth firearms in an attempt to keep up with the latest models and features.

They are engaged in the business of making sure that laws (like "Stand Your Ground") exist to ease gun ownership.  They stoke fear that your neighbor or your government is going to attack you.  They claim - by and through their members - that police are either useless doofs or dangerous agents of a grand government conspiracy (you've heard the "jackbooted thugs" meme a time or ten, right?) so that you need to be armed or be dead. (I saw a tweet fly by a few minutes ago:  No one at the NRA suggested that after Trayvon Martin's death, or Jordan Davis's death, that black teens should arm themselves....I wonder why?)

They are engaged in some heavy-duty legal action, too:  the NRA's Institute of Legislative Action.  This is the mothership for their activism.  I linked to it because I want you to see it, read it, get a feel for the degree of dedication these people have.  Get a feel for the fear they push out.  Get an idea of how anyone who isn't all for everything they want is labelled "anti-gun".  Become familiar with their terminology and methodology... and above all:

SIGN THE PETITION.  PLEASE.

Stop The NRA's Influence On Our Legislators - RETURN THE CASH

In the wake of the never-ending stream of gun violence permeating our society, I'm asking everyone who follows me on Twitter, Tumblr, StumbleUpon, and on this blog to contact the legislators who've received money from the NRA and ask them to return it.

TELL THEM TO RETURN THE CASH.

TELL THEM TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP IN DOING WHAT'S RIGHT.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO VOTE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO LEGISLATE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING BUT:

RETURN THE CASH. 

Here's the Contact the US Government link for your convenient reference.

Send an email.  It's free, it's fast, and if we pile them up they will have impact.  Send a tweet, make a Tumblr post, do whatever you can to lawfully and respectfully demand that these legislators return the blood money they received from the NRA.  You can do this.

If we don't drill down on this issue and demand that the influx of policy-distorting cash ceases, we will continue to see the endless heartbreak of violence directed at children. Whether it's a single murder or a mass murder of twenty innocents, if we don't take action and use our power NOTHING WILL CHANGE.

Try telling any parent of a murdered child that we don't need CHANGE.

Romney's Three Key Successes In The 10/3 Debate

Last night's debate is being hailed by some as a victory for Romney. His supporters and much of the media claim he brilliantly outperformed President Obama.  Although the tone and timbre of the debate wasn't what I expected, I am forced to concede that Romney was victorious in three very distinct ways.

Before I discuss the victories, let me share what wasn't a surprise.  I wasn't surprised that Romney gave it his all.  Governor Roomba was well-programmed for the event and - think about it - had nothing to lose at this point.  Nothing.  How many debates has he had in the last year?  Did this one look any different than those?  Not really. He wasn't squaring off against Dingbat Bachmann or pRick Perry so the intellectual content of the night was a great deal higher, but he didn't sound any different than when he debates the brain trust that is the republican party.

I was also prepared for President Obama to be cool-headed, thoughtful, and factually correct.  He didn't disappoint in that regard.  Some of his arguments could have been made more forcefully but, frankly, I wasn't expecting him to unleash an inner John Sununu.  President Obama has too much class and intelligence for that.  He is no rabid Bully-in-Chief.

With that said, I do believe Romney earned success in three key areas.  Make no mistake: these areas are critical to a successful presidency, so please pay close attention.  First, Willard Romney demonstrated success in the one-man race to insult Jim Lehrer.  He told Lehrer that he'd cut funding to PBS ("I actually like you, [Jim]") and essentially de-fund Lehrer out of a job.  So very Bain of him, wasn't it?  Governor Outsourcing also steamrolled over the few weak attempts Lehrer made to moderate.  Viewers were privileged to get a glimpse of the indomitable spirit that helped Willard chase down a gay classmate and cut his hair and calmly hose Seamus's terror-poop off his car.  

Second, Willard Romney scored a big win by controlling the microphone.  Everyone  the biggest windbag wins.  It's that simple.  Governor Blowhard knows that if you're in a tense international situation, for example, the president's job is to drown out every other voice in the room until he's the last one with oxygen.  Negotiation is so, like, 2011.  And if you have to eat up time by telling strange, rambling stories about your sons and their penchant for lying while inferring that the person you're speaking with is also a liar, go for it!  Governor Gasbag scored a perfect ten in running out the clock.

And speaking of lying, Willard Romney's third victory showed his amazing ability to avoid the truth.  The number of non-truths Mendacious Mitt committed to last night was staggering; the fact-checking machines have been whirring faster than many of his own internal circuits! What was the count up to...28? 30?  Retroactive Romney absolutely, positively, unequivocally out-nontruthed President Obama.  The Etch-a-Sketch was a-shakin' onstage in Denver as Willard retroactively amended his previous flip-flopping to... flop-flipping?  What do you call it when someone changes their facts twice, thrice, and maybe more?  I'm starting to worry that Romney has a memory problem.  I know Ann's worried about his emotional state, but I'm more worried about his memory.  On second thought, memory problems don't slow down the gop; the Reagan administration relied upon it.

So I willingly concede that Willie Romney outperformed President Obama in gelding Jim Lehrer, clutching the mic, and making shit up.  And according to the RNC's bylaws, that qualifies him to hold the highest office in the land.

All I have to say about that is:

Thanks, Mitt!

Irony: #3DoorsDown, Katrina, and the #RNC

In August 2005, I attended a concert headlined by 3 Doors Down as Katrina unleashed her fury on the Gulf coast.  The band's leader, Brad Arnold, made an impassioned, heartfelt plea for donations and support as Katrina took aim at his hometown in Mississippi.  Their performance was ironically amazing - fueled by stress, sadness and worry - as the band released their pent-up emotions on stage.  It was a moving tribute to their beloved Gulf coast.

Now, Tropical Storm Isaac may strengthen into a hurricane and again take aim at the Gulf.  Again, 3 Doors Down is scheduled to play a concert.  Not in a folksy state fair setting, but for the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida.  Brad Arnold expressed pride at being tapped for the performance and added that it was a privilege to be selected.

My question is this:  How can the band, or Arnold personally, be "privileged" to sing and dance for a group of people that played a significant part in the devastation Katrina brought to the Gulf? "Heck of a job, Brownie", does he remember that?  People waving flags, stranded on rooftops, does he remember that?  A Gulf left in such poor shape that people can hardly get homeowner's insurance, does he know that?  Or does he have enough money now to insulate him from such pedestrian concerns as weather, disasters, and the suffering of other people?

I'm not sure why he's so proud.  I'm not sure if he has too much money to care.  The only thing I am sure of is that he doesn't need any more of my family's money to donate to the gop.  I buy a lot of music, and none of it will be 3 Doors Down in the future.  I am no long "privileged" or "proud" to have them on my playlist.

Ironically, the gop is my Kryptonite.

The #WarOnWomen

I wrote something on Tumblr this morning about the Rush Limbaugh slander of Sandra Fluke, and I like it so much I want to keep it here, too.

David Axelrod's comment about the situation was quoted:

 “The lie was that somehow she was asking that taxpayers pay for contraception. The policy is that in basic insurance policies, contraception — contraceptive services, birth control, should be included. … Even in his sort of quasi-apology last night, Mr. Limbaugh continued that falsehood, and it needs to be challenged.”

Following that, a question was posed about the need for more attention to this controversy, to which I responded thus:

TRW: I agree with Axelrod’s comment and it brings up some very important arguments and points to be aware of… the subtle inference that somehow insurance companies are part of … the government? Or… part of the social safety net?  Or… something insidious I can’t quite put my finger on.  The Fluke slander speaks directly to the larger picture of what’s happening in this election cycle, and I think it’s truly important to keep a few things in mind.

First, insurance companies aren’t here to provide public service - they’re corporations organized to sell a product (risk-management) at a profit.  They answer to shareholders (in most cases).  The only risk they manage is theirs. They profit from human suffering. Insurance companies aren’t your “friends”, they don’t support good health care (many still complicate preventative care), and they don’t care what your loss is, only theirs.

Second, sex isn’t bad.  Even if hormonal birth control pills existed ONLY to facilitate sex (LIKE VIAGRA, CIALIS, ETC.), sex still isn’t bad.  Period.  The counterphobic, homophobic gop insists on trying to make it bad and they just can’t.  People like sex way too much to outlaw it.  The hypocrisy involved in arguing that pills which have no effect on a woman’s ability to have sex are “bad”, presented  by Rush Limbaugh - the poster child for pills to make erections for sex “possible” - is laughable.  The only hope they have is to sanction all sex that is not for procreation.  That way they get rid of birth control AND keep the Viagra.  Thus the attacks against non-procreative sex emerge - against LGBTQ, Planned Parenthood, marriage equality, for example.

Third, Rush Limbaugh is to be pitied.  Taken off the air, for sure, but pitied.  The guy is a frightened, counterphobic addict whose behavior can be typical of someone with that cluster of symptoms.  He does what this society encourages him to do: be more and more outrageous and unstable to gain attention.  Why? Because we like spectacles, and we live vicariously through the few people who are willing to act out our wildest fantasies.  What does Limbaugh (and the cast of Jersey Shore and Real Housewives and Bad Girls and Fear Factor - all so-called REALITY shows) get out of it?  Money.  Money flows where attention goes.  It’s that simple.  The pushback attention he’s getting NOW isn’t what he wants… but the attention he gets from his listeners and his advertisers IS.  That PAYS. And one more thing about the pity part; the guy can’t get it up without dropping a pill first.  And we all know it.  Can you imagine how humiliating that is?  No wonder he feels entitled to bash hormonal medication - he’s dependent on a pill to control his blood flow so he can do the hokey-pokey.  He wants to be a legitimate part of political theater and all he can manage is court jester.

This incident with Sandra Fluke is demonstrative that we do indeed need to keep this argument open because of all the important factors that contributed to its existence.  Limbaugh can’t win this one, because the battle isn’t really about what he says… it’s about what kind of country we want to be… what “rights” mean… and whether we want to allow lies, deceit, slander and libel to be the operating conversation upon which we all rely.

There's a war on women.  No two ways about it.  A post by @Catballou was a catalyzing read for me in terms of the extent of the hypocrisy being perpetrated on women by the republicans, the teeparty, and Koch.  NO GROUP OF MALES WOULD EVER TOLERATE WHAT SHE DESCRIBES IN THAT POST, YET, WOMEN DO.  ROUTINELY.  Historically I know that one group seeks to oppress another because the first group is afraid of the power of the other group... and I truly believe it's time for women to show their power.  Really show it.  Peacefully, purposefully.  We comprise FIFTY ONE PERCENT OF THIS NATION'S POPULATION AND WE DON'T ACT LIKE IT.  We don't act like it.  We are grateful for crumbs and scraps and lower wages.  We are thankful for twenty hour work days and being punished for having children we care about.  We are tolerant of other people commenting about the ways in which we choose to head our households and tolerant of their scorn when we don't wish to become mothers.  We allow others to bully us for being post-menopausal, and to prey on us when we are children (meaning that adults need to enact tough laws against child rape and we don't have them).  

Why?

Why?

Why?

When does this bullshit end?  Really end?  If we need an Equal Rights Amendment, let Rush Limbaugh's shit provide the fertilizer to grow it.  If we need more women in politics (AND WE DO) let Issa's shit provide the fertilizer to grow it.  If we need anymore reasons to vote and participate and fight the good fight, let the gop's shit provide the fertilizer to grow it.

This is a turning point, ladies, and we need to act.  We can't re-litigate the right to healthcare, birth control, abortion, and equal representation over and over and over again.  The issue must be joined and resolved once and for all.

Nation March Against The War On Women

Saturday, April 28, 2012

10:00am until 2:00pm

State Capitols in all 50 States and DC 

Can't march? 

Okay.

Can you run for office?

  

Can you write letters, make calls, tweet, tumble, stumble, digg, and reddit the truth?

  

Can you rally others?

  

Can you say "no" in your own life, or get the help you need to say "no"?

  

Can you help someone else to say "no"?  

What ever you can do HELPS.

Do SOMETHING.

End "Morning Joe" on MSNBC

If you care about the state of politics and the vitriolic hate-speech that seems to be such a big part of it, read and sign the petition started by @CallOutJoe to alert MSNBC executives that we're tired of the racist, bigoted, and fact-less statements regularly spouted by Joe Scarborough & Company.  Watch the video in its entirety if you can; it will be 30 enraging but very educational minutes, and worth your time.

End Morning Joe: click & sign on Change.org

Let's encourage the intellectual revolution that's taking place at MSNBC.  As Glenn Beck knows, hate and lies don't work anymore.  A big thanks to @CallOutJoe for his tireless efforts at exposing the biased "journalism" aired from 6-9am eastern, Monday through Friday.

Political speech is - and should be - free, however, it should NEVER be fact-free.

SOPA/PIPA Blackout

TheRiverWanders.com will proudly join in the largest Internet blackout in history to protest the bills presently before Congress - SOPA and PIPA - which will implement censorship in new, wrong, and unforeseen ways.

Read about SOPA and PIPA here.

Please join me in continuing to contact your legislators and government officials to protest this devastating legislation before it's too late.

Contact Your Government

Gifts With Meaning

I received the most wonderful link sent to me today by Reduce Footprints (on Twitter as @smallftprints) which fit my perspectives on holiday gift-giving perfectly.

The link, found at everythingetsy.com, is a special post entitled 101 Green Handmade Gifts and it fits so well within my "Keep It Small Or Not At All" philosophy I wanted to share it.

There are gifts to make for men, women, children, pets, and home and all of them are pretty accessible even for the novice do-it-yourselfer.  And not only will you have many of these items already (making these great projects for recycling/repurposing), any new items you need to complete the projects could be purchased at small, local merchants!

I've actually made #15, and I make and use a recipe very similar to #1, and as a sewist with a massive stockpile of fabric (lots of it little scraps that I can't really do too much with) I'm looking forward to #99!

So many levels of "win" here... enjoy and know it's possible to exchange gifts with very little corporate "sponsorship".

CALL TO ACTION: #OCCUPYLA

Paraphrased from the post at AllEducationMatters.com:

Why has bail been set at $5,000 for non-violent #Occupy protesters?  And why has the same exorbitant bail been set for a non-violent #Occupy observer?  

We know why; to deter the exercise of 1st Amendment rights.  It's time to hear the "official" reason why this onerous burden has been levied against non-violent protesters.

These are the councilpersons to whom that inquiry should be respectfully directed:

councilmember.reyes@lacity.org,
 councilmember.Krekorian@lacity.org,
 councilmember.zine@lacity.org,
 councilmember.Labonge@lacity.org,
 paul.koretz@lacity.org,
 councilmember.cardenas@lacity.org,
 councilmember.alarcon@lacity.org,
 councilmember.parks@lacity.org,
 Jan.Perry@lacity.org,
 councilmember.wesson@lacity.org,
 councilman.rosendahl@lacity.org,
 councilmember.englander@lacity.org,
 councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org,
 councilmember.huizar@lacity.org

See the entire post at All Education Matters for suggestions on your inquiry, and for follow-up requests.

Setting The Record Straight On Student Loan Debt

As American students try to live the American dream with hard work and higher education, they now face a $1,000,000,000,000 debt load. One TRILLION dollars.  Clearly, the system that was meant to be a pathway to success is badly broken.  

For years, predatory lending practices have plagued campuses (remember the credit card companies giving accounts to unemployed teens?) and desperate parents (recall the high-interest loans provided to keep Junior at school in the short term?).  The resulting debt load from trying to finance upward-spiraling college costs is greater than our total credit card debt.  This is a hugely disabling factor in the education-to-career trajectory.


This article by Cryn Johannsen* discusses the possible ways this burgeoning debt might be handled, and discloses some very important connections among those proposing a bureaucratic "loan forgiveness" option versus a debtors' strike (non-repayment).  An important read at Hypervocal.com, with plenty of links to track-back and learn more about the issue.

*Cryn Johannsen is the founder and executive director of All Education Matters (AEM). She is currently writing a book about the student lending crisis and how this mess can be fixed. Make sure to follow her on The Twitter @cjohanns.

#BlackFriday, Thanksgiving Thursday, & #CTWW

I want to give a warm Thanksgiving shout-out to an eco-friendly blog I've followed for years - Reduce Footprints.  Also on Twitter as @smallftprints, this site quietly works to make the world a better place with a Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) Challenge.

Each week Reduce Footprints and her green group of friends pick something designed to lighten our impact on the world.  The challenge is posted and participants try it out for a week with discussion and feedback afterward.  Everyone always learns something they can do to live a more healthy, lower-impact lifestyle - usually saving time, money, and frustration along the way.  All good!

I thought I'd share something I do once a year on Wednesday - the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  My family and I go through our belongings - clothes, toys, books, movies, etc. - and gather gently-used items that have a lot of life left and on "black" Friday we make a donation to the local Rescue Mission instead of hitting the stores.  Our small "change the world Wednesday" practice benefits others and sets a calm and thoughtful perspective for the holiday season.

This year everyone's questioning the mega-corporations' commercial pressure to buy gifts we can't afford with credit borrowed from mega-banks who prey on their "customers".  For too long these "too big to fail" institutions have wrung blood from stones.  Our nation is waking up and protesting these bad practices.  

Now, more than ever, we need to "Shop Small Or Not At All" and, when you do buy, look for American-made products whenever you can.  Here's a place to start.  I remember the old bumpersticker "Buy American: The Job You Save Might Be Your Own"... now, the job you create might be your own.

No matter how you celebrate the end-of-year, don't feel pressured to do ANYTHING that isn't right for your strength, safety, and security and that of your family if you have one.  And do check out Reduce Footprints and the #CTWW Challenge... you'll be glad you did!

New York Post Accuses The W Hotel Of Being A "Golden Tent"?

Apparently the Post thinks there's something wrong with staying at The W.

The Post breaks an "exclusive" this morning... "exclusive" about what, exactly?  News that people stay in New York City's amazing landmark hotels? News that people stay in hotels...  generally?  News that people travel from out of town and aren't... what... sleeping at the airport? In the bus station?  On the subway? Curling up in a cab?


The Post takes obvious offense that two people - who may be connected to Occupy Wall Street - paid money to stay in The W.  If this is true, as the Post's Investigative Team has so carefully ferreted out, it begs the question: So?  Perhaps I should phrase the question in official Investigative Journalism Terms so the Post can follow along more easily:

So WHAT?

Since when was the Post against The W, or New York's hospitality industry?  Or is the Post unaware that the practice of renting a room is long-standing and socially, morally, politically, and culturally accepted?  Is the Post advocating that theft-of-services is preferable to paying for lodging?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Maybe they just don't know.  If that's the case, the following list of points will indeed be helpful for the Post's keen Investigative Team.

Things The Post Should Know About Staying In Hotels

• Staying in hotels is legal.
• Staying in hotels is moral.
• Staying in hotels creates jobs for people working in hotels.
• Staying in hotels provides things like shelter and food to people who travel for business, pleasure, activism, conventions, etc.
• Staying in hotels and purchasing their food and beverage offerings is encouraged - rather strongly - by the entire hospitality industry (including restaurant and tourism groups).
• Staying in hotels is encouraged - rather strongly - by The Starwood Group, too.

Alternatively, if the Post's intended "journalistic" thrust is to infer shades of hypocrisy against the Occupy Wall Street movement, perhaps a few of my perspectives will be equally helpful to the Post's "journalistic" focus.

Things The Post Should Know About OWS

• Not all #OWS participants camp(ed) in Zuccotti Park.  
• People have different strengths and talents in this - and every - endeavor; there's more to OWS than camping.
• If I go to New York City on behalf of OWS in any capacity, I might choose to stay in The W to accomplish my goals and objectives.
• Individuals have a right to spend their money any way they see fit regardless of how they may or may not be connected to OWS.
• OWS representatives and participants neither seek nor need the approval of the Post. For anything.

I do hope I've helped clear up the Post's confusion about "staying in hotels" and "OWS";  I like clarity.  I'm all about being helpful.  And as long as I'm writing this, I have to announce...

AN EXCLUSIVE!

NOT-SO-BREAKING NEWS:  I'm not rich (similar to one of the guys in the Post's "story") but when I make travel plans, I save up and stay in some nice places once in a while.  A few years ago we vacationed in Pennsylvania and had the opportunity to stay in Loews' Philadelphia Hotel.  Wonderful experience; it's an amazing place and I recommend it in a heartbeat.  The fabulous concierge (I still have his business card) told me an interesting factlet about my room:  it was the room used to highlight the breathtaking views of the property in this image (#23) on the hotel's website!  How cool is that!

Now there's some exclusive news, Post.  And what my "exclusive" news has in common with your "exclusive" news is this... NO ONE GIVES A SHIT ABOUT YOUR "EXCLUSIVE" NEWS, EITHER.

#Occupy #OccupyWallStreet #OWS #OccupyTheVote

Don't Give Up * Don't Give In

#OccupyTheHoliday

Occupy Denver

Occupy Oakland

Occupy Wall Street

The Reason* For The Season 
(*And The Widespread Attacks On Occupy Wall Street)

There are two reasons for the violent crackdowns against the Occupy Wall Street Movement.  First, the riot-raids are proof the Movement is working - no one would pay millions of dollars for these squads of cops on overtime if the Movement was futile.  The second reason is on your calendar in black and white:

• Next Thursday is Thanksgiving
• Next Friday is BLACK FRIDAY

 
Think about the looming commercial pressure of Black Friday: how badly might cities and corporations want to make the Occupy Wall Street Movement invisible before Black Friday?
 

• Do stores want peaceful Occupiers moved so the annual holiday overspending can begin on schedule?

• Have corporations urged municipalities to clear peaceful protesters using increasingly violent tactics?

• Do big banks want to "play up the season" and "play down" the peaceful Occupy Movement message?

• Have advertisers pushed a media blackout of the violence directed at peaceful Occupations across the nation?

And was anyone else repulsed by American Express's sickly-sweet commercial to "Shop Small" on the Saturday after Black Friday?  Like they care where you shop as long as you buy too much and become a credit slave!

We Have The Power* To Change Corporate Control
(*And Support Occupy Wall Street)

• What if we ignore the high-pressure advertising machine like the media ignores the message and coverage of Occupy Wall Street?

• What if cities that direct brutal, militarized police forces against the Occupiers (who peacefully demonstrate for the rights of those same police departments to unionize, be paid fairly, and retire with a pension and Social Security!) don't get any "holiday money" spent in their big, corporate stores?

• What if we stop obeying the falsehood of aggressive commercialism that says "gifts equal love"?

• What if we declared our independence from corporations, banks, and oppressive commercial  greed in a new, peaceful, and beneficial way?

You don't need to overspend every year regardless of the way you choose to celebrate.  This year, more than ever before, the repercussions of holding onto our disposable cash (and borrowed credit) will be felt by greedy corporations and big banks everywhere.  Together we have more money than the Kochs.  If they think they can censor our free speech and rights to peaceably assemble so that we can then mingle and sing Christmas carols and buy stuff, they're WRONG.  It's time for us to occupy one more thing:

#OccupyTheHoliday:

"Keep It Small Or Not At All"

• Buy Only What You Need

• Buy Only What You Can Afford

• Buy Only From Local Merchants

• Pay Cash If You Can

And maybe, when the new year is here, we should keep doing this.  We should keep doing this until the too-big-to-fail banks have failed; until the corporations-who-are-people-too have died; and until the Koch-bought-government has been returned to the citizens.  With an apology.

 

For Sale: America

I listened to this interview with Jack Abramoff and realized, with horror, just how many "For Sale" signs have been stuck in our front yards by legislators and lobbyists.

In the biggest possible picture, legislators deal with two main sources of money.  One is legitimate and the other...not so much.  One is designed to advance the public good and the other...not so much.

The first source is public - revenue openly collected by government from citizens, typically spent to improve the common good (highly regulated and unconcealed). Money comes from the familiar sources we all complain about: taxes, fees, payments to Social Security, etc.  These monies are visible.  We can usually audit our way through the complex collection and disbursement of these public monies and figure out where they went.  This is the money that runs our country.


The second source is private - monies collected by legislators from corporate lobbyists, typically to purchase legislative favors (far less regulated and obscured by misnomers).  These monies are much less visible in terms of who gives, who receives, and what they buy. The sheer number of lobbyists and the enormous clandestine budgets they wield is staggering.  They quietly influence legislation that can damage the general public while scoring huge profits for the industries they represent.  This is the money that runs our country in secret.

The influence of these secretive monies is growing at an exponential rate as convicted criminal and former lobbyist Jack Abramoff describes more clearly than I ever could:

“I think people are under the impression that the corruption only involves somebody handing over a check and getting a favor,” Abramoff explained. “And that’s not the case. The corruption — the bribery call it, because ultimately that’s what it is — that’s what the whole system is. … The truth is there were very few members who I could even name or could think of who didn’t at some level participate in that.”

Abramoff doesn’t put much faith in the reforms that have been enacted since his own downfall. He pointed out, “You can’t take a congressman to lunch for $25 and buy him a hamburger or a steak or something like that. But you can take him to a fundraising lunch and not only buy him that steak but give him $25,000 extra and call it a fundraiser. … The system hasn’t been cleaned up at all.”

Hearing Abramoff speak was a catalyzing experience.  His demeanor was casual, relaxed, and matter-of-fact.  Not because he’s an ex-con, either.  He’s casual because bribery is commonplace and normal.  He’s relaxed because he was forced to let go of his participation in the process.  He’s matter-of-fact because he knows the system so well he can teach how it works.  The system is normalized to the perversion.

I think the fundamental impact of lobbying is this: instead of a government run by open political process in which legislators are persuasively convinced by the logic (and public benefit) of an industry's argument, corporate lobbyists pay lawmakers to overlook logic in favor of personal gain (and selective corporate benefit).  The lobbyist's role?  Bypass logic!  Don't waste time on a persuasive argument or public scrutiny...pay!  Pay vast sums of money; circumvent the conventions of public government.  Pay policymakers to changes laws and orchestrate  private government engineered for the benefit of a select few and keep those policymakers in office! 

The "select few" want to shrink public government, to “starve it of revenue” as Rachel Maddow says, to expand a private America with laws funded by private revenue for private profit.  The "select few" use lobbying to feed an invasive-as-kudzu governance they hope can’t be identified, stopped, or changed until it's too late.

The same corporations that don't have the money to hire American workers certainly have enough to buy America's government - one legislator at a time.  

If we want a government "of the people, by the people, for the people", lobbying has to end.   Has to.  Lobbyists amplify the voices of the "select few" only, and only loud and conclusive noise from the people can drown them out.  

Yank the damned “For Sale” sign from America’s front lawn.  

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

Read and take action.  Do something, anything.  Here's a short list of a few things I put together: 

Insider Info

http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

http://alecwatch.org/  


http://www.thenation.com/article/161973/koch-connection

 http://kochbrothersexposed.com/thepress/

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/campaign-blog/oil-billionaire-koch-brothers-exposed-in-the-/blog/26259/

http://www.americansforprosperityfoundation.com/ 

Contact Your Government

Meet The One Hundredth - The War Profiteers - And Show Them Some Love

I gave quick tweets and tumbles about the War Profiteers, above, right after I tweeted and tumbled a link to OccupyTheBoardroom.org and I have an idea.

I think a mash-up of action suggests itself here; look for your favorite war profiteer on OccupyTheBoardroom.org and make him/her your special friend! Let them know your honest thoughts about war, war profiteers, war profiteering, corporate control of government... all of those issues. But don't threaten, harass, or intimidate them. No. When you do that, people stop listening and they filter their email to exclude your attempts at friendship. I'm suggesting genuine, lawful, educational, purposeful, thoughtful sharing out of cogent arguments meant to persuade where possible. Be nonviolent in your words as you are in your actions. Besides, I like to save the swearing for trolls that step to me on Twitter. :D

#TooMuchDoubt - The Case of Troy Davis

The state of Texas, headed proudly by Rick Perry (aka The #Texecutioner) is trying to circumvent due process by interfering with the Willingham investigation. If individual states are going to be so eager to execute for capital crimes, shouldn't we insist they exhaust every possible avenue to prove a person's innocence before exacting "the ultimate justice"?

The case of Georgia's Troy Davis is an urgent example. Details can be seen here on FreakOutNation.com. The clock is running - his execution is scheduled for September 21, 2011. Please contact Georgia's state representatives and executives (and drop a cc to your own state's officials?) by using this convenient link.

Arrest Tom Coburn

In a political climate where politicians DO get shot in the course of their work (Abe Lincoln, Ron Reagan, and most recently: GABRIELLE GIFFORDS), how could Tom Coburn say "It’s just a good thing I can’t pack a gun on the Senate floor”?

If someone had used the same words in a different situational context, would they be held accountable? Take out the words "Senate floor" and think about the implications of what he said. Insert "post office workroom". If Tom Coburn were a postal worker, would he be under arrest right now? Insert the words "high school cafeteria". If Tom Coburn were a high school student, would he be under arrest right now? Insert "fuselage of that there airplane". If Tom Coburn were boarding a flight and said that, would he be detained and frisked and probably arrested?

YES. Anyone else would be held accountable for making a direct threat of deadly physical force against a specified group of people. Why is Tom Coburn "above the law"?

What he said wasn't a joke or a hyperbolic euphemism for frustration. What he said was calm and deliberate and menacing and dangerous and illegal. He made a direct threat against a specified group of individuals: his coworkers. He wasn't talking about his 2nd Amendment right to own a weapon: what he said was he was sorry he couldn't take the gun he owns to his work and shoot his coworkers because he doesn't like what they're doing and rather than compromise with them he'd like to violently attack them with deadly physical force in hopes of killing them.

Nice. Niiice. Nice talk from a sitting Senator who has the ability to carry out the threat he so carefully articulated.

Coburn knows the intent, which is why he said "it's just a good thing" (emphasis mine) that he can't bring his weapon - because he'd use it. Not for self-defense, either. He'd discharge it against people who have no physical (or any other) threat to his safety solely because he doesn't agree with them. Does he wish he could do this in the waiting room of his so-called medical practice? Does he wish he could do this in a slow line at the Piggly Wiggly or the 7-11? How about traffic jams? Oh, wait, here's a good one! Would he pump a few more rounds into Gabrielle Giffords' face if she dared disagree with him in a joint session of Congress?

Coburn has publicly demonstrated his violent intent. He needs feedback - polite, factual, and direct - about the effect his actions have on the world we're CO-CREATING with him for ourselves and our children. Don't underestimate the impact of this CO-CREATION: if you do NOT respond to him, you AGREE with him. Silent acceptance of his violent threats gives him power to shape the society you live in NOW and the one that will redound to your children and grandchildren. Apathy allows Tom Coburn's vile and violent view to become the norm.

Tom Coburn has told us exactly what he would like to do - if you agree with him and his view of how government and society should operate, do nothing. If, on the other hand, you want a lawful, peaceful, safe legislative process ...

DO SOMETHING.

The contact information Tom Coburn would like you to use to reach him is copied from the Senate web page he maintains and is placed below for your convenient reference, together with the link for his contact form:

Washington D.C.:
172 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-5754
Fax: 202-224-6008

Tulsa:
1800 South Baltimore
Suite 800
Tulsa, OK 74119
Main: 918-581-7651
Fax: 918-581-7195

Oklahoma City:
100 North Broadway
Suite 1820
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Main: 405-231-4941
Fax: 405-231-5051

*****

"We have a saying in Tibet that engaging in the practice of virtue is as hard as driving a donkey uphill, whereas engaging in destructive activities is as easy as rolling boulders downhill. It is also said that negative impulses arise as spontaneously as rain and gather momentum just like water following the course of gravity. What makes matters worse is our tendency to indulge negative thoughts and emotions even while agreeing that we should not. It is essential, therefore, to address directly our tendency to put things off and while away our time in meaningless activities and shrink from the challenge of transforming our habits on the grounds that it is too great a task. In particular, it is important not to allow ourselves to be put off by the magnitude of others' suffering. The misery of millions is not a cause for pity. Rather it is a cause for developing compassion.

We must also recognize that the failure to act when it is clear that action is required may itself be a negative action....inaction is attributable less to negative thoughts and emotions as to a lack of compassion. It is thus important that we are no less determined to overcome our habitual tendency to laziness than we are to exercise restraint in response to afflictive emotion."

--from Ethics for the New Millennium by the Dalai Lama, edited by Alexander Norman, translated by Dr. Thupten Jinpa

Dear Chris Christie:

You, sir, are an idiot, and here's why.

You felt no duty to repay your chopper ride until there was photo evidence that caught you in the act. The only reason you "made it right" is because you were caught "making it wrong".

I admire your dedication as a parent. No, I really do. I am sometimes caught in the parental bind of having one child at one end of the county and needing to get the other to the other end of the county...at the same time, of course. I, too, am a state employee. I live 3/4 of a mile from a state police helicopter station, interestingly. But the difference between you and me is that I never once thought of commandeering state resources to solve my personal dilemmas. Even if I had, the state police would have laughed at me for asking to use one of their choppers, as yours should have done to you. I have to wonder why the New Jersey State Police capitulated to your demands without question. Investigation, perhaps?

Being the governor of New Joisey doesn't make you king, you fat, stupid bastid. You tell everyone in New Jersey to tighten their belts - everyone but you. And please don't. If you tighten that thing any more, you'll explode. Srly.

Because Teaching is Easy, Right? #WIUNION

From An Email Just Received From A Real Live Teacher (One I Actually Work With):

Next Season on Survivor

Have you heard about the next planned "Survivor" show?

Three businessmen and three businesswomen will be dropped in an elementary school classroom for 1 school year. Each business person will be provided with a copy of his/her school district's curriculum, and a class of 20-25 students.

Each class will have a minimum of five learning-disabled children, three with A.D.H.D., one gifted child, and two who speak limited English. Three students will be labeled with severe behavior problems.

Each business person must complete lesson plans at least 3 days in advance, with annotations for curriculum objectives and modify, organize, or create their materials accordingly. They will be required to teach students, handle misconduct, implement technology, document attendance, write referrals, correct homework, make bulletin boards, compute grades, complete report cards, document benchmarks, communicate with parents, and arrange parent conferences. They must also stand in their doorway between class changes to monitor the hallways.

In addition, they will complete fire drills, tornado drills, and [Code Red] drills for shooting attacks each month.

They must attend workshops, faculty meetings, and attend curriculum development meetings. They must also tutor students who are behind and strive to get their 2 non-English speaking children proficient enough to take the SOLS tests. If they are sick or having a bad day they must not let it show.

Each day they must incorporate reading, writing, math, science, and social studies into the program. They must maintain discipline and provide an educationally stimulating environment to motivate students at all times. If all students do not wish to cooperate, work, or learn, the teacher will be held responsible.

The business people will only have access to the public golf course on the weekends, but with their new salary, they will not be able to afford it. There will be no access to vendors who want to take them out to lunch, and lunch will be limited to thirty minutes, which is not counted as part of their work day. The business people will be permitted to use a student restroom, as long as another survival candidate can supervise their class.

If the copier is operable, they may make copies of necessary materials before, or after, school. However, they cannot surpass their monthly limit of copies. The business people must continually advance their education, at their expense, and on their own time.

The winner of this Season of Survivor will be allowed to return to their job.

Pass this to your friends who think teaching is easy, and to the ones that know it is hard.

#Word

Campaign #Silent

I expected some sort of defensive response from the professional right following the assassination-attempt-turned-massacre in Tucson last weekend but their vehement denial of blame has been so energetic, even I'm surprised. They protest too loudly, claiming to be victims when they are victims of nothing except their own avarice.

Blame Versus Reality

There is no denying the reality of the climate created by the endless wrapped-in-the-flag bravado of the GOP's latest bunch of players. They have carefully crafted an environment where violence is the new normal. The tenor and tone of their words provoke the use of gun-slinging as a solution for political disagreement, and assert that we have some Constitutionally-protected right to change our political course with bullets if ballots are insufficient to their minority cause. This is not blame; these are facts. These are their facts. This is their reality. They don't want to acknowledge their responsibility in creating it, but that doesn't change the fact that it is the reality.

Does one word, one sign, one comment, one blogged paragraph incite violence? Probably not. But I'm not talking about one careless word, one careless sign, one careless comment, one carelessly blogged paragraph. The sheer volume of hate-speech today is accessible and acceptable and toxic and seductive and probably does incite violence. The truth is this: the crazy is out there - the mentally ill who hear inappropriate sentiment as a call to action, the bitterly angry who don't care who they hurt as long as we share their pain, and the disenfranchised coteries whose groupthink becomes their way of life. To all of us, but especially to these unique populations, language matters. Words matter. Images matter. Message matters.

It Matters

It matters to us individually, to us as a nation, and most of all to #OurChildren who don't deserve to grow up in a war of words and images and real violence disguised as political process. Think about it: a child, a young man in the prime of his adult life, a man at the peak of his distinguished career, and senior citizens DIED last week. DIED. They're dead; dead and buried. For what? They died for what? FOR WHAT? For political rhetoric? For free speech? For one woman's pathological need to attract attention using the most vile, irresponsible, and controversial imagery possible?

Money Flows Where Attention Goes

We give our attention to the wrong things. In so doing, we give power to to those who do not deserve it. Controversy equals fame and fame equals money. The formula is simple: be outrageous, get famous, cash out. Doesn't matter if you're good at anything, you still make money. You get television shows, consultant retainers, book deals, and appearance fees. People who have made no contribution to the public good can still reap huge financial benefits from the public's attention. And of these skill-deficient individuals, none is as accomplished as Alaska's half-governor, failed vice-presidential candidate, and the final nail in John McCain's bid for the presidency.

McCain's Folly

You know who she is. I won't write her name and I'm done saying her name. I'm done with her. I'm done. Every time we say her name we give her power: her name is out there, people see it, and she becomes more legitimized. WE get comfortable with her, WE begin to expect her, WE begin to react to her like she's something more than what she really is: a quitter and a grifter of the lowest caliber. WE accept her reptilian grin and tortured syntax as normal. WE anticipate her telepalming gaffes with malicious glee. WE make her a part of our national dialogue. WE give her an illusion of authenticity. WE do this. And the power WE have given WE must now take away.

Campaign #Silent

Campaign #Silent, starting today, starting now. All of us. Not mentioning her name, not talking about her, nothing. Ignoring her and her antics. Turning away from her pathetic need for attention. Shutting off the flow of money she's paid for her false celebrity. People died because of her contribution to our national discourse. She needs to be removed from her standing as our disgraceful post turtle. She needs to be shunned into stunned silence and disappear into the obscurity she has earned for herself. No more attention from us: #P2 #P21 #DEMS #OFA #TLOT #TOPPROG. #Silent - the slightly shorter version of the #silence tag on twitter (h/t @rawls and @nationallampoon).

A Lifetime – Not Just A Day – Of Service

Campaign #Silent is a service we need to do for #OurChildren and they need it for far longer than one day. They need and deserve to live in security. We need to reserve the power and influence of our attention for those who truly make this society a better place. The test is simple: does this individual, this group, this concept make us healthier, safer and stronger? If not, we will not give it the power of our attention. We can do this together, and we must. Please join Campaign #Silent.