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The forces of greed and selfishness, as upheld by corporate focus-group-tested propaganda in the US and with guns in certain other parts of the world, hit a few speed bumps this week. Here’s a quick run-down:
– First Tunisia, then Egypt, now Libya: Three weeks ago, anyone who thought Moammar Qaddafi was anything other than securely locked onto his throne in Tripoli would have been laughed at. This week, a rumor that he may have been shot by the rebel forces that are steadily taking hold of the country was enough to put a temporary halt to the rise of oil prices, which have been shooting upwards as a result of fears of shipment disruption.
– The spirit of Madison is spreading throughout the nation: Indiana Democrats managed to kill a similar Koch-designed anti-union bill, and Republicans in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida, among other places, are starting to back off a bit from their intention to ram their own cookie-cutter anti-worker bills down their respective states’ throats. (What’s humbling and thrilling to me: Egyptians have been standing in solidarity with the folks in Wisconsin, sending them pizzas courtesy of Ian’s Pizza.)
– Speaking of Madison, Wisconsin: The Republicans in the state legislature tried to pull a fast one to evict the protesters in the hope that once evicted, the protests and media attention would die off and the Koch GOPers could carry out their plans unhindered. But they reckoned without the Wisconsin Professional Police Association. Oops.
– The thing that might actually take down NewsCorp, the News of the World phone hacking scandal, has been simmering for years but up to now has been stymied by a sort of omertà among the principals. Not anymore: “The likelihood of further News of the World (NotW) journalists being dragged into the phone-hacking scandal increased yesterday when a judge ruled that names believed to belong to the paper’s employees should no longer be blanked out on key documents.” (Meanwhile, NewsCorp’s chief American arm, FOX, was in a bit of hot water when Judith Regan revealed that FOX News head Roger Ailes was the one who told her to lie under oath about her affair with Bernie Kerik to protect Rudy Giuliani’s 2006 presidential campaign. Funny how lying under oath about sex was considered full justification for impeaching Bill Clinton, yet Roger Ailes will never suffer any lasting or meaningful legal consequences over this.)
That’s it from me for now. What’s up in your corner of the world? How are you tossing your spanners into the corrupt corporate works today?
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Good Morning PW! Is it snowy up there? So what are people saying in Minnesota about what is happening in Cheeseland nextdoor?
Roger Ailes may in fact see some backlash coming. I have a hunch it will be a big stinky expose for him in coming months.
Good Morning Phoenix Woman – it sounds like the entire Arab street is riled up and ready to protest. Here in the US, I hope it’s contagious ’cause the war on libruls has been a one sided affair for far too long. Me personally – I’m not much of activist, and keep a low profile, especially on Saturdays. At least Dubya canclled his visit to Denver – we can do without that war criminal, thank you very much !
Cheers and Happy Saturday…
Good morning PW and all.
Not much of an activist either, but did buy some pizza for Madison a week or so ago.
I have a HS classmate who lives in Madison. I got his email addy last night & emailed him, but haven’t heard back. I think he teaches at a junior college.
Heh. I questioned that comment as well. Mr. Ailes is not the most liked person on the planet.
pw, it’s moving that we have mounted some kind of d against the cock brothers, and it’s even better that we actually have some of the cock suckers agreeing with us
but the cock brothers have tenacity on their side, they keep hammering and hammering and then they win
a case in point is social security, a fund that is nowhere near in default, a fund that is the most efficient succesful program in our history
yet the cock brothers have gotten the cock suckers to advocate against themselves, their own retirement and their kids future
and the democrats are actually going along with some of the mindless rhetoric of from the cock brothers
I fear this is a round we might have scored points but a fight that we cannot win so long as the supreme court decision stands allowing unlimited corporate graft buying our law
Sounds like being a no-show is becoming a habit.
Retirement in Paraguay may not be too far off.
There is to be a solidarity demonstration in Atlanta today at the Capitol building. A contingent of north Georgia Democrats is caravaning down. Hope there are more across the country.
Good Morning, Phoenix Woman,
Here in Denver (sans GWBush), I’m heading down to the Capitol at noon to rally in solidarity with the Wisconsin public employees – and to protest the assault on unions, the middle class and working people in general.
On March 9th, Planned Parenthood is sponsoring its annual Pro-Choice Lobby day, where women gather, get training in lobby tactics, then are let loose in the State Legislature. It has always been a very lady-like affair but I have hopes that this year, after what the Conservatives are doing to chip away at women’s health care choices and reproductive rights, we can be a bit more forceful.
On April 7th, NARAL is sponsoring its Pro-Choice Lobby day in Washington and I have signed up to attend. I have been very unhappy with NARAL’s uselessness in standing up to the attacks on women, and figure I need to throw myself into the breech, so to speak, and be on hand to see what they plan to do.
We can write letters, blog, wring our hands, but, Ladies, we need to get our bodies out there en masse. This is what is making the protests of the Wisconsin, and other States, public employees so effective.
I’m not an attorney but isn’t this obstruction of justice? Lawyers?
And a good riddance it would be.
One of the rules of getting rid of hated despotic rulers is to give them a way to find a graceful exit. I note in reality that pragmatic lesson is rarely acted on.
So perhaps some continuous picketing (with properly spelled signs, plz) in the neighborhood where he walks his dog might be in order.
Koch Industries employ thousands of non-union workers nationwide. Labor groups should take the battle to the perps and begin agitating the Koch employees to form labor unions.
I’ve been all but screaming this for two weeks – Ailes employees Beck and Hannity are union members (AFTRA) Limbaugh as well
link
don’t know about Palin – but she did have a regular Fox show for a while – and you need an AFTRA card for that
Picketing would certainly infuriate the neighbors, as we learned from Madame Pelosi.
No need to find a graceful exit for the hated despot George W. He took care of his graceful exit several years ago.
Roger Ailes et al would join humanity if they paid their fair share and disengaged from their destructive activities.
This is what has happened over the last 12 years:
(excerpt from “Study says most corporations pay no U.S. income taxes,” Reuters, Aug 12, 2008)
That quote shows a massive wealth extraction, folks. Then the rich trade it amongst themselves in a closed system via “government spending” and “foreign aid” committing geno- and eco- cide.
“Economic Hitmen” narrative by John Perkins
Who are the real terrorist?
AFTRA backing up Beck and Hannity while those two tear everyone else down?
which is precisely why I think it would be a great idea. Nothing like having your neighbors pissed at you to encourage you to move.
Qaddafi today Scott Walker tomorrow.
Can folks living in the vicinity of 10141 Daria Place, Dallas take the hint?
Directions.
Morning! Ms. Sniff (Belch’s sister) and I are headed of to the Capitol for the 12:00 solidarity protest.
Progressive NOW! Colorado has been pimping it, and they’ve done well with turnouts before, so it’ll be interesting to see. Taking the video cam and will report later.
Since Belch is laid up from the knee surgery, he’s staying home with the bail money. :) Wish us luck!
Good wishes to you & your sil. And thanks for your efforts.
Go Colorado and the Canfields et al!
How are you tossing your spanners into the corrupt corporate works today?
Well – I continue to default on my credit card debt. And I am doing my part to bring down Jamie Dimon, Tim Geithner and the Bernank by buying physical silver. I am continuing my boycott of corporate news media and the legacy parties. And I am fanatical about buying local.
It’s a bit snowy, but Madison’s a touch farther south than we are so they’ll be getting more rain than snow.
There you go! :-)
THAT would be POETIC!
Or goes to church; lots of room on the SMU campus.
How am i tossing my spanners into the corrupt corporate works today?
using the some of the same strategies as workingclass … i don’t have a credit card any longer and if i decide to get one again, it will be thru my local credit union; i refuse to listen to/watch/read msm news; i shop at co-ops whenever possible and buy items at the co-op that are produced by local family farms/businesses. Wisconsin cheese rocks the upper midwest! and i am turning my backyard into a huge garden, with lots of native plants amongst the veggies. (you can take the farmgrrrlll off the farm, but ya can’t take the farm out of her heart and blood)>