The Road To Nowhere

Nobel War Prize

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:50:00 +0000

Well I got to catch Obama's speech in Olso live this morning, what a surprise. A surprise I wish I hadn't come to fruition, for I will have problems making it through the rest of this day. The hypocrisy is downright sickening. What kind of world do we live in?

A world where a man can be the greatest embodiment of imperialism yet be commended as a man of peace. How can a man who is sending 30,000 more troops to a foreign land that never struck us consider himself or be considered by others as a man of peace? How can he even comment on the eradication of violence when he himself is the greatest perpetrator of it on the planet?

During the speech he talked about how nonviolence couldn't stop the violence of Hilter or Al Quadea. How would we know if we never tried (this same point relates to our threats to Iran as well)? How can he even compare the Nazi's an actual government, actively taking over other governments to a network of terrorists without an army?

Obama used our "enlightened interest" as an excuse to act violently. This is the dumbest thing that came out of his mouth. He talked of a world peace achieved out of "institutions" and not a progression in human nature. I must ask if Barack Obama is a child because I am no longer sure that he has reached adult hood. Is peace through hegemony peace? No its most definitely not. Our enlightened interest is world hegemony not world peace.

Obama also talked about respecting international standards and how because "we" do that we are just. He must not be aware of our private military committing assassinations, our black site prison or our rendition programs, not to mention the use of torture by of these groups. He also mentioned how governments hurt their own people, what about countries who invade another country who did nothing to them and destroy their lives for generations.

Mr. Obama you are nothing more then an imperialist war monger, the antithesis of a peace advocate.

Single Payer, It Just Makes Cents

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:36:00 +0000

If you had just been mugged, you would call the police. They would ask you where you were and would rush to the scene. At no point would anyone ask who you were insured by. If your house is on fire, you would call the fire department. They would ask you where you were and they would rush to the scene. At no point would they ask who you were insured by. If a loved one had a heart attack, you would call 911. They would ask where you were and they would rush to the scene. At a later date you'd be asked who your insurer was and then be slammed with thousands of dollars of bills.

Why are two out the these three services considered to be too important to be left to the free market? Every year over 22,000 american die due to their lack of accesses to health insurance. Almost 300,000 in the past fifteen years. The free market is made up of for-profit businesses attempting to make the largest profits possible. Why should your health be risked for a greater investment return? Billions of dollars are wasted every year on cumbersome unnecessary administrative costs. These billions of dollars could be used to supply the needy with health care, for a fraction of the cost.

Our government is currently attempting to reshape the health care industry, but for whose benefit? Single payer health care (everyone in, nobody out paid through taxes) has been thrown off of the table due to the power of large lobbying groups like the AMA (American Medical Association) and the insurance industry. Single payer is off the table even though polls show time and time again that it is preferred by a majority of doctors and citizens.

The Obama administration has offered up two plans for health care reform. The first being the introduction of health care plan being offered by the government designed to COMPETE against the private insurance industry. The idea being that the public health option could help keep the private industry honest. An idea which is simply laughable. Capitalism dictates that in order to be successful one must do anything possible to insure success. Competition will not keep the insurance industry honest, it will force them to goto to new measures to keep their business profitable.

The other option is a government mandate that would require anyone who can afford it to obtain some form of health insurance. In effect this would hand over millions of new clients the insurance industry further expanding the industries growth and making it all the harder for us to ever shed ourselves of it. With this being the only other option being offered by the government it makes the idea of a public health care option seem ridiculous. And while a public option is not a solution it is a much better step in the right direction then mandating private insurance.

In the past year we have seen billions of dollars handed out to companies with no strings attached. All in the name of saving the economy. In the recent the debacle with General Motors many American learned that the auto giant was spending more on health care than steel. The government could have saved businesses that supply their employees with health insurance lots of money without having to hand them anything by creating a single payer health care system. The government would have also saved thousands of dollars for each American paying into private insurance, this money could then have reentered the economy. All of this could have been done for a fraction of the cost of the trillions spent in bailing out failing companies.

Now after wasting trillions of dollars keeping a float failing irresponsible companies the government is ready to think about health care. This is not only outrageous but criminal. The government has gone and outright stole our tax dollars in the interest of private businesses. WIth the passing of an insurance mandate the government will again being helping big business instead of "we the people".

Here are some recent articles on the national health care crisis:

Doctors' Group Opposes Government Public Insurance Plan By Robert Pear

We Need a Holistic, Cradle-to-the-Grave National Health Care System by Carol Miller

Deaths In Peru

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:18:00 +0000

A while back I posted a link to a brief article on the Peruvian Free Trade Agreement signed by President bush in his final days as president. I mentioned that this could lead to the destruction of 70% of the Amazon. This is quickly becoming a reality. In Peru Indigenous protesters have been massacred while peacefully protesting the destruction. Below is a segment from Democracy Now! which explains the events and the history of the struggle.

SINGLE PAYER NOW!

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:09:00 +0000

On May 5th eight physicians and activists spoke out on behalf of the 47 MILLION uninsured Americans. As the senate finance committee was holding its hearings on health care reform eight activists stood up, one at a time to interrupt the hearing and plug single payer health care. The interruptions were made necessary due to the fact that out of the 15 person committee not one was a representative of single payer health care. 59% of Americans support single payer, over 50% of physicians support a national health care system as well as do these major health care organizations: Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP); the American Nurses Association; the U.S. Labor Party; the California Nurses Association; the National Association of Social Workers; the Associations of Physicians Assistants; and the National Association of Midwives, among others. There are also 76 members in the house of representatives that currently support bill HR 676, a single payer bill sponsored by John Conyers and Dennis Kucinch.

The idea behind single payer is that everyone in the United States would be covered, with the single payer being the federal government. This would make sure that nobody could ever be turned away for health care due to costs or preexisting conditions, everyone in, nobody out.

The only discussion of single payer in the media or by our government is to make people aware that its not an option. But why? Could it be that our government is controlled by corporate lobbyists who have too much to loose from the end of private insurance? Could it be that the media in the United States doesn't represent a majority of American instead choosing to shove the views of the wealthy down everyone's throat?

Poor is a word not often herd from the lips of a newscaster or politician. The poor are those with the most to gain from a single payer health insurance system. They are the 21,000+ a year who die because they can't pay for health care. They are 47 million uninsured Americans. It is the rich who will loose from a single payer system, they will no longer be able to use their dollars to place themselves ahead of ordinary Americans. The middle class has been duped into believing they too will lose from a single payer system, but is this the truth? How many Americans waste hundreds of dollars a month paying for health care they may or may not receive. How many pay these premiums only to be dropped when they get sick? Go into a ghetto or talk to a minimum wage worker ask them what they think of single payer. These are the voices you don't hear on CNN.

And what about physicians what do they stand to loose? NOTHING. If you work in health care imagine never having to tell someone they can't receive the care they need. Imagine not having to turn a patient away because their insurance doesn't cover care from you.

The Obama administration's attempt at health care reform is nothing but a farce sponsored by the insurance industry. They are the only ones who will truly loose from a single payer system. No longer will they be able to steal from Americans in need for "administrative costs". A study done in the state of Massachusetts showed that 40% of every dollar spent on health care goes to administrative costs. Nationwide 350 billion dollars are spent on administrative costs every year. Why should there be a middle man between you and your doctor? There are some things in this country we decided long ago were too important to be left to the free market: police, fire departments, the postal service, etc. Should health care be any different? Imagine you were robbed or your house caught fire and you called for help only to find you weren't covered. Or next time you get sick think of how it must be for those without the option of getting help.

The United States needs single payer now. If those who support this idea don't come forward it will soon be to late. It seems as though whatever legislation is passed it will futhur intangle private insurance companies with the federal government making it harder and harder for future generations to make single payer a reality.

Watch The Activists Interrupt The Senate Finance Committee:

Read More about Single Payer:

Single Payer Action : This group was started by Ralph Nader following his presidential campaign. They also organized the protest.

Health Care-NOW!

Congressmen Ron Paul On Swine Flu

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:15:00 +0000

I agree with much Dr. Paul has to say here outside of his criticism of the single payer model.

Here is a piece of propaganda put out by the government in 1976 to promote swine flu vaccination, seem familiar?

Thats Right We Toture And NO ONE IS GOING TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:00:00 +0000

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

We Don't Torture

thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Economic Crisis

First 100 Days

WHERES THE JUSTICE?

How Has America's Tourture Effected Thier Mission In Iraq?

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:39:00 +0000

Patrick Cockburns latest peice published in counter punch deals with the effects of the United State's torture policy. It asks what the effect has been on our mission in Iraq. To help answer this question Cockburn talks with an unidtenfied memember of the US military. To better understand where the peice is going one needs only to look at the title "Torture? It Probably Killed More Americans Than 9/11".

As the worlds attetion is diverted from toture to swine flu its important that people keep this dialouge on touture open. Obama's idea of moving on and not proscuting those responsible will only allow this problem to grow in the future. The book on the Bush/Cheney presidency has only begun to open, it is not time to move on. Without properly adressing the crimes of the last presidency there is no way this county can "move on" or "change".

Torture? It Probably Killed More Americans Than 9/11
By PATRICK COCKBURN

Two Sides of Somalia

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:09:00 +0000

The news has been filled with stories of Pirates off the coast of Somalia the past few days. For the most part none of these stories told the side of the Somalians, which I guess shouldn't be too surprising. Here are two peices on the story of Somali's pirates one is by Somalian rapper K'naan and the other comes from investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill.

Why We Don't Condemn Our Pirates in Somalia by K'naan

Will Obama Prosecute the Captured Somali 'Pirate' in a US Court? By Jeremy Scahill

The War Goes On, On Your Dime

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:47:00 +0000

Yesterday Barack Obama (Mr.Change) requested 83.4 billion dollars in funding to further the illegal occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, this brings the total funding for both wars to nearly 1 trillion dollars. He also asked for an additional 350 million for operations on the US/Mexico border and 400 million dollars for counterinsurgency aid to Pakistan. WHERE IS THE CHANGE?

When will these wars end? How many lives must be lost? How many homes must be destroyed? When will the violence stop? How long will it take to realize you can't win a war against an idea?

At the bottom of this post I am linking to a story written by Chris Floyd for counterpunch on Obama's appointment of Leon Panetta to head the CIA and the recently released report by the Red Cross on US torture policy.

Click Here: Hope Abandoned By Chris Floyd

Afghanistan Destorys Womens Rights

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:40:00 +0000

Last week in Afghanistan president Hamid Karzi signed a law that forces women to obey their husbands sexual demands, prevents them from leaving the house for work or school without her husbands permission, and grants custody rights to males. This law has gotten little attention in the US media. In effect the law subordinates the rights of all women,legalizes aggression against them and legalizes martial rape. As of now the United States government has made no comment.

Here is an article on the situation published on alternet.org: Brutal Law Strips Afghan Women Of Rights BY Marie Cocco

Resit Or Become Serfs

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:54:00 +0000

A new piece from Chris Hedges called "Resit Or Become Serfs" is up at truthdig.org. The piece is a great warning of things to come if the American people don't signal that our country needs to take a new direction. The changed promised, is only a change in delivery, a friendlier face to imperialism. The piece will be linked to below, but I though I should highlight a little section.

A few months ago I posted a piece by Paul Craig Roberts that said our unemployment rate is actually at 15%, Hedges not only backs this up but goes on to explain the logic behind it.

"The lies employed to camouflage the economic decline are legion. President Ronald Reagan included 1.5 million U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine service personnel with the civilian work force to magically reduce the nation’s unemployment rate by 2 percent. President Bill Clinton decided that those who had given up looking for work, or those who wanted full-time jobs but could only find part-time employment, were no longer to be counted as unemployed. This trick disappeared some 5 million unemployed from the official unemployment rolls. If you work more than 21 hours a week—most low-wage workers at places like Wal-Mart average 28 hours a week—you are counted as employed, although your real wages put you below the poverty line. Our actual unemployment rate, when you include those who have stopped looking for work and those who can only find part-time jobs, is not 8.5 percent but 15 percent. A sixth of the country is now effectively unemployed. And we are shedding jobs at a faster rate than in the months after the 1929 crash."

In short the American people need to wake up before its too late. Our government is choosing to leave us in the gutter while they back up and bail out the corporate crooks who got us into this mess.

Click here to read the piece: "Resit Or Become Serfs" by Chris Hedges

US And Russia To Begin Nuclear Negotiations

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:08:00 +0000

There isn't much I've been happy about with the Obama administration but here is a sign that some good might finally get accomplished. In July Mr. Obama will be visiting Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow to discuss shrinking both countries nuclear arsenals. While decreasing the amount of weapons sounds good on the surface, its not that good since the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty only requires the countries to shrink their arsenals to somewhere between 1,700 -2,200 warheads. That treaty expiries at the end of this year. Hopefully these talks will lead to the setting of a better goal, like total elimination.

To read more: Russia and US renew nuclear talks from BBC

Jon Stewart Grills Jim Cramer

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:29:00 +0000

This week Jon Stewart had Jim Cramer of CNBC's "Mad Money" as his guest on the Daily Show. In the interview Stewart questions the current role played by finical news networks and asks if they are selling entertainment or the news.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 1

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 2

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 3

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

For Your Information:
The channel CNBC is part of its parent company NBC which happens to be owned by General Electric.

Lawmakers Debate Establishing “Truth Commission” on Bush Admin Torture, Rendition and Domestic Spying

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:32:00 +0000

Sorry for the lack of posts folks. I'm currently finishing up college which is taking precedent over this site. Although I don't have time to post I'd like to link to a highlight from Democracy Now! today.

From Democracy Now:

On Capitol Hill debate has begun over forming a truth commission to shed light on the Bush administration’s secret polices on detention, interrogation and domestic spying.
A hearing on the issue was held Wednesday, two days after the Obama administration released a series of once secret Bush administration Justice Department memos that authorized President Bush to deploy the military to carry out raids inside the United States. The author of the memos, John Yoo, said Bush could disregard the First and Fourth Amendments of the Constitution.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, committee chair Senator Patrick Leahy said the newly released memos highlight the need for a truth commission.
Senator Patrick Leahy, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. At Wednesday’s hearing, several Republican Senators and witnesses opposed the creation of a truth commission.

Human rights attorney Michael Ratner joins us now in the Firehouse studio. He is the president of the Center for Constitutional Rights and author of the book “The Trial of Donald Rumsfeld.”

Michael Ratner, human right attorney and president of the Center for Constitutional Rights and author of the book The Trial of Donald Rumsfeld.

To Hear This Story Click Here: Lawmakers Debate Establishing “Truth Commission” on Bush Admin Torture, Rendition and Domestic Spying

Obama Sends 17,000 More Troops To Afghanistan

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:24:00 +0000

From Democracy Now:

Obama Orders 17,000 Troops to Afghanistan

In his most significant military decision to date, President Obama has ordered an additional 17,000 US troops to Afghanistan. The move fulfills a campaign pledge to increase the size of the US occupation. The new deployments will take effect in May, increasing the US occupation force to 55,000—a 50 percent rise. Another 32,000 non-US NATO troops are also in Afghanistan. The news came as the UN said Afghan civilian casualties jumped by nearly 40 percent last year. US-led forces were responsible for nearly 40 percent of the deaths, killing 828 people out of a reported 2,100 casualties.

_____________

Wheres the change?

What If...

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:18:00 +0000

Ron Paul delivers a powerful message in Congress

Clean Coal?

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:43:00 +0000

Last week I made a post about the fifty billion dollar loan guarantee to "innovative" energy technologies. I mentioned that of the twelve qualifying technologies among them were nuclear power and clean coal. Today I'm posting an article by Joshua Frank on clean coal technology. I've also included a video from Democracy Now! about the Tennessee Coal Ash Spill that occurred late last year.

"The Myth of Clean Coal" By Joshua Frank

Nuclear Power Energy Provision

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:01:00 +0000

Part of Obama's stimlus package gives a fifty billion dollar federal loan guarantee for "innovative" technologies, although a dozen different technologies qualify among them are nuclear power and clean coal technology. As I stated during the election, americans were without a choice on nuclear power. The technology can't find funding on wall street due to its high cost and the danger it presents to surrounding communities. To find out more about this provision included in the stimulus package check out the article below from the Washington Post. I also included a link to the Public Citizen page on Nuclear Power.

Energy Provision May Test Priorities By Steven Mufson

The Case Against Nuclear Power by Public Citzen

Obama Attacks Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:42:00 +0000

Direct Transcript From Democracy Now!:
Outrage continues to mount over the US military’s first act of war approved by President Obama. Last Friday unmanned US Predator drones fired missiles at houses in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas, or FATA, killing as many as 22 people, including at least 3 children.

The United States has carried out 30 such drone attacks on alleged Al Qaeda targets inside Pakistani territory since last summer, killing some 250 people, according to a tally by Reuters.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told an audience at the World Economic Forum Thursday that US drone attacks were “counterproductive” and ended up uniting local communities with militants.

But Defense Secretary Robert Gates indicated Tuesday at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that such strikes would continue and that Pakistani officials were aware of US policy on this matter.

Mr. Fish Hits The Hammer To The Nail

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:10:00 +0000

I've been busy starting classes, so my apologies on the lack of updates during this historic first week of Barack Obama's presidency. As usual though Mr. Fish was able to sum up my thoughts in one of his cartoons.

The Closing Of Guantanamo

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:47:00 +0000

By Matthew McLoughlin

Since I last posted the empire has inaugurated its new leader, Barrack Hussein Obama. One of Obama's first acts was the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison, along with other secret CIA prisons throughout the world. Although it only took a number of days to set up these illegal prisons and to take away peoples most basic rights (like be charged for the crime they are being detained for) it is said that it will be a year until the Guantanamo Bay prison officially closes. Two major questions have failed to be asked by the mainstream media, the first being: Why the wait? As Vincent Warren of the Center for Constitutional Rights said "It only took days to put these men in Guantánamo; it shouldn’t take a year to get them out.”

The other question is: "What happens to these prisoners now"? The answer being that many will be shipped off to countries other then their homeland. Many of the inmates now risk persecution upon returning home. By closing Guantanamo is the US ending its policy of taking prisoners without placing charges on them or are we just moving these human rights violations off of US property? For those that will be released free men what will be done for them? The US has done nothing to compensate those whose lives they've destroyed inside the prison, like Sudanese cameraman Sami al-Hajj. al-Hajj was released from Guantanamo in May after spending six years in the prison, without receiving any charges or being given the opportunity to go before a court. Upon release he was put on a plane and shipped to Sudan were he was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment. Will the remaining prisoners in Guantanamo receive similar treatment? Although a good first step, simply closing these prisons is by no means enough action.

There is also the question of military prisons set up inside of Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama has yet to announce any plans of closing said prisons. Will we see a return to the pre-Bush torture policy? Where prisoners are simply taken to other countries were these acts will be committed? And what about the Guantanamo base itself? Will the land remain under US control?

Obama has also ordered that all agencies abide by the army field manuel when handling interrogations. Since many of the acts of torture were being done in secrecy, I don't see how this order will prevent future policy breeches. It is also unclear if this policy will be adhered to at all, on the evening of January twenty first White House counsel Gregory Craig told lawmakers that Obama may still allow interrogation methods other then the nineteen approved for military use. As we saw with the Bush administration what is and is not torture is defined by policy makers.

Here is a report on the release of Sami Al-Hajj from Democracy Now!:

What Does The Future Behold?

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:24:00 +0000

Mr.Fish

Peruvian Free Trade Agreement

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 17:08:00 +0000

On Saturday bush signed the Peruvian Free Trade Agreement. The decision has come under question due to Peru's need to strengthen labor rights and environmental standards. One of the main points of criticism is a law signed by Peru's president Garcia, that could see 70% of the Amazon destroyed in order to grow bio-fuels.

To find out more check out the story from the BBC: Bush Signs Free Trade Pact

Goodbye Governor, Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 21:03:00 +0000

In one of George Carlin's last routines he stated that he only called George Bush "Gov. Bush" since its highest level of office he was ever elected to. He also stated that he stopped capitalizing his name. Sadly history books won't go this route, instead they will try to gloss over eight of the worst years in America's history. Gov. bush has a few days left in his home, the white house. Before you known it Tuesday will be here, bush will be gone and we will have a whole new set of problems on our hands, one of them being Obama's lack of intreats to prosecute bush and co. for the crimes they committed during his time in office.

Over the next few days I expect to be posting a plethora of pieces pertaining to the past eight years of acknowledged hell that we have collectively experienced from Bagdad to Boston. Here are just a few pieces to help put Bush's exit in perspective.

Prosecuting Bush and Cheney By DAVE LINDORFF

The Life and Crimes of George W. Bush By JEFFREY ST. CLAIR

And here are a few laughs

Trouble In Palestine Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Lastwaltzer) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:41:00 +0000

As the death toll mounts to over 1,000 here are two more articles on the situation in Gaza.

The Blood-Stained Monster Enters Gaza By Uri Avnery

The Language of Death By Chris Hedges