DNC and news media colluded for Hillary

I don't really have the time to do this right, so I'll just link to the site and quote a few bits.

While Bernie Sanders’ supporters and independent media outlets have exhaustively pointed out that corporate media’s fatuous prattling over Hillary Clinton likely tipped the elections in her favor, we now have solid proof — leaked emails show the DNC colluded with mainstream outlets to heavily favor Clinton.

“Our goals in the coming months will be to frame the Republican field and the eventual nominee early and to provide a contrast between the GOP field and HRC,” reads an email dated May 26, 2015, referencing the former secretary of state by her initials, posted by “Guccifer 2.0” — after the Romanian hacker who allegedly accessed Clinton’s private email server multiple times.
...
As the mainstream largely directed attention to the hack of the Democratic National Committee’s strategy to oppose Donald Trump, this collusion to steer the narrative in Hillary’s favor appears to have gone unnoticed, as US Uncut reported. But this series of leaked emails show a meticulously plotted coordination between DNC narratives touting Clinton, rather than Sanders, as if she had been the presumptive nominee from the outset — precisely as activists and fair elections advocates had suspected.

Under the heading “Tactics,” the document states, “Working with the DNC and allied groups, we will use several different methods to land these attacks” — including, under the subheading, “Reporter Outreach”:

“Working through the DNC and others, we should use background briefings, prep with reporters for interviews with GOP candidates, off-the-record conversations and oppo pitches to help pitch stories with no fingerprints and utilize reporters to drive a message.” And under “Bracketing Events,” the email states: “Both the DNC and outside groups are looking to do events and press surrounding Republican events to insert our messaging into their press and to force them to answer questions around key issues.”

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lunachickie's picture

I am of a mind that this "leak" was planned to show both the Trump opposition AND the DNC/media "outreach" in such a way that "media" could talk about one and completely gloss over the other. Then again, I wouldn't expect them to report in a way that makes themselves look bad, either.

Regardless, this whole batch of emails clearly shows that the fix was in. And dammit, I want to know what we are going to do about this.

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Because, as you know l.c., THEY (the PTB) are going to do exactly fucking nothing about this.

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I miss Colorado.

lunachickie's picture

Oh, you and I both know TPTB aren't gonna do shit about it. I wanna know what WE are going to do for THEM.

Or TO them. Heh.

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Hillary is going to be indicted, or some kind of hard luck may befall her soon, my ass begins to twitch. Who is the AG? Loretta Lynch. Who does she work for? Barack Obama. Who has Hillary's back? Barack Obama.

So ... I don't know, honey, it's not like you and I have a tremendous amount of power here. First of all, we'd need a couple million people to protest and take to the streets about this, and that's not even assuming the press will cover it. In order to make the slightest bit of difference in this, something large in magnitude would have to happen.

I just don't see that occurring, I'm sorry. God, I'm become so fucking cynical. Thanks, Obama! (not kidding, goddamnit.)

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I miss Colorado.

lunachickie's picture

you're right. But that could change in a short time, if for example, the bottom of the economy falls out.

You're nowhere near as cynical as I. I see all these machinations of hers, and I think she has literally lost her shit. People want to worry about Trump being crazy-dangerous? They're worried about the wrong candidate there...

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I've seen this said before, that Hillary Clinton is more dangerous than Donald Trump. I disagree with that because I see them as being equally dangerous, but for very obvious different reasons. Donald Trump is the proverbial loose cannon, and you cannot trust anything he does or says, pretty much ever. His ego is so immense and his skin so thin that I imagine a Trump presidency as being nothing short of an epic shit-show, the likes of which we have literally never seen before in this country. Trump's special brand of brazen stupidity makes George W. Bush look like fucking Albert Einstein.

None of that is to say, however, that Hillary Clinton would not be a horrifically bad president -- she would be. That woman defines the word "craven", and does so with no shame. She is proud of all the wrong things. Hillary would start at least one new war in Syria (she has as much as said so), and do not even get me started on how she's going to fuck us on trade, the environment, the economy, the third rail, etc. etc.

But Trump isn't better than Hillary, no way. That guy makes me want to take a shower, both internally and externally. I don't know how else to explain it.

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I miss Colorado.

edg's picture

Jackson could serve as the prototype for Trump. His battles with Congress were legendary, his paranoia and revenge against those who wronged him were biblical.

Wikipedia - Andrew Jackson

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I agree completely that Andrew Jackson would have gone after his rivals and enemies much as Trump does. One wonders how far he would have gone had he had modern media available to him.

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Vowing To Oppose Everything Trump Attempts.

Andrew Jackson was a total bag of dicks, but I really struggle to believe that he was as stupid as a bag of rocks, like Trump is.

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I miss Colorado.

edg's picture

I don't quite buy the concept that Trump is stupid. Few if any people build the kind of wealth he has by being stupid. My personal belief is that he's playing a role for public consumption. He deliberately speaks below his education level and background, he works hard at being a good 'ol boy and "one of us". He is cunning and dangerous, but I don't quite buy stupid.

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Sandino's picture

And the fact that he would be worth about twice as much if he had just put his inheritance into an index fund shows his willingness to dream. He is a master conman and bullshit artist of the highest caliber, which is not something a really stupid person could pull off. Can you imagine him debating Dubya?

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lunachickie's picture

I didn't mean to imply that I think Trump is sane and Clinton completely bonkers. They're both dangerous in their own ways. Neither is "better" than the other. Which is why I'm voting Green, unless I can vote for Bernie. Fuck both of them.

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And everyone fucking knows it. Which means people in power will call him on his shit. TPTB won't let him take a wrecking ball to their system.

So we don't really need to fear his batshit crazy. It works FOR us, not against us, as it will help ruin the Republican Party while in office and at the same time, his election would mean so many walked out on the Dem Party that it got him elected. THAT would bring down the Dems.

But if Shillary gets elected, TPTB will have proven once again that they can ignore the will of the people.

Trump is WAY preferable to Shillary.

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by a huge measure. For the reason that you mention.

Another reason is that everyone will be working against him, and FSC will be like a giant sinkhole sucking in all the politicians into her corrupt sphere. Goodbye 99%..

Billary is many degrees higher than Trump to be feared. HUGELY feared.

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Sea Turtle

The march from Philadelphia to DC involved 1000s of people. It culminated in the arrest of 400 in DC. MSNBC gave the event all of 12 seconds of coverage.

There needs to be an alternative that will actually inconvenience those who own and control the political economy of the country. Someone smarter than I am will someday soon come up with a plan of action. Whatever the action, it'll have to be with the knowledge that the corporate media will ignore it if they can.

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

"Fourth Estate" has turned into a mouthpiece for those in power. The media needs to learn how to do their collective fucking jobs again, ugh.

The convention in Philly could potentially be a good place for massive protest (and it will be), but again -- I doubt the MSM will give it even five minutes. They'll be too busy touting how various Democratic senators, reps, and governors have their noses firmly lodged up Hillary Clinton's ass. In fact, they'll measure the nose lodging live on the air.

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I miss Colorado.

to focus on trivia and concerns of the 1% is one of the big changes in the past 30 years.

A contributing factor, in my opinion, are the billions of advertising dollars that come their way from political campaigns. The Citizens United decision put tons of money into the pockets of the few national "news" organizations that remain and the corporate press shows its gratitude by ignoring the peoples' business. Nowadays, it's virtually impossible for a citizen-driven legislative bill to pass unless it has the side benefit of enriching the already too-rich.

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

Lookout's picture

and the total disregard of the equal-time rule. Seems someone could bring suit?

From wiki:

The Fairness Doctrine had two basic elements: It required broadcasters to devote some of their airtime to discussing controversial matters of public interest, and to air contrasting views regarding those matters. Stations were given wide latitude as to how to provide contrasting views: It could be done through news segments, public affairs shows, or editorials. The doctrine did not require equal time for opposing views but required that contrasting viewpoints be presented. The demise of this FCC rule has been considered by some to be a contributing factor for the rising level of party polarization in the United States

The equal-time rule specifies that U.S. radio and television broadcast stations must provide an equivalent opportunity to any opposing political candidates who request it. This means, for example, that if a station gives a given amount of time to a candidate in prime time, it must do the same for another candidate who requests it, at the same price if applicable. The equal-time rule was created because the FCC thought the stations could easily manipulate the outcome of elections by presenting just one point of view, and excluding other candidates.

There are four exceptions to the equal-time rule. If the airing was within a documentary, bona fide news interview, scheduled newscast or an on-the-spot news event, the equal-time rule does not apply.

It is the closest thing in broadcast content regulation to the "golden rule." The equal time, or more accurately, the equal opportunity provision of the Communications Act requires radio and television stations and cable systems which originate their own programming to treat legally qualified political candidates equally when it comes to selling or giving away air time. Simply put, a station which sells or gives one minute to Candidate A must sell or give the same amount of time with the same audience potential to all other candidates for the particular office. However, a candidate who can not afford time does not receive free time unless his or her opponent is also given free time. Thus, even with the equal time law, a well funded campaign has a significant advantage in terms of broadcast exposure for the candidate.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Secondarily, the abandonment of regular relicensing of radio and tv stations was severe. Community groups used to be able to challenge a radio or tv station for not providing community content and serving the community - this was a small % of time and not onerous. It was too much for the money grubbers so no license renewals that amount to anything other than pro forma.

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

Amanda Matthews's picture

we got screwed royally. Public access channels were eradicated. It was intentional. TPTB got to decide WHO OR WHAT would be given access to broadcast under the digital system. During the analog days, anybody could still get a little air time if they wanted and could pay for it. Not any more.

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I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

lunachickie's picture

Akre/Wilson vs. New World Communications. SCOTUS punted on it back in 2003, so it remains codified into law today from the circuit court level.

That decision was a civil suit, having to do with employment law--a "wrongful dismissal" suit with mighty implications. The biggest fallout from that was that it allowed "newsroom management" to insist that their reporters edit as they are instructed, and if they don't, they can be fired from their jobs.

We must start understanding the implications of that case and bring it into consideration in discussion on what's happened to American media. That is exactly where the whole "they are stenographers" thing evolved from. They write and report what they are told, or they too can be fired. It's called LEGAL PRECEDENT and it all stems from that court case.

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divineorder's picture

happens when you dudes and dudettes make your transistion. Who will understand what has happened, what we have lost, what needs to change?

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A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

Was about to say the same thing.

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The actor refuses to run third party, so here we are, as if Bern never ran. Hill's getting stronger every day because Trump is imploding and, compared to him, looks almost normal. Bern has proof the fix was in for Hill according to Guccifer, the votes were rigged according to those suing the DNC, yet he refuses to act and go with the Greens. There will never be another moment like this, so why not make the most of it? Appealing to the corrupted honchos within the DNC to change is a fool's errand. %##

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WaterLily's picture

He's refusing to run third-party today.

What about after the convention? After laying out all of the progressive positions he intends to fight for in Philly last night, what happens when none of them gets adopted?

He hasn't endorsed Hillary now, and I sure as hell don't see him doing it during or after the convention -- not if she hasn't offered significant guarantees. I read somewhere (though haven't done the work to verify) that his campaign has quietly been filing the paperwork for an independent run. I harbor some (admittedly small) hope that if HRC screws him over in Philly, he'll say: well, I tried; and my allegiance is now with the millions of people who are #StillSanders.

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WaterLily's picture

That Bernie has proven himself to be a chess master during this campaign. He may very well have the checkmate here.

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is to plan to vote Green and hope Sanders is on the ticket. If not, still vote Green.

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

divineorder's picture

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A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

lunachickie's picture

here is kind of starting to piss me off. His whole campaign is UNPRECEDENTED. We haven't gotten to the convention yet, can we at least give him that much?

Good grief...

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The important thing to take away from Bernie's communique last night is that he is definitely going to the convention with his army of delegates to carry on the fight for progressive values. And he is in no way endorsing Hillary; he said that he will be doing everything he can to see that Trump is not elected, not to see that Hillary IS. So he will be speaking out against Trump basically by spouting out the same rhetoric he has been, keeping the focus on progressive issues. Will probably get more media coverage than his active campaign did. Likewise, the fight for platform reform in Philly, although it is all purely lip-service, keeps projecting the progressive voice into the ozone and will also get media coverage. What else can he do at this point? It will at least make future protests more legitimate when Hilly ratfucks us and he has not said a word about what he sill do after the convention. Keep your pitchforks sharpened.

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defaultcitizen

There's barely an intelligent person who works in the TV news media. They're all a bunch of morons who had neither the looks nor the charisma to be an actor- or anything else of value.

We should not forget the lessons of the past. The only thing that works is- disruption. Don't worry about whether the disruption makes the news- that's not the point. The point is to make it too costly to ignore the disruptions. Act Up owes its dramatic success to this approach.

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lotlizard's picture

What sort of things could that be?

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riverlover's picture

I am serious: what could shake the tree? The only thing I can think of is disaster worldwide internet collapse, which would hurt the rest of us first.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

UFOH1's picture

Don't know how many we could get but we could put out feelers on FB. Twitter etc and see if we could generate support.

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there to be indictments. Recommendations (leaks?) from the FBI could be just the needed shove to wake a few people up.

I know, I know, wishful thinking. But, just please, something...anything. She could kill us all.

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'Well, I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years, Doctor, and I’m happy to state I finally won out over it." Elwood P. Dowd "

angel d's picture

what they are trying to shove up our asses. Let's not pull our pants down and bend over. Let's just say no. Refuse, reject, resist, revolt.

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coordination between the DNC and HRC to defraud the voters of their votes. Of course all this is alone is just an attempt to coordinate events to disenfranchise voters.

Unfortunately for HRC and the DNC the actions of actual primaries across the US and the coordinated fraudulent disenfranchisement of voters proves not only the planning of a crime but the actual perpetration of it. I used to just want Hillary to just walkaway and stop molesting america but that is no longer enough. I want this investigation of her emails to continue and a new investigation of potentially illegal coordination between the DNC and one of their candidates to defraud the voters to begin as well.

If she did nothing wrong than provide all your emails, speeches or whatever to prove it, but the law needs to apply to you inn the same way it does to any other citizen and if that path leads you to jail, then so be it.

If you had not guessed if HRC is in the ticket in November I will not vote for her. I will not vote for the Fascist either but will vote for any progressive candidates down ballot. Of course sanity may yet prevail and Bernie will be on the top of the ticket Smile

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"I want this investigation of her emails to continue and a new investigation of potentially illegal coordination between the DNC and one of their candidates to defraud the voters to begin as well".
What Bob Fitrakis is doing? I think it is. They had a weeks delay after California to get it into the suit. I've been seeing more about this from our wonderful revolutionaries on YouTube than anywhere else. Not to say it isn't isn't out there.
The Justice Served channel doesn't have tons of videos, but they are very informative about the lawsuit. They are calling this primary a coup, and I agree.
edit: I forgot the link, sorry.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTq7vn2o6xCV6p2XM0h0E_g

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'Well, I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years, Doctor, and I’m happy to state I finally won out over it." Elwood P. Dowd "

Big Al's picture

so of course there is collusion and coordination. It appears so far (in the general) that the media is going to collude in damaging Trump so Clinton will win. Everybody keeps bouncing with the red ball exclaiming about how they're doing this or that forgetting that Presidential elections are all scripted and a complete farce. We knew that full well prior to this one starting. The very idea of having a single President for a country of 330 million people is a farce. It's time more people wake up to that fact.

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Raggedy Ann's picture

I was completely ignorant of the "fix." As a 63 yo woman, I know I have had my head in the sand about

Presidential elections are all scripted and a complete farce.

So, indeed, people need to wake up to the fact and Bernie has roused us from that slumber. In 2008, a friend of mine told me about the fix and I didn't believe her when Obama won because I didn't know he was going to cave to the Clintons until I saw who he appointed to all those cabinet and high level positions. Only then did I begin to realize the fix was in.

When Bernie decided to run, I didn't think the fix was in. I thought he had a straight-up chance. I thought the people could lift him. We did everything we could until the hrc camp fixed the primaries. Now all our eyes are open.

We, the people, need to take action from here on out. We cannot be silent anymore. We cannot stand by anymore. We cannot keep shopping our way out of the problems we face as a people and as a country.

I realize you are cynical, but cynicism behind a keyboard will not move anything in this country. Action, in person, is what is needed.

I don't care if Herr Drumpf wins - he's better than Clinton at the helm, IMHO - and with either of them, we are doomed as a country. I could be wrong as I have been many times before, but a message needs to be sent to hrc and the media and the 1%ers that we are not going to take this anymore. Enough has to be enough.

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Big Al's picture

We can't keep beating our heads against the wall.
The cynicism label is getting tiring to me because I don't believe that's really what it is. I call it reality. When I say the presidential elections are a farce, that's not cynicism, that's reality. I think the cynicism label hurts debate by dismissing information, statements and/or opinions as skewed viewpoints coming from a "cynical" person.
To me, one of the biggest "actions" we can take is to get down to the truth, get down to reality instead of beating around the bush and doing the same things over and over.
I've been cynical/realistic, and unsupportive of Sanders, this entire election because I knew before it started it was a farce. Countless books and articles had been written about that fact well before Sanders entered the race. I warned people they were getting sucked into another supreme waste of time and a veal penning of action into the duopoly and the corrupt political system.
Here we are 15 months later. Fifteen months.

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posted just yesterday that got buried with all the anticipation of then reaction to Sanders' speech last night.

I think EVERYONE should read that essay:

http://caucus99percent.com/content/some-questions-and-thoughts-preparati...

Then consider that a few weeks back joe shikspack suggested what I'll call a People's Convocation, perhaps for the weekend between the duopoly's conventions in a city far from uber-cop cities where those conventions are being held.

Ideas ARE being floated for a true People's Revolution. We just need to get away from the distraction of the Election Circus.

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Only connect. - E.M. Forster

WaterLily's picture

I missed this yesterday. Thanks for pointing it out. A must-read.

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Big Al's picture

GOTV. The tribes get all worked up to GOTV so why not use the same method to GTTO, get the truth out. Of get a petition signed, whatever instead of electing more damn politicians. If we spent as much time and money as CSTS suggests doing something constructive instead of wasting it all on these damn elections, we might get somewhere.

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lotlizard's picture

voting under the present system is a waste of time. And then spend the rest of the visit presenting truths the MSM has tried to obscure, on anything ranging from 9/11 to Wall Street.

Have canvassers look and sound like any other GOTV operation until invited inside and in conversation, in the living room or around the kitchen table. A non-partisan anti-voting message might surprise people enough to shake things up.

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shaharazade's picture

It would help me to not feel so bad about selling Obama so effectively.. I often think about going back and apologizing to the households where I canvased and registered Dems in 2007-8.

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Mark from Queens's picture

He suggests an, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore" scene from Network-type action.

I think his proposal was something like, at an appointed time every week, say 12 noon on Sundays, everyone would be encouraged to go to their window and bang a pan, "Pan Sundays" or something. People would be encouraged then to come out on the streets to gather to express their dissatisfaction and then to organize civically.

Definitely some type of Occupy style citizen direct action seems to be in the cards very soon.

Many people missed it the first time around and now understand the monumental contribution of it that utterly changed the conversation and set up Bernie to run this year. They're ready now to similarly do their part. Bernie ran a campaign lifted straight out of the major grievances of OWS, with the centerpiece of it being Money Out of Politics and Movement Building, which begins with people organizing and demonstrating.

The time is totally ripe for all of the magnificent energy he engendered to manifest into something grassroots, starting with taking back our public squares of democracy, ala Occupy, and having these conversations locally.

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"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:

THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"

- Kurt Vonnegut

shaharazade's picture

worked in Iceland. Of course Iceland is a small country and we are huge and centralized in some ways and regional in others. The main optimistic point I took away from The Shock Doctrine was that community and solidarity of working people is the most effective way to fight this globalized nightmare. Building community resistance online and off is essential. Random acts of civil disobedience and that old hippie maxim 'Buy local think global' comes to mind. Sounds easy and it is. Regardless of where you live or how poor you are you can find ways to support your local economy and stand up to the 'inevitable' free market and the pols of mass deception be they in your city, town, state or national. Solidarity works both local and global.

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Raggedy Ann's picture

CSTS did an excellent job of analyzing the situation and putting forth ways to move forward. I missed it yesterday. So happy you pointed me in this direction.

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Mark from Queens's picture

We'd have that People's Convention or Convocation. But it would be filled with all kinds of subversive street theater and mock elections, platforms etc. And from that we could elect an alternate president, to whom we'd all pledge fealty to and insist is the one who we'd recognize. It would both be a lot of fun and expose how deeply fraudulent the other corporate-sponsored fuckfest of Big Club Insiders is.

In completely rejecting the duopoly by ruthlessly ridiculing it we'd be able to pique a public so ripe to join up against the absolute depraved farce of the nominating process this year and its disgraceful and deeply disliked candidates. The time is definitely here for such a comic pushback. Where are Colbert and Stewart when you really need them? A little too cozy having become multi-millionaires inside the system. Lee Camp, John Oliver and Russell Brand would be ideal to lead such an event. Similar to the aformentioned's event in DC a few years ago, this year I believe would attract an eve bigger crowd than they did, and more importantly, be a much more real and incisive declaration that the system is deeply corrupt and unfixable. More and more people understand in their bones today this than perhaps ever before, 8 years into Obama's Hope & Change (TM).

Was just reminded of that passage in the Kurt Vonnegut book about the 1972 Rep Nat'l Convention (which I can't seem to be able to find online, which should be a reminder again of just what a small fraction of the written word is indeed available to us here and that places like the omnipotent Google has been manipulating search results, in the stunning case of benefiting the 2016 HRC campaign, I'll have to copy it out of my book. At the beginning of "In a Manner That Must Shame God Himself," from "Wampeters, Foma and Granfalloons" he said this about the American people in 1972, from the viewpoint of a visitor from another planet:

"These are ferocious creatures who imagine that they are very gentle. They have experimented in very recent times with slavery and genocide...

The two real parties are the Winners and the Losers. The people do not acknowledge this. They claim membership in two imaginary parties, the Republicans and Democrats, instead.

Both imaginary parties are bossed by Winners. When Republicans battle Democrats, this much is certain: Winners will win."

Then he goes in to observe this at the Convention:

Listen: I went to a private luncheon for Winners in Miami Beach, while the convention was farting around several miles away. Nelson Rockefeller was there. John Kenneth Goldbraith was there. William F Buckley Junior was there Arthur O. Sulzberger was there. Jacob Javits was there. Clare Booth Luce was there. Art Buchwald was there. Barbara Walters was there. Everybody was there. Whether one was a Republican or Democrat was a hilarious accident, which nobody was required to explain.

I asked Dr. Galbraith what he was doing at a Republican convention. He replied that he had been offered and indecent amount of money to banter with Buckley in the morning on NBC…

For the Nixon versus McGovern thing: everybody was sure that Nixon would win. McGovern, I gathered, though nobody said it out loud, was the butt of a rather elegant practical joke. He was a winner who had been encouraged by other winners to identify himself with losers, to bury himself up to his neck in the horseshit of populism, so to speak.
Losers hate to vote for losers. They know what losers are.
So Nixon would win.

That about sums up the chronic condition we find ourselves in again. The charade continues while the Winners still continue to Win, as they always have and always will, no matter what happens.

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"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:

THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"

- Kurt Vonnegut

maybe 2009? Right after the financial crash. As an accountant, I figured I could read some books and figure out how it happened. I did change jobs about that time and was not working nearly as hard and no more travel. I had lots of time to read. I know in 2000 I was not really paying attention, but I remember that farce of an election more for the farce of it than the campaign. I voted for Gore that year while living in Northern Virginia, as they liked to call it, Reston area. Whole polling place full of GWB posters, I felt so like an interloper that night... But I still thought a thing like that SCOTUS decision of 2000 was an outlier. I didn't believe this country would stand for that level of exposed bias and accept it again. But we have pretty much moved on from that, and that's a scary thing to face. I feel like we've not really even faced that truth as a country and it has been a nice distraction to have the ogre of the Tea Party to face down instead.

Obama had me until really the TPP as the final outrage. I had really only just started getting deeper into politics and some more recent history - all those years when I wasn't paying attention. When I read about the ACA from good old Matt Taibbi, and realized that was going to blow up just like it was, I'd already figured out that Obama was a neo-lib. And then Bernie came along, and I started to hope. I have always been cynical, and after reading all the stuff I have, I knew it was a terrible long shot. I guess I was still just naïve enough to think the corruption wouldn't be as blatant. I do not think Bernie would ever sell out willingly to them, and what he did was important - it did show you can run an actual campaign without a Super-PAC, and he has exposed their corruption. But where that goes from here? I do not mean to sound defeatist, and I will do my part to elect and support real progressives, whichever party they might come from, never know now.

But the sheer weight and size of the whole machine is awesomely scary in the stuff I've read. And after reading Thomas Frank's "Listen, Liberal" twice over now, I am more sickened than ever. I think our only way is numbers and probably a viable Third Party effort. We now have one party, just two different flavors, Blue or Red, the agenda is the same. I don't feel terribly hopeful right now, but I know enough about myself that my anger will overtake that despair and help motivate me to do my part. I wish to hell I could go to Philly, but at 54 and out of shape with really bad weak feet, I would be afraid. I like the idea of a People's movement in another city far, far away from either party's primaries too. Why give them the violence the media drools for when instead you could ignore them and maybe surprise them with something unexpected? New tactics could also be a win. Knock them off their rigged, ugly game.

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Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur

Lookout's picture

I forget about theantimedia. I'll say again it is 5 weeks till the convention. Lots can happen. Now I'm not say it WILL happen...just that there is opportunity. Let's hope Assange releases some good stuff soon. Just heard that the federal election fraud suit should be filed within a week. The goal is to allow for discovery. Of course over and over again we hit the MSM wall of no coverage. So like the rest of this primary, it is a wild ride to the end.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Bern has the dope on the Clintons and DNC, yet refuses to act. Instead, he's got a list of demands he expects them to satisfy, or else ... What? You get unprecedented power and a national stage but your age precludes you from getting a second chance. What do you do? Nothing, cause you think it's feasible to force the bad guys to change after you gave all your power away to the bad guys in the hopes that they'll change. I am miffed.

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WaterLily's picture

See my comment above.

I believe Bernie sees three to four moves ahead. He may not act now, but let's see what happens during -- and especially after -- the convention.

(I'm no expert, but Bernie has never failed to surprise me in a good way. Sunday, I was crestfallen that he was "making an announcement." 'Til I heard it. Yesterday, I was again crestfallen. Then I heard his address. As you know, it included very specific demands -- ones that I'm almost 100% certain HRC won't agree to. Maybe she'll budge on $15 -- but TPP? No way. And once she refuses, I'm confident Bernie has a plan).

Just MHO.

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lunachickie's picture

You're entitled to your opinion, but I really don't think this is a true statement:

Bern has the dope on the Clintons and DNC, yet refuses to act

What do you think this campaign has been? That looks like an "act" to me, no matter its outcome--it has wakened a LOT of people that were sleeping as recently as a year ago. So to me, you're being waaaaay too hard on the guy...

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DesertRose's picture

to let Dems know they're treading on thin ice. And #OneTerm for Mrs. Clinton.

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More people doing it on one day is about as effective as a bunch of people picking one day a week or month to not get fuel. If everyone is still driving as much as ever, when they get the fuel really doesn't mean a damn thing.

Keeping it simple really does work.

As for reregistering. More people would probably consider it if inclined to do it on their own terms as opposed to meeting some specific time frame of a single day.

Far fewer people would have switched from their bank to credit unions if such a huge emphasis had been placed on things to get them to do it on one specific day.

It should not be the day that matters. It should be the cumulative act of many people dropping the Democratic party as an affiliation.

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lunachickie's picture

but what "media" is going to report on it? That's right, not a damned one of the "mainstream" ones. We'll never get them to register shock and awe over it, even if we unregister by the millions in one day.

Look, if a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it--it still makes a difference somewhere along the line. I'm not worried about unregistering on a certain day--the only thing I'm worried about is doing it before the general election. That is tangible action which is going to shrink their membership rolls. And if a lot of us follow through, that action WILL speak directly to those assholes, whether they ever admit it publicly or not. And I don't need to hear them say the words to be satisfied about giving them up. They're worthless, now that they've been co-opted.

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k9disc's picture

A non-partisan social media avatar could totally work. It could go viral, be noticeable, and catch the eye of the corporate media.

Imagine having Social Media mavens and thought leaders transitioning en masse and the long tail of action that would provide.

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“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

...if people on that blog entry thought it was important that it happen on a single day, well that changes everything.

wonka-blog.jpg

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Alphalop's picture

poop.jpg

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"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

…am glad I don't have to clean your monitor.

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EdMass's picture

Burt no need.

"Sir your winnings"

Crap

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Prof: Nancy! I’m going to Greece!
Nancy: And swim the English Channel?
Prof: No. No. To ancient Greece where burning Sapho stood beside the wine dark sea. Wa de do da! Nancy, I’ve invented a time machine!

Firesign Theater

Stop the War!

shaharazade's picture

Democratic affiliation in 2012. I voted for Jill Stein and she got less then 1% of the vote. I also moved my money and mortgage to a credit union in 2007 thanks to the progressive economy writers at dkos. Gjohnsit being one of them. Fewer and fewer people I know believe the establishment media both on the vast wasteland of TV and online. People's bs meters are on full tilt everybody knows the dice are loaded. Even if we're all aware what can people do?

Hitting the streets means robocops and water cannons OWS style only worse. Knowing what your up against tends to make people fear the personnel consequences of a real political revolution more then the prospect of The Hairball vs.The Mad Bomber and the 1% oligarchy continuing to abuse them. Even if people do not believe the media's narrative they seem stuck in the great divide of R's and D's. The powers that be have divide and conquer down to a fine art. They stir the culture war pot and play on peoples worst instincts.

I didn't need to see those emails to know the fix was in. Everyone got to see it in real time thanks to the net and social media. Lot's of people know but prefer to believe that this is the 'world as we find it' and there is nothing anyone can do about it. So they vote for the lesser evil ad tell themselves better then...... I'll take the devil I know as at least ? When will the real critical mass point of enough is enough kick in and what will it take to get people to stop fearing?

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divineorder's picture

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A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

The Bernie activist from North Carolina who complained that a Hillary plant was in the NC Bernie campaign is collaborating with an attorney to launch a class action lawsuit against the DNC on behalf of anyone who donated to them. Donors to DNC expected them to be impartial in the Primary, but the leaked emails from the DNC show that wasn't the case.

Not a bad idea.

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"If you can't eat their food, drink their booze, take their money and then vote against them you've got no business being in Congress."

Betty, do you have any more info on that? I've forgotten that activist's name Sad

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media_0.jpg

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national secrets on an unsanctioned, private server. She should be banned from seeking any public office.

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lunachickie's picture

I sure as hell don't care why, at this point. It looks to me like she did it whether it had consequences or not because it benefited her somehow. Whatever her definition of "benefited" is, it doesn't matter. Such temperament and moral compass is the last thing anybody should be voting into the highest office in the land. She has demonstrated a lack of professionalism with this matter, she essentially left all kinds of sensitive information completely exposed, unencrypted, on her own personal email domain for three months and there was evidence the thing got hacked by enemies of the state. And nobody was allowed to question it at the time, and now that the info has dribbled out, the highest law enforcement in this country is draggin' its feet about it.

Forget all the other shit--that one thing should in fact be enough to disqualify anybody. So why isn't Clinton disqualified?

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