The Weekly Watch
The disaster of capitalism has been on display this week
...and is insidious, hidden and obscured
...and is insidious, hidden and obscured
As if it isn't obvious with our corporation-in-chief and oligarchy cabinet, our democracy has devolved to a corporate controlled society. All is geared toward making the rich ever richer at the expense of the poor and disadvantaged. It all happens so fast we get lost and numb. Think about this week alone...from the proposed tax plan that is a give away to the wealthy...to the vultures taking advantage of the destruction of Puerto Rico...to the failed T-rumpcare designed for profit and tax relief..to the privilege of the oligarchs chartering planes at tax payer expense for convenience. Yes it is obvious the system is failing.
But in many ways there is another level of change occurring. Much of capitalism's disaster remains hidden in the shadows and rarely discussed like the privatization of our schools and prisons. The rapid appointment of RW judges and the dismantling of the EPA
http://dailysignal.com/2017/08/10/trump-appoints-more-judges-in-200-days...
Then there's the work of the cabinet. The dismantling of the EPA by Pruitt.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/scott-pruitt-is-gutting-th...
Betsy DeVos using the power of the federal government to privatize schools and on and on. A least one paid the “Price”, but we may trade down with a new secretary of health and human services...since the elite don't believe in those services.
One reason people miss the obvious is because they Obscure and distract...
Glenn Greenwald continues to debunk the Russia narrative...
Inflammatory claims about Russia get mindlessly hyped by media outlets, almost always based on nothing more than evidence-free claims from government officials, only to collapse under the slightest scrutiny, because they are entirely lacking in evidence.
https://theintercept.com/2017/09/28/yet-another-major-russia-story-falls...
Lee Camp suggests that “Bread and Circuses” no longer are sufficient to distract us....I don't know about that? (9 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfoRjtLIgY0
Freedom to censure the press
Google and Facebook—which are not media companies, do not have editors or fact-checkers, and do no investigative reporting—are deciding what people should read, based on a failure to understand how media and journalism function.
https://www.alternet.org/media/editorial-googles-threat-democracy-hits-a...
The second half of Ralph's show focuses on the power of google and what to do.
“We’re taking the smartest kids out of Stanford and teaching them what’s called ‘captology’ in the labs of BJ Fogg how to elicit these Pavlovian responses to every bell and swipe and text and button on our smartphones, so that every swipe we make on our smartphone, it gets smarter about us as we get dumber about it.” Douglas Rushkoff, author of Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus: How Growth Became the Enemy of Prosperity
The first half features a real public servant working to provide clean water. (1 hour podcast)
https://ralphnaderradiohour.com/clean-waterthrowing-rocks-at-the-google-...
More on media control with Elizabeth Vos, the co-founder of Disobedient Media. (26 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBEX8r1ZHwk
Take the knee...how popular will it be at today's games?
Playing the national anthem and having the teams line up before games, it has a long and hallowed history that goes back to the days of Jersey Shore and Justin Bieber. I mean, we’re talking 2009.
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/9/25/take_the_knee_us_athletes_unite
(1st of an extended interviews with video and text)
The American flag ritual is an exercise in mindless obedience in which any talk of real meaning interferes with the underlying objective of fealty to the state.
https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/flag-worship-crushes-american...
In direct violation of students’ constitutional rights, Parkway High School in Louisiana issued a letter to student athletes and parents mandating that players stand for patriotic displays or be punished.
https://www.alternet.org/activism/following-trumps-example-high-school-v...
Disaster capitalism on display in Puerto Rico...you're either blind or not looking if you miss this obvious failure!
We can't take care of our own territories why do we try to dominate the world?
Trump tweeted “Much of the island was destroyed, with billions of dollars owed to Wall Street and the banks, which, sadly, must be dealt with,”. For the president to bring up Puerto Rico’s economic crisis and its debt to corporate America during a time of tremendous suffering is shocking, even for Trump.
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/trumps-cruel-indifference-puerto-rico/
The Mayor of San Juan addresses T-rump and his response (5 min – no text yet)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:20115:Trump-Blames-People-of-Puerto-Rico...
Nine days after the last storm and the situation in PR hasn't gotten much better (video and text)
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/9/29/as_death_toll_rises_in_puerto
There's no way to recover and pay wall street...more evidence of the failure of austerity (video and text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:20106:Puerto-Rico-Can%27t-Rebuild-Under-...
Puerto Rico has rejected a bondholder group’s offer to issue additional debt as a response to the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Puerto Rico’s Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority said the offer was “not viable” and would harm the island’s ability to recover from the storm
https://theintercept.com/2017/09/28/puerto-rico-rejects-loan-offers-accu...
Greg Palast discusses how the vulture capitalists have ruined Puerto Rico - and how they could use Hurricane Maria as a launching bad for more of their financial piracy. He finishes by talking about the collusion of the DOJ and T-rump's election committee...plan on more voter suppression.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz9iVJQyb6I (12 min)
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/09/21/civil-rights-group-alleges-...
Some folks are trying to help.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/09/30/cruelest-storm-200-academi...
Here at home some are concerned the relief money will cycle right back to the very corporations responsible for the climate chaos (14 min and text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:20108:Will-Harvey-Disaster-Relief-Go-to-...
Economics
It's a rigged system and getting worse...
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/09/21/capitalism-nightmare
Basing an economy on war is economic failure too. (13 min or text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:20104:Study%3A-Military-Spending-Ineffec...
Richard Wolff thinks the signs are everywhere - we nearing the end of capitalism. What comes next?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZtaJvzZev4 (13 min)
Taxes
Professor Michael Hudson, Economist, suggests the Republican tax reform plan just an excuse for Donald Trump to give himself, his family, and the oligarch billionaires in his cabinet a tax break.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsKvK-QBj68 (12 min)
Bill Black dissects the tax proposals in his good humored way. (24 min – no text yet))
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:20105:The-Poorest-Tax-Payers-to-Pay-the-...
Hey the plan works GREAT! (for T-rump)
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/09/29/lying-billion-dollar-benefi...
Thom Hartmann wrote a thoughtful piece about the disaster of tax cuts over the last few decades.
https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/how-republican-party-has-conn...
Old tiny hand is an expert at tax evasion, but T-rump's money laundering scheme is being exposed...in the Netherlands (37 min documentary)
https://zembla.bnnvara.nl/nieuws/the-controversial-friends-of-donald-tru...
https://www.alternet.org/video/watch-americas-mobster-president-new-evid...
The game is rigged...what more can you say?
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/09/28/what-rigged-economy-looks-t...
Can we depend on the dems to hold the line on taxes???
The democraps caved enmasse on the military budget. Jimmy Dore has a righteous rant (19 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1kJVmai7c8
Here in Alabama some are hopeful that we will elect a Democratic Senator...I'll vote against Roy, but not with any real hope of victory
Roy Moore is a throwback to a bygone era of American lunacy
https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/9-reminders-gop-has-nominated...
Could Alabama elect a democratic senator? https://dougjonesforsenate.com/
http://readersupportednews.org/pm-section/79-79/46016-how-to-defeat-roy-...
There won't be a debate. Roy isn't into ideas...just ideology.
https://theintercept.com/2017/09/28/alabama-senate-race-doug-jones-roy-m...
Education
School segregation is still the standard in the South and across the nation
http://educationopportunitynetwork.org/60-years-after-little-rock-its-le...
School curricula re-enforce racists concepts
https://www.alternet.org/education/5-ways-racism-still-embedded-american...
Beware of the on-line school hype!
http://progressive.org/public-school-shakedown/beware-the-back-to-school...
Maybe Charter movement is revealing its nature?
https://theintercept.com/2017/09/27/la-school-board-ref-rodriguez-money-...
foreign affairs
Nice summary of the Korean madness (text only)
http://therealnews.com/t2/component/content/article/170-more-blog-posts-...
Col. Larry Wilkerson shares his perspective on the Korean situation (14 min and text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=767&...
The three-year war in Yemen has killed more than 10,000 civilians, ravaging the country’s infrastructure and triggering a massive cholera outbreak. (video and text)
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/9/27/yemenis_suffer_silent_deaths_as_s...
Kurds vote for independence but face an uphill fight with no support from other countries.
https://www.alternet.org/world/why-kurds-remain-vulnerable
(video and text from the Real News (2 parts)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:20083:Kurdistan-Independence-Vote-Faces-...
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I...
Chris Hedges speaks with the President of the Republic of Namibia, Dr. Hage Geingob. His country, which achieved independence from neighboring apartheid South Africa in 1990, is now fighting for justice and economic emancipation from global banks, corporations and foreign governments seeking to extract the developing country's natural resources. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCpIcTlkj6M
More on Namibia from Gwen Lister founding editor of the independent newspaper The Namibian
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/9/28/journalist_gwen_lister_on_namibia... (video and text)
Russia is trying to help Venezuela. We are trying to starve them to get their oil.
http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/32560/53/
Nice interview by Abby Martin with Professor Chris Gilbert in Caracas, Venezuela, to learn about the rise of the Chavez movement, its role in society and the threats it faces from the US-backed opposition. Gilbert is a historian and professor of political science at the Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxiVGRSZcx0 (24 min)
Europe
Jeremy is putting the Tories on notice in the UK. Maybe we have a chance at progress? (16 min and text) http://therealnews.com/t2/story:20092:Confident-Corbyn-Puts-Tories-on-No...
Germany
Merkel holds on but only by a thread...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/25/german-elections-left-merk...
France
Last week the leftist opposition leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon led up to 150,000 people in a protest against Macron and his attempt to rewrite France’s labor law. (video and text)
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/9/28/french_activist_emmanuel_macron_i...
The Norwegians elected a right winger...what is going on?
http://therealnews.com/t2/component/content/article/699-asbjorn-wahl/333...
They elected a female president in Finland. Here's her take... (video and text)
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/9/28/finlands_first_female_president_o...
Interesting interviews this week...
The Intercepted podcast has a new T-rump impersonator. He's been doing an intro to the podcast the last 2 weeks. This week physicist David Wright of the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Global Security Program explains T-rump can make the sole decision to start a nuclear war. Then they talk about the Lincoln brigade in the Spanish civil war and the parallels to today. Jeremy colludes with an interview about a documentary of civilians beating a man to death thinking he was a terrorist.
https://theintercept.com/2017/09/27/intercepted-podcast-for-whom-the-tru...
The documentary “Death in the Terminal” can be streamed for free at https://www.topic.com/
Amy talks with Michael Moore about his new play and more in a wide ranging 30 min plus conversation (with text)
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/9/29/full_intv_michael_moore_on_his
I like Ralph Nader's radio show. This week Ralph talks to millionaire Morris Pearl, chairman of Patriotic Millionaires, a group of wealthy individuals fighting for economic and political equality, which includes raising their own taxes. And former FTC Chair, Michael Pertschuk reminisces with Ralph about how they got good things done in Congress. Plus, in the this week’s Wrap Up Ralph weighs in on Donald Trump vs. the NFL. https://ralphnaderradiohour.com/patriotic-millionairescongress-workingtr...
Interesting discussion with Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank and recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. His new book is titled "A World of Three Zeros: The New Economics of Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment, and Zero Net Carbon Emissions." (video and text)
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/9/27/muhammad_yunus_on_achieving_a_world
The Planet
Uniting labor in the fight for a green powered future. (9 min and text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I...
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I... (7 min and text)
Have you thought about all the natural disasters this year? Fires, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, meteors, and solar storms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uZh2jq7TFo (13 min)
I want to conclude with an interesting discussion about when there is a need for violence. I found this debate between Chris Hedges and antifa proponent Mark Bray thought provoking. When is enough enough? (27 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IrV9iWyxfs
So another week, another fire-hose of stories....distractions, obscured or hidden, and the obvious. What spoke to you this week? I'll look forward to your comments below!
Comments
Under the radar, but a very familiar action for tptb
how do you do it, me and Evelyn Woods never got on. -g-
http://www.zerohedge.com/
"This Is Fascism": Shocking Footage Of Spanish Police Firing Rubber Bullets, Brutally Beating Peaceful Voters
"Sorry but this looks like fascism. I'm shocked and disgusted by how Spain has dealt with the Catalan Referendum. If there isn't a violent response to this, I'll be shocked."
OCT 1, 2017 7:47 AM
204
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
Thanks for the link
The middle of the intercepted podcast had some interesting discussion of Spain and the history of fascism there. It has text too.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Morning. I was going to write something about the two
major things that happened recently in Congress/Senate, the passing of the defense bill increasing the DOD budget by an astounding $84 billion and this incredible tax giveaway proposal by Trump.
Combine those with the utterly fake move by the democrats toward Medicare for All improved and what we have is a government completely out of control for plutocracy and oligarchy. There is zero chance we will get a fair hearing on a nationalized health care system under this political system.
I don't know, we simply have to rebel.
I would be interested in your take
On the discussion with Hedges and Bray. Will it take violence? I keep thinking a general strike is the approach, but I fear we lack the resolve. I come more and more to the conclusion of hiding here on the edge of the mountain and observing the devolution. I'll keep speaking up, but I wish for a massive movement to break these capitalist chains...
Last week I went on ad nauseum on the UN speech ....could face it again.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Interesting I turned to that first. Didn't watch it all but
got the gist. I have to agree with Hedges. I think we need an independent (from the electoral process) mass movement of the working/lower classes (if not larger) against oligarchy and for democracy which is a very common sentiment among a large percentage of Americans at this point. Hedges states that violence can be counterproductive and turn off people who might be on your side. Violence is used by the state in the form of provocateurs for just that reason. I don't think we need it. Hedges also thinks we have the moral side against the crimes of the oligarchy and violence would take away that advantage. I agree with that also.
I'm not against some of their other non-violent tactics like exposing right wing and politician ideologies, misdeeds, etc., but again, go too far and turn too many people off and it becomes counterproductive.
I'm not for the violent tactics, not yet.
That's about my take too
I think a general strike is a great strategy...
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
This is an excellent article about the climate crisis . . .
http://www.resilience.org/stories/2017-09-22/mitigation-adaptation-suffe...
Eventually in this article, the author discusses holding a climate strike. Their group was discussing and considering it.
IMO, once it gets fleshed out, this is what we should do. I am personally preparing to do it, but don't have my family convinced yet.
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
Just say no.
Sit right on down, cross your arms and your legs, and just say no. Who has the resources to last the longest? Who has the might to do the most damage to the other? We really waited too long to revolt. Discontent with our government has been around for decades. Incrementalism and the lesser of evils lulled us into waiting. Should have declared preemptive war on the bastards.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
I'm concerned about the poor folks
How can they survive a general strike when they are living hand to mouth? It is easy for a middle class retired teacher like me to say let's have a strike when I can lay by everything I need for a couple of weeks with no problem. Seems it is always the poor folk that are put in the bind...even when we work toward more equality. It is almost as if we need to start over.
I've been working on a people's platform. I thought there was one in the works on a national scale, but it's disappeared from my landscape anyway. Maybe I'll focus on it next week.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
We can't expect people to starve and lose their homes
over this and it's not necessary imo. We need numbers, if we get numbers, things will take care of themselves.
Job Insecurity is the Rich's unpaid enforcer.
Even those of us on disability are worried because they constantly change the rules whenever they get a chance.
I went cash as much as I can. Doesn't change the insecurity of being paid every month, but at least I can physically see what I have available.
Of course, I have really embraced the "Live Poor when you are poor" mentality. My few luxuries are OLD cast off rich people's toys that work better than the toys they use now.
[video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctB7V2x81ng]
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
That and debt
I don't know whose quote it is, but it is accurate...
"Debts are the new chains of slavery".
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Hey Big Al and Lookout
Hedges is right about non-political process movements.
The history of social progress supports this assessment.
Not that we couldn't or shouldn't try and elect allies in the fight. Elected politicians are lagging and reactionary(in both senses) actors in social progress.
I was thinking about a GBCW essay at HER place entitled 'The failed Experiment - Reform of electoral politics and blogs that promote it'. Probably a waste of time tho.
I want a Pony!
Where the people lead the leaders will follow
Gandhi maybe? We can hope. I don't think our oligarch leaders care about the people nor what we think. They just purchase the next round of reformers and off we go again.
hope all is well in you corner of the world!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Things is 'muy bueno' here
In the 60s-70s we saw it all before. The process of 'Co-optation'. Buy the leaders off and hope things 'settle down'. Selling out is always an option. Look at Kos.
I want a Pony!
As far as a general strike,
I think that comes down the road after the movement, hopefully, picks up steam. It would be too hard to pull something like that off right off the bat without "warming" up. It may not be practical until things get really bad, say another recession or worse.
But there are many things that should and could be done prior and in conjunction, such as the 198 non-violent actions suggested by Gene Sharp.
Violence is likely.
But of course, it will be on the part of the PTB and their agents provocateur.
The PTB understand that the public perception of violence MUST be "Self Defense" or "Protecting others". As a result, they use their agents to give cops the excuse. Even if they have NO grounds whatsoever, the AP's will claim that they saw people who were fighting the pigs.
The PTB really do think of this as a game. One where they will get a few more million points if they can twist the screw another quarter turn.
Anybody who was planning an actual attack would not do so online. They would not do so with any confederates who post online, UNLESS They were trying to get lots of LE attention. Nazi's do it because they know the Pigs will show up and support them.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
What spoke to me just 30 minutes ago is
the fact that firefighters protect catalanian voters from the Spanish police.
That's unheard of so far.
Can't embed the tweet.
Thank you for your collection of articles. Haunting. Back to reading.
Hey
Pretty obvious who the "public" servants are in that scenario.
Here's a link with video and tweets http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/catalonia-independence-re...
Thanks for the story!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
So glad you caught that important difference
These are the people who save lives every day and are good at it. They also understand confidentiality.
Hey Lookout, how's it going.
I barely make it through the Evening Blues every day which is what brought me here, must confess have sadly never made it through one of your epic works! Amazed at what you do just hope you take care of yourself.
I read your 'hanging out in mountain redoubt, watching the devolution' and that is tempting and for sure our months long annual escapes to Costa Rica and Africa DE facto accomplish that . But when we are here we volunteer to try and stay sane. Wildearth Guardians,Santa Fe Watershed Association, New Energy Economy, 350 NM are all worth supporting in think global act local kind of way imo. Example New Energy Economy is distributing cards which require candidates for givernor to commit to 100% renewables before lending support. They also went to city councimen and got them to pass 100% renewables to power the new airport upgrade. Action!
You highlighted GG s work, heh, we just missed the chance to hear Glenn Greenwald and Tom Englehardt in the same venue here in Santa Fe,NM, was already sold out by time we learned of it.
Hope you have a great day.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Thanks for dropping by
I always meant for the weekly to be a menu rather than a diet...pick and choose.
I've spent decades working to improve education in Alabama. I continue to do so. I also work locally with our young farmers promoting holistic food production. So when I say hide here on the mountain, it isn't without working within the larger society...just no longer on the public speaking tours, trips to Montgomery to talk with legislators and so on.
Too bad you missed Glenn. I always find him insightful. All the best in NM and abroad!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
@Lookout Great, thanks for your
Great, thanks for your works!
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Can fungi save us?
Paul Stamets thinks so. Here's his site ...http://fantasticfungi.com/paul-stamets/ which includes his TED talk. And here's a longer lecture (1 hour)...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-9zzXuZ2h4
Q: Why did the Mushroom get invited to all the parties?
A: 'Cuz he's a fungi
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Great piece
It needs a Disaster Capitalism tag.
'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member
will do...thanks!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Make me unblock youtube (frowny face)
Thanks Lookout, great essay full of goods. The text links are appreciated, I couldn't even make it one day without the tube, sheesh! Google is EVIL, world needs a different video streamer. Okay, I caved after ggersh said Evelyn Woods because Cheech and Chong and I had recently carved a head full of nuts. Cheers.
Evelyn Woodhead Speed Reading Course
---
ICE arrests hundreds of immigrants in 'sanctuary cities' around the nation, California
Excellent!
Billionaires trade jabs as the world burns (not the Monty kind).
good luck
sad google controls youtube...
but they do...and amazon makes it easy to buy everything...but at least I'm still faceless and I don't have a smart phone. GAFA...google, amazon, facebook, and apple have us where they want us...addicted.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Speaking of Disaster Capitalism,
the greed of oligarchies is beautifully illustrated in an elected official's response to the damage Irma brought to the UY.S. Virgin Islands. Non-voting congressional representative from USVI, Stacey Plaskett said in one interview that "Developers should be given a tax break"! What about a tax credit and/or income supplementation to those unfortunate who have lost their homes, small businesses? Well, no. Stacey doesn't see it that way--because she is paid not to do so.
I don't know how you did this, Lookout, having written several long essays myself. This essay would have taken me a month and I wouldn't be able to do it as well as you. Great job!
Thanks
It does take me all week collecting...and then I try to make all the disjointed stories cohesive. I appreciate you dropping by!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”