Thursday, March 10, 2011
From the wisdom of Twitter
"The GOP says $250,000 annual income isn’t wealthy but $48,000 with good benefits is." -@AngryLiberal
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Chris Hedges and The Death of the Liberal Class
"The system doesn’t work not because of Sarah Palin, the religious right or Glenn Beck. It doesn’t work because the liberal class failed to defend it, failed to find the moral fortitude to defend liberal values when under grievous assault. - Chris Hedges"
Last year, journalist Chris Hedges was at the Hudson Mohawk Independent Media Center in Troy last summer to speak about his book The Death of the Liberal Class. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the talk but it was helpfully rebroadcast on Alternative Radio.
The speech was fascinating and I tried to take some notes about key points he made...
-He talked about the propaganda state of permanent war/fear and the liberal class' complicity with this. He cited liberal icon Woodrow Wilson as an early example.
-He spoke about Bill Clinton, the "greatest traitor to the working class ever produced by the Democratic Party" and how Clinton's strategy was to take corporate money and do corporate bidding because he knew that unions and liberals had nowhere else to go (or thought they did) and would support him anyway.
-He noted that Canada didn't have a banking crisis because they didn't have a Clinton signing off on reckless deregulation.
-"Democrats essentially codified the destruction of international law and rule of law implemented by the Bush administration."
-"The for-profit health insurance companies sponsored the (Democratic Primary) debates in Iowa and weren’t going to allow someone like Dennis Kucinich, let alone Ralph Nader, to participate.... and the the liberal class was complicit."
-"Dostoyevsky knew that when the pillars of the liberal class collapse, the result is moral nihilism. The system doesn’t work not because of Sarah Palin, the religious right or Glenn Beck. It doesn’t work because the liberal class failed to defend it, failed to find the moral fortitude to defend liberal values when under grievous assault."
-"The last truly liberal president of the United States was Richard Nixon, because he was scared of movements and he passed a number of liberal bills, [one of which] was written by Ralph Nader, by the way."
-Anyone who thinks that voting for the Democratic Party will bring about fundamental change "lives in a universe that’s as non-reality based as the Christian right."
-He pointed out that liberals allow themselves to question details but NEVER the fundamentals underpinning the injust system. Ditto the mainstream (corporate) media.
Last year, journalist Chris Hedges was at the Hudson Mohawk Independent Media Center in Troy last summer to speak about his book The Death of the Liberal Class. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the talk but it was helpfully rebroadcast on Alternative Radio.
The speech was fascinating and I tried to take some notes about key points he made...
-He talked about the propaganda state of permanent war/fear and the liberal class' complicity with this. He cited liberal icon Woodrow Wilson as an early example.
-He spoke about Bill Clinton, the "greatest traitor to the working class ever produced by the Democratic Party" and how Clinton's strategy was to take corporate money and do corporate bidding because he knew that unions and liberals had nowhere else to go (or thought they did) and would support him anyway.
-He noted that Canada didn't have a banking crisis because they didn't have a Clinton signing off on reckless deregulation.
-"Democrats essentially codified the destruction of international law and rule of law implemented by the Bush administration."
-"The for-profit health insurance companies sponsored the (Democratic Primary) debates in Iowa and weren’t going to allow someone like Dennis Kucinich, let alone Ralph Nader, to participate.... and the the liberal class was complicit."
-"Dostoyevsky knew that when the pillars of the liberal class collapse, the result is moral nihilism. The system doesn’t work not because of Sarah Palin, the religious right or Glenn Beck. It doesn’t work because the liberal class failed to defend it, failed to find the moral fortitude to defend liberal values when under grievous assault."
-"The last truly liberal president of the United States was Richard Nixon, because he was scared of movements and he passed a number of liberal bills, [one of which] was written by Ralph Nader, by the way."
-Anyone who thinks that voting for the Democratic Party will bring about fundamental change "lives in a universe that’s as non-reality based as the Christian right."
-He pointed out that liberals allow themselves to question details but NEVER the fundamentals underpinning the injust system. Ditto the mainstream (corporate) media.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Adirondack Local Government Review Board overrides local governments
A few weeks ago, I published an essay about controversial attempts by the Adirondack Local Government Review Board to meddle in the New York state’s purchase of two tracts of land, which is not part of the LGRB’s taxpayer-funded mandate. The purchase was approved by every single one of the municipalities affected. Any one of them could’ve vetoed it and a few towns did, which forced the deal to be re-worked. The LGRB, without consulting the towns affected, wants to override the localities in question. The LGRB’s purpose is to represent local interests against top-down imposition from the state and yet top-down imposition is precisely what the LGRB wants in this case.
I’m not the only one who’s noticed this hypocrisy. In something else you’d never read in The Post-Star Duane Ricketson wrote a good essay in Adirondack Almanack explaining the recent history of state land purchase inside the Blue Line and brought some-much needed illumination of actual facts regarding the process. He also noted that LGRB executive director Fred Monroe is a member of a hunting club that would be displaced if the purchase went through.
I’m not the only one who’s noticed this hypocrisy. In something else you’d never read in The Post-Star Duane Ricketson wrote a good essay in Adirondack Almanack explaining the recent history of state land purchase inside the Blue Line and brought some-much needed illumination of actual facts regarding the process. He also noted that LGRB executive director Fred Monroe is a member of a hunting club that would be displaced if the purchase went through.
Friday, March 04, 2011
You won’t read this in The Post-Star
The Post-Star has a pretty overt agenda against teachers unions. This manifests itself not only in local columns and editorials but in their selective reporting of facts and a slew of op-ed pieces which, shock of shocks, tilt one way on the issue... most recently, earlier this week. You’re more likely to be exposed to the perspective of the teachers unions on Fox News (sic) than in the Glens Falls daily. Their anti-labor position is not surprising since they took great pains some years ago to bust their own unions.
The paper has disproportionately targeted the Queensbury school district for alleged extravagant spending. This is inexplicable given the below facts, although it’s worth noting that the paper’s managing editor lives and pays taxes in Queensbury.
So I was pleased to read a good story on the district written in the independent Chronicle. Although the weekly’s editor Mark Frost is personally more vocally anti-union than Tingley in his columns, The Chronicle’s news article was much more nuanced and complete.
The weekly noted that In per pupil spending, Queensbury ranks as one of the lowest in the region and in the state, while ranking in the top 74 for academic test results in the state, [Superintendent Douglas] Huntley said. There’s “tremendous efficiency” in having all their buildings on one campus.”
It’s a key fact that I’ve also discussed here in this blog. And although I’ve mentioned it to them repeatedly, I’ve never seen this fact acknowledged, let alone addressed, by the corporate daily. Is it because it undermines their editorial line? I guess you can get away with that when you have a Pulitizer Prize.
The paper has disproportionately targeted the Queensbury school district for alleged extravagant spending. This is inexplicable given the below facts, although it’s worth noting that the paper’s managing editor lives and pays taxes in Queensbury.
So I was pleased to read a good story on the district written in the independent Chronicle. Although the weekly’s editor Mark Frost is personally more vocally anti-union than Tingley in his columns, The Chronicle’s news article was much more nuanced and complete.
The weekly noted that In per pupil spending, Queensbury ranks as one of the lowest in the region and in the state, while ranking in the top 74 for academic test results in the state, [Superintendent Douglas] Huntley said. There’s “tremendous efficiency” in having all their buildings on one campus.”
It’s a key fact that I’ve also discussed here in this blog. And although I’ve mentioned it to them repeatedly, I’ve never seen this fact acknowledged, let alone addressed, by the corporate daily. Is it because it undermines their editorial line? I guess you can get away with that when you have a Pulitizer Prize.
Union-busting in Ohio
"When I give food to the poor, I'm called a saint. When I ask why they are poor, I'm called a communist." -Archbishop Dom Helder Camara.
Earlier this week, the Ohio state senate voted 17-16 to strip public sector unions of collective bargaining rights. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich offered the following criticism:
In order to understand how devastating this bill is to workers you have to be aware of provisions which take away the right to strike, open the door for replacement workers and set the stage for privatization of services. Wages and benefits will be cut. Inevitably state services will become a target for privatizers. The taxpayers will pay more and get less, while the ‘savings’ will end up in the pockets of corporate service-providers in terms of high profits. The passage of this bill is the just the beginning of a scheme to defraud both workers and the taxpayers.
Earlier this week, the Ohio state senate voted 17-16 to strip public sector unions of collective bargaining rights. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich offered the following criticism:
In order to understand how devastating this bill is to workers you have to be aware of provisions which take away the right to strike, open the door for replacement workers and set the stage for privatization of services. Wages and benefits will be cut. Inevitably state services will become a target for privatizers. The taxpayers will pay more and get less, while the ‘savings’ will end up in the pockets of corporate service-providers in terms of high profits. The passage of this bill is the just the beginning of a scheme to defraud both workers and the taxpayers.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
From the wisdom of Facebook...
Joke seen going around the site:
A billionaire, a Tea Partier and a teacher are sitting together at a restaurant. There are 12 cookies in a basket on the table. The billionaire takes 11 cookies and then warns the Tea Partier, "Watch out, that teacher wants part of your cookie!"
A billionaire, a Tea Partier and a teacher are sitting together at a restaurant. There are 12 cookies in a basket on the table. The billionaire takes 11 cookies and then warns the Tea Partier, "Watch out, that teacher wants part of your cookie!"
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
They must have plates in their heads (updated)
In order to preserve low taxes on the rich, some of the thieves in Albany wants to soak kids. Two bills in the New York state Assembly have been introduced that would require license plates on all bicycles. The license plate would cost $25 initially and $5 a year after that and would be required for all bikes, including those owned by children.
Biking helps people get fit, relieves traffic congestion and does not contribute to air pollution or climate change. These things are not only beneficial in and of themselves but lower costs to society by making less road maintenance, less environmental remediation and fewer expensive medical problems.
It's a well-accepted goal of public policy to use taxes and fees to discourage bad behavior. But these brainless wonders apparently want to discourage GOOD behavior... all for a purported benefit to the state coffers of a whopping $375,000 a year.
Contact your Assembly member and tell them to shift their brain into first gear and bury this bill.
Update: I've received word that the bills' sponsor, Assemblyman Michael DenDekker, has withdrawn the pieces of legislation. He said that the bills were "in response to numerous complaints from my constituents regarding bicyclists who were not following local and state laws"... because the way to deal with people who don't follow laws is to pass more laws they won't follow. His press release stated that "the original intent of these bills was to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety" while omitting the real intent of the bills: a money grab.
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Biking helps people get fit, relieves traffic congestion and does not contribute to air pollution or climate change. These things are not only beneficial in and of themselves but lower costs to society by making less road maintenance, less environmental remediation and fewer expensive medical problems.
It's a well-accepted goal of public policy to use taxes and fees to discourage bad behavior. But these brainless wonders apparently want to discourage GOOD behavior... all for a purported benefit to the state coffers of a whopping $375,000 a year.
Contact your Assembly member and tell them to shift their brain into first gear and bury this bill.
Update: I've received word that the bills' sponsor, Assemblyman Michael DenDekker, has withdrawn the pieces of legislation. He said that the bills were "in response to numerous complaints from my constituents regarding bicyclists who were not following local and state laws"... because the way to deal with people who don't follow laws is to pass more laws they won't follow. His press release stated that "the original intent of these bills was to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety" while omitting the real intent of the bills: a money grab.
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Tuesday, March 01, 2011
National Peace Corps Day
Today is national Peace Corps Day. In 2004, I wrote this essay (slightly modified since) in honor of Peace Corps Day. It's become a bit of a tradition for me to re-post it every March 1.
Moms and dads have their day. Old presidents have their day. So do labor unions and medieval saints. Soldiers have two official days plus numerous 'support our troops' rallies. Even bosses and secretaries have days, according to Hallmark. So why not Peace Corps volunteers?
Today is Peace Corps Day. It's the [50th] anniversary of the day President Kennedy signed the executive order creating the Peace Corps.
Some people think the Peace Corps is a military organization. In fact, it's the antithesis. It's an organization which sends volunteers to developing countries to engage in such activities as teaching, public health, environmental management and small business development.
Volunteers receive a living allowance to cover their basic expenses and are provided housing, but are otherwise not paid. They received a modest readjustment allowance following completion of their service and a small (10 percent when I left) reduction in federal student loans. But they otherwise receive no further medical care or educational benefits. There is a small movement to obtain for departing volunteers benefits more similar to those received by those leaving the military, but it hasn't gotten anywhere.
The goals of the Peace Corps, according to the organization's website, are three:
1. Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of all Americans.
Suffice it to say, all three goals have been important since the organization was created but #2 seems particularly crucial in the era of post-9/11 random invasions. Though increasingly, it feels like a "one step forward, three steps back" routine.
There have been many books on "the Peace Corps experience" (which is about as broad a generalization as "the American mentality"). Nevertheless, some themes tend to be pretty common among them.
-Go to God-foresaken country with the expectation to save the noble savages.
-Learn that they are not savages and that they are noble/ignoble in more or less the same proportion as Americans.
-Sense of loneliness in a totally alien culture.
-Learn that life without TV/computer is not the apocalypse.
-Leave with the realization that you learned more than they did.
-Sadness when they have to leave their village/city.
-Transmit these themes interspersed with a lot of humorous anecdotes.
-Commentary on the impact of American foreign policy, French foreign policy and the IMF/World Bank may be included.
Common themes for volunteers who served in sub-Saharan Africa, as I did, are as follows:
-Annoyance at people who call you 'toubabou' (or whatever the local language word for 'white person' is); "My name isn't 'toubabou'," fumes the author. "My name is John!"
-Agitation that everyone wanted you to marry their sister/brother/son/daughter or get them a visa to go to America.
-Rage at the dichotomy between the fabulous wealth of the political elite and the overwhelming poverty of the masses.
-Observation to the effect that "[nationality] are so poor monetarily but so rich in spirit/culture/community."
-Elegies about how welcoming [nationality] are to strangers.
-A brief history of the country and the legacy of European colonialism.
-Maddening anecdotes about dealing with corrupt officials, musings on heat, mosquitoes and hygeine and comical (or frightening) travel stories.
-General commentary about "the African condition" may be included.
(And just so I don't sound like a snob, I included every one of these themes in my journal and letters home)
The best book I've ever read about "the Peace Corps experience" was George Packer's The Village of Waiting. It was a wonderfully written book in its own right. But I enjoyed it even more because, even though it was set in Togo and I served in Guinea, it was pretty much the story of my experience. Reading The Village of Waiting is why I decided not to write a strictly autobiographical account of my experience: it had already been done.
Happy 50th birthday Peace Corps!
Update: Just a reminder that in the history of the Peace Corps, 279 men and women have died in service, at least one in every year (except 1986) that the Peace Corps has existed. A website has been devoted to them.
Moms and dads have their day. Old presidents have their day. So do labor unions and medieval saints. Soldiers have two official days plus numerous 'support our troops' rallies. Even bosses and secretaries have days, according to Hallmark. So why not Peace Corps volunteers?
Today is Peace Corps Day. It's the [50th] anniversary of the day President Kennedy signed the executive order creating the Peace Corps.
Some people think the Peace Corps is a military organization. In fact, it's the antithesis. It's an organization which sends volunteers to developing countries to engage in such activities as teaching, public health, environmental management and small business development.
Volunteers receive a living allowance to cover their basic expenses and are provided housing, but are otherwise not paid. They received a modest readjustment allowance following completion of their service and a small (10 percent when I left) reduction in federal student loans. But they otherwise receive no further medical care or educational benefits. There is a small movement to obtain for departing volunteers benefits more similar to those received by those leaving the military, but it hasn't gotten anywhere.
The goals of the Peace Corps, according to the organization's website, are three:
1. Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of all Americans.
Suffice it to say, all three goals have been important since the organization was created but #2 seems particularly crucial in the era of post-9/11 random invasions. Though increasingly, it feels like a "one step forward, three steps back" routine.
There have been many books on "the Peace Corps experience" (which is about as broad a generalization as "the American mentality"). Nevertheless, some themes tend to be pretty common among them.
-Go to God-foresaken country with the expectation to save the noble savages.
-Learn that they are not savages and that they are noble/ignoble in more or less the same proportion as Americans.
-Sense of loneliness in a totally alien culture.
-Learn that life without TV/computer is not the apocalypse.
-Leave with the realization that you learned more than they did.
-Sadness when they have to leave their village/city.
-Transmit these themes interspersed with a lot of humorous anecdotes.
-Commentary on the impact of American foreign policy, French foreign policy and the IMF/World Bank may be included.
Common themes for volunteers who served in sub-Saharan Africa, as I did, are as follows:
-Annoyance at people who call you 'toubabou' (or whatever the local language word for 'white person' is); "My name isn't 'toubabou'," fumes the author. "My name is John!"
-Agitation that everyone wanted you to marry their sister/brother/son/daughter or get them a visa to go to America.
-Rage at the dichotomy between the fabulous wealth of the political elite and the overwhelming poverty of the masses.
-Observation to the effect that "[nationality] are so poor monetarily but so rich in spirit/culture/community."
-Elegies about how welcoming [nationality] are to strangers.
-A brief history of the country and the legacy of European colonialism.
-Maddening anecdotes about dealing with corrupt officials, musings on heat, mosquitoes and hygeine and comical (or frightening) travel stories.
-General commentary about "the African condition" may be included.
(And just so I don't sound like a snob, I included every one of these themes in my journal and letters home)
The best book I've ever read about "the Peace Corps experience" was George Packer's The Village of Waiting. It was a wonderfully written book in its own right. But I enjoyed it even more because, even though it was set in Togo and I served in Guinea, it was pretty much the story of my experience. Reading The Village of Waiting is why I decided not to write a strictly autobiographical account of my experience: it had already been done.
Happy 50th birthday Peace Corps!
Update: Just a reminder that in the history of the Peace Corps, 279 men and women have died in service, at least one in every year (except 1986) that the Peace Corps has existed. A website has been devoted to them.
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