Bush Declares Ownership Society - Tells Convention He's Ordered Invasion of Social Security Trust Fund
by Greg Palast, The Observer
New York
- Of all the bone-headed, whacky, breathtakingly threatening schemes
George W. Bush [tried] to sell us in his acceptance speech [Thursday
night] is something he and his handlers call, "the Ownership Society."
Sounds cool, "ownership." Everyone gets a piece of the action.
Everyone's a winner as the economy zooms. All boats rise.
Sure. Behind the hooray-for-free-enterprise crapola is that dog-eared game-plan to siphon off Social Security revenues to pay for making Bush's tax cuts for the rich permanent.
Here's
what Bush has in mind. Social Security is an insurance plan. You
pay in, you get back. But it's hard to get your money back when there's
a war where the Clinton surplus used to be. It's not the war on terror,
or the war in Iraq, though Lord knows those have cost us a bundle with
nothing to show for all the lost loot. I'm talking about the class war
that Dubya and his Dick Cheney have waged on the average working person.
We're
talking an economic Pearl Harbor here. While firemen and policemen went
running into falling buildings, the Bushmen were preparing to relieve
some gazillionaires, such as say, the Bush family, of the need to pay
the taxes that the rest of us pay. Work as a teacher, you pay Social
Security and income taxes on every darn penny. Sit on your yacht and
speculate in the stock market casino and you are off the hook on taxes
on the "capital gains."
Bill
Clinton proposed putting his big surpluses into a Social Security
"lock-box" for that predictable rainy day. But [Thursday night], Bush
instead propose[d] to give the stock-options class a boost by lopping
off a chunk of Social Security insurance revenue for gambling in the
stock market. He had this same idea in 2000. If he'd had his way on his
inauguration day, the average "owner" in America, investing in the
stock market, would be 7% poorer, many flat busted. Some "security."
Happy elderly "owners" would be hunting for lunch in the garbage cans
under Madison Square Garden.
(Click here to read the rest of the article.)
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Saturday, September 4
Bush Declares Ownership Society - Tells Convention He's Ordered Invasion of Social Security Trust Fund
by
Linda Thieman
on Sat 04 Sep 2004 06:41 PM CDT
Deaniac Watch: Iowa Teacher Returns from Iraq
by
Linda Thieman
on Sat 04 Sep 2004 02:09 PM CDT
Deaniac Watch: Iowa Teacher Returns from Iraq
The Des Moines Register Fellow Deaniac and husband of Des Moines DFIA Activist Colleen Jennings Makes The Des Moines Register First Lt. Ernest Jennings' 14-month stint assisting the troops in Iraq is over. Now he's getting back to his true passion - directing the drum line at East High School in Des Moines. The 35-year-old band director from West Des Moines had taught at North High School for three years before the 1168 Transportation Company of the Iowa National Guard was called for active duty in February 2003. His unit was responsible for transporting supplies to the front line and guard duty in Iraq. Jennings said he couldn't wait to return home in mid-April this year. "We had a long deployment. I spent my whole summer just trying to get back into my civilian mode," Jennings said. "I just hung out a little bit and took a breath." (more) Glad you're home safe and sound, Ernie! Thanks to Christina Butts for turning this in.
Media IS The Issue
by
Linda Thieman
on Sat 04 Sep 2004 09:49 AM CDT
Media IS The Issue
by Josh Silver, Free Press With the GOP convention wrapped up and Congress returning to Washington next week, media reform advocates are gearing up for a busy season. Media coverage of the election is a disaster. Corporate media are avoiding substantial analysis and debate in favor of sensationalistic sound-bite journalism, gossip and horserace-style speculation. Celebrity journalists mute the tough questions and amplify partisan spin, and rarely point out the inaccurate and misleading statements made by candidates and their proxies. As outgoing head of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Juan Gonzales quipped: "If (a government official) said the world was flat, today's corporate media would dutifully report, 'Breaking News: There Appear to be Differing Views on The World's Shape.'" The facts are damning. Networks will carried a mere three hours of convention coverage this week. During the 2000 election, we heard directly from presidential candidates an average of only 9 seconds per night on the news. Four years later, as election reporting declines, networks are raking in a record $1.5 billion in political ad revenue — hardly an incentive to expand their coverage. Campaign advertisements outnumber campaign news stories four to one. Many conservative organizations and Republican members of Congress have expressed strong support for media reform. Nonetheless, the GOP platform fails to include any support for limits on media consolidation. Once again, Big Media lobbyists are having their way with public policy through close ties with elected officials. Despite these dark days, media reform has more momentum than at any point in our nation's history. In Washington and across the country, activists are redoubling efforts to fight back: 1) Communities nationwide are fighting monopoly cable providers (like Comcast and Time Warner) to ensure that cable and broadband services serve the community and not just the bottom line, with increased public access and more non-commercial channels. 2) Advocates are pressing Congress to force cable monopolies to carry new, independent networks and to make access to cable more affordable through measures like 'a la carte' programming that let viewers choose which channels they pay for. 3) With last year's disastrous loosening of media ownership rules rejected by the courts, activists are pushing for more public involvement in the FCC's creation of new rules. 4) Legislation to license thousands of new low power FM radio stations is working its way through Congress. 5) A growing coalition is demanding increased access to the public airwaves for low-cost, high-speed, wireless broadband that would turn Internet access into a public right instead of a luxury. This is just a glimpse of what's going on in the fight for media reform. Americans understand that our democracy will not survive without tougher journalism, more diverse and independent voices, and a stronger noncommercial media sector. It is up to you to keep the momentum going. The Free Press website (www.freepress.net) is now even easier to use, containing resources and tools to help you get more involved, raise awareness, and hold our elected officials and the media accountable. The time is now — to fight organized media corporations with organized people — and create a media system that puts the public interest before profits. Onward, Josh Silver Free Press To fight against media bias in Iowa, join Rapid Response - Iowa here.
Pseudo-VP Halliburton (Cheney) To Be in Clear Lake Monday
by
Linda Thieman
on Sat 04 Sep 2004 04:26 AM CDT
Pseudo-VP Halliburton (Cheney) To Be in Clear Lake Monday
by Darrell Lewis So, we hear that our own pseudo-Vice President Halliburton (Cheney) will be visiting Clear Lake on Monday at 3pm. The Republicans have reserved the park downtown, although they will not confirm Cheney will be there as of yet. We also hear the ol' faux Veep doesn't think our bandshell is good enough and will be erecting a special stage. However, the presence of Highway Patrolmen and what obviously was secret service around the park Thursday is pretty good confirmation. At other appearances in Iowa, in a display of complete non-democracy, only persons who are political supporters have been allowed into events with the pseudo-pResident and his political henchmen. This event promises to be no different, as they are fencing off public parks, streets, and land and only allowing people who have invitations in to see the faux Veep. John Drury, Democratic candidate for Iowa Senate District 6, will be holding a news conference at 2:00pm (updated time) Monday on the Lake View Drive lakeshore, west of the Lady of the Lake landing. John and various Iowa labor leaders will be talking to the media about Labor Day and the cruel irony of the anti-labor deal proposed for the special legislative session scheduled the next day regarding the Iowa Values Fund. To stay up-to-date with breaking details of the Cheney visit and the Drury news conference, visit the Drury for Iowa Senata website. |
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