The Third Estate Sunday Review focuses on politics and culture. We're an online magazine. We don't play nice and we don't kiss butt. In the words of Tuesday Weld: "I do not ever want to be a huge star. Do you think I want a success? I refused "Bonnie and Clyde" because I was nursing at the time but also because deep down I knew that it was going to be a huge success. The same was true of "Bob and Carol and Fred and Sue" or whatever it was called. It reeked of success."
Yet no where in their 'report' did Bitch Zengerle or Bitch Strobel ever note that Barack ran for the presidency himself on a campaign opposing the PATRIOT Act.
It's interesting the way the bitches played it -- at every outlet -- pretending that Rand Paul was being strange or difficult.
"I will provide our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the
tools they need to track and take out the terrorists without undermining
our Constitution and our freedom. That means no more illegal
wiretapping of American citizens. No more national security letters to
spy on citizens who are not suspected of a crime. No more tracking
citizens who do nothing more than protest a misguided war. No more
ignoring the law when it is inconvenient," Obama said in 2007, adding that "the FISA court works."
Again critiquing "the Bush administration's initial policy on
warrantless wiretaps because it crossed the line between protecting our
national security and eroding the civil liberties of American citizens,"
Obama promised
to "update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to provide greater
oversight and accountability to the congressional intelligence
committees to prevent future threats to the rule of law."
He also vowed
to "revisit the Patriot Act to ensure that there is real and robust
oversight of tools like national security letters, sneak-and-peek
searches, and the use of the material witness provision."
Yet in covering the Senate show down, press bitches acted as though they'd been put in a muzzle. Certainly, they couldn't have forgotten.
After all, Paul raised the issue in his May 31st remarks:
James Otis fought a famous case in the 1760's and he found against
the British soldiers writing their own warrants. The interesting thing
is part of the PATRIOT Act allows our police to write their
own warrants. We have something called national security letters. These
have been done by the hundreds of thousands. Interestingly, when the president was in the senate, he was opposed
to national security letters and said that they should have judicial
warrants. Now it's kind of interesting that in this bill that will pass -
it's supported by the president, supported by the Director of National
Intelligence and now supported in a wide bipartisan fashion. It concerns me that the president that supports the bulk data
collection and has been performing it illegally for six years now
supports this bill the devil's in the details and the question is, will
the new bill still allow bulk collection by the phone companies? Will
they be able to put into the search engine not an individual for whom we
have suspicion but an entire corporation? This is what was revealed
when we saw the warrant that was revealed that had Verizon's name on
it.
For almost two weeks now, Rand Paul has been calling the shots forcing the White House to play defense just to hold their own.
Can Rand Paul govern if elected president?
He's already demonstrated he can as a US senator.
And that's the story the press bitches have avoided as they've rushed to prop up faded flower Barack Obama.
He's spent three years defending liar and War Hawk Susan Rice.
[Isaiah captures Susan Rice in one of her calmer moments in The World Today Just Nuts "Alice in Barackland."]
Rice supported the Iraq War, took to NPR to declare 'case closed' when Colin Powell made his ridiculous blot on the floor of the United Nations and yet Bob Somerby defends her.
He's been silent for a bit though.
No talky-talky about Susie Rice.
Despite the fact that Rice lied about Benghazi and Benghazi had stomped back into the news.
Sidney Blumenthal, it turns out, sent an assessment to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on 9/13/12 -- two days after the attacks and well before Susan Rice went on all four broadcast networks Sunday Chat & Chews to lie about the 9/11/12 attack in Benghazi which left over four Americans dead.
The known dead are Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, Glen Doherty and Chris Stevens but as Hillary Clinton has revealed more died in the days after the attack.
So, to be clear for the idiotic Bob Somerby, he's going to have to choose -- as will America.
Susan Rice lied.
Or you can go with Hillary Clinton having information that she refused to share.
That would be a real dereliction of duty, not just insubordination.
And it certainly wouldn't argue that Hillary was fit for the Oval Office.
So Bob and company, figure out which it is: Susan lied or Hillary hid information from the White House.
Saturday, Martin O'Malley announced he was seeking the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
Announcement Speech
1. Introduction
My fellow Americans.
I want to talk with you today about The American Dream we share…
its powerful history,
its current condition, and most importantly,
its urgent need for rebuilding.
Our nation was founded on two self-evident truths…
That All of us are created equal.
And that we are endowed by our Creator with the rights to Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
With these words, the American dream began.
No fine print. No expiration date.
All of us are included.
Women and men.
Black and white people.
Irish Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Americans, Native Americans. Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Americans.
Young and old. Rich and poor. Workers and Business owners. Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and straight Americans.
Every person is important, each of us is needed.
In our idea of country, there is no such thing as a spare American.
There is, however, a growing injustice in our country today.
It is the gap between the strong and just country our children need for us to be,… and the country we are in danger of becoming.
For today in America, seventy percent of us are earning the same or less than they were 12 years ago. This is the first time that has happened this side of World War II.
Today in America, family owned businesses and farms are struggling to compete with ever larger concentrations of corporate power,…
Fifty years ago, the nation’s largest employer was GM. An average GM employee could pay for a year’s tuition at a state university with two weeks’ wages.
Today in America, with dreams of college, a decent paying job, and a secure retirement slipping beyond the reach of so very many,… the American Dream seems to be hanging by a thread.
And yet, for America there is always a yet.
The final thread that holds us just might be the strongest.
It is the thread of the generosity, the compassion, and the love of one another that brings us together as One American People.
For over 200 years we’ve been the architects of our own future. And now we must build anew today.
My father and mother, Tom and Barbara O’Malley, were born to the Great Depression and grew up as part of that great generation that won the Second World War. My dad flew 33 missions over Japan in a B-24 Liberator, and went on to college only because of the GI Bill.
My mom, herself, flew in the Civil Air Patrol at the age of seventeen.
They raised their children — the six of us — to a middle class future secured largely by the sacrifices and better choices of their generation.
But they would never accept the notion that somehow theirs was the “greatest generation.” For they believed and they taught us that every generation of Americans has the ability — and the sacred responsibility — to become great.
And so we must. No matter how long the odds, no matter how large the challenge, and no matter how tough the fight.
This is the urgent work calling us forward today: to rebuild the truth of the American Dream for ALL Americans. And to begin right now!
2. Baltimore/Economy
Last month, television sets around the world were filled with the anger and the rage, and the flames of some of the humblest and hardest hit neighborhoods of Baltimore.
For all of us who have given so much of our energies to making our city a safer, fairer, more just and more prosperous place, it was a heartbreaking night in the life of our City.
But there is something to be learned from that night, and there is something to be offered to our country from those flames.
For what took place here was not only about race…not only about policing in America.
It’s about everything it is supposed to mean to be an American.
The scourge of hopelessness that happened to ignite here that evening, transcends race or geography.
Witness the record numbers of young white kids killing themselves with heroin in suburbs and small towns across America.
The hard truth of our shared reality is this: Unemployment in many American cities and in many small towns across the United States is higher now than it was eight years ago.
Conditions of extreme and growing poverty, create conditions for extreme violence.
We have work to do…
Our economic and political system is upside down and backwards and it is time to turn it around.
What happened to our economy — what happened to the American Dream — did not happen by chance.
Nor was it merely the result of global forces somehow beyond our control.
Powerful, wealthy special interests here at home have used our government to create — in our own country — an economy that is leaving a majority of our people behind.
An economy that has so concentrated wealth in the hands of the very few that it has taken opportunity from the homes of the many.
An economy where a majority of our people are unheard, unseen, un-needed, and left to conclude that their lives and labors are literally worth less today than they were yesterday,… And will be worth less still tomorrow…
We are allowing our land of opportunity to be turned into a land of inequality.
Main Street struggles, while Wall Street soars.
Tell me how it is, that not a single Wall Street CEO was convicted of a crime related to the 2008 economic meltdown. Not. A. Single. One.
Tell me how it is, that you can get pulled over for a broken tail light in our country, but if you wreck the nation’s economy you are untouchable.
This is not how our economy is supposed to work!
This is not how our country is supposed to work!
This is not the American Dream!
And it does not have to be this way!
This generation still has time to become great.
We have saved the world before and we must save our country now – and we will do that by rebuilding the American Dream!
3. The Agenda
As I look out here this morning over the original “land of the free and the home of the brave,” I see the faces of people who have done so much for so many in our City and our State.
Together, we made our City a safer, healthier and better place for kids.
Together, we made our city Believe again. We invented a new and better way of governing called CitiStat, and we got things done.
Together, we made our State’s public schools the best in the United States. We made college more affordable for more families.
We led our people forward through a devastating national recession. We took greater care to protect our land, our air, and the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.
We passed Marriage Equality and we passed the DREAM Act.
Together, we raised the minimum wage and we sustained the highest median income in America. We achieved top rankings for innovation, entrepreneurship, and minority and women’s business development.
Yes, understanding precedes action.
And it took new leadership. New perspectives. And new approaches.
But we believed in the dream,…together we took action to make it real,… and that is exactly what we must do as a nation today.
Our economy isn’t money, our economy is people—all of our people.
We measure success by the growing prosperity and security of our people–all of our people.
A stronger middle class is not the consequence of economic growth — a stronger middle class is the cause of economic growth.
Together, as one nation we must build an American economy that works again for all of us.
That means good jobs and wage policies that allow hardworking families to actually get ahead. That means a higher minimum wage, overtime pay for overtime work, and respect for the rights of all workers to organize and collectively bargain for better wages.
If we take these actions…the dream will live again.
Climate change is real. We must create an American jobs agenda to build a new renewable energy future.
We must launch a new agenda to rebuild America’s cities as places of Justice and Opportunity for all.
And if we take these actions… the dream will live again.
For the sake of our country’s security, and our country’s well-being, and our country’s economic growth, we must also bring 11 million of our neighbors out of the shadows by passing comprehensive immigration reform.
Because the enduring symbol of our nation is not the barbed wire fence,… it is the Statue of Liberty.
We are a nation of immigrants. We are a compassionate and generous people. And if we act according to our principles–and the better angels of our nature—if we return to our true selves, the dream will live again.
Make no mistake about it — our ability to lead the world and be safe in this world depends on the strength of the American Dream here at home. The challenges we face in the world today are different from the challenges we faced in the 1990’s.
Together, we must construct a New National Security Strategy and build new alliances that are forward-seeing and forward-acting.
The center of this new strategy must be the reduction of threats. Fast-evolving threats — from violent extremism, pandemic, cyber attacks, nuclear proliferation, nation-state failures, to the drought, famine, and floods of climate change.
Together, we must craft a New Foreign Policy of Engagement and Collaboration. We must join with like-minded people around the world — especially with nations here in our own hemisphere — for the cause we share of a rising global middle class.
We must put our national interest first, we must put America first.
But we cannot rebuild the American Dream here at home by catering to the voices of the privileged and the powerful.
Let’s be honest. They were the ones who turned our economy upside-down in the first place. And they are the only ones who are benefiting from it.
We need to prosecute cheats, we need to reinstate Glass-Steagall, and if a bank is too big to fail without wrecking our nation’s economy…then it needs to be broken up before it breaks us…again.
Goldman Sachs is one of the biggest repeat-offending investment banks in America. Recently, the CEO of Goldman Sachs let his employees know that he’d be just fine with either Bush or Clinton.
I bet he would…
Well, I’ve got news for the bullies of Wall Street —
The presidency is not a crown to be passed back and forth by you between two royal families.
It is a sacred trust to be earned from the people of the United States, and exercised on behalf of the people of the United States.
The only way we are going to rebuild the American Dream is if we re-take control of our own American government!
4. Conclusion
The poet laureate of the American Dream, Bruce Springsteen, once asked:
Is a dream a lie, if it don’t come true?…
Or is it something worse?
Whether the American dream becomes a lie, or becomes an ongoing truth that our children can enjoy,…can build upon,… can live,… is really up to you and me.
It is up to all of us.
It’s not about Wall Street, not about the big five banks, it’s not even about big money trying to buy our elections.
It’s about U.S.
It is about whether, together, We the People still have the will to become great Americans.
I believe we do.
My decision is made.
Now you will all have a vital choice to make next year, for the good of your families, and for the good of the country you love and carry in your hearts.
It is a choice that people will ask you about for years to come.
And so, when a child with a world of learning ahead asks who you voted for, I want you to be able to tell that child, “I voted for you.”
When you see a dad sweating through another long shift in order to give his daughter a better future, I want you to be able to tell him, “I voted for you.”
When you see a mom working long hours at two jobs for the dream of sending her son to college, I want you to be able to tell her, “I voted for you.”
When you see a young father who hungers for a decent job to support his family, I want you to be able to tell him, “I voted for you.”
The story of our country’s best days is not found in a history book, because this generation of Americans is about to write it!
And that is why today,… to you — and to all who can hear my voice — I declare that I am a candidate for President of the United States….and I’m running for YOU.
May God Bless you and may God Bless the United States of America.
Stop military intervention in Iraq under any
pretext!
After
decades of sanctions, war and occupation, attempts to dominate and control Iraq
continue. The destruction of the country´s infrastructure, its army and its
middle class has left a failed state that leaves its people in social misery
and chaos. This has resulted in the collapse of the health and education
systems, the weakening of the social fabric and the collective memory and
national identity of the Iraqi people. Foreign plans to divide Iraq threaten
its very existence as a state.
1.
The failure of the US-led occupation to achieve their goals has been followed
by another war with massive bombings of civilians and the infusion of enormous
amounts of military weapons.
2.
The regime in Baghdad
which resulted from the imposed sectarian Bremer constitution is incapable by
its very nature of achieving the inclusiveness of the different ethnic,
religious and political groups that is required to guarantee Iraq´s continued
existence.
3.
Outside interference and support to sectarian militia and terrorist groups has
further worsened internal conflicts, giving birth to criminal ruling groups. It
has led to serious violations of human rights and has caused widespread
suffering for civilians.
4.
The government policies of massive imprisonment, torture, forced displacement
and the exclusion of many from the political process have together provided
fertile ground for all forms of extremism and terrorism.
5.
Millions of refugees have been caught between the US-led bombing and the
attacks from the government and its militia allies as well as from the
terrorist attacks by ISIS. A humanitarian crisis
of enormous proportions continues to worsen with widespread sectarian ethnic
cleansing .
We
re-iterate our stand that peace cannot be restored until the underlying causes
of the conflict have been dealt with. The Iraqi people continue to resist foreign
domination. Only their unity can guarantee the sovereignty of Iraq and defeat
of terrorism and separatism. Only their efforts can guarantee good relations
with all their neighbours based on strict non-interference in each other´s
internal affairs. Iraq
is not a pawn to be offered in regional or religious conflict. Its sovereignty
and independence must be respected.
In
the present situation, our efforts should be intensified and co-ordinated to:
-
spread information about the
underlying political nature of the conflict and demand an end to all foreign
intervention.
-
support the efforts of the patriotic
forces for unity against sectarianism and terrorism where all Iraqis are
treated as citizens of one country rather than members of specific communities.
- mobilize
international efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people.
-
demand an end to the bombing and
military intervention in Iraq
under the pretext of fighting terrorism.
-
demand justice for the victims and accountability by
those responsible for the crimes committed and their responsibility for
reparations and the reconstruction of the country. The UN must uphold
international law.
We
call upon all anti-occupation, anti-war and peace loving people to maintain and
continue solidarity with the people of Iraq
and their struggle for an independent, unified and non-sectarian Iraq.
Peter Kennard interview - How can we use political art to reclaim privatised spaces?
Artist Peter Kennard spoke to Socialist Worker about the latest exhibition of his works—and how we can make sure the arts aren’t only for a rich elite
Published Tue 26 May 2015
Issue No. 2455
Our Financial Times—part of an installation at the exhibition
The Imperial War Museum’s new exhibition isn’t just a loose restrospective of Peter Kennard’s work—each of the five rooms makes a political statement.
As soon as you walk in, you’re confronted with five canvases depicting medals. But instead of the shimmering gold of “glory”, a bandaged head hangs from one and a head in a black bag from another.
The union jack and the stars and stripes remain, but a chargrilled corpse dangles from them. Peter made them in response to the reality of the Iraq war.
Running through the exhibition are the political events and movement’s Peter’s work has related to since he was politicised in 1968. It’s fascinating to look through it and ask, can political art make an impact?
Peter told Socialist Worker, “Political art by itself does not change anything. “I’ve always considered myself to be the ‘visual arm’ of different campaigns and protest groups.
“You can see that those groups certainly use it if you look around at this exhibition. Direct
“My art is part of that and is very direct, but you can’t measure the effect of it.”
But for Peter his work is about more than just making a political statement. He said, “What it does show is that art can be about everyday life and that it’s not just for the rich.”
The arts are under assault from the Tories—and the threat of privatisation at the National Gallery is an example.
Peter said, “I’ve signed the open letter. What you have in the National Gallery is a group of people who are committed to the place and have a great love of art. But their skill as workers is not acknowledged.
“This is happening everywhere, where they’re trying to privatise security and other jobs.”
He argued that art and culture should not be restricted to a spectator sport within the gallery walls—it should run through our lives and involve mass participation.
“There’s still a sense that art is there for the elite,” said Peter. “Venice is full of political art, but it’s just so obscure. What’s the point in that?
“The point of art should be to reach out to people. That’s why it’s good to have the exhibition here in a museum, instead of a gallery.
“But more broadly than that, I want to show work wherever I can. You can see examples here, whether it is on posters or T-shirts.
“That’s why the internet is important, because anyone can share and download the art.” Montage
While Peter’s work focuses on photo montage, the range of methods used is much broader.
In the third room, charcoaled and photocopied hands scrape through the financial pages of newspapers.
Peter explained that it was intentionally ambiguous, and tries to show the impersonality of the financial figures. One of the most interesting parts of the exhibition is where you can see his production process.
Peter said, “I’ve never shown the originals before—it’s not what people are really interested in.
“I now work digitally, but it’s good to show how it was done before. You would be working with ten different sizes of photographs and trying to piece together cut outs.”
Peter argued that there’s a flourishing of political art today.
“Younger artists are much more concerned about making their art political,” he said. “They’ve been radicalised through their own experiences, partly by having to pay high art fees.”
He’s always on the lookout for new ways art can connect with a broader audience. He said, “I run workshops for excluded kids, who can work on the computer and manipulate images. But they’re images of everyday life.
“When I had a show at the Festival Hall I also worked with homeless people. They had an enormous subject matter—their lives.”
“It’s a question of access,” he said. Peter praised the potential of street art. It’s very political and involves people—such as in Egypt—risking their lives.
“Even escalators have adverts these days.”
For Peter street art is a way of “grabbing back public spaces that have been privatised”.
“I hope this exhibition will make people look at war from a different perspective,” he said.
Peter Kennard: Unofficial War Artist, Imperial War Museum, London SE1 6HZ. Until 30 May 2016. Free entry. iwm.org.uk
Jim, Dona, Jess, Ty, "Ava" started out this site as five students enrolled in journalism in NY. Now? We're still students. We're in CA. Journalism? The majority scoffs at the notion.
From the start, at the very start, C.I. of The Common Ills has helped with the writing here. C.I.'s part of our core six/gang. (C.I. and Ava write the TV commentaries by themselves.) So that's the six of us. We also credit Dallas as our link locator, soundboard and much more. We try to remember to thank him each week (don't always remember to note it here) but we'll note him in this. So this is a site by the gang/core six: Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I. (of The Common Ills).
