Right now, I’m devoting a lot of time to one of my projects, writing and illustrating a condensed version of John Perkins’ Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.
IN THE NEWS:
* Wikileaks is under attack for exposing the habitual dishonesty of our government’s official statements (as well as the routine criminality of our government’s actions); I believe that Wikileaks is performing a vital service, and I have been appalled by the “kill the messenger” strategy; I urge anyone reading this to support Wikileaks however you can (boycott Amazon.com or PayPal — and be sure to tell them WHY; write a letter to the editor; call your congressional representatives, and urge them to pursue the HIGH CRIMES — the torture and assassinations — instead of the misdemeanors, like Mr. Manning’s conscience-driven act and the dubious “rape” charge against Mr. Assange — it doesn’t seem to hold up to much scrutiny; the latest version I’ve heard reported, on yesterday’s DemocracyNow, was that the allegation is centered around the argument that, although the sex was consensual, Mr. Assange neglected to use a condom… thus, the “rape” charge)
* Tax Cuts — Regarding the extension of ALL the Bush tax cuts, it appears the Dems are preparing for another capitulation, but nonetheless, I would urge readers to push for extending “only” those tax cuts for the bottom 98% (call the Obama White House and make your point, loud and clear; extending tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% will add some $700 billion to the national debt over the next decade, and if history’s any indication, do VERY little to help the economy — the wealthy simply are not investing in America)
* Deficit concerns — The current panic about the size of America’s budget deficit is just more nonsense from the “austerity” crew (they’d like to see America take an IMF-worthy solution: cut social spending down to the bone, through the marrow, and make sure the aristocracy grows and grows); I’d stick with the advice of economists like Paul Krugman and Joe Stiglitz, Dean Baker, and a few others: The deficit is NOT (by far) the biggest problem currently facing America. JOB-CREATION should be “Job One,” and you probably know my recommendation on that front: put people to work, MODERNIZING/GREENING the INFRASTRUCTURE; keep people in their homes (a foreclosure moratorium sounds appropriate to me, everything considered); and end the wars that are achieving bin Laden’s ends for him: emptying America’s treasury and bringing him thousands of recruits…
* NET NEUTRALITY (this is the big one, folks!) — Despite all of Mr. Obama’s campaign promises, his FCC chairman has just announced a policy that threatens to create a two-tiered internet, ending “net neutrality” as we know it (the principle that basically amounts to a level internet for all content — versus the now FCC-proposed (corporation-demanded) vision of a “fast-lane” for major corporate content and a pixelated, slow-loading “slow-lane” for DemocracyNow! and thousands of other worthy sites); I urge you to call, write, implore, beg WHOMEVER — the FCC, your congressional rep. or senator, the White House — and fight to keep the internet as we know it… the last open, relatively free and democratic space in this world (with the exception of a child’s imagination) — all kidding aside, I think “net neutrality” is one of the most worthwhile causes today; so very much hinges on the unimpeded exchange of ideas and access to education, information, and human connections…
Until next time, thanks to all who have written and visited this site! I’ll keep blogging my opinions and keeping you posted on future developments with my projects (I’m thinking about creating a “RUN WITH IT” page, where I could list some of my less fully developed project concepts and invite YOU to “run with it”).