CNBC’s John Melloy Insults Americans who are Suffering

In an article for CNBC’s Fast Money web site, John Melloy took to task Government support for those on unemployment and even lumped it in with “welfare state handouts”. This is insulting right from the get go and ignores the word “insurance” which is supposed to follow the word unemployment. Workers and employers pay in contributions in order to provide coverage for those who are laid off or fired without just cause. We are not talking about people who purposely quit their jobs simply because they were tired of working and thought it would be nice to lay about the house. These are hard working Americans caught in a terrible economic crunch.

Wealth

Also listed in the category of “welfare state handouts” is social security. There are parts of social security that might be considered “welfare”, for instance aid to the disabled who are incapable of work and have never paid into the system (SSI) for instance. Old age retirement is a different story however. Again, we are discussing people who have paid into the system for long periods of time and have every reason to believe that they did this to be “insured” for their retirement. Calling all of social security a handout is tantamount to claiming that State Farm is giving handouts when it pays on claims. The word insurance is inserted into these programs for a reason.
Then Melloy goes on to point to the standard solutions for the economic fix that our government is in – take away benefits from our most vulnerable citizens. This recommendation comes at a time when, the wealthy are becoming more wealthy and pay miniscule shares of taxes in comparison to the “working Joes.” Warren Buffet has famously stated that his maid pays more in taxes than he does.
Corporations are racking up record profits in many sectors, yet they not only pay less in taxes on a percentage basis, many industries are actually receiving tax subsidies. What does it take to wake people up to the fact that many (perhaps not all) of America’s financial woes can be solved by asking the wealthy and the corporations that they own to pay their fair share? Perhaps we need more people taking to the streets to let the rulers of this nation know that we are not going to sit and watch as they destroy the final remnants of the social safety net. Enough is enough!

Poverty

Saudi Arabia Frightened by Democratic Movement, Mobilize 10,000

In an article by the Wall Street Journal mentions that when the King of Bahrain wanted to pressure Washington DC to lay off his treatment of protesters that he used the idea of a preemptive invasion from Saudi Arabia to silence them. The Saudis would have been faced with Shiite protesters taking over a close neighbor and falling into the orbit of Iran. This set off alarm bells in the US intelligence services and before you know it the administration had reversed course.
The fear of problems in Saudi Arabia is the real reason that oil prices are fluctuating so wildly. The loss of Libya’s oil supply is seen as temporary and rather marginal compared to what the loss of Saudi Arabia’s supply would be. Some have speculated on oil reaching upwards of $200 a barrel if there were even temporary disruptions in the Saudi supply due to protests/unrest.

Mecca

The fears are not without foundation, a call has gone out for a Saudi “day of rage” on facebook. The complaints are familiar, corruption within the government, spikes in the price of commodities and a widening gap between the privileged and the ordinary citizens.
The Saudi rulers have a tool at their disposal that the previous nations to experience unrest lacked. Vast oil wealth makes it possible to promise expenditures to buy off the rage of the populace. The Saudi government has already promised over $35 Billion in expenditures as a sop to the younger generation which is experiencing unprecedented unemployment.

Satellite View of Saudi Arabia

This has led the Saudi government to mobilize over ten thousand security and military forces as reported by Robert Fisk of the Independent. The story is that King Abdullah openly demanded that Bahrain crush their own protester immediately or the Saudis would do it for them. This is not being widely reported due to a news clampdown by the authorities. The internet is still showing pictures and stories of the security force buildup in Saudi Arabia’s Shia dominated areas. The facebook sites are attempting to draw in Sunnis to the protests but it is difficult to say how successful they will be.
The response of the US to problems in Saudi Arabia is unlikely to be as democracy loving as it has been in Libya. Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, the biggest single producer of oil and is a “swing” producer, which means they have reserve production capacity that can be turned on in times of crisis. Supporting democracy is all well and good – but how much support will Americans give when gas finally rises above $4 a gallon?
See also:

World on Brink and I’m Optimistic

The list of threats to our world and our democracy are so long that really all I can do is list a few highlights to make the point. Our planet is going through an unprecedented period of global warming that is scientifically long past proven and yet deniers abound, insisting that saving the planet is unnecessary. Corporate interests glory in their power over the common man, having obtained all the rights of a citizen with none of the responsibilities. Our Republic has sold out to the highest bidder with politicians on both sides kowtowing to their corporate masters who call the tune. The energy resources we depend upon are in parts of the world whose people feel no particular love for the American juggernaut, and with good reason. Those in power will spare no one else’s son/daughter’s blood and toil to insure that things stay as they are while they profit and the working man continues to lose grounds economically, politically, environmentally and in every other way that matters. This situation exists with a main stream media that is also owned by the corporations and more fascinated with what a cocaine addicted celebrity does than with corruption of the American system of government. Depressed yet?
My optimism is not (I hope) the last valiant gasp of a people on the edge of enslavement and/or extinction. There are real developments and circumstances to be optimistic about. For one: I am still able to write this diatribe and post it where others can see and read it! In the past great revolutions have risen up even when the establishment powers had far more control over private speech.
There is the fact that peoples under despotic regimes around the world are using tools, never designed to enable organizing popular uprisings, to unseat those holding them down. Of course the people of the Middle East will feel no particular friendliness towards the American government, which is after all where the tools of oppression were forged. The American government is not the American people and it is likely that many who despise our Empire would not feel the same about ordinary Americans.
Then there are the first stirrings of American dissatisfaction with what is happening so strong that people have taken to the streets! To many of us, watching as things slid down the dumpster chute, we wondered what it would take to mobilize ordinary Americans to get out and actually do something! The fact that any action is taking place anywhere is an excellent sign that the American people are capable of throwing off those that desire control. Their means of control are not nearly as all-encompassing as they would have you believe. Once we decide to take back control and take action, we will have won. The rest is details.

Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger has a great analogy. He is sitting at the other end of the see saw which is held down by a behemoth, filling a rusty old bucket with sand on his end. The sand runs out but more and more people are coming all the time to add their sand. Someday, the sand will be enough and the behemoth will be thrown off. Everyone will look in wonder and say “how did that happen so suddenly?” The Egyptians, Tunisians and now Libyans are seeing their see saws move. If you aren’t already shoveling sand – time to start. If you are – it’s a good time to start shoveling faster!

Saudi Arabia Threatens Bahrain and Mobilizes Security.

In an article by the Wall Street Journal mentions that when the King of Bahrain wanted to pressure Washington DC to lay off his treatment of protesters that he used the idea of a preemptive invasion from Saudi Arabia to silence them. The Saudis would have been faced with Shiite protesters taking over a close neighbor and falling into the orbit of Iran. This set off alarm bells in the US intelligence services and before you know it the administration had reversed course.

Saudi Arabia

The fear of problems in Saudi Arabia is the real reason that oil prices are fluctuating so wildly. The loss of Libya’s oil supply is seen as temporary and rather marginal compared to what the loss of Saudi Arabia’s supply would be. Some have speculated on oil reaching upwards of $200 a barrel if there were even temporary disruptions in the Saudi supply due to protests/unrest.
The fears are not without foundation, a call has gone out for a Saudi “day of rage” on facebook. The complaints are familiar, corruption within the government, spikes in the price of commodities and a widening gap between the privileged and the ordinary citizens.
The Saudi rulers have a tool at their disposal that the previous nations to experience unrest lacked. Vast oil wealth makes it possible to promise expenditures to buy off the rage of the populace. The Saudi government has already promised over $35 Billion in expenditures as a sop to the younger generation which is experiencing unprecedented unemployment.

Protests

This has led the Saudi government to mobilize over ten thousand security and military forces as reported by Robert Fisk of the Independent. The story is that King Abdullah openly demanded that Bahrain crush their own protester immediately or the Saudis would do it for them. This is not being widely reported due to a news clampdown by the authorities. The internet is still showing pictures and stories of the security force buildup in Saudi Arabia’s Shia dominated areas. The facebook sites are attempting to draw in Sunnis to the protests but it is difficult to say how successful they will be.
The response of the US to problems in Saudi Arabia is unlikely to be as democracy loving as it has been in Libya. Saudi Arabia is a key US ally, the biggest single producer of oil and is a “swing” producer, which means they have reserve production capacity that can be turned on in times of crisis. Supporting democracy is all well and good – but how much support will Americans give when gas finally rises above $4 a gallon?

Will Illinois (and other states) Criminalize Mental Illness?

With the severe cuts to most of the state budgets currently going on, word has begun to spread in the Illinois mental health system of what may await. It seems that the cutting of the last vestiges of direct care for the mentally ill performed by the state will disappear. This is in combination with the severe cuts to funding to community centers that provide outpatient services. The facilities that exist for the mentally ill will be converted over to forensics use.

Mental Illness

What this means is that when a person is picked up by the police, or otherwise is brought to the attention of community authorities, in order to get help for them it will be necessary to charge them with a crime. This is a de facto criminalization of mental illness. This would be a step backwards in the treatment of mental illness of over a hundred years.
One of the earliest forms of “treatment” for the mentally ill consisted of concrete cells with chains and shackles. Those methods seem pretty primitive and cruel to anyone familiar with causes and treatment of mental illness. Illinois is also cutting funds for the treatment of addictions, treatment for the disabled, etc…
The combination of all these cuts is unlikely to save the state money. Instead, we will shift our spending from helping those in need to punishing those in need.

Alton Mental Health Center

2011 Year of Democracy

2011 is not even 1/3 gone and already the world has seen changes that assure that history will record this time as a turning point. It is an open question as to what is turned to and exactly how much of the world participates in that change. The zeitgeist is clearly in the direction of more democracy and a willingness to take action to get it. To those who have hoped and prayed for something like this, it almost seems as if it came from nowhere, but such is not the case.
The first that American media reported of something significant happening on the world stage was the story of Tunisia’s Jasmine revolution. That was not really seen as that significant – no oil in Tunisia. Then word spread of protests in Egypt which seemed to spring up in imitation of what had happened in Tunisia. That was not quite true, the Egyptians have had a significant (though still small) portion of their population advocating against the dictatorship for some time now. That struggle was not reported here in America for a variety of reasons, the main one being that our media does not think that Americans care about what is happening in the Arab world unless it causes gas prices to go up, or changes in regimes.
Now the zeitgeist of democratic urges is big news. None can deny that it has spread throughout the Arab world and likely beyond. China is seeing increasing activity aimed at democracy. What is going on in Wisconsin might also be benefiting from the general mood, maybe Americans are thinking that we could use a little more people powered democracy also.
This time is exciting but it should be remembered that there are risks that we need to be aware of. When there is a popular uprising and a mood for change, it can go either way – a determined and charismatic man/group can hijack the direction of the people, think Lenin or Adolf here. Not that I am predicting that, I am optimistic and believe that we have a good solid core of people able and willing to “lead” us in the right direction. This is not any single group or party, we are talking about activists who have long worked to educate people on conditions, to change those conditions and mitigate the worst effects of those conditions.
We should not expect any one great leader to arise and save us from our problems – that is the meme that history books and the media would have you believe, but it is not the truth. Chang comes from thousands of “little people” who set up meetings, make signs, brew coffee, print flyers and organize! Every “great man” you can name was really just a face that was put on such a movement to simplify it for the great unwashed who the media believe cannot follow such a complicated story and need to have it made simple (what level of reader are news stories written for?).
So what’s next? What do we do? If you are not already working to make democracy alive again in the US – start! If you are – now is the time for us to redouble our effort! Be prepared for hard times – the joy usually follows suffering. But there is the joy to look forward to.

Anonymous Hacktavists Attack Koch Brother

The hacktavists known as Anonymous have decided to demonstrate their support for the Unions under attack in Wisconsin by cyber-attacking the Koch brothers. The Koch brothers are the uber-wealthy backers of Governor Walker who are pushing the destruction of unions. The first strike in this new battle was Americans For Prosperity – a front group funded by the Koch brothers.

Hacktavist

A direct quote from Anonymous:
Dear Citizens of the United States of America, It has come to our attention that the brothers, David and Charles Koch–the billionaire owners of Koch Industries–have long attempted to usurp American Democracy. Their actions to undermine the legitimate political process in Wisconsin are the final straw. Starting today we fight back.

…

Anonymous hears the voice of the downtrodden American people, whose rights and liberties are being systematically removed one by one, even when their own government refuses to listen or worse – is complicit in these attacks.
We are actively seeking vulnerabilities
, but in the mean time we are calling for all supporters of true Democracy, and Freedom of The People, to boycott all Koch Industries’ paper products.
From (http://www.scribd.com/doc/49513260/OpWisconsin)
The members of Anonymous go on to call on people to boycott paper products and calls on other union members to support the boycott.
Anonymous is a group of hactivists with widely ranging hacker abilities from eager beginners with little real talent to experienced, savvy professionals who use their abilities to further causes such as access to information and freedom of the internet. This particular target went down fast and easy with barely a whimper. This should be an interesting campaign!