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Monday Reads

Posted: January 3, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Afghanistan, Anti-War, Catfood Commission, Civil Liberties, Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Iraq, morning reads, Social Security, torture, U.S. Economy, U.S. Politics, Wikileaks | Tags: , , , , |52 Comments

Good Morning!!

I’m heading back to the Boston area this morning, so this will be brief. I’ll be on the road for two days, but I’ll try to check in when I stop for the night. So let’s see what’s happening out there.

Here’s a hysterically funny story: Former Bush/Cheney mouthpiece Judy Miller says Julian Assange is a “bad journalist.”

A former New York Times reporter assailed for her incorrect reports about Iraq’s purported weapons of mass destruction is criticizing Julian Assange for being a “bad journalist.”

Judith Miller took on the WikiLeaks founder during an appearance on Fox News Watch Saturday, arguing that Assange was a bad journalist “because he didn’t care at all about attempting to verify the information that he was putting out, or determine whether or not it hurt anyone.”

For many critics of the war in Iraq, that claim is likely to set off irony alarms. Miller has become famous for being the author of a 2002 New York Times article — now debunked — suggesting that Saddam Hussein had an active nuclear weapons program.

Miller now writes for Newsmax.

The Air Force has a new surveillance toy, according to the Washington Post.

This winter, the Air Force is set to deploy to Afghanistan what it says is a revolutionary airborne surveillance system called Gorgon Stare, which will be able to transmit live video images of physical movement across an entire town.

The system, made up of nine video cameras mounted on a remotely piloted aircraft, can transmit live images to soldiers on the ground or to analysts tracking enemy movements. It can send up to 65 different images to different users; by contrast, Air Force drones today shoot video from a single camera over a “soda straw” area the size of a building or two.

With the new tool, analysts will no longer have to guess where to point the camera, said Maj. Gen. James O. Poss, the Air Force’s assistant deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. “Gorgon Stare will be looking at a whole city, so there will be no way for the adversary to know what we’re looking at, and we can see everything.”

Isn’t it interesting how the government can find the money for exotic military toys, but they need to cut back on the safety net for old and disabled people?

At Antiwar.com, Scott Horton interviewed Bryan Bender of the Boston Globe on

the very high percentage of retired high-ranking US military officers going to work for defense contractors; the Pentagon’s limited oversight on conflicts of interest that seems based on the assumption retired generals have an unshakable code of ethics; how private equity firms – specializing in defense industry investments – give compensation to rent-a-general firms for privileged information about Pentagon contracts; why Eisenhower should have gone with the military-industrial-Congressional complex version of his famous farewell address; and how retired Army Gen. Jack Keane – on behalf of AM General – helped overturn the Army’s decision to repair instead of replace Humvees.

Give it a listen.

Also at Antiwar.com, there’s an article by Kevin Carson on why Bradley Manning is a hero.

Manning, like many young soldiers, joined up in the naive belief that he was defending the freedom of his fellow Americans. When he got to Iraq, he found himself working under orders “to round up and hand over Iraqi civilians to America’s new Iraqi allies, who he could see were then torturing them with electrical drills and other implements.” The people he arrested, and handed over for torture, were guilty of such “crimes” as writing “scholarly critiques” of the U.S. occupation forces and its puppet government. When he expressed his moral reservations to his supervisor, Manning “was told to shut up and get back to herding up Iraqis.”

The people Manning saw tortured, by the way, were frequently the very same people who had been tortured by Saddam: Trade unionists, members of the Iraqi Freedom Congress, and other freedom-loving people who had no more use for Halliburton and Blackwater than they had for the Baath Party.

For exposing his government’s crimes against humanity, Manning has spent seven months in solitary confinement – a torture deliberately calculated to break the human mind.

[….]

He’s impaired the U.S. government’s ability to lie us into wars where thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of foreigners are murdered.

He’s impaired its ability to use such wars – under the guise of promoting “democracy” — to install puppet governments like the Coalition Provisional Authority, that will rubber stamp neoliberal “free trade” agreements (including harsh “intellectual property” provisions written by the proprietary content industries) and cut special deals with American crony capitalists.

[….]

Let’s get something straight. Bradley Manning may be a criminal by the standards of the American state. But by all human standards of morality, the government and its functionaries that Manning exposed to the light of day are criminals. And Manning is a hero of freedom for doing it.

At Corrente, there’s a great post by Letsgetitdone: Fairy Tales of the Coming State of the Union: The Government Is Running Out Of Money

In “All Together Now: There Is No Deficit/Debt Problem,” I warned against the message calling for deficit reduction that the President will probably deliver in his State of the Union Address next month. I argued that there was no deficit/debt problem and that it is essential to reject the President’s framing of the issue and move on cope with the real problems of the economy and American Society. That piece stands alone. But I also think it would be useful to examine each of the specific fairy tales the President is likely to tell in making his case justifying austerity measures which are certain to be counter-productive. This post focuses on one these fairy tales; the narrative that the Government is running out of money.

Check it out.

Finally, Crooks & Liars has the video of Lindsey Graham on Meet the Press threatening to shut down the government until he gets cuts in Social Security.

As Mike Malloy used to say, “have I told you lately how much I hate these people?”

So, what are you reading this morning?

52 Comments on “Monday Reads”

  1. zaladonis's avatar zaladonis says:
    January 3, 2011 at 6:18 am

    Isn’t it interesting how the government can find the money for exotic military toys, but they need to cut back on the safety net for old and disabled people?

    What’s even more interesting to me is how the citizenry not only goes along with it but protects it.

    First it was Bushies and now Obamabots. Those of us who protest it because it’s wrong turn out to be very few, while those who support or protest it because their side -dem or pubbie- or their guy -George or Barack- want it are by far the majority. Fools.

    • Rikke's avatar Sima says:
      January 3, 2011 at 4:22 pm

      It’s so frustrating trying to get regular people to understand these things. So damned frustrating.

      Letsgetitdone’s post at Corrente is really good. He discusses some of the things I’ve been trying to explain to friends and family for a while now. Basically the Federal government’s budget is not a family budget. It doesn’t have to balance. They make the money, they have to make the money (spend it) in order for the money to exist…

      Ahh, people’s eyes roll into the backs of their heads and they start gibbering. They just don’t f#cking care. The memes the powers that be pass and use are the ones that people want to hear, because they’ve heard them so long and they are so, so comforting. So we are battling against that.

      The battle can, and will, be won. It’ll be won when the cuts to social security start, I think.

      • dakinikat's avatar dakinikat says:
        January 3, 2011 at 5:11 pm

        Yup. Governments are different. They can print money. They operate in perpetuity. They don’t die like people so they don’t have any one calling up their debts at termination. They don’t easily go into bankruptcy or restructuring like corporations that do it as a business reorganization plan. As long as there’s political stability and a decent economy, government debt can just carry on …

  2. zaladonis's avatar zaladonis says:
    January 3, 2011 at 6:27 am

    It’s perfect that TIME made him Man of the Year. Wasn’t Obama their Man of the Year last year?

    Zuckerberg creates a shallow way for shallow people to demonstrate their shallowness and pretend it’s social. He makes a fortune with it. Other rich people make fortune with it. The citizenry, those foolish enough to play along, which ultimately will be the majority, get their likes and dislikes recorded and processed by the media, politicians, financial services and advertisers, and in so doing eagerly invite The Party to control and manipulate them.

    Facebook, the popular social networking site, has raised $500 million from Goldman Sachs and a Russian investor in a deal that values the company at $50 billion, according to people involved in the transaction.

    The deal makes Facebook now worth more than companies like eBay, Yahoo and Time Warner.

    And they did it without taking Facebook public.

  3. Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)'s avatar Wonk the Vote says:
    January 3, 2011 at 6:49 am

    Fredster posted a heartbreaking but important story early in the am in the last thread (see http://susiemadrak.com/?p=12110), now this from the NY Daily News “Garbage pile saves Vangelis (Angelo) Kapatos, 26, who tried to commit suicide in midtown“:

    A suicidal man plummeted nine stories and survived in midtown Sunday when he landed on a mountain of trash that had piled up since last week’s blizzard, officials said.

    Vangelis (Angelo) Kapatos, 26, wearing only pajama bottoms, jumped from his family’s apartment in the Whitby building on 45th St. near Eighth Ave. just after noon.

    The young man, troubled by a threat of eviction from the rent-regulated apartment, was fresh out of psychiatric treatment, relatives said.

    He had tried to end his life in a number of other ways before leaping, police sources said.

    “He landed on a garbage pile,” one official said. “That’s the only reason he’s alive.”

    More:

    Kapatos came unraveled after his landlord began proceedings to evict him from the $572-a-month apartment, relatives said.

    He had a nervous breakdown in Housing Court last month, family said. He spent two weeks at Bellevue Hospital and was released last week.

    “He kept asking about what was going to happen to the apartment,” said aunt Katharina Capatos, 64.

    His mother moved back to Greece four years ago, Capatos said, and two years ago, his father, paralyzed and suffering from cancer, went into a nursing home.

    The son told his family, “‘I need somebody to come live with me,'” Capatos said. “I think he was lonely.”

    Before Kapatos took the plunge, he sliced his throat with a knife, sources said.

    One other official source said Kapatos had tried to hang himself inside the apartment.

    • zaladonis's avatar zaladonis says:
      January 3, 2011 at 7:02 am

      “He landed on a garbage pile,” one official said. “That’s the only reason he’s alive.”

      A tale of our time.

    • bostonboomer's avatar bostonboomer says:
      January 3, 2011 at 8:07 am

      The poor guy. It’s emblematic of what is happening with the psychopaths in charge of our government and economy.

      • joanelle's avatar joanelle says:
        January 3, 2011 at 11:06 am

        Apparently there is a reason this guy is still supposed to be here! What hasn’t he finished (besides his life?)

  4. zaladonis's avatar zaladonis says:
    January 3, 2011 at 6:57 am

    It’s revealing that when it suits their narrative the media and politicians characterize our economy as “recovering,” and when they want to push another narrative, it’s a “bad economy,” as if that conflict makes sense.

    The rich get richer but they’re giving away less, and they’re not giving to the needy.

    Biggest Gifts to Charity Falter in Bad Economy

    In yet another sign of how the nation’s economic slump is causing struggles for many charities, big donations from individuals and their foundations fell for the second consecutive year. …

    Despite the recession’s debilitating effects on so many Americans, few of the very wealthiest donors gave to programs that directly help those in need. Of all the donations on the list, almost half were for new buildings or campus expansion at universities. Two philanthropists, however, made gifts meant to help struggling young people. Mr. Pickens earmarked his Oklahoma State gift to endow scholarships while Mr. Zuckerberg’s money will be used to help improve schools in one of America most poverty-ridden cities.

    Looks to me like they’re giving money to be congratulated for it, not to really help those in need.

    • bostonboomer's avatar bostonboomer says:
      January 3, 2011 at 8:09 am

      Yep, the rich give to universities so they can get their name on buildings–that kind of thing, not to the truly needy.

    • Rikke's avatar Sima says:
      January 3, 2011 at 6:22 pm

      Heh. A recent article on our local newsite talks about the lack of money being given to charity. The governor told charities they were going to have to pick up all the people that the state has to throw out on their ears because of our stupid tax laws and the stupid way tax laws are presented in this state. Ok, the governor didn’t say stupid. But she was crying as she talked about the cuts that are going to have to be made. I’m sure inside she was saying stupid.

      Anyway, the charities have responded saying they can’t. They simply do not get enough donations.

  5. Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)'s avatar Wonk the Vote says:
    January 3, 2011 at 7:05 am

    This is exciting… “Blood test to spot cancer gets big boost from J&J”:

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110103/ap_on_he_me/us_med_cancer_blood_test

  6. zaladonis's avatar zaladonis says:
    January 3, 2011 at 7:11 am

    Maybe the weirdest news story I saw over the weekend.

    Even aside from compassion for the poor birds, this just can’t be good.

    Environmental service worker on Sunday finished picking up the carcasses of about 2,000 red-winged blackbirds that fell dead from the sky in a central Arkansas town.

  7. Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)'s avatar Wonk the Vote says:
    January 3, 2011 at 7:13 am

    Saw this on memeorandum… not going to link. Apparently the Breitbartbots are investigating Marxism in NYC. Good grief.

    • Woman Voter's avatar Woman Voter says:
      January 3, 2011 at 10:43 am

      Why aren’t they in Iraq looking for their Bush II’s WMDs? This group is the New Censorship Crew, but they are out in the open and get coverage galore.

  8. bostonboomer's avatar bostonboomer says:
    January 3, 2011 at 7:16 am

    For some reason a big part of this post is missing. Sorry about that. I don’t know what happened. I’ll try to get the rest back.

  9. Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)'s avatar Wonk the Vote says:
    January 3, 2011 at 7:33 am

    F-I-N-A-L-L-Y! Someone says it besides us!!

    Chris Hedges, http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_left_has_nowhere_to_go_20110102/:

    There is no major difference between a McCain administration, a Bush and an Obama administration. Obama, in fact, is in many ways worse. McCain, like Bush, exposes the naked face of corporate power. Obama, who professes to support core liberal values while carrying out policies that mock these values, mutes and disempowers liberals, progressives and leftists. Environmental and anti-war groups, who plead with Obama to address their issues, are little more than ineffectual supplicants.

    • Pat Johnson's avatar Pat Johnson says:
      January 3, 2011 at 7:47 am

      Could Nader be anymore correct? The Left has nowhere to go!

      How are we going to be able to actually “defend” Obama come 2012 against the likes of whomever the Right throws up there as their candidate? Few of us are willing to stomach the thought of a Romney, Huckabee, Palin, Barbour or any of those names being touted now as possible contenders so where exactly are we expected to go when that time comes?

      Obama has given the Left little reason to feel inspired or fired up yet the alternative is as bleak as one can describe when viewing any of these possibilities lurking on the horizon. It will be nothing more than a choice between mediocrity or radicalism.

      A “third party” will only cause the Right to gain the edge if that scenario plays out so the question of “where do we go” answers itself. Pathetic choices all around.

      • Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)'s avatar Wonk the Vote says:
        January 3, 2011 at 8:05 am

        As Mother Jones (the actual labor movement icon, not the magazine) said– “I have never had a vote, and I have raised hell all over this country. You don’t need a vote to raise hell! You need convictions and a voice!” If enough people stop legitimizing and giving in to the Politics of No Place (Else) to Go… if enough people refuse to vote for the long gone and supposed “lesser” of two evils at this point… we could possibly reach a critical mass to have an impact. We’ll never know unless we try anyway.

        • Inky's avatar Inky says:
          January 3, 2011 at 10:34 am

          Well said! As Nader points out in the Hedges piece:

          “The so-called liberal media, along with Fox, is touting the tea party and publicizing Palin,” Nader said. “There was an editorial on Dec. 27 in The New York Times on the Repeal Amendment, the right-wing constitutional amendment to allow states to overturn federal law. The editorial writer at the end had the nerve to say there is no progressive champion. The editorial said that the liberals and progressives have faded out to let the tea party make history. And yet, for months, all The New York Times has done is promote Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck. They promote Newt Gingrich and the neocons on the Op-Ed pages. The book pages of the newspaper ignore progressive authors and pump all the right-wing authors.

          “If we don’t raise hell, we won’t get any media,” Nader said. “If we don’t get any media, the perception will be that the tea party is the big deal.

      • joanelle's avatar joanelle says:
        January 3, 2011 at 11:09 am

        We won’t have to, Pat – the corporatists will make sure soemthing “wonderful” happens that will make him look great in the general public’s eyes.

    • Woman Voter's avatar Woman Voter says:
      January 3, 2011 at 10:40 am

      YUP, that is worthy of a longer discussion as trying to find Peace Activists/Advocates for the poor, is a little like looking for Dinosaurs. I am glad Elizabeth Edwards went on the road and pointed out how the Health Bill was better than nothing but that there was a long way to go.

      • Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)'s avatar Wonk the Vote says:
        January 3, 2011 at 11:11 am

        WV, I’ll be incorporating it in a frontpage post at some point, but I’ve got a mini-discussion going on at my blog for now if you’re interested. paperdoll and Joyce Arnold have left some excellent comments.

  10. Boo Radly's avatar Boo Radly says:
    January 3, 2011 at 7:34 am

    BB – have a safe journey home girl!

    • bostonboomer's avatar bostonboomer says:
      January 3, 2011 at 8:10 am

      Thanks so much! I’m just about to check the weather between here and Boston. It looked OK as of yesterday.

      • Pat Johnson's avatar Pat Johnson says:
        January 3, 2011 at 8:21 am

        bb: Sun shining, temps hovering around 35, roads clear in MA today. Snow is expected on Friday but so far no determining the amount. You should have a rather uneventful weather pattern coming home.

        Safe journey!

  11. janicen's avatar janicen says:
    January 3, 2011 at 9:50 am

    Judy Miller’s critique of Assange gave me the giggles.

    Have a safe trip, BB.

  12. zaladonis's avatar zaladonis says:
    January 3, 2011 at 9:57 am

    Cat food for all! Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Ireland and France lead the way.

    European nations begin seizing private pensions

    The most striking example is Hungary, where last month the government made the citizens an offer they could not refuse. They could either remit their individual retirement savings to the state, or lose the right to the basic state pension (but still have an obligation to pay contributions for it). In this extortionate way, the government wants to gain control over $14bn of individual retirement savings. …

  13. Woman Voter's avatar Woman Voter says:
    January 3, 2011 at 10:29 am

    I wonder if she got some deal (A deal for taking on Wikileaks? Important to note, she calls him a ‘Journalist’) and if Cheney/Bush are some how connected to the woo woo of WMDs and will Darrell Issa subpoena Cheney/Bush or just throw subpoenas at Dems looking for a communist.

    JudithMiller |The Consequences of #ConfidentialSources:…

  14. minkoffminx's avatar Minkoff Minx says:
    January 3, 2011 at 10:52 am

    Up to 5,000 birds fell from Ark. sky – U.S. news – Environment – msnbc.com

    Looks like the number of birds dead has gone up big time!

  15. minkoffminx's avatar Minkoff Minx says:
    January 3, 2011 at 12:01 pm

    Bye, Bye Miss American Pie: 2011 | FDL Action

    Dak, there is mention of your favorite governor in this post.

  16. minkoffminx's avatar Minkoff Minx says:
    January 3, 2011 at 2:27 pm

    Kristi Cornwell Remains Identified In Northern Georgia

    This is the body that was found near my home…it is very disturbing to know that she was so close.

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