I pledge allegiance to the flag
Of the new world order hosted by America
And to the classlessness
For which it stands
One globe under Darwin’s Theory, indivisible
With suppression and futility for all.
************************************************************************************
Obama Signs 'Imperfect' Spending Bill, Announces Earmark Reforms
The president did not make any pledge to eliminate earmarks or reduce them. Rather, he and House Democrats announced new reforms to subject them to greater scrutiny and transparency.
Fox News Wednesday, March 11, 2009
President Obama on Wednesday signed a $410 billion spending bill to keep the government running through the end of the fiscal year, despite complaints that the package was filled with thousands of earmarks. [bold and italics added]
The president earlier defended the bill, which he called "imperfect" but necessary. But at the same time he announced new reforms he said would prevent wasteful earmarks in the future.
The president did not make any pledge to eliminate earmarks or reduce them. Rather, he and House Democrats announced new reforms to subject them to greater scrutiny and transparency.
"Done right, earmarks have given legislators the opportunity to direct federal money to worthy projects that benefit people in their district, and that's why I have opposed their outright elimination," Obama said. "But the fact is that on occasion, earmarks have been used as a vehicle for waste, and fraud and abuse. Projects have been inserted at the 11th hour, without review, and sometimes without merit, in order to satisfy the political or personal agendas of a given legislator, rather than the public interest." [bold and italics added]
Obama said the reforms would require lawmakers seeking earmarks to post them on their Web sites in advance, so the public and press can review them. He said each earmark should be "open to scrutiny" at public hearings.
"If my administration evaluates an earmark and determines that it has no legitimate public purpose, we will seek to eliminate it," Obama said.
He also said all earmarks for for-profit companies should be subject to competitive bidding requirements.
"The awarding of earmarks to private companies is the single most corrupting element of this practice," Obama said.
The announcement came after Congress passed the $410 billion spending package Tuesday night. Taxpayers for Common Sense estimated the package contained 8,570 disclosed earmarks worth $7.7 billion. [bold and italics added]
"I am signing an imperfect omnibus bill because it's necessary for the ongoing functions of government," Obama said, adding that he would use it as a "departure point" for enacting new reforms.
He did not respond to a question asking why was not signing the spending bill in public. [bold and italics added]
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who opposed the earmarks in the bill, criticized his former election opponent Wednesday for not pledging to "use his veto pen" to stop pork-barrel projects.
"The president's rhetoric is impressive, but his statement affirms we will continue to do business as usual in Washington regarding earmarks in appropriations legislation," he said in a written statement. "This is an opportunity missed."
The 1,132-page bill has an extraordinary reach, wrapping together nine spending bills to fund the annual operating budgets of every Cabinet department except Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs. Among the many earmarks are $485,000 for a boarding school for at-risk native students in western Alaska and $1.2 million for Helen Keller International so the nonprofit can provide eyeglasses to students with poor vision.
Most of the government has been running on a stopgap funding bill set to expire at midnight Wednesday. Refusing to sign the newly completed spending bill would force Congress to pass another bill to keep the lights on come Thursday or else shut down the massive federal government.
The $410 billion bill includes significant increases in food aid for the poor, energy research and other programs. It was supposed to have been completed last fall, but Democrats opted against election-year battles with Republicans and former President George W. Bush. [bold and italics added]
The measure was a top priority for Democratic leaders, who praised it for numerous increases denied by Bush. It once enjoyed support from Republicans. [bold and italics added]
But the bill ran into an unexpected political hailstorm in Congress after Obama's spending-heavy economic stimulus bill and his 2010 budget plan, which forecast a $1.8 trillion deficit for the current budget year.
The bill's big increases -- among them a 14 percent boost for a popular program that feeds infants and poor women and a 10 percent increase for housing vouchers for the poor -- represent a clear win for Democrats who spent most of the past decade battling with Bush over money for domestic programs. Republicans, though, had called on Obama to veto the measure. [bold and italics added]
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
*************************************************************************************
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Of the new world order hosted by America
And to the classlessness
For which it stands
One globe under Darwin’s Theory, indivisible
With suppression and futility for all.
Showing posts with label comunism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comunism. Show all posts
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Is Socialism the last stage of human social development?
You must pay attention specifically to the last few seconds of this video...
"Reformism is the current in the workers' movement which aims to bring about change, in particular to advance the interests of the oppressed people, without threatening the state and the vital class interests of the ruling class, but by the gradual accumulation of small changes. Trade and Labour unions are examples of reformist organisations in favor of improving the conditions of the working class without challenging the dominance of the capitalist system itself.
Most Socialists and Communists (with the exception of ultra-leftists), while not reformist, involve themselves with reforms as one transitionary form of the struggle for the revolutionary emancipation of the working class. One example of this is involvement with labour unions, to advance revolutionary aims (whether through increased working class organization, international workers solidarity, education, etc.), from which reforms will inevitably be a by-product. Revolution only comes about when the possibility for reforms is exhausted, but revolution is only possible if the working class is sufficiently well-organised and educated to overthrow the bourgeois and take intellectual and practical leadership of the whole of society." -- Marxists.org
"“The need of a constantly expanding market for its products chases the bourgeoisie over the entire surface of the globe. It must nestle everywhere, settle everywhere, establish connections everywhere.
“The bourgeoisie has, through its exploitation of the world market, given a cosmopolitan character to production and consumption in every country. To the great chagrin of reactionaries, it has drawn from under the feet of industry the national ground on which it stood. All old-established national industries have been destroyed or are daily being destroyed. They are dislodged by new industries, whose introduction becomes a life and death question for all civilised nations, by industries that no longer work up indigenous raw material, but raw material drawn from the remotest zones; industries whose products are consumed, not only at home, but in every quarter of the globe. In place of the old wants, satisfied by the production of the country, we find new wants, requiring for their satisfaction the products of distant lands and climes. In place of the old local and national seclusion and self-sufficiency, we have intercourse in every direction, universal inter-dependence of nations. And as in material, so also in intellectual production. The intellectual creations of individual nations become common property. National one-sidedness and narrow-mindedness become more and more impossible, and from the numerous national and local literatures, there arises a world literature.” [Communist Manifesto, Chapter 1]
" -- Marxists.org
The Marxist movement is happening all over the world...
"A war that is engaged or justified as in defence of a newly formed revolutionary government (revolutionary).
"The class conscious proletariat can give its consent to a revolutionary war, which would really justify revolutionary defencism, only on condition: (a) that the power pass to the proletariat and the poorest sections of the peasants aligned with the proletariat; (b) that all annexations be renounced in deed and not in word; (c) that a complete break be effected in actual fact with all capitalist interests." -- Marxists.org
Marxism seems to preach hate and spew complaints...
"Revolutionary
Those who amplify the differences and conflicts caused by technological advances in society. Revolutionaries provoke differences and violently ram together contradictions within a society, overthrowing the government through the rising to power of the class they represent. After destructing the old order, revolutionaries help build a new government that adheres to the emerging social relationships that have been made possible by the advanced productive forces. A real revolutionary has three traits in abundance: patience, an open mind, and "Let me say, with the risk of appearing ridiculous, that the true revolutionary is guided by strong feelings of love." — Che Guevara; Man and Socialism in Cuba" -- Marxists.org
Socialism/Marxism is now present in America...
"Frank Marshall Davis (December 31, 1905, Arkansas City, Kansas; July 26, 1987, Honolulu, Hawaii) was an American journalist, poet and political and labor movement activist. In 1950 he was investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) for comments he made in columns written for the newspaper Honolulu Record, as well as other activities that the HUAC alleged were connected to the Communist Party USA." -- Wikipedia
"Alinsky is often credited with laying the foundation for the grassroots political organizing that dominated the 1960s.[5] Later in his life he encouraged stockholders in public corporations to lend their votes to "proxies", who would vote at annual stockholders meetings in favor of social justice. While his grassroots style took hold in American activism, his call to stockholders to share their power with disenfranchised working poor only began to take hold in U.S. progressive (social liberalism) circles in the 1990s, when shareholder actions were organized against American corporations." -- Wikipedia
What can we do to salvage our country and keep our freedoms?
"Reformism is the current in the workers' movement which aims to bring about change, in particular to advance the interests of the oppressed people, without threatening the state and the vital class interests of the ruling class, but by the gradual accumulation of small changes. Trade and Labour unions are examples of reformist organisations in favor of improving the conditions of the working class without challenging the dominance of the capitalist system itself.
Most Socialists and Communists (with the exception of ultra-leftists), while not reformist, involve themselves with reforms as one transitionary form of the struggle for the revolutionary emancipation of the working class. One example of this is involvement with labour unions, to advance revolutionary aims (whether through increased working class organization, international workers solidarity, education, etc.), from which reforms will inevitably be a by-product. Revolution only comes about when the possibility for reforms is exhausted, but revolution is only possible if the working class is sufficiently well-organised and educated to overthrow the bourgeois and take intellectual and practical leadership of the whole of society." -- Marxists.org
"“The need of a constantly expanding market for its products chases the bourgeoisie over the entire surface of the globe. It must nestle everywhere, settle everywhere, establish connections everywhere.
“The bourgeoisie has, through its exploitation of the world market, given a cosmopolitan character to production and consumption in every country. To the great chagrin of reactionaries, it has drawn from under the feet of industry the national ground on which it stood. All old-established national industries have been destroyed or are daily being destroyed. They are dislodged by new industries, whose introduction becomes a life and death question for all civilised nations, by industries that no longer work up indigenous raw material, but raw material drawn from the remotest zones; industries whose products are consumed, not only at home, but in every quarter of the globe. In place of the old wants, satisfied by the production of the country, we find new wants, requiring for their satisfaction the products of distant lands and climes. In place of the old local and national seclusion and self-sufficiency, we have intercourse in every direction, universal inter-dependence of nations. And as in material, so also in intellectual production. The intellectual creations of individual nations become common property. National one-sidedness and narrow-mindedness become more and more impossible, and from the numerous national and local literatures, there arises a world literature.” [Communist Manifesto, Chapter 1]
" -- Marxists.org
The Marxist movement is happening all over the world...
"A war that is engaged or justified as in defence of a newly formed revolutionary government (revolutionary).
"The class conscious proletariat can give its consent to a revolutionary war, which would really justify revolutionary defencism, only on condition: (a) that the power pass to the proletariat and the poorest sections of the peasants aligned with the proletariat; (b) that all annexations be renounced in deed and not in word; (c) that a complete break be effected in actual fact with all capitalist interests." -- Marxists.org
Marxism seems to preach hate and spew complaints...
"Revolutionary
Those who amplify the differences and conflicts caused by technological advances in society. Revolutionaries provoke differences and violently ram together contradictions within a society, overthrowing the government through the rising to power of the class they represent. After destructing the old order, revolutionaries help build a new government that adheres to the emerging social relationships that have been made possible by the advanced productive forces. A real revolutionary has three traits in abundance: patience, an open mind, and "Let me say, with the risk of appearing ridiculous, that the true revolutionary is guided by strong feelings of love." — Che Guevara; Man and Socialism in Cuba" -- Marxists.org
Socialism/Marxism is now present in America...
"Frank Marshall Davis (December 31, 1905, Arkansas City, Kansas; July 26, 1987, Honolulu, Hawaii) was an American journalist, poet and political and labor movement activist. In 1950 he was investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) for comments he made in columns written for the newspaper Honolulu Record, as well as other activities that the HUAC alleged were connected to the Communist Party USA." -- Wikipedia
"Alinsky is often credited with laying the foundation for the grassroots political organizing that dominated the 1960s.[5] Later in his life he encouraged stockholders in public corporations to lend their votes to "proxies", who would vote at annual stockholders meetings in favor of social justice. While his grassroots style took hold in American activism, his call to stockholders to share their power with disenfranchised working poor only began to take hold in U.S. progressive (social liberalism) circles in the 1990s, when shareholder actions were organized against American corporations." -- Wikipedia
What can we do to salvage our country and keep our freedoms?
Friday, February 6, 2009
Hello!? Hear US...Your Constituents!
As many of my regular readers know, I am very much against the "stimulus package", "rescue package", "spending package", or any other name you give what is going on in Washington right now. The whole thing just gives me a stomachache and makes my head feel like it's going to explode!
Is it just me, or has Washington gone completely insane...completely twilight-zone madness! If it was not clear prior to elections that there needs to be a massive overhaul in Washington, it should be completely clear with the current situation.
It seems that each of the "Representatives" and/or "Senators" have some of their own debts to pay-off and they are doing so on the taxpayers dollar. All of these companies they have election connections with are receiving "stimulus" through the current package. They are giving no thought to those who they are supposed to be speaking for. It's just a huge spending orgy! Where is our voice?!!
Obviously, we could shout from the rooftops that we are disgusted with what is going on with the special interest sections of this package (that seem to consume the larger portion of the package), but who would care? Senators? President Obama? Hello?!!
Even if this "pork" is legal, isn't it unethical? In my book, illegal and unethical fall into the exact same category...just plain WRONG!
Why is it that members of Congress get to keep their jobs and even offer themselves a raise when they have not been representing their constituents (which is their job and should be their #1 priority because that is the only reason they have a job in the first place)!?
How hard is it to put rules and regulations on money that is given out in "stimulus" so that we don't wind up losing $78 Billion like we did in the TARP (along with the other portions that went toward company luxuries and salaries, etc.)? What is going on? Is it just me or does it seem like the country has gone mad?!!
First, I had more faith in the people than to think that they would vote for such knuckleheads to begin with...I was wrong. Secondly, I had faith that they must have someone working on TARP that would keep track of the money and make sure it was used in a way that would actually go toward helping the American people. Again, slapped in the face, I was wrong. I am beginning to see that I cannot have faith in the system that is currently in place (or not in place as the case may be).
The question now is, what can we do to save our country?
Is it just me, or has Washington gone completely insane...completely twilight-zone madness! If it was not clear prior to elections that there needs to be a massive overhaul in Washington, it should be completely clear with the current situation.
It seems that each of the "Representatives" and/or "Senators" have some of their own debts to pay-off and they are doing so on the taxpayers dollar. All of these companies they have election connections with are receiving "stimulus" through the current package. They are giving no thought to those who they are supposed to be speaking for. It's just a huge spending orgy! Where is our voice?!!
Obviously, we could shout from the rooftops that we are disgusted with what is going on with the special interest sections of this package (that seem to consume the larger portion of the package), but who would care? Senators? President Obama? Hello?!!
Even if this "pork" is legal, isn't it unethical? In my book, illegal and unethical fall into the exact same category...just plain WRONG!
Why is it that members of Congress get to keep their jobs and even offer themselves a raise when they have not been representing their constituents (which is their job and should be their #1 priority because that is the only reason they have a job in the first place)!?
How hard is it to put rules and regulations on money that is given out in "stimulus" so that we don't wind up losing $78 Billion like we did in the TARP (along with the other portions that went toward company luxuries and salaries, etc.)? What is going on? Is it just me or does it seem like the country has gone mad?!!
First, I had more faith in the people than to think that they would vote for such knuckleheads to begin with...I was wrong. Secondly, I had faith that they must have someone working on TARP that would keep track of the money and make sure it was used in a way that would actually go toward helping the American people. Again, slapped in the face, I was wrong. I am beginning to see that I cannot have faith in the system that is currently in place (or not in place as the case may be).
The question now is, what can we do to save our country?
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