Quote: "We [journalists] reached our intellectual adulthood with daily close-ups of the inequality in a nation that was founded on the commitment to equality for all. So we are inclined to side with the powerless rather than the powerful. If that is what makes us liberals so be it, just as long as . . . we adhere to the first ideals of good journalism." -- Walter Cronkite
Today is the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission moon landing.
A warm and special welcome to our newest Thom Hartmann Program affiliate...RADIO BUILSA (pronounced: boo-ill-sa) 106.5 megahertz in the northern region Ghana.
Thom spent the weekend in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thanks to WTKG. Michigan has 15.2% official unemployment. They drove to Lapeer near Flint. Thom was ranting about not seeing any local businesses. Wal-mart vacuum. How can you build a state like this? States competing for new factories, corporations playing states off against states, governments playing off nation against nation. Bernie Sanders says any state doing it should lose federal highway dollars. "Roger and Me" by Michael Moore. Alexander Hamilton's "Report On Manufactures".
Article: In Promoting Protectionism, American Labor May Be Putting US Workers at Risk.
"Yet for all the union's activism and militancy, it has also been looking for someone to blame for this situation. Rather than focus on Wall Street's predatory practices or financing job outsourcing, it has turned its anger on workers on the other side of the world. China has become "the enemy." It is seeking protectionism in the belief that that can save American jobs.Their target are tire companies in China that manufacture the least expensive tires on the market for cars and light trucks and sell them in America. The union argues that its imports are stealing American jobs and "disrupting the market" and has petitioned a government body, the International Trade Commission (ITC), to slap limits on them."
Guest: Danny Schechter. Journalist, editor of Media Channel, author of "Plunder: Investigating Our Economic Calamity and the Subprime Scandal". Can Doing What Seems to Be the Right Thing Turn Out to Be the Wrong Thing? (Protectionism debate). Wall Street. Wealth of nations. International Trade Commission. In fighting we need the power to move against Wall Street. Thom said trade policy. How the Lexus happened (protectionism). He said the motor industry was making stuff people did not want. Unsustainable. GM got into sub primes. Their cars were selling well until oil spiked. Lot of parts coming from China. He said how do we move backwards? We don't, we move forward, globalization. His new book.
Bumper Music: Fly Me to the Moon, Frank Sinatra.
40 years ago today the first moon walk took place.
Bumper Music: Rocket Man, Elton John (video).
Bumper Music: Crazy, Gnarls Barkley.
Article: Is The Apple App Store Your New Pot Dealer?.
Clip:
"Any plan I sign must include an insurance exchange: a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, cost and track records of a variety of plans – including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest – and choose what’s best for your family. And that’s why we’ll put an end to the worst practices of the insurance industry: no more yearly caps or lifetime caps; no more denying people care because of pre-existing conditions; and no more dropping people from a plan when they get too sick. No longer will you be without health insurance, even if you lose your job or change jobs."
WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Says Health Care Reform Cannot Wait, July 18, 2009.
We could pay for American products in the past. What is the problem now? It is corporatists vs Americans. With tariffs prices would go up but we would have jobs that paid better. Thom's stance could be called conservative. William F. Buckley once said that a conservative is someone who stands astride history shouting "Stop!".
Privatizing infrastructure, it is being bought by other nations.
The cost of health care. Tom Coburn's rider to health care passed committee 12-11, when it passes, members of congress must sign up for the public option. Most Democrats voted no, Republicans yes. George Bush Sr. was for a public option.
Bumper Music: Bad Moon Rising, Creedence Clearwater Revival (video).
Article: Oscar Mayer Wienermobile Crashes Into Wisconsin Home.
Article: Fox News Guest Ralph Peters Suggests Taliban Should Kill U.S. Soldier If He Deserted.
"I want to be clear. If, when the facts are in, we find out that through some convoluted chain of events, he really was captured by the Taliban, I’m with him. But, if he walked away from his post and his buddies in wartime, I don’t care how hard it sounds, as far as I’m concerned, the Taliban can save us a lot of legal hassles and legal bills"
Guest: Independent journalist Dahr Jamail. His new book, "The Will To Resist: Soldiers Who Refuse to Fight in Iraq and Afghanistan". Beyond the green zone. His take on Fox spin. It really makes you want to join the military, doesn't it? Peters accuses the captured soldier of being a deserter, liar. He has a chapter about suicide. There is resistance in the military after 9 years of insane wars. It is in perpetual slow motion breakdown, now well over 40,000 are AWOL officially. If your intent is not to come back, you are a deserter, like George W Bush. Low morale. Search and avoid missions, saying they are searching, but they are not. IED lottery - waiting to get bombed. At least 3 units refused orders. Suicides. Due to illegal war, rotations, or just war? Plus working alongside mercenaries who get paid far more. Afghanistan war is also illegal. Turning down the offer of Osama bin Laden from the Taliban.
Bumper Music: Mr. Spaceman, The Byrds (video).
Clip:
"I am scared. I'm scared I won't be able to go home. It is very unnerving to be a prisoner," he says. "I have my girlfriend who is hoping to marry. I have my grandma and grandpas. I have a very, very good family that I love back home in America."
A voice off camera prompts: "Miss them."
The soldier continues: "And I miss them every day that I'm gone. I miss them and I'm afraid that I might never see them again and that I'll never be able to tell them that I love them again. I'll never be able to hug them."
U.S. condemns video of soldier captured in Afghanistan.
Corporate media selling wars. Woodrow Wilson, Democrat, invented PR to sell war. They need a boogeyman. Osama bin Laden. We are the biggest boogeyman, the most dangerous group. We enslave people, keep them ignorant.
Clip:
[Thom Hartmann]: What's the best thing to do when your drains are running slow or clogged up?[Joe the Plumber]: Well, what I find the best thing to do is flush your pipes out. I always tell my customers at least once a week in the kitchen, usually that's where, you know, if you have a garbage disposal or ? you fill up both basins, or the single basin, with cold water, hot water really doesn't make a difference, and flush your pipes at least once a week, help that keep it going strong, because the food settles in the pipe and then creates blockages. So flushing the pipes out helps tremendously.
Transcript.
Clip:
"Eisenhower knows how to deal with the Russians. He has met Europe's leaders, has got them working with us. Elect the number one man for the number one job of our time. November 4th vote for peace. Vote for Eisenhower." 1952, 'The Man from Abilene'.
Article: Key senators open to revamping secure ID plans.
The concept of privacy is dying, we have to speak out and up.
Article: Obama's Health Care Struggle -- Waterloo or Water Down?by Bill Moyers & Michael Winship.
"In the words of Republican Senator Jim DeMint, "If we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him." ...William Kristol ... Now he's telling the GOP to "go for the kill... throw the kitchen sink... drive a stake through its heart... We need to start over." "
Michael Steele also saying health care is Obama's Waterloo. If they stop it passing, as in '43, '47, '60s, '93, they will seriously damage the Obama presidency.
Bumper Music: Moon Shadow, Cat Stevens.
Bumper Music: You can leave your hat on, Randy Newman.
Article: Governor X: Call Girl Says She Worked With Another Married Pol, Rachel Weiner. As well as Eliot Spitzer.
Hazardous waste, it takes a long time for us to adapt. So the cost of health care should be based upon polluters. Cancer.
Benazir Bhutto saying Osama bin Laden was assassinated.
Article: Independent’s Day: Obama doesn't want to look back, but Attorney General Eric Holder may probe Bush-era torture anyway By Daniel Klaidman.
Janet Reno appointing Ken Starr was one extreme of Department o Justice independence, Gonzales was the other extreme. Is the article a political trial balloon? What's going on at the DoJ?.
Article: "The Justice Department Roach Motel" by Scott Horton.
Article: "Did DOJ Retaliate Against Siegelman Whistleblower?" by Scott Horton.
Article: "Scott Horton Shines the Spotlight on the DoJ, Exclusive Interview" by Joan Brunwasser.
Guest: Scott Horton, law professor and Contributing Editor/writer on legal and national security affairs for Harper's Magazine and The American Lawyer, among other publications, drops by to talk about the DOJ. His Harper's blog, articles. He was working on his own piece at the same time as the Newsweek article, called Michael Isikoff who said he was just going online with it. They got more detail than he did. They portray Holder as independent. This must be a trial balloon. For whose response? Holder appears to be receptive. Why is Holder not doing Don Siegelman's case? Whistleblower sacked. David Axelrod and Rahm Emmanuel want to shut investigation down. They got egg on their faces for making statements. Pardons. Signing off on Mark Rich. What is the best way to get justice for Siegelman? Leura Canary needs to be removed, her term is up. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions are pushing to keep her in place. We need somebody new. Holder should be looking at it, like he did with Senator Stevens. Call him.
Bumper Music: King of the Road, Roger Miller (video).
A warm and special welcome to our newest Thom Hartmann Program affiliate...RADIO BUILSA (pronounced: boo-ill-sa) 106.5 megahertz in the northern region of Ghana.
Bumper Music: Crazy On You, Heart(video).
Article: Dentist sued, accused of dropping tools down patient's throat -- twice.
No room to cut health care costs? Top CEO pay. Lots of people have talent who would work for a lot less money, they used to until the '80s. Spread the wealth.
If we take money from the rich, who will give us a raise?" We earn or demand a raise. Everything we got was got by people not afraid to stand up and fight.
The rich don't pay people, the companies do. Bill McGuire.
Bumper Music: Democracy is coming to the USA, Leonard Cohen.
Guest: Retired Army Lt. Col Ralph Peters.Fox News military analyst. Not an apology. He was angry because people were portraying the soldier as a hero; others die or are injured and nobody knows their names. A 4 star general called him. Dahr Jamail. 40,000 AWOL. Suicide rate. He was against troop surge.
