Thom's Blog

Can Boehner Break the Cycle of Economic Hostage Taking?

Republicans want to hold our economy hostage again, but they may not get the chance to do so. With the February 27th debt limit deadline looming, House Speaker John Boehner will bring up a clean debt ceiling bill, and many of his members are not happy. Republicans tried to put forward a new list of demands for a debt-limit increase, but Speaker Boehner has given in to the President, and moved up the vote to tonight.

The Corporate Media Can't Ignore Us Forever.

Once again, the corporate media virtually ignored a massive protest over the weekend. On Saturday, more than 80,000 people from 32 states marched against extreme right-wing policies in North Carolina. Protestors came from all over our nation to push back against what they call the “immoral and unconstitutional policies” of Governor Pat McCrory and his Republican legislature.

We're Being Ignored by The Corporate Media.

If you want to know who controls the corporate media, just pay close attention to the issues that they refuse to talk about. A new study by Media Matters shows that over the last six months, there has been almost no coverage of the Trans Pacific Partnership on the major networks.

The Government By The People Act

Money has corrupted our political system, but there's new legislation aimed at putting government back in the hands of the people. On Wednesday, Democratic Representative John Sarbanes introduced the Government By the People Act, and it's already been endorsed by at least 30 progressive organizations.

Regulation and Enforcement Protect Consumers.

Despite billions of dollars in fines and numerous new regulations, the mortgage industry has still been breaking the law. A new report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau details how the industry has continued abusing consumers, and why we need an agency tasked with protecting our rights.

Just how many people were spied on??

Internet companies are fighting to restore public trust. In the wake of the NSA spying scandal, corporations like Google, Yahoo, and Facebook wanted to release details on internet surveillance. Finally, after a six-month delay and a lengthy legal argument, these corporations have been permitted to release some information.

Red State Medicaid Donut Hole Death Panels

Millions of Americans are now realizing that they’re too poor to afford Obamacare – and it’s all thanks to Republican lawmakers across the country.

Is the TPP Dead?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says that he opposes giving the President new fast-track powers. In his the State of the Union, President Obama asked Congress to work on “tools like bipartisan trade promotion authority” - the name of proposed fast-track legislation. However, on Wednesday when asked about it, Harry Reid said “I'm against fast track.” Reid told reporters that he would not guarantee floor time for the proposal, saying “everyone would be well advised not to push this right now.”
So, does this mean that the TPP is as good as dead?

The Republican Conspiracy Has Worked

Republicans should be thrilled with President Obama’s State of the Union address.

What the State of the Union could have been.

Last night, President Obama delivered his State of The Union address, and what we didn't hear is almost as important as what he said. The President said he wants 2014 to be a year of action to fight income inequality, but he never mentioned raising taxes on the rich, or helping labor groups fight the war on unions.

The NSA is spying on Angry Birds.

According to dozens of previously undisclosed British intelligence documents, government spies may be exploiting popular apps to get their hands on our personal data. And – they've been doing it since at least 2007. Smart phone applications collect an amazing amount of our personal data – like our age, sex, and location – and intelligence agencies were delighted to find what they called a “Golden Nugget” of information.

Red State vs. Blue State

In almost every category, Americans are better off living in a Blue state. On Friday, Politico Magazine released a list of state rankings, using respected sources like the Census Bureau, the FBI, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What they found was stunning.

Oversight Board Takes Aim at the NSA

A government oversight panel says that NSA spying programs are illegal. On Thursday, a report by the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board was released, and it took serious aim at government surveillance. The 238-page report concluded that the bulk collection of phone data breaks the law, violates our civil rights, and does not make our nation any safer.

Republicans Want to Save the Tax Havens!

Republicans want to protect tax havens for billionaires. They don't want the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act to go into effect later this year. The FATCA is an agreement with banking officials in Switzerland, the U.S., and the Cayman Islands aimed at fighting international tax evasion.

Economic Inequality Threatens Human Progress.

Economic inequality is a major threat to human progress. According to a new report from Oxfam, 85 people control the same amount of wealth as half the population of the entire world, and the top one percent has 65 times the wealth of the bottom half. This concentration of money gives a few people way too much power over our economic and political systems.

ADHD: Hunter in a Farmer's World

Thom Hartmann has written a dozen books covering ADD / ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.

Join Thom for his new twice-weekly email newsletters on ADHD, whether it affects you or a member of your family.

Thom's Blog Is On the Move

Hello All

Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.

Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.

Syndicate content