Happy birthday to President Barack Obama.
"DOES INEQUALITY STILL MATTER?".
Article: "Remember the last time Republicans sent Angry Mobs to Disrupt Something? by rni_mccoy.
Book: "The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better" by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett.
Article: "Does Inequality Still Matter? By Will Wilkinson.
Guest: Cato Institute Research Fellow Will Wilkinson. His recent study on economic inequality. Transcript.
Site: The Equality Trust for statistics Thom quoted.
Bumper Music: Shake It Up, The Cars.
Bumper Music: World Hold On, Bob Sinclar (video).
Bumper Music: You can leave your hat on, Randy Newman.
Article: BunnyRanch brothel offers lawmakers 'good time party passes' Michael O'Brien.
Article: "Spontaneous Uprising? Corporate Lobbyists Helping To Orchestrate Radical Anti-Obama Tea Party Protests by Lee Fang.
Florida bill CS/HB 1267. Citizens' property insurance.
Bumper Music: Me And My Gang, Rascal Flatts.
Bumper Music: Ghost Chickens in the Sky, Sean Morey.
Email:
Thom,
I'm an avid listener and have always been somewhat hesitant to believe your theories on the spy pigeons from the planet Xenu. The other day I saw a deceased pigeon, which at first saddened me, but then I was shocked as a took a closer look.
Attached is a photo that helps affirm your theories. Clearly there is some silverish liquid where one might expect blood and some wires as well. Quite amazing!
Enjoy,
Michael
Photo: Pigeon from Xenu.
Upcoming Events: Thom's book tour for "Threshold":
Tonight! Aug 4th - San Francisco, CA - World Affairs Council.
Aug 5th - Santa Monica, CA - Santa Monica Library.
Aug 17th - Minneapolis, MN
Aug 19th - Chicago, IL
Aug 21st - Madison, WI. There will be "Brunch with Bernie" with members of the audience getting to ask the questions.
Upcoming Event: Aug 8th - Seattle, WA AM1090 Presents - "Embracing Change: Moving Forward As The Majority" with Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Bill Press, Mike Malloy and Ron Reagan - Tickets are just $22 for Reserved Seating, $32 for Premium Reserved Seating, and $47 for VIP Floor Seating. Tickets go on sale Saturday June 27th @ 10AM. Purchase yours at the ShoWareCenter Box Office, or by phone at 253-856-6999. Doors open at 5pm, the panel discussion runs from 6-9pm. (not to be confused with the July 30th Seattle book signing).
Article: Rocking the Town Halls - best practices (sic) memo.
WHY DO CONSERVATIVES WANT TO PUT THE BRAKES ON CASH FOR CLUNKERS WHEN ITS STIMULATING THE ECONOMY FOR CAR DEALERS AND CONSUMERS ALIKE?!
Article: "Cash For Clunkers: Obama Pushes Senate To Refuel Funding by Ken Thomas.
Article: "Senators to put brakes on ‘cash for clunkers’ by Edward Luce.
Article: "House approves extending ‘cash for clunkers’...Lawmakers pass $2 billion bill to keep program alive; will go to Senate (AP).
Article: "Beck Exposes 'Cash for Clunkers' Language Giving Feds Authority to Take Control of Computers By Jeff Poor.
Article: "Beck Exposes 'Cash for 5 Reasons Journalists Love Higher Gas Prices By Dan Gainor.
Guest: Dan Gainor of the Business and Media Institute. Is he as horrified as Thom by the town hall protests? He likes civilized debate, saves his yelling and screaming for football games. There is lots of bogus indignation on the left. With all due respect it's a new low attacking cash for clunkers - successful, some of it trickles up - what happens with trickle up economics vs. peons. Ecological, environment reasons. But that is dubious. Sold as reducing dependency on oil. It will stimulate a tiny part of economy - autos. Thom says it spreads, workers spend it. He said it was underfunded from the start. A smarter tax break would have been several rather than one industry. People expect it again. Easier to cut payroll tax for a while. Thom said raise the minimum wage. He says people are laid off. He said if want stimulus, gets money to ordinary citizens right away. Will spike debt. If temporary tax cut, people will be reminded of how high tax is. Thom says it does not matter. The self employed are exception, it was a crime by Reagan to double their tax.
Bumper Music: Drive My Car, Beatles (video).
Article: "Deconstructing the Right Wing Lies on the Health Insurance Bill Please Cut the Crap.
Mark the teabagger called, saying there is no organization above the local people. They don't believe in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, it is not the way to go. People should pay for themselves, not paying is a choice. Thom said pay or die. We should take care of those less fortunate, but not be forced by government. Red lights. Government good for transportation. Mark does not need to read emails. The country has been taken over by transnational corporations, billionaires, families. The only 2 ways to push back is unions and 'we the party', Boston Tea Party, cause.
Bumper Music: Baby Driver, Simon & Garfunkel.
Voicemail from Lewis. The frame ought to be the money that single payer would save. We could save some of the deficit with it. Do you really want corporations between you and your doctor? Lobbying costs and campaign contributions, skimming money off health care for ever. Paying twice, low in rankings.
38% of the dollars going to the Fed goes to military. Taxes should not be raised while that happens. No health care because we want to take over the world. Jim Terr sent a graphic showing US industrial output. He says put money specifically for health care.
Town halls interrupted, so have televised public debates with people like Howard Dean? They would have to be in Congress, on CSPAN, people are not that interested. The media is in bed with corporations.
The resources used on the military cannot be used on butter. They are blown up. Education is an investment.
Bumper Music: Last DJ, The, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (from The Last DJ album).
CHEESY NEWS ALERT: "America Less Safe With Palin No Longer Keeping Eye on Russia" by Andy Borowitz.
Try teabagging at a Goldman Sachs or UnitedHealth meeting. Exxon Valdez - compassion? Show where a major corporation has done things really for the people before profits.
There is a catholic group of nuns who buy stock and go to meetings. The disrupting of town halls is spitting in face of founders.
Very thoughtful email about harassment at work, at Target. Anti-union video. American Red Cross CEOS. Revolving door.
RED CROSS UNION BUSTING
Guest: Christine Holschlag, union officer and phlebotomist with ARC for 5 years. Council 4 of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3145. Safety comes first, they are pushing to get rid of union, unsafe proposals.
Let's Work Together, Canned Heat.
Article: "Tea Baggers FAIL to disrupt Health Care meeting, lessons shared. By Don Briggs.
Callers suggested various ways of dealing with tea baggers. Invite the most boisterous up to the mic? Rewarding bad behavior?
Code Pink disrupt, but they don't try to disrupt public discussions. GI bill today unequal help given to people who participate in war. Treat everybody the same.
Bumper Music: You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, Bachman Turner Overdrive.
Article: "The Ugly Racism of the Right Will Be Their Undoing. By Leslie Savan.
Cash for clunkers. Typical government intervention. They destroyed food in the '30s to keep family farmers going, people were starving in the 30s? Reagan free market, lot of small farmers are now tenant farmers because they could not compete against huge agri-businesses. Boeing only has one competitor but there is fierce competition. Football game analogy. Somalia. Denmark, etc.
Bumper Music: Democracy is coming to the USA, Leonard Cohen.
Beer summit at the White House. Debate between MADD and the American beer lobby.
Ellen Ratner of Talk Radio News. Tea baggers out in force. She got flak on Scott's show this morning . Cash for clunkers, Senate likely to go along, normally 45% made by the big three, now 47%, had to be careful of international trade agreements. Susan Collins of Maine is for, some wanted stricter mpg. The VP said recovery working. Household income etc., pay down. The White House will not comment much on Bill Clinton in North Korea, he is a private citizen. Picture of him with Kim Jong Il - he looked very ill. Clinton would not have gone if there had not been a deal worked out, nor would the administration let him. The last time it did not work was Jimmy Carter and Iran.
