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Thom's blog
This is the End of the Republican Party
Whoever is saying that last night was the demise of the Democratic party - they're wrong! In reality, it's the end of the Republican party. As the money in this election points out, the party of (old republicans) is now the party of (CEOs). So how much does it cost to buy the House of Representatives? Try over $300 million dollars - $123 million of which came from anonymous donors. That’s how much money was funneled into this year’s elections by outside groups. In a full assault on our democracy, the Chamber of Commerce and its big business associates rained down millions in hit pieces to knock off Democrats around the country. Also in the game, Super PACs – or front groups for billionaires – like Karl Rove’s “American Crossroads” and Norm Coleman’s “American Action Network” tossed in over a hundred million dollars to ensure that Republican corporate puppets are elected to Congress.
The puppets now control the House with a likely 50-seat majority. And now in power, they have to live up to their end of the deal - legislate on behalf of billionaires like the Koch brother who want massive tax breaks, freedom to ship jobs overseas, and freedom to irreparably pollute our environment - in other words, freedom to finish off the dismantling of the middle class. Corporations were successful in knocking out good guys like Russ Feingold in Wisconsin, Alan Grayson in Florida, and Tom Perriello in Virginia – replacing them in each case with millionaires who adamantly oppose middle class policies like raising the minimum wage and extending unemployment insurance – millionaires who have promised to sell their votes in Congress to the highest bidder.
What does this Congress look like when it’s bought and paid for by big business? Look no further than Rand Paul in Kentucky who made these comments this morning, "there are no rich. There are no middle class. There are no poor...We all either work for rich people or we sell stuff to rich people. So just punishing rich people is as bad for the economy as punishing anyone..." He practically spelled it out for us. Not since 1906 has our country witnessed this type of special interest subversion of our democracy. Back then, it only took 2 years to neuter the fat cat CEO’s and keep them out of politics when Teddy Roosevelt worked to get the 1907 Tillman Act passed out of Congress – an act that stopped corporations from messing around in American politics. Now, over 100 years later and a Supreme Court decision in Citizens United – our country has regressed back to the age of the robber barons of the late 19th century.
-Thom
(What do you think will happen to the Republican Party now? Tell us here.) |
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Community Square
" Elections Impact Health"
Uploaded by Magonista.
"The biggest impact on health and equity in health will be changing our electoral system. Prof. Dennis Raphael discusses how proportional representation is beneficial to health."
" Robinwood Street fires in Detroit - 85 structures burned in one night."
Uploaded by detroitfunk.
"This is video I made showing a first hand look at the fires that raged through several Detroit neighborhoods in early September 2010 - in the end burning down over 80 houses and garages before morning. "
Tell us how you think they should move forward.
Posted by T Reap.
Do you agree?
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 "If you're looking for something that connects the dots between the BP oil disaster, the harm it's done to the Gulf of Mexico and the people paying the price, this book is it. In a clear and compelling voice, it explains the worst environmental catastrophe of our time, then shows the way forward to protect this national treasure, safeguard our future and break our destructive addiction to oil." |
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Watch Thom's new show on the RT channel called the Big Picture, or stream it live from 9 to 10pm, and it repeats at 11. You can catch the shows you have missed on Youtube.
Tonight: Election round up...the best congress money can buy? With Markos Moulitsas. Plus, Getting America's youth re-engaged now for a successful 2012, with Sara Haile-Mariam. |
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The Daily Stack 
Quote: "Quote: Media corporations have a civic responsibility not only to prevent fraud and financial abuse, but also to not corrupt or degrade our culture. -- Charles W. Pickering" -- Charles W. Pickering.
Hour One: Thom's take on the Republican 'wave'
Hour Two: Was the right more on point with their message and should they have won even bigger or was it all about the money? Thom has a rumble with Dan Gainor, Vice President and T Boone Pickens Free Market Fellow at the Business and Media Institute.
Hour Three: What do you think about the election outcome?
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Coming up Thursday on The Thom Hartmann Program
The real work starts now...we'll have more on this week's midterms and talk about what progressives need to do now to get out and get active to win in 2012...
Plus, one of may favorite segments of the week...Geeky Science - find out what jelly fish have to do with diagnosing cancer...really!
And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...
The Thom Hartmann Program... your media support group for we the people.
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Show Info
Call Thom on the show at 1-866-987-THOM (8466) (0870 974 9686 from the UK, +1 503 796 2324 from outside the US or UK).
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Join in the discussions on Thom's free message board.
Blog or upload videos or audios at Thom's community.
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Rebuild the Social Safety Net
There are two important reasons to have a strong social safety net, one based in sound economic policy and the other in our common humanity. So it’s no surprise that the countries that have strong social safety nets tend to have resilient economies and a higher quality of life.
Ultimately, social safety nets are about managing risk and unforeseen contingencies. On the one hand, there are the risks that we want people to take, such as starting a new business. On the other hand, there are unforeseen events that are so severe – like becoming paralyzed in an accident – that no one person (unless incredibly wealthy) could handle the expenses associated with them. In both cases, by setting up a social safety net which distributes the costs of responding to them across the wide spectrum of society, we minimize both the societal cost and the individual suffering.
The United States is the only one of the 33 acknowledged “developed” nations in the world not to have universal health care. The United States is being hammered in the area of innovation by countries that have stronger social safety nets.
Learn more about how the US ranks in the world and how lack of a safety net causes entrepreneurs major worries and how we can fix it in chapter five, "Medicare “Part E” – For Everybody" of " Rebooting the American Dream". (On Kindle too) |
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Watch & Listen to Thom
Freedom of religion only for some?
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Thom and Louise Hartmann founded the New England Salem Children's Village in New Hampshire in 1979. With states delaying payment for the children they entrust to the village, they need help with cash flow urgently. Please help if you can. |
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