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Thom's blog
First Columbia took on their drug lords, now they're taking on their billionaires...why can't we?
America’s billionaires are driving this nation’s poverty epidemic. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
As we speak, working-class Americans are getting screwed over by policies that favor the wealthy elite, and leave everyone else in the dust. As a result, more and more Americans are living in poverty.
In 2013, over 45 million Americans were living in poverty, including 1 in 5 children, and today, around 4% of our population lives on $2 per day or less. Unfortunately, our lawmakers in Washington would rather continue pandering to the needs of the rich and famous, than confront the very real poverty epidemic that is crippling our country.
Like America, Colombia is struggling with its own poverty epidemic brought on by extremely high levels of wealth inequality and by wealthy Colombians who aren’t doing their fair share to help the economy. Colombia is the seventh most unequal country in the world, with a staggering 32% of Colombians living in poverty. In rural areas of that country, the poverty rate jumps to just under 47%.
Meanwhile, just like here in America, there is a small number of very wealthy people who are doing very little to help the Colombian economy and working-class Colombians. But that’s changing. More and more Colombians are being lifted out of poverty each year because the Colombian government isn’t afraid to ask the wealthy elite to do their fair share to help the economy.
Last week, the Colombian government, under the direction of President Juan Manuel Santos, extended a wealth tax that was first introduced in 2002. Speaking about the wealth tax, Colombia’s finance minister Mauricio Cardenas told the Financial Times that, “It is very important to collect revenues from the wealthiest Colombians to be able to invest in security and defence on the one hand, and in social sectors on the other hand.”
What a novel idea: taxing the rich to help improve an economy.
-Thom
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Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 10pm... What America could learn from Scotland's Independence vote (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT or Free Speech TV, and catch past shows on Youtube)
 Be sure to check out our new video: CARBON - narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio
Get your tickets now - now for a special evening with Sami Yusuf (9/26 at 8pm) featuring music from Sami's new CD, The Centre - to benefit the Foundation for Traditional Studies - at The Strathmore in N. Bethesda, MD
What America could learn from Scotland's Independence vote- John Nichols, The Nation Magazine 
Your Take / My Take Live: Call Thom LIVE at (202) 904-2134 TONIGHT 7-8pm ET (check local listings)
Geeky Science: EXPOSED: earthquakes directly linked to fracking...
Daily Take: First Columbia took on their drug lords, now they're taking on their billionaires...why can't we?
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The Daily Stack 
Hour One: Black Ice...danger in the arctic- John Deans, Greenpeace USA
Event: Sept 26th 8pm, DC: " An evening w/Sami Yusef" at The Strathmore- the concert benefits the Foundation for Traditional Studies and features music from his album The Centre. Article: " 5th Amendment" (double jeopardy, witness against self, due process, taking clause, due compensation).
Hour Two: Actor/Activist Mimi Kennedy on the Iraq War- Mimi Kennedy, Progressive Democrats of America / Mom on CBS
Hour Three: How Jefferson rescued democracy- Dan Sisson, The American Revolution of 1800.
Letter: " Thomas Jefferson to Spencer Roane", 6 Sept. 1819 " the revolution of 1800, for that was as real a revolution in the principles of our government as that of 1776 was in its form." Speech: " Farewell Address" by George Washington (1796) (avoid foreign entanglements). |
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Friday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 12-3pm ET
It's Friday and that means it's Brunch with Bernie...America's Senator Bernie Sanders will be here talking about all the important issues of the week and he'll be taking YOUR calls too!
Plus, Thom debates the meaning of the Census Bureau’s new poverty data with Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation.
And John Nichols of the Nation willk be reporting live from Scotland on the results of the referendum... an independent Scotland?
And, the best of the rest of the news along with your calls right here on...
The Thom Hartmann Program, Occupying The Media 3 hours a day 5 days a week" for "we the people"
And don't forget...Democracy is NOT a spectator sport...it begins with you...
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Show Info
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The Thom Hartmann Program |
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Thom's Poll
Will increased earthquakes finally get lawmakers to ban fracking?
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Watch & Listen to Thom
The Real Carbon Monster Revealed
Sweden Said Good Riddance to Austerity - When Will America?
Do the Oathkeepers Pose a Threat to America? We’ll ask One!
Lone Liberal - Does She or Doesn’t She? ….Have Obamacare?
Lone Liberal - Benghazi Circus: Calculated or Just stoned-out Incompetent?
Or watch the Full "Big Picture" Show...
Full Show 9/17/14: The Rise of Right-Wing Militias
Thom takes a look at the Republican obsession with Benghazi and debates the successes of Obamacare in the Lone Liberal Rumble. Thom tries to shed light on the rise of right-wing militias during the Obama administration with former Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack, one of the leaders of the Oath Keepers movement. Economist Richard Wolff joins Thom to discuss Sweden's rejection of austerity politics and the prospect of an independent Scotland.
Arctic Campaign, Shell Pushing to Expand Drilling Rights
Good on you, Jim McDermott!
War in the Middle East and other Progressive Issues...
Caller: Creationists Have it Wrong on Darwin...
Thom agrees with Thomas Friedman on ISIS...
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Thom and Louise Hartmann founded the New England Salem Children's Village (NESCV) in New Hampshire in 1979. With states delaying payment for the children they entrust to the village, they need help with cash flow. Can you help? Now on Facebook. |
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