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Thom's blog
The Danger Of Privatizing the Commons
 Wildfires destroying people's homes in California and people dying because they can't afford their insulin are the same thing. Both are examples of how corporations have risen up and taken over the legislative process, turning the power of government to their own ends of ever greater profits. This was all made possible by the Supreme Court in the late 1970s in a series of decisions that said that when billionaires and corporations buy and own politicians, that is "free speech" rather than bribery and therefore cannot be regulated. We must overturn these corrupt decisions by the Supreme Court if we are to return the American political system to the American people and thus restore democracy to America. -Thom |
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Thom's blog
How the Supreme Court and the morbidly rich are ruining democracy in America
People being killed by wildfires in California and people dying because they can't afford their insulin are the same thing. Both represent the capture of government by corporations-in other words, both are symptoms of democracy in the United States being replaced by a corporate state with little regard for morality, life or the law. In 1976, for the first time in America's history, five conservatives on the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that rich people owning their own personal politicians was constitutionally protected because the money they were using to buy legislators and legislation was "free speech." The case was Buckley v. Valeo. In 1978, SCOTUS extended that logic to corporations in First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti. The result was predictable. Rich people and corporations rose up and took over the government, as money poured into Reagan's coffers and the corporate-funded GOP began to dominate the American political scene. And, also predictably, the most predatory and least scrupulous among those billionaires and corporations ended up with the most influence. Read more here. -Thom |
Monday's Daily Stack 
Speech: " The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism -- ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power." Message to Congress on the Concentration of Economic Power, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Tweet: " Isn't it obvious that this is what happened here? Surely Putin & Erdogan gave up al-Baghdadi in exchange for Trump abandoning northern Syria and the Kurds. A quid pro quo, I believe it is called." by Garry Kasparov. Tweet: " The raid, as reported, took place at 3:30PM Washington time. The photo, as shown in the camera IPTC data, was taken at "17:05:24"." by Pete Souza.
Hour Two: Issues of the Day- Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA, 17th District) 
Article: " Rural Utilities Service" (Rural Electrification Administration, also telephone, water, sewer) by Wikipedia. Article: " Constitution of the United States" Article 2 Section 2. "The President ... shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."
Hour Three: Why Will Breitbart Be In Facebook "News"...?- Judd Legum, Journalist - Popular Information, a newsletter about politics and power
Science Revolution - Geeky Science
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Tuesday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 12-3pm ET
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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2019 Is About Local Progressive Candidates Like Our Friend Karl Frisch
Longtime friend of the show and stalwart progressive Karl Frisch is running for local office against a Trump-loving Republican! His people-powered campaign for Fairfax County School Board in Northern Virginia needs our help to get his new digital ad skewering Betsy DeVos in front of Democrats and progressives who sometimes skip local elections. Join me by chipping in $10, $25, or whatever you can to help get Karl's message in front of voters so he can win on November 5. See the ad and contribute: KarlFrisch.com/Thom4Karl-Thom |
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Watch & Listen to Thom
Privatization Starts Fires: How States Can Put Them Out
Should We Stop Being Reasonable?
Why Is Barr Blaming Russian Interference On Obama & Ukraine?
Could Hard Brexit Crash World Economy? (w/ Victoria Jones)
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