Corporate Profits Surge to 40-Year High, While Wages Fall to 40-Year Low

Meanwhile, the share of national income going to wage and salary workers has fallen to 56.9%. Except for a brief period in 1997, that's the lowest share for labor income since 1966.

Root Causes of Illegal Immigration: The Big Lie Systematically Propagated by Corporate Media Economic Reporting

From David Sirota:

. . . check out this new Associated Press story about the upcoming World Trade Organization negotiations. The piece states as fact that the Doha round of negotiations "sets out to boost the global economy and lift millions worldwide out of poverty by lowering trade barriers across all sectors."

since the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement - a pact, in part sold to the public as a way to help Mexico's poor - Mexico has seen its ranks of the poor jump by 19 million

Illegal immigration to the U.S. will not stop for walls or laws. It will not stop until the U.S., and its affiliated international trade organizations, are forced to regulate trade in such a way that corporations and banks can no longer deliberately suck nations dry and thrust their citizenry into poverty. The only reason this isn't self-evident to everyone is because the corporatists (including the corporate media) slam the public with well-concocted, often nativist if not outright racist, disinformation--disinformation which sometimes even evolves into a reactionary fascist agenda like that of the (neo-)minutemen.

The last thing the corporate elite want is for U.S. citizens to realize the simple truth that the solution to illegal immigration lies entirely in regulating trade in such a way as to lift people in third world countries out of poverty. Poverty reduction does not, has not, and will not happen by unfettered free trade on the global market, because the goal of transnational corporate profit is the theft of masses of livlihoods and displacement of ways of life.

Lifting the third world out of poverty will only happen if the U.S. citizenry demand it. Because it reduces incentive for transnational corporations to move U.S. jobs overseas, lifting the third world out of poverty (debt reduction, minimum wage requirements instead of the converse, etc) will also help restore the American middle class dream.

City in Hurricane Zone Bans Feeding Homeless Downtown

The so-called "ten year plans" are little more than schemes to maintain and/or win federal funds. These schemes are the result of the Bush administration's revisions to Section 8 housing assistance, which makes "ten year plans" a stipulation for receipt of federal funds. With little concern for and input from the homeless, businesses and social service providers in cities around the country are jumping for money and/or profit, in what might be described as sanitization disguised as solutions. Meanwhile, the faith-based slush fund is gushing.

Jungle II: Mad Cow Negligence

Trillions for War, To Hell with the Poor

Raking in the dough, the Bush-family war-profiteers' dream comes true, in what has been described as the biggest corruption scandal in history.

Bush Slashes Food Programs for Elderly, Children, and Aids Victims

Goodbye to the Almighty Dollar

Here we go!

Excerpt:

UAE, Saudi considering to move reserves out of dollar

WASHINGTON — A number of Middle Eastern central banks said on Tuesday they would seek to switch reserves from the US greenback to euros.

The United Arab Emirates said it was considering moving one-tenth of its dollar reserves to the euro, while the governor of the Saudi Arabian central bank condemned the decision by the United States to force Dubai Ports World to transfer its ownership to a ‘US entity,’ the UK Independent reported.

“Is it protectionism or discrimination? Is it okay for US companies to buy everywhere but it is not okay for other companies to buy the US?” said Hamad Saud Al Sayyari, the governor of the Saudi Arabian monetary authority.

Rise in U.S. Police State Infrastructure

If the seeds of fascism are planted, how can we tell whether or not they will grow and multiply?

From the BBC:

Peter Kraska, an expert on police militarisation from Eastern Kentucky University, says that in the 1980s there were about 3,000 Swat team deployments annually across the US, but says now there are at least 40,000 per year.

[ . . . ]

"The problem is that when you talk about the war on this and the war on that, and police officers see themselves as soldiers, then the civilian becomes the enemy."

CNN: A Month Before 911, Government Obstructed Probe Into Terrorist Responsible

Corporations Above Law: Aren't Forced to Pay Fines for Violations

Incarceration of Black Men Climbs 4% under Bush Regime

What causes school dropout and joblessness?

Protest Everywhere This Weekend (3rd Anniversary of U.S. Invasion of Iraq)

Striking Janitors Converge on Board, Celebrity Homes

What else can they do to get justice?

NYC Police Arrest Amerians Who Might Potentially Commit a Crime

Making the Poor Even Poorer

Tantamont to genocide!

Americans do support the Senate censure of Bush

From American Research Group:

The question:

Do you favor or oppose the United States Senate passing a resolution censuring President George W. Bush for authorizing wiretaps of Americans within the United States without obtaining court orders?

The results:

All Adults: Favor 46% Oppose 44% Undecided 10%

Voters: Favor 48% Oppose 43% Undecided 9%

Isn't ARG a republican outfit?

Right-Wing Blocks Funding For Port Security, Disaster Preparedness

Australia: Held back by Police, Protesters Shout "War Criminal" at U.S. Secretary of State

Legal Gag on Bush-Blair War Dispute

GIVE US THE TRUTH--NOW!

170 to 4! Israel, Two Puppets and their Master Defy the World

From IPS:

As expected, this incongruous voting pattern was repeated Wednesday when the three loyal U.S. allies -- Israel and the two tiny Pacific Island nations of Palau and the Marshall Islands -- were the only member states to stand in unison with the United States when it rejected a resolution calling for the creation of a new Human Rights Council.

The vote in the General Assembly was 170 in favour and four against (United States, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau), with three abstentions (Venezuela, Iran and Belarus).

[ . . . ]

"The United States, despite its opposition to the Council, has claimed it will 'work with' the Council, and we can anticipate it will expect to win a seat in the first term," Bennis told IPS.

But such an effort should be rejected, she said, as countries evaluating human rights records keep in mind the continuing patterns of U.S. human rights violations both within the United States itself and internationally, where U.S. military or political officials are in power. "

No country with such a record of torture, secret detentions, extraordinary renditions,' rejection of the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), denial of due process and generations of capital punishment, even for minors and the mentally disabled -- all as a matter of official policy -- should be allowed to serve on the new Human Rights Council," said Bennis, author of "Challenging Empire: How People, Governments and the U.N. Defy U.S."

If the General Assembly does indeed allow the United States a seat, she argued, special care should be taken to insure that the mandatory human rights evaluation carried out of all members be taken very seriously when it comes to the U.S., so that the claim that the so-called "indispensable nation" should be somehow exempt from human rights scrutiny will be rejected.

I've been hearing that the U.S. tried the reverse psychology trick. To spin it, the argument goes that Bolton and the U.S. wanted an even stronger resolution to form a Human Rights Council at the U.N. Sounds good, right? Actually, that's probably just a ploy. More likely, if the U.S. rulers had really wanted the resolution to be more extreme, it's probably so that the creation of a Human Rights Council would have failed to muster the necessary votes, and there would have been no risk to the U.S. for its plethora of incessant violations. The U.S. effort to block the creation of a U.N. Human Rights Council was resoundingly defated.

Since the U.S. government refuses to be accountable to its citizens, and since its citizens refuse to hold their government accountable, I welcome news that the U.S. government will at least have to be accountable to the rest of the world. Now that it failed to overcome this hurdle, what additional obstacles can the world expect the U.S. regime to place in the way of its being punished for its human rights violatons? Oh, yeah, history would suggest that we can expect to hear once again that the latest boogeyman will kill everyone if the world prohibits the U.S. regime from violating human rights as it pleases. Contrarily, there is considerable evidence that the more that the U.S. violates people's rights, the more boggeymen and terrorism there will be. When will the lesson be learned. It's a vicious cycle, a self-fulfilling course of action.

Clear Channel Censors Ad Exposing Republican Corruption

This is a violation of public trust, and their right to use OUR airwaves should be revoked and given to someone who believes in free speech instead. Excerpt:

That’s right, media giant Clear Channel wouldn't let us run an ad that informs the people of Pennsylvania’s Sixth Congressional District about the tainted money Jim Gerlach has taken from indicted former Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Clear Channel refused to run this billboard.

Note, Gerlach is one of the corrupt politicians to whom Clear Channel has made campaign contributions. Does Gerlach supports raising the threshold of the radio market CC can own?

Lieberman Says It's Okay for Hospitals to Turn Away Rape Victims

Australian PM John Howard Blasts the Occupation of Iraq (This May Be a Hoax)

POSSIBLE HOAX, OTHERWISE . . .

A Must Read! Forward this Everywhere! A shocking admission of the truth, apology and reversal of position on Iraq.

Christian Right Leaders Linked to Abramoff

U.S. prison industry: big business or a new form of slavery?

Coal Miners' Slaughter

Defense Workers Union Calls on Rumsfeld to Resign

Bargain: $25,000 To Meet with the King and a Score of His Best Men

But there's a catch: It goes to republicans! Guess that's what they mean by "executive privilege."

Bush Orders Homeland Security to Assist Church Groups

To The Center for Countering Reality-based Facts, under the direction of the Ministry of Motherland Religion and Social Control, by Executive Order from the U.S. Supreme Commander:

>Sec. 3. Responsibilities of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In carrying out the purpose set forth in section 2 of this order, the Center shall:

(a) conduct, in coordination with the WHOFBCI Director, a department-wide audit to identify all existing barriers to the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the delivery of social and community services by the Department, including but not limited to regulations, rules, orders, procurement, and other internal policies and practices, and outreach activities that unlawfully discriminate against, or otherwise discourage or disadvantage the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in Federal programs;

[ . . . ]

e) develop and coordinate Departmental outreach efforts to disseminate information more effectively to faith-based and other community organizations with respect to programming changes, contracting opportunities, and other agency initiatives, including but not limited to Web and Internet resources.

So, does this mean that the Department of Homeland Security's "Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives" is to eliminate barriers that inhibit religious entities' ability to spread DHS propaganda, barriers that inhibit them from getting no-bid contracts to promote agency initiatives and programs, perhaps including the new programs. Or perhaps the goal is simply to eliminate the barrier between "church and state. Even if these government-supported religious programs were benign, they wouldn't be to the tune of billions of dollars, including a half-billion to promote straight marriage (or any sort of marriage for that matter).


From the Washington Post:

Pressed both by churches that have not received privately raised Hurricane Katrina relief funds as promised and by the outpouring of help of religious groups to Gulf Coast storm victims, Bush also called on the department by September "to identify all existing barriers . . . that unlawfully discriminate against, or otherwise discourage or disadvantage the participation" of such groups in federal programs.

[ . . .]

Along the Gulf Coast, particularly in Mississippi, religious groups have provided extraordinary help, local officials say, but also contributed to waste and duplication of effort when they failed to coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local and county governments.

This has the appearance of a straw man. Was the groundwork laid for a failure necessary to justify tansferring responsibility from FEMA to churches, from the government to the private sector. This ignores the reality that FEMA needs to be overhauled once and for all to finaly put it onto the right mission of serving the public. Then, FEMA needs to be properly funded, and staffed and managed by experts. FEMA was already defunded and scaled back to little more than a shell of itself. What's left for the Bushies but to eliminate it by moving disaster response (via churches) into the private sector and giving birth to a new market where the investor class can one day exploit money-for-nothing profit schemes. Why should we once again have to revisit Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. "Free trade" had just as well mean the United Arab Emirates or Communist China could manage not just our ports but our disaster response. Why not?

NYT: Wal-Mart Looms Over 2 Bills to Improve Worker Health Care

The national effort to force Wal-Mart and other employers to provide better health care coverage came to Albany [NY] on Tuesday, with legislators of both parties promoting bills that would require many businesses to provide insurance for some 450,000 workers who now lack it.

The move comes after similar legislation passed in Maryland in January, though that was aimed more narrowly at prodding Wal-Mart. The company has long been accused of offering meager benefits, forcing many employees to seek health care from state programs.

With health care costs soaring for states and the ranks of the uninsured rising, Maryland's law opened the floodgates, with similar bills emerging in more than 20 states.

U.S. Now Exceeds Stalin's Peak for Percentage of People Imprisoned

From Jake via the Angry Arab News Service:

Using data from the article and population statistics for the USSR, one can see that in 1939 - at the height of Stalin's power - the prison population amounted to 2.4% of the adult population. By contrast, the prison population in the US today amounts to 2.9% of the adult population

Facts and figures on poverty in the United States

Homeless Advocates Protest Film

Pretext to Eliminate Civil Society: Debt!

As the U.S. once again teeters on the edge of bankruptcy, republicans can as usual be expected to argue that slashing civil society will help reduce the debt, and democrats can again be expected to argue for increasing taxes. While soaring debt may even be allowed to happen to provide an excuse to slash civil society and/or raise taxes, neither of these two actions will solve the problem of soaring debt once and for all.

First, the world will have to confront the unfettered investment money-sequences where money alone creates more money as self-multiplying compound-interest, with no labor and no product to back it. The result is a seemingly unending increase in the supply of unbacked currency. While this "new" return money is exponentially routed (via corporations) to a small wealthy investor class, the ordinary worker's frozen wages buy less and less due to an accompanying devaluation of the currency and rise in prices. While a few get wealthier still, most people experience an incessant decline in buying power. At some point, the real social collapse of the life-support-system will leave the average worker unable to survive, while globalization displaces and relocates to inaccessible places the necessary life-support (factories, cottage industry, farmland, know how, etc.).

Since access is to life-support for the species is gradually eliminated, this vicious cycle isn't sustainable. Raising the debt limit just puts off the inevitable day that the corporate investment model will have to be radically overhauled and/or replaced by healthier life-support structure(s). The sad reality is that the burden will fall on unsuspecting masses of ordinary common folks who will be left to pick up the pieces and start from scratch.

Meanwhile, there appears to be a PR blitz to blame the U.S. citizenry for the increased debt. On one day, the current administration (via Cheney) says consumers are spending beyond their means and should save more. On other days, the administration says consumers need to buy more stuff. It's as if the administration is saying, "It's your fault because you didn't save enough, or otherwise it's your fault because you didn't spend enough, but the bottom line is that it's your fault, and you can't say I didn't tell you so."

Fault should first go to those responsible: The wealthy elite that purchase the necessary propaganda to ensure the production of laws (and an enforcement apparatus) that protect their corporate money-for-nothing scheme, increasingly at the expense of the life, wellbeing, rights and liberties of the masses. Real change will only come when ordinary people recognize the root cause. The question that lingers in my mind is, "what are the best ways to help people become aware?"

Here's one possibility. For a better understanding of the problem of globalized corporate money-sequences and the issue dealt with here, see John McMurtry's groundbreaking work, The Cancer Stage of Capitalism. Google books offers sample pages here.

More Job Cuts Than the AT&T - Bell South Merger

Left-I on the News notes that tens of thousands more than reported are loosing jobs. David Sirota is tracking the root problem: "Cadillac Cons, Limo Libs & Blaming the Poor for Being Poor."

State bill proposes Christianity be Missouri’s official religion

New Orleans Redevelopment Plan = Another Naked Land Grab

San Fransisco, New Orleans . . .

Where else in the U.S. is this sort of ethnic cleansing happening? Where's everyone going to be put? Maybe here? Or, maybe here?

Katrina West: San Fransisco to Ethnically Cleans "Bayview Hunters Point"

Rights activists urge their allies in SF attend March 6-7 meetings.

Homeless Man Set on Fire in Boston Park

From The Guardian--excerpt:

Nationally, the number of assaults against the homeless has risen dramatically since 2002, according to a recent report by the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Bush Administration to Eliminate Food and Drug Safety

Ports of Profit: Dubai Does Brisk War Business

Globalization Fact Sheet (CorpWatch)

Excerpt: "Fifty-one of the world's top 100 economies are corporations."

Bush Lied, People Died!Video--Warned Just Before Katrina That Levees Could Break

Watch the video here. He doesn't care that the levees may break, doesn't care that hundreds would die. He was warned about 911, didn't care, did nothing. Warned about occupying Iraq, didn't care, did nothing right. Warned New Orleans could flood, didn't care, did nothing right. George Bush don't care about black people, white people, or anybody but himself and the wealthy ruling investor class that props him up.

Bush Won't Listen: Eliminates Survey of Needy Families (SIPP)

Bush to American school children: Drop Dead!

President George W. Bush's proposed budget for fiscal 2007, which begins this October, includes a Commerce Department plan to eliminate the Census Bureau's Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).

[ . . . ]

Defenders of the survey countered in their letter that the cost was justified as SIPP provides a constant stream of in-depth data that enables government, academic, and independent researchers to evaluate the effectiveness and improve the efficiency of several hundred billion dollars in spending on social programs.

For example, Boushey said, the survey revealed that school lunch programs were missing many children whose parents were unemployed for a couple of months or longer, pointing the way to improvements in those programs.

But Bush is happy to fund greedy Oil-wars to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars and more than a hundred thousand Americans and Iraqi's dead, while giving exuberant tax-breaks to the wealthy and giving massive kickbacks--in the form of subsidies, no-bid contracts (esp. petroleum and weapons), and tax-breaks--to mega-corporations which return even greater percentages of the nation's wealth to the ruling investor class in the form of higher dividends.

If he killed off all poor Americans, would he and the rest of the wealthy elite have to wash the clothes, mop the floors, clean the toilets, stock the shelves, and so on? No! He doesn't even care, because, as he himself has said, there is a pool of millions of people worldwide who will gladly fill the empty position in the matrix and labor with their own sweat and blood until they themselves drop dead and yet others gladly step up for a turn. It's a race to the bottom. Bush's labor market is but a meat grinder, the American laborer but mere meat!

What's More Important? Free Trade or National Security

David Sirota is tracking the issue. Here he observes a congressional Quarterly article that suggest free trade will be put on trial in the 2006 Senate campaings. Here he discusses the pundrity to spin free trade over national security by dowplaing serious risks from the UAE port deal.

University of Miami Janitors Strike

Donna Shalala, former chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and current president of the University of Miami, claims to be an advocate for the poor, despite her own opulent life-style. Tell her not to allow UM striking janitors to suffer for her benefit: contact info here!

Exposing the Clearly Fascist Agenda of the AFA