Nice Comment

Comment by Stephen on January 9, 2019 at 7:07pm

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams critics calling her agenda too radical

Rookie Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shot back at critics who say her progressive agenda is too radical and expensive, saying there’s nothing revolutionary about providing people with good jobs, health care and an education.
“When you can’t provide for your kids working a full-time job, working two full-time jobs. When you can’t have health care. That is not dignified,” Ocasio-Cortez told CBS’ “60 Minutes” in an interview that aired Sunday.
The 29-year-old newly minted House member is entering office with an ambitious agenda — including Medicare for all, tuition-free public college, and sweeping environmental protections.
“How are you going to pay for all that?” CBS’ Anderson Cooper asked her.“No one asks how we’re going to pay for this Space Force. No one asked how we paid for a $2 trillion tax cut,” she said. “We only ask how we pay for it on issues of housing, health care and education. How do we pay for it? With the same exact mechanisms that we pay for military increases for this Space Force.”

https://nypost.com/2019/01/06/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-slams-critic...

Comment by Stephen on October 2, 2018 at 6:56pm

“Yes, Latinos dream more. When you live in poverty, when your president is imposed upon you, when they kill someone and no one gets indicted, and when only a few get rich, of course you dream more. It’s no coincidence that magic realism happens in Latin America, because for us dreams and aspirations are part of life.” ― Jorge Ramos
–
Wishing for a better future is wisdom. Fighting for a better future is a wise cause. It is difficult to end wars, but to survive, we must.

https://worldfusionwisdom.com/gabriel-garcia-marquez-on-war/

Comment by Tom Sarbeck on September 24, 2018 at 11:12am

This Progressive Atheist wants every state (not just eighteen) and the nation to have the DIRECT initiative and referendum.

In the plutocratic oligarchy the Founders gave us, which includes those states with the INDIRECT initiative, voters elect predators and are their prey.

When you hear people refer to “our democracy” they are lying twice; they are referring to THEIR OLIGARCHY.

Comment by Tom Sarbeck on September 24, 2018 at 10:17am

Stephen says: I hope it’s okay for a progressive Limey to take part in the discussion.

Heck, Stephen, you take part so often and so enthusiastically that I want to know when you will cross the Pond and become a Yank. [:>)]

Comment by Stephen on February 17, 2018 at 11:48pm

Who is Mick Mulvaney? Narrated by Elizabeth Warren

Comment by Stephen on July 13, 2017 at 3:16pm

Iowa atheist leader gets death threat prior to Oskaloosa invocation

Matt Kelley 

Radio Iowa |

Despite last week’s death threat, the founder and director of Eastern Iowa Atheists says he’ll continue his mission.

Justin Scott, from the Bremer County town of Denver, says he seeks out city councils that open their meetings with prayer and asks to be allowed to give a secular invocation instead.

Scott says all went relatively smoothly at last Wednesday’s city council meeting in Oskaloosa.

“They were very welcoming and really appreciated my request,” Scott says. “I got no push-back from the city. They definitely made sure their meetings were absolutely inclusive to everybody which is exactly our goal in our efforts. We want to make sure if cities are doing this, that they are including all voices and all world views.”

Scott says his invocations are centered on the power of humanity and not of any type of deity.

A U.S. Supreme Court case in 2014 made it clear that prayer is allowed before city council meetings, but he wants to make sure everyone is being invited to the table. Scott says he’s been giving invocations all across the region.

Scott says, “We’re less focused on doing any kind of prayer or séance or ritual and more focused on just reminding elected officials why they are there and who they’re representing.”

Prior to last week’s Oskaloosa city council meeting, Scott was told by a local reporter that someone had threatened to kill Scott if he gave his atheist invocation. Scott applauds the city and the police department for making him feel very safe.

“Thankfully, there was a very calm, mature response to my invocation,” Scott says. “Even those that were not pleased with me being there were respectful. They came up during public comments, made their opinions known but for the most part, it was ‘Iowa nice,’ if you will.”

In April, Scott says he became the first atheist to deliver an invocation before a regular session of the Iowa House of Representatives.

Comment by Stephen on July 8, 2017 at 10:01am

Throughout the history of the British Labour Party at their annual conferences we would begin by singing the Party Hymn The Red Flag.

But when Tony Blair took over the leadership of the party he stopped the singing of the red flag. But now its back, the members demanded its reinstatement. Its a long Hymn But the first verse and chorus are now sung again.

 

The people's flag is deepest red,
It shrouded oft our martyred dead,
And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their hearts' blood dyed its ev'ry fold.

Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

Comment by Chris on June 25, 2017 at 3:51am

Many 'conservatives' seem resistant to Progressives because they may be viewed as communists. commies.

In The Dalles Oregon U.S.A. about 75 years ago one had to purchase a firefighter chit for their house, which included a plack. With the plack the volunteer firefighters knew they would be paid to put out the fire. The firefighters may let the plackless house burn to the ground unless a neighbhors house with a fire chit was in danger.

Where I used to live it took about two hours after dialing 911 before a Sherrif Deputy would be able to arrive. Maybe that's a reason some people are for gun rights in the country.  City and Suburban life is different.

I understand the public school system is set up to teach democracy to students.

Would privatizing schools and other institutions lead to more tribalism, wealth inequity, and potential social unrest?

Proportional, or ranked voting would be more democratic than first past post as used in many places in the U.S.

If the system wasn't rigged to drop and exclude eligible voters through gerrymandering, and money in politics perhaps democracy would allow everyone a voice and vote to be counted.  As it stands only the rich and powerful seem to pick the candidates. In this presidential election cycle both Trump and Clinton seemed terrible.

I agree with Stephen and would add: Without the manipulation Bernie Sanders may have won. 

What may be worse than Trump?

Pence, or  Ryan.

Comment by Stephen on June 14, 2017 at 5:07pm

Bernie Sanders could have won. That's the Corbyn lesson for America

Steven W Thrasher

Bernie, like Corbyn, offered hope that another world was possible. He’s exactly the kind of candidate the Democrats must rally behind in the future

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/09/bernie-sander...

Comment by Stephen on June 14, 2017 at 4:48pm

I hope its okay for a progressive limey to take part in the discussion