Citizen, Ink.

Why We Got Ayn Rand Instead of FDR: Thomas Frank on How Tea Party 'Populism' Derailed a New New Deal | | AlterNet

An appropriate metaphor for the conservative revival is the classic switcheroo, with one fear replacing another, theoretical emergencies substituting for authentic  ones, and a new villain shuffling onstage to absorb the brickbats meant for another. The conservative renaissance rewrites history according to the political demands of the moment, generates thick smokescreens of deliberate bewilderment, grabs for itself the nobility of the common toiler, and projects onto its rivals the arrogance of the aristocrat. Nor is this constant redirection of public ire a characteristic the movement developed as it went along; it was present at the creation. Indeed, redirection was the creation.

via www.alternet.org

Ralph Lopez: Why Is the Media Lying About New NDAA Power for Indefinite Military Detention of Americans? | Truthout

Great article by Ralph Lopez, who blogs at War Is a Crime.org (formerly After Downing Street):

At some point a sideshow to a story becomes so painfully obvious that it becomes the story, and this now should be: Why is the media taking such pains to knowingly and falsely claim that the new power of the military to detain and imprison people without charge or trial, for life, does not include US citizens?  We know what happened.  The Bill of Rights has been overturned.  And enough has been written on the deceptive language first warned of by Congressman Justin Amash, when he told The Grand Rapids Press that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was "carefully crafted to mislead the public," for newspaper editors to know better.

via www.truth-out.org

Sanders Files ‘Saving American Democracy Amendment’ | Common Dreams

Warning that “American democracy in endangered,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today proposed a constitutional amendment to overturn a Supreme Court ruling that allowed unrestricted and secret campaign spending by corporations on U.S. elections.

Read the whole article at www.commondreams.org

 

Saving American Democracy Amendment (pdf)

Just say "No!" to corporate personhood

Wow! Yesterday Los Angeles became the first major U.S. city to pass a resolution opposing corporate personhood and to call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution using the language proposed by Move to Amend.

In a press conference after the vote, Council President Eric Garcetti stated:

"I want to thank Move to Amend and this entire coalition that has come together... Every struggle to amend the constitution began as just a group of regular Americans who wanted to end slavery, who thought women should vote, who believed that if you're old enough to be drafted, you should  be old enough to vote. These are how American amendments move forward  from the grassroots when Americans say enough is enough.  

We're very proud to come together and send a message but more than  that, this becomes the official position of the City of Los Angeles, we  will officially lobby for this. I also chair a group which oversees all the Democratic mayors and council members in the country and we're  going to share this with all our 3,000 members and we hope to see this  start here in the west and sweep the nation until one day we do have a  constitutional amendment which will return the power to the people."

 

Tennessee does not have  an initiative/referendum process but communities can adopt the Resolution! See Move to Amend's toolkit page for information, resources and model resolutions.

6 Burning Questions About the Violent Crackdowns on Occupations Around the Country | | AlterNet

Occurring without provocation, the Occupy crackdown gives the appearance of an orchestrated effort to thwart an emerging protest movement. Early morning Tuesday, in New York City, hundreds of police officers, many in riot gear, swept down on Zuccotti Park, throwing away private property, restricting press and using aggressive tactics to remove protesters and supporters. Here are some things we’d really like to know.

via www.alternet.org

If We Don't Solve the Jobs Crisis We May End Up With Our Streets in Flames and Society Dysfunctional | | AlterNet

The Fed’s policies are akin to putting a Band-Aid on a massive bleeding wound. Right now, the US economy is crushed by massive private indebtedness and sluggish job growth. What we really need are policies designed to promote job growth, so that people can service their debts and become open to spending again. Admittedly, the Fed isn’t the only problem. Our whole constellation of policy makers – the Fed, Congress, the Treasury and the White House – keep obsessing about the faux “costs” of the growing budget deficit, rather than the real costs of long term unemployment. And if they don’t give up this flawed economic thinking, then the burning streets and mass riots happening in Europe may soon be coming to a neighborhood near you.

via www.alternet.org