Here's Hoping Obama is a Fascist

To:-- Socialist Worker.Org

Re:-- The Spots on Obama's Leopard

Is Obama a Crypto Progressive??? Of course not. The real question is whether he is a fascist. I hope he is.

Has the insta-rage died down? Good. It's about time Americans got their lexicon straight and stopped using "fascist" as the equivalent of "pig" "asshole cop" and "bloody tyrant". Of course fascists have done some nasty things; so too Stalin, so too just about any monarch and certainly Rome, which did a lot of vile things. Fact is the human race is not very nice, fascism or no fascism.

Moving on to politics as such, fascism represents a middle state between rank liberalism and budding socialism. Fascism preserves private ownership of the means of production, but mandates "class cooperation" regulated business and social responsibility of Capital for "the labor soldier" as the Bismarck put it. Both Bismarck and FDR were fascists, although FDR was as lite as they come, and inclined more toward National Capitalism than any real State Socialism. That said, and given that structural definition, both the German Grundeszeit and the New Deal showed that "fascism" does not necessarily imply loss of individual rights and usually does entail tangible gains in social security.

Now, it may probably be that any politics on the ground will be superseded by the impending ecological, agricultural and consequently global economic collapse that will occur somewhere around 2030. That collapse will bear its own "electoral" impact.

But apart from that and before then, I would be contented (albeit hardly enthused) if Obama turned out not to be another neoliberal and proved himself to be as "progressive" as Bismarck

.

Joe the Dumber Never Heard of Bismarck

To:-- Truthout

Re:-- Joe the Plumber

Would that Joe the Dumber had ever heard of the Great Chancellor, who back in the 1880's [sic] coopted LaSalle's socialist platform and instituted the West's first legislation for workmen's comp., mass health care, and secure retirment. To the outraged cries of the dumbkopf's in his own party, Bismarck shrugged, "Call it socialism or what you will it's all the same to me."

It would take 5o years before FDR managed a paltry follow up, and over 100 years later we lag behind 19th century Germany. Indeed we are truly the Shining Bacon on the Hill.

===

By the way, Bimarck's one close friend was an American, John Lathrop Motley, whom he had met in his student days when the two would drink themselves under the table on July 4th in honour of “Liberty!” But you had to be young and soused.

.

Barbara Boxer Ducks, Slips & Weasels on her Own Behalf

To:--Senator Barbara (The Slip) Boxer

Re:--Boxer's Slipping Out from Under Issues

During the Bailout votes, I sent an email to Carolyn Lochhead at the SF Chronicle, asking why The Chron only reported on what Feinstein had to say on the issue. Ms. Lochhead replied as follows:

"It could be because Boxer slips out of the luncheons from a door where we reporter types don't hang out."

It seems that you spend a lot of time "slipping out" from under issues. You have never responded with a direct answer to any comment/question I have made.

Moreover you have played both sides of the fence. While you were sending one friend of mine "Peace & Freedom" progressive style emails, you were sending me Uber Patriot VFW style feeds. God only knows why, since nothing I ever said would indicate a military mind set. I guess there's always some bimbo that gives away the game.

Don't you think that it is pathetic (to say nothing of destructive to democracy) for senators to engage in issue avoidance and niche group marketing? Or maybe the only thing politicians stand up for is their own sinecure.

.

Senator Boxer Truly Tries Hard To Listen (Not)

To:-- Senator Barbara Boxer:

1. I asked you a question about medical expense deductions through one of your telephone assistants.

2. Several days later via email I got a computer generated burble about The Bailout.

3. I replied to that email with the text below, repeating my question.

4. I got a computer generated reply to that email (which your office sent) stating that I could not reply to that email but had to use this form.

ONCE AGAIN HERE IS THE GODDAM QUESTION>>>>>>>>>>>

-> Why haven't you introduced tax-legislation so as to make *all* medical expenses tax deductible from AGI without having to reach a 7% threshold and regardless of whether one itemizes other deductions

1. The current medical expense deduction is a fraud. By the time medical expenses reach 7% of AGI the taxpayer is broke anyways, on the verge of "bankruptcy" so that the IRS is only giving up on what it couldn't grasp and claw for anyway.

2. Given the fact that you have been unable to control medical costs, to provide universal health care (or even coverage) or EVEN to allow us ordinary worthless folk to participate in the same government sponsored pool you and your millionaire cronies in the Senate enjoy, you should at least allow for full deduction of our self-paid health care costs.

3. This deduction should not be tied to Sch A itemization and should be over and above the standard deduction because people who need it most (those who don't "own" mortgage interest and those who have paid off their mortgage and are on fixed incomes) usually dont itemize anyway.

This measure (among others) would be a concrete --rather than junk PR -- step toward building some true equity and progressivity into a tax structure that is a vicious and cruel game of "benefit-the-bank".

AS FOR THE BANK BAILOUT -- I remain opposed to it for the reasons called into your office before both votes. The bullshit "amendments" "pork rinds" and other bells and whistles you guys added are as irrelevant as they are insulting to our intelligence. I am not going to repeat except to say that the ONLY two people in the Senate who showed any integrity and intelligence in this matter were FEINGOLD and SANDERS. I refer you to SANDERS web page where you can read what he said about the bill and about what needs to be done. You could learn from him. I suggest you go sit at his feet for a while.

Now... answer my question about tax deductibility of medical expenses. Are you going to do some real work for non-corporate persons or are you going to try to get by with PR BS?

<<<<<<<< END OF QUESTION

Lets see what new avoidance tricks you can pull, now


.

Projecting Our Phobic Endgame onto "Them"

To:-- New York Times

Re:-- Russia's "Drastic Endgame"

Scribbler Skanker writes

In a grim finale, commanders launched three intercontinental ballistic missiles, the type that can carry multiple nuclear warheads. It was a clear signal of the drastic endgame the Kremlin might consider should its conventional forces not hold. One of the missiles flew more than 7,100 miles, allowing Russian officials to claim they had set a distance record.

If these images of Russian power projection appeared drawn from the dark decades of Dr. Strangelove, the response from Washington was anything but.

Power projection? Russian? As if power projection wasn't the cornerstone of Bush's New American Century neocon endgame -- so thuggishly expounded by your own Editorial Boards' Bill (Smirking Face) Kristol.

Someone needs to let you know what crap you print. Enjoy your ride. history turns.
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Bernie Sanders Shows Some Moxy

Dear Senator Sanders:

This message has two topics:

1) for your stance and vote on the Paulson Bailout. I read your comment on your web page and agree 100% You and Feingold were the only two senators who showed any intelligence and integrity. I have told the worthless BIMBO BOXER that represent me that she knock on your door and ask for instruction.

2) In line with concrete measures to help real people, I'd like to see a no-threshold non Schedule A medical expense deductions as explained and as stated in the attached copy of a letter to the Bimbo (Boxer) that misrepresents me.

Thanks
.

Barbara Boxer Bullshits Again

To:-- Sen. Barbara Boxer

Your reply did not respond to the issue I raised with your assistant. The question I asked was:

-> Why haven't you introduced tax-legislation so as to make *all* medical expenses tax deductible from AGI without having to reach a 7% threshold and regardless of whether one itemizes other deductions.

1. The current medical expense deduction is a fraud. By the time medical expenses reach 7% of AGI the taxpayer is broke anyways, on the verge of "bankruptcy" so that the IRS is only giving up on what it couldn't grasp and claw for anyway.

2. Given the fact that you have been unable to control medical costs, to provide universal health care (or even coverage) or EVEN to allow us ordinary worthless folk to participate in the same government sponsored pool you and your millionaire cronies in the Senate enjoy, you should at least allow for full deduction of our self-paid health care costs.

3. This deduction should not be tied to Sch A itemization and should be over and above the standard deduction because people who need it most (those who don't "own" mortgage interest and those who have paid off their mortgage and are on fixed incomes) usually dont itemize anyway.

This measure (among others) would be a concrete --rather than junk PR -- step toward building some true equity and progressivity into a tax structure that is a vicious and cruel game of "benefit-the-bank".

AS FOR THE BANK BAILOUT -- I remain opposed to it for the reasons called into your office before both votes. The bullshit "amendments" "pork rinds" and other bells and whistles you guys added are as irrelevant as they are insulting to our intelligence. I am not going to repeat except to say that the ONLY two people in the Senate who showed any integrity and intelligence in this matter were FEINGOLD and SANDERS. I refer you to SANDERS web page where you can read what he said about the bill and about what needs to be done. You could learn from him. I suggest you go sit at his feet for a while.

Now... answer my question about tax deductibility of medical expenses. Are you going to do some real work for non-corporate persons or are you going to try to get by with PR BS?

.