The Norman Goldman Show - Norm's Blog

While I Am Not A Religious Person...THIS Is Great!

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A VERY poignant and compelling statement from a black pastor on marriage equality! A MUST see!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7Ktjqf9Vi4

Donna Summer

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Donna Summer was a BIG part of the '70's and her passing so young is a tragedy.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-57436280-10391698/donna-summer-dead-at-63/?tag=breakingnews

I Continue To Agree With Myself! So Says Gov. Reset Romney!

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Our friend Alex Seitz-Wald is a very funny man - and a very good reporter. Check THIS out!

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/05/17/486254/mitt-romney-on-wright/

THIS Is How To Advocate For Marijuana Legalization!

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

How's THIS for great on marijuana legalization?

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/17/health/colorado-marijuana-initiative/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

Are These Soldiers Disloyal Or Unpatriotic?

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What do you think of THIS? I will raise it on the radio today and we'll see what happens....

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/16/11730683-us-veterans-to-return-war-medals-in-protest?lite

The Crazy Train HAS INDEED Gone Off The Rails!!

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

When one of George W's boys is saying THIS about the 'Cons, you KNOW they have checked into the psychiatric ward!

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/14/opinion/frum-mann-ornstein/index.html

A VERY Funny 2 Minute Video- Spoofing Mittens!

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

IMHO, 1 of the great music videos of all time! OK, maybe not - but still FUNNY!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/opinion/mitt-likes-music-including-this.html?_r=1&hp

The Corporate Media Is On Jamie Dimon's Side.

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Jamie Dimon is the Chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase and the last I saw the losses are over $3 billion from speculative trading. So, to balance out the corporate media spin FOR Jamie, we will have Michael Hiltzik of the LA Times on today at 3:30 Pacific to discuss his column on Jamie Dimon and JP Morgan Chase.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20120515,0,1359953.column

Politicians Are A Strange Breed!

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What is the lesson to be learned from THIS? I have some ideas, but i would LOVE to hear YOURS!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/exclusive-wisconsin-dems-furious-with-dnc-for-refusing-to-invest-big-money-in-walker-recall/2012/05/14/gIQAj6lxOU_blog.html

Our Abysmal Health Insurance System

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This is the article I was discussing, about how the world is leaving us in the dust when it comes to providing health care to their citizens.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-global-health-reform-20120512,0,4695600.story

They Are Serious - And Seriously Insane

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This is beyond stupid and ridiculous. We can make fun of these idiots, but they are SERIOUS about this nonsense. Time to kick the South out of the Union. Shoulda been done long ago.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/12/11668279-new-tennessee-law-aims-to-curb-teaching-gateway-sexual-activity?lite

NOW Can We REALLY Reform The Banking System?

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

More proof that the bank bailouts were wrong and socialism for the rich is alive and well. Too big to fail still exists and the "reforms" done after the Crash were inadequate.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/simon-johnson/jp-morgan-losses-jamie-dimon_b_1508823.html

Proof Gov. Snott Walker Lied!

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We always knew Wisconsin Gov. Snott Walker had a hidden agenda and lied when he said his actions were NOT union-busting. NOW, we have him on video admitting his dastardly plan. Proof of lying, courtesy of Alex Seitz-Wald and Think Progress.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/05/11/482680/video-walker-anti-union/

The Trade Show Of Death

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Our caller/e-mailer Sanchez sent this along - and it's DEFINITELY worth the looking....

Senor Gold Man:

While you're on the subject of WAR and frittering-away our taxes,
here's another way the Military-Industrial Complex is cashing-in:

http://www.vice.com/vice-news/sofex-the-business-of-war-full-length

Video:
SOFEX: THE BUSINESS OF WAR

EXPERIENCING THE MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX'S TRADE SHOW

"God's Chosen People".....

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

It ain't the Jews - according to many.....

Mormons and many "Christians" believe God chose them because they are "special". This from e-mailer C.M.:

"This Republican Party of Lincoln has become a party of theocracy."
U.S. Representative Christopher Shays, R-CT, (New York Times 3/23/05)

What is Dominionism? Palin, the Christian Right, & Theocracy
by cberlet
Fri Sep 05, 2008 at 06:13:19 AM PDT

http://theocracywatch.org/

Dominionism is therefore a tendency among Protestant Christian evangelicals and fundamentalists that encourages them to not only be active political participants in civic society, but also seek to dominate the political process as part of a mandate from God.

This highly politicized concept of dominionism is based on the Bible's text in Genesis 1:26:

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." (King James Version).

"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" (New International Version).

The vast majority of Christians read this text and conclude that God has appointed them stewards and caretakers of Earth. As Sara Diamond explains, however, some Christian read the text and believe, "that Christians alone are Biblically mandated to occupy all secular institutions until Christ returns." That, in a nutshell, is the idea of "dominionism."

The High School Raw Money Bully

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Is this an issue? I understand that Gov. Wretch-A-Sketch is evil, but it WAS high school. Do you give him a pass or is this symptomatic of who he is now and always has been?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/romney-bully-gay-bullying_n_1506382.html

Will The REAL Mitt Mendacity Please Stand Up?

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Mitt Mendacity is of the privileged class. Went to exclusive prep schools. Became a job-killing vulture capitalist. Treats dogs and people like they have no feelings. Has a sense of entitlement. A patrician who showed his soul with this story. IT IS RELEVANT. He is a cold blooded, heartless corporatist, with no feelings for those "beneath" him.

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/05/10/481817/mitt-romney-outed-as-anti-gay-high-school-bully/

The Secret Lives Of Nations....

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This kind of stuff happens all the time - hidden from public view. The world the elites live in diverges from ours by a lot.

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/07/11572371-report-secret-us-program-releases-afghan-insurgents-in-exchange-for-peace-pledges?lite

Two Pictures Say 2,000 Words!

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

They LOVE their Mormon, pro-gay rights, pro-abortion, RomneyCare enacting ex-Governor of Taxachusetts, don't they? Take a look!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/07/1089475/-A-tale-of-two-rallies

Is There A War On Women?

Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Republicon War On Women continues - despite their claims it's a hoax. Is THIS a hoax?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47303496/ns/us_news-life/#.T6V3ML9peCo

What War On Women? Seriously? There Is A War On Women? LOL!

Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

More on the Republicon War On Women. Texass bans Planned Parenthood. Trial court judge overturns ban. A radical, extremist George W. Bush judge in the Court of Appeal overturns trial court judge on an emergency basis (EMERGENCY BASIS!) to reinstate the Texass ban. Now, that radical judge has been himself overturned by a 3 judge panel of the Court of Appeal. Planned Parenthood back in. Score: Planned Parenthood, 2, Texass 1. But, the fight continues. Oh, and recall that this radical, extremist George W. Bush judge (based in Houston) is the same guy who demanded a letter from the Justice Department a month or so ago on the health insurance law.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-abortion-texasbre8431q8-20120504,0,4108035.story

America As Merchant Of Death

Sat, 05 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Why does the corporate media NOT talk about THIS HUGE ISSUE?

http://www.salon.com/2012/01/24/america_arms_dealer_to_the_world/

ALEC Even FURTHER EXPOSED - In Fact, TOTALLY Exposed!

Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Our friend, Alex Seitz-Wald, has unearthed THIS great story on one of our leading nemesis's (nemeses?)!

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/05/04/478253/alec-corporate-list/

How To Stream The Show To Blackberry Smart Phones!

Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We had a question on the air about streaming our show onto Blackberrys. We have apps at www.normangoldman.com for Apple and Android but not for Blackberry. SO, e-mailer Keith sent this solution:

"I use Nobex Radio on the BB. It let's me stream almost any radio station nationwide! Spread the word for others. It's FREE (data charges do apply, of course) & can be downloaded here (from the BB):

http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/811."

A Funny Anti-Healthy Insurer Video!

Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the video Jamie Court and I were just discussing on the air! It's VERY good and should go viral!

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/video/consumer-watchdog-campaign-preview-insurance-executives-dont-want-you-see

Would YOU Pay This? CAN YOU PAY THIS?

Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ann Romney in a $990 shirt! Sure, they care about us!

http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/05/ann-romney-wears-shirt-122264.html

The Doings In Chicago

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This is day #2 of our shortened show in Chicago (ditto for Thom Hartmann). In case you missed it, in Chicago, we lost the first hour (5-6 PM) and Thom Hartmann lost his last hour (4-5 PM) to a show with Jeff Santos....BUT YOU HAVE OPTIONS! We have free apps for your smartphone; free Internet streaming and podcasting, all at www.normangoldman.com and we still have the other two hours live. I don't own or control these radio stations; that's why YOU are in control with the three options at www.normangoldman.com! Sorry and thanks!!

Fox Boobs Is Unfit? Seriously?

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I thought "the news" was supposed to tell me stuff I did NOT know!! So, how to explain THIS????

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/01/11481154-rupert-murdoch-not-a-fit-person-to-run-major-firm-uk-lawmakers-say?lite

Discrimination Is a Bad Thing!

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Do you think the fact that the guy was gay had anything to do with his resignation as ROMNEY'S FOREIGN POLICY SPOKESMAN!!

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/01/11490257-romney-foreign-policy-spokesman-resigns?lite

The LA Times Article On The Looting At Lehman Bros.

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

You gotta read this for yourself! OUTRAGEOUS!!

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-compensation-20120427,0,6481155.story

Apple and Other Big Companies Don't Pay Their Fair Share Of Taxes

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the link to the article I am now discussing on the air with Bruce Mirken, of the Greenlining Institute.

http://www.greenlining.org/news/blog/2012/apple-pays-a-lower-tax-rate-than-you

Ayn Rand Wouldn't Shrug!! (Like Atlas!)

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This is the article I was discussing with Alex Seitz-Wald, of Think Progress, about Paul Ryan and Ayn Rand.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/27/paul-ryan-ayn-rand_n_1459098.html

The Low Down On Gov. Etch-A-Sketch!

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks to Pat M. who e-mailed me this link. A MARVELOUS article - in a LOCAL PAPER - about the nasty, destructive business practices of Gov. Etch-A-Sketch.

http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2012-04-19/news/mitt-romney-and-bain-capital-represent-everything-you-hate-about-capitalism/

Our Food Safety Is In Danger!

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

E-mailer S.S. sent me this link and commentary about food safety. Worth a look!

Hi Norm, Here's a link to a story about Creekstone Farms who were prohibited from testing meat. No surprise that our meat supply is tainted.

If we can't drink the water (GASFRACKING) or have a burger (MAD COW) , or give our kids fruits and veggies (E COLI). Whats left?

http://www.policymic.com/articles/7470/mad-cow-disease-testing-prevented-by-government-regulators/latest_articles

MORE Stupid Politician Tricks!

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This demonizing of the poor is outrageous and REALLY cynical politics by sleazy politicians - in this case an alleged Democrat. When they start drug testing CEO's of corporate welfare recipients I'll reconsider this condemnation.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/25/west-virginia-drug-testing-earl-ray-tomblin_n_1452042.html?utm_source=Alert-blogger&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Email%2BNotifications

Defend and Expand SOCIAL SECURITY!!????!!

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

On the show today, we will also discuss Social Security with Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times. He wants to EXPAND the program and DEFENDS IT!! GASP! Must be a commie!!

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20120425,0,1294417.column

If WOMEN Ran The United States And Wanted PAYBACK!

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

From the "Shoe-On-Other-Foot Dept.". ALL MEN should be required to watch this. No leg crossings, fellas!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNZksja0-CU

Problems With Student Loans?

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We are talking crushing student loan debt. Here are some links for you.

http://occupystudentdebt.com and:

www.defaultmovie.com.

Kyle McCarthy is our guest: kyle@occupystudentdebt.org

The John Edwards Persecution, er, Prosecution!

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Hampton Dellinger is a lawyer in North Carolina and has done an AMAZINGLY great job on the John Edwards case. You can see some of his great work here - he also has a blog and is DEFINITELY worth reading about the case. Let's give credit where credit is due!

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/04/why-the-john-edwards-trial-is-a-bigger-deal-than-you-think/255749/

Is THIS Their Idea Of "Small Government"???

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Truth be told, Republicons LOVE police-state, authoritarian, big government. This kind of government is prohibited by the Bill of Rights. When they say they love "small government" they mean only in the narrow area of economic regulation. Interestingly, the CONSTITUTION (Article I, section 8) SPECIFICALLY GIVES CONGRESS THE POWER to "regulate" commerce!

Read this for proof of the point!

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/04/09-14

Testing "Welfare Recipients" For Drugs

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the link to the Arthur Delaney/HuffPost article we discussed on the air. Why not test Wall Street and other corporate welfare recipients, like Cargill and Exxon? LOTS of cocaine will be found in the executive suites....that's where they can afford the stuff!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/23/welfare-drug-testing-georgia_n_1440167.html

Was It Just A Coincidence?

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We talked about this on the air a LOT just YESTERDAY! And here we are today, with THIS story. WHEN will we end this absurd "war on drugs"?

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/21/11319982-us-army-investigated-soldiers-over-suspected-drug-abuse-in-afghanistan-data-show?lite

This Madness Cannot Go On!

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What's the issue here? WE have TONS MORE explosives and LOTS of death machines there. You think our STAYING THERE will keep this from happening? It's our BEING THERE that is helping to CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. Get out of Afghanistan now.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/21/world/asia/afghanistan-explosives/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

We ARE Destroying The Planet....

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Overpopulation, anyone?

http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/world/road-to-rio/satellite-photos-urban-sprawl/index.html

Can We End THIS War, At Least!!???!!

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The ridiculous "war on drugs" continues. What utter stupidity! ESPECIALLY since we now know our own government was dealing cocaine.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/20/us/university-colorado-marijuana-rally/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

With Friends Like This....

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Democrats NEVER had 60 votes in the first two years of the Obama Admin. With Dems like THIS, who needs 'Cons?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/20/joe-manchin-obama-romney-vote_n_1441361.html?ref=politics

Not To Criticize The Catholic Church....

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

O.K., yes, TO criticize the Catholic Church - just WHO is speaking for Jesus, here?

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/20/11306372-catholic-nuns-group-stunned-by-vatican-scolding-for-radical-feminist-ideas?lite

More "War On Drugs" Ridculousness!

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What's even stranger than this story is that Fox Boobs did a big video on it (that link next) and actually tried to say that American troops guarding the poppy fields is GOOD. How ridiculous can it get?

http://www.naturalnews.com/034289_Afghanistan_opium_trade.html

Fox Boobs Is Doing What!?!?

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the Fox Boobs clip. Amazing. Geraldo Rivera and the shameless, breathless sycophants at Fox Boobs are telling us that night is day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_54LJMwG4E

They Said AIDS Was God's Punishment, AND...

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment, so, why isn't it "the vengeful wrath of God" when something bad happens to THEM?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/04/a-conservative-editor-and-author-andrew-breitbart-who-died-suddenly-last-month-died-of-heart-failure-and-hardening-of-arterie.html

The Government Sold Cocaine To Support An Illegal War

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We'll talk about this tomorrow with one of the guys in the middle of the action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX_-xMqg-6E

How Our Gov't Works - A Basic Primer For Mint Raw Money

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Gov. Etch-A-Sketch should read this. I abridged (below) portions of Article I of the Constitution. CONGRESS (two houses, Senate and House) decides on taxes; spends money and creates a budget - NOT THE PRESIDENT. ALL THE PRESIDENT DOES IS VETO OR SIGN what Congress passes. Sheesh dude, if you want the job, read the rules!

Article I - The Legislative Branch
Section 1 - The Legislature
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.
Section 2 - The House
The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.
No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.
Section 3 - The Senate
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, (chosen by the Legislature thereof,) (The preceding words in parentheses superseded by 17th Amendment, section 1.) for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.
No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
Section 7 - Revenue Bills, Legislative Process, Presidential Veto
All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.
Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.
Section 8 - Powers of Congress
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Freeway Ricky Ross On Friday, April 20!

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Freeway Ricky Ross on the show April 20, 2012. Tales of government drug dealing and an example of Congress outlawing a war and the President (Ronnie Boy) giving Congress the extended middle finger. A FASCINATING STORY - so, have you seen the Freeway Ricky Ross video? We'll talk with him on the show, BUT, watch THIS!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX_-xMqg-6E

Climate Change - Now At A Street ON You!

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The public is way ahead of both the scientific community and the insane Bible-thumping reality deniers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47082668/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times/#.T479BtXiFTY

Tax Fairness On The Radio Today!

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times will be with us at 3:30 Pacific to discuss THIS very interesting article on tax fairness!

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20120417,0,1294418.column

Fight The Evildoers - AND WIN!!

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Look what happens when we fight back!! My God!! WHEN YOU FIGHT BULLIES, YOU WIN!! Lesson to be learned and memo to the national Democratic Party - FIGHT!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/17/alec-retreats-stand-your-ground-laws-voter-id_n_1431531.html

Waste, Fraud and Abuse - Of Tax Dollars and Tax Payers

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This is EXACTLY the kind of thing that drives people crazy about government. And it SHOULD! Regardless of party, this MUST be a huge political issue! More about this on the show today.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/16/11228993-ex-gsa-head-apologizes-for-823000-las-vegas-spending-spree?lite

Going Green Is Real, Indeed!

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you REALLY, TRULY care about your kids and grand kids and all that whining and bellyaching about "the future" is not just political silly talk, then read THIS!

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/16/11229935-new-study-shows-just-how-green-electric-cars-are?lite

Common Sense, Facts and History HAVE TO Count for Something!

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Tax fairness is not a bad thing!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/17/business/for-economists-saez-and-piketty-the-buffett-rule-is-just-a-start.html?_r=1&hp

Do You Pay For Your T.V. Content?

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Corporate profits uber alles! I remember the dawn of cable (late 1970's) when it was supposed to be a pay service because of NO COMMERCIALS!! How'd THAT work out for you!?!? Oh yeah, and the porn. Well, THAT "grew" or "exploded"...pardon the puns!

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/10/11118954-pay-tv-costing-a-pretty-penny-and-rising?lite

Now That Ricky Is Gone....

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In the wake of Sanatorium exiting the race, the religious nuts are wondering....what now?

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/10/with-santorum-suspending-campaign-some-religious-conservatives-wonder-how-to-proceed/?hpt=hp_t1

The Teen Pregnancy Issue

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the story on the plummeting number of teen pregnancies, EXCEPT in "abstinence-only" states.

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/04/10/461402/teen-pregnancy-sex-education/

Two Americas - Black and White

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Do you see evidence of a racial divide HERE? This is on the issue of CIA trafficking in cocaine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6WK77Kx4QQ

This Global Warming Thing Is A Hoax!

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Climate change? What climate change?

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/09/us/weather-record-warm-march/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Senior Legal Analyst Needed!

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Today, we once again have to do major Senior legal Analyst time!

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/09/11100828-prosecutor-no-grand-jury-for-trayvon-martin-case?lite

THIS Is Shoddy Police Work??!!??

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

To say the Sanford, Fla. police work was "sloppy" (in the Trayvon Martin case) is the understatement of the year.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/09/trayvon-martin-cops-botched-investigation_n_1409277.html

A Senior Senator Loses His Mind - Guess Which Party He Is In?

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Two possibilities: Stupid is as stupid does. Pot calls kettle black. Do you have another possible explanation? A tough re-election race, perhaps?

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/08/11082601-sen-grassley-calls-the-president-stupid?lite

Bon Voyage To An Old "Friend"....

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Although I never met him, I felt like I knew him from all his TV work. He lived a VERY full and interesting life. I will always remember his "Biography" narrations from the late '50's which taught me SO MUCH about the world when I was a little kid, watching in the early 60's (re-runs!) on a rabbit ears, black and white TV! Safe journeys, Mike Wallace!

http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/08/11083638-60-minutes-veteran-mike-wallace-dies

An Earthquake Coming Soon To A Town Near You!

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Who needs science and facts to tell us what is happening? Where do these people get these ideas??

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2012/04/06/459711/shale-shocked-increase-midcontinent-earthquakes-almost-certainly-manmade-usgs-report/

PLUS, More About That Pesky "Science"!

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

AND, speaking of science, how can we NOT be changing the climate with all the pollution we have been dumping into the world? AND, why the increased autism and asthma is children? Could it be because we are living in a toxic environment?

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2012/04/03/457098/march-heat-records-crush-cold-records-scientists-global-warming-loaded-the-dice/

The March To Fairness Continues!

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Another step for justice!! Another judge finds the law demands equality in the law for marriage equality!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/05/same-sex-insurance-benefits_n_1405579.html

A Theologian On The Decline Of Religion

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the article that I am discussing on the air with Dr. Philip Clayton, Dean of the Claremont School of Theology. I think you will find it fascinating!

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/25/opinion/la-oe-clayton-emergingchurch-20120325

Just WHO Is Dr. Philip Clayton?

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is who Dr. Philip Clayton is:

http://philipclayton.net/

Republicons Are Job Killers Who DO HATE America!

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

They wanted to let GM go under and KILL JOBS - LOTS AND LOTS of jobs. So, will the Republicons celebrate this? Or just bash Obama for not letting GM go under?

http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/06/news/economy/treasury-gm-pay/index.htm?hpt=hp_t3

THIS Is Part Of Senior Legal Analysis!

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I think you'll enjoy this!! Think "Terri Schiavo"!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/03/obama-supreme-court_n_1401206.html

A NEW Lie From Republicon Evildoers!

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Mark R., with us on AM 760 in Denver, sent me this about the caller who claimed that 2 million people have moved from unemployment to "disability". I questioned the accuracy of this claim and here is how the evildoers operate:

This meme came from this post: http://soberlook.com/2012/02/quarter-of-workforce-droputs-go-on.html

The JPMorgan chart cited in the post is unverified as is noted here: http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-02-14/markets/31057588_1_federal-disability-sober-report-jpmorgan

I would have linked the Art Kashin post from Business Insider but I am unable to locate it on the BI website.

Anyway, it appears that someone at the blog �Sober Look' posted this graphic without linking any source and it was then repeated on Business Insider which gave it a sound of validity and was quickly picked up by others and is now a meme but still as far as I can tell is unverified.

The Attorney General's Letter to the Snotty Judge!

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Attorney General's letter is a .pdf file that can be accessed via the link embedded in this well written and accurate article! It is a great article to read (the fact that it agrees with my analysis is purely accidental!!) and even characterizes the judge's order as "homework" and the letter itself is a MUST READ!!

http://abovethelaw.com/2012/04/attorney-general-eric-holder-responds-to-judge-jerry-smiths-homework-assignment/

MORE About The New Lie From The Evildoers

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Mark R. of Denver, sent me a follow up to the "2 million people moved from unemployment to disability" claim and here is his follow up!

Norm, I found an earlier mention so this appears to be its original source: http://blog.american.com/2012/02/land-of-the-free-home-of-the-disabled-more-on-those-phony-unemployment-numbers/

That post links to this one as its source, but this one has no mention of JPMorgan or Mike Feroli, the supposed author.
http://blog.american.com/2012/02/why-the-official-8-3-percent-unemployment-rate-is-a-phony-number-and-what-it-means-for-obamas-reelection

The graphic showed up on the Feb 10 post on SoberLook but does not appear in the earlier sources.

As Thom Hartman would say... echo chamber.

When "Senior Legal Analysts" Agree!

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The guy Ed Schultz named me after - Jeffrey Toobin - is echoing what I have been saying about judges. It's nice to see "Senior Legal Analysts" agreeing!

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/74864.html

More About Animal Rescue - VERY SWEET!

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I spoke of dog and cat rescue yesterday. This short video will bring tears to your eyes. It's a VERY sweet story about a VERY poor puppy that got rescued from VERY dire circumstances. http://lybio.net/blind-dog-living-in-a-trash-pile-gets-the-most-beautiful-rescue-the-end-is-amazing/pets-and-animals/

And, As To Homeless Dogs....

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

More about animal rescue - an inspiring story of people who make a difference - Ellen DeGeneres picked up on this after a young lady got the idea and got it started. It only takes a spark to start a fire!

http://www.freekibble.com/about.asp

The Afghanistan Occupation....

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The disconnect between "the American people" and the politicians of BOTH PARTIES is incredible, tragic and WRONG!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/afghanistan-2012-campaign_b_1404009.html

My Best Interview Ever! You GOTTA Hear It!

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I just recorded a three-part interview with Prof. Lawrence Krauss - YOU WILL LOVE IT!! Republicons will HATE IT!! It is fascinating and based on this article. We play the interview today on the show.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/01/opinion/la-oe-krauss-cosmology-design-universe-20120401

We'll Talk With David Lazarus About This On The Show Today!

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Do you have a credit card? Then you need to know about this!

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20120403,0,1491024.column

Too Big To Fail Is Too Big To Exist!

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The bank bailouts of 2008 continue and are AWFUL!

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/276-74/10719-push-to-end-too-big-to-fail-goes-mainstream

Identity Theft Alert!

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

That free market is doing a heckuva job - making our identities free! So, THIS is the "great unseen hand" - robbing our identities! Ayn Rand would be proud!

http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/30/10940640-mastercard-visa-confirm-credit-card-data-theft-described-as-massive

It's A Corporate Welfare-Fest!

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We'll talk about THIS CORPORATE WELFARE DISGRACE on the show today!

http://thinkprogress.org/green/2012/03/29/454853/senators-who-voted-to-protect-oil-tax-breaks-received-23582500-from-big-oil/

Keith Olbermann Out At Current TV - It Is Bad!

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Keith Olbermann out at Current TV. What's worse, read what Keith and Al Gore wrote here - the acrimony is VERY unnecessary for our side.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/30/keith-olbermann-out-current-eliot-spitzer_n_1392513.html

Gov. Snott Walker Gets Smacked By A Federal Judge!

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Union busting ain't as easy as it looks, Governor!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/30/scott-walker-anti-union-law_n_1392372.html

Do YOU See The Hand Of God Working Here?

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Why Kansass?

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/29/10920581-softball-sized-hail-smashes-windshields-in-kansas

Want Some Specifics About Corporate Welfare?

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

How about examples of BILLIONS in oil company corporate welfare? Sit down when you read this and I hope you have not eaten recently.

http://www.cps-news.com/wp-content/corporate-welfare/Oil-and-Gas-Industry-Subsidies.html

Congressional Corruption BIG TIME!

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Want to know who owns Congress? Take a look:

http://thinkprogress.org/green/2012/03/29/454853/senators-who-voted-to-protect-oil-tax-breaks-received-23582500-from-big-oil/

What's Good For The Goose OUGHT To Be....

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If a white Republicon had done this, no problem. BUT, a BLACK guy, invoking RELIGION, to DEFEND a black kid? OMG, we can't allow THAT! More on this on the show today!

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/28/10904941-congressman-escorted-from-house-after-wearing-hoodie-in-trayvon-martin-tribute

A Picture Says A 1,000 Words, BUT....

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A video says 10,000 words! Here is the link to the video. It certainly appears George Zimmerman was NOT bleeding and was UNHURT, immediately after the murder of Trayvon Martin. Look for yourself!

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/trayvon-martin-case-exclusive-surveillance-video-george-zimmerman/story?id=16022897#.T3O_ZY5qOSE

Looking At The Supreme Court On Health Insurance

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

It is nice to see the New York Times agreeing with my analysis!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/28/us/hard-questions-from-conservative-justices-over-insurance-mandate.html?_r=1&hp

The Counter Attack Against Trayvon Martin - How Low Will They Go?

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The answer is VERY LOW.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/03/26/452310/what-everyone-needs-to-know-about-the-smear-campaign-against-trayvon-martin-1995-2012/

A Picture REALLY Does Say A 1,000 Words

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Now THIS is criminal. What BP did to the Gulf - this picture will turn your stomach. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46860353/ns/us_news-environment/#.T3EJ_Y5qOhg

The Supreme Court Has REALLY Changed - For The Worse!

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This is a bit old, but DEFINITELY worth your time and attention - given all the Supreme Court watching we are now doing!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/us/25roberts.html?pagewanted=all

This Is How Lawyers Work - Even When Defending Bad Guys!

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is a classic example of a lawyer doing his best for a client - work with the facts and come up with your best arguments. Even Zimmerman's lawyer sees trouble with "stand your ground" and is going back to "self-defense".

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/24/justice/florida-teen-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

"If I Had A Son...."

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The President is weighing in on the Trayvon Martin case.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/23/10828484-obama-if-i-had-a-son-hed-look-like-trayvon

Has Sanatorium Found Sanity?

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

No. Nevertheless, Sanatorium is actually wrong on this - but - it's STILL the sanest thing he's said in years!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/santorum-says-voters-might-as-well-re-elect-obama-because-romney-offers-little-difference/2012/03/22/gIQAP8ISUS_story.html

Another Friday In Afghanistan....ANOTHER $2 BILLION Gone

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

THIS won't change the fact that we need to GET OUT!!

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/23/10830389-staff-sgt-robert-bales-charged-with-17-counts-of-murder-in-afghanistan-massacre

Be Careful About Online Dating!

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We will talk live with the author of this VERY interesting article in 3 minutes on the show! If you miss it, blame yourself! AND PODCAST IT FOR $5 a month at www.normangoldman.com

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20120323,0,3947160,print.column

I Have Done Beyond The Norms On This!

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Note to self and all my friends. DON'T DO THIS!

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/22/10809823-woman-busted-after-bragging-about-avoiding-jury-duty

Will The Sanford Police Chief Be Back?

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In my humble opinion: The odds of the chief returning to his job? Zero.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/22/10808864-police-chief-steps-down-temporarily-over-handling-of-trayvon-martin-case

The Media World Is Changing Rapidly....

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The whole world is changing VERY rapidly. How people listen to content is evolving VERY quickly. That is why we have podcasts and phone apps and Internet streaming and soon to stream live on Facebook!

http://stateofthemedia.org/2012/audio-how-far-will-digital-go/

Will Jesus "Play" There?

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I wonder how Jets' fans will react to Tebow's religious displays. That ain't the market for it, at least to my observation. Jet fans are hardcore - they make Giants fans look tame!

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/21/jets-acquire-tim-tebow-from-broncos-for-fourth-round-pick/related/

Question: How Many Will Fall For This?

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/21/mitt-romney-george-bush_n_1371073.html

We Have To Add Another "G"!

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Guns, Gods, Gays....and GYNECOLOGY!!!

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/03/21/448772/arizona-lawmaker-women-should-watch-an-abortion-being-performed-prior-to-having-it/

The Florida Law In The Trayvon Martin Case

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the law in Florida - the "Stand Your Ground Law" that is being discussed now on the air. Read it slowly....it starts with the "Castle Law" re-stated. Subsection (d) (3) is where the key stuff for this case starts.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0700-0799/0776/Sections/0776.013.html

More Evidence To Consider In The Case

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the link to the HuffPost article with important new evidence on the Trayvon Martin case.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/20/trayvon-martin-final-moments_n_1366697.html

The Trayvon Martin Case AND Investigative Journalism

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

On the Trayvon Martin shooting, check out THIS from Think Progress - and the Miami Herald deserves credit, too!

http://thinkprogress.org/progress-report/the-tragedy-of-trayvon-martin/?mobile=nc

The British Have This Figured Out!

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This is VERY funny! Better to laugh than cry! Thanks to Matt R. in SF for sharing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOzR3UAyXao

Would THIS Be An Interesting Topic For The Show?

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Would this be an interesting topic to do on the show next week?

http://entertainment.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/16/10721921-weatherman-sues-cbs-for-hiring-young-attractive-women

Massacre As Metaphor?

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What do you think of THIS????? Does it have merit? YOU KNOW THE 'CONS will say "see, they hate America"....

http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2012/03/15/massacre-as-metaphor/

It's a BIG DEAL When THEY Are Offended!

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What if it were Ronald Reagan's picture? They're just angry they didn't think of it first!

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/15/10702389-obamas-image-on-american-flag-angers-vets

Government Sachs Or Criminal Sachs?

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I would not be surprised if Goldman Sachs sues the guy for this. That's how they roll...or roil!

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/15/10700472-goldman-sachs-roiled-by-muppetgate-loses-2-billion

The Evildoers Never Stop!

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Republicon culture wars and war on women continue.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/15/us-wisconsin-abortion-idUSBRE82E0T420120315

Alabama and Mississippi Show, Again, The Weakness of Mint!

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The 1% didn't pick a very good candidate. Dude's been found out even by the dummies in his party!

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/14/10683871-first-thoughts-the-race-goes-on

Ever Wonder Why People Hate Politicians?

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is more proof - another disgraceful thing that makes people HATE politicians! And rightfully so!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505145_162-57396609/states-diverting-foreclosure-settlement-funds/?tag=exclsv

Tonight's LIVE Event In San Francisco!

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you are in the SF Bay area today, Wednesday, March 14, at 6:00 in the evening, join me in person here!

https://orgsync.com/14855/events/353597/show

Does This Number Surprise You?

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

For my part, I am surprised the number is not higher. Seriously.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/12/obama-religion-mississippi-alabama_n_1338990.html

It's NOT Just Limbaugh Anymore!

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Our friends over at Think Progress did a GREAT job unearthing THIS! Is a sea change happening in talk radio? It is spreading beyond just Limbaugh.

http://thinkprogress.org/media/2012/03/12/442673/141-companies-advertisng-rush-limbaugh/

Cannot Blame The Taliban For This....

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We simply MUST get out of Afghanistan - NOW!

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/11/10639152-us-soldier-kills-16-afghan-civilians-officials-say

The Movie "Game Change" About Sarah Palin

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Saw it last night. VERY scary. Palin even worse than we knew from our own observation at the time.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/03/former-sarah-palin-adviser-says-game-change-was-true-enough-to-make-me-squirm/

Republicons Alienating Women?

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This should be no surprise.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/us/politics/centrist-women-tell-of-disenchantment-with-gop.html?_r=1&hp

Limbaugh's Influence Is Spreading - In A Good Way This Time!

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Limbaugh hate speech fallout is spreading. Now it's on to the Limbaugh impersonators.

http://thinkprogress.org/media/2012/03/10/442048/breaking-98-major-advertisers-dump-rush-limbaugh/

It's Easy To SAY THE WORDS "Freedom and Liberty".....

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Is THIS "freedom and liberty" in action? If government forces health care to be rendered, is THAT an infringement on "freedom and liberty"?

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/09/parents-charged-in-death-of-teen/

My Live Debate In San Francisco!

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you are in the San Francisco Bay area next Wednesday, March 14, join me here!

https://orgsync.com/14855/events/353597/show

Proof They Live In An Echo Chamber!

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

While they TRY to be snarky, all they do is prove their own ignorance. This is all over the Internet and was sent to me by an e-mailer. I will respond today on the air!

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/01/m-i_finally_understand_democrats.html

NOW Will The 'Cons Hate The Filibuster?

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Live by the filibuster, die by the filibuster. It STILL needs to be abolished, this crapola notwithstanding.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/08/politics/senate-keystone-vote/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

No Nukes! (Not In Japan, At Least)

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

When will WE get off this toxic dead end?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/09/world/asia/japan-shutting-down-its-nuclear-power-industry.html?_r=1&hp

Limbaugh Is In Trouble Big Time!

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Have you seen THIS? Are the wheels coming off the Limbaugh clown car??

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/03/08/441172/rush-limbaugh-radio-silence/

I Just Asked The Question!!

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I asked, was Jesus gay and all hell (pardon the pun) broker loose. Then, there was this from Paul in Washington State:

Norm,
I got you covered, dude, and you know I speaketh truth.
The disciple whom Jesus loved was, John, a.k.a. John the Evangelist. It shocks me how little Christians know about their own book, let alone steal yours, and tell you what it means. I think maybe Abby Hoffman wrote the New Testament.

From Wikipedia
The phrase the disciple whom Jesus loved (Greek: ο μαθητης ον ηγαπα ο Ιησους, o mathētēs on ēgapa o Iēsous) or, in John 20:2, the Beloved Disciple (Greek: ον εφιλει ο Ιησους, on ephilei o Iēsous) is used five times in the Gospel of John,[1] but in no other New Testament accounts of Jesus. John 21:24 claims that the Gospel of John is based on the written testimony of the "Beloved Disciple".

Since the end of the 1st century, the Beloved Disciple has been considered to be John the Evangelist.[2] Scholars have debated the authorship of the Johannine works (the Gospel of John, First, Second, and Third epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation) since at least the 3rd century, but especially since the Enlightenment.

Many modern scholars now believe that he wrote none of them.

John could not have written any of the New Testament because he could not read, or write, and especially not in Greek since he spoke Aramaic, and this is actually noted in the Book of Acts 4:13
13

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took note concerning them that they had been with Jesus.
John 13:23

23Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.

John 21:24

24This is the disciple who testifieth of these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

Paul,

WA

He REALLY IS a Boner!

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Rachel Maddow says it best: John Boner is bad at his job.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/73801.html

A Sane Republicon? Can It Be?

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Well, SHE is retiring....

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/03/08/440746/ny-gop-lawmaker-women-back-decades/

This Is Our Present AND Future

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the new economy. Get the message: We are all being squeezed.

http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/07/10600839-paychecks-for-young-adults-getting-slimmer

On The Issue Of "Are Fetuses "Human"???

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Hey, what do you think of THIS???!!!?? Most states don't give birth certificates to miscarried fetuses before 20 weeks - the STATES don't consider them people!!

http://hopeinmiscarriage.blogspot.com/2007/06/burying-miscarried-babies.html

and THIS:

AND, check THIS out!

http://community.babycenter.com/post/a21467597/what_did_you_do_with_your_miscarried_baby

The Story of Joe!

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

It got a big response when I played it on the air today. So, here is the story of Joe and Thank YOU, Thom Hartmann!!

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/thom-hartmann-day-life-joe-middle-class-re

Here is the transcript!

One of my favorites from Thom Hartman. His recital of John Gray's Day in the Life of Joe Middle-Class Republican:

"A Day in the Life of Joe Middle-Class Republican"

Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised.

All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn't think he should loose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

Its noon time, Joe needs to make a Bank Deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FDIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the depression.

Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time.

Joe is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republican's would still be sitting in the dark)

He is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home.

He turns on a radio talk show, the host's keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn't tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day) Joe agrees, "We don't need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I'm a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have".

Is THIS The Work Of God???

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

God ordered the Governor to do this, no??

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-va-gov-bob-mcdonnell-signs-preabortion-ultrasound-bill-into-law-20120307,0,4406730.story

Now The Other One Wants The Other One Out!

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

First, the Newtmare demanded Sanatorium get out. Now the shoe is on the other foot. Best of luck with that, Rick. It ain't happening. Newt's ego is FAR too big.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/73764.html

Fair and Balanced?!? Really? Seriously?

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Hate speech streamed to the troops? For decades? You betcha. It was a battle to get Ed Schultz on for "balance". Now, it's time for REAL balance.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2012/03/military-petition-seeks-to-oust-rush-limbaugh-afn-radio-030512w/

Where Is The Standard Being Applied HERE?

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Why can THIS happen with no consequences?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naRpIr9l3YQ

The REPUBLICONS Are Saying This!

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

About their own candidates!

Here are some of the words used BY REPUBLICONS to describe their own candidates for the presidential nomination: "Unenthusiastic," "discouraged," "lesser of two evils," "painful," "disappointed," "poor choices," "concerned," "underwhelmed," "uninspiring" and "depressed."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/04/10578249-nbcwsj-poll-primary-season-takes-corrosive-toll-on-gop-and-its-candidates

Andrew Breitbart Is Dead

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The extremist nut bags are populating blogs and websites continuing to demonize and vilify us in this imbecile's name. SO, from the 'payback-is-a-bitch department': Proof there is a God. An evildoer has been struck down. He will burn in Hell with Jesse Helms, Strom Thurmond and so many other miserable rats.

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/01/editor-of-breitbart-com-says-andrew-breitbart-has-died/?hp

Rolling Stone On Andrew Breitbart's Death

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This is Matt Taibbi - beware - the language is rough and crude.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/andrew-breitbart-death-of-a-douche-20120301

Is This Breitbart's Poetic Justice?

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

So, Breitbart reacted thusly to the death of Ted Kennedy. Is it payback time? Thanks, Daily Kos!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/01/1069816/-Use-the-Breitbart-example-?via=sidebar

You WILL Be Moved and Inspired!

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I received an e-mail from Marie and this is her story. It is VERY short, and VERY compelling. Would you help me get this out and viral, please? Her courage and maturity inspire me and will inspire you, too!

http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=723095#.T05vhPXpd4I

Facts Can Be VERY Stubborn Things!

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

And nuisances, too - for people who have views contrary to the facts!!

For those who are sick of the South, here is more fodder for us: http://www.alternet.org/visions/154338/ayn_rand_worshippers_should_face_facts:_blue_states_are_the_providers,_red_states_are_the_parasites?page=entire

Do They REALLY Believe In "Personal Responsibility"??

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

On the gun issue: What about that "personal responsibility" you Republicon "hold people accountable" types?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46580398/#.T07dLsxqOSE

Check Me Out In The Press!

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the link to the news article about my speech last night to the Kane County Democratic Party. Note the dopey picture!

http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/10861185-417/kane-democrats-told-area-is-ground-zero-for-key-elections.html

What Do You Think Of THIS Idea? I Think....

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

It is ingenious! Perhaps this is a new solution to a huge problem - or at least a partial solution! Pass it along....

http://www.wimp.com/lightenup/

When Will We Wake Up And Leave?

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

How many more of these will we be forced to endure before we get out of there?

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/25/world/asia/afghanistan-americans-killed/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

A GREAT Article Well Worth A Few Minutes!

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I am a huge fan of Matt Taibbi. This is one of his best ever - and THAT is a VERY high standard! He even uses my word - Justice - and he is correct! This is what they have devolved into....it's anti-evolution. They have regressed to primordial ooze.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/arizona-debate-conservative-chickens-come-home-to-roost-20120223

When The Shoe Is On The Other Foot!

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I am fascinated at how people can dismiss the feelings, pain and objections of others, but when it's THEM....you know how the rednecks freak out over flag burning? This is kind of like THAT!

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-02-23/obama-apologizes-for-koran-burning-as-afghan-riots-continue.html

All Dead Mormons Are Now Gay?!?!?

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

You have GOT to see this!

http://www.alldeadmormonsarenowgay.com/

Maryland Does Justice!

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Shouldn't all marriages be gay?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/23/maryland-gay-marriage-bill_n_1297910.html

Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush....and so on!

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Of COURSE, Satan is real. Have you SEEN Rick Sanatorium?

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/22/10478701-devil-in-the-details-santorum-hardly-alone-in-belief-in-satan

We Do Consumer Protection Big Time Around Here!

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Are you a consumer? If so, here is a GREAT article on consumer protection by our friend David Lazarus!

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20120221,0,1228878.column

How Many More Before They All Wake Up?

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

YET ANOTHER from the "Party of God" exposed for the grotesque hypocrisy that is THEM. The American Taliban loses another!

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-sheriff-babeu-20120219,0,182908.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fmostviewed+%28L.A.+Times+-+Most+Viewed+Stories%29

They Are In Need Of Psychiatric Help!

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

It's called "projection" and they need to be in therapy about it! Until then, enjoy/recognize the spectacle - these racist radicals are a riot! They accuse us of EVERYTHING they do! Check THIS out!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/16/pat-buchanan-msnbc-part-ways_n_1283483.html

We Need Proof He Is Psychologically Fit....

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

According to Rick Sanatorium, President Obama is a secret Muslim, who hates America and is hell-bent on social engineering this nation into the grave. Can a demand for his birth certificate be far behind?

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/18/santorum-obama-leads-with-a-different-theology/?hpt=hp_t3

How Would You Decide This Case?

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Someone lies about military honors and service and is a criminal for it. Is this free speech or punishable as a crime?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/story/2012-02-19/stolen-valor-supreme-court/53149024/1

ANOTHER Huge Societal Trend....

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

THIS will DEFINITELY drive Rick Sanatorium and his fellow lunatics INSANE. Well, they already ARE - but this will push them further.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46438194/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times/#.T0AK7fVkiq0

The Culture Wars Are A Great Wedge Issue - FOR US!

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The polling on this is dreadful for the 'Cons. So, I will keep talking about it and we can drive the gender gap into unbelievable levels!

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/17/10434132-first-thoughts-shades-of-schiavo

Paul Krugman - "Moochers Against Welfare"!

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Thank you, Facebook friend Donald Wilson, for the heads up on this GREAT Krugman article!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/opinion/krugman-moochers-against-welfare.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=paul%20krugman&st=cse

Bayer Aspirin!

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I think you'll enjoy this - Bayer aspiring will never be so popular! LOL!!

http://agendaproject.tumblr.com/post/17778747202/bayer-launches-new-multi-million-dollar-campaign

While We Are Jailing Terrorists....

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Now, can we put George W. Bush and Dick Cheney in there with him? Three terrorists, one cell?

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/16/justice/michigan-underwear-bomber-sentencing/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

If There Was No Gun....

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Would this guy be dead?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57379196-504083/neighbor-dispute-over-dog-waste-in-philadelphia-ends-in-fatal-shooting/?tag=stack

This Isn't Like The Republicons!

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

TOTAL cave by the Republicons. Question: WHY? Answer? Today on the radio! http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/15/us/politics/obama-welcomes-signs-of-progress-on-payroll-tax-cut.html?_r=1&hp

Hypocrites and "Tort Reform"

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I spoke about this during today's show opening. Here is the link to the article.

centerjd.org/system/files/Hypocrites2.pdf

After The Rationale Is Gone...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Kind of like "After The Thrill Is Gone" but worse...can you guess why this is? I have some ideas and we'll discuss on the show today!

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/14/santorum-is-tied-with-romney-in-new-poll/?hp

THIS Is From Fox Boobs?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I don't often post anything from Fox Boobs, but THIS seems to be a cry of despair and THAT is nice to see.....

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/02/10/gop-may-not-deserve-to-win-in-2012/?intcmp=obnetwork#ixzz1mH3lmBsp

We'll Talk About This On The Show Today!

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you don't read this article about the bank deal from last week, blame yourself!

http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-hiltzik-20120212,0,7852934.column

The Catholic Bishops Are Talking...Want To Talk Back?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Catholic Conference of Bishops is asking people to lobby Congress. perhaps people would like to lobby the Bishops. There IS a contact page. Please be respectful - that is my request.

http://usccb.org/

There Should Be A Flip-Flop Hall of Fame!

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If there were, this one would go down in the Flip-Flop Hall of Fame as one of the flippiest, floppiest flips flops of all time!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/14/us/politics/house-republicans-consider-extending-payroll-tax-cut-alone.html?_r=1&hp

Politico Has The Flip-Flop Even More Documented!

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Politico goes even further than the NY Times is willing to go. Politico says, well, take a look for yourself - they say the 'Cons are in an uproar!

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72821.html

Have You Ever Considered The Concept of "Private Taxes"??

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What if THE GOVERNMENT (GASP - THE GOVERNMENT!!) raised the gas tax 12 cents in the last 3 weeks? Private taxes are OK? Private corporations abusing their market power to impose extra taxes? Public taxes not so much?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46360396/ns/business-oil_and_energy/

I Doubt Herman Cain Would Say This, BUT...

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you are not a big fan of Rachel Maddow....blame yourself!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/rachel-maddow-the-gop-war-on-birth-control/2012/02/10/gIQAbZ734Q_story.html?hpid=z2

The Maine Caucus Was Held In A Closet!

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Raw Money ekes out a tiny victory with a tiny turnout and the corporate media anoints him King? C'mon! LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS. From the NY Times: "Mr. Romney scraped by Mr. Paul by just 194 votes. But the total number cast was less than 6,000 - about 2 percent of registered Republicans in the state." From HuffPost: "At a gathering in Portland, state Republican Chairman Charlie Webster announced Romney had won with 2,190 votes compared to 1,996 for Paul, the only other candidate to aggressively compete in the state. Rick Santorum received 989 votes and Newt Gingrich won 349, but neither actively campaigned there."

I have more people on my block in LA.

Shame On Gutless Political ALLEGED "Leaders"

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

THIS issue is TOTALLY off the radar screen and that fact is a DISGRACE.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46316454/ns/today-today_rossen_reports/#.TzP-e_n4KHE

When They Say This, I am HAPPY!

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Proof that we are winning - they are whining!!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57374113-503544/mcconnell-blasts-democrats-for-releasing-liberal-thugs-on-conservatives/?tag=exclsv

He Got Creamed By Another Loser!

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

To show you just how weak Mint Raw Money is....

http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/07/10343305-santorum-gets-second-wind-with-sweep-in-minn-mo-colo

If You Wonder Why....

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I criticize the President, here is a good example:

Headline: President appeases terrorists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/health/policy/obama-addresses-ire-on-health-insurance-contraception-rule.html?_r=1&hp

About That Resignation At Komen For The Cure....

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Even CNN gets it right every once in awhile! Read THIS and understand why it is STILL NOT OK to help Komen.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/07/opinion/king-komen/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

I Would LOVE To See....

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

President Obama's re-election team do EXACTLY to Mint Raw Money what George W. Bush did to John Kerry. And, it looks like they will.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/us/politics/obama-campaign-on-lookout-for-romney-flubs.html?_r=1&hp

In Honor of Etta James...."At Last"....

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

At least, for once, one of them admitted the truth of the scam!

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/02/06/419907/trader-paid-much-doing-little/

I Can't Wait To See THESE T.V. Commercials!

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

People who live in glass corporate subsidies shouldn't throw stones!

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72498.html

How's That Empire Working Out For Ya?

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The "cost" of an empire is FAR more than the $$ spent ON the empire!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/02/us-infrastructure-deficit_n_1250886.html

We Just Cannot Afford These Workers! CUT THEIR RETIREMENT!!

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Where are the Republicon governors who LOVE busting unions, on THIS story? Will we hear their demands for cuts HERE????

http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/story/2012-01-26/military-officers-pensions/52939598/1?loc=interstitialskip

The Kochs Are At It Again!

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

From listener Tom S. In Asheville, N.C.:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/03/koch-brothers-100-million-obama_n_1250828.html
Koch Brothers, Allies Pledge $100 Million At Private Meeting To Beat Obama

WASHINGTON -- At a private three-day retreat in California last weekend, conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch and about 250 to 300 other individuals pledged approximately $100 million to defeat President Obama in the 2012 elections.

A source who was in the room when the pledges were made told The Huffington Post that, specifically, Charles Koch pledged $40 million and David pledged $20 million.

The semi-annual, invitation-only meeting attracts wealthy donors, Republican politicians and conservative activists. Last year, hundreds of activists gathered outside the walled-off resort to protest the meeting. This year, however, the conference went off quietly.

"Conference organizers and their guests successfully slipped in and out of the Coachella Valley without being detected, by buying out nearly all of the 500-plus rooms at the Renaissance Esmeralda resort in Indian Wells," reported The Desert Sun. "The resort closed its restaurants, locked down the grounds with private security guards and sent many workers home."

This is the ninth straight year the Kochs have hosted the conference. As Politico reported last year, the meetings often adjourn "after soliciting pledges of support from the donors -- sometimes totaling as much as $50 million -- to nonprofit groups favored by the Kochs."

The fact that the wealthy conservative donors pledged $100 million for the 2012 elections shows how intent they are on trying to get Obama out of office -- and previews how intense, and likely nasty, the general election will be.

There are limits on how much an individual can give to a political candidate. Therefore, much of the money pledged at the recent gathering will likely go to super PACs or nonprofits that can spend and accept unlimited amounts of funds. GOP primary voters have already gotten a glimpse of how the political system looks with super PACs around: record amounts of money spent on a large number of negative ads in the early primary states.

The source told The Huffington Post that they lamented the direction the conference has taken over the years. They said it used to be about "conservative strategy" and building a movement, but now it was mostly an "alpha male" spectacle focused on fundraising to beat Obama.

The Koch brothers have been the major donors behind many Republican candidates, the Tea Party movement and efforts to discredit the science around man-made global warming. Democrats frequently highlight the brothers to fundraise, and the first TV ad of the Obama reelection campaign invoked them as "secretive oil billionaires attacking President Obama with ads fact checkers say are not tethered to the facts."

Also at the conference was Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of the Citadel Investment Group. He supported Obama in 2008, leading his employees to contribute more than $205,000 to the campaign. By the time of the election, however, he had switched his allegiance to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Since the election, he has openly discussed his "frustration" with Obama's policies, stating that he is "greatly concerned about the fiscal instability of the U.S." In the fourth quarter of 2011, Citadel employees completely abandoned Obama, contributing nothing to his campaign while giving $120,500 to presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The Center for Public Integrity also reported that for the first time, Las Vegas casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson attended the conference. Adelson and his family are largely bankrolling Newt Gingrich's presidential run, with Adelson and his wife, Miriam, having given the pro-Gingrich super PAC Winning Our Future $10 million just this year.

Koch Industries did not return a request for comment.

Our Crumbling Nation....

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This is the story about our crumbling nation that very much needs to be put up front in the national dialogue!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/02/us-infrastructure-deficit_n_1250886.html

Recognize Evil When It Comes For You....

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

THIS IS WHAT WE ARE UP AGAINST!! Read and understand the evil.....

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/elisabethmeinecke/2011/03/30/planned_parenthood_exposed_in_mammogram_fraud

And There Is More Evil...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

They unleash LOTS of evil on us....so, speaking of evil....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/03/koch-brothers-100-million-obama_n_1250828.html

How About A Glass Of Champagne?

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

House "Speaker" (in name only) John Boner is a true Christian. Cold hearted. Mean spirited and nasty. Just what kind of "family values" do these people have when they turn their backs on millions of their struggling neighbors?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/john-boehner-homeowners-underwater-mortgages_n_1247755.html

Is This The End For Komen?

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Komen has been infiltrated, grossly politicized and will, sadly, be a poster child for how to destroy an organization.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46228814/ns/health-womens_health/#.Typeqfn4KHE

Ron Paul Is A Fraud - Another Establishment Con Man

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Think I'm overstating the case? Read THIS!

http://www.bendbulletin.com/article/20120202/NEWS0107/202020407/

The 14 Characteristics of Fascism

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you have not seen this, blame yourself! Kidding aside, please read this - does any of it sound familiar?

http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/fasci14chars.html

The Susan G. Komen Story

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is what Crooks and Liars wrote about the Komen story - good analysis.

http://crooksandliars.com/clsphinx?keys=komen

Civics Class Time Today!

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

It's like having a crystal ball: "I see a civics lesson coming up in today's show...."

http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/31/10279530-report-us-deficit-falls-slightly-to-11-trillion

As Herman Cain Says: "Blame Yourself!"

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is a true and thoughtful reflection on why/how the Republicon Party has come to its current state of miserableness! Blame yourself!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/establishment-republicans-have-only-themselves-to-blame/2012/01/30/gIQAmECOdQ_story.html?hpid=z2

The State Of Our Union - Not Good!

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the story I just did on the air - 43% of Americans are one crisis away from poverty, not counting the 15% already there!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/31/working-poor-liquid-asset-poverty_n_1243152.html

The Incredible Greed Of ExxonMobil

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Please make this story go viral - spread this far and wide. The amazingly breathtaking greed here MUST be known to ALL Americans!

http://thinkprogress.org/green/2012/01/31/415242/exxonmobil-made-411-billion-in-2011-but-pays-estimated-176-percent-tax-rate/

SOME Of The Music We Play On The Show

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

These are some of the six minute songs we play at the beginning of each hour....more to follow....stay tuned!

After the Love is Gone - Earth, Wind and Fire
Aja (Studio version) - Steely Dan
All Right Now - Free
American Pie - Don McLean
Backstreets - Bruce Springsteen

Some MORE Of The Music We Play On The Show

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

These are called "returns" because we play them after the commercial break ends and we return to the show. Please note that, to qualify as a return, a song needs at least a 10 second music "bed" or singer-less/vocal-less introduction, so that the radio stations down the line can play THEIR promos OVER the music "bed". I also want to "play the hits" as the radio people say it (whether music or otherwise, you gotta play the hits) so the songs HAVE TO BE INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE HITS.

One more note on the returns: This is my music - the music I grew up with and loved as a young (dare I say younger?) man! This music tells you who I am and where my musical tastes are - I hope they are yours, too!

Title Artist
1 2 3 Len Barry
10th Ave Freezeout Bruce Springsteen
1999 Prince
25 or 6 to 4 Chicago
A Woman in Love Tom Petty
Another One Bites The Dust Queen
Abacab Genesis
Abracadabra Steve Miller Band
Addicted to Love Robert Palmer
Africa Toto

Apple Expoliting Children To Make the iPhone

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the link to the story I just did on China and Apple. Let's give credit to CBS for having the courage to do this story - they are a corporate media titan but at least they had the guts to tackle this story!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57367950/the-dark-side-of-shiny-apple-products/

Darn Proud Of Alex Seitz Wald!

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Our friend, regular Friday guest and occasional guest host, Alex Seitz Wald, spoke with us on the air about this a few weeks ago. Now, here it is!

http://www.thenation.com/article/165938/how-newt-gingrich-crippled-congress

About That Roman Catholic Church Story....

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

While the main source is the Business Insider, here is a good summary from CBS News, including a verbatim transcript of the letter read from the Roman Catholic Church pulpits yesterday, regarding the Church opposing the President's health insurance law including birth control in the package of benefits provided.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57368259-503544/catholics-hear-anti-obama-letter-in-church/

Stopping Insider Trading In Congress??

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What do you think are the odds of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES passing this? I say "quite low". This has all the makings of a "pass it in one house and we'll kill it in the other" deal. BUT I HOPE I AM WRONG!!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57368469-503544/stock-act-advances-in-the-senate/?tag=exclsv

A WONDERFUL Short Video!

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you don't know Roy Zimmerman, blame yourself! I love this guy and you'll love this short video! Let's PLEASE make this VIRAL!! Join me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ege_RBhh37A

A Fascinating Legal Case For You!

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Senior Legal Analyst time today - what do you think of THIS case????

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46160046/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times/#.TyL_Qflkiq0

It'll Be a Newtmare!!!

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the article I have been talking about during the show - showing WHY Larry Sabato is referring to a nomination of Gingrich as a "Newtmare".

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/the-gop%E2%80%99s-electoral-college-newt-mare/

The Future Is Arriving!

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

And, it is as violent as the movies....remember the "hunter killers" from the old "Terminator" movies, with former Gov. Schwarzenegger? Well, they are now arriving at a target near you! http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-auto-drone-20120126,0,740306.story

Mint Raw Money Is Their OBVIOUS Choice!

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Empire Is Striking Back - BIG TIME!! Check THIS out!! http://newtexposed.com/

A Political Show Trial

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I don't know why they are worried. This is for political show in an election year. NOTHING will come from it. IF the Administration were serious, this would have happened 3 years ago.

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/26/10244290-banks-square-in-mortgage-fraud-crosshairs-again

Republicons Hate America!

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

AMAZING! Republicons attack an iconic American company! If this were Dems doing it, the HOWLS of "unpatriotic" would be at very high decibels! Politics and victory at ANY price - YOUR Republicon Party!

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/25/10233282-chevy-volt-caught-in-washingtons-crossfire

He'll Claim To Be One Of The 14%!!!

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

There is so much here that we will need extended time on the radio today to discuss and analyze!

http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/24/10221567-mitt-romneys-tax-returns-he-earned-425-million-is-paying-62-million-in-taxes

What Is A Big Thing Shown Here?

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The NY Times did this GREAT chart of the tax situations of the President; Gingrinch and Mint Raw Money (a name even MORE appropriate now!) and that chart is here. Question: what is a huge issue that this chart shows? I will answer the question on the air today!

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/01/24/us/politics/the-candidates-tax-returns.html

We Don't Call Him Mint Raw Money For Nothing!

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Take a look at the chart in this story - "the American people" get it - there should be one tax rate and none of this fancy accounting that lets Mint Raw Money well, MINT RAW MONEY!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57364811-503544/most-americans-agree-with-buffett-rule-concept-poll-shows/?tag=stack

A BIG Surprise From The Supreme Court!

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A MAJOR, MAJOR ruling from the Supreme Court today. Senior Legal Analyst time, BIG TIME today on the radio!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46101025/ns/technology_and_science-security/#.Tx2N-Pn4KHE

The Supreme Court WANTED This Result!

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This is the result of the disgraceful Citizens United case. That's $10 MILLION DOLLARS from two people.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/24/us/politics/super-pac-for-gingrich-to-get-5-million-infusion.html?_r=1&hp

It's Time For Him To Face Cold, Hard Facts

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Mint Raw Money is going to have to accept that his religion is a BIG problem with the nut bags. They would rather vote for a thrice married, cheating, philandering, religion hopping "Christian" blow hard than a faithful, chaste Mormon.

http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/21/10207804-conservatives-evangelical-christians-rebuff-romney-in-south-carolina

Numbers Tell Quite A Story!

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

2/3 of the So. Carolina voters claim to be "evangelicals" and most of them voted for Gingrinch. How stupid can people be? Answer: VERY.

http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/primaries/states/south-carolina/exit-polls?hp

Good Analaysis From HuffPost!

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The exit polling data is fascinating - Gingrinch won with crazy religious people, poor, stupid white people and Raw Money won with rich moderates - not enough of THEM in the Republicon Party to carry HIM!!

And, this HuffPost article is very good - It's hard to call Pres. Obama an elitist when their guy is a SUPER elitist! Romney still hasn't managed to shake his image as a wealthy Northeasterner who's out of touch with the struggles of ordinary people on ordinary incomes. www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/21/mitt-romney-results-south-carolina-primary_n_1221347.html

The Sanitorium Wins! Craziness Is Victorious!

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Iowa Republicon Party now is more emphatic that Rick Sanatorium won and Mint Raw Money LOST IOWA!

http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/01/santorum-now-the-iowa-winner-officially-111713.html

PRO-UNION "Lunchpail Republicans"???

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I reached out to the Lunchpail Republicans and made contact. I will have one of their folks on the show next week! Rachel Maddow did a segment on them and I got some e-mails about them, so THANK YOU, Rachel and e-mailers for making me aware of them! We'll give them exposure and I have a group of questions for them - I won't be rude, but I will be direct and not fawning.

http://www.lunchpailrepublicans.com/

They Are INCREDIBLY Brazen AND Greedy!

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The insane greed, plus total indifference to how this all looks to the 99% shows just how disgusting our corrupt crony criminal capitalist system has become. These people are caricatures of themselves and they wonder why we're so upset???!!!!???

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/bad-year-for-wall-st-not-reflected-in-chiefs-pay/?hp

Can It Be True? Could It Happen??

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If Newt wins South Carolina, the entirety of the lunatic fringe that has become the 'Con "base" will run to him as the anti-Mittens and then us sane, normal Americans can sit back and laugh our asses off at the craziness which will ensue!

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/20/10198873-first-thoughts-showdown-in-south-carolina

Senior Legal Analyst Time Today!

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court did it again! More politics from "judges". So long as Republicons win, they steer the outcome in that direction. If Dems win, they steer the outcome in the opposite direction. Result oriented judging is undermining credibility in the courts. Citizens United, anyone?

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/supreme-court-rejects-judge-drawn-maps-in-texas-redistricting-case/?hp

Ever Heard Of "Megaupload.com"?

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

It's a part of this online piracy discussion - this was apparently one of the offenders - I spoke about megaupload.com on the air a little while ago - here is CNN's description and story.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/20/tech/web/what-is-megaupload/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

Mint Raw Money Is THE ULTIMATE 1% Guy!

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Take a look at THIS manipulation of the tax code!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-r-talbott/mitt-romney-offshore-accounts_b_1216918.html

Why Parts Of The Internet Are Dark Today

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is a good, basic explanation of the SOPA and PIPA issues that have shut down websites in protest today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/technology/web-wide-protest-over-two-antipiracy-bills.html?_r=1

Occupy The Courts And Amend the Constitution!

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Get rid of this ridiculous "Citizens United" case!

Have you been to this site yet? I will be speaking at the Federal Court on Friday, Jan. 20 at 11:45 AM in downtown LA, on this issue!

http://www.movetoamend.org/occupythecourts

Jerry Springer!!?????!!

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Jerry Springer is the voice of sanity??!!??

http://thinkprogress.org/media/2012/01/18/406343/jerry-springer-to-fox-news-you-guys-every-single-day-bash-president-obama/

The Former Mrs. Gingrinch Can Destroy Newt - Will She???

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

THIS is gonna be HUGE. I know it's from Drudge - but that's WHY it's gonna be HUGE!! The corporate media will lap this up like a kitten to cream! You heard it here first!!

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash2.htm

Not Just "Job Killer" Willard - Real Killer Willard!

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Job-Killer Willard walks away from a dying man and shows what a scuzzy politician he is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9cn0M_AFWg

The Times Are Tough, Indeed!

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

More evidence of a very bad economy - and did WE cause it? No - Wall Street did - we just get to suffer the consequences.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/story/2012-01-17/cars-trucks-age-polk/52613102/1

Hilarious Send Up Of Tim Tebow!

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

With something like 2 million views, this one is crowd tested and Jesus approved! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txG9YyZAAMo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

More Of The Same Old Tired Nonsense.

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

More politics as usual...re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. This is not the "change we can believe in" but more of the same old inside-the-beltway stuff. You wonder why people hate politics? Here's a good example.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/13/politics/obama-federal-government/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

When Will Enough Be Enough?

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

When will this madness stop? Can we PUH-LEEZE legalize marijuana and tax it like tobacco and alcohol?

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/12/10138166-one-killed-every-half-hour-in-mexico-drug-related-violence

The 1% Is Exposed Now!

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I just spoke about this on the air - it's worth a look!

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/12/10142991-guess-whos-raising-money-for-romney-bigwigs-from-private-equity-firms

Class Warfare Is Now Seen By Most As Real

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Jeez, what took people so long? This has been going on for 30 YEARS!! If people only paid attention....

Now, with 2/3 of Americans saying that class conflicts are either "strong" or "very strong", will the political system do something about it or is it too corrupt?

http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/11/10116228-more-see-class-conflict-between-rich-and-poor

Corporations ARE People, My Friend!

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

And, to prove it, they are running one for President! Romney IS "perfect" from THEIR perspective! I'll bet you know why, too! I'll explain why on the radio, today!

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/09/former-ge-ceo-calls-romney-perfect/

Banning MORE Mining Around The Grand Canyon

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Say what you will about the Dems (and you KNOW I do) but the 'Cons are completely homicidal....they never met a gigantic corporation they didn't want to appease...because they are OWNED by them.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/09/10073823-ban-on-new-mining-near-grand-canyon-finalized

Why Is American Politics So Dumb?

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Maybe this helps explain it.....

From e-mailer C.M.: Published: 11.26.11
And Some Wonder Why Americans Are So Dumbed Down?

The covers of the US edition of this week's Time Magazine compared to the international editions.

We can't make this stuff up. It kind of says it all...

http://www.commondreams.org/further/2011/11/26

This Is The Problem When You Declare That You Alone....

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Obviously, God's punishment. Isn't that right, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, George W. Bush and all the rest of you Bible-thumpers who believe you are the EXCLUSIVE God's will enforcers?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57354420/2011-was-texas-driest-year-on-record/

These Car Dealers Are REALLY Hurting People!

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We interviewed Ken Bensinger of the Los Angeles Times today (January 6, 2012) on this story and it's a must-read if you are any kind of decent human or a consumer!

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-car-leases-20111230,0,2270605.story

And, for your convenience, here are ALL the links to ALL the stories Ken Bensinger has done on this topic in recent months - the link above is the most recent - here now is the link from December 30, 2011, on "Lease-To-Own" car dealers.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-car-leases-20111230,0,2270605.story

This is the first story in the series - on Halloween - October 31, 2011, describing the disreputable business practices in detail.

http://www.latimes.com/business/buy-here-pay-here/la-fi-buy-here-pay-here-part1-storyb,0,5689256.story

Here is the second story in the series - November 1, 2011, about the big companies that finance these car dealers.

http://www.latimes.com/business/buy-here-pay-here/la-fi-buyhere-payhere-day-two-20111101,0,3779131.story

Here is the third of Ken's initial three-part series - this from November 3, 2011.

http://www.latimes.com/business/buy-here-pay-here/la-fi-buyhere-payhere-20111103,0,6688116.story

The Occupy Movement Is Getting Bigger!

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We will be discussing this with Michael Hiltzik at 4:30 Pacific.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20120101,0,180296.column

State Owned Banks!!

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

This is our subject next! AND, we'll be doing this as a theme on this show this year and beyond!

http://publicbankinginstitute.org/

Indefinite Military Detention of Americans??!!??

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the President's "signing statement" on the NDAA and "indefinite detention of American citizens". There are specific places within it that show it does not apply to American citizens!

http://www.lawfareblog.com/2011/12/president-obama-signs-ndaa-into-law/

Their Nominee Is.....

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The fix has always been in. The candidate from Wall Street is their nominee. All the rest has been puppet theater to let the nut bags feel like they actually have influence. Pardon the expression, but "bank" on this: Romney is their nominee.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/28/mitt-romney-iowa-caucus_n_1173705.html

Why Isn't THIS "Big Gummint"???

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Want to see a big difference between the Democratic Party and Republicons? Here is one. Note the Koch roaches and the corporate elite do not care about "social issues" (flag burning amendment, anyone?) but use these issues to manipulate the morons. Dems don't try to compel people to obey their religious views and import them into "big gummint".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/28/gop-candidates-personhood_n_1172082.html

Why Are THESE GUYS The 1%????

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

And what are you going to do about it?

One more REALLY GOOD REASON to hate - and then reform - Congress. Merry Christmas from the 1%!!!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45793299/ns/politics-the_new_york_times/#.Tvmnn_L4KHE

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

But wait, there's more!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/growing-wealth-widens-distance-between-lawmakers-and-constituents/2011/12/05/gIQAR7D6IP_story.html?hpid=z1

Let's Remember The REAL Newt Gingrinch!

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Gingrinch LOVES health insurance mandates; he LOVES cap and trade for pollution emissions. Now we'll see how the nut bags react to all this refreshing memory stuff! Romneycare!!

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/27/9741710-2006-gingrich-memo-praised-romneys-health-reform

Good Riddance To A Real Pain In The Neck!

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sen. Ben Nelson caused President Obama and the rest of us MAJOR problems. This dude was NEVER a true Democratic Party member - a 'Con in Dem clothing. No loss by his leaving. We'll trade a phony 'Con for a real one. Big whoop.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/27/9744407-ben-nelson-wont-seek-re-election-in-12

The Major Parties Are Losing Voters Big Time

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I am surprised the number isn't even higher.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57347785-503544/report-more-than-2.5-million-have-left-major-parties/?tag=exclsv

End Of The Year Political Cartoons!

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

There are some GREAT political cartoons here, summarizing the year, from the Washington Post. My favorite is #7 but take a look at the group!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-year-in-cartoons/2011/12/09/gIQATf7lpO_gallery.html?tid=ts_carousel#photo=7

A GREAT Piece On The "Phony Outrage Ploy"

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I am a big fan of David Sirota and this is a MARVELOUS piece!

http://www.salon.com/2011/12/23/the_fake_war_on_christmas_outrage/singleton/

Another Good Paul Krugman Piece

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Another very good Paul Krugman piece - one disagreement: If the President DID say those things about Romney, he'd be CORRECT!! Take a look and see for yourself!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/opinion/krugman-the-post-truth-campaign.html?src=me&ref=general

Some VERY Funny (Yet Pathetic) Stuff For You!

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A little pre-Christmas humor for you from our friends at Think Progress. These people ACTUALLY want to be taken seriously on matters of public policy! HO HO HO!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoZbbOswdiw&feature=player_embedded

The BEYOND ABSURD "War on Drugs"

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This "war on drugs" has gotten SO ridiculous - can we PLEASE stop the stupidity and legalize the stuff? Look how utterly absurd this whole thing has gotten!

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-money-laundering-trade-20111219,0,7115656.story

With All The Bad News In The World.....

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here is a VERY bittersweet story that will bring a few tears to your eyes.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-erskine-20111221,0,1908393.column

Meet John Mattes - Investigative Reporter!

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I introduced us all to John Mattes yesterday. Please check him out and take a look - he's quite a guy!

http://www.investigativeguy.com/new-video-meet-the-mortgage-modification-scumbags

http://www.investigativeguy.com/obama-mortgage-mod-program-fails-con-men-get-rich

http://www.investigativeguy.com/calling-out-mortgage-modification-schemes

Is This The REAL Ron Paul?

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This is one of the links on the Ron Paul story I am about to do on the air.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/20/us/politics/bias-in-ron-pauls-newsletters-draws-new-attention.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=ron%20paul%20&st=cse

AND, Is THIS The REAL Ron Paul?

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here is a link to another story about Ron Paul.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/company-ron-paul-keeps_613474.html?nopager=1

Mitt Romney, Average Joe!

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Mitt Romney is just your average guy - right? He travels in a different world and is responsive to a different class of people - the 1%.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/19/us/politics/retirement-deal-keeps-bain-money-flowing-to-romney.html?_r=1&hp

On This "Indefinite Military Detention Of Americans" issue...

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

FINALLY, someone else sees the new law in EXACTLY the same way I do! I will continue to stand by my (and now Andy Serwer's) analysis!

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/12/defense-bill-passed-so-what-does-it-do-ndaa

THE Major Senior Legal Analysis - Military Detention of Americans?

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the link for S. 1867 (the "National Defense Authorization Act").

Click the second link of the 2 - you'll see what I mean when you go there. IT'S A HUGE FILE. IT'S A PDF and it's BIG. Be patient. The download will take time.

It's at pages 426-430 (more or less!). OK??? Good luck!

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:S.1867:

Distracted Driving - GREAT Resources!

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We spent much of the show yesterday on this issue - and it got a HUGE response. Here are three resources for you to look at - two videos and a "white paper" and the videos are short, compelling and VERY thought-provoking!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae-mO8OxXFA&list=PL337F74DED367FDE7&index=11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8UPLKhN-oA&feature=relmfu

http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distracted_Driving/Pages/CognitiveDistraction.aspx

Texass Vanity License Plates

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the link I was just talking about on the radio - Texass' "approved" vanity plates - Texass SPLITS THE PROFITS with these groups - and picks winners and losers on who to endorse! Atheists? Muslims? NOPE!

https://rts.texasonline.state.tx.us/NASApp/txdotrts/SpecialPlateOrderServlet

Polls vs. Organization and History!

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

To me, the BIG STORY here is NOT the polling, BUT CAN GINGRINCH, with NO STAFF AND NO ORGANIZATION, get people to vote for him in these primaries and caucuses? Gingrinch has used his "campaign" as a glorified book tour - he, like Herman Cain, Donald Trump and Sarah Palin, used the presidential campaign as a money making promotional tour. They NEVER had any intention or thought of ACTUALLY BEING President. Gingrinch announced for the Presidency and then immediately took off for a two week cruise of the Mediterranean with his Tiffany's loving wife! His entire staff quit en masse in June of this year, saying he wasn't serious. Now he's on top. BUT, with nothing but polls saying he's the front runner.

History says that with no staff/organization, he's got nothing. We'll see!

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/11/9365498-gingrich-opens-up-big-leads-in-south-carolina-and-florida

The Story About People Who Die Anonymously

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I did a story a few days ago about unclaimed bodies - people who die with no next of kin. I was unsure what reaction I would get but the outpouring of humanity was AMAZING and INSPIRING! Lorelei S. sent a link to this and I wanted to share it with you!

http://acertainkindofdeath.com/

URGENT ALERT - The Gays Are Unnatural and Unhealthy!

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The title of this post was taken from the website posting of these horrible people.

This was sent by e-mailer Thom K. - this is how these people operate, fear, prejudice and hate!

http://ccnewsmail.net/html.php/155815/9593990

Is This The "Christian" Thing To Do?

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This is both amazing and disgusting! It is amazingly disgusting! Republicons at their shameless worst - just in time for their Christian holiday!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/09/gop-jobs-bill-unemployment-benefits-drug-test_n_1139325.html?view=print&comm_ref=false

The Dirty 30 Giant Corporations

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the link to the "Dirty 30" (thanks Chad W. for the name) of gigantic corporations that paid no taxes; got back big money and spent a ton on lobbying! Familiar names, indeed - and this is for the period 2008 -2010 - when the economy was cratering!

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/12/07/383779/30-big-corporations-taxes-lobbying/

Don't Be Tricked By Planted Stories....

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

There is a concerted move afoot to distract with stories of "millionaires collecting food stamps and welfare" seeded throughout the corporate media. THIS IS THE REAL STORY - FOLLOW THE BIG $$$:

http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/07/news/economy/obama_taxes/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2

The Pace of Change In Radio Is HUGE!

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I keep telling you that technology is changing SO FAST, that the state of "radio" will be RADICALLY different by 2015 and is already changing dramatically. Something like 60 million smart phones will be sold this year - many this holiday season. Smart phones are the new transistor radios; car radios are expanding with major new sources of content - the world is changing FAST AND BIG! Take a look: EVEN THE HUGE RADIO COMPANIES SEE THIS FUTURE - AND THE FUTURE IS NOW!! http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/99797/cumulus-radio-stations-coming-to-the-new-iheartrad?ref=mail_bulletin

More About The Pace of Change In Technology!

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Boy is the world changing! Check THIS out!

Description: http://media.mediapost.com/images/headers/online-media-daily.gif
234M Americans Use Mobile Devices

by Gavin O'Malley, Friday, December 2, 2011 4:01 PM

While far from dominant, Apple's iPhone is now used by one in ten mobile subscribers.

The finding -- just released by comScore, and representing the three-month average period ending October 2011 -- is impressive considering the iPhone was only recently considered a niche, high-end product.

Overall, the study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers, and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 25.5% market share. After Samsung, LG came in second with 20.6% marketshare, and then Motorola with a 13.6% share. Google Android continued to gain ground in the smartphone market, reaching 46.3% market share during the period.

In the No. 4 position, Apple accounted for a 10.8% share of mobile subscribers -- up 1.3 percentage points since the previous period -- while RIM rounded out the top five with a 6.6% share of the market.

For the three-month average period ending in October, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices. Also, 90 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones -- up 10% from the preceding three month period.

Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 46.3% market share -- up 4.4 percentage points from the prior three-month period.

Apple maintained its No. 2 position -- growing 1.0 percentage point to 28.1% of the smartphone market. RIM, meanwhile, ranked third with 17.2% share, followed by Microsoft -- with 5.4% -- and Symbian -- with 1.6%.

In October, 71.8% of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device -- up 1.8% points.

Browsers were used by 44% of subscribers -- up 2.9% points -- while downloaded applications were used by 43.8% -- up 3.2% points.

Also of note, accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 2.2 percentage points to 32.3% of mobile subscribers, while game-playing was done by 29.2% of the mobile audience -- up 1.4 percentage points.

It's OK To Kill, When....

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

As with the Gulf Gusher killing 11, no one will go to prison here, with 29 dead. It's OK to kill, when CORPORATIONS DO IT. They just pay money and promise to do better; hey, it's just business!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/wva-coal-mine-to-pay-historic-209m-settlement-in-blast-that-killed-29-miners/2011/12/06/gIQAbClqZO_story.html?hpid=z2

Green 960 Is On The Move In January 2012

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The rumors are true, indeed, they are not rumors. Green 960 in SF is moving - to an FM HD channel. Starting January 3, here is where you can find me in the SF/Bay Area: FM 103.7 HD-2 on HD Radio in SF; I Heart Radio - FM Progressive Talk 103.7 HD-2 or Norman Goldman DOT COM on line or via the smartphone app.

Taxing The Middle Class Is OK With The 'Cons!

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Grover Norquist believes only tax hikes ON THE RICH violate his pledge!

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/12/01/380129/norquist-gop-middle-class-ta/

Is Your Smartphone Spying On You?

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Is your smartphone spying on you (and me - I have one of these phones!?) http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=18415news=Smartphone+Spyware+Carrier+ID+iPhone+Android+BlackBerry

Suing The Big Banks Over Mortgage Fraud!

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This was on the front page of HuffPost we interviewed the reporter, Arthur Delaney, about it today on the show! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/01/massachusetts-ag-foreclosure-lawsuit-banks_n_1123393.html

Big Snooping On Our Privacy!

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This story SHOULD make self-declared "conservatives" very angry - but it won't, since ANYTHING big business does is, by definition, WONDERFUL! http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/30/9122334-researcher-secret-software-tracks-phone-users

You Need To Know THIS About Newt Gingrich!

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

WHO IS THE REAL NEWT GINGRICH????? Read THIS and you'll know! http://www.realchange.org/gingrich.htm

Scale Back Christmas Shopping? Or End It?

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Is Bill Mann (our "Senior Media Analyst") onto something here? Has the "Christmas-hijacked-by-consumerism" thing gone too far and, if so, what's the answer/remedy? In a consumer-driven economy, is this bad timing? http://www.marketwatch.com/story/vancouver-the-progressives-ground-zero-2011-11-29?pagenumber=1

Secret Fed Bailouts - Mind Boggling!

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This is the story I just spoke of on the air - unreal and disgusting! 7.77 TRILLION in secret bailouts! http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-28/secret-fed-loans-undisclosed-to-congress-gave-banks-13-billion-in-income.html

The Amazing Herman Cain Video/Audio on Libya!

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Herman Cain video/audio is UNBELIEVABLE!! I have the audio for you today - BUT the video is even MORE compelling - and not in a good way for Mr. Cain! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/45295631#45295631

The New Pledge For Democratic Officeholders

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I hope you have read the Grover Norquist Republicon pledge - if not, it is here, note there are 4 versions, although they are substantially similar: http://www.atr.org/taxpayer-protection-pledge

So, here is my proposed pledge:

"I _____________, pledge to the taxpayers that I will tax fairly by raising taxes on the top 1% of Americans and that I will tax corporations fairly by eliminating tax loopholes. I also pledge to end corporate welfare, such as subsidies to oil companies and agribusiness. I also pledge to not use tax dollars to help send American jobs out of America. I also pledge to downsize the empire we have built by closing half the military bases overseas; cutting the Pentagon budget by half and ending foreign occupations.

____________________ ___________________
Signature Date

Mike Tyson Impersonates Herman Cain - VERY Funny!

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

If you have not seen/heard this, you are missing a real treat!

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/11/video-mike-tyson-breaks-out-his-herman-cain-impression/1

Ten Reasons To NOT Vote For Ron Paul

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Ron Paul - not an option! http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/11/04/10-reasons-not-to-vote-for-paul/

Would You Like Me To Do Senior Legal Analyst Time on this story?

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's a class action settlement between lawyers for a class of consumer and B of A over "overcharge fees".

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-oks-410m-settlement-bank-america-14900014#.TrhxEXFqNL9

Credit Union Information For Bank Transfer Day!

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

You can call 1-888-748-3266 or visit www.co-opnetwork.org and get information on the NATIONWIDE network of surcharge-free ATM's (many, many THOUSANDS of them) and get information about "Shared Branching" where visiting a branch far away from home gets you the same services as if you were at your home branch. It's time to vote with our dollars and tell the big corporate banks to go away!

Corporations That Pay No Taxes & Get Big Refunds

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This where you can read the report that proves 280 big U.S. corporations pay no taxes; get massive refunds or pay little in taxes. SHAME! OCCUPY!! This is why we are OWS!! http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/11/03/360185/30-corporations-no-taxes/

Republicons Want Legal Marijuana!! READ THIS!

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Check THIS out!! A MAJOR victory for medical marijuana and legalization! We are the 99%!! http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/04/us/medical-marijuana-ban-challenged-in-kern-county.html?_r=1&hp

Finally, The Truth Comes Out - FROM THE 'CONS!

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

If you are a fool, tricked by the Koch roaches to hate workers and give everything to the corporate elite...blame yourself! http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/11/03/360433/romney-koch-tea-party/

THE NEXT INSTALLMENT - USED CAR SCAM!

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I hope you heard my interview with Ken Bensinger yesterday. If not, PLEASE READ HIS SERIES ON USED CAR SCAMS VICTIMIZING THE POOR! Today's part 2 (of 3) is about the securitization of the loans on the cars - for Wall Street. Sound familiar???? http://www.latimes.com/business/buy-here-pay-here/la-fi-buyhere-payhere-day-two-20111101,0,3779131.story

Wall Street Helped Cause The Greek Problems - Blame Yourself!

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the story about how Wall Street helped get Greece into the financial problems that now are causing Wall Street so many problems! http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/business/global/14debt.html?pagewanted=all

MUST READ CONSUMER PROTECTION - CAR DEALER SCAM!

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I'll bet you know someone victimized by this HUGE consumer scam! I interview the author of the series today on the radio and this is MUST READ STUFF!! http://www.latimes.com/business/buy-here-pay-here/la-fi-buy-here-pay-here-part1-storyb,0,5689256.story

MUST READ POLITICAL CORRUPTION!

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The title says it all - and Democrats are amongst the biggest cash takers. http://www.commoncause.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=4773613&ct=11447113

Getting Internet Access For Free or Cheap!

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I got a call from a woman today who had no Internet access for lack of money. After receiving a lot of e-mails, here are some options for people who are having trouble getting online:

http://www.wififreespot.com/il.html

www.all.free-isp.com;

www.dslreviews.com

Comcast has a discount program, "Internet Essentials";

Netzero gives 8 hours free dial-up and $9.95 for unlimited;

People can, with a wireless hookup, hook into a neighbors Internet access.

If you have any other ideas, please let me know!! We are in a world now where Internet access is essential, not just a luxury!

A Very Touching Video/Audio On YouTube

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This gentleman has a VERY compelling personal story and I am HONORED that he thinks of me as worthy of this video/audio. Please take a look/listen. It's 4 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv17e5GkUFo

Details For The Portland Visit Sept. 17 & 18, 2011

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I will be at Kell's in the evening of Saturday, September 17 and here is the link for that:

http://www.multdems.org/

PLEASE DON'T CONTACT KELL'S; TICKETS ARE THROUGH THE MULTNOMAH COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY AT THE LINK ABOVE.

On Sunday, September 18, I will be representing KPOJ at the Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure and here is the link for that very worthy event:

http://www.620kpoj.com/common/pages/komen.php

I hope to see you there!

Norm

Radio Stations No Longer Have A Car Monopoly

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The future is here - and our own app is about to launch, for free:

"An explosion in the use of in-vehicle apps in cars" is ahead, predicts IHS research.

Some of that "explosion" in connectedness will come from drivers parking their iPhones and Androids in a dock when they buckle up, and some will come from built-in "head units." Analyst Egil Juliussen of IHS iSuppli Automotive Research Services notes the numbers - 149,000 cars in the U.S. equipped with head-end units in 2010. But a projected 10.9 million units by 2018. Worldwide, shipments of cars with head-end units could hit 24 million by 2018. Twice.com, reporting on Juliussen's analysis, says there's a "fundamental shift in the way car electronics systems are being designed, with auto infotainment systems transitioning from fixed-function head units to �apps-based' head units." Juliussen says it's not just about getting music services and radio into the cockpit. Having a connected vehicle also means "remote diagnostics and navigation services." (It's money for the carmakers, of course - a new revenue stream that continues after the car sale.) IHS estimates that by model year 2012, about 50 car models will offer Internet radio app integration. By brand name, the research report mentions Pandora, iHeartRadio, Slacker and Spotify - and says so far, carmakers are more interested in those kinds of existing services than cloud-based utilities such as Google Music, Apple's iCloud and Amazon's Cloud Drive."

Taking Back America Via The Ballot Box Initiative!

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The story I did on the air about "BISC" and using the ballot initiative process to take back America can be found here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/23/progressives-ballot-initiative-strategy_n_931816.html

And, don't forget to look at the "4 Point Plan To Rescue America" on www.normangoldman.com as well! Point #3 will look VERY familiar!

They Aim To Destroy Us!

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This is the link I just spoke about on air! The link to Gov. Patrick's op-ed is linked in the first line of this excellent Steve Benen blog post! http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_07/deval_patricks_walk_down_memor030650.php

History of the Credit Rating Agencies - Like S&P!

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This is a good, historical and quick summary of how these companies, like Moody's and Standard and Poor's, came to be and how they got their role in our financial system.

www1.worldbank.org/finance/assets/images/Historical_Primer.pdf

Get To Know "ALEC"!

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

No, "ALEC" is not a guy - more like "guys" - and bad guys at that! The "American Legislative Exchange Council" is a corporate front group that writes "model"bills which turn up in many states as - laws! The Koch brothers and their evil friends are quietly taking over America's states - by getting their puppet state legislators to introduce and pass these ALEC-sponsored bills - and the puppet Governors (like Snott Walker in Wisconsin) sign them.

So, with that introduction, check out this GREAT website!

http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

Find Your Congress Person!

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It is EASY and ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL! We are launching our own "Town Hall Summer" so we need to know who our House of Representatives members are; where their town halls are going to be and where their offices are located - especially their LOCAL offices, so that you can send post cards and drop in to say hello!

Here's an easy way to find your representative!

http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

EVERY American MUST Watch This Video!

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A former Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush guy sets out the truth in plain, simple, terms - and the numbers don't lie. Watch this and see the truth.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/28/999759/-Hardball:-Bruce-Bartlett-desroys-every-Republican-fiscal-talking-point-in-5-minutes

Giant Corporations Dodging Taxes & Getting Gov't Contracts!

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The data and the story is amazingly disgusting!! Here is the link - look for yourself!

http://greenlining.org/index.php

Rainwater Contamination By The Fukushima Japan Nuclear Meltdowns

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

For our friends in the Pacific Northwest and anyone else interested in this topic:

I did the story on Thursday's show (July 14) about elevated levels of iodine 131 in the rainwater from San Francisco to Boise (Idaho) and was both shocked and appalled by the lack of news coverage of this - as well as the fact that so many people (people who follow the news and care) were uninformed about the potential problems caused by the Fukushima meltdowns in Japan. It makes sense that people were unaware - since the media has not covered the issue!

Here are my research results to help you get whatever (and the most) information about this story and issue as possible.

First, the EPA (Environmental Protection Administration) seems to have NOT put up anything on this since April 2011. Here are the best links I found:

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/ec732eb1adefc4ad8525786600775173?OpenDocument

http://www.epa.gov/ocir/hearings/testimony/112_2011_2012/2011_0412_lpj.pdf

The group that made an issue of this is called "Heart Of America Northwest" and their website is: http://www.hoanw.org/ although the bulk of their efforts seem to surround the Hanford site.

I got an e-mail from a listener who said the EPA deleted a page off its website on this, and here is that link: http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/rert/radnet/-boise-exp-rate.html

Local Portland station KOIN has a story on this, here: http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Seattle-agency-questions-radiation-levels-in/78UceAv4F0mawybwjVKzjQ.cspx

And, Seattle's KING 5 has a story, too: http://www.king5.com/news/environment/High-levels-of-radiation-detected-in-Northwest-rainwater--125391598.html

If you search on key words like "Northwest rainwater iodine 131 Fukushima nuclear" or "Meltdown Japan Iodine 131 Fallout Northwest United States" you will find what I have and perhaps more but I believe I have given you the best of the stuff available.

This story concerns me greatly - and I suspect you, too - so, please read about this to extent you can, and finally, here is the Wikipedia on Iodine 131 with basic information for you to know: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine-131

Norm

Let's Help The Wisconsin Dems!

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

To help turn the tide in Wisconsin - we just interviewed State Rep. Brett Hulsey - we can contribute here - my $50 is on its way! http://www.wisdems.org/

102 Things The 'Cons Cannot Do If They Hate Taxes

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the link for the "102 Things Republicons Who Hate Taxes Cannot Do" www.addictinginfo.org/2011/05/18/102-things-not-to-do-if-you-hate-taxes/

New Consumer Database!

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We just interviewed David Lazarus of the LA Times on this subject - and you MUST know about this EXCELLENT consumer tool!! Take a look!!

http://saferproducts.gov/Default.aspx

Contact The President!

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The President is letting it be known that he is willing to cut Social Security and Medicare, plus Medicaid. If you want to tell the President to stop doing this, here is the contact info:

E-Mail: www.whitehouse.gov/contact

There is a form there to fill out and submit.

Phone: 202-456-1111 - Message Machine
202-456-1414 - Switchboard

I recommend the message amchine. be concise and please don't be abusive! No cussing!

Postcards: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Wash., D.C. 20500

Postcards are best because they do not raise security concerns. Envelopes raise anthrax issues; that mail is diverted. So, send those postcards.

Norm

OUR Core Values!

Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We had a VERY spirited show on Monday, May 23, 2001 - about the differences between Democrats and Republicons - and the fact that we have regular nuclear wars within ourselves over MANY issues. I asked that we focus on our core values and only if we have those, amongst us, wandering away from those core values that we attack them and WRITE THEM OFF. As to the other, non-core issues, we can and SHOULD still fight and disagree, but we should NOT throw each other overboard and rip each other limb from limb.

I submit to you that NOT ALL issues are created equal and that we should focus on the things that bind us and VOLUNTARILY stick together so long as we all agree on the core values. QUESTION: WHAT are those core values???

Here is my suggested list:

1) Tax Fairness - A Progressive Tax on the Koch Bros. and their top 2% buddies;

2) No corporate welfare - end the tax subsidies and write-offs;

3) Protect Social Security;

4) Protect Medicare;

5) Stop Outsourcing American jobs and punish those who do with higher taxes;

6) Clean energy and environmental protection;

7) No illegal wiretapping/Patriot Act "big government";

8) Personal privacy - like a woman's right to choose; legalize gay marriage and end the ridiculous "war on drugs" by starting with legalized marijuana;

9) Public financing of campaigns and clean elections with voter verifiable paper trails and no "voter i.d." disenfranchisement;

10) A right to health care, and;

11) A right to a free, quality public education.

The last two were suggested by e-mailers and I agree. So, what are your thoughts? Please comment!

Thanks!!

Norm

A LIVE TOWN HALL IN SEATTLE!

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I WILL BE DOING A LIVE TOWN HALL ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON, JUNE 18, AT SEATTLE'S TOWN HALL - $20 AND $50 FOR V.I.P. ACCESS IN ADVANCE OF THE SHOW!

I will be doing this as a VERY interactive show - so join me!

Norm

Animal Rescue

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

For my friends who are animal rescuers and protectors, the poem I spoke of in yesterday's third hour is The Rainbow Bridge Poem. BEWARE: It is a three hanky thing. I am SO gratified at what we accomplished in that third hour - the response to the animal rescue story was AMAZING. Here is the poem in its entirety:

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Update The Constitution!

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Does Arizona have the right to demand the President's birth certificate as a condition of putting him on the Presidential ballot; or must Arizona accept Hawaii's word that the document we see online is the birth certificate? Could Congress, in 1954, insert the phrase "under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance? Are these actions constitutional?

These specific factual questions will not have their answers found in the Constitution or Bill of Rights, the name we give to the first ten amendments to the Constitution. If you look in these documents, you will see statements of principles covering these general topics; like "Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State" (Article IV, section 1 of the Constitution) and "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" (1st Amendment). There are your answers to the two questions we started with above. Do these constitutional statements answer those questions indisputably for all people?

Now, a pop quiz: Can you define "cruel and unusual punishment" (8th Amendment) under all facts at all times, forever? The death penalty; is that cruel and unusual punishment? How about "tarring and feathering", which was common, back in the old days? Or, can you define, in different factual situations, Congress' power to "regulate commerce among the several states" (Article I, section 8 of the Constitution)? Does that mean Congress can prohibit a woman from growing marijuana in her back yard, carrying it into her living room and smoking it? Is that "regulating commerce among the several states"?

While Tea Partiers have chanted the slogan "obey the Constitution" and tried to own it the way they try to own the Bible, there has been far too much self-congratulation and theater and far too little understanding of what the Constitution is really all about.

One key flaw in the debate over the Constitution is the attempt - really, the demand - by "original intent" adherents and their robotically programmed Tea Party puppets - that the Constitution answer all questions, under all factual scenarios, for all times. Viewed as some sort of magic encyclopedia, these people claim all the answers are there - we just have to look. For those who actually read the Constitution, it becomes clear the Constitution cannot be a magic document, nor was it ever intended to have all answers for all people for all time.

The Constitution requires interpretation - that is why we have courts. Creating the Constitution itself required a series of compromises - the entire concept of the Bill of Rights itself was the result of a compromise - the Founders were politicians, just as we have politicians today. They represented different factions and interests (e.g., slave owners; bankers) and had to find common ground to accomplish their ultimate end - the establishment of a federal government and a governing system between the states and national government known as federalism.

Indeed, much of the Constitution (leaving the Bill of Rights aside for a moment) was devoted to establishing a skeletal framework of the national government - take a look at the Constitution - it is the structural set of girders and beams set upon a foundation for a government. When it came to actually defining what the rules governing future behavior were to be, they papered over their differences, used vague words and terms, and left many battles for the future. What emerged, after creating the mechanics of a government, was a set of governing principles, with very few concrete factual specifics. There is your Bill of Rights.

Please go back and read the Constitution and Bill of Rights. They are not long; this is one big clue they were not intended to be an encyclopedic magical code of answers. Interpretations applied to the Constitution have varied wildly over the centuries we have been a nation. The Founders did not know from telegraphs; telephones; airplanes; automobiles and the Internet. They did not then have a nation where crossing state lines was so easy or injecting matters into interstate commerce was done with a mouse click. Interpretation and adaptation have kept the Constitution relevant for all these years - it is a living, breathing document, with intentionally-designed space for adaptation. But the strains are evident. It is time to update the Constitution in some fundamental ways.

Does spending money on politics equal free speech, as the Supreme Court has decided in the Citizens United case? Can computer codes, without paper, count as "ballots"? Do Katherine Harris and five Supreme Court justices get to decide who occupies the White House? Should we now, after all our experience with Supreme Courts, leave judges on the bench for life, which has become 30 or more years?

While the Constitution continues to chug along as it has for all these years (subject to dispute and litigation, and hard fought arguments as to its application to specific factual scenarios, with courts making the ultimate answers) there are some problems so fundamental that a new set of amendments is needed. I do not argue for a new Constitutional Convention - that would be a food fight of epic proportions - but a refinement for a modern America.

First, we need to make clear that money does not equal speech and that corporations are not people entitled to use their money on political speech. Next, we need to get our elected officials off the cycle of fundraising and favor-giving that has destroyed our tax code, our budget and bred widespread cynicism among our populace. Finally, we need to put term limits on federal judges.

I propose that the Democratic Party, as a matter of its definitional character, embrace and adopt these three principles and promote three Constitutional Amendments to the people. One would place a ten-year term limit on all federal judges. One ten year term and out. Another would establish a system of public financing of all federal campaigns - with a strict prohibition on taking anything of value from any person or entity - and that all ballots be cast as paper and counted in the open. A third would establish that only natural persons have a right to speak on political issues and that artificial creations - be they partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or anything else that is not flesh and blood, does not.

Taken together, these fundamental reforms would help renew our democracy and ensure the foundations continue to work for the future. Every natural person could speak on politics - but corporations would not be able to jump back and forth - being corporations when it is advantageous (like not being arrested and jailed) but then being "people" when that is advantageous. Buying our own politicians - with our tax dollars - is far preferable to letting special interests buy our politicians. And, this is good politics too: By "branding" the Democratic Party as the party of clean elections and good government, we would have a platform to run on year in and year out - until we have built enough public support to pass the amendments - and then we would own the issue, just as we own Social Security and Medicare.

All it will take is some courage and leadership. Let's get busy.

America's Values are San Francisco values!

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

One way Republicons have used their "two word sound bites" to besmirch Democrats' patriotism and "American-ness" is to accuse us of having "San Francisco values". Extra references to (and political campaigns against) Nancy Pelosi add fuel to their defamatory fire. These obvious references to homophobia and vague "left-ism" are more of their clever and devious manipulation of language to bend the weak minds that watch Fox and don't pay attention to the news - even so-called "independent voters" who aren't so independent; they just don't have allegiance to either party, but are still easily swayed.

Just as Republicons have tried to turn "liberal" and "trial lawyer" into dirty words (and now "unions") practically hissing these words through their teeth, they have tried the word association technique by identifying "San Francisco" as "Democrat". Republicons understand the key to America's political mind: It is shallow. Many people want quick, short, simple answers: "Bottom line me" has morphed from a noun to a verb. Understanding that when people think about politics they want quick, "grab-and-go" answers, Republicons have capitalized on this knowledge to trick people into believing their corporate agenda.

I am here to re-define "San Francisco values" and turn the tables on Republicons. Simply stated (how else can it be?) if you do not believe in San Francisco's values, then you hate America, because San Francisco's values are America's values. These values are: Diversity; Acceptance; Tolerance and Freedom. This is America in four words.

San Francisco is diverse. Nationality; religion (or non-religion); sexuality; politics, you name it; San Francisco (and the entire Bay Area) is very diverse. There are even Republicons there. San Franciscans accept this diversity and draw strength from it. People enjoy experiencing the ethnic foods and ways of others; people make way to accommodate the expressions of others. Even if and when there is disagreement on things, San Franciscans at least tolerate each other - understanding that tolerance is the key to getting along in a civil society. Freedom - that Republicon mainstay - is on display daily in San Francisco. People express themselves howsoever they choose and are free to make their own choices and live them in an atmosphere of, well, diversity, acceptance and tolerance. Think about this for one second: Is this not what America is all about?

Contrast this with the "red" parts of America. What church you belong to; how well you conform to majority demands; how much you don't stick out - these are the values celebrated in places that chant "freedom and liberty" as slogans. The irony, of course, is that those claiming "freedom and liberty" as their talking points accept neither, and vilify those who use both. On our radio show, I was challenged recently to define abortion. I responded: "It's a woman exercising her freedom and liberty." Likewise, those who want to marry the one they love; those who want to smoke marijuana instead of (or in addition to) drinking alcohol; these are people exercising their freedom and liberty. Of course, the intolerant Republicons invert words: Conformity and intolerance are transformed into "freedom and liberty".

Sadly, many people lacking depth in political sophistication are tricked into this Republicon way of "thinking": Manipulate slogans and use word association, and offer these as analysis. For those who are impatient or lacking substantial interest in public policy, this works to answer the need, or perceived obligation, to "pay attention" to politics. To define Republicons' word manipulation itself requires three words: Vapid, vacuous and insipid. Those manipulating the shallow-minded are themselves very sharp and sophisticated. They understand the goal - to gain electoral majority by conning people into conflating their own interests with those of billionaires like the Koch Brothers; thus "Republicons" as a counterpoint to "the Democrat Party". They count on the vapid, vacuous and insipid nature of a large portion of the electorate to further their goals. And, they have met much success - turning intellectual fraud into a science. The mind manipulation is stunningly precise - cold hearted to be sure, but when trying to defraud someone, cold heartedness is a requirement. The use of Jesus and religion only serves to further their agenda.

So, we have to fight the madness. That is why I am on the radio five days per week; three hours per day, and spend significant time on Facebook and Twitter. I, and my colleagues, Ed Schultz, Bill Press, Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Randi Rhodes and Mike Malloy, are all banging away with the tools available to reach as large an audience as possible, to spread the truth to a propagandized populace.

That is also why I am proud to be starting live on the radio in San Francisco on AM 960 - Green 960 - Monday through Friday, 3 to 6 PM Pacific Time, beginning Monday, March 28. I will be celebrating San Francisco's values and helping to re-introduce America to its own values. America has embraced San Francisco's values all along; indeed the truth is that San Francisco has embraced America's values - much of America has forgotten this and forsaken its own values. Let the education begin again. I invite you to join me, on the air in the Bay Area on Green 960; Progressive Talk AM 1090 in Seattle; Chicago's Progressive Talk AM & FM at www.chicagoprogressivetalk.com or streamed online, whether at www.normangoldman.com; www.iheartradio.com or http://www.am1090seattle.com/ or any other of the many stations that carry us!

Cynical Use of War On The Poor in Minnesota

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Joy W. sent me this link; I looked around and found she was right and spoke of the story today on the air. Check it out for yourself - and then podcast the beginning of the third hour of the show (podcasting is free) to hear my comments on this disgraceful story.

Norm

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/war-poor-minnesota-republicans-want-b

Rally With MoveOn to Defend The Dream in Seattle!

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

For our Seattle friends - here is how to rally at 5:30 with Moveon's "Defend The Dream" rally! http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?action_id=239&id=&search_distance=200&search_zip=98109&submit=Search

Call It: "The New House Un-American Activities Committee"

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Rep. Peter King (R - NY) today began his Muslim Inquisition - where is Monty Python when you need them? "Nobody expects the Muslim Inquisition!"

Given that Mr. King follows in a "grand" tradition of using the Congress as a harassment board, why not just call this committee the "New House Un-American Activities Committee" and hang pictures of Richard Nixon and Joe McCarthy over the chair's head?

And, while he's at it, why not investigate the Michigan Militia; the "Hutaree Militia"; the Scott Roeder murder of Dr. George Tiller; the bombing of abortion clinics; Eric Rudolph; The Westboro Baptist Church and have Mark Potok and Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Center testify to educate Mr. King and his fellow troglodytes about Christian, American terrorism? If Mr. King did, he would discover that the "militia movement" is huge and VERY dangerous, and FULL OF WHITE PEOPLE, right here in the good ol' US of A! Norm

Recall Republicons! Take Back Our Country!

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The recall is ON!! RECALL 8 REPUBLICON Wisconsin State Senators! We ALL need to chip in! $5 from 100,000 is half a million bucks! Here is the link: http://www.recalltherepublican8.com/

A MUST READ! On Public Employees!

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I read from this on the air - a MUST READ about Wisconsin and public employees - from David Cay Johnston! http://www.tax.com/taxcom/taxblog.nsf/Permalink/UBEN-8EDJYS?OpenDocument

Yes, He Is Howard Dean's brother!

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

On the radio, we JUST interviewed Jim Dean of Democracy for America and Remi, a UW student who appeared in an ad in Wisconsin - here is the link for the ad and to contribute VIA PEOPLE POWER - NOT corporate power! http://act.boldprogressives.org/sign/sign_wiunion_waronworkingfamilies/?source=wowf

Shake Up Wisconsin NOW! There IS a Way!

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We spoke of this on the radio just now - we can change Wisconsin QUICKLY by changing ONE state supreme court judge!! DONATE! http://www.kloppenburgforjustice.com/

THE ELECTION IS APRIL 5!!! My $$ is on its way!

Norm

Rally To Support Unions!

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011 you can make your voice heard! Here is the link I just spoke about on the air! It's through Moveon.org, so you know it's good!

http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?action_id=238

A Fox Boobs Scandal Brewing?

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Did Roger Ailes of Fox Boobs tell someone to lie to federal investigators? This is a crime!

Notice I did this Fox Boobs style - just use that magic question mark!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/nyregion/25roger-ailes.html

Koch Bros. Have Purchased Wisconsin!

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

As we just discussed on the air, here is a terrific article by Eric Lipton of the New York Times, detailing the Koch Brothers' influence in Wisconsin and more broadly, America.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/us/22koch.html?_r=1&ref=ericlipton

Union Rallies Are EVERYWHERE!!

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This link shows where there are rallies all over America in support of the Americans under siege by the corporate elite.

http://action.seiu.org/page/s/solidarityaction

Debating a Right Wing Talker!

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Airing at 6:36 AM Pacific time Friday, Feb. 18, I debate a right wing talker on Portland Oregon's KEX radio - their Limbaugh, etc. station! It was recorded today (Thursday) and I think you'll enjoy it! Listen here http://www.1190kex.com/main.html

The guy's name is Mike Siegel and it's the typical attack nonsense from him. I'd love to hear how you think I did!! I had to listen to Limbaugh while I waited for them to set up and I'll talk about THAT today on the radio!

Norm

Recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker!

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Petition is here - as part of a very good website! http://scottwalkerwatch.com/?page_id=91

Wisconsin's Budget "Deficit" - Is It Real?

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I have gotten a flock of e-mails (not seagulls - e-mails!) referring me to this article. Read it for yourself and tell me what's true and false!

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/editorial/article_61064e9a-27b0-5f28-b6d1-a57c8b2aaaf6.html

Avoiding Mortgage Loan Modification Fraud

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We did an interview with John Simpson of www.consumerwatchdog.org and he gave us information on how to avoid this new kind of consumer scam. Podcasting is free at www.normangoldman.com and the interview was in the middle of the second hour!

After this interview, an attorney, Kelli D., wrote in as follows:

"Mr. Goldman, I am an attorney fighting foreclosure and predatory lending in Chicago. Consumers can avoid mortgage rescue fraud by working only with FREE HUD-Certified Housing Counselors. www. HUD.com. They should run if someone requests money."

So, there you are!! Thank you, Kelli, D! Go to www.HUD.com and check for certified housing counselors. IF ANYONE ASKS FOR $$$$, JUST SAY NO AND RUN AWAY!!

Norm

McHenry County Democrats

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We have a regular listener and caller to the show named Nick, in Chicagoland, who is trying to go with Point # 1 of our 4-Point Plan To Rescue America, and get involved in politics - by starting with the McHenry County Democrats! Problem is, he keeps calling and they won't return his call! VERY BAD!

So, after Nick called in and reported this, I got this message from a DIFFERENT Nick, who said this:

"For all who are interested in the Democratic Party events in McHenry County, Illinois...the next event will be held at "Winestyles", 319 North Randall Road, Lake In The Hills, IL at 7:00 PM. http://mchenrydems.org/ is a great organization, showing entrenched Repugnicans a new way. Call Sam Melei @ 815-788-9450 for more info."

Tracking Votes In Congress

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

UPDATE: HERE IS ANOTHER GREAT WAY TO TRACK YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND SENATOR: FROM PATTI H. IN THE DAKOTAS!!

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/megavote/

Below is the original blog post:

We got a call on the show yesterday about how to track your member of Congress and Senator's votes. I suggested Project Vote Smart (www.votesmart.org) and John in Seattle suggests www.congress.org. John reports that "you can sign up for regular e-mails on what is coming up for a vote and how one's politicians voted on recent bills. They don't sell your data and I've found them to be very useful in keeping track of the scoundrels." Thanks, John!

Also, www.govtrack.us is a good tool from a civic minded fellow and group! And, if you do not know about THOMAS, check it out! http://thomas.loc.gov/

Open Congress is good, too! http://www.opencongress.org/wiki/Help:How_to_research_congressional_records_and_positions

Finally, different interest groups "rate" members of Congress and Senators according to how they vote on bills of interest to that the group cares about. While I disagree with the NRA, they do this; the League of Conservation Voters does this, here http://www.lcv.org/scorecard/ and many other groups do this too. NARAL tracks legislation and I encourage you to look at their website and get involved! http://www.naral.org/

LOTS of ways to track your politicians - at least nationally! If you have ideas - please send them along!! Norm

Rescue America - A 4-Point Plan

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We have witnessed a sustained, "institutional-style" Republican assault on America for the last thirty-plus years. It is "institutional" because it is not tied to one person. Ronald Reagan came and went; ditto for Newt Gingrich; Tom DeLay; two Bushes and the same will be true for the right wing talkers. Fox will be there regardless of the people on the screen. Like Wall Street, these elements will always be there, not dependent on one personality. The right wing has a natural advantage, since it speaks for and advances the corporate agenda; it is funded by global multinationals. The Koch Brothers and their spawn will perpetuate themselves indefinitely.

Since we launched The Norman Goldman Show on September 8, 2009, a few things have become apparent. One is that people are no longer content with talk, they want action! I also have come to feel this way; it is, after all, important to speak out, but it is vitally important to act to save America from a bad fate that many of us see looming.

Thus, we have launched a four-part plan to act to save America.
1) One is simple but very important: Encourage people to run for office. Now, this is not for everyone, but we need to find people, from the pool of us, who can enter the political realm and displace these career politicians who have screwed up everything. If you cannot run for office, consider volunteering for a local elected official or party committee. You will get to know key people and the feeling of empowerment is AWESOME! Just 3 hours a week is plenty - like a Thursday afternoon, answering phones, working on the computers; writing letters. ALL of this is needed work and you WILL be appreciated! Chances are good you will meet the politician and maybe this will help get you to run or be appointed to local office!

2) The second thing is to have a radio home for whistle blowers; a place where people with knowledge of scandals and wrongdoing (public and private) can leak documents and information to expose scandals. This is a "WikiLeaks for radio" and can be accessed by sending e-mails to norm@normangoldman.com and putting "Radio Leaks" in the subject line. As I said on the radio, I will do my level best to protect the leakers; it helps being a lawyer! Using software like TOR or I2P, people can hide their identities, if they so choose, and leak anonymously. Or, people can use Internet cafes and public libraries (make sure not to leave your real name) to send material. I will fight all lawsuits and subpoenas and gather up other lawyers to fight efforts to discover identities of leakers, of course at no charge. I will claim the journalist privilege and while I cannot guarantee anonymity, if the whistleblowers take steps to hide their identities, I can help as well.

3) The third thing is to use state ballot initiatives to put our agenda before the people. I am tired of waiting on Washington. Something like 24 states have citizen initiative provisions; we should turn the tables on Karl Rove and put our agenda on state ballots - just like Rove did to swell turnout in the 2004 election, with "ban gay marriage" initiatives.

4) The fourth thing is the most ambitious but perhaps most vital: To create or find a quarterback to knit together the progressive infrastructure and get a coordinated message out in the public. Raising money to place billboards by highways ("Tax Fairness Balances The Budget" and "Outsourcing is a Job Killer - Bring The Jobs Home") and running TV and radio commercials constantly (not just at election time) to issue advocate, not candidate advocate, would counter "The American Crossroads" campaign of Karl Rove and his corporate sponsors. We would need an Obama-style base of small donors, plus a group of middle and larger donors to sustain the effort for years to come. I am talking about a constant, relentless effort here - not a one-shot deal. Patience is a virtue.

The group would draw on the disparate pieces already in existence and coordinate them for maximum effect: Placing people on the talking head shows; getting Op-Eds in papers; putting out research for progressives to use and perhaps most important of all, getting a common group of two-word sound bites (like "tax fairness") and pounding away at them just as the right wing has done "the death tax" and "job killing tax hikes".

It has taken the right wing, corporate boys a long time to build their infrastructure. The Koch Brothers funded The American Enterprise Institute; "Freedom Works" and "Americans for Prosperity" and other front groups. We are not starting from scratch - many of the progressive groups exist already; what is needed is a coordinating hand, to work collaboratively with all and get us all singing from the same hymnal.

This will require a broad consensus as to our plan. Internal squabbles are suicide. The right wing has it easy: "Tax cuts" and "no regulation" is what they all agree on. They keep it simple and direct. We need to do likewise.

We need our own "American Crossroads" and have it double as not just media buyer but progressive-group coordinator and coalesce on a simple group of broadly popular economic populist points that will re-define "the center" and attract people regardless of labels and party affiliation. Tax fairness; a balanced budget (by waging war on corporate welfare; waste, fraud and abuse, especially in the Pentagon budget and war profiteering) and creating American jobs by attacking outsourcing and making green technology here, are good places to start.

After the debacle of the 1964 Barry Goldwater election, and the ascension of Ronald Reagan, the right wing has almost completely achieved their long term, relentlessly-focused goals: they have a five member working group on the Supreme Court and they have propagandized the American people so well and so thoroughly that we are all now playing on their turf. They have set the terms of the debate through use of language (curse you, Frank Luntz and bless you, George Lakoff!) and manipulation of symbols (American flag and Bible, anyone?). Next up for them is the end of Social Security and Medicare. If we don't do what needs to be done, it will be game over. The end is almost near.

Support Sheriff Dupnik!

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Thank you, listener and Beyond The Normer Scott, for sending this link along!

This link will take you to the page to sign a statement in support of Sheriff Dupnik! See, we sign petitions and statements, they shoot!

http://site.pfaw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sheriff

Redefining The Center!

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I have heard quite enough from President Bill Clinton, the "Democratic Leadership Council" the "Third Way" people and now William Daley, rumored to be President Obama's new Chief of Staff - not to mention from President Obama himself - about "the center" and "we need to move to the center." I have also had more than my fill of "triangulation" and the political calculations that Mr. Clinton used, and now is tutoring the new Bill Clinton clone in the White House to use.

Apparently, to these Democrats, "the center" means being the same corporatist Republicans as explicit, actual Republicans, just slightly less so. This is not "the center"; this is mimicry - it is being "Republican-lite: Half the fat cat of our regular Republican." The Republicans have moved so far to the right that they keep planting their flag on ever more extreme soil and the Democrats keep moving over there, to be "centrist" and "bipartisan." The entire political spectrum has moved so far right that I hardly recognize America anymore. The Republicans have called the tune and set the terms of debate for thirty years.

Enough is enough. Someone has to have the guts to stand up and redefine "the center". I am nominating myself; here and now.

An economically populist agenda would garner tremendous support, across the political spectrum. Challenging bank bailouts; demanding "tax fairness" (take that, Frank Luntz); an end to "free trade" agreements that ship our jobs to slave labor countries; a return to making things in America; an end to tax breaks for outsourcing; getting dirty money out of our corrupt politics (overturn the Citizens United case) and tariffs on cheap imports to America should be key issues. A balanced budget, by restoring tax fairness; negotiating prescription drug prices through Medicare, and ending waste, fraud and abuse in the Pentagon budget, farm subsidies to gigantic agri-business firms as well as attacks on "corporate welfare" (take that again, Frank Luntz) and a vigorous defense of the middle class would redefine "the center" and align the American people against the economic elites that have near total dominance of our nation.

Re-branding the Democratic Party in this way - staking these issues out as our issues - would redefine "the center" (we should simply declare, over and over, that this is the true "center") and we can then demand Republicans (and corporate Democrats) come over to us; and skewer them when they continue to be water carriers for Wall Street and the top two percent. It is time for an aggressive, in-your-face approach to politics, with relentless imaging, using the same words over and over. Use catchy sound bites to brand the Republicans (and these corporatist Democrats) as Wall Street patsies; corporate shills; bankers' front men and oil companies' errand boys. The "death tax" is truly the "estate tax" and that is part of "tax fairness".

George Lakoff has it right - it is about framing. The aim here is to peel off independents and Republicans, and re-energize the Democratic base, to build a new coalition of "centrists" based on jobs at home for Americans; tax fairness and a balanced budget based upon honesty, and rooting out corruption, both political and governmental, and waste, fraud and abuse.

That is the new center. Enough of the mimicry and corporatism. The future of America is at stake.

A Whole New Level!

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Today we launch this show into a whole new level! By that I mean a few things and I would LOVE (and need) your input! Aside from our regular, daily analysis, teaching and discussion:

1) This will be the home of Radio Leaks;

2) We will be encouraging people to run for office - local, state, national, and getting them fired up and ready to go and;

3) We will be looking for a group or groups to put up billboards and put TV and radio spots on the air to get a TRUE progressive message out.

This is all based upon the need to build a new, long term, permanent progressive infrastructure. You will be an active participant!

So, join us and let's make radio not only interactive, but PRO-active!

Norm

REAL Filibuster Reform!

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

While I advocate getting rid of the filibuster ENTIRELY - and doing away with "one Senator holds" and all the other stupid rules that make the U.S. Senate a non-functioning body, Daily KOS is behind an effort to at least get real filibuster reform. I signed the petition and here is the link:

http://campaigns.dailykos.com/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=17

Will you sign????

Norm

Christmas Movies!

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Today we are getting LOTS of GREAT suggestions for Christmas movies!

I started with "It's A Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore, plus "The Thin Man" with William Powell and Myrna Loy!

Then, the flood of GREAT suggestions came in from callers!

"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" with Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo; "Mr. Deeds Goes To Town" with Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur (a Frank Capra - "Capracorn") movie" as is "Meet John Doe" with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck; "Christmas in Connecticut" with Barbara Stanwyck and Monty Woolley; "Meet Me In St. Louis" with Judy Garland; "White Christmas"; "Little Women"; "The Ref"; "Bad Santa" (with Billy Bob Thornton - keep the kids away from this one - it is ribald and raunchy!) "The Man Who Came To Dinner" with Monty Woolley; and "The Bishop's Wife" with Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven (remade some years back with Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston...and the list is growing - check back as we add more!

Like, now that we are adding more! (LOL!) "A Christmas Story" and we'll add more so check back!

This from Darren P.: "THE HEBREW HAMMER: Christmas + Hannukah + Kwanzaa. Hilarious and adult about a Jewish superhero fighting an insane Santa Claus played by Andy Dick. Great combination of Christian/Jewish humor and social commentary as well. NOT FOR KIDS but freaking hilarious!"

Plus, from Sharon A.: "The Petrified Forest - Leslie Howard delivers some lofty thoughts including on taking care of the environment - way ahead of it's time!"

Chris from Chicago suggests "Holiday Inn" with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire - these are not two of my favorite actors but there you are!

And then there is this, from Mary in Washington: "My favorite movie of all time happens to take place during the Holidays -"Trading Places" starring Eddie Murphy, Dan Akroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Ameche and other greats. I have watched it every Christmas for over 25 years and would be very surprised if you've never seen it." [AND YES, I HAVE SEEN IT - IT IS GREAT AND ONE OF MY WIFE'S FAVORITES!!]

From Rick M. in Florida: "How about the original "A Christmas Carol" the Charles Dickens book ....Also .. "Miracle on 34th Street" ...." Two good ones!

And, there's this this: "Scrooged with Bill Murray."

This, from Zara in New Jersey: "I also LOVE Mr. MaGoo's Christmas Carol - although a cartoon, it actually has some Great Music - like this sad little song (which I Love, but the "Plunderer's March" is GREAT, too): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7qOFB4IXA8

Then there is the very poignant, 1940's themed "The House Without A Christmas Tree" - w/the Great Jason Robards. Robards plays a rather bitter man who is still grieving his deceased wife, and refuses his young daughter the joy of having a Christmas tree (listen @ 8:15): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMUhtEBEjV8&feature=related

A Finnish movie "Rare Exports" from a caller and I add "Night On Earth" by Jim Jarmusch - I have NOT seen "Rare Exports" and "Night On Earth" is not EXACTLY a Christmas movie; but I definitely suggest "Night On Earth"!

Dickens' America

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We are regressing, as a nation, back to the days of "The Jungle" and 1906. The rich are getting VASTLY richer, and the middle class is joining the poor as....well, poor! We bailed out the banks and (it turns out) everyone else - GE; McDonald's, and so on, with many TRILLIONS of Federal Reserve money. Now, we see that Wall Street is booming like it's the good old days; the Democrats are giving whopping tax breaks to the rich and this story, showing that Charles Dickens, although writing about England, was prophetic about America.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40681578/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/

Unless and until WE THE PEOPLE take charge, it will keep getting worse.

Norm

Incredible Waste, Fraud and Abuse of Tax Dollars

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Today we interview Winslow Wheeler, of the Center for Defense Information (www.cdi.org) about a letter sent to the President's "Deficit Commission" which details MIND BOGGLING waste, fraud and abuse in the military budget.

The Pentagon is and has been unauditable for MANY YEARS - the money disappears (literally) and no one can account for it. We are talking HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS! We need ACTION!!!

With Republicans trying to blow another MASSIVE hole in the deficit with more tax cuts for the rich; and stopping unemployment benefits to the unemployed (at Christmas, no less!) we need to force cuts in the war machine! Norm

Check out the letter, here:

November 19, 2010

New Letter to Deficit Commission on DOD Budget

Linked and reproduced below is a sample of letters mailed earlier this week to each member of the President Obama's bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (the Deficit Commission).

The letter addresses the defense budget. It is significantly different from all but one of the major defense budget proposals and letters before the Commission. It does not specify a cut list of weapons, benefits and policies. Instead, it advocates a fundamental way to make sense out of all the cuts in the defense budget that are now generally recognized as inevitable.

The letter argues that there are two essential, interrelated issues: first, while two of the other major proposals before the Commission and now public fuzz up the actual amount of reductions they recommend for the Gates-Obama defense budget over the next decade, they all round to $1 trillion. Second, while reform is a byword of everyone regarding the Pentagon these days, too many overlook the essential foundation for any defense reform: real understanding of how defense dollars are spent as a basis for decision-making in the future. Indeed, if you do not know how defense dollars are spent (and today that is impossible), how can you cut the defense budget intelligently?

While two of the more prominent proposals before the Commission, the Bowles-Simpson co-chairs' proposal and the Sustainable Defense Task Force Report, constructively address the financial management problem in DOD, they do not make comprehensive audits of programs, policies and contractors the essential precondition to moving ahead in the defense budget and to rational future budget reductions. This new letter urges the Commission to make the audit issue a top priority and precursor for DOD's budget future. It follows on the central theme of Sen. Tom Coburn's, R-Okla., May 18 letter (available on request) to all commission members to freeze the DOD budget at the 2010 level (without inflation) unless and until it can actually pass comprehensive audits of major acquisition programs, components and contractors. (This new letter was not coordinated with Senator Coburn or his office.)

The new letter is signed by eight individuals who represent over 300 years of combined experience with the DOD budget, weapons and/or military operations.

If you have any comments or questions, please contact any of the individuals who signed the letter; there are hot links and phone numbers for each of them in the text of the signature block.

Letter to Deficit Commission in PDF

# # #

November 15, 2010

The Honorable Erskine Bowles
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
1650 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20504

Dear Mr. Bowles:

We are writing to you and other members of the President's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform as individuals who have worked in national security affairs for decades for the Department of Defense, in the Armed Forces and for Democrats and Republicans in Congress. Our concern is the defense budget.

Similar to what your "Co-Chairs' Proposal" said last week regarding Social Security and other issues, we do not believe that defense spending should be reduced to a bargaining chip in budget negotiations at the Deficit Commission. On the other hand, we do believe that the defense budget is dangerously bloated, giving rise to serious decay in our armed forces.

Weaker forces at higher costs (discussed below) are the result of many years of exploitation of defense spending for political purposes, dereliction of oversight duties, and gross mismanagement by the Pentagon, the White House and the Congress. There has been a fundamental absence of accountability, both that required by the Constitution and that which accompanies sound management.

With or without the work of the Deficit Commission, the central problems in our defenses need to be addressed as a matter of high priority. The Commission provides a historic opportunity to build the consensus to do so now. We urge you to consider the proposition that the decay of our forces cannot be reversed under growing defense budgets. Instead, it can, and should, be achieved at levels of defense spending even somewhat lower than those the Co-Chairs' Proposal recommends.

To understand what is needed in the future, consider the mistakes of the past.

For example, over the last decade, the Navy budget received $293 billion more than the baseline of spending in 2000 anticipated (adjusted for inflation). Seen another way, the 2011 Navy's "base" budget, which does not include spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is 44 percent higher than it was in 2000. Yet the size of the Navy's combat fleet went down in this period, from 318 ships and submarines to 287 - a decline of 10 percent. This is not a smaller, newer fleet; it is a smaller, older fleet - about four years older, on average, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). It is also less ready to fight: for the past year the press has repeatedly reported on severe maintenance problems throughout the fleet, and Navy combat pilot training in the air has remained at historic lows.

The situation in the Air Force is worse. It received $320 billion more than the base budget levels anticipated in 2000 and increased by 2011 by 43 percent. During the same 2000-2011 period, the number of active and reserve fighter and bomber squadrons went from 146 to 72, a decline of 51 percent. According to CBO, our combat air fleet is now about nine years older than in 2000 - an historic high average age of about 23 years. Fighter pilot in-air training hours today are one-half to one-third of what they were in the 1970s, an era not noted for high readiness.

The Army received a $297 billion budget plus-up, a 53 percent increase. In this case, the combat forces did increase; the number of brigade combat teams grew from 44 to 46, an increase of 5 percent. A 53 percent budget increase bought a 5 percent increase in combat forces. But CBO tells us that major Army equipment inventories are mostly older, and in 2006, the House Armed Services Committee held hearings and leaked a memo documenting historic lows in the readiness of active Army units. The analysis has not been publicly updated, but we should worry that it has gotten worse.

There is no mystery why the increased spending has led to shrinking, aging hardware inventories. New weapons systems cost three to ten times more to buy and operate than the weapons they are replacing. Even if their budgets could grow steadily at five percent per year (over and above inflation), the cost explosion in new weapons dooms the military services to being unable to buy as many weapons as they had - hence the shrinking hardware inventories. Because they can buy so few new planes, tanks or ships, they extend the life of the old ones - hence the aging.

At $707 billion, the defense budget is today higher in than it has ever been since the end of World War II, even when the effects of 65 years of inflation are removed. This spending level is unrelated to the military threat. During the Cold War, from 1948 to 1990, when we faced the sizeable forces of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact, annual Pentagon spending averaged $440 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars, (and that includes the effects of the Korean and Vietnam wars). Today, big spending advocates point to China, with a defense budget variously estimated at from $80 to $180 billion per year, as the future threat we must prepare against. But, if we add the highest available defense budget estimates for China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Cuba and then double that sum, the Pentagon still spends more. As to the threat of terrorism, we almost certainly spend more in one day than al Qaeda, the Taliban and all their affiliates spend in an entire year.

Despite Secretary of Defense Robert Gates' efforts to cancel or redo several weapon programs that were over cost and under-performing, the number of major defense acquisition programs has changed from 91 programs costing $1.6 trillion to 87 programs costing $1.6 trillion. As you know, Secretary Gates has also imposed a plan on the DOD bureaucracy to transfer internally $102 billion dollars over 5 years, but there is no net savings to help the deficit.

Instead, Secretary Gates wants the DOD budget to grow one percent per year plus inflation for the next 10 years. That would increase the base DOD budget from $554 in 2010 to $735 billion in 2020 - a 33 percent increase, not including any spending for the wars against terrorism. While the Co-Chairs' Proposal seeks a number of terminations, reductions, and efficiencies beyond the Gates' plan (many of them welcome and overdue, but some that we believe require major modification), both the Co-Chairs Proposal and the Gates' plan project into the future a defense program that is essentially the same as that we have today, simply at different spending levels. Under either plan, the size and modernity of our forces will continue to shrink and age, even if all remaining programs are implemented without any cost increases or schedule delays.

We believe there is a path that meets the goals of deficit reduction and strengthens real national defense. That path needs to start with the acknowledgement of a need for fundamental reform.

Right now, the Pentagon does not know how or where it spends its money. As the Government Accountability Office and DOD's own Office of the Inspector General have reported for decades, the Pentagon cannot track the money it spends. Routinely, DOD does not know if it has paid contactors once, twice, or not at all. We recently learned it does not even know how many contractors it has, how many they employ, and what they are doing. Google the terms "audit" and "Pentagon" and read the horror stories.

The Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act of 1990 sought to solve this problem by requiring the Pentagon, and all other federal agencies, to pass annual audits of the links between their expenditures and legally enacted appropriations authorizing those expenditures. This requirement was intended as a first step to give meaning to the Appropriations and Accountability Clauses in the Constitution, namely -

"No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time."

In sharp contrast to almost every other federal agency, the Pentagon has failed to comply with the CFO Act, let alone with the Constitution's much more sweeping and absolute requirement for accountability. We are sure you will agree this puts at risk not just fiscal responsibility - the task of your Commission - but also fundamental checks and balances in our system of government. As federal officials and members of the Armed Forces, we all took an oath, freely and without reservation, to uphold, protect and defend that principle, among others. The Pentagon, in effect, claims an exemption.

Since the CFO Act was enacted in 1990 to start the journey toward the Constitution's requirement for an uncompromised accounting of Pentagon spending, DOD's managers have made promise after promise to perform. A very modest level of "audit readiness" was promised for 1997; that slid to 2006, then 2007, 2016, and finally 2017- twenty seven years after the passage of the CFO Act. The sitting DOD CFO recently said the Pentagon will need yet another extension: that is, more than twenty seven years. With every promise broken, it is clear that if you ask what a DOD program or policy has cost, is costing, and might cost in the future, the current DOD system will provide you any dollar amount it wants you to hear. Ask for an audit of those numbers, or just an independent review, and listen to the excuses.

For further explanation of the practical effect, we urge you to look at an important new report from Senator Charles Grassley, R-IO ("Oversight Review of Audit Reporting by the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General"). It reveals just how deep the problems are: not only are the Pentagon's books a gigantic mess making it impossible to know how money is actually spent, but the office charged with fixing the mess is broken.

To expose and understand the massive misuse of the windfall in the base budget, the huge excesses in new weapon costs, and the extent of incompetence and even corruption in DOD contracting, the national security decision-making community in the Pentagon, Congress, and the White House must confront the painful truth of accurate, comprehensive, audited cost and spending figures. However, those data do not exist because no one has insisted on them, notwithstanding the legal requirements of the Accountability Clause of the Constitution and the Chief Financial Officers Act. Worse, while promising watered-down versions of such data in the vague future, the business-as-usual Pentagon protests that its spending must keep on growing in perpetuity - as our forces shrink and age. It is precisely this behavior that the Constitution and the CFO Act sought to preclude.

Without a jolt, without radically altered incentives, the bureaucratic system that thrives on corrupted, unaudited accounts cannot and will not change. A colleague of yours on the Deficit Commission, Senator Tom Coburn, R-OK, has written to you recommending the urgently required accounting changes, together with a new and strong incentive: the DOD budget should be frozen at current (2010) spending levels until it can pass comprehensive audits of all of its programs, agencies, and contractors.

Freezing the DOD budget at the 2010 level would mean spending $5.5 trillion for defense in the next ten years. That is $1 trillion less than the $6.5 trillion that Secretary Gates' plan would spend. It is not radically different from the slightly more modest $865 billion reduction we understand the Bowles-Simpson Co-Chairs' Proposal would extract. Either spending limit could impose a discipline on Pentagon spending that has been missing for a long time. And freezing spending until the Pentagon passes audits up to the standards we require of taxpayers and businesses - as specified in the Coburn plan - provides a truly powerful incentive for the Pentagon to conform to the letter of the Chief Financial Officer Act and to the original intent of the Accountability Clause of the Constitution.

These audits are, in fact, the minimal prerequisites for beginning the reforms that actually strengthen defense, but their enforcement would lay the foundation for the decision-making discipline we have long needed. This goes beyond the commendable goal of saving money by identifying waste, fraud and abuse. Trustworthy, audited cost figures allow shaping new, more effective procurement programs - and ensure that planned procurements and force levels fit actual budgets.

Advocates of continuing DOD budget growth are loath to point out that holding the Pentagon's base budget at the 2010 level is actually a $900 billion increase over the pre-war year 2000 spending level (adjusted for inflation). Nor are they likely to tell you that the frozen budget will remain multiples of what China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran - combined - spend. Nor will they tell you it will match the combined spending of almost every other nation on earth.

The historical record shows that the magnitude of reduction suggested here has precedent. In 1985, during Ronald Reagan's presidency, and in 1991 in George W. Bush's presidency, Department of Defense budget authority took sharp downward vectors. Today, the United Kingdom has set out a path of an eight percent reduction in defense spending to meet essential fiscal goals. Sadly, however, the British government has not adopted a meaningful reform agenda, so it is simply buying less of the same weapon systems and force units that were planned before. Given the clearer picture of Pentagon spending resulting from Senator Coburn's crucial audit/freeze proposal, our collective experience makes us confident that Pentagon spending can be reduced in better informed, more effective ways - ways that can actually strengthen national security while ending the shrinking and the aging of our forces at ever higher cost.

All this is inextricably interwoven with our present wars. If - after our withdrawal from Iraq, Afghanistan and similar adventures, an increasingly inevitable consequence of impending bankruptcy - we simply default to the Pentagon's military and civilian bureaucracies, allowing them to continue business as usual by just shrinking presently planned forces, it would be an enormous tragedy for the American people and for all those in uniform. Your support of constructive, thoughtful use of reduced budget levels and audited spending figures can make possible truly fundamental reform, reform that reorients our national military strategy to more prudently balance national ends against national means.

We urge you to consider these ideas. If you would like to discuss any of the issues or data addressed above, we would be happy to meet with you.

Sincerely,

Thomas Christie
former Director, Operational Test and Evaluation
Office of Secretary of Defense
defense career started: 1955
tchristie34@verizon.net
703 281-2584

Pierre M. Sprey
a key designer of the F-16 & A-10
defense career started: 1956
pierre@mapleshaderecords.com
410 867-7794

David Evans
Lt. Col. USMC, ret.
defense career started: 1966
de@nolan-law.com
540 687-6996

Franklin C. Spinney
former Analyst, Office of Secretary of Defense
(Program Analysis and Evaluation)
defense career started: 1967
chuck.spinney@gmail.com
703 823-5069

GI Wilson
Col. USMC, ret.
defense career started: 1969
wilsongi@aol.com
760 505-4360

Winslow T. Wheeler
Director, Straus Military Reform Project
defense career started: 1971
winslowwheeler@msn.com
301 791-2397

Douglas Macgregor, PhD
Col. US Army, ret.
defense career started: 1971
doug.macgregor@burke-macgregor.com
703 975-6954

Donald Vandergriff
Maj. US Army, ret.
defense career started 1981
vandergriffdonald@usa.net
571 723-6202

Author(s): Winslow Wheeler

I'm Not The Best Negotiator, BUT.....

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Part of being an attorney is NEGOTIATING. All manner of things are negotiated - terms of employment if you work in a firm; case settlements; case steps that are in dispute, even things like timing of filing documents; fee deals with clients, and so on. EVERYTHING is a negotiation. As with many things in life, practice makes perfect. Now, I don't claim to be the best negotiator, BUT when I propose something and the other side says, loudly and belligerently, "NO" - I do NOT make another offer. This is called "negotiating against yourself". This, sadly, is what the President is doing with John Boehner on taxes. When your counter party keeps saying "NO", you simply go to war; may the best warrior win. End of story. THERE IS NO NEGOTIATING WITH "NO".

The President needs to learn this. He IS an attorney. He is a politician. THEY negotiate ALL THE TIME. He should have known these basic rules by now.

Norm

Will The Tea Baggers March Again?

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It is being reported that the "National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform" (known better as the "Debt Commission") will recommend big cuts to Social Security and Medicare, PLUS, tax hikes to 'shore up' those programs.

I am VERY curious to see how the white, old, rural, male, Southerners (WORMS) that toted their oxygen tanks to the "Tea Party" rallies - and railed against "big government" - will react to the prospect of their federal umbilical cords being crimped? For all their bloviating, screaming and rudeness, these low information voters have no idea just how much that "big government" has done and still does for them.

Will they, now, scream and yell about their benefits being cut? Will their Republican handlers tell them "suck it up, sons, ya gotta be tough - spit on it, rub a little dirt on it, be self-reliant, take personal responsibility" or will the Republicans pander to them?

I am VERY curious to see!

Norm

Beyond The Norm

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Our new podcast/live segment is off to a roaring start! This week will be very special - definitely information you can use!

Please consider signing up - this is what you'll see:

All this week: Car dealerships and how to deal with them! I will expose how car dealers operate - how they make money and how you can turn this knowledge to your advantage!

Today - how to buy a car - an alternative way that works - this includes leasing!

Tomorrow - How to buy a car the traditional way - that still works - this includes leasing!

Wednesday - After market items - what are they and what to do about them!

Thursday - How car dealerships operate internally!

Friday - Wrapping it all up and putting it all together!

Well worth $5 for a month and $50 for a year - that's two months free!

Norm

Keith Olbermann

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

What MSNBC did was unconscionable. NBC News claims to be "neutral" and "objective" and Brian Williams would be viewed differently if he gave political contributions. BUT, MSNBC clearly has a point of view. Just like Fox Boobs.

To support Keith, go here:

http://saveolbermann.com/

Also, Phil Griffin, the President of MSNBC is at phil.griffin@nbcuni.com and his phone voicemail box is full and likely will be changed, so just try e-mail.

Norm

Why The Election Turned Out As It Did

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Where Did President Obama Go Wrong?

A new poll shows people want MORE change from the President. These people are right. The President ran a very strong, pro-change campaign. Immediately upon taking office he (and he has now admitted this) began making deals. Bad deals. He began from positions of compromise and then compromised further from there - like never advancing single payer as an opening position and then "backing down" to a strong public option. He compromised with drug companies; hospital associations and other corporate powers, in the health care debate. He sold out the public option, and then denied doing so; then had Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid do a bizarre charade at the end in order to NOT have the public option. He caved into ConservaDems like Ben Nelson and Blanche Lincoln and only was tough on his base - the REAL Democrats who got him elected.

Why do the progressive Democrats always have to cave to the ConservaDems?

The House passed bills that the President and all Democrats knew would never pass the Senate - why force such tough votes (cap and trade, for example) when everyone knew the Senate was the place where legislation went to die?

On financial re-regulation, on the stimulus, the President again compromised. This pattern, of getting half measures while chasing a few "moderate" Republicans, led to a very watered down package of laws. All this from a President who campaigned on "change" but, upon taking office, used the same, old, tired, despised, inside game of political horse trading. This explains the "enthusiasm gap"; the President hurt his own and they punished him (and the political party he heads) by staying home.

What the President should have done was never leave campaign mode. He should have railed against the banks that we bailed out; he should have campaigned to immediately end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and raise taxes on them beyond that. He should have demanded bold regulation on the corporate criminals that crashed the economy. He should have demanded an end to the Senate filibuster and the �one-senator-can-holdup-anything' rule. He should have demanded jobs programs to employ people and the end of corporate tax loopholes to pay for those programs.

He should have introduced a bill per day aimed squarely at corporate tax loopholes and highlighted - every day if need be - the outsourcing of jobs and the tax subsidies (corporate welfare) that went into fueling it. He should have made "corporate welfare" an every day phrase in the American lexicon.

Had he run a populist progressive campaign, and demanded "change we can believe in" he would have had huge support from the Democrats (and many independents) and would not have the problems he is having now. Going from a soaring, inspirational campaigner to a dull, ineffective, manager cost him - and us - an historic opportunity for real, fundamental change - an opportunity we will not see again for a long time.

Who's Voting?

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Sharron Angle; Glenn Beck; Limbaugh; O'Reilly and the rest of the wackos on the far right WILL be voting.

Will you?

Take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydyOTADrCFc

Norm

ANOTHER WONDERFUL VIDEO!

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks, Jay M. for sending this along!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnUfPQVOqpw

Norm

YET ANOTHER MUST SEE VIDEO!

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

$80 out of every $100 made in America since 1980 (Ronald Reagan) has gone to the top 1%. CLASS WARFARE!!

Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku3TtxjX13Y

Thank you, John G!

Norm

Top Ten Ugly Things!

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We had the Good, The Bad and now....The Ugly!

Of course, the Republicans! Feel free to add to or disagree with, this list!

1) Filibustering EVERYTHING - TOTAL ABUSE of the filibuster - 109 from Jan. 20, 2009 through July, 2010 - a number totally off the charts from the past use of the filibuster;

2) Supporting outsourcing;

3) Filibustering an extension of unemployment benefits;

4) Filibustering a job creating small business loan bill;

5) Holding middle class tax cuts hostage to tax cuts for the top 2%;

6) Putting "holds" in the Senate on many Administration nominees for executive branch positions;

7) Standing on the sidelines and throwing rocks to help keep the economy dead;

8) Adopting "Tea Party" positions;

9) Constantly questioning the President's birth certificate, and;

10) Constantly questioning the President's faith.

NOW, these "bonus selections" from e-mailers:

11) Poisoning our culture and political discourse with a level of bigotry, racism, paranoia and hatred that we haven't seen since the McCarthy era;

12) Being in charge when Katrina hit and blowing it;

13) Record deficits;

14) Wall Street bailouts;

15) Blocking health care for 9/11 first responders, and;

16) Enabling bank rip-offs.

What do YOU think?

Norm

I Remember (Who Destroyed Everything)

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A FANTASTIC YouTube video! A must see!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlBOv8m_Xa8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Norm

Top Ten Bad Things President Obama Did

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

O.K. - here it is! The next blog post is "the good" - on Friday, "the ugly".

1) Increased drone strikes and targeting American citizens for assassination;

2) Not only did not close Guantanamo Bay, but backed down on trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in open court in Manhattan;

3) Giving away the public option on health insurance;

4) Not breaking up the banks;

5) Rahm Emanuel; Larry Summers and Timmy Geithner;

6) On health insurance - breaking his pledge AGAINST the "mandate";

7) Not demanding an end to the filibuster in the Senate;

8) Caving into ConservaDems like Blanche Lincoln and Ben Nelson and chasing a couple of Republicans like Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins - and compromising A LOT on bills to get these few votes;

9) Not demanding higher taxes on the top 2% right from the start of his Administration;

10) Not running against the banks and Wall Street as a true progressive populist.

AND, my own "bonus selection":

11) Continued to try to work with Republicans even after they repeatedly spat in his face and said "we're gonna destroy you".

NOW, others weighed in, with "bonus selections":

12) Not prosecuting Bush and Cheney and the rest for the criminals they are - letting murderers off the hook;

13) Caving on Van Jones and Shirley Sherrod, and;

14) Continuing inaccurate reports from NOAA on the spill.

What do YOU think?

Norm

Top Ten Good Things President Obama Did

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We have the good, the bad, and tomorrow - The Ugly! That, of course, is reserved for Republicans!

But, here are the good things:

1) The world - especially our allies - hate us a lot less;

2) Saved GM, Chrysler and a LOT of American union jobs;

3) Got rid of pre-existing conditions on health insurance;

4) Got rid of lifetime caps on health insurance;

5) Got real credit card reform by clamping down on the banks;

6) Got banks out of the student loan business (they were leeches, they "processed" and made loans GUARANTEED by the federal government - easy, safe money for banks) and increased funding for student loans and grants - Pell Grants doubled to $5,500 with a $40 billion increase;

7) Got some good Wall Street reforms like transparency in derivatives trading;

8) Created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (no Republican would do THAT!);

9) Brought in Elizabeth Warren to run it (no Republican would do THAT, either!) and;

10) Did a stimulus that stopped us from falling into the New Great Depression.

AND, others weighed in, with "bonus selections":

11) Did a good job of "green jobs" and put solar panels on the White House roof, and;

12) New EPA emissions rules and fuel standards.

What do YOU think?

Norm

Let's Party Like It's 1996!

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In 1996, California legalized medical marijuana at the ballot box. We were told dogs would sleep with cats, rats with human brains would be developed (oh, sorry, that's Christine O'Donnell); everyone would be driving stoned; the world would end. None of that happened, of course, and all is moving along smoothly.

Now that a legalization for ALL purposes is on the ballot, the same old tired nonsense is being trotted out. Take a look: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/27/prop-19-pot-marijuana-vote_n_774775.html

Simultaneously, we refuse to take "personal responsibility" for the havoc we are creating in Mexico, where people are dying by the thousands; an entire town's police force just quit today - all to satisfy OUR demand for drugs. And, the government (where is my "freedom" and "liberty" now you Tea Partiers?) says "take our drugs - don't take yours". "Our drugs are making multi-nationals fabulously wealthy - have YOU take YOUR Viagra or Cialis today?"

Can we just grow up please? Admit prohibition does not work (just ask Al Capone) and let's take a mature approach to marijuana? And stop the killing in Mexico?? After all, I am pro-life!

Norm

Bags of Cash!

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This sounds like something from the movie "Rainman" where Dustin Hoffman mimics Pat Sajak saying "lots of cash and fabulous prizes" but unfortunately, it's OUR cash that's getting handed out, Wheel of Fortune style!

Turns out that Hamid Karzai, the "President" of Afghanistan (recall how he rigged his recent re-election, just like the guy who handpicked him, George W. Bush) has been taking "bags of cash" from us and Iran - playing both sides, while his brother is reputed to be one of the biggest drug dealers in Afghanistan. Also, recall that a few months ago, the story came out that HUGE amounts of cash were being flown out of Afghanistan, to heaven only knows where!

Guess whose money that is?

I don't want my tax dollars going to Afghanistan. Use it for abortions instead.

Norm

Connect These Dots!

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Oakland, California, fired 80 police officers. That's more than 10% of the Police Department. If California legalizes marijuana on November 2, Oakland stands to get $13 million in tax revenue - almost enough to re-hire all those cops!

Plus, Oakland, which is far and away the most progressive city in California on the marijuana issue, stands to get jobs and put a lot of its abandoned industrial spaces to use, IF pot is legal!

How much more police time and taxpayer $ will we waste chasing pot users? The numbers up until now are staggering. Last year, there were 61,164 arrests for misdemeanor reefer in California. ENOUGH!

We CAN be bold and lead the way again! We ARE California!

Norm

The Ridiculous "War on Drugs"

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Mexico is in a civil war - based on feeding US drugs! We, of course, are ignoring this blood bath in Mexico. Now, an American has died. Will this change how we view the war on drugs?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39772666/ns/world_news-americas/

Norm

NOT Vote To Teach The Dems A Lesson?

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Thank you, Virginia, in Seattle, for sending this along!

So, you want to sit home and teach the Dems a lesson? READ THIS!!

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/10/15-7

Ratings of Politicians and Judges!

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This is one reason I LOVE radio - it's TOTALLY interactive! During the show on October 14, we had callers (and then e-mailers responding to callers) asking about "how to find information on the voting records of politicians?" I gave some answers, but then said I would post to the blog about it, and here it is!

A WONDERFUL group is "Operation Vote Smart" - they have been around a LONG time! Bipartisan and nonpartisan; with help from former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford, a LOT of people helped found the group and keep it running. They track and catalog LOTS of votes from LOTS of elected representatives. Check them out:

http://www.votesmart.org/

Another good resource is "Vote IQ.com" and they can be found here: http://www.voteiq.com/

Many "issue" groups also rate politicians. For example, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV is a green, environmental group to which I belong) gives "scores" based upon the votes of representatives. Take a look at what they do at http://www.lcv.org/scorecard/

While I disagree with them, the NRA (National Rifle Association) and MANY other groups, "rate" or give scorecards to elected officials based upon their votes and often give details as to WHY the ratings/scores are given. For issues near and dear to YOUR heart, check the websites of those organizations for issues you care about - I gave a couple of examples, above, (LCV/NRA) to get you started! Just go to your favorite search engine (Google, Yahoo, etc.) and type in a description of your issue (women's health, for example, or reproductive rights) and a list of groups will be provided. Then, go to those websites and see what ratings they have!

Candi e-mailed to suggest labor councils for information. She suggested www.wslc.org (Washington State Labor Council) for minimum wage, working families and labor issues in the Seattle area!

One caller asked about judges! This is a tough issue as many people have to vote in "retention" elections (an up or down "yes, keep" or "no, dump" vote) for judges they never heard of. and have no idea what rulings these judges made. One caller, from Illinois, said there was something like 100 judges on the ballot and he was lost.

The good news is that many local and state Bar Associations rate judges - but they often do NOT give information about individual cases. Judicial retention elections are tough - it's hard to know how to vote. Here is what I can offer:

Thanks to e-mailer Ellen M. of Illinois, for Illinois, try the Illinois Bar Association: http://www.isba.org/judicialevaluations; or the Chicago Bar Association has a voter guide, too: http://www.chicagobar.org/AM/Template.cfm;
The Chicago Council of Lawyers; The Women's Bar Association of Illinois; The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association; The Decalogue Society of Lawyers; the Puerto Rican Bar Association; the Asian American Bar Association; the Black Women's Bar Association; the Hellenic Bar Association and Cook County Bar Association (Thank YOU, Ellen M.!) are all available for information.

Check your local Bar Associations and noodle around the Internet for resources that rate judges in your area, such as the groups listed above. I do believe you will be pleased to find that judicial ratings ARE available from a variety of sources!

You can ALWAYS contact me to discuss this and see what more we can do!

Norm

A Laboratory of Democracy!

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In 1932, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis stated: "It is one of the happy incidents of the federal system that a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country." New State Ice Co. v. Liebman.

So, with California having Proposition 19 on the ballot, cannot the state experiment with legalizing marijuana? We need the tax revenue. Alcohol prohibition shows that we cannot legislate morality - all we do is create crime. Marijuana is relatively benign (certainly compared with alcohol) and since we legalized tobacco and alcohol, regulate them and tax them, why not try this with reefer?

Let one state experiment and see what happens. Somewhere, Mr. Justice Brandeis would be smiling.

Norm

The Foreclsoure Swindle That ALMOST Happened!

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Just did a BIG piece on this in our first hour with Arthur Delaney of HuffPost - please podcast it if you missed it - but also, Francine A.A. (one of our great listeners) sent this link along and it is VERY helpful!

http://www.propublica.org/blog/item/qa-putting-the-robo-signer-scandal-into-context

Norm

An Oldie But a Goldie! (It Still Applies Today!)

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This is 2 years old...but it still is fresh as a daisy!

Norm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiQJ9Xp0xxU

Early Voting

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the article I spoke of yesterday - how to get information on early voting!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39444285/ns/politics-decision_2010/

Go Ahead....Don't Vote - Here's Your Future!

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Think there is no difference between the Democrats and Republicans? Think not voting is a good way to "send a message"? If Republicans take over the Senate, South Carolina Republican, Tea Party darling and loon Jim DeMint (currently ascendant in the ranks of Senate Republicans, having declared ALL Senate business must from now go through him and him alone!) will be a VERY powerful player.

Who is Jim DeMint? Read this, from CNN:

(CNN) - A spokesman for Sen. Jim DeMint tells CNN the South Carolina Republican was merely stating his position that school boards should be in control of hiring decisions when the senator reportedly said Saturday that gays and unwed mothers should be banned from teaching.

THIS is the current Republican Party. So, go ahead, just hand over the power, without a fight.

Norm

The One Nation March!

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It was an honor to be there on Saturday, October 2! Fun was had by all! I posted 46 of the best pictures (with captions) on our Facebook page! But, we GOTTA keep pushing! The thought of the current crop of Republicans running the Congress is nauseating!

PHOTOS:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=249258&id=128983569089

Norm

We Bribe The Taliban To Not Attack Us!

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I got a call from Sean from Texas, who heard me talking about this topic, and asked for my source - saying he had not heard this information before. Well, here is the source: it's the House subcommittee on national security - reported through the Los Angeles Times, but more links are below as well.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dcnow/2010/06/us-contractors-bribing-afghan-taliban-for-safe-passage-house-probe-finds-.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/21/AR2010062104628.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/13/us-trucks-security-taliban

Also, if you search, on the Internet, for "contractor bribes to Taliban in Afghanistan" you will find lots of sources for this story.

It was under reported at the time and that is a shame!

Norm

Astroturf Groups

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Got an e-mail from Tara in Chicagoland today. She got a newsletter from a group fronting for the moneyed interests - and tying itself to her Congressman. She did some research and found the group was just another front organization. This is the kind of thing the right wing excels at - using innocuous sounding names and secret money to trick people. It's a disgrace and Republicans are benefiting from it - because they are a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Koch Brothers.

Only by voting and FORCING the Democratic Party to change will we save America!

Norm

A Pledge To Finish Off America

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For thirty years, we have lived under the Reagan philosophy of "trickle down" economics. Bill Clinton made only marginal, around the edges changes - he too was a corporatist. So, after thirty years, we have a huge economic disparity - the richest 20% of America controls almost 84% of the wealth. What's worse, it's the MINDSET that has permeated America - we are told that we should all think our interests are in line with the rich. We need to challenge this frontally. President Obama promised fundamental change. It did not happen.

For reasons we can debate, blame the President or not, America seems to be headed back into the arms of the Republicans. The corporations are giddy at the prospect of "Speaker Boehner" and thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the Citizen's United case, unlimited money is now pouring into this election cycle, without even disclosure as to who is paying the bills for the propaganda.

What's more, the Republicans have just published their wrongly named manifesto. It is not "A Pledge To America" it SHOULD be named "A Pledge To Finish Off America" as that is where we are now. Jobs - gone. Middle class - gone. Hope - gone. Change - filibustered into goneness. Democrats too craven to fight.

Sad. Very sad. And a Democratic electorate demoralized and dispirited from keeping the dirty talons of Republicans from the throats of America. It looks like the end of the Empire. I try to get people motivated to vote and it is not happening. After thirty years, they are close to returning us to the days of Upton Sinclair and "The Jungle". This election cycle, they just might finish us off.

The New Civil War

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Republicans are in open revolt. The "base" is openly hostile to the Establishment. The base hated the bailouts and they repudiate the free spending (even on the wars) of Mr. Bush and his fellow big government Republicans.

This can no longer be ignored. We, as REAL Americans, should do everything we can to drive a wedge between the Tea Partiers and the Establishment Republican Party. THEY have been using "wedge issues" against US for three decades and we should now use this wonderful opportunity to drive a BIG wedge between THEM this time around.

The opportunity is huge and sitting there. Will we take advantage? You tell me!

Norm

The Plan To Save America

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

THE PLAN TO SAVE AMERICA

In my opinion, our politics have become fossilized; even stultified. The two parties are not appealing to voters; the ranks of the unaffiliated grow and the disillusionment of the electorate gets ever larger. It is time to break out of the politics of old and create a new awakening in American politics. I offer this plan as a way to break free of the old strictures and spark a new energy. Your comments are extremely welcome! Please note these are bullet points - you and I will flesh these out as we move forward. www.normangoldman.com

This is "The Plan":

� An economic, progressive populist agenda, focused on the economic elites that have outsourced our jobs, shifted the tax burden to the middle class and destroyed the fabric of our nation with wedge issues.
� Restore tax fairness - return to the Roosevelt/Eisenhower tax structure of a true progressive income tax;
� Tax stock transactions on Wall Street;
� End all tax subsidies to corporations;
� Re-write the tax laws to strip out most, if not all, deductions, and make the tax laws simple and progressive;
� Put white collar criminals behind bars for long terms;
� Encourage "whistle blowers" who expose waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars;
� Public financing of political campaigns and outlaw private contributions to politicians;
� Use the antitrust laws to bust up the big trusts;
� Institute a "wealth tax" to recover much of the money that has been looted by the top 2%;
� Tax companies that send American jobs overseas to punish this practice;
� Get rid of "free trade agreements" and institute large tariffs on imports to level the playing field between cheap labor from overseas that has resulted from outsourcing;
� Cut the military budget by 10% per year for each of the next 5 years;
� Leave Iraq and Afghanistan as soon as possible;
� Close many of the American military bases overseas and shift the burden of being the "world's police force" to other countries on a more equitable basis;
� Build up the unions as a counterbalance to corporate power;
� Institute "Medicare for All" as either a buy-in or through a broad based group of "nickel and dime" taxes;
� Institute a massive investment in clean, renewable energy;
� Legalize marijuana, for tax revenue and to cut down on crime;
� End the ridiculous "War on Drugs";
� Re-cast "conservatism" as being for privacy rights and against intrusion into people's personal lives;
� Reclaim God as not a divisive force.

Free Speech Works BOTH Ways!

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

So, 5 out of 9 members of the UNELECTED U.S. Supreme Court, being Republicans, politicians in robes, judicial activists and legislating from the bench, imposing their views on the rest of us through making up law as their politics sees fit, decide that not only are corporations PEOPLE, but they have UNLIMITED rights to spend UNLIMITED money on elections from their CORPORATE treasuries. Then, the Republicans in Congress prevent the Democrats from simply forcing these corporations to IDENTIFY THEMSELVES when they spend this money.

O.K.

Free speech works in both directions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FhMMmqzbD8

Norm

The racist "Hands" Ad by Jesse Helms in 1990

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks to Lee C. for sending this in to norm@normangoldman.com....watch it for yourself, on YouTube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIyewCdXMzk

Help With How To Find A Lawyer

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I get a LOT of e-mail about the law - not a surprise - since I talk about the law a LOT and use my experience practicing as a guide! I also get a fair number of inquiries on how to find a good lawyer; so I thought I would give some tips!

Each state has a Bar Association. Many states have referral services through their Bar Associations. Some states have "certified specialists" who pass extra tests and are thus "certified" as specializing in a given area, like family law (for example, divorces, child custody cases) or trusts and wills.

Many County Bar Associations (Los Angeles County, Cook County, King County) also have lawyer referral services that can help match you with a reputable lawyer. Also, a company called "Martindale Hubbell" has lawyer lists that can be helpful.

These are three ways to help find a good lawyer to match your needs - whether a criminal case; a personal injury case; or a family matter like a divorce or writing a will!

Norm

The Proposition 8 Decision

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The federal judge who made the decision - Vaughn Walker - is insulated from politics because he is an "Article III" federal judge. He can be neither fired by the voters nor have his pay reduced while in office. He can be impeached by Congress but this is very rare - and happens more often for corruption in office, and almost never for the merits of a decision. The ENTIRE POINT of having these types of judges is to allow for unpopular decisions - correct under the Constitution but hated by a big segment of the populace. State court judges are often subject to the will of the electorate and thus much more willing to make decisions according to popular will. I will explain more of this on the show today, and in the future, but while judges deny it, the truth is there for all to see!

Norm

Employers Checking Backgrounds!

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We got a call today (Donald, from Alabama) asking about the fact that employers (in his case, the federal government) check credit and other (criminal, etc.) histories. I told him I would check, but that I THOUGHT this was authorized by Congress in the law. I checked, and here is a helpful link:

http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs16-bck.htm#5

Tell me what you think!

Norm

THIRD PARTIES SPLITTING MAIN PARTIES

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As I just spoke of on the show, please read this article before advocating for dumping the Democrats for a third party. Then, please call me or e-mail to discuss! Thanks!

Norm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38432473/ns/politics/

Time To Say "The Word"

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

With the "seepage" now discovered in the Gulf, the environmental damage done - and threatened - is too catastrophic to either contemplate or tolerate. The price of oil needs to reflect the true dangers this type of fuel presents. Thus, "the word".

Taxes. Like Europe, we should dramatically escalate taxes on "carbon"; especially dirty fuels like oil and coal. Instead of spending vast sums on trying to make these inherently dirty fuels clean, we should just invest in straightforwardly clean fuels. I am talking about a MASSIVE investment - a Manhattan Project-style program. A crash program, fueled (pardon the pun) with whopping amounts of money generated by......TAXES! "Algae" should become a household word, as pleasant as "taxes" is despised.

Let's have the courage to not just say the word, but to confront the plain reality sitting, like an oil slick in the Gulf, before our eyes.

Norm

Justice for (to?) Limbaugh!

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I posted this today on HuffPost! please tell me what you think!

Norm

AN OPEN LETTER TO RUSH LIMBAUGH
Dear Mr. Limbaugh:
Your comments on air regarding the recent passing of George Steinbrenner and his estate tax implications were thought provoking. As you accurately stated, the federal estate tax is zero this year - and this year only - and thus Mr. Steinbrenner's family (and others of considerable wealth) will be spared paying taxes to the federal government based upon the value of assets, including (in this case) the New York Yankees. Senator Bunning of Kentucky echoed your remarks in the U.S. Senate at the same time as your statements on air. Apparently, this issue is being very closely watched by the richest Americans - as it should be - since you and they are the only ones who actually pay the estate tax.

Reflecting upon your comments, it seems to me that, given your antipathy to taxes on the super-rich, a valuable opportunity is being presented to you, Senator Bunning and the other elites of (largely) the Republican Party (e.g. the corporate business/Wall Street world) which you would be hard pressed to ignore. Since the estate tax is reinstated to the 55% level (for the wealthiest people) on January 1, 2011, you should ensure your own end by midnight on December 31, 2010. Since your net worth is reportedly near a billion dollars, you would be saving your heirs approximately $550 million dollars!

Indeed, think about the consequences of NOT dying before 2010 is over - the federal government will take your hard earned money and SPEND it! Perhaps they will spend it on minorities, including BLACK PEOPLE, and even (perish the thought) the health care of BLACK PEOPLE! Heck, they may even just hand your money directly to Donovan McNabb! Leaving this world on YOUR terms before the year (and the loophole) expire means you can leave your fortune TAX FREE to LOTS of WHITE people who will know exactly what to do with it! You can even leave it to the Tea Party! YOU are in control, not that that smelly, old, evil government!

Look on the brightest side - because you can start planning your death now, you can do a "Farewell Tour" - indeed, the ULTIMATE farewell tour! You can even emulate LeBron James (I know, he's black, but that's just the way these things go sometimes) and have your demise done LIVE in a one hour ESPN Special on New Year's Eve!

Also, the U.S. financial picture will benefit because, rather than having our socialist government frittering away YOUR money, spendthrift wastrels that YOU designate will quickly spend your fortune and zip that cash right back into our economy! Your patriotic credentials will be sealed for eternity - literally!

This is all a perfect win, win for the wealthy - and befitting the importance of the event, I suggest a name for it - the Final Avoidance Tax plan (The FAT plan). Perfect, don't you think? However, if that does not float your yacht, how about "A Rush to Judgment Day"?

This is truly the American spirit in action - how the right wing wealthy can avoid paying taxes, help the economy, and designate where one's fortune ends up, with NO government interference!

And, the Supreme Court made it EASY for you and your buddies! Look at their recent gun rulings - they paved the path for you to get all the guns you want - such an easy way for you and your compadres to exit life, with exit wounds! You can even choreograph the event - synchronized shooting, like in the Olympics! Understanding, however, that this may be too much for you, we can always ask Dr. Kevorkian to help out. While I have not inquired, I suspect he'd be willing.

As a licensed California attorney, and in the spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship that President Obama has been seeking, I will be happy to lead a team of highly qualified estate lawyers to assist you in the distribution of your worldly assets according to your wishes - absolutely free of charge! While you can continue to hope he fails, certainly, you can enjoy the irony of using the President's calls for bridging differences to take advantage of my offer of free legal services - after all, a progressive radio host/trial lawyer is offering to work for free to help the leading right wing radio host keep the government's grubby hands off of YOUR hard earned pile!

Mr. Limbaugh, since you started with the concept, I believe it is not only wise, but fitting that you follow Mr. Steinbrenner's tax avoidance strategy. Now, all YOU have to do is pass away before the estate tax loophole does!
If you would contact me as soon as possible, we can undertake the plan with the undertaker before it's too late. In conclusion, if you will pardon the expression, when it comes to paying estate taxes in 2010, why retire when you can expire?

Sincerely,

Norman Goldman

Pet Rescue!

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I just posted an introduction to our "Norm's Pet Rescue" section and invite you to go take a look! I want this to be VERY interactive, so please join me!

I look forward to building this portion of our website with you!

Norm

Rush - The Band!

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Rush (not the Limbaugh!) got a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, June 25, 2010! A well-deserved honor and I was lucky enough to be invited by Donna Halper! If you are not familiar with Donna Halper and Rush, check out the YouTube video clips at this link!

Oh, and your faithful correspondent was there - the guy in the black sport coat and sunglasses!!

Norm

read more...

Do The Bad Guys Give Up?

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I am hearing A LOT of discouragement from the e-mailers and callers to the show. Of course there are grounds for being discouraged - lots of things look AWFUL these days. BUT, do the anti-choice people; the greed heads; the corporatists; the fascists; any of these evil doers who have destroyed so much of what makes America great, do THEY give up??? DID THEY GIVE UP when President Obama was elected and a big Democratic majority was put in place?

No, they FOUGHT - and so must we. If we give up, we are guaranteed to lose. And, despite 30 years of corporatist onslaught, we have STILL made progress! America is more open, more accepting, more diverse and more progressive than when Ronald Reagan took over. Disagree? Call me and we'll discuss! 1-888-321-6001

Norm

If Ever There Was A Show To Podcast....

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Our show of June 16 was it! The deal President Obama made with BP for the $20 billion for Gulf damages involves significant legal complexity and I broke it all down for us!

Many questions got answered on this show and I was happy to receive many e-mails to norm@normangoldman.com saying that the "Senior Legal Analysis" was understandable and helpful!

I couldn't ask for more! So, if you have a little time, give a listen and I would love to hear your feedback!

Thank you!

Norm

www.crudethemovie.com and more!

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Check out this link, on the oil disaster in Africa:

http://www.msnbc.com/id/37746494/ns/world news-the new york times/

The story is horrible and unbelievable.

Also, check out this link:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crudefund/crude-fight-for-the-first-amendment

The terrible toll that oil is taking on us is too horrific for words. We simply have to get off this stuff.

Norm

THANK YOU, PORTLAND!

Sun, 23 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

My wife (Frances) and I had a WONDERFUL TIME at the Bipartisan Cafe in Portland on Friday night!! I also REALLY enjoyed broadcasting from AM 620, Portland's Progressive Talk, KPOJ, and the folks there were VERY NICE and accommodating to us!!

I am OVERWHELMED by the outpouring of affection and energy from the Portland/KPOJ folks, as shown by the Bipartisan Cafe event! Please know that I am TOTALLY in awe of you and LOVE YOU very much!!

Also, a BIG shout out to the Bipartisan Cafe itself - for being SO VERY nice and opening its doors to us ALL!!!

As the Governor of California once so famously said: "I'll be baaaccckk"....because I LOVE PORTLAND!!!

Norm

Enough Already!

Thu, 20 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The BP Oil Disaster needs to END NOW!! The President MUST simply tell BP "Get out of the way" and send in the Coast Guard and Navy, along with the Army Corps of Engineers (and anything else needed!) and STOP THIS GUSHER!!! NO MORE TIMIDITY!!

Sheesh!! What will it take to get this thing stopped???

Norm

The Gulf Oil Spill Nicknames

Mon, 10 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We got a LOT of great names for the Gulf Oil Spill last Thursday and Friday! Here are some of my favorites:

1) Palin's Puddle;

2) Lake Landrieu;

3) The Great Ocean of Petroleum (G.O.P.);

4) Spill, Baby, Spill;

5) Gulf of Texaco;

6) Halliburton's Hell Hole;

7) The Texas "T" Party;

8) Dick's Slick;

9) Sarah's Spill, and;

10) O.H.E.C. - Oily Halliburton Environmental Crisis.

Why don't you post some of your favorites?

Norm

Will We EVER Get Rid Of The Filibuster?

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Today, for the third time this week, the Republicans in the United States Senate blocked even the mere opening of debate on the re-regulation of our financial system. There are 41 Republicans - and out of 100 - they control the Senate. This "minority rule" is a crazy system, and it all goes back to the filibuster, which allows 41 to block 59. A long tradition in the Senate, it is being abused mercilessly by Republicans. The damage to America is clear - a minority of corporate-owned lackeys is running the nation from the United States Senate. When will we force the Senate to work for US and not the 41 Republicans who are responsive only to corporations? WHEN? It's only America hanging in the balance.

Norm

Just Who Are The Democrats?

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

There are reports of a fight within the Senate Democratic caucus on how to approach financial re-regulation. On one side are Democrats who say 'get aggressive - force Republicans out into the open protecting Wall Street'. On the other side are the deal makers - water down the bill to get "bipartisan" support.

This brings to light the question of just who are the Democrats? So long as they take corporate money and give deference to the barons of Wall Street and corporate America, the Democrats will be Republican-lite; half the fat cat of our regular Republicans. Unless and until the Democrats embrace a fully populist position; swear off corporate money and speak only for the middle class, working and poor people, they will be forever locked into being a corporatist party.

The Great Poem On Illegal Immigration

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Listener Jim Curtis sent this great poem to norm@normangoldman.com....we got a LOT of requests for it....so, here it is! Thanks, Jim!

JOSE CAN YOU SEE
BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT
SOME PEOPLE HATE YOU
JUST CAUSE YOU AIN'T WHITE

THEY'LL TAKE YOUR CHEAP LABOR
CAUSE THEY'RE FILLED WITH GREED
BUT THEY'LL NEVER HELP YOU
WHEN YOU'RE FAMILIES IN NEED

THEY'LL TRY TO DEPORT YOU
CAUSE YOU HAD THE NERVE
TO WANT ALL THE GOOD THINGS
ONLY WHITE FOLKS DESERVE

THEY CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS
BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND
THE WORLD GREATEST SAVIOR
WAS ANOTHER BROWN MAN.

In Memoriam - Oklahoma City Victims

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

On this day, let us remember it was not 168 people murdered in the Alfred Murrah Federal Building, it was one person; one family; one group of friends, repeated 168 times. This comes across most strongly by reading the brief but poignant obituaries of the people killed. When will the hate and murdering stop?

Take a moment to read some of these and remember - it cannot happen again.

Norm

http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/secondary.php?section=1&catid=24

Tea Partiers ARE Stupid!

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

On our radio show, I have treated the Tea Party people with some of the same language and attitude that they have used towards the President. They have not reacted well! Apparently, they can dish it out, but they can't take it! Further, the hate machine that is Fox and right wing talk radio has been so vicious for so long - and gotten away with it - that now when some of that same language comes back at them, they squeal and whine like little children.
Well, the truth is that everything we are saying about the Tea Partiers is true, and here is the proof. The Tea Party people are indeed stupid. Many call them "low information voters". I prefer the more direct word.

� They protest the supposed raising of their taxes when their taxes have actually gone down. Facts don't matter to them. That is stupid.

� Calling President Obama a "dictator" when he was democratically elected by a 10 million vote margin (and a huge electoral vote landslide) while not saying the same when George W. Bush, Katherine Harris, Jeb Bush and the Supreme Court stole the 2000 election (and Ken Blackwell in Ohio helped steal Ohio in 2004) is stupid.
� Calling President Obama a "socialist" and a "Nazi" is stupid, since the two are polar opposites. They MAY mean "totalitarian" but are too stupid to even know that or use the correct words.
� Saying "socialism" is bad without even knowing the definition is stupid. Indeed, they don't even know the definition of "fascism". Nor do they know the definition of "stupid".
� Voting and working AGAINST their own best interests and arguing FOR those powerful forces that use and abuse them (and us) while screaming smugly in their own self assurance, is stupid.
� Blaming President Obama for the bank bailouts and budget deficits of George W. Bush is stupid.
� Though they have some legitimate complaints (e.g. huge budget deficits) their answer is to brandish guns, celebrate and threaten violence and act in ways so anti-democratic that they disgrace America and our ideals, all the while loudly bleating that THEY are the real Americans. This is, in a word, stupid.

Note to the Tea Partiers: When you stop acting stupid, I'll stop telling the truth by calling you stupid.

Norm

Tax Day

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I paid my federal income taxes today. I want a veto over how the government can spend my money. I do not want my tax dollars going to Iraq; nuclear weapons or corporate welfare. The anti-choice people are so smug that they insist THEY are special - they get to veto where their tax dollars go. And politicians - including Democrats - pander to them. That is wrong. So, today, I am telling the federal government that I want my tax dollars to go as follows: One-third to coal mine safety inspections, shut downs and prosecutions of reckless coal mine owners; one-third to support the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board), to help unions, and one-third to public education. There! I said it! Now, will the government obey me? Or, should I hang tea bags from my hat and march around like an idiot?

Norm

Questions About The Health Insurance Bill

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We got a call today asking about the health insurance bill - with the statement: "No one knows what's in it - there is a lot of confusion." I said there were LOTS of resources on the Internet to summarize the key points. Well, listener Karen H. sent this EXTREMELY HELPFUL link and here it is: THANK YOU, Karen!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/health-care-Meeting

DEFEAT MICHELE BACHMANN

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Yesterday on the show, we discussed how to defeat that loony-toon on the far right wing fringe, Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (Minnesota). A caller told me that the Democratic candidate in that district is Tarryl Clark. I checked it out and indeed, it is true! So, i donated $100.00 and then went onto Twitter and tweeted about it, @normangoldman.

Here is the contact information if you want to help send Michele Bachmann into retirement!

http://www.tarrylclark.com/

Norm

Long Term Care Insurance

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Today, we spend some time on a type of insurance policy called "Long Term Care" coverage. This is a growing area and a lot of people are paying a lot of money for this type of insurance. Like with all insurance companies, there are claims denials and other hassles, such as when dealing with insurance companies over ANYTHING!

So, as a public service, today we interview Michael Hiltzik, of the Los Angeles Times, who wrote a terrific article in today's paper (www.latimes.com) on the subject. I also post - right here - some helpful links. DON'T GET RIPPED OFF!

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik7-2010apr07,0,7567632.column

http://www.usnews.com/health/managing-your-healthcare/healthcare/articles/2009/12/21/pros-and-cons-of-long-term-care-insurance.html

http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Money/6-08-10-WhatAGoodLTC.htm

http://www.aarphealthcare.com/learn/choosinglongtermcare.aspx

http://www.kaiseredu.org/tutorials/elderly/player.html

"NOW you get mad???"

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

James F. submitted this via norm@normangoldman.com and it's GREAT! Apparently, HE got it from: www.rosie.com)

"We had eight years of Bush and Cheney, Now you get mad!?

You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.

You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy.

You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.

You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.

You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.

You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war.

You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.

You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.

You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.

You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.

You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.

You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans, drown.

You didn't get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich.

You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.

You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans...oh hell no."

Let's Be Honest Here....

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I am being told I am in the minority on this health insurance bill, but I cannot shake the views that I have - and I cannot change my views based on criticism from those who disagree with me!

Let's face facts: The ONLY reason this bill passed was because the President and Congress gave the corporate interests what they wanted. The insurance companies got no public option; no Medicare buy-in, no breaking of their monopoly - BUT 32 million new customers COMPELLED TO DO BUSINESS WITH THEM, and implicit guarantees of massive (and growing) federal subsidies; the drug companies got no negotiation of prescription drug prices and gave back a paltry $8 billion per year; hospitals got no public option, no expansion of Medicare BUT expanded Medicaid and Medicare payments.

it's MASSIVE CORPORATE WELFARE and that's why it passed. There will be NO PUBLIC OPTION or other PRO-CONSUMER changes anytime in my lifetime. I hope I am wrong, but I fear I am right!

Right now, the Senate CAN PASS A PUBLIC OPTION! Will they? No, because the fix is in.

Norm

MoveOn Shows the Split

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

With MoveOn.org now soliciting money to target Democrats who vote AGAINST the Senate/Obama health insurance bill that is pending in the House, they have set themselves against Dennis Kucinich, Michael Moore and me - and I have been a financial supporter of MoveOn from the start! This shows how the debate and bill has split the Democratic Party right down the middle - with lots of people outraged at a perceived sell-out and lots of others angry at those of us who are "perfectionists" or whatever we are being called!

It is important to remember who put us in this position - not just Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson - but the President and Harry Reid and now Nancy Pelosi. I am very dismayed at this split - but it is not my fault or your fault. It was inept politics by our leaders. Now, we are being forced to figure out what we are going to do. I made my choice - have you? Either way, we need to figure out how (literally) move on after this to better America. How do we proceed?

Norm

My 11 Predictions on Health Insurance

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I wrote up my 11 predictions on health insurance and read them on the air today. Here they are:

1) The Senate bill will pass the House;

2) There will be no public option or Medicare buy-in - now or EVER;

3) Many people will disobey the mandate;

4) The government will soft pedal enforcement;

5) The insurance companies will massively jack up rates AND PAY LOTS OF CLAIMS AND DEMAND HUGE SUBSIDIES (AND RECEIVE THEM);

6) The government will pay bigger than expected subsidies;

7) The cost curve will not bend, due to no public option, no Medicare buy-in, no competition, no repeal of the anti-trust exemption, no incentive to lower costs;

8) Lots more people will have access to insurance - but not all - this is NOT UNIVERSAL COVERAGE;

9) Deductibles and co-pays will remain a problem for many consumers;

10) The program will ULTIMATELY be seen as better than before it was enacted;

11) The whole thing will cost double what the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) estimated;

AND A BONUS PREDICTION:

12) The moment this whole thing passes, in the next few weeks, all Democratic politicians will drop the issue like the hottest of hot potatoes and will use the excuse of "The bill is complex, many of the provisions don't kick in for years, we gotta give the thing a chance to work, we can tweak it later (when they are out of politics or dead) so we shouldn't do anything now."

After the 1994 Clinton health insurance war and this one, WHAT POLITICIAN IN HIS OR HER RIGHT MIND WILL WANT TO TOUCH THIS ISSUE AGAIN?????

Those are my predictions. Let's see if I am right. Time will tell.

Norm

Fiercely Independent!

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I have taken a lot of heat over my stance on health insurance reform. Indeed, this issue has split the Democratic Party - and caused rifts similar to the Obama/Clinton fight for the nomination in 2008.

I have argued with callers telling me to "fall in line" and "get behind the President" and I have resisted mightily!

It occurs to me that the words "fiercely independent" apply not just to me, but to a growing number of Americans. People everywhere are renouncing BOTH political parties AND looking at politics, and the world, in new ways.

Let ours be a show where the fiercely independent meet - every day - and forge a new middle in America. Let's reject those who tell us "no we can't" and that we have to fall in line. I say that this is the place where the fiercely independent meet - and it is time for US to stand up and make OUR voices heard! Are you with me?????

Norm

It's Obama and Reid's Fault!

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Cleveland Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich is out there refusing to vote for House passage of the Senate health insurance bill. Even with 253 Democrats in the House, Nancy Pelosi is trying to round up 216 votes (she can lose 37 and still win!) to pass the bill and she is having trouble. Now, we on the correct side of American politics are having a food fight with each other - we are all on the same team - and yet we are fighting with each other!

How did we get here? I blame the President and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). They TOTALLY mismanaged this entire process. The House did a good job on THEIR health insurance bill, but now they are being asked to totally scrap their bill (and all the work that went into it) and simply adopt the Joe Lieberman - Ben Nelson - Max Baucus authored bill. Many House members are upset, and I don't blame them. We have been handed a terrible situation by our OWN LEADERS - the President and the Senate, led by Mr. Reid. They have to fix it.

Norm

CONTACT DICK DURBIN!

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Please call Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and ask him why he is going to ask Democrats to not vote for the public option through reconciliation. He is the #2 Democrat in the Senate and the Huffington Post reports he is against the public option through reconciliation. He has NOT signed the Bennet letter, which now has 41 votes. Here is his contact information:

WASHINGTON, D.C.
309 Hart Senate Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
9 am to 6 pm
(202) 224-2152 - ph
(202) 228-0400 - fx

CHICAGO
230 S Dearborn St.
Suite 3892
Chicago, IL 60604
8:30 am to 5 pm
(312) 353-4952 - ph
(312) 353-0150 - fx

SPRINGFIELD
525 South 8th St.
Springfield, IL 62703
8:30 am to 5 pm
(217) 492-4062 - ph
(217) 492-4382 - fx

CARBONDALE
250 W. Cherry Street
Suite 115-D
Carbondale, IL 62901
8:30 am to 5 pm
(618) 351-1122 - ph
(618) 351-1124 - fx

A Good Swift Kick In The Pants

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Democrats are acting like "Fraidy-crats" and they need a good swift kick in the pants! With 37 signatories now committed to the "Bennet Letter" on a public option through reconciliation, we are 13 short of getting it done! Since the Democrats won't act like Democrats, we must force them to do so!

Today I will publicly identify those recalcitrant Senators and ask you to help me have them help us!

Don't miss it!

Norm

It Will Be A Failure If....

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I have made no secret of my unhappiness with the Senate health insurance bill. Some of the big ones are: No public option; no Medicare buy-in for those under 65; massive subsidies to private insurers; no repeal of the anti-trust exemption insurance companies have; insufficient savings from Medicare prescription drug purchases, via no negotiation, and taxing union plans.

Now that the President has said he is on board with a simple majority vote and its accompanying reconciliation procedure in the Senate, we are now free of the shackles of Joe Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln, Mary Landrieu and their ilk.

So, let's go for the gusto! how about a real public option; and dare I say "single payer"?? How about a REAL Medicare buy-in? Come on, Senators, you are free now to do the right thing! Will you? Or are you Democrats too corrupt to do the people's will?

Norm

Smash Mouth Football

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The President appears to be finally ready to go it alone on health insurance reform. By using "reconciliation" the Senate will be able to pass real reform with a simple majority - you know - the way democracies do it! However, it appears the President is still playing footsie with Republicans; Republicans who have demonstrated they want nothing more than to destroy the President. Take a look at this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35656271/ns/politics-health_care_reform/

Why is the President doing this? If the Democrats will go it alone, then by all means, go it alone! Pass a REAL public option; pass a REAL Medicare buy-in; or even go for single payer - that will CLEARLY impact the budget and thus can be done via reconciliation. What is the matter with these Democrats? Why won't they play smash mouth football?

Norm

Should We Be Encouraged?

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Now that "The Summit" has ended, will the President (and, even more importantly, Harry Reid and the Senate) stop messing around with Republicans (and chasing "bipartisanship" that will never happen) and FINALLY just muscle through a REAL, viable public option for us - and even add a Medicare buy-in for those under 65?

Republicans have used reconciliation many times over the last 29 years - it is time for the Democrats to show they have a back bone!

So, are the noises being made now by Democrats (the President included) about reconciliation (a Senate procedure requiring just 50 votes plus the Vice President) cause for encouragement or will we once again be disappointed by Lucy pulling away the football from us Charlie Browns?

For me, I simply don't trust Harry Reid and the President on this - I have been burned too many times. The burden is now squarely on them to prove they will deliver the goods for the American people on health insurance reform. We are waiting. People are still dying.

Bobby Fischer is Dead

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Chess was never my game. Bobby Fischer made it huge, but he died over two years ago. Apparently, the President is his heir apparent! Today, the chess pieces move some more on health insurance. Frankly, I am ready to say "take this rook and shove it"! Can we all just agree that Bobby Fischer is dead - and stop with the silly chess games - and analogies - already?

Look, I am a political junkie, and even I am getting nauseated by the "process" of the Senate, and the House, and their interplay.

It's time for results! It is my fervent hope that today, after the charade of this "bipartisan" health insurance summit, that the President and Congress will declare "check mate" and get on with ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING!!

Reconciliation, anyone?

www.whipcongress.com

Norm

Accomplishments, PLEASE?????

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Obama Administration plays a great chess game! BUT, are they accomplishing anything - especially on health insurance? For me, I wish they would stop already with the game playing and just ACCOMPLISH STUFF!!

If the Democrats in Congress would just RAM THINGS THROUGH, using reconciliation and/or killing the filibuster, their approval ratings would shoot skyward, and the President would be hailed as a conquering hero!

The more dawdling they do, the more the public hates them! That includes ME!

Norm

Which Senators Have Guts?

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado has a letter circulating that demands Harry Reid use "reconciliation" to move the public option back into the health insurance reform bill. So far, 16 Senators have signed. We need 50. www.whipcongress.com is a website by BoldProgressives to make the Senate do what WE want!

I have been demanding that the Senate work for US for a long time now - will they? On this issue at least? Please? Pretty bleepin' please, with sugar on top?

I still say Harry Reid must be dismissed as Senate Majority Leader - perhaps this letter can catapult someone on the list into his spot - to actually get something done here! The Democrats were given a small window of opportunity to get big things done. So far they have failed and that window is closing fast. Will things change?

Norm

March?

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I was on the radio with Ed Schultz today and we talked about marching on Washington. I THOUGHT we had done the hard work ("Mission Accomplished" if you'll pardon the expression) and could watch our elected representatives accomplish their (and our) goals. But, apparently I was wrong - it now appears we need to send a message loud and clear to the Washington elites - do your jobs now or lose your jobs in November.

I shudder at the thought of Republicans coming back to power, but, with the Democrats looking like clowns, voters will continue "ping ponging" between the parties, and it's the Republicans' turn. This is rewarding obstructionism; so that's why I say it's time for us to march - take the initiative away from the fringe loony Teabaggers - and send a BIG MESSAGE from REAL AMERICANS to get things fixed now or leave the office later!

Health Insurance Status

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Th President keeps reaching his hands out to Republicans - the latest is this "summit". The Republicans keep telling the President he is wasting his time. Will the President finally - and soon - make clear to everyone that he has tried and tried and tried again to get these people working with him - and finally gives up? Will he then go all "LBJ" on them and ram things through? Let's see, but the stakes are too high to be playing footsie with Republicans!

Norm

Toyota's Lessons To Us

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Toyota had sludge problems that ruined some of their engines 5 and 6 years ago. They blamed the owners for poor maintenance until finally agreeing to proper remedies. Toyota blamed bad floor mats and sticky pedals for what may be bad computers and wiring, causing the sudden acceleration problems that have killed and maimed people. Now, Toyota has a Prius problem, recalling many of those hybrid cars (a major claim to Toyota fame)for bad brakes.

Getting ahead of these problems is crucial - for all of us. 'Fessing up - being honest - is an attribute that seems in short supply these days. This is as true for companies as it is people. Where did honesty and being ethical disappear to? Why did Toyota refuse to take responsibility?

The consequences for Toyota are huge: Stock price down 20%; huge losses mounting and its vaunted reputation sullied. Where does Toyota go to get its reputation back?

We should ALL consider this when trouble arrives.....

Norm

Why is the Military a Sacred Cow?

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

With record deficits both in past years, the current year and going into the future as far as the eye can see, why is it off limits to attack waste, fraud and abuse in the military budget? I remain amazed at how timid our political leaders are when it comes to the boondoggles of unneeded weapons systems, out-of-control cost overruns and the extremely cozy relationship between the military and the contractors who make so much profit off the war machine.

One of my missions in doing this show is to take this issue on - and I have an ally - Taxpayers For Common Sense, a group I have admired for a long time. They will be with us for interviews to help us see the waste, fraud and abuse in the federal budget, not just the military but the military is no sacred cow here!

Norm

Life After Air America

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Connection. Information. Inclusion. These are three key elements to any successful talk radio show. I learned this early on in my broadcasting career, and it applied as well in my legal career, with clients, judges and juries. Indeed, I believe this applies to any medium requiring acceptance from consumers. No matter the format, topic, or political bent, being able to connect with the listener (one at a time) and provide intriguing, topical, entertaining and engaging talk is crucial to success.

There is much talk about Air America and the state of talk radio after its demise. History has shown a landscape littered with failed shows as well as networks. Nothing has changed - radio is about entertainment - but that word "entertainment" can be broadly defined. Cooking shows, car repair shows, sports talk shows, all must meet these requirements of informing, connecting, entertaining. What makes radio so much fun for the listener, and so frustrating for programmers, is that the uniqueness of the host determines pretty much everything for any show. That is why there is one Rush Limbaugh and one hundred wannabes.

Yet in progressive talk, as in conservative talk, some hosts connect with the audience and others do not. Air America could have succeeded, even with its blatantly ideological bent and messianic message, if it had found, nurtured and grown great talents. The successful programmer is part talent scout - knowing a hit when you hear it. Finding a good potential host, being patient (not easy these days) and coaching a coachable talent maximize the chances of a hit show. Air America never knew this and we see the consequences.

Air America never understood the fundamentals of radio. People tune in to hear a particular host, not to hear "conservative talk" or "liberal talk." Compelling radio hosts will always find an audience, and smart programmers know that fundamentals matter - connect, inform, include, entertain, be a friend and a companion, over a sustained period of time, and watch the ratings grow. It seems to me this is as true for cooking shows and car repair shows as it is for relationship shows and political talk.

When Will Obama Learn?

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Immediately after taking office, Fox "News" was after the President for the continuing tanking of the Dow Jones Industrial average. They blamed him for it. Then the market rebounded and Fox dropped the issue. It just VANISHED. Then they started with "where are the jobs"? and today the economic numbers are very encouraging. The Republicans are a military-style organization: The top gives the daily marching orders and the rest follow. Part of this coordinated 'vast right wing conspiracy' effort is a uniform block of all Republicans in Congress voting 'no' on everything and Republican Senate filibusters on everything. The President keeps reaching out to them and they keep hitting him and spitting at him.

When will the President learn? Vilify them and run them over. Please. Pretty please with sugar on top. Smash them. Do you have it in you, Mr. President?

CORPORATIONS FOR CONGRESS!

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

During Wednesday's show, this guy and this website were a big topic and a big hit!

http://www.murrayhillincforcongress.com/

JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In tonight's State of the Union address, the President is expected to focus on jobs. Truth is, the private economy is not creating jobs. We have spent mind-boggling sums bailing out huge banks and they have NOT re-paid us with lending to get business, especially small and medium sized business, moving. When FDR was confronted with this same situation, he created the WPA and CCC and got America working again.

The government has the money to replicate the WPA and CCC. There are so many needs here at home - let's get people working again. Enough with building up Iraq - build up America! I will discuss this in greater detail on today's show!

Norm

Air America

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I am sorry to see Air America go. I am a radio listener, too! We need our voices heard!

This will be spun by those on the right-wing side as the failure of progressive talk. Of course, they are wrong. I am just getting started and am NOT affiliated in any way with Air America. Many other hosts that we know and love are NOT Air America, either. So, let's keep plowing forward - we have much to do!!

Norm

The Lessons To Be Learned

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The voters of Massachusetts expressed their anger yesterday. The question is: What are they angry about? The answer is they are mad at BOTH PARTIES for being corporate suck-ups. They voted for CHANGE last year and did not get it. They got the same bank and insurance company bail outs and a REALLY ugly legislative sausage-making process that makes people vomit at the thought of politicians. They do not perceive a viable third party option, so they keep going back and forth between the two parties. The Republicans are hopelessly whoring for the corporate elite. So, sadly, are many Democrats. Is it time for a third party?

Norm

Kill The Fil - ibuster?????

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I am continuously amazed that, with the Massachusetts Senate race to be decided in a few hours, and the Democrats poised to lose their "Magic 60" (such as it is) that there is NO DISCUSSION of killing the filibuster! This archaic, stupid, ant-democratic rule is accepted as if God has decreed it must exist. Mark my words - the Republicans WILL KILL THE FILIBUSTER when they have the majority - we should get the jump on them for once!

I have blogged about this and talked about this incessantly; no one else (save a few folks) has joined me and it is frustrating! With the filibuster gone, we could have REAL health insurance reform, and the Massachusetts Senate race would be irrelevant.

I will keep banging this drum.....will you join me?

Norm

Why I am A Better Conservative Than Most Conservatives

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I have said from the start that "I am a better conservative than most conservatives" and that many conservatives are "big government liberals". They just don't know it, or won't admit it. "Conservatives" want big government to boss people around in their private lives - with very intrusive government action - like warrantless wiretapping under Mr. Bush; outlawing a woman's right to choose; the "War on Drugs" and outlawing a person's right to end their life if they have a terminal illness.

Here are 9 reasons why I am a conservative:

1) I believe in hard work;

2) I believe in self-reliance and self-control and self-discipline;

3) I believe in saving and not looking to others to bail me out;

4) I believe in compassion;

5) I believe in charity, especially to those who are in unfortunate circumstances;

6) I believe that government should be small but effective and does have a proper role in our lives, like giving a hand up, not a hand out; but government should not be viewed as the savior of people;

7) I believe that people deserve privacy and respect;

8) I believe in balanced budgets and responsible spending;

9) I believe in personal responsibility.

I also believe most "liberals" would readily agree with many, if not all, of these points and that the words "liberal" and "conservative" have no meaning anymore. What do you think?

Norm

Irresponsibility

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The way Pat Robertson, Rush Limbaugh and the Fox-ites have reacted to the Haiti disaster is telling. They refuse to lay down their "weapons" for even a moment, to come together to do the right thing to save lives (aren't they "the party of life"?) and help the people of Haiti. Instead, they have immediately turned this catastrophe into a political circus and used it to further their cynical aims. It is irresponsible. President Obama keeps reaching his hand across for cooperation; they keep spitting on it. For this political party to claim they are "the Daddy Party" and the Democrats are "the Mommy Party" because the Republicans are "tough" shows just how dangerously out of touch they are. George W. Bush and his cronies in Congress showed they are not fit to govern; now they show they are not even fit to speak or act in the wake of a calamity like the earthquake in Haiti. Terrible. And irresponsible.

Norm

Movies About Race Relations In America

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We've had a great two days talking about race and race relations; all keyed to the Harry Reid comments revealed in the new book "Game Change".

I started talking about movies on the subject - and then people started e-mailing me and and calling me with more! So, here is the list - compiled by ALL OF US!!:

[THESE ARE NOT IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE OR RANKED IN ANY WAY]

1) A Family Thing (1996) James Earl Jones and Robert Duvall;

2) The Gristle (2001) Michael Dorn; Barry Corbin and a bunch of people we never heard of but it's a GREAT MOVIE!;

3) Malibu's Most Wanted (2003) Jamie Kennedy;

4) Lonestar (1996) Chris Cooper, Kris Kristofferson and a bunch of other great actors;

5) Glory Road (2006) Josh Lucas;

6) Finding Forrester (2000) Sean Connery;

7) Glory (1989) Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick;

8) Crash (2004) Sandra Bullock and a bunch of other great actors;

9) Grand Canyon (1991) Danny Glover, Kevin Kline and bunch of other great actors;

10) Mississippi Masala (1991) Denzel Washington and;

11) Blazing Saddles (1974) Mel Brooks, Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens and whole bunch of other great actors!

ENJOY!!

Norm

If We REALLY Wanted To Win The War on Terror

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

If we REALLY wanted to win the "war on terror" we would do a low-intensity, long-term, world-wide slog with infiltrators, electronic intercepts, human intelligence, and great police work and not dignify these murderers with attention. Dismiss them as fringe criminals and look down on them as weak, pathetic, sick little people who are craving attention. To run around like chickens with our heads cut off; all the hysteria, and give up our liberties like this is not only ridiculous but plays right into their hands.

norm

Rescuing Greyhounds

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

There is an emergency situation; Dean explained in an e-mail on Jan. 7:

"I listen to you on Seattle's KPTK 1090 via i-Tunes Radio, but I am in based in metro Detroit. At the close of your Thursday show you previewed Friday's interview with Best Friends. I know of that group their involvement with the Star Mazda Race series & the Andersen Racing Team.

As your Friday topic will be animals (& I assume pet adoption?) I wanted to alert you to a current emergency.

On December 31st 2009 the Dairyland Greyhound Park (DGP) closed & about 450+ dogs had a problem. DGP sent many of the greys to tracks in AZ & mainly to FL (seeming to want to bypass the numerous rescue groups). My SE/ MI greyhound rescue group, REGAP (Retired Greyhounds As Pets) of Michigan is getting about 55-60 dogs. This is a flood to their system, so if any of your Midwest listeners want to foster or adopt one of the greatest breed of dog on the planet...

.. PLEASE have them contact any number of the greyhound rescue groups in MI, OH, IL, IN, & WI. Google REGAP & your state will pop up... or better yet EM me back & I will provide links to the sites. ReGAP MI even has a Facebook page! Look forward to Friday's show

-DEAN

Then he wrote, the next day (today - Friday, Jan. 8)

Thank you so much for spreading the word as we need all the homes either foster or adoptive we can get. The best contacts about what's going on right now is Linda Cliffel with www.greyhoundalliance.org or with Kevin Newman at Grey2K www.grey2kusa.org Anyone is always welcome to call or text 248-425-3107 or email me.

MI REGAP's website is www.rescuedgreyhounds.org Please contact me anytime today after 4pm or text me before that.

Thanks

Suzanne

So, if you can do something to help - by fostering or rescuing a greyhound - it would be a wonderful thing in an emergency situation. THANKS!

Norm

Bust The Filibuster

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Now is the time - and it's not too late - to improve the bad health insurance bill passed by the Senate on Christmas Eve. The Senate can simultaneously provide a valuable public service - bust the filibuster and consign it to history.

As has been said, "Elections have consequences". In a democracy, the majority rules - within bounds. The "people's House" has passed a good, not great, health insurance bill, which is a good start and can be built upon later. A majority of the Senate would likely follow the House, but the filibuster is being played cynically by a small group of Senators (those Democrats and Democratically-aligned Senators, numerically between 50 and 60) to bend majority rule to a super-small minority rule. This is undemocratic, anti-democratic, and just a plain insane way to make public policy. And it is unnecessary. Dumping the filibuster would further democratize a nation that has evolved its democracy from the start.

John Burton, a former Democratic Congressman and powerful California state senator, once told by a witness at a Sacramento hearing that the bill under consideration was unconstitutional, said "we pass unconstitutional legislation all the time, that's what courts are for". And the courts are very undemocratic - federal judges (all of them, not just Supreme Court justices) are appointed for life, and their compensation cannot be reduced once in office. They can only be removed by impeachment, same as the President. Thus, one of the three branches of government is, by design, anti-democratic. The Senate (one-half of the legislative branch of government) itself was all-appointed until passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913. The filibuster continues the tradition of undemocratic rule.

Senators have had the power to stop legislation cold with the filibuster; from nobody (that's right, no one - prior to 1917, filibusters could not be ended at all) to the 2/3 "cloture" rule that was enacted at the start of the 1918 session of Congress, to the 1975 change that made the 2/3 rule a 3/5 rule, where it stands today. There have been efforts to simply get rid of the filibuster. All efforts failed, but, as above, it has been changed over the years. It is now time to dump it onto the ash bin of history. In 2005, when Democratic Senators were filibustering George W. Bush judicial nominees, then-Majority Leader Bill Frist threatened the "nuclear option" to end the 3/5 rule and approve judges by simple majority vote. The "Gang of 14" prevented that, but the filibuster came close to meeting its end there.

What is to stop the Senate from dumping the filibuster? Nothing. Past Senates cannot bind future/current Senates - they can change their rules at will. And mark my words, one day Senate Republicans will end the filibuster - they will "go nuclear" - since they know how to actually use power, unlike the spineless Democrats, who are too craven to fight for their beliefs.

Now, on an issue so historic, so important to America, as health insurance reform, 218 members of the House (including more than 80 members of the Progressive Caucus) and 50 Democratic Senators are being forced to swallow corporate welfare in the form of the current Senate bill - all shoved down their throats by a tiny group of Senators.

Finally, the filibuster, as with so many other Senate rules, is being abused by the Republicans. When Senators routinely put "holds" on bills and nominees (like Jim DeMint of South Carolina holding up the TSA nominee due to fears of unionization) it is time to revamp Senate rules. To those who argue "tradition" we say: �Just who is the boss here - is the Senate funded by our taxes, to make public policy for us, or are we slaves to a hidebound Senate with antiquated rules and procedures?' So, when 40 Republicans (no "Gang of 14" here) vote as a block to filibuster the health insurance bill, opportunists like Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson take full advantage. Poor Bernie Sanders, Russ Feingold and others (who could play the same tactic as Lieberman/Nelson) are so intent on getting health care to millions of the needy; they are having their own good hearts used against them by the cynical Senators who are too heartless to care. The uninsured are being held hostage by Lieberman and Nelson (and a few others) with the threat of nothing, unless their demands are met. We can think of no better time to turn the tables, change the rules, make the Liebermans irrelevant, dump the filibuster and get 50 good or good enough Senators to vote for the guts of the House bill. It is time.

No Mo Joe

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Joe Lieberman should have been exiled from the Democratic caucus long ago. He should be kicked out now. After bolting the Party and not respecting the will of Connecticut Democrats in 2006's primary loss to Ned Lamont, he got re-elected to the Senate with big Republican help. Then he endorsed John McCain last year. Then he went to the Republican Convention. Then he gave a speech at that convention blasting Barack Obama. The Democrats still invited him back this year, gave him a committee chairmanship and now are letting him run their Party. What would Republicans do to one of their members who acted this way? Would we ever find the body?

There is no benefit to having him as "the 60th vote" if he is not going to support the majority, but is going to bend the majority to his will. Not only should the Democrats say "no" to more Joe, they should realize they are destroying their base and the President has lost his mojo.

The President has also lost his perspective. So desperate to make a deal, any deal, on health insurance, so that he can declare "victory", he is telling all the Democrats to do whatever Lieberman wants. And they are going along with it. On Sen. Byron Dorgan's prescription drug re-importation amendment, 30 Democrats voted "no" and the amendment still passed - 51-48. But it didn't pass. Why? It didn't reach the filibuster-proof magic number of 60. The President made a deal with the drug companies (they still support the bill, and we still don't have negotiated prescription drug prices in Medicare) and that is why he asked the 30 Democrats to vote against the Dorgan Amendment. They went along with the President, damaging their constituents for $19 billion dollars per year and working for the drug companies.

Senators Bernie Sanders and Russ Feingold (at least) should turn the tables on the President and Mr. Lieberman by making their own demands - or else they will join the Republican filibuster! Two can play this game! Senators Sanders and Feingold should demand a real public option, plus a Medicare buy-in for those 50 and above, plus no subsidies to private insurers (if insurance is unaffordable, enroll the people in Medicare and Medicaid; the rules of capitalism do not say �pay with taxpayer dollars to make an unaffordable product affordable' - if anti-abortion people can say they don't want their tax dollars going to abortion, I don't want my tax dollars going to insurance company corporate welfare) plus negotiated prices for prescription drugs in the Medicare program, plus re-importation of prescription drugs. Or else filibuster.

The President has forgotten who put him into the building where he lives and works. He has also forgotten that the bigger they are, the harder they fall. He got so many people so energized, that the fall into disappointment and bitterness is a long ride - and the base, once burned this badly, will no longer respond when the President and Democrats, playing �Lucy with the football' in Charlie Brown comics-style, says �Come on, kick the ball, I won't pull it away this time'.
The first rule of politics is "punish your enemies, reward your friends". Even George W. Bush knew this rule. The President and his fellow Democrats have forgotten this and will pay the price.

Can victory be snatched from the jaws of defeat? Yes, in at least two ways.

First, the President can rescue his Presidency - and Democrats can rescue their Party - by immediately using reconciliation to pass a real public option plus a Medicare buy-in immediately after the President signs the turd that Congress is about to pass on health insurance. A second bill. By using the reconciliation procedure (which requires only a simple majority vote - no filibuster) Mr. Obama and the Democrats in Congress can say to their base "See? We were playing chess all along - we got what we all wanted but couldn't tip our hands in the first bill because Joe never would have voted for the first bill."

Second, the filibuster should be abolished. We already have one anti-democratic branch of government - the federal courts. Lieberman is using this antidemocratic rule to leverage himself into the real leader of the Democratic Party - a party he left over 3 years ago! Wait for alleged Democratic Senator Ben Nelson to say the price for his vote is abolishing all abortions - will the President say "do that too"?
With the filibuster gone, we can say "No More Joe" and pass what real Democrats want - leaving Blanche Lincoln and the rest behind. We are so close, yet so far - all because of the silly, anachronistic filibuster rule. Let democracy rule - for good and for ill.

At least I can still dream.

Norm's Movie Picks

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

1. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) starring Gregory Peck
2. 12 Angry Men (1957) starring Henry Fonda (notice 12 angry white men & no women)
3. My Cousin Vinny (1992) Comedy (1992) starring Joe Pesci, Marrisa Tormei
4. Anatomy of a Murder (1959) starring James Stewart, Lee Remick
5. Inherit the Wind (1960) starring Spencer Tracy, Frederic March
6. Witness for the Prosecution (1957) Charles Laughton, Marlena Dietrich
7. The Verdict (1982) starring Paul Newman
8. Erin Brochovich (2000) starring Julia Roberts
9. Philadelphia (1993) starring Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks
10. A Civil Action (1998) starring John Travolta, William Macy, Robert Duvall

Bonus Picks
1. Judgement at Nurenberg (1961) starring Spencer Tracy, Richard Windmark

Gun Control

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We had a very civil, intelligent discussion today about gun control and I thank everyone for that! Just so I am not misleading you, here are my thoughts:

1) No guns (ever) for convicted criminals - any kind of violent convicted criminals;

2) No guns for the mentally ill - ever;

3) REAL background checks - supported by the best technology and with fingerprints used to search databases;

4) No loopholes, like the "gun show loophole"

5) An assault weapons ban;

6) Trigger locks;

7) Try to stem the flow of guns into the country;

8) Educate people with stories of little kids shot by other little kids and the other horrors we have seen with gun violence - all to get people to be more careful and responsible;

9) Bullet control - I don't know how but it's a great idea! and;

10) Judges, parole boards and governors have to be MUCH more careful in who they release.

I do not claim to have all the answers. I do claim that we can do better than we are doing now and that we can reasonably lessen gun violence, while understanding we cannot eliminate all of it.

What do you think? Thank you for being a part of our show!!

Who's a Terrorist?

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Republicans were quick to label the recent shooting at Ft. Hood a "terrorist attack" and Maj. Nadal Hasan a "terrorist". It drives them crazy that President Obama has kept us safe longer than George W. Bush, so they pounced on this as an equivalent terrorist attack. Was it? And, just what is a "terrorist"? I see four elements:
A) Violence, and the threat of more violence;
B) Political motive (not financial gain) seeking to change specific future political behavior;
C) The organized use of many people, across large geographic areas and a long time, and;
D) The willingness to target random, innocent civilians.
I suggest there are four categories of "terrorism" if broadly defined.
1) Street crime/muggings; home burglaries/invasions; stick-ups at banks and convenience stores are examples on one-on-one (or small group) crimes with single/small groups of actors seeking material goods in a single or repeated episodes. The object is material gain. There are no political statements made or political positions advanced and the victims are random civilians, chosen for their ability to pay. No change of future political conduct (by nations or peoples) is demanded. Yet, the effect is clearly terrorizing on the victims (having been there myself many times, I can attest to that) but is this "terrorism" as we use it in political discourse, or is it "crime"?
2) The "Son of Sam" shootings in New York in 1976-1977 and the "D.C. Sniper" shootings in Washington, D.C. in 2002 are examples of broader violence and threats of more violence - terrorizing a whole city - with, again, individual/small group actors; no apparent or announced political motives; the attacks are on random civilians, no years-long struggle is at issue and no material gain is sought or demanded. Certainly, New York and Washington, D.C. were "terrorized" in these cases, but is this "terrorism" as we mean it now?
3) Hesham Mohamed Hadayet opened fire at Los Angeles International Airport in July 2002, at the El Al ticket counter, killing three. The attack was on random civilians, by a lone gunman - with a political statement, not for material gain, but not linked with attacks in concert with others to change specific future political behavior. The June 2009 shooting of a security guard at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. fits this same mold - a white supremacist making a political statement by attacking random civilians at a chosen political target. Again, there was no link to an organized group with long term demands for specific political changes by nations or peoples. Are these examples of "terrorism"?
4) Al Qaeda, the Irish Republican Army, the Red Brigades and others are different in that they use violence and the threat of violence against innocent victims, with political motives - but these groups are part of a multi-generational, well organized, ongoing effort, spread across large geographical areas, and designed to change specific future political behavior on a broad scale. These groups constantly seek new recruits; have demands for continuous funding and are "institutional" in that their leaders may change, but the organization - and its goals - persists. This makes for the "terrorism" we think of today.
What is common among the attackers in groups two (Son of Sam/D.C. Sniper) and three (El Al ticket counter/Holocaust Museum) is mental illness - there is a gloss of political motive/statement in group three, but these sole actors are, simply stated, deranged. Maj. Hasan and his actions at Ft. Hood fit into category three - a political motive appears to exist; he targeted random people; he did not seek material gain but he also did not appear to be linked to any large group, as part of an ongoing effort to change specific future political action.
However, the anti-abortion movement in the United States is a classic terrorist effort. Scott Roeder, the confessed killer of Dr. George Tiller, was part of an organized, institutional effort, across a long expanse of time and wide geography, to change specific political behavior and policy in the United States. Bombing abortion clinics targets random civilians and the threat of more violence persists. No extortion or monetary demands are made to stop the campaign - the object is not material gain. All the elements that we think of with Al Qaeda are present with the anti-abortion movement - they simply have different political agendas.
Parenthetically, the anti-abortion movement's claim to be "right to life" is false as they are not pacifists and do not oppose war or the death penalty, quite the opposite, they are supporters of violence and death, not life.
Therefore, Maj. Hasan is not a "terrorist" as we commonly use the term - he was a lone deranged gunman targeting random individuals with the gloss of a political motive or statement - a member of group three, and, unlike Al Qaeda, did not kill three thousand people in one attack.

Health Co-ops?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I had some GREAT conversation today with our Seattle callers who taught me a lot about Washington State's Group Health plan. They got me thinking about my prior support for "co-ops" as a concept: Can there be a for profit co-op? I believe not. A co-op can work - but it must be non-profit; no exorbitant CEO and executive salaries; low overhead (administrative costs must be contained) and the members need to have their choice of doctors, with no HMO-style gate keeping by "primary care physicians". The members must understand that their premiums go up and down with consumption of health care and that healthy outcomes and life styles not only prolong their lives but lead to good QUALITY of life, as well as keep costs down. Most importantly, the pool must be large enough and diverse enough to support the people most needing care - each of us will have our turn at consuming a lot of health care in a short period of time. What do you think? Can co-ops be a part of the solution? And THANKS FOR BEING A BIG PART OF THE NORMAN GOLDMAN SHOW!!

Where Are The Shareholders

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Goldman Sachs is planning to use $20 billion to pay bonuses. TWENTY BILLION DOLLARS!!! The investors (big ones) are mad and want that cut to $10 billion. TEN BILLION IS A CUT!!! How wonderful of them! Insanity reigns and there are no adults in the room to stop the greed-fest. Goldman Sachs got $10 billion in bailout money - no strings attached. That's the amount the big investors want for bonuses. Should we all say "You're welcome"? The Administration is nowhere to be found (indeed, current Treasury Secretary and last year's bailout leader as chief of the New York Fed, Tim Geithner, is the chief enabler) and Congress is too corrupt to stop this nonsense. When they had a chance to add strings last year, they did not. Now, the Wall Street gang is using our tax dollars to further bribe Congress (yes, that's very much you too, Democrats) to not have any meaningful regulatory reform. Thus, we are prone to future collapse right back into the mess we have now.

Corporate interests have long advocated "say-on-pay" for unions so that no objecting union member's dues could be used for political purposes. There is no corresponding restriction for shareholders on corporations. We need corporate reform (what I call "corp reform" to mimic "tort reform") by way of requiring ALL shareholders to approve ALL pay of ALL executives at ALL publicly traded corporations. Gramm-Leach-Bliley (which led directly to our current Depression) should be repealed and Glass-Steagall should be restored. The long-standing, incestuous practice of officers nominating directors and directors deciding on the pay of officers, is crazy and must end. Only when the shareholders have true control of the corporations can this looting insanity end.

A Veteran's Day Message

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We honor our veterans today and quite properly so - these people - our brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbors and fellow Americans - put their lives at risk for us. While Memorial Day is to honor the fallen, Veterans Day is to honor the living. Are we honoring them by having so many homeless vets? By not caring for their mental disorders, like PTSD and depression? By not supporting them in their most basic needs (like housing) and then abusing their work for political purposes? George W. Bush & Co. used the military like Hollywood uses props - as decorative background settings. Now, politicians are doing what is expressed best by this link:

http://www.someecards.com/newsletter-november-9th.html

Let's help our veterans!!!

Norm

Election Day Results

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I am amazed that the corporate media keeps trying to pin this tail on the Obama (Democratic Party) donkey! The people of New Jersey and Virginia had plenty of local issues to deal with - while the people of the 23rd Congressional District KNEW they were sending a representative to Congress - to work on national issues with the President!! This is no great day for Republicans - if anything, Democrats should be worried that their voters are not fired up! Now, why is that? Lack of action! Let's see some action!!

Gay marriage took a hit ion Maine, but is getting closer!! And, marijuana is the big winner! Legalization is next!

Relax, Democrats, this is no big deal! Democrats won governorships all over the country during Bush's years and the corporate media did not make such a big deal about it.

Norm

Woodrow Wilson Is Relevant Now!

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As I promised on today's show, here is the quote....but first, the back story! Woodrow Wilson was elected President in 1912 - in a three-way race where Teddy Roosevelt ran as a third party candidate - the "Progressive Party" candidate (they were commonly known as the "Bull Moose Party", but were formally the Progressives) challenging his former hand-picked successor, William Howard Taft, the Republican. Roosevelt left office in 1908 and had hand-picked Taft but quickly soured on him. Wilson was a college president and then Governor of New Jersey. He was angling for national prominence, but was not a public official in 1909. On October 30, 1909 (exactly 100 years - and a few days ago - today) Woodrow Wilson said the Democratic Party should not:

"Allow itself to be embarrassed by old formulas formulated for another age, which had other and very different questions to settle. Take the old ideal of 'as little government as possible'...It is no longer possible with the modern combinations of industry and transportation to discriminate interests of the states as they could once be discriminated. Interests once local and separate have become unified and national. They must be treated by the national government" Courtesy, New York Times

Why isn't some Democrat just saying that now - and laying the Republicans to waste? Why??????

Norm

This Is The Republican Party?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With a guy who does not live in the district; has no political credentials to speak of; is extreme and is backed by the loony fringe of the Republican Party, Doug Hoffman has shoved a Republican state Assembly member off the election ballot in upstate New York's 23rd Congressional District. Yet, John Boehner, the chief Republican in the House of Representatives, still says the Republican Party is a "big tent"! Looks to me like the Republicans are indeed the party of Limbaugh and Palin. Enjoy your minority status for decades to come, you extremists!! Norm

Joe Lieberman - Lying Then or Now?

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We have posted -- right here on our website -- the video of Sen. Joe Lieberman during a debate in 2006 (after he had lost the Democratic primary to Ned Lamont but before the general election, when he was running as an "independent") where he promised the ability of Americans to buy into a health insurance program as part of his pledge to achieve universal coverage.

Now he does a 180 and says he will join Republicans to filibuster the exact thing that he promised just three years ago! So, Joe, were you lying then or are you lying now?

Media Matters Catches the Right Wing Media

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Today we interview Jess Levin (two days in a row!) and want everyone to watch the video that Media Matters for America (www.mediamatters.org) has put up on YouTube exposing the right wing media campaign against the President and anyone who disagrees with them! Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQnmxW-UyKo

Enjoy!!

Norm

It's Nice To Be Right!

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have been saying, for years, that Fox "News" is nothing but a propaganda organization, totally in the bag for the Republican Party. Now, Media Matters for America has put the last nail in that coffin! Here is the link to watch the video that simply knocks all the varnish off that piece of wood:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDR47EKTrCQ

We Have Overfished The Oceans - Let's Stop!

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We know that fish and seafood is healthy for us - lean protein; fish oil and low fat. But, we have over fished the oceans and polluted the planet! So, for healthy seafood options, go to www.seafoodwatch.org and let's see if we can help keep ourselves and the planet healthy!! Norm

A Republican Who Found Sanity!

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I was NOT a fan of Bruce Bartlett back in the Reagan and Bush I days of the 1980's. He was one of the "Reaganomics" and "Laffer Curve" guys; but he has gone FAR off the reservation and is now anathema to Republicans. We interviewed him today (a two-parter!) and his new book is an indictment of George W. Bush and the Republican Party. Here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/New-American-Economy-Failure-Reaganomics/dp/0230615872

We Can Find Common Ground

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The President has famously tried to find common ground with Republicans. They keep slapping his hand away. I believe there is a huge issue where we can actually work with right wingers - whether Republicans or not - and that issue is economic populism. It is a major issue - them versus us - and the "us" is the 98% of America that is not in the top 2%. If only the President would grab hold of the issue and run with it! He is trying to get financial regulations updated - and Congress is disposing of those quite shamefully but handily. This is proof of the old saying "The President proposes and Congress disposes" except this is the President's own party! The President should elevate the issue to one of big publicity and see if that moves Congress!

The President - and all of us - should approach the right wingers to join forces and wring at least a major reduction in corporate compensation from Wall Street. The righties will part company with us on economic regulation, but at least we can take down some of these symbols that have us all outraged and show some power over these greedy pigs who act as if nothing is wrong with their behavior.

On our radio show, I keep saying "it's not about right and left, it's about right and wrong" and this is a perfect example to prove that! We need to engage the right wing folks (who are also steamed about this) to join with us to demand justice from Congress!

We Want Our Money Back!!

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When I say "it's not about right and left, it's about right and wrong" this is one classic issue to support my argument! The right wingers went crazy when the TARP bill was going through Congress and the House of Representatives first voted the bill down - sinking the stock market another 1,000 points! But then, the bill passed and Big Business was bailed out massively. Now, they are lobbying to stop new regulations - regulations which would prevent this sort of thing from happening again. The righties and us normal folks should unite to say "where is the money" and "we want our money back!". This is an issue where we can all find common ground!

Norm

Limbaugh to file FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS!!???!!

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lush Limbo is rattling his saber....he is now threatening to sue people who talk about the racially charged statements he's made over the years. Since he is a 'public figure' he would have to prove actual malice - but of course, TRUTH is an absolute defense! So, go to www.mediamatters.org and read the press release they did cataloging the Limbaugh remarks about blacks. But, to me, threatening to sue brings up the whole issue of TORT REFORM and "frivolous lawsuits." Would ol' Lush Limbo ACTUALLY file a frivolous lawsuit???? Norm

Health Insurers Have It All But Want Still More

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The health insurance industry has us all by the throat - and yet they want more! They have a "10 Point Stranglehold Program" on America - but they want 13. Here's what I mean:

Insurance companies have 10 things already:

1) No rate regulation;
2) No rate caps;
3) No competition;
4) No federal regulation;
5)Anti-trust exemption;
6) ERISA protection (podcast my Oct. 8, 2009 show for lots on ERISA);
7) Domination of state regulators;
8) Pre-existing conditions to cherry-pick only the customers they want;
9) Rescission to dump patients who cost them money;
10) Life time caps to limit their liability and exposure to paying claims.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!! They now demand three more things:

11) A federal mandate to buy coverage;
12) Whopping penalties to enforce the mandate and make our government their enforcement and collection agent;
13) Whopping subsidies of tax dollars (some call it money laundering) to pay for their overpriced, crappy product.

According to the rules of capitalism, a product that is bad and overpriced fails in the marketplace. So does the company selling the junk. But, in corporate, crony capitalism-land (America, 1980-present) the rules of the game don't apply. Yet, they call us Communists and Socialists. They are Fascists - plain and simple - the merger of big business and big government.

Only single payer will break their grip from around our throat.

Class Warfare

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Have we been repaid our bailout money yet? With The Dow hitting 10,000, the bulls on Wall Street are crowing about "recovery" - their recovery! Where are the JOBS?? Where is the Employee Free Choice Act? Why are we still shipping jobs overseas? Where is OUR President and his advocacy for the middle class? I am sick of the government taking care of the pillars of the economy while letting us all go down the drain! It's class warfare - big business style! And, it's downright un-American!

Foxes Decry Chicken Coop Repairs!

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The health insurance companies have written a report blasting reform! What a surprise! They say reform will raise costs! Since THEY CONTROL THE COSTS, are we shocked? I say we put them in their place - either a public option or single payer - and show them what capitalism REALLY means! Norm

MUST WATCH: The Sarkisyans Confront CIGNA on Daughter Nataline's Death

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"Crush Videos"

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

There are 6.5 BILLION people on Planet Earth. Only a few of them are needed to cause major mischief - in so many different ways. So, now we have some folks FILMING TERRIBLE CRUEL ACTS KILLING ANIMALS - and this give sexual satisfaction and other "jollies" to some people. It makes me wonder about humanity. I cannot believe that some people not only MAKE this crap - but that others actually PAY to watch it! What kind of world is this???

5 Hours of radio Today!

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Doing the last 2 hours of the Ed Schultz Show and then my three hours from 3 - 6 Pacific (6 - 9 Eastern). Lots to talk about today - the Obama trip did not get the Olympics for Chicago; David Letterman reveals a stunner and the economy is sliding backwards. Norm

Guns

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Podcast today's show and, in the first hour, you will hear both my legal analysis of the Supreme Court and the 2nd amendment and some gruesome statistics on gun violence in America. This amount of violence is unacceptable in America! Norm

Amazingly Bad Dems

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A big majority in the Senate; a big majority on the Senate Finance Committee; and yet the Republicans control the agenda! AMAZING! Today, two Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee (Rockefeller and Schumer) propose two versions of public option and they get voted down by DEMOCRATS!!! SHAMEFUL!! If we stop giving them money, will that change things? Or, will they continue taking $$ from the lobbyists?? That's why we need to fund the people looking for opponents of these corporate Democrats and running ads back in their home states. That means you, Max Baucus. Count me in. Norm

Subbing for Ed

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I will be doing the second and third hours of the Ed Schultz Show on Thursday....tomorrow! Join Ed...and me! tomorrow on The Ed Schultz Show!

Animal Rescue!

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have been a major proponent of animal rescues for a long time! Today we interview a guy you won't want to miss - he is not your typical - or stereotypical - animal rescuer! The National Geographic Channel premieres "Rescue Ink" on Friday, September 26, 10 PM Eastern and Pacific and you can hear Joe Panz discuss his unique style of animal rescue and don't forget their website www.rescueink.org! Norm

"Medical Malpractice and Tort Reform"

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This insurance-company-sponsored gift to themselves has been accepted by so many folks that it now includes President Obama! The truth is insurance companies have propagandized so much that people -- including the President -- are believing this stuff! The facts show that "medical malpractice and tort reform" is bogus. Check this out: former judge Robert Bork (a right wing extremist who tried to get rid of punitive damages) sued for punitive damages after slipping and falling down stairs! Thousands of people die and are injured from medical errors every year. We will discuss this all on the Norman Goldman Show! thanks for being with me! Norm

Credit Card Abuses of Consumers by Banks

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Last week we brought you the story of Ann Minch and her YouTube sensation over telling Bank of America to go jump in the lake when they hiked her interest rate way up even though she pays her bills on time and pays interest! Today we will update the story and I ask you: Should we go with credit unions and tell banks to jump in the lake? Should we start coop banks - non-profit, consumer owned and operated banks? Norm

Live Show Blog for Monday, September 21, 2009: Is the President being a wimp on health care?

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Blog the Show: Is the President being a wimp on health care? Is President Obama a "corprocrat"? Is he giving in to the insurance companies and big pharmaceutical companies? Your calls and comments when we do today's Norman Goldman Show!

The New Militia Movement

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When I say it's not about right and left, it's about right and wrong, one thing i mean is that it is WRONG to use violence or the threat of violence against a President! The extreme fringe on the right has been coddled, encouraged and PLAYED by the establishment Republicans and they have now gone out of control. How do we deal with it? Kick their asses at the polling place! What do you think?? Is that serving justice? Norm

Max Baucus and his long trek

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks for being with me here where justice is served, the Norman Goldman Show! To try his own hand at proving it's not about right and left, it's about right and wrong, Sen. Max Baucus unveiled his "bipartisan" health care bill today - the final bill from the last Congressional committee handling health care - the Senate Finance Committee. This bill will get no Republican support - even though Sen. Baucus catered to all their whims. He should abandon his bill and go with the House bills - much better for the people - much worse for the special interests! Norm

Debtor's Revolt

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A California woman told Bank of America to "take this credit card and shove it" in a fantastic YouTube video! Here is a link, via Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/14/debtors-revolt-woman-refu_n_285394.html

Can we ignite a debtor's revolt in America? Can we get these Tea Party people to see who their REAL enemy is - not Obama - but the greedheads on Wall Street?

Can we?

Norm

Fed. Judge Rejects B of A and SEC Settlement

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

http://www.nydailynews.com/money/work_career/2009/09/14/2009-09-14_judge_rejects_bofa_bonus_settlement_calling_it_a_contrivance.html

shows why the judge rejected the settlement. it was a sham settlement. the judge was appointed by pres. clinton. WOW! a judge with integrity! imagine that!!

norm

List of Banks Receiving Bailout Money

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here is the link to show the INCREDIBLE LIST of banks (and the staggering amounts they received!) that received our tax dollars to be bailed out AFTER they ran wild and pillaged us all and then collapsed:

http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/storysupplement/bankbailout/

1 Year Anniversary of Wall Street meltdown

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Today is the one year anniversary of the Lehman Bros.' bank collapse. The meltdown on Wall Street saw George W. Bush abandon all his "free market" principles and pump billions of taxpayer dollars into saving companies that took hundreds of billions in profits before the party ended. Now, President Obama wants to tighten regulation of these companies to prevent a repeat of this debacle - and he's getting opposition from his own party. Are we doomed to keep this cycle going, over and over again? If a company fails, the bosses get fired - plain and simple. Why did this not happen? Why is Wall Street (and the insurance industry, and the other pillars of industry) so special? They screwed up the economy, we should fix the regulatory system that let it happen!

Norm

Sept. 12 march in Washington

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"Thousands" showed up? In a nation of 300 million, we can get "thousands" to show up for anything. The REAL question is: how many of these folks don't have health insurance? President Obama is trying to help THESE PEOPLE, but they are arguing "No, let me keep throwing myself into the arms of the same big business creeps that cheated us and collapsed the economy last year". I would be impressed with these folks IF THEY HAD PROTESTED BUSH AND THE REPUBLICANS SPENDING US INTO BANKRUPTCY. Did they? No.

Oh, but NOW they're concerned about overspending???? Did they just wake up?? Or, is there something ELSE going on here????

Norm

September 11 and Patriotism

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Why have we sunken back into using patriotism as a weapon? Why do some people get the idea they and only they get to define who is a patriotic American? When we will return to acknowledging that we are ALL Americans who love our country, who deserve respect and that we should talk through our differences? I am absolutely convinced that we will be surprised at how much common ground there is between us, if we'd just get to the issues! That's what the Norman Goldman Show is all about - not left and right, but right and wrong!

"YOU LIE!"

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So many on the extreme right fringe believe the definition of "patriotism" is THEIR EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY! If someone had yelled "YOU LIE!" at George W. Bush during a joint appearance before Congress, there would have been such an uproar - and an immediate trial for treason - followed by a hanging outside the Capitol, that the Republicans' heads would have exploded! We need to re-claim the word "PATRIOTISM"! I am sick of these scoundrels hiding behind the flag to enable big business to steal from us! It is WRONG and I am all about right and wrong! Norm

Live Show Blog for Thursday, September 10, 2009: Family Values Republicans

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks EVERYONE for listening to my show. Now more than ever, we need to get together every day to discuss this and other great topics that are important to YOU AND OUR COUNTRY.

NormanGoldman.com: It's Ground Zero for Justice Served in America.

Please pass this note along to all your friends. It's time to get organized and fight back!

"Make Everyday a Streamin' Norman Day!"

On today's show

"You Lie!" are you kidding me? Have the Republican members of congress lost their minds? I suspect you haven't lost yours, so please listen and weigh in starting at 6PM Eastern, 3 Pacific, 4 Mountain and 5 Central.

Also,

A local (So. Cal.) Republican (Mike Duvall) made some VERY NASTY remarks (of a sexual nature) about women and was forced to resign. We'll discuss why it's always these family values types doing this today on The Norman Goldman Show! Listen at 3PM Pacific, 6PM Eastern. Simply click the listen live button above and join in. You can also call in while the show is on. Our number is 888-321-6001. Bring your brain and your voice. We want to hear from you!

Thank you for making us part of your listening day!

Norm

Live Blog Wednesday's Show

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sorry this came up late, folks. But comment on tonight's show here.

Have at it!

Have fun!

Justice, politics and the important issues that face our country - sometimes it seems as if they're all on a collision course. It takes some straight talk to straighten it all out

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

That's what we'll be doing every weekday here at the Norman Goldman Show. We'll have news, commentary, call-ins and more on famous cases, infamous cases, politics, media, and the issues that really matter to people all across the country. We'll be talking on the air and we'll be talking right here online, too. We hope you'll be joining us. We want to hear what you have to say.