Racism in this country is disgusting to see. When my grandparents left Belfast to come to this country they encountered it here. Although it wasn't nearly as bad as what they had left behind in Belfast, it still stung them deeply. The reason I bring this up is because this week is "Islamo-Fascist Awareness week". So dubbed by David Horowitz, this is a mockery of everything our country is about. This is a new type of Government sponsored racism. Take a look at

www.terrorismawareness.org/islamo-fascism-awareness-week/

to see this catastrophe with your own eyes. The right seems to have no idea why many muslims hate us...Can these idiots look past their own ridiculous and unfounded fears? Many muslims are in fact peaceful people who just wish to be left to their own way of life. Who are we to tell them how to live? Who are we to impose a form of government that WILL NOT WORK for such people. It is such a flawed and disaster bound approach that it makes me ashamed to be associated with America and by default with these ideas by foreigners.
Barbara Ehrenreich wrote a wonderful peice on this in The Nation. You can read it here.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/10/23/4755/
In conclusion I hope that it does not take another disaster on the level of 9/11 to open the eyes of the right that a diplomatic approach is THE ONLY solution to our self created problems in the Middle East.

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Listening to: Conspirator - Liquid Handcuffs (1)-- Live @ the culture room 3-12-06
via FoxyTunes

It's fun to get fucked

Since we are at war I think it is a brilliant idea to cut taxes...especially for the rich. I need to give GeOgre a HUGE hug for helping the ones who need help the most. The wealthy of course. Check out this gem I found on Citizens for tax justice (www.ctj.org) Things such as ill conceived tax codes and unrestricted free market capitalism are killing off the shadow of what once was the American middle class. (If you are interested in how capitalism is destroying us read Naomi Klein's "Shock Doctrine" http://www.amazon.com/dp/0805079831?)

President’s Reckless Tax and Fiscal Policies Force Congress
to Raise National Debt Limit — Again

President George W. Bush has added $3 trillion to the national debt so far, despite inheriting a
balanced budget when he took office in 2001. Since then, Congress has been forced to raise the
statutory limit on the total amount the federal government is allowed to borrow four times — in
2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee approved legislation to
raise the debt limit a fifth time, to an unprecedented $9.815 trillion, to prevent the federal
government from defaulting on its debts and being unable to borrow any more. In contrast, when
Bush took office, the debt limit was $5.950 trillion — $3.9 trillion less than the new amount.
Budget Deficit Worse Than Many Realize
The President has tried repeatedly in recent months to spin the gloomy fiscal news in his favor.
Earlier this summer, the administration lowered the projected federal budget deficit for 2007
from $244 billion to $205 billion and claimed this as evidence that the Bush tax cuts have
succeeded in causing revenues to actually increase! But the truth is that income tax revenues
remain far below their pre-Bush level as a share of the economy.
The White House’s Office of Management and Budget Mid-Session Review shows that in
projecting this year’s deficit, the administration is not counting the $180 billion it will borrow
and spend from the Social Security Trust Fund — money that, of course will have to be paid back as the baby boomers retire. Counting the borrowing from Social Security, this year’s actual
projected deficit will be $385 billion — almost double the deficit figure claimed by the
administration.

The Bush Tax Cuts Have Sent the Deficit to Dizzying Heights

What has caused the budget deficits over the past six years? The largest cause is the cuts in
federal income taxes enacted by President Bush and Congress. Federal income taxes fell from
10.1 percent of the gross domestic product in fiscal year 2000 to an average of only 7.3 percent
of the GDP in fiscal 2002 through 2006 — a 28 percent drop — and are now near their lowest
levels as a share of the GDP in 55 years.
The total cost of the Bush tax cuts, including interest on the money borrowed to finance them,
has been just over $1.4 trillion so far — about half of the total increase in the national debt under
Bush so far.



On a happier note, things are looking up in this country...if you're a billionaire that is.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/10/22/4734/

No one in politics these days seems to care for those for whom they are charged with taking care of (read: robbing blind)

My stomach turns

I read a very disturbing article today....(found here) http://www.counterpunch.org/rampton10182007.html

Things such as this a pervasive in our country. The justification for many things is sold to the people on false pretenses and many refuse to look beyond what the corporate media conglomerates feed them.
For me this is a sickening and disturbing trend with no end in sight.