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This is outrageous. You have to create a new party Marianne.

GLENN GREENWALD : ¨After Joe Biden announced his extraordinary request for $33 billion more for the war in Ukraine — on top of the $14 billion the U.S. has already spent just ten weeks into this war — congressional leaders of both parties immediately decided the amount was insufficient. They arbitrarily increased the amount by $7 billion to a total of $40 billion, then fast-tracked the bill for immediate approval. As we reported on Tuesday night, the House overwhelmingly voted to approve the bill by a vote of 388-57. All fifty-seven NO votes came from Republican House members. Except for two missing members, all House Democrats — every last one, including all six members of the revolutionary, subversive Squad — voted for this gigantic war package, one of the largest the U.S. has spent at once in decades.

While a small portion of these funds will go to humanitarian aid for Ukraine, the vast majority will go into the coffers of weapons manufacturers such as Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and the usual suspects. Some of it will go to the CIA for unspecified reasons. The extreme speed with which this was all approved means there is little to no oversight over how the funds will be spent, who will profit and how much, and what the effects will be for Ukraine and the world.¨ Read More https://greenwald.substack.com/p/the-bizarre-unanimous-dem-support-426?s=r

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Marianne, I like your idea that we need another Teddy Roosevelt to get us back to democracy and away from our oligarchy that's been certified by Citizens United! It seems to me we need to focus right now, all together, on figuring out the most important concern or factor that needs to be conveyed and resolved in order to truly start restoring our demcracy; then, let everything else fall into place. Otherwise, it seems, we all keep regurgitating what's wrong but solutions seem remote, even with short, middle, and long-term plans: meanwhile, time for life on Earth is running out--compounded by a reluctance of those with global power to truly address our climate emergency! (I've been pondering this for months: what's truly crucial to focus on in this moment of our global history to set things on a better path to thrivability.)

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Thanks Marianne. I really enjoy those video chats where you get someone like this guy or a while back Nancy Maclean who really know how to analyse what is going on in society and get a good perspective. It is so easy to get swamped by all the disasters reported on by newspapers which are motivated by sensationalism. Of course we do live in an age of global emergencies but the best thing to do in an energency is fight the urge to panic and perspective is vital.

One thing I would say as a resident of the UK. You talk about there is more of a balance between government and the private sector in Europe and that may be the case on the continent but much less so in the UK which as you know has withdrawn from the EU. Since the economic crisis the government has brought about massive cuts in public services especially health and things like control of water supplies. I used to be a social worker but the kind of services I used to work in simply don't exist any more. As you know we in the UK tend to carry the USA's coat-tails and market rules OK just now.

All the more important to get as I said some perspective. Thanks once again.

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What a great conversation! Thank you, Marianne and Donald Cohen. I’m looking forward to reading The Privatization of Everything for all the reasons discussed in your conversation, especially for the steps we need to take to turn our “Ship-of-State” (thanks, Joan Halgren for this term) AWAY from the Iceberg!

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Exactly! 100%

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founding
May 19, 2022·edited May 19, 2022

Hello Marianne, loved your chat with Donald Cohen. You do a great job informing people and working towards a common understanding about what's happening and what we, as individuals, can do about it. If you ran for president I would vote for you.

I'm a recent computer science graduate, and struggling to find work. This is because I'm not going to work for just anyone. As a programmer, I don't want to be a part of the problem. In any case, I'm brainstorming an idea about an application that would make it easier for people to be informed about important progressive issues (current laws, petitions, etc) and help to notify them to actively do something about it.

One organization I know of that sort of does this is Act-Blue. They try to tell you about petitions to sign, or who to support. But, for example, an organization like this didn't inform me when there opened-up an important government docket where you could leave comments about corporate merging/monopiles (Matt Stoller informed me on Breaking Points). This important window closed for me, it had a deadline (I signed anyway- to hell with deadlines!). I find this happening a lot on other important issues I could have supported. This app would inform on important (often discrete) issues, sending users notifications to take an active step. Maybe it already exists. Maybe its not popular enough. Or, maybe too many exist. If so, then the goal would be to consolidate it all in one place, working with other frameworks/organizations to make it happen. Then help make this app popular- theirs or mine- I don't care, what matters is its existence.

Do you know of any notification services like this that exist so that I can sign up and be more informed about important events like this and/or so that I can learn about them and know if this technology already exists? If not, I could try to make an app to help. How do you stay well informed about these limited windows where we can participate?

I'm looking to do what I'm passionate about- addressing problems, important ones like our democracy. I'm looking to be a part of the solution, and looking for places where I can assist and/or participate more fluidly. This service might be in demand, at least for me it is. I believe the right technology might be just what these grass roots movements need to give them a bleeding edge.

Thank you so much for listening, and thank you for what you do. Sorry about the length of my post.

Sincerely,

Jessica Kilbourne

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Capitalist is good but with boundary, rules define by the people. Rich People Don’t Create Jobs.¨ Billionaire Nick Hanauer. 5:49 min Nick Hanauer on inequality https://youtu.be/bBx2Y5HhplI

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Dr Paul Alexander | court proceedings & fair public debate

Dr Mark Trozzi May 14, 2022

¨Canadian Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons are corrupted to the core, and on the short list of those who must be taken to court.

Here is a great 7 minutes clip of one of my absolute favourite people on Earth, Dr Paul Alexander.

I stand with him 100%, and agree to participate fully in the court proceedings and debates that he is proposing. We must hold the perpetrators of the covid crimes against humanity everywhere to account.

Dr Alexander is one of the world’s most qualified scientists regarding all things covid. He is confident and bold for good reasons. Feel confident; be bold.¨ https://drtrozzi.org/2022/05/14/dr-paul-alexander-court-proceedings-fair-public-debates/

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