Archive for hypocrisy

Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg Claims Corporations and Lobbyists Are the ‘Solution’

As lobbyists make record sums and taxpayer dollars continue to flood Wall Street accounts, voters must realize that the fundamental principles of American democracy—capitalism, free-enterprise—are being dismantled by elected officials who claim they support traditional conservative principles.

When officials like Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg, currently running for a Republican seat in the Senate, claim corporations and lobbyists are working for pro-American policies it is an absolute sham. Read about Rehberg’s remarks to the American League of Lobbyists and consider whether these men truly represent the American public interest.

"Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg has been pounding Democratic Sen. Jon Tester over lobbyist fundraising in their tight Senate race, but Rehberg declared last year in a meeting with the influence peddlers that he probably would have chosen their profession over his own if he had been 'smart.'" Michael McAuliff, Huffington Post

From The Huffington Post

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Jon Corzine is reportedly planning to start up his own hedge fund.

In the absence of any criminal charges filed against him, former NJ Governor Jon Corzine is reportedly planning to start up his own hedge fund; this as authorities close a ten month criminal investigation into the sudden bankruptcy of his firm, MF Global, and $1.2 billion in client funds that still remains “missing.”

Even if he skates prosecution, there should be regulatory or industry rules that would ban financial executives for, at a minimum, grossly negligent misconduct. People go to prison for stealing a few hundred bucks, while Corzine and the other “Too Big To Jail” banksters go right back to work after billions of dollars magically disappear. Your thoughts?

"Jon Corzine, who had only $3 million of his own money in MF Global, was said to be buying a French château with his wife two weeks before the firm’s bankruptcy." Photo by Andrew Harrer/Corbis.

From The New York Times

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Two “Dark Money” Groups Outspending All Super PACs Combined

A recent ProPublica analysis of political spending shows the two largest non-profit super PACs, Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS and the Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity, have outspent all other super PACs combined. Our political process has been so corrupted by anonymous corporate money that public campaign funding must be implemented to save American democracy.

Our elected officials and judges know how corrosive big money is, yet they refuse to reform campaign finance laws for fear of losing political advantage. What are your thoughts on how super PAC money will affect the billion dollar 2012 presidential election?

"Two conservative nonprofits, Crossroads GPS and Americans for Prosperity, have poured almost $60 million into TV ads to influence the presidential race so far, outgunning all super PACs put together, new spending estimates show." Kim Barker, ProPublica

From Kim Barker, Propublica

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Conservative scholars disown attempts to rewrite our nation’s religious history.

Our founders knew religion provided invaluable moral and ethical instruction, but they established a secular, not religious, government. Their writings or public remarks that allegedly “prove” America was founded as a Christian nation are, instead, comments on the valuable role religion plays in a civilized society.

David Barton and WallBusters have been promoting anti-secular pseudo-scholarship for over two decades in an attempt to rewrite our nation’s religious history. Now, even conservative Christian scholars have had enough. The following article details the fallout over Barton’s most recent book, The Jefferson Lies. What are your thoughts on American historical revisionism taking place today?

From The Daily Beast

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Big Pharma spends 19 times more on advertising than it does on research.

With the exception of investment bankers and defense contractors, those who rule over the American pharmaceutical oligopoly are some of the most powerful corporatists in America. Have you ever wondered why we pay twice as much for drugs as citizens in other countries?

A recent study from BMJ shows that for every $1 dollar spent on research alone, Big Pharma spends $19 on marketing and advertising for brand-name drugs, not to mention the enormous sums paid to keep generic drugs off the market. Your thoughts?

From The Huffington Post

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Divisive rhetoric continues to distract voters this election season.

Americans are being sidelined this election season by conflicting rhetoric on concepts of individual liberty, the nature and size of government, and the influence of special interests. Voters can’t let themselves be distracted by class and cultural divisions, worried that the other guy’s beliefs and freedoms are somehow a threat to the country.

What we desperately need is tough, independent-minded Americans demanding an honest assessment of our problems. If either the idealists or the “aristocrats” take control, the game is surely over.

From The Economist

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Climate change study asserts extreme weather a direct result of global warming.

Unless we take immediate action to reduce human contributions to global warming, rising temperatures and wildly fluctuating weather patterns will produce major social disruption and potentially cause great conflict.

Dr. James E. Hansen’s most recent climate change study examines whether record-breaking temperatures over the past few years are a direct result of global warming. Take a look at his findings and share your thoughts.

"In a new analysis of the past six decades of global temperatures, which will be published Monday, my colleagues and I have revealed a stunning increase in the frequency of extremely hot summers, with deeply troubling ramifications for not only our future but also for our present." James Goddard, NASA

From The Washington Post

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Louisiana’s new voucher school program forces revisionist history on students.

Louisiana’s new voucher school program not only enables corporations to turn our public education system into a for-profit gold mine, it also endorses private schools forcing creationist doctrine and revisionist history on students.

We need to teach our students that the ability to reason – to analyze, research, question, articulate, debate, and extrapolate – is the essence of an educated mind. Read a few of the historical and scientific “facts” taught in these Louisiana voucher schools and share your thoughts on whether they should receive millions in public funding.

"Under Gov. Bobby Jindal's voucher program, considered the most sweeping in the country, Louisiana is poised to spend tens of millions of dollars to help poor and middle-class students from the state's notoriously terrible public schools receive a private education. While the governor's plan sounds great in the glittery parlance of the state's PR machine, the program is rife with accountability problems that actually haven't been solved by the new standards the Louisiana Department of Education adopted two weeks ago." Deanna Pan, Mother Jones

From Mother Jones

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47 donors contribute more than half of the $230 million taken in by super-PACs this year.

With enormous resources and an agenda driven by short-term profits, most plutocratic super-PAC donors are apathetic toward the American public interest. A recent analysis of FEC and Sunlight Foundation data reveals that a mere 47 donors contributed more than half of the $230 million taken in by super-PACs this year, with 1,082 individual donations making up 94% of that total amount.

With corporate takeover of our political campaigns well underway, the only power still capable of opposing ‘USA, Inc.’ is the people themselves — an informed, united citizenry willing to reclaim their country. Where do you stand?

From Mother Jones

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The one federal agency designed to ensure our electoral process is currently leaderless.

Without careful oversight, faulty voting machines could put our entire electoral process at risk. But as November fast approaches, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission currently operates without any leadership whatsoever due to congressional attempts to defund the agency.

Republican lawmakers nationwide risk disenfranchising millions of voters with harsh Voter ID laws and voter roll purges, yet they continue to obstruct the one federal agency designed to ensure the honesty of our electoral process. Are they really concerned about voter fraud, or is there something more underway?

From The Huffington Post

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