Comments for The Urban Politician http://urbanpolitician.com Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:31:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Tea Party Wants Slavery Removed From Student Textbooks by allard http://urbanpolitician.com/current-news/tea-party-wants-slavery-removed-from-student-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-404 allard Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:31:31 +0000 http://urbanpolitician.com/?p=658#comment-404 hi, this article fills my heart with rage. I am dutch. we have similar issues here, the netherlands were during the golden age the most powerful of nations in the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Golden_Age new york actually was called new amsterdam, untill we traded it for surinam with the brits, and thus we became the most proficient slave traders in the world see this ariticle: http://www.historycooperative.org/cgi-bin/justtop.cgi?act=justtop&url=http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/jwh/14.2/vink.html we actually celebrated the 400 years existence of our VOC with a great proud nationel fest, while the main goal of the VOC was the slave trade. we should indeed own up to our true history, in all its horror, so we can learn but.. NO EFFING MENTION OF SLAVE TRADE AND BRUTALITIES WHATSOEVER. it is exactly as above, it is conviently left out. Instead of the golden age, it is a black page in our history, as well as what we did in indonesia What hypocrites are we if we think that we are a civilised people? What will our children learn? what will tomorrow look like? hi,
this article fills my heart with rage. I am dutch. we have similar issues here, the netherlands were during the golden age the most powerful of nations in the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Golden_Age
new york actually was called new amsterdam, untill we traded it for surinam with the brits, and thus we became the most proficient slave traders in the world see this ariticle:
http://www.historycooperative.org/cgi-bin/justtop.cgi?act=justtop&url=http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/jwh/14.2/vink.html

we actually celebrated the 400 years existence of our VOC with a great proud nationel fest, while the main goal of the VOC was the slave trade. we should indeed own up to our true history, in all its horror, so we can learn but.. NO EFFING MENTION OF SLAVE TRADE AND BRUTALITIES WHATSOEVER. it is exactly as above, it is conviently left out.

Instead of the golden age, it is a black page in our history, as well as what we did in indonesia

What hypocrites are we if we think that we are a civilised people? What will our children learn? what will tomorrow look like?

]]> Comment on You Think Obama’s Been a Bad President? Prove It: Jonathan Alter by Pam Zoline http://urbanpolitician.com/current-news/you-think-obama%e2%80%99s-been-a-bad-president-prove-it-jonathan-alter/comment-page-1/#comment-240 Pam Zoline Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:29:31 +0000 http://urbanpolitician.com/?p=724#comment-240 Hi Jonathan Alter, just heard your interesting discussion on MSNBC re "campaigning in poetry, governing in prose" and that Obama perhaps went too far to the prose position during the last 3 years. I would respectfully suggest that in fact his prose style itself has been weak, that is, lacking in sufficient rhetorical structure. I believe he needs to handle NARRATIVE better. That is, find endlessly inventive and engaging ways to keep saying what are we doing/where are we going/yes it is hard/here's how we do it/here's how we persevere. A quick example: when selling the health care plan Obama kept on speaking to peoples' hearts and to their basic morality. Unfortunately, the folks who were going to be moved by that were already in his camp, and he was singing to the well known choir. People who already had some kind of health insurance felt themselves to be more or less ok. If Obama had retold the story about the 3 little pigs, and basically indicated that, given the flaws and gaps and cruelties in the system the people who thought they were ok were living in houses of straw or sticks, and that his plan was about building brick houses for all of us.... then I think he might have kept hold of the story. So, it's not just about poetry and prose, its about story and the logic and power of narrative. with very best wishes and thanks for your brilliant work, Pam Zoline Hi Jonathan Alter, just heard your interesting discussion on MSNBC re “campaigning in poetry, governing in prose” and that Obama perhaps went too far to the prose position during the last 3 years. I would respectfully suggest that in fact his prose style itself has been weak, that is, lacking in sufficient rhetorical structure. I believe he needs to handle NARRATIVE better. That is, find endlessly inventive and engaging ways to keep saying what are we doing/where are we going/yes it is hard/here’s how we do it/here’s how we persevere. A quick example: when selling the health care plan Obama kept on speaking to peoples’ hearts and to their basic morality. Unfortunately, the folks who were going to be moved by that were already in his camp, and he was singing to the well known choir. People who already had some kind of health insurance felt themselves to be more or less ok. If Obama had retold the story about the 3 little pigs, and basically indicated that, given the flaws and gaps and cruelties in the system the people who thought they were ok were living in houses of straw or sticks, and that his plan was about building brick houses for all of us…. then I think he might have kept hold of the story. So, it’s not just about poetry and prose, its about story and the logic and power of narrative.
with very best wishes and thanks for your brilliant work,
Pam Zoline

]]> Comment on How the Tea Party is Being Funded !!! by A. M. http://urbanpolitician.com/current-news/how-the-tea-party-is-being-funded/comment-page-1/#comment-216 A. M. Tue, 13 Sep 2011 03:54:29 +0000 http://urbanpolitician.com/?p=681#comment-216 They know as good as we do that all this crape started way before PRESIDENT BARAAK OBAMA was elected in the office. It is a shame before God which is hard to conceive that those who put out all of these lies and accusations against the President even have any once of Godly consciousness at all. The devil is there god, concerned voters beware! They know as good as we do that all this crape started way before PRESIDENT BARAAK OBAMA was elected in the office. It is a shame before God which is hard to conceive that those who put out all of these lies and accusations against the President even have any once of Godly consciousness at all. The devil is there god, concerned voters beware!

]]> Comment on This week’s Herald column: Congress exists by jacksmith http://urbanpolitician.com/politics/this-week%e2%80%99s-herald-column-congress-exists/comment-page-1/#comment-213 jacksmith Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:20:09 +0000 http://blog.reidreport.com/?p=26400#comment-213 REALITY!! ( http://my.firedoglake.com/iflizwerequeen/2011/05/16/how-about-a-little-truth-about-what-the-majority-want-for-health-care/ ) ( Gov. Peter Shumlin: Real Healthcare reform -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yFUbkVCsZ4 ) ( Health Care Budget Deficit Calculator -- http://www.cepr.net/calculators/hc/hc-calculator.html ) ( Briefing: Dean Baker on Boosting the Economy by Saving Healthcare http://t.co/fmVz8nM ) START NOW! As you all know. Had congress passed a single-payer or government-run robust Public Option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one, our economy and jobs would have taken off like a rocket. And still will. Single-payer would be best. But a government-run robust Public Option CHOICE! that can lead to a single-payer system is the least you can accept. It's not about competing with for-profit healthcare and for-profit health insurance. It's about replacing it with Universal Healthcare Assurance. Everyone knows this now. The message from the midterm elections was clear. The American people want real healthcare reform. They want that individual mandate requiring them to buy private health insurance abolished. And they want a government-run robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one. And they want it now. They want Drug re-importation, and abolishment, or strong restrictions on patents for biologic and prescription drugs. And government controlled and negotiated drug and medical cost. They want back control of their healthcare system from the Medical Industrial Complex. And they want it NOW! THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL NOT, AND MUST NOT, ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TO STAND WITHOUT A STRONG GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE. For-profit health insurance is extremely unethical, and morally repugnant. It's as morally repugnant as slavery was. And few if any decent Americans are going to allow them-self to be compelled to support such an unethical and immoral crime against humanity. This is a matter of National and Global security. There can be NO MORE EXCUSES. Further, we want that corrupt, undemocratic filibuster abolished. Whats the point of an election if one corrupt member of congress can block the will of the people, and any legislation the majority wants. And do it in secret. Give me a break people. Also, unemployment healthcare benefits are critically needed. But they should be provided through the Medicare program at cost, less the 65% government premium subsidy provided now to private for profit health insurance. Congress should stop wasting hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money on private for profit health insurance subsidies. Subsidies that cost the taxpayer 10x as much or more than Medicare does. Private for profit health insurance plans cost more. But provide dangerous and poorer quality patient care. Republicans: GET RID OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE. Democrats: ADD A ROBUST GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION TO HEALTHCARE REFORM. This is what the American people are shouting at you. Both parties have just enough power now to do what the American people want. GET! IT! DONE! NOW! If congress does not abolish the individual mandate. And establish a government-run public option CHOICE! before the end of 2011. EVERY! member of congress up for reelection in 2012 will face strong progressive pro public option, and anti-individual mandate replacement candidates. Strong progressive pro "PUBLIC OPTION" CHOICE! and anti-individual mandate volunteer candidates should begin now. And start the process of replacing any and all members of congress that obstruct, or fail to add a government-run robust PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! before the end of 2011. We need two or three very strong progressive volunteer candidates for every member of congress that will be up for reelection in 2012. You should be fully prepared to politically EVISCERATE EVERY INCUMBENT that fails or obstructs "THE PUBLIC OPTION". And you should be willing to step aside and support the strongest pro "PUBLIC OPTION" candidate if the need arises. ASSUME CONGRESS WILL FAIL and SELLOUT again. So start preparing now to CUT THEIR POLITICAL THROATS. You can always step aside if they succeed. But only if they succeed. We didn't have much time to prepare before these past midterm elections. So the American people had to use a political shotgun approach. But by 2012 you will have a scalpel. Congress could have passed a robust government-run public option during it's lame duck session. They knew what the American people wanted. They already had several bills on record. And the house had already passed a public option. Departing members could have left with a truly great accomplishment. And the rest of you could have solidified your job before the 2012 elections. President Obama, you promised the American people a strong public option available to everyone. And the American people overwhelmingly supported you for it. Maybe it just wasn't possible before. But it is now. Knock heads. Threaten people. Or do whatever you have to. We will support you. But get us that robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one before the end of 2011. Or We The People Of The United States will make the past midterm election look like a cake walk in 2012. And it will include you. We still have a healthcare crisis in America. With hundreds of thousands dieing needlessly every year in America. And a for profit medical industrial complex that threatens the security and health of the entire world. They have already attacked the world with H1N1 killing thousands, and injuring millions. And more attacks are planned for profit, and to feed their greed. Spread the word people. Progressives, prepare the American peoples scalpels. It's time to remove some politically diseased tissues. God Bless You my fellow human beings. I'm proud to be one of you. You did good. See you on the battle field. Sincerely jacksmith – WorkingClass :-) REALITY!!

( http://my.firedoglake.com/iflizwerequeen/2011/05/16/how-about-a-little-truth-about-what-the-majority-want-for-health-care/ )

( Gov. Peter Shumlin: Real Healthcare reform — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yFUbkVCsZ4 )

( Health Care Budget Deficit Calculator — http://www.cepr.net/calculators/hc/hc-calculator.html )

( Briefing: Dean Baker on Boosting the Economy by Saving Healthcare http://t.co/fmVz8nM )

START NOW!

As you all know. Had congress passed a single-payer or government-run robust Public Option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one, our economy and jobs would have taken off like a rocket. And still will. Single-payer would be best. But a government-run robust Public Option CHOICE! that can lead to a single-payer system is the least you can accept. It’s not about competing with for-profit healthcare and for-profit health insurance. It’s about replacing it with Universal Healthcare Assurance. Everyone knows this now.

The message from the midterm elections was clear. The American people want real healthcare reform. They want that individual mandate requiring them to buy private health insurance abolished. And they want a government-run robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one. And they want it now.

They want Drug re-importation, and abolishment, or strong restrictions on patents for biologic and prescription drugs. And government controlled and negotiated drug and medical cost. They want back control of their healthcare system from the Medical Industrial Complex. And they want it NOW!

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL NOT, AND MUST NOT, ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TO STAND WITHOUT A STRONG GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.

For-profit health insurance is extremely unethical, and morally repugnant. It’s as morally repugnant as slavery was. And few if any decent Americans are going to allow them-self to be compelled to support such an unethical and immoral crime against humanity.

This is a matter of National and Global security. There can be NO MORE EXCUSES.

Further, we want that corrupt, undemocratic filibuster abolished. Whats the point of an election if one corrupt member of congress can block the will of the people, and any legislation the majority wants. And do it in secret. Give me a break people.

Also, unemployment healthcare benefits are critically needed. But they should be provided through the Medicare program at cost, less the 65% government premium subsidy provided now to private for profit health insurance.

Congress should stop wasting hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money on private for profit health insurance subsidies. Subsidies that cost the taxpayer 10x as much or more than Medicare does. Private for profit health insurance plans cost more. But provide dangerous and poorer quality patient care.

Republicans: GET RID OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE.

Democrats: ADD A ROBUST GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION TO HEALTHCARE REFORM.

This is what the American people are shouting at you. Both parties have just enough power now to do what the American people want. GET! IT! DONE! NOW!

If congress does not abolish the individual mandate. And establish a government-run public option CHOICE! before the end of 2011. EVERY! member of congress up for reelection in 2012 will face strong progressive pro public option, and anti-individual mandate replacement candidates.

Strong progressive pro “PUBLIC OPTION” CHOICE! and anti-individual mandate volunteer candidates should begin now. And start the process of replacing any and all members of congress that obstruct, or fail to add a government-run robust PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! before the end of 2011.

We need two or three very strong progressive volunteer candidates for every member of congress that will be up for reelection in 2012. You should be fully prepared to politically EVISCERATE EVERY INCUMBENT that fails or obstructs “THE PUBLIC OPTION”. And you should be willing to step aside and support the strongest pro “PUBLIC OPTION” candidate if the need arises.

ASSUME CONGRESS WILL FAIL and SELLOUT again. So start preparing now to CUT THEIR POLITICAL THROATS. You can always step aside if they succeed. But only if they succeed. We didn’t have much time to prepare before these past midterm elections. So the American people had to use a political shotgun approach. But by 2012 you will have a scalpel.

Congress could have passed a robust government-run public option during it’s lame duck session. They knew what the American people wanted. They already had several bills on record. And the house had already passed a public option. Departing members could have left with a truly great accomplishment. And the rest of you could have solidified your job before the 2012 elections.

President Obama, you promised the American people a strong public option available to everyone. And the American people overwhelmingly supported you for it. Maybe it just wasn’t possible before. But it is now.

Knock heads. Threaten people. Or do whatever you have to. We will support you. But get us that robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one before the end of 2011. Or We The People Of The United States will make the past midterm election look like a cake walk in 2012. And it will include you.

We still have a healthcare crisis in America. With hundreds of thousands dieing needlessly every year in America. And a for profit medical industrial complex that threatens the security and health of the entire world. They have already attacked the world with H1N1 killing thousands, and injuring millions. And more attacks are planned for profit, and to feed their greed.

Spread the word people.

Progressives, prepare the American peoples scalpels. It’s time to remove some politically diseased tissues.

God Bless You my fellow human beings. I’m proud to be one of you. You did good.

See you on the battle field.

Sincerely

jacksmith – WorkingClass :-)

]]> Comment on Obama Will Triumph — So Will America by Donald http://urbanpolitician.com/current-news/obama-will-triumph-so-will-america/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Donald Sat, 23 Oct 2010 12:12:53 +0000 http://urbanpolitician.com/?p=628#comment-106 You are absolutely right, how could I possibly forget? African Americans should be a the top of the list. You are absolutely right, how could I possibly forget? African Americans should be a the top of the list.

]]> Comment on Obama Will Triumph — So Will America by Donald Watkins http://urbanpolitician.com/current-news/obama-will-triumph-so-will-america/comment-page-1/#comment-105 Donald Watkins Sat, 23 Oct 2010 02:56:56 +0000 http://urbanpolitician.com/?p=628#comment-105 You left out one group that deserted him because he wasn't Angry enough or he wasn't black enough~African Americans~ You left out one group that deserted him because he wasn’t
Angry enough or he wasn’t black enough~African Americans~

]]> Comment on Its Time to Punch False (Fox) News in the Mouth by Royce Banks http://urbanpolitician.com/current-news/its-time-to-punch-false-fox-news-in-the-mouth/comment-page-1/#comment-100 Royce Banks Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:27:25 +0000 http://urbanpolitician.com/?p=549#comment-100 Well, UP you made you point. Man UP or, Shut Up is the word of the day and you said a mouthful. Now WUUUSA! Well, UP you made you point. Man UP or, Shut Up is the word of the day and you said a mouthful. Now WUUUSA!

]]> Comment on The Story of Clara Davis, circa 1937, Slavery or Not? by Ronnie B http://urbanpolitician.com/our-community/black-history/the-story-of-clara-davis-circa-1937-slavery-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-91 Ronnie B Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:29:20 +0000 http://urbanpolitician.com/?p=380#comment-91 We must difuse the propaganda and spins that tries extinguish the light that shines on the wrong doings, where ever they exist. We must difuse the propaganda and spins that tries extinguish the light that shines on the wrong doings, where ever they exist.

]]> Comment on The Story of Clara Davis, circa 1937, Slavery or Not? by Donald http://urbanpolitician.com/our-community/black-history/the-story-of-clara-davis-circa-1937-slavery-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-90 Donald Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:22:01 +0000 http://urbanpolitician.com/?p=380#comment-90 I couldn't agree with you more Ronnie B. I found it fascinating that one can come to the conclusion that Clara actually wanted to be back in slavery. It's clear to me that she just wanted to go back to happier times. Thanks for your comment. I couldn’t agree with you more Ronnie B. I found it fascinating that one can come to the conclusion that Clara actually wanted to be back in slavery. It’s clear to me that she just wanted to go back to happier times. Thanks for your comment.

]]> Comment on The Story of Clara Davis, circa 1937, Slavery or Not? by Ronnie B http://urbanpolitician.com/our-community/black-history/the-story-of-clara-davis-circa-1937-slavery-or-not/comment-page-1/#comment-89 Ronnie B Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:13:19 +0000 http://urbanpolitician.com/?p=380#comment-89 I think that we all long for happier times in our life, the happier times in her life just happend during slavery. Not once did she say she longed for the beatings, rapes, or as Billie Holiday put it "the Strange Fruit hanging from the cotton trees". This is in my mind an effort of someone trying to ease their conscience of what their fore fathers did, maybe they think that if they twist what she said to sound like slaves liked their position in life, of which they were given no choice in, it won't be so wrong that it happend. I think that we all long for happier times in our life, the happier times in her life just happend during slavery. Not once did she say she longed for the beatings, rapes, or as Billie Holiday put it “the Strange Fruit hanging from the cotton trees”. This is in my mind an effort of someone trying to ease their conscience of what their fore fathers did, maybe they think that if they twist what she said to sound like slaves liked their position in life, of which they were given no choice in, it won’t be so wrong that it happend.

]]>