America in a Whirl

The United States is in a swirl of political and economic theater unlike anything in a very long time. Citizens here have a sense that something must in fact change in order for people to survive and the country prosper. We are groping for a new stance, a new perspective on justice. And we seem to be making progress against all odds. If we honor history we can make a choice not to repeat the mistakes of the citizens of ancient Rome which ruined itself upon the rocks of hubris born of Empire. Rather, we can work to fulfill that dream of so long ago, the dream of the Founding Fathers of a nation in which the common man (and we may expand to include women) is sovereign, not the emperor or the king or the captain of finance or industry. This is what our fight is about now. What kind of country will it be and who shall own it? On the occasion of the death of Studs Terkel, that patriarch of the politics and life of the average person, we can best honor his memory by embracing the politics of inclusion, the politics of hope, and even the politics of joy. This in large measure is the antidote to fear, to terror, to discouragement. May we welcome its nostrum, glory in its ameliorating power, and turn -- faces newly lit -- toward the light of a better tomorrow.

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For excellent resources on what to do to protect your vote next Tuesday I recommend Greg Palast's fine web site:

http://www.gregpalast.com/

Today's Rally at the Supreme Court

At the link below you will find information about today's rally in support of Philip Berg at the Supreme Court. This is a fairly amazing show of support on short notice, but represents democracy at work. (You may also click on the title above.)

Note: I make no claims for or against the web site linked and cannot vouch for all posts contained thereon.

http://pub10.bravenet.com/forum/839764659/fetch/1183432/

Press Statement of Philip J. Berg

Here is the statement of Philip J. Berg regarding the Supreme Court. A program which reads a "pdf" file is required.



http://www.obamacrimes.com/attachments/049_Press%20Release%2010%2030%202008%20Berg%20Filing%20Injunction%20to%20Stay%20Presidential%20Election.pdf

Philip Berg to File Injunction to Stop Presidential Election

Former Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania, Pilip J. Berg, is set to file a motion before the United States Supreme Court today to stop the Presidential election. (See earlier posts here for further information on this matter.) It is to be hoped the Supreme Court will act responsibly.

It seems obvious that Mr. Berg is filing this injunction because of the damage which would be done if an illegible person is selected in an election. He likely wants to stop this from happening as it would be quite difficult to undo.

Let us wish Mr. Berg, and these dear united States (the original capitalization) the best in these trying times.


http://www.obamacrimes.com/index.php/component/content/article/2-news/49-press-release-10-30-2008-berg-filing-injunction-to-stay-presidential-election

The Best and Most Complete Explanation of the Obama Citizenship Controversy

On a matter this important, Americans will demand that, before its authenticity is accepted, any supposed documentary evidence of that sort be subjected to reproducible forensic analyses conducted by reputable, independent investigators and laboratories above any suspicion of being influenced by or colluding with any public official, bureaucracy, political party, or other special-interest organization whatsoever.

Berg v. Obama may very well end up in the Supreme Court. Yet that ought to be unnecessary. For Obama’s moral duty is to produce the evidence of his citizenship sua sponte et instanter. Otherwise, he will be personally responsible for all the consequences of his refusal to do so.


This fine article by Edwin Vieira, J.D., explains in great detail why the question of Barack Obama's citizenship is so important. I cannot overestimate the importance of this article. Of course the greatest injury to our country would only be in the event Obama is found out to be not, in fact, a natural-born citizen of the United States as the Constitution requires. Yet, I posit an injury has already occurred in that Obama is refusing to produce simple documents such as a vault birth certificate and his college records. Clearly, the Constitution requires any future or actual President to be a natural-born citizen. Proving this shouldn't be difficult, if said person is truly a natural-born citizen. Thus, by refusing to produce simple documents, Obama has created the appearance of guilt.

Whatever you do, be sure to read Mr. Vieira's outstanding and crucially important article. Then, why not pass it along to sympathetic friends, including members of the jurisprudence system in the U.S.?


http://newswithviews.com/Vieira/edwin84.htm


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A Statement: I categorically condemn any and all threats of violence against any candidate for President or Vice-President of the United States. While this goes without saying, no one should construe anything on this web log as wishing harm to any person. Such threats of violence have absolutely no place in our democracy and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. I hereby so condemn them. (Naturally, the Constitution protects free speech, including criticism and the right of peaceful assembly, including peaceful demonstrations. Threats of physical harm are an entirely different matter, however.)

A Day Off

On a personal note, yesterday was something of a day off for me. That is, I did not take a job and I stayed off the computer to rest my hands. (I am a professional musician and must be careful.)

American wants greater justice now and is looking for it. There must be greater justice for workers, for the sick, for the elderly, for children, for all. Then the pledge of allegiance to the flag will make sense; there truly will be "justice for all."

Note: Patricia, a reader, has requested some of my more pertinent points about the current scene to be posted here. So I will plan to get those thoughts together and put them here soon.

Best wishes to all my readers.


The Musical Patriot

Greg Palast on CNN Headline News

Although this interview leaves much to be desired and the representative from Judicial Watch is incomplete to the point of being clueless in his comments, at least we have Greg Palast on a major cable news outlet. Greg Palast has spent untold hours investigating and reporting on Republican (and occasionally Democratic) voter suppression tactics. I regard his work as essentially unassailable. Watch this video, then go to his web site for information on his voters warning guide.

Bill Moyers Journal Brings Hope

By clicking on the title of this blog you can go to this week's broadcast of Bill Moyers Journal, containing as it does an informative interview with economist James K. Galbraith, as well as a moving piece on a new film called "Playing for Change. Peace Through Music." In the case of the second, I must comment that we see so few news items about the true power and beauty of music and the dignity of the great musicians who make it possible. This piece does that.


http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/index-flash.html

Video of Protest at the Mortgage Bankers Association Meeting in San Francisco

News sources report the Mortgage Bankers Association of America has thrown itself a lavish party in San Francisco in conjunction with their yearly meeting. For the first time in history, however, association members have been met with protesters voicing their loud concerns over home foreclosures. For excellent video coverage from the media in San Francisco, simply click on the title above or cut and paste the link below.

Through pain and agony, it is a new day in America where a more ethical and just economic system is struggling to be born.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFh-AcEe3LA

San Francisco Examiner Author Asks Good Questions

The author linked here asks very pertinent questions of Barack Obama regarding the Philip Berg suit over his citizenship. Specifically, he asks, if Sen. Obama can post a so-called birth certificate on his web site, why can he not simply present it in court?

(Note: I, the Musical Patriot, feel it is crucial that the McCain/Palin ticket not win due to authoritarian elements within the Republican Party and the Palin campaign. Thus it is vital that any opponent be a qualified candidate under the Constitution.)



http://www.examiner.com/x-268-Right-Side-Politics-Examiner~y2008m10d12-Wheres-Obamas-proof-of-citizenship

Victory for Voters in Ohio

National Public Radio is this afternoon reporting a victory for voters in Ohio in the face of a challenge from the state Republican Party regarding alleged fraudulent registrations. An excerpt from the NPR on-line story appears below. For the full statement, go to < www.npr.org >.


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Supreme Court Decision Favors Ohio Democrats

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday sided with Ohio's top elections official in a dispute with the state Republican Party over voter registrations.

The justices overruled a federal appeals court that had ordered Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, to do more to help counties verify voter eligibility.

Important New Video on John McCain's Temperament

A person's temperament is, of course, very much a part of his fitness for public office. In the case of John McCain, serious questions are being raised by responsible people who have worked with him in party politics and in the Senate. Some of these concerns are documented in the video referenced here. (Either click on the title above or cut and paste the URL below.) After watching I urge you to pass this along to friends as it is most germane to the coming federal election.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAyK-enrF1g

New Video on Obama Citizenship Suit

In this video you will watch Philip J. Berg, former Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania speaking about the reasons for his lawsuit. The fact that at least twenty million persons have visited his web site, < obamacrimes.com >, indicates the high level of interest in this matter.

What a shame if Mr. Berg is right and the American people have been deceived. Yet, a bigger tragedy would be continuing to keep the truth from the American people.

Ralph Nader on Financial Crisis

Note: this post is not an endorsement of Ralph Nader for President.

As usual, Ralph Nader has a way of succinctly and accurately summing up a vexing problem -- this time the financial crisis. In the on-line article referenced below Mr. Nader offers a quick overview of the history of the derivatives market. (You may also click on the title above.) Ralph Nader is right that the current crisis was foreseeable and was foreseen.

My only real point of disagreement with Nader is that instead of regulating the derivatives market, the market should be shut down. (For an explanation of derivatives follow the second link below. I will continue to work to get a good definition of derivatives.) My research indicates that the amount of money involved in these highly speculative financial "instruments" is more than is available to the governments of the world to "buy them out." The derivatives market, as others including Ralph Nader have said, is a legalized casino. As such it is a parasite on the world body politic. Any efforts to stem the tide of this financial disaster without dealing with this sophisticated form of gambling will fail. Mr. Nader says it all very well.

(The author does not endorse Ralph Nader for President by making this post.)



http://www.votenader.org/blog/2008/10/10/in-public-interest-derivatives-casino/

Derivatives explained:
http://www.leomelamed.com/essays/08-DerivativesDefinedPekingUniversity.htm

F.B.I. Agents to Be Allowed to Operate Under Disguise

According to the Oct. 4, Washington Post, the Justice Department has issued a set of new FBI guidelines which

"allows investigators to recruit informants, employ physical surveillance and conduct interviews in which agents disguise their identities in an effort to assess national security threats. FBI agents could pursue each of those steps without any single fact indicating a person has ties to a terrorist organization."

Of course, true criminals should be rooted out and brought to justice. But, evidence is mounting that the Bush administration, in its waning months, continues to implement police-state policies in virtually all areas of law enforcement. Can you imagine an F.B.I. which allows agents to disguise themselves and go out and investigate a citizen with no evidence that person has any ties to a "terrorist" organization? This has nothing to do with investigating terrorism. This is a tactic of authoritarian regimes the world over. "Going undercover" is a long-standing habit of law enforcement, though not without controversy. But going under-cover with no factual suspicion of a crime? That is not law enforcement. That is intimidation.

This is what the Bush administration is about: trying to tamp down dissent and to close an open society. (See earlier posts here on the work of Naomi Wolf.) We now have an army unit assigned to the United States. Much, much more can be said. Americans need to be aware and take appropriate action to oppose un-Constitutional and un-American activities by the government.

A Dramatic Week

Things have been a bit busy in my life, but, oh, what a week in the nation's life! The proposed Wall Street bail-out bill, now a law, lead the nation on a roller coaster of emotions. What emerged was a budget-busting $850 billion pork barrel extravaganza. No one seemed truly satisfied with the bill, except perhaps Wall Street. And it had been clear for some time that this bill was really about Wall Street, though certainly the politicians were worried about the overall economy, as well.

In future posts I hope to lay out what I regard as the appropriate role for government now. First, it is not inconsequential that I have long called for the impeachment of G. W. Bush for all the reasons others have spoken of. (See earlier posts here or the web site of Rep. Robert Wexler.) If Bush and Cheney had been removed from office by impeachment as I and others had advocated we would not be in quite the same position we are now, with no effective leadership in the White House.

Returning to the matter of the Bail-out Law. No one seems even to be claiming that this law will solve the financial mess we are in. So, quickly, let me offer some suggestions. The Glass-Steagall Act, abandoned in 1999, must be revived immediately.
This act did a great deal to curb speculative abuses on Wall Street. Next,in many cases companies must be allowed to go into bankruptcy the normal way, but with strengthened protections for workers and every-day investors. Most importantly, homeowners must be allowed to keep their homes while working out a more permanent solution to their problems. This will begin to restore stable value to homes.

Long-term, we must return jobs to America. This can be done by re-envisioning the corporation not as a person under the law, but as an entity under the authority of the people. It must be stated flat-out that the profit system is no good for us and must be abandoned -- gracefully, but quickly. In its place will come an economy based on good will, even love, one for the other. As lofty and unpractical as this may seem, I have seen it is the only way.