Inside News from The Musical Patriot

An unidentified Democratic Party source who was not authorized to speak for attribution told me that Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin was conducting a listening post today. Reports from the scene indicated a lively event, evidently similar to another listening session the Congressman conducted recently in which animated constituents quizzed the legislator closely on his recommendation to end Medicare as we know it and slash numerous government programs for the poor and needy.

Ryan's heartless program would chop the feet out from under millions of Americans who would suddenly be subject to out-of-reach medical care and a lack of services in other areas. All this in a time of economic stress and distress for so many.

It is entirely right and proper that Ryan is suddenly now viewed as potentially vulnerable in next year's election.

Holiday Busyness

Holy Week was busy for me with several musical duties to perform. It was a meaningful time and now I have the pleasure of a schedule less hectic. It will afford me the opportunity to catch up here.

I noticed during the interim that world news kept happening. It seems progress is being made toward something more democratic in Yemen. Let us hope that stability can return to Arabia, this time on democratic terms.

Soon, I will continue with more commentary in these most important times. In the meantime, onward with the fight for representative democracy.

Jesse Jackson Speaks to Assault on Democracy

In this video the Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks to the crisis in democracy being played out in Benton Harbor, Michigan. It is hard to see how America can lecture other nations when it can't even guarantee democratic government at the local level in this country!



 

Communication Regarding Benton Harbor, Michigan

Sent to Michigan Economic Development Commission on April 19, 2011


Dear Sirs:

According to news reports, the governor of Michigan has been given the power to appoint managers who may declare a city a failed municipality and then eviscerate the power of the elected officials. The reports say this has already been done in Benton Harbor.  I find this granting of dictatorial power most inappropriate.  There are other ways to handle a problem of this kind.  Thus, as a life-long ardent supporter of the American system of government I must stand up for our way of life by boycotting all products made in Michigan.  I will be advising my friends via phone call, letter, and Internet of my decision.

As a former resident of Michigan this decision is most painful and I don't take it lightly. However, I cannot abide any assaults on our democratic form of government. Thus, I feel good about my decision to boycott products of Michigan. Naturally, should this law be over-turned I will be glad to end my boycott and will advise my friends to do the same.

Michigan Takes a Turn Toward One-Man Rule

In a stunning move away from democracy, the legislature of Michigan has enabled the governor to suspend the powers of elected officials in the state. (I have reported on this here earlier.) Now, Gov. Rick Snyder has exercised this power for the first time in Benton Harbor. The action purports to prevent the town fathers from exercising their duties under the law.

Almost certainly such an action would be against the Constitution of the state of Michigan. Under the guise of trying to help a municipality deal with a supposed economic emergency, the state legislature as enabled the governor to single-handedly suspend the democratic form of government in cities like Benton Harbor. One can be sure there are going to be more cities to follow. For instance, there is now an effort in Wisconsin to enact a similar measure. This, according to Democracy Now!"

Is this anything more than a power grab by wealthy forces acting through a Republican-controlled state government to seriously weaken the political power of a city unfriendly to concentrated wealth? Is there not an element of racism here, as Benton Harbor is a majority black city? It is a sad day indeed and a throw-back to Civil War times when municipalities lose their representative form of government. Snyder's action in Michigan gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "taxation without representation is tyranny."

In the article linked here, the Rev. Jesse Jackson decries this action and calls upon Michiganders and others to protest this outrageous assault on democracy.

Call for Information
Anyone with direct information on this situation please contact the blog owner through the comment feature below.

http://www.annarbor.com/news/rev-jesse-jackson-calls-on-michigan-residents-to-protest-gov-rick-snyders-draconian-policies/

2012 Prospects for Democrats Improve

First quarter fund-raising reports show disappointing totals on average for freshmen Republicans in Congress. This is not surprising given the abysmal performance of the proto-fascists hell-bent on decimating social programs in the U.S.


(Souce: Washington Post, April 17, 2011)

Still Sought: The Truth about September 11, 2001

Link-TV (whose hyper-link is shown on the sidebar at right) is presenting several airings of the documentary, "The Press for Truth," which documents an accurate time-line of events before, during, and after that fateful day of September 11, 2001. This powerful film describes the efforts of the Jersey Girls (wives of victims) and citizen-journalist Paul Thompson to find out the truth about the cause of that most notable tragedy.

Time prevents me tonight from a longer description of what I have just seen. However, it can be said it is astonishing something like this is being shown on a national cable network. Link-TV is to be congratulated for this effort.



http://www.linktv.org/programs/911press

Arrest of D.C. Officials Unjust

The arrest of District of Columbia officials for the simple act of non-violently protesting proposed federal cuts is unprecedented in my memory. Seeing the mayor and council member in handcuffs was an image which brought me emotions of shock and outrage.

Imagine the picture presented to the world -- one of the mayor of the capitol city being arrested and taken to a processing facility for accused criminals. Yet in this very act, the officials brought to public attention not only the unjust nature of all these various cuts, but the undemocratic way they were agreed to behind closed doors. Still, Congress will have its say. To this extent -- thankfully -- the Constitution still lives.

A Documentary Way Ahead of the Rest

"This Land Is Your Land," a documentary on our economic system was recently shown on Link-TV. This landmark film explains how our system has gradually become more and more controlled by fewer and fewer and ever more powerful private owners. The documentary is well-researched and clearly presented. I plan to have more to say about this later.

For now, please try the link for Link-TV on the side-bar here for more information on any scheduled future showings.

The Truth About the Threatened Government Shut-down

Threatening to shut down the U.S. government, when -- as this video alleges -- the government has plenty of money is the height of irresponsibility and craven chutzpah. The Republican Party is engaging in shenanigans of the worst kind. Doubtless there are members of Congress who sincerely believe they are fighting irresponsible spending. But to claim there is not enough money to prevent a government "shut-down" is outrageous.

A Time Out for Some History

With disasters unfolding throughout the Arab world, and the U.S. government being held hostage by Tea Party political saboteurs, it is a good time for a look at some fancy and failed efforts by Nazi Germany to send invaders up onto U.S. shores.

Early in the history of this blog in 2006, I did a series of posts on the collusion of German theologians with Hitler's Nazism.

A newly revealed set of documents shows how, later, the Nazi's were willing to go to extremes to try to sabotage the United States, even as they knew the war effort was over. "Nazi sabotage." "Tea Party political saboteurs." It seems the efforts of political thugs at sabotage of one kind or another never end.


The story of the Nazi invaders:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/04/pastorius-nazi-saboteurs-british-spy-files_n_844332.html

Will Durant Answers Reckless Florida Pastor

Normally, I shy away from sectarian religious controversies. But in the case of the Florida pastor who ridiculously put the Koran "on trial," an exception to the policy is well-justified.

The historian Will Durant, himself a one-time divinity student, puts forth in his book, The Age of Faith, what is needed now. In prose which is akin to poetry, Durant sparks the imagination and flames of hope ensue:

As many Christian historians (always excepting Gibbon) can write medieval histories in which all Islamic civilization is a brief appendage to the Crusades, so many Moslem historians reduced world history before Islam to a halting preparation for Mohammed. But how can a Western mind ever judge an Oriental justly? The beauty of the Arab language fades in translation like a flower cut from its roots; and the topics that fill the pages of Moslem historians, fascinating to their countrymen, seem aridly remote from the natural interests of Occidental readers, who have not realized how the economic interdependence of peoples ominously demands a mutual study and understanding of East and West.

-- The Age of Faith, p. 239

Solidarity Committee Works to Safeguard Worker Rights

Contrary to expectations in January, ordinary Wisconsinites have become heavily involved in the effort to protect worker rights. And protests are continuing, with a march scheduled for Monday, April 4, with the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Instead of a cakewalk in their legislative efforts, Republicans in Wisconsin and other states are facing a virtual* mass protest against their efforts to derail unions.

The Solidarity Organization recently formed out of the Capitol protests shows how deeply citizens are invested in this exciting movement. We may well look back on this time as the revival of the workers' rights movement in America.

* "virtual", meaning "tantamount to," not "on line"

http://asolidarity.org/

Finally Someone Tells theTruth: Sec. Robert Reich

Robert Reich has the facts and figures to back up his assertion that we are on the way to a so-called double-dip recession. Those even bolder would say we never got out of the last recession. On this point I posit the average American would heartily agree. Those still bolder (and more informed) can point to statistics showing the Great Depression never ended, that times only really improved when the country entered into a war mobilization and that the ensuing military-industrial complex never went away. That is to say, the economy has been artificially pumped-up ever since the 1930's.

However that may be, there is no doubt a major propaganda campaign is underway to have the American people convinced that prosperity is just around the corner. But by the simple exposition of the consumer confidence numbers, Reich explodes this brazen campaign, deflates the aggrandizing balloon, and brings everyone back down to earth. His is a much-needed corrective. Thank you, Robert Reich.


http://robertreich.org/post/4218613020