What If Karl Rove Were Arrested?

Google search results indicate numerous attempts by citizens to arrest Karl Rove. The primary charge appears to be his involvement in war crimes. But he can also be charged for complicity in election fraud (2004) and for complicity in the Valerie Plame affair. There are likely other areas which should be cause for investigation. If Karl Rove had successfully been arrested years ago, we would not now be having the problem we have with the nefarious, rapacious American Crossroads outfit. https://www.google.com/search?q=arrest+Karl+Rove&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=&rlz=1I7ADFA_enUS447

"May Day!" -- More than a Distress Call

Members of the Occupy Oakland movement are planning a series of actions tomorrow, the International Workers' Day known as May Day. While a planned shut-down of the Golden Gate bridge may be off, other actions are planned in a full day of events. Labor organizations which have not celebrated May Day in many years are expected to participate. More information here: http://truth-out.org/news/item/8811-occupy-oakland-workers-back-off-may-day-plan-to-shut-down-golden-gate-bridge

Missouri Senator Fights Back

Missouri's senior Senator, Claire McCaskill, has decided to fight back boldly against outside big-money groups who are distorting her record using their mode -- TV ads. The New York Times has editorialized against these odious groups who lie and distort the truth. The Times also points out that the new flooding of dollars into campaigns affects Congressional races the most as these candidates often do not have the money to compete. Our election process is akin to a fascist state, where the big money of the few controls and directs politics. Surely no American can rest easy under current conditions. The band of robbers known as the financiers are crooks, and should be rounded up and jailed.* If laws are not sufficient to accomplish this, then there need to be new laws. * Let them have all the due process they are so ready to deny others. But may justice have its way. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/opinion/sunday/a-senator-fights-back.html?_r=1

Are You Smarter Than a Comedian?

A Moment for Comedy Are today's best-known comedians smarter than you? Find out at this link. I found out there is another hidden test here. You know you are getting older when you only recognize two out of the twenty-six* most famous current comedians! (Where are Don Rickles, Alan King, Joan Rivers and Roseanne?) * Even though the slide show indicated there were twenty-eight photos I only found twenty-six. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/24/25-comedians-who-are-smarter-than-you-photos_n_1438667.html?ref=mostpopular#s887105

Don't Like the Candidates?

As I did in 2008, I have a web site listing the lesser-known candidates for President. If you think the current remaining candidates are just fine, you may want to look over the referenced web site out of curiosity. If, like many, you are dissatisfied, the lists of declared candidates here may offer hope -- or maybe not. (I am working hard to control my cynicism. Can you tell?) No matter your current feelings, it is interesting to see there are alternatives to "Obamney." N.B. I vastly prefer Pres. Obama to Mr. Romney. Long-time readers, however, will be familiar with my doubts regarding Mr. Obama's qualifications. I'll have more to say about this Presidential race as my gastric condition permits. http://www.p2012.org/candidates/candsgop.html

Port Huron Statement Offers Hope Fifty Years Later

Last evening on Book TV (C-SPAN 2), there was an excellent panel discussion on the subject of the Port Huron Statement, Fifty Years Later. Appearing on the panel was Tom Hayden, one of the authors of the statement. Hearing Mr. Hayden speak was a wonderful treat. The panel agreed that the statement wasn't everything, but that it was an amazingly cogent and well-organized document charting the way forward after a boring, inane, and banal 1950s period in American life. I found Hayden's description quite thrilling, especially after other speakers spoke well of the Occupy movement as being the embodiment of the spirit of Port Huron. In times like these we must find hope wherever we can. Thanks to Book TV, I felt more hopeful after watching this program.

The News Can Be Beautiful

At the linked article is news -- full and varied -- of planning for May Day in New York. Creative thinking is developing strongly and events planned for that day promise to be meaningful and even exciting and fun.

It is clear May 1 will not be the end of anything. Rather, it should lead to more efforts over the weeks and months to come as people discover a new power based on new seeing of their rights and what is possible in securing those rights.



http://truth-out.org/op-ed/item/8587-the-landscape-of-may-day-in-new-york

Music Used to Stop Simon Legree's

Rarely do I have the opportunity to relate music to public protest. Finally I have another chance. Occupiers are not only protesting, they are saving homes. And using music to do it.

Read more:
http://www.occupywallst.org/article/nyers-blockade-home-foreclosure-auctions-song-week/

New York Occupiers Filmed While Watching Film

I noticed this vignette posted early this morning from the Occupy Site:

We are watching "Metropolis" by Fritz Lang 1925 on the wall of the Federal Hall, National Memorial- US dept of Interior while Taru films us.

The film is of 1926, not 1925, as I recall, and is a wonderful film about worker enslavement in the year 2026. How appropriate that it be shown in New York at this time.

For more information see post below.

New Arrests Occuring in New York City

Developing News Story:

Protestors in New York City are being subject to arrest. Up-dates at Twitter can be found at the link below (or by clicking on this post title).

It seems that protestors are claiming that sleeping on sidewalks can be a form of political expression as decided by a court of law in an earlier case.

Until more is known, we must presume the protestors are innocent.

In any event, I believe street protest is under severe attack in New York and around the country. Who does own the streets in this country -- the people or the oligarchs who finance the elections?





https://twitter.com/#!/sleeponwallst

AFL-CIO Joins the "99%" Movement

Information at the linked web site should be of interest to activists and others. We have a long way to go in this country to take back control of the means of communication. For without the means to communicate labor's message, there will be no change anytime soon. I believe that a street presence is an important way to begin the process, as the Occupy movement has demonstrated. Let us hope that by joining forces, the Occupy and labor movements can begin to agitate for the kind of change which is so needed in this country now.



http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Political-Action-Legislation/Join-the-99-Spring-Training-and-Take-a-Swing-for-Economic-Justice

The Radical Agenda of the Supreme Court's "Righteous Five"

Here, writer Ted Frier provides an impassioned listing of the verbal lancer-thrusts of the Righteous Five, a.k.a. the Facsist Five of the Supreme Court. This is the best piece on the recent actions of these far-right judicial activists I have yet seen.

It now remains for the American people to weigh in and begin to demand a new direction at the Supreme Court. Public opprobrium could very well precipitate a resignation by a tired judge unwilling or unable to answer the charges of a disgruntled citizenry. Did anyone say, "Clarence Thomas"?


http://open.salon.com/blog/ted_frier/2012/04/05/conservatives_let_slip_their_radical_designs

Occupying Everywhere

The Nation of Change has numerous articles on the various Occupy efforts. They are also presenting a live stream showing protests as they happen. (However, note that the "#Occupy Wall Street Hash Tag" link is not worth the time.)

What was thought by the major media to have been a movement lasting only two months, has metamorphosed into an ever-growing movement to try to bring economic democracy to America and the world. Long live the peaceful Occupiers!


http://www.nationofchange.org/live-stream-wall-street-occupation-1316970901

Occupy Movement Targets Church

In a wonderful inspiration of passion and justice Catholic members of the Occupy movement will offer St. Patrick's Cathedral and Cardinal Dolan the opportunity to hear their grievances on the church's attitude to the poor.

Who would have thought? Some of the Occupy members are religious!


https://www.facebook.com/events/382646008433329/

Are There Dirty Minds at the Supreme Court?

As long as the Righteous Five of the Supreme Court have decided requiring an individual to take off his clothes and be peered at by jail personnel is fine and dandy, we should feel free to let our minds wander back to the Clarence Thomas hearings in 1991. At that time the esteemed Justice, then only a nominee, was accused of renting pornographic films from the local video store. I do not know whether Justice Thomas was or is a viewer of so-called pornography. But if he were, would this not prejudice his views on the subject of jail employees staring at the naked bodies of men and women, even those individuals convicted of no crime and those accused of even minor offenses? (Here I might say that if the reader can detect no shred of humor, the reader may wish to check the full functioning of his funny bone. He may also want to remember the old saying that many a truth is said in jest.)

The fact that such strip "searches" are banned by human rights treaties should have given the Righteous Five a strong clue that such searches are beyond the tolerance of American jurisprudence. As a person raised in the church and the holder of a degree from a seminary, I can say that such a blanket policy is against long-standing Christian practice.

This is a very dark Court majority in terms of their overall outlook on life. What kind of a country have we become if the highest Court in the land okays forced nude searches of anyone and everyone a jurisdiction puts in jail? It is time to seriously study possible legal remedies such as 20-year limits on Supreme Court terms. This court is doing just what conservatives used to complain about so vehemently -- legislating from the bench. Evidently, it is not so much a matter of legislating from the bench but of whose laws get gored or advanced.