"Blogging" the Internet

https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-316-27577-4

Over the coming days I plan to write about the Internet itself, how it is affecting our economy and our democracy.  My major resource will be Jonathan Taplin's "Move Fast and Break Things."   (You may follow on the link above for more information.)

It has become clear that our democracy is under threat from several sources.  Not the least of these it turns out are the major Internet companies.  Taplin's book focuses on three major Internet concerns which have broad impacts on our nation now.  The three are Facebook, Google, and Amazon.  Coming from someone who has significant experience in both the computer and music worlds as Taplin does, this book is of special interest to The Musical Patriot.

I will be sharing some of what I learn or re-learn as I read the book for a second time.  I can start by mentioning how the book begins with the premise that these Internet companies have essentially returned us to the Gilded Age in which a few monopolies controlled the economy, and thus politics in the United States.

Since this is such a big subject, it is best for the reader to consult "Move Fast and Break Things," directly.  For now I will simply say America is indeed in an emergency which seemingly goes beyond any so-called Constitutional Crisis.


Coming:   Technology's Counter-cultural roots  

Mueller Report One Piece of the Puzzle

Robert Mueller

News of the release of the Robert Mueller report to the Attorney General, William Barr, broke some four hours ago in the Eastern U.S.  Few details were made public except for the fact that the report does not recommend any further indictments, according to several major news sources (NPR said).   

The news media here are understandably anxious to find out more about what is in the report and whether it will be released to the public.  

In the meantime, we need to keep in mind the larger picture of deep and widespread corruption within the American political process which has become increasingly dominated by vested interests at essentially all levels.  Regarding the Presidential election process, this has been made abundantly clear by the internationally recognized reporter, Greg Palast.  

So while the Mueller report is certainly of vital importance relating to the influence of any foreign power in American elections, there have been plenty of American bad actors from right here in our own country.  Whether there are any connections between these American bad actors and Russians will be the big mystery to solve over the coming days, weeks, months, and even years.  We already know, for instance, that the founder of the Koch enterprise had business dealings with Russia in earlier decades.  

Above all this, however, we must keep in mind the safety of the whole world and all the people in it.  Those things which promote peace should be held dear, and those things which undermine or delay peace should forever be kept at arms' length.   

Future days should be interesting, to say the least.  

Corporate Personhood: A False Notion

This month's focus

As the short articles at the link below attest, the idea that a corporation is a person under the law is patently foolish and demonstrably false.  Further, this concept -- though hinted at for decades -- reached a new pinnacle of notoriety when it was mentioned by a mistaken clerk in a Supreme Court summary late in the nineteenth century.  Otherwise, the notion that corporations could have certain rights just as a real naturally-born person would havehad never been sanctioned by the Court.  

Yet gradually, and especially in the twentieth century, corporations gained more and more so-called rights, including the right to sue and be sued.  This inevitably led to a severe imbalance in power as corporations with their superior resources moved aggressively into the legal arena to intimidate those who would question their decision-making power, even in the area of product safety.  

While the philosophy of corporate personhood did not create the profit system it did become in America its technical underpinning in a legal sense.  Never voted on by anyone, corporate personhood has achieved the status of stare decisis, or accepted legal practice, as well as received wisdom.  

But wise it most surely is not.  Whatever we may have gained in predictability, we have lost in practice.  Corporations are now more powerful than ever, though it does seems they have not yet been able to completely overcome certain forces of justice and truth inherent in the nature of things.    


Corporate Personhood: What It Is

Coming Soon: The Farce of Corporate Personhood

This post will appear soon.   Please check back later.



I am currently in research mode.  Posting will resume soon.  Thank you for your patience

Cohen Shines a Light in the Darkness

'... Will never be a peaceful transition of power...'

Cohen said in his closing statement that he fears for the future of the country's democracy if Trump loses re-election.

"Indeed, given my experience working for Mr. Trump, I fear that if he loses the election in 2020 that there will never be a peaceful transition of power," Cohen said. "This is why I agreed to appear before you today."

The testimony of Michael Cohen before Congress today was extremely concerning for our country.  If Mr. Cohen is right about the transfer of power issue -- and who could credibly counter his assertion? -- it would follow that in order to avoid a coup, we must remove this Military Leader* before things get to this point.  

The link below takes you to a web page of the network formerly called the National Broadcasting Company.  I recommend these highlights of today as the quickest way to understand the importance today's monumental testimony by a man out to redeem himself.  

Let's give truth its due. 

Michael Cohen Testifies Before Congress

 

 

*Ah, peacefully, of course

Flight from Fascism

I have resumed reading Flight from the Reich, the important book by Deborah Dwork and Robert Jan van Pelt.  Picking it up again after over two years, I am struck by how much more pertinent it is now than it was in 2016.  I knew this book was important then, detailing as it does the flight of the -- mainly Jewish -- refugees from Hitler's regime. 

Although the situation today is different in most ways, the story still resonates with its sheer ugly brutality.  Tens of thousands of Jews fled Germany in 1933 as it quickly became apparent that the new Nazi regime was a threat, especially to Jews.  Others waited, thinking it would "all blow over."  For many this delay led to tragedy.

Not to make too close a comparison, but our situation today in the U.S. is analogous in that -- like Germany of then -- we are split into many factions and sub-factions of interest groups, most very useful.  But, still we are split, even fractured.   My e-mail inbox makes this clear.  Even the Presidential field is divided into many voices.  (I am speaking here mostly of the left.)  Now there is nothing wrong with diversity -- to a point.  But an excessive number of factions leads to a dissipation of energy and focus. 

The base illegitimacy of this current regime, weakened though it may be in some respects, cannot be adequately opposed under current circumstances.  Those in the middle, on the left, and even on the right, should somehow maneuver themselves into a position in which they can join other thinking and right-acting people to stop the drift to the far right-wing fringes of our political circumambience. 

ACLU Joins Others in Suing Over "Emergency Declaration"

The American Civil Liberties Union sued the chief executive yesterday over his announcement of what he called a national emergency designed to by-pass Congress and fund a lavish and expedited wall-building scheme at the U.S. border with Mexico.  The ACLU said there never was and is not now an emergency, asserting this was made clear by the President's statement that he "didn't have to do this."

The wall continues to be an acrimonious and distracting issue in the body politic.  This wall is unneeded, and indeed is, as Speaker Pelosi has stated, "immoral."  We do need immigration reform but more importantly we need a fair shake economically for the suffering people of Latin America. Increased funding for foreign aid through proper channels will help immensely. 

ACLU Joins Others in Suing Over "Emergency Declaration"


Photo Credit:  theday.com

"It's All About 'Me, Me, Me.'" Archival video post.

From TMP Archives.   All the more pertinent now.

Breaking News: Bernie Sanders Announces for President

Bernie Sanders announced today he is running for President in 2020.

more later

Thousands Protest Trumpian "Declaration of Emergency"

Quickly --

T housands of protestors showed up at demonstrations around the country today to protest OML's so-called declaration of emergency.  Hundreds came together in Chicago to proclaim that "no one is above the law," as one sign put it.

Thousands Protest OML Power Grab

N.B.  OML is the Musical Patriot's name for the one who currently sits in the Oval Office.  It stands for Our Military Leader.

There May Be Hope Afterall

Television analyst says McConnel's decision to hold a vote without Trump's specific approval is a turning-point.  An interesting, useful article;  and one with hope.  


Daily Kos Shares News of Hope

IMPLEMENTATION OF MARTIAL LAW BEING ATTEMPTED IN THE U. S.

 

Calling the President's attempts to declare a fake national emergency "an end-run" around Congress is putting it mildly.  As the ACLU said on Democracy Now today, the concern is not only what this particular "declaration" means, but what this means for this future with this President.  

People, in general, should be much more concerned than they so far appear to be.  We will see what the coming days bring.   But at a bare minimum we should prepare for massive resistance in the event a majority of the Supreme Court should rule to uphold this un-Constitutional undermining of the power of the people's Congress.  

In the meantime, there is much that can be done.  First, the media must help.  They can help by stop framing this as merely a political game of some sort.  They can help by emphasizing that with this particular President, we must realize the imposition of martial law is a real possibility;   this ridiculous declaration is only a first step.  
 

As for persons, we need to get informed and talk with our friends.   Then, we must organize at the level which is appropriate for an assault on our democracy.  Otherwise the days of all our First Amendment freedoms will be numbered.    

Brand-new Blog for Your Examination

New Blog Warns About the Dangers of Technology

New Technology Blog:

https://technopolyalert.blogspot.com/

Voter Suppression Issue Hits Prime-time

 

Stacey Abrams, candidate for Governor of Georgia in 2018, gave true importance to the issue of voter suppression efforts, mentioning several examples, in her Democratic "state of the union address" last evening.   This was a major development, as this would have been the first time millions of people have heard the specifics of true voter suppression efforts (committed by Republicans and their operatives.)

Many details of these voter suppression efforts have been given on this blog over the years.   A search here should reveal many of these facts.

Stacey Abrams is an important figure of our times and we can be grateful to her.

I'll have more to say about this matter in the future.  


Photo Credit: press pool via AP as found on St. Louis Public Radio (.org)

The Most Important Article

 ...of the month, maybe of the year.

The highlighted article shown below is very nearly the most useful article I have read in many a moon.  You will find in it an extremely valuable unraveling of the many strands of the web of deceit which ensnares us now. 

There is here not only good information about Stone, Trump, and Russia, but a placing of the relative importance of each person and subject.  This is an invaluable contribution to our knowledge and understanding.   

There is no need for me to comment much further, except to say, Be prepared for surprises in this great piece (not long) by world-famous journalist, Greg Palast, whose name has been mentioned with increasing frequency here on this blog.

 
Greg Palast Sorts Through the Many Strands of Our Political Dilemma