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TechnoratiMichael Moore's Action Plan: 15 Things Every American Can Do Right Now
You've Seen the Movie -- Now It's Time to ACT!
Friends,
It's the #1 question I'm constantly asked after people see my movie: "OK -- so NOW what can I DO?!"
You want something to do? Well, you've come to the right place! 'Cause I got 15 things you and I can do right now to fight back and try to fix this very broken system.
Here they are:
FIVE THINGS WE DEMAND THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS DO IMMEDIATELY:
1. Declare a moratorium on all home evictions. Not one more family should be thrown out of their home. The banks must adjust their monthly mortgage payments to be in line with what people's homes are now truly worth -- and what they can afford. Also, it must be stated by law: If you lose your job, you cannot be tossed out of your home.
2. Congress must join the civilized world and expand Medicare For All Americans. A single, nonprofit source must run a universal health care system that covers everyone. Medical bills are now the #1 cause of bankruptcies and evictions in this country. Medicare For All will end this misery. The bill to make this happen is called H.R. 3200. You must call AND write your members of Congress and demand its passage, no compromises allowed.
3. Demand publicly-funded elections and a prohibition on elected officials leaving office and becoming lobbyists. Yes, those very members of Congress who solicit and receive millions of dollars from wealthy interests must vote to remove ALL money from our electoral and legislative process. Tell your members of Congress they must support campaign finance bill H.R.1826.
4. Each of the 50 states must create a state-owned public bank like they have in North Dakota. Then congress MUST reinstate all the strict pre-Reagan regulations on all commercial banks, investment firms, insurance companies -- and all the other industries that have been savaged by deregulation: Airlines, the food industry, pharmaceutical companies -- you name it. If a company's primary motive to exist is to make a profit, then it needs a set of stringent rules to live by -- and the first rule is "Do no harm." The second rule: The question must always be asked -- "Is this for the common good?" (Click here for some info about the state-owned Bank of North Dakota.)
5. Save this fragile planet and declare that all the energy resources above and beneath the ground are owned collectively by all of us. Just like they do it in Sarah Palin's socialist Alaska. We only have a few decades of oil left. The public must be the owners and landlords of the natural resources and energy that exists within our borders or we will descend further into corporate anarchy. And when it comes to burning fossil fuels to transport ourselves, we must cease using the internal combustion engine and instruct our auto/transportation companies to rehire our skilled workforce and build mass transit (clean buses, light rail, subways, bullet trains, etc.) and new cars that don't contribute to climate change. (For more on this, here's a proposal I wrote in December.) Demand that General Motors' de facto chairman, Barack Obama, issue a JFK man-on-the-moon-style challenge to turn our country into a nation of trains and buses and subways. For Pete's sake, people, we were the ones who invented (or perfected) these damn things in the first place!!
FIVE THINGS WE CAN DO TO MAKE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT LISTEN TO US:
1. Each of us must get into the daily habit of taking 5 minutes to make four brief calls: One to the President (202-456-1414), one to your Congressperson (202-224-3121) and one to each of your two Senators (202-224-3121). To find out who represents you, click here. Take just one minute on each of these calls to let them know how you expect them to vote on a particular issue. Let them know you will have no hesitation voting for a primary opponent -- or even a candidate from another party -- if they don't do our bidding. Trust me, they will listen. If you have another five minutes, click here to send them each an email. And if you really want to drop an anvil on them, send them a snail mail letter!
2. Take over your local Democratic Party. Remember how much fun you had with all those friends and neighbors working together to get Barack Obama elected? YOU DID THE IMPOSSIBLE. It's time to re-up! Get everyone back together and go to the monthly meeting of your town or county Democratic Party -- and become the majority that runs it! There will not be many in attendance and they will either be happy or in shock that you and the Obama Revolution have entered the room looking like you mean business. President Obama's agenda will never happen without mass grass roots action -- and he won't feel encouraged to do the right thing if no one has his back, whether it's to stand with him, or push him in the right direction. When you all become the local Democratic Party, send me a photo of the group and I'll post it on my website.
3. Recruit someone to run for office who can win in your local elections next year -- or, better yet, consider running for office yourself! You don't have to settle for the incumbent who always expects to win. You can be our next representative! Don't believe it can happen? Check out these examples of regular citizens who got elected: State Senator Deb Simpson, California State Assemblyman Isadore Hall, Tempe, Arizona City Councilman Corey Woods, Wisconsin State Assemblyman Chris Danou, and Washington State Representative Larry Seaquist. The list goes on and on -- and you should be on it!
4. Show up. Picket the local branch of a big bank that took the bailout money. Hold vigils and marches. Consider civil disobedience. Those town hall meetings are open to you, too (and there's more of us than there are of them!). Make some noise, have some fun, get on the local news. Place "Capitalism Did This" signs on empty foreclosed homes, closed down businesses, crumbling schools and infrastructure. (You can download them from my website.)
5. Start your own media. You. Just you (or you and a couple friends). The mainstream media is owned by corporate America and, with few exceptions, it will never tell the whole truth -- so you have to do it! Start a blog! Start a website of real local news (here's an example: The Michigan Messenger). Tweet your friends and use Facebook to let them know what they need to do politically. The daily papers are dying. If you don't fill that void, who will?
FIVE THINGS WE SHOULD DO TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR LOVED ONES UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THIS MESS:
1. Take your money out of your bank if it took bailout money and place it in a locally-owned bank or, preferably, a credit union.
2. Get rid of all your credit cards but one -- the kind where you have to pay up at the end of the month or you lose your card.
3. Do not invest in the stock market. If you have any extra cash, put it away in a savings account or, if you can, pay down on your mortgage so you can own your home as soon as possible. You can also buy very safe government savings bonds or T-bills. Or just buy your mother some flowers.
4. Unionize your workplace so that you and your coworkers have a say in how your business is run. Here's how to do it (more info here). Nothing is more American than democracy, and democracy shouldn't be checked at the door when you enter your workplace. Another way to Americanize your workplace is to turn your business into a worker-owned cooperative. You are not a wage slave. You are a free person, and you giving up eight hours of your life every day to someone else is to be properly compensated and respected.
5. Take care of yourself and your family. Sorry to go all Oprah on you, but she's right: Find a place of peace in your life and make the choice to be around people who are not full of negativity and cynicism. Look for those who nurture and love. Turn off the TV and the Blackberry and go for a 30-minute walk every day. Eat fruits and vegetables and cut down on anything that has sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour or too much sodium (salt) in it (and, as Michael Pollan says, "Eat (real) food, not too much, mostly plants"). Get seven hours of sleep each night and take the time to read a book a month. I know this sounds like I've turned into your grandma, but, dammit, take a good hard look at Granny -- she's fit, she's rested and she knows the names of both of her U.S. Senators without having to Google them. We might do well to listen to her. If we don't put our own "oxygen mask" on first (as they say on the airplane), we will be of no use to the rest of the nation in enacting any of this action plan!
I'm sure there are many other ideas you can come up with on how we can build this movement. Get creative. Think outside the politics-as-usual box. BE SUBVERSIVE! Think of that local action no one else has tried. Behave as if your life depended on it. Be bold! Try doing something with reckless abandon. It may just liberate you and your community and your nation.
And when you act, send me your stories, your photos and your video -- and be sure to post your ideas in the comments beneath this letter on my site so they can be shared with millions.
C'mon people -- we can do this! I expect nothing less of all of you, my true and trusted fellow travelers!
Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
190 Comments so far
Show AllSorry, but I would think HR 676 or S 703 would be preferable to HR 3200. Come on Moore!
Mr. Moore,
Please be sure you can get a showing of your fabulous movie at all the businesses that will be opening up early on Black Friday. lol
Oh yeah, and have you started having viewings shown at senior centers and community centers nationwide? PBS may be a good place to show your film as a special presentation on Thanksgiving!
Can't wait 'til I can bring my dvd player to the Emergency rooms to show the people waiting...
AND PLEASE PEOPLE - do NOT put your money in savings accounts like michael said to do. pull it out of the banks, sure, but do not keep a ton of american dollars, your money won't be worth what it is now-not even close. spend that extra money wisely: buy solar if you own a house, pay off your credit cards, but DO NOT SAVE YOUR DOLLARS!!!
Actually, he had his film screen for free in 5 hard hit cities around the country the night before it premiered.
Nice try.
The biggest, and most important, story today is the story Sy Hersh covered about Obama's war with the Pentagon. I would suggest that there is only one thing for this administration, with the support of the public, to do and that is retire all the generals, and as many of the influencers as possible from the Pentagon and CIA and NSA. To rid those monoliths of all the vermin crawling around their corridors should be the only thing we demand, and, if it happened, all the other problems would fall into place. We do not have a Commander-in-Chief in our country today; the military regime now runs our nation and most of the world.
MICHAEL MOORE = FRAUD
MICHAEL MOORE = NEOLIBERAL GATEKEEPER AND OBAMA BOOTLICKER!!!!
MICHAEL MOORE's Agent is none other than Ari Emanuel, Obama's Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel's brother!!!
MICHAEL MOORE when will you tell people this compromising FACT???? So far you have not revealed your DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE OBAMA ADMINMISTRATION!!!!!
And that Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, Obama's Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel's other brother is also advising Obama on Healthcare as well!!!
And you people think MICHAEL MOORE is SO WONDERFUL!!!! Man, are you people PATHETIC!!!!
Dear Mr Moores I live in the UK and we are all anxious to see your new documentary. I would like to know when it will be shown here? Thank you Julia Ryan
Cicero: "Freedom is participation in power."
All my posts have been stripped off this string. Oh well, I guess CD needs to "keep things lite" to protect the feelings of the right-wing trolls and thin-skinned elitist pwogs on the site. Phew! I'm glad I didn't contribute to CD as I previously did.
this is typical for all outlets advocating social justice - the problem lies in confusing justice (participation) with patriarchy - held on subconscious level of most intellectuals and producing enormous backlash that can be felt, among other things, in the tea party phenomena and support for republican party among working people
metal
They also deleted your comment where you discussed the need for progressive unity (and my comment to yours).
I don't think CD is interested in pursuing this subject, and I recognize that it is their perfect right not to do so, but I wish to hell someone would. We really must get together and discuss this important issue.
Cicero: "Freedom is participation in power."
But I and several others have discussed the need for progressive unity and the lack of solidarity among all groups Left of Center. I really don't understand why they deleted so many of my posts and left others. Of course it could have been some government agency pushing them to do so for all I know. The stuff I discuss is in the public domain but not in the mass media. You have to spend some time digging for it. But the powers that be should expect that with so many educated unemployed with time on their hands--like me--there will be a hell of a lot more digging by millions more people and they aren't going to be happy campers with what they find. To me it's all weinerhood on the part of CD and any government agencies wasting their time on this spurious censorship.
What do you reckon you said to get them stripped out? I don't recall you writing anything especially obnoxious.
Cicero: "Freedom is participation in power."
I went back and looked at both pages of comments and they left several of the earlier shorter ones in on the first page and seemed to have deleted all the most recent ones on the second page. I cited and quoted two paragraphs from a Truthout.org article on pipelines and militarization of them (in response to another comment that mentioned the article). That may have been it. I don't know, but I think it's arrogant of CD to simultaneously bombard my email addresses with solicitations for donations while they censor my comments (either themselves or under pressure from outside Police State entities) that I often take a good deal of time and research to write and post.
I've been warned more than once by other posters that I hammer some very sensitive points as far as our burgeoning police state is concerned, and the CIA is stepping up its efforts to monitor these sites, blogs, facebook, etc. But I'm descended from a man who fought an arduous struggle to compel the Bill of Rights to be affixed to the Constitution asap after ratification and I'm too proud and bull-headed about those old freedoms to tremble at the fascist cyber-hacking of these pimple-brained cowards and traitors who hide behind false corporate-serving legalisms that have nothing to do with real law or the Constitution.
Maybe they're just trying to remind me that Obama just re-upped Bush II's "national security state of emergency" and that we are still under de facto martial law whose limits are at Obama's discretion. The FBI has abused related "Patriot Act" powers as was revealed before Congressional hearings. As has the NSA.
...or just go outside and piss in the wind.
Same results.
Mr. Moore, got to tell you, I made the phone call to DC and it's no 5 minute task. Thank God for speakerphone. I had to be on hold for nearly 15 minute's, but I did get through.
My Congressman's office was much quicker. Apparently no one calls him, most know he's a useless jerk. Been in office for about 200 years.
Question. I kept the list of what to ask for in front of me. So how the heck do these volunteer operator's take notes so fast? I read your list off quickly, afterwards volunteer asked, "anything else" and I say yes, tell the President to keep up the good work telling FOX 2 to quit lying and start reporting, not entertaining.
Today, on Thom Hartmann’s program this British reporter, she calls in often, spent her time ranting on air over how unfair DC is being towards FOX. I could just about see Thom sitting looking into the phone like this woman was nuts. She stood firm saying that this particular Washington DC is a very tight and exclusive club when it comes to media. HELLO! You had to hear her tone, how insulted she was to really get the full effect. What's this Trick or Treat?
How about more people attempt just one of these suggestions?
Abandoning participation in the actual process isn't going to get us anywhere. Moore's right to reduce it to concrete things that can be done.
The same discussions are happening on the right in lobbyist-funded pr strategy mtgs. every day. Then they go out and take action.
Lacking the same effort, we lose. Every time.
Here's something that everyone can do right now:
In the first Great Crash of 1929, and even before the Great Depression that ravaged the American working/middle-classes, the most memorable scenes were of financial manipulators jumping from windows.
Hopefully, today --- if we are smart --- in this second Great Crash and before the second Great Depression can totally devastate the public, the most memorable scenes will be of the Wall Street Looters, Hedge Fund Whores, and Private Equity Pirates who caused this being pushed out of windows.
Alan MacDonald
Sanford, Maine
Good list, but join the Green Party instead of the Democrats.
http://www.gp.org/
"and new cars that don't contribute to climate change"
Here's the best approach to transport: Reject the incrementalism garbage. I noticed in the CD article today the Indian president made the same demand regarding appropriate tech from the industrial countries - no incrementalism - go straight to the most appropriate. Here it is:
We're talking averages here. We should cut our miles traveled by two to three. Of the remainder, 3/4 of those miles should be on public rail, at 300 mpg/passenger, or in the case of local rural, bus. Of the remaining miles, personal transport at 150 mpg average. This is achieved with series hybrid diesel electric, with turbo diesel at 40% efficiency, limited speed, limited weight, and limited reserve horsepower.
The reason we want series diesel hybrid versus battery-based electric is because the battery material demand will drive the usual geo-political "great games". The elite freaks will "corner the market" and use their control of those commodities to oppress/enslave the people exactly like they do today with petroleum. And they will try to control the power distribution/charging channel. No matter what the fuel, if production is centralized, we're enslaved. No, thanks. We'll also need rights to own/control energy production for rail transport (wind/solar).
The series diesel electric vehicles can be manufactured locally, including the engines and the the recycling of the much smaller battery packs required. All of the electronics too, except the microprocessor, which comes later. AND the fuel production will be locally owned/controlled. Biodiesel production at 200 gal/acre/year. On average, each person will consume 10 gal/year so the number of acres in biodiesel production will be 15 million, or about 2.5% of the current food production acres.
being number one is sometimes a lonely trip in the world where slave mentality is the ticket to employment
edweg
Michael Moore,
Thanks for the suggestions. They are a little dog eared and tired. William Jennings Brian would be able to tell you how they turn out most of the time if he was alive.
Please have your thyroid checked. If you are overeating, stop it! As Oprah would say, be responsible, set an example. I love your film but you look like a pig. You don't need liposuction, you need to go on a diet.
You can do better.
"Please have your thyroid checked. If you are overeating, stop it! As Oprah would say, be responsible, set an example. I love your film but you look like a pig. You don't need liposuction, you need to go on a diet.
-------------------------------------
Maybe not. He might have what I and many, many others have --especially men and post-menopausal women, and especially if not 100% European in genetic heritage, namely a fat-cell protein ('resistin', first identified in 2001) that's not completely understood yet, but which appears to partly disable the action of insulin, causing the pancreas's beta cells to go mad trying to de-gunk the victim's blood. The insulin efficiently adds fat, which increases the amount of that protein, but is disabled from getting the glucose out of the blood. Result: a self-sustaining 'cottage loaf' shape, 'insulin resistance', and Type 2 diabetes.
Hey now, I'm roughly the same size as Michael Moore, and I successfully dressed up as him for Halloween last year. It was pretty easy, I just didn't shave or get a haircut for a while, put on a cap and a jacket, and bam, instant look-alike. It's pretty hard to lose weight, even when you aren't traveling the world to make films and give speeches and such.
Hard to lose weight? It can be easier to gain weight than it is to lose it but I haven't found it difficult to lose weight and keep it off. Maybe it's because I don't feel like eating much these days.
I don't feel like eating much theses days either. What I do eat is increasingly meatless and salad rich. It's jut the way I feel. I'm 68 and my appetite is much diminished. But I'm still 'rotund', and I have diabetes II. Sure I should get more exercise, but COPD puts a cramp on that. Maybe I should move back to Hawaii where they respect the heavy.
Come now AGG,
George Bush looks AND acts like a trained monkey. At least Michael Moore is actually an educated Gentleman who cares about his country.
I'm ashamed of you guys.
TJ
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." - Thomas Jefferson
Stop quoting slave owners... how about one from Simon Legree?
I don't think AGG meant anything against him. He must have had a bad day. I know I had rotten days like that and would end up looking at even Michael Moore's picture and say go away.
I thought Moore's suggestions were great. Except the part about supporting the Demok party. That makes the whole rest of the rallying cry seem like bait in a trap. The DLC loves Moore for the free plug. So my suggestion is for everyone to edit the thing and replace Demok party with Green party, make a footnote of it, then make copies and hand them out to everybody. And AGG, you have to hand out 2000 copies in two days so get to work.
Precisely.
If they offer you food as bait, take the food and leave the trap. Otherwise, just avoid the trap.
Likewise, politicians are corrupt not when they take bribes, but when they act like they're bought, regardless of whether they have or not.
"Please have your thyroid checked. If you are overeating, stop it! As Oprah would say, be responsible, set an example. I love your film but you look like a pig. You don't need liposuction, you need to go on a diet."
Oh AGG, you're being a little cruel. :)
Actually, thanks for the entertainment. I needed that to cool my throbbing headache after a long day.
Inappropriate, I'd say. I don't see the entertainment.
Ok, so it may be inappropriate but technically AGG might be correct. Moore is in the same type of confinement as are Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow (hint MSNBC/GE). Overall though, I'll give Michael Moore plenty of credit in trying to expose the truth despite Hollywood.
I quote Michael Moore.
"We invaded two nations that didn't attack us, failed to find the real terrorists and, in effect, ignited our own wave of terror. People all over the world wondered if we had gone mad".
The real terrorist are still at large, Michael.
If you want people to continue to think you are all mad just continue believing mainstream media and do not investigate what happened in 2001.
Hey this is a scathing report on Michael Moore's meeting with Hugo Chavez. I have a high regard for both these guys but this seems to be a bit over the top by Michael:
The (unfortunate) Lies of Michael Moore (about Hugo Chávez)
by Eva Golinger
October 20th, 2009
In an interview last October 9th on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the renowned and award-winning documentarian, Michael Moore lied vulgarly about his encounter with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez during the Venice Film Festival this past September. In the interview, Moore responds to Kimmel’s request for an explanation of a photo of Moore with President Hugo Chávez. Apparently embarrased about the encounter with one of Latin America’s most prominent and influential heads of state, Moore proceeded to completely make up a fairy-tale, attempting to pass it off as reality.
With a straight face, Moore stated he met President Chávez at 2 o’clock in the morning, after he and his wife had settled into bed in their Venice hotel room and heard a scandalous noise coming from the floor above. Moore states that he called down to the reception to find out “what the hell was going on”. “It’s the president of Venezuela”, the hotel clerk allegedly told Moore. Well, Michael couldn’t believe it, so despite his wife telling him “don’t go”, Moore set out, determined to find out if the true source of the scandal was really the Venezuelan president, the polemic Hugo Chávez.
Incrediously, Moore says he went upstairs and knocked right on Chávez’s door and a large man answered, who Moore claims was the president’s “bodyguard”. Chávez was right behind him and caught a glimpse of Moore and yelled out “Michael Moore, come on in!”. Anyone who has ever traveled or been close to President Chávez knows very well that it is absolutely impossible to just “go knock on his door”. Presidential security lines the hallways, elevators and all entrance points. Take it from someone who knows first hand. Moore’s story is complete and utter fiction. Also the man Moore identified in the interview as Chávez’s “bodyguard” is actually Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro, but hey, all latinos look alike!
Complete article at: http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/blog/eva/4877
Hey Hill, Who cares?
I don't believe this muckraker at all. The details are unimportant anyway. If she's going to try to smear someone by claiming she's an expert on conduct in five-star hotels when everyone's drinking, I think she's a kook.
Ever stayed in a penthouse or an executive suite? You can't even get into the top floors without an elevator key. Once you're up there, security is lax since you already belong on the upper levels.
And this constant jealousy about MM's money is downright embarrassing you other guys. Stop it. The man works hard and makes an honest living. Unlike just about everybody on Wall Street. MM provides one of the only video production voices out there for critical change. The guy's a great American.
TJ
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." - Thomas Jefferson
Come on dude. You know you're going to pay your car payment anyway. Are you kidding me? You're going to deal with bill collectors calling you, filing the paperwork, all because you know if you go through all of that you don't actually have to make the payment?
Clearly, you can afford it. People that can afford it don't like to look and act poor. People have pride. That's why.
For the people, on the other hand, who really can't make that payment because their job got crushed by a stock market crash, hey, you know, yeah, maybe it is best for society if they just stay in their homes until they can find reasonable work again. Why is that such a bad thing to believe? Pull it together people.
Don't project your motives onto others.
That being said, the reason to stop the foreclosures is simple: it's a win-win. The person gets to stay in their house, monthly payments are reduced to payable amounts, and the bank owning the mortgage still gets some recompense (rather than none if the house is foreclosed on). Of course, the banks still make a net loss, but that's their fault for greedily lying to potential buyers about their mortgages.
"Of course, the banks still make a net loss"
I'm suprised people still believe this. Banks have made RECORD profits this year due to financial bail outs and using that money to leverage wall street yet again. They ALSO OWN these forclosed properties now, and are holding onto them to make money with later presumably. What pressure are they under for ridding themselves of all these properties? Absolutely none.
pure exhibitionism
When will Michael learn that Obama has doublecrossed us.
Today in Truthout, Hillary is headed for Afghanistan with
Exxon to make plans for the Pipeline that has yet to be
mentioned in the NY Times or any other large newspaper, it must be a military secret.
The oil in Iraq is being bought by China with all that Hillary-Walmart money, Just another doublecross. Hillary is in the thick of pipelines, oil, Bubba, and money.
The Clintons have outsourced our industrial base to China and
India. We are in a major depression and it is being kept a secret by Obama who is confused as hell.
Here's the comment I left at Moore's site:
Mike, you should take your own advice and think outside the politics-as-usual box. Instead of telling people to 'take over the Democratic Party' and run for office as Democrats, why not acknowledge the Green Party and other options for progressives? You can make a difference by starting a local Green Party and running for office as a Green.
Let's face it, the Dems have a super-majority and they're not doing any of the things on your list. Why not add to that list: instant runoff voting, to eliminate the so-called 'spoiler effect' and allow us to vote our hopes, not our fears; proportional representation to expand the range of views represented in government; equal access to debates for all candidates, not just Democrats and Republicans; and reform of ballot access laws meant to keep citizens from participating in the political process?
Mike, I'm not asking you to register Green. Just stop acting like Greens don't exist, and acknowledge that there are other routes to change than the Democratic Party. Peace!
He once did support the Greens, in fact he was a protege of Ralph Nader. He split from Nader and the Greens back in the 2004 elections.
I know. I'm not asking him to support the Greens - just stop acting like joining the Democratic Party is the only way to make a difference. For the many who have concluded that joining the Democratic Party is not an effective route to change, Moore could offer alternatives like the Greens or others.
Jerry Wells writes:
"Check out this small ad being circulated in California starting November 1st!
------------------------------------------------------------
The Peace and Freedom Party
California's ballot status Socialist Party
PFP starts it's Electoral Campaign 2010
-----------------------------------"
--> Sigh: bad politics AND grievous punctuation.
Here's a tip: lose that rogue apostrophe in i-t-s before running the ad -- people who care about punctuation REALLY care about it.
The only electoral quest that's worth the candle really IS taking back the Democratic Party from the right-lite -- not, as Moore suggests, just by showing up to dazzle the central committees by the presence of non-members, but by replacing them at the county level, at the district level, and so on -- relentlessly.
Otherwise, as we have seen (including with P&F), the Democrats can and will, election by election, destabilize any likely-looking third party. Voting for third-party candidates is fine -- but nobody should pretend they'll make much difference in the medium-long run, except to serve as entertainment for people who like to write let's-pretend platforms.
ask people to turn off news industry crafts for a week to clear their thoughts and think about decision right / something like voting right for XXI century
edweg
Way to go, Michael. Sounds good to me. You can be sure that I will be discussing your plan at home tonight!
as in, "We're mad, and we're not going to take it anymore."
Karita Hummer
Let's here it for a real progressive populist uprising, instead of the regressive populist attempts of the Republican/right wing.
#16: the Congress critters can all put loaded shutguns in their mouths and pull the triggers.
The entire state of public affairs is the mirror of the state of democracy and any changes in those affairs can be done only through democratization - not groundless polices.
Michael is close to solution when he advocates political involvement which I call integration; www.publicdom.net
edweg
Dump The Democrats! You cannot reform or "take over" the Democratic Party any more than you "reform" capitalism. Check out this small ad being circulated in California starting November 1st!
------------------------------------------------------------
The Peace and Freedom Party
California's ballot status Socialist Party
PFP starts it's Electoral Campaign 2010
-----------------------------------
If you want:
• An end to imperialist War(s)
• Jobs, not corporate bailouts
• Schools, not jails
• Healthcare for All
Read about the Peace and Freedom Party:
http://www.peaceandfreedom.org/home/*
Register Peace and Freedom Party today.
online at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections
or by picking up a form at a local library or DMV.
* Become active in your local voting precinct
& neighborhood with other Peace and Freedom
supporters. Contact us at 323-960-5036 or e-mail: PeaceandFreedom@mail2world.com
* Are you an involved activist on one of the issues
of the PFP platform? Perhaps you or someone you
know would like to run for office on the PFP party
platform. Contact 323-960-5036 or e-mail:
PeaceandFreedom@mail2world.com
The survival of humanity requires a transition
away from run-amok, gangster capitalism to
an economy that meets the needs of the people,
a socialist economy "of , by , and for the people"
The devil is in details - If you find any organization that offers participation let me know. Nothing short of decision rights will do.
edweg
abnsmith you and those with your negative spin should be one of the unfortunate that have lost everything. You would think differently and all the questions you have asked of MM what would your answers be? Have you given?
actually I have, for my own reasons and nothing to do with MM.
What have you given?
what do you do to support the unfortunate?
Why doesn't this SOB support Cindy Sheehan who is trying to organize civil disobedience in DC? Ans: because he is a shill for the elite. His list is idiotic, not worth trashing.
It's kind of tough to do this stuff when your unemployed for yrs., have been evicted from your home and have no Health Ins. But it's easy to tell others to do it when your a multi-millionaire Movie mogul that eats at gourmet restaurants and travels in a stretch limo from one opening to another between going to Hollywood parties and galas and receiving awards. I had a University prof. once like Moore he was all hell fire for Revolution and I believed him till one day I invited him to an actual anti-war demonstration and he told me he couldn't make it because he had a date to play tennis. Hollywood Marxists / Limo Liberals same thing.
HOW ABOUT THE usa STOP THEIR WARS. THE $ SAVED WILL PAY FOR MEDICARE FOR ALL AND THEN SOME. WAR WAR WAR! GUNS GUNS GUNS, is this the way for the USA? It certainly seems like it from outside of the USA. This once great country has fallen to 22nd in the world.
It's a little bizarre reading the number of anti-Moore comments on this thread. Sure he's a little extreme, presents a slightly distorted view, but that's his job. He makes documentaries. Fact is the capitalist system in America today is broken. Income inequality is greater than at anytime since 1929. You remember what happened then? Yep, the Great Depression and a little Keynesian economics (that was called socialism at the time) saved the day. It took Reagan and his ilk just 30 years to brainwash the masses into believing that tax cuts are always good and the rules should be everyman for himself. Well, empires have their lifespan, if America doesn't change its ways quick, theirs will soon be up.
http://theendisalwaysnear.blogspot.com/2009/10/rent-seeking-parasites.html
I agree.
Don't shoot the messenger.
Vent anger at the faces of evil you know (but may feel impotent to reach?): at the criminals in Senate, Washington, Wall Street
and tell us Mr Moore, how much of your profits from your movies do you donate to the cause you say you support? You make a fair sum I would wager, how much do you pass on to those less fortunate than your self?
No person should be evicted from their home, as long as they in good faith try to pay for their home. How many homes have you paid off that people will keep 'their property'?
No person should be with out medical care, very true, but, are you going to pay 50 to 80% income tax on all your business or will you in good faith open a free clinic, hire doctors, staff and buy equipment in an under privileged neighborhood? I donate. Do you?
I demand that wealthy advocates of a single party be denied the ability to profit while espousing their personal beliefs on a large screen, How much did you through proxy and personal donate to see the political party you support elected?
Civil disturbance is a recourse, I would have to support your efforts on that, however organized professional protest is more effective than shouting like a group of brigands. Come sit with me quietly in front of a bank and with 10000 of your close friends, no chairs, no food, and city water, we might go to jail, but hey, some one will come bail us out I bet,
Yes, use the resources you have, you do it well Mr Moore, People need to be active politically, what we need is less goverment, not more, we need less goverment infringement,
Credit Unions are marvelous, I love mine, my only lone, my home lone is 6%,
Get rid of all your credit cards, even if you pay it all at the end of the month, the businesses you charge with have to pay a fee out of their profits, you HURT small business when you charge there, use a debit card or cash
Buy US Bounds, they are a long term investment in YOUR country. If you do not believe enough in your country to invest in it future in all honesty you should find some where else to live.
Unions can be good, just ask the Teamsters, Jimmy Hoffa loved his union to death. Organize but do not allow your union to become more powerful than its members.
Take care of your family, be responsible, pay your bills, walk more, drive less. if you smoke, you hurt every one, if you drive a giant SUV you are part of the problem.
"No person should be with out medical care, very true, but, are you going to pay 50 to 80% income tax on all your business or will you in good faith open a free clinic, hire doctors, staff and buy equipment in an under privileged neighborhood? I donate. Do you?"
Right. No mention of the military spending that sucks down a huge amount of the federal budget.
"Buy US Bounds, they are a long term investment in YOUR country. If you do not believe enough in your country to invest in it future in all honesty you should find some where else to live. "
Taxes to spend on public health and public education is a a long term investment in YOUR country. If you do not believe in your country to invest in its future, in all honesty you should find somewhere else to live.
As i have been doing number 5 under MAKE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT LISTEN TO US, i sent MM the following email:
Hi Michael,
"The formula is simple and it's reduced to four words every kid in the world knows: Tell me a story. It's that easy."-Don Hewitt
I have been telling Vanunu's story since I met him in 2005.
This 1:19 minute video clip is excerpted from "30 Minutes with Vanunu"-and his message to Hillary Clinton:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Omq-QG7isA&feature=player_profilepage
The attached photo is of Vanunu and me, June 14, 2009:
That Story:
June 16, 2009: A Sunday with Vanunu: Read more...
http://www.wearewideawake.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1314&Itemid=221
MORE here:
August 21, 2009: The "Big Get" Don Hewitt and "60 Minutes" Didn't Get Read more...
http://www.wearewideawake.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1370&Itemid=223
VIDEO interviews:
Click here for Vanunu's message to Bush and USA Christians filmed in 2005:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKTX3vrHQOE
"30 Minutes with Vanunu" from March 24, 2006
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8079102468952529881&q#
"13 Minutes with Vanunu" taped January 2008:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2059606750949786468&hl=en#
Only in Solidarity do "we have it in our power to begin the world again."-Tom Paine
Eileen Fleming,
Founder of WeAreWideAwake.org
A Feature Correspondent for Arabisto.com
Author of "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory"
Producer "30 Minutes with Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu"
FIVE THINGS WE WILL ACTUALLY DO :
1) EAT ANOTHER BURGER
2) GET EVEN FATTER
3)SIT ON THE SOFA AND WATCH JON STEWART
4) EAT SOME POPCORN
5)SPILL COLA OVER POT BELLY
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
2. Take over your local Democratic Party...Then get yourself elected Senator. Then you will not have to worry about health care, as THAT health plan is GOLDEN! Then take a few million in bribes from the Health Insurance Industry, and retire.
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
FIVE THINGS WE SHOULD DO TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR LOVED ONES UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THIS MESS:
1. Take your money out of your bank if it took bailout money and place it in a locally-owned bank THAT DIDN;T TAKE BAILOUT MONEY AND IS ABOUT TO GO BANKRUPT.
2. Get rid of all your credit cards but one -- the kind where you have to pay up at the end of the month or you lose your card. THEN NOT PAY AND LOSE YOUR CARD. THEN GO BANKRUPT
3. Do not invest in the stock market. If you have any extra cash pay down on your mortgage. SO WHAT IF YOUR HOME JUST LOST 50% OF ITS RESALE VALUE, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF THAT HAPPENING AGAIN?
4. Unionize your workplace so that you and your coworkers have a say in how your business is run. THEN GET LAID OFF WHEN THE COMPANY GOES BANKRUPT OR MOVES TO CHINA
5. Take care of yourself and your family. I PREFER THE 38 SPECIAL METHOD. A BASEBALL BAT ALSO WORKS BUT IS MESSIER
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
People - Now for something completely different.
As those of us who became environmental activists, along with antiwar, women's liberation, et al, in the 60's and 70's know, the real thing to do is STOP SHOPPING, grow at least some of your own food, live simply and - rather than replacing all the wasteful energy we use now with"clean technology," get off fossil fuels yourself. I live in a cold climate, but burn wood for heat in a very efficient stove that re-burns the gases so there are virtually no emissions.
Prius cars and all the rest DO NOT MAKE UP FOR THE ENERGY IT TAKES TO BUILD THEM - they are a net negative on the environment.
Live simply so others may live. BACK TO THE LAND. Here in Maine land is still reasonably priced and abundant. Come join us as we morph into serious self-sufficiency so as to insulate ourselves as much as possible from corporate control.
Once we've done this, we're FREE to criticize and organize without fear of losing jobs, money, anything under corporate control. Have to pay taxes on property, but if we make just enough, then there are no income taxes to pay.
City people - if the 2-days' worth of food in your town (that's all any city has) runs out or gets cut off, don't think you can come out to the "country" and expect farmers to feed you. You will not be met with open arms, take my word for that as an organic farmer, and one who knows the thinking of other farmers around the country regarding hungry city people who refuse to grow anything for themselves.
You do have parks, rooftops, South-facing windows, empty lots, anywhere you can start a community garden. You will never be sorry you did this. Teach youngsters how to grow their own food.
According to all the scientists, NOTHING will be as important in the coming times as growing our own food locally - and organically, which will cut down on use of fossil fuels (no transportation from afar and no pesticides using fossil fuels).
This is critical to our survival. Do this, then organize for change. But do this first.
HR 3200 IS NOT MEDICARE FOR ALL!!!! That would be HR 676. HR 3200 is a patchwork of pro-insurance industry bandaids that would not take effect until 2013 and would still leave about 25 million citizens without healthcare.
Repeat: THE MEDICARE FOR ALL BILL IS HR 676!!!!!
I know other people have already noted this correction, but it needs to be repeated, because not everybody has time to read down through all the comments.
I am going to assume MM made an honest mistake here and is not simply trying to help support a VERY BAD democrat party bill by deliberately lying. I will email him to correct him. I hope others do the same. He needs to publically correct this and soon.
Briggs Seekins
briggsseekins.wordpress.com
I noticed that. HR 676 is the only real deal. Anything else is not acceptable.
Just cause things are OK with you don't mean you have to s@#$ all over everyone else. That does not help anyone and is just plain mean. If something bad happens to you do you want empathy from others? Or would you like them to kick you in the face and spit on you?
If you enjoy seeing people lose their houses and fall victim to fraud and criminal activities, you should go to work for one of the Big Banks, they would love you.
Chomp and socialist,
It takes two to tango. People who fell for the everlasting consume craze, taking out huge loans to buy humongous houses and hideous hummers, are as greedy and irresponsible as the agents who sold/loaned that stuff to them. I don't feel much compassion with either of them. One side is just a bit more greedy than the other is cunning.
There is an illness, and that is the illness of banal existence.
And then there is the vaccine: consumerism.
To BE or to HAVE, THAT is the question.
Classic: the ruling class divide and rule. You fell for it.
What about the IDIOTS running the banks who were bailed out with trillions? The IDIOTS spending millions on mansions, super yachts, private jets, fleets of luxury cars, marble and gold toilet seats etc?
The amount that the banks got far exceeds the total value of all the bad mortgages.
It is inherent in the relationship between the parasite and the host. That is that the parasite continues satisfying its ravenous appetite until it eventually kills the host. That pretty well sums up the relationship of Wall Street, free trade advocates and the super rich to those of us at their mercy.
One of my greatest fears is the lurking danger of "the right to own and bear arms." That tradition is woven into the fabric of America. When parents can no longer feed, clothe and house their kids, are we then going to see them at gun shows with greater frequency? If that happens, we are all in deep kimchee!
For the sake of us all, we better damned well get involved in the politics of this country. We better start demanding integrity and action by our politicians. Electing them to office is not the beginning and end of the process.
pioagape,
You will be in deeper kimchee, If they don't go to those gun shows to balance out the Blackwater squads that are starting to show up in the US domestically. Of course, as yachtie said, if your a bankster then your fear is understandable.
TJ
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." - Thomas Jefferson
"One of my greatest fears is the lurking danger of "the right to own and bear arms."
Guess you don't need to fear unless you are part of the parasitic cabal, bankster or bullshitician or corporatist.
Michael Moore writes:
"UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THIS MESS"
Riiight.
Moore has some great points, however I would like to point out some fundamental systemic reform that is needed first. Without these nuts and bolts reforms, much of what Moore suggests is very unlikely to happen because the current instituions an rules are rigged. Moore seems to make a primary assumption that they are not.
A good start is "Ten Steps to Repair American Democracy" (2007)by Steven Hill. Another good easy to read handbook is "On Democracy" by Robert Dahl (2005).
Combine what Moore has to say with the two works above and we have a pretty good list of reforms.
Hedges, Zinn, Chomsky, C. Johnson, R. Nader and many others have also pointed out the instituional reforms needed to bridge our gaping democratic deficit.
"...much of what Moore suggests is very unlikely to happen because the current institutions and rules are rigged."
I agree.
However, without a fundamental change in the mindset, attitude, education and engagement of the majority of citizens, no change has a chance to eventuate. I am afraid that consumerism, which is in my belief the core of all problems, will enable and prolong this parasitic system as long as the hosts are not too emaciated. Even a foreclosure 'victim' has still lots of potential to be leeched on by the system.
I'd add to that Sam Smith's "Great American Repair Manual", possibly the source from which Hill derived his book or at least title.
+1 for anything by Prof. Dahl. I quite like "After The Revolution? Authority in a Good Society" and "Preface to Economic Democracy". Both of them *very* subversive. Shockingly so by the man who held a major chair at one of the two top ruling-class universities in the US, and who's considered the 'dean of political scientists'.
Thanks for the post I agree; Sheldon Wolin is another good source, Arend Lijphardt as well. I chose "On Democracy" because it is an easy to read introduction to democratic theory. Since many people find this sort of thing boring and find it difficult to make the connections, I think this book is a great start. Even for policsi types it is a great handbook.
I'm in total agreement with Michael Moore's stated number two objective:
"2. Congress must join the civilized world and expand Medicare For All Americans. A single, nonprofit source must run a universal health care system that covers everyone. Medical bills are now the #1 cause of bankruptcies and evictions in this country. Medicare For All will end this misery....
BUT BUT BUT "...The bill to make this happen is called H.R. 3200. You must call AND write your members of Congress and demand its passage, no compromises allowed."
NO, NO, NO! THE BILL TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN IS HR676!!!!!!
HR676!!!
NOT HR 3200, which IS a ridiculous compromise that will enable insurance companies to give us an even nastier ass-reaming than we've had up till now, and then still refuse to cover the treatment of hemorrhoids.
The irony of HR676 is that John Conyers who wrote that bill won't bother to use his higher powers to put it on the table while Dennis Kucinich despite being kept to marginal position in Congress refuses to give up.
Don't forget Bernard Sanders's Senate equivilant S 703.
Now that you mentioned it, I too find it suspicious that Moore won't bring up HR676 or S703.
Also:
-Nationalize the Fed
-Legalize Pot
-Fund Planned Parenthood
-Implement successful Swiss and Scandinavian models of government.
-Establish a Department of Peace
-Vote out conservative politicians
-Restore the 90% tax rate on the rich
-Make electoral fraud a capital crime
-Ban mercenaries and military contractors
-Give equal aid to Israel and Palestine
-Let people propose and vote on issues online, by phone and by snail mail in secure ways.
-Give us free higher education too so we can compete with other countries that provide it.
-Forgive student loans
-Enforce the separation of church and state.
-Enshrine Net Neutrality
You gotta love that ezeflyer,
He's got my vote!
TJ
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." - Thomas Jefferson
You got my vote.
May I suggest to include:
-Make viewing/reading of below information mandatory:
THE EMPIRE OF "THE CITY"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4675077383139148549
"Zeitgeist Addendum"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=895026537690187652
"Collateral Damage" by E. P Heidner, part I and II.
www.scribd.com/people/documents/2169400-ep-heidner
plus material from Michael Hudson.
Thanks for the links
As would the Bush campaign staffers from 2000 an 2004.
Hey Eze, thanks for reminding me why I love you! If I ever run for office, your list will be my campaign platform, with one addition: abolish the death penalty.
Thank you my dear.
Plus move people who already lost their homes into homes.
This is basic stuff. Nothing new here.
What Michael Moore can do, however, is buy a plane ticket to Caracas, arrange an interview with Hugo Chavez, and stop libeling and slandering one of the few leaders on this planet who actually does something with the PEOPLE in mind.
Shame on Michael Moore for acting like an ignorant gringo.