Ten Years After

I'd Love To Change The World

Changes

So I was listening to Tony Blankley today on KCRW's Left Right and Center (via truthdig.com).  The topic swings around to BP's oil spill in the gulf and the other commentators are bitchin' about how awful it is, and Blankley says (I'm paraphrasing), "hey, it's bad, but if we don't drill for oil here, we'll have to ship it in, and there're more spills with shipping than with drilling, and we'll be sending more of our money to foreigners - so just think how much worse it'll be if we DON'T keep drilling..."  And I just flashed on something - these guys are always using that specious bullshit argument about some totally unprovable hypothetical that sounds really scary and all too often closes the debate.  We have to stop going along with that shit.

First, we can challenge these guys on the simple fact that they're often so totally assbackwards on their predictions.

Secondly, because our imagination is unlimited, we can conjure up all manner of horrible outcomes - every event COULD BE much worse.

But here's the point: Instead of accepting that kind of argument (which is so often delivered in a condescending and dismissive tone), we need to turn it around on itself.

THEY SAY: "...so it could've been a lot worse, and the next time it WILL be worse if we don't just go along with (insert crappy policy that produced shitty outcome here)"

I SAY: Stick it right back in your ditty bag, Sparky.  Maybe we should start thinking about how much BETTER it could all be if we had some real regulatory guidance; and if some of these asshole companies like BP and Goldman Sachs and Halliburton started following the fucking rules.

Calling Names

Some teabaggers are upset because they say the term "teabagger" is insensitive and insulting.  Cluster Fox ran a longish segment with Monica and Megyn rippin' Obama for using the term.

At first blush: tough shit, girls.  Get a helmet. Nobody likes it and nobody should do it, but y'know, if you're gonna bitch about being called names...fuck it. Never mind.

Moron Arizona

Meanwhile, get a load of some of these polling results:

                  Fer    Agin   Ain't Sure
All               53      36         11

Dems           12      79          9
Repubs        89       7           4
Indies          46      28         26

White          63      26         11
Hispanic       15      76          9
Black            8       80        12

Ever get the feeling that white people really shouldn't be in charge of this joint?
If we ever get a chance at reworking the school system, I think the first thing is to make Civics a part of the core curriculum.

Confluence

I love it when aspects of different and unrelated stories or events come together and link up to illustrate a point.

First, there's the problem with Arizona's (SB 1070) Papers Please law.  Opponents hate it for a variety of (I think) good reasons, but mainly because it turns Hispanics into 2nd Class citizens by reinforcing our silly notion that while profiling is kind of unpleasant; and we certainly wouldn't want it done to us; we need to make some exceptions because after all, we're practically under attack here, and really - if you look at all those illegals, the thing that stands out is that almost all of 'em are brown...

Second, months ago, an Afghani civilian who was supposed to be "on our side" attacked and killed a group of US Military and CIA, killing a bunch of them.  This was a big surprise because while the guy was suspected of being a double agent, they didn't expect him to go all Jihadi because he was in his 30's, he was married, he had a couple of kids...BECAUSE HE DIDN'T FIT THE FUCKING PROFILE!

The brilliance of the guys who put this country together is reaffirmed.  It's like they knew that whatever else happened, we weren't gonna make it unless we understood that we have to treat people like people.  We have to be willing to do the hard work of dealing with each other as individuals and as equals.

And The Horse You Rode In On

Homeopathy Sendup

More Bubbles

And the hits just keep rollin'. What level of disaster will it take to get us to understand some things?

Ten Years Of Hell

Plutocracy: government by the wealthy

Plutonomy: a term that combines plutocracy and economy, refers to an economy in which growth is confined to people at the very top of the wealth pyramid. The term was coined by investment and marketing advisers to characterize the U.S. economy, as an ostensible guide to framing profitable investment and marketing strategies. Critics assert that this usage is one of the many indicators of the moral corruption of the system.

Plutonomy stands at the opposite end of the continuum from economic democracy, a system in which every person has an ownership stake in the means of production on which their livelihood depends. Economic democracy is an essential foundation of political democracy. Plutonomy and political democracy are mutually exclusive, as the current U.S. experience demonstrates so clearly.

This sounds a little "too left" for me, but it also seems there's a pretty strong sentiment in favor of it right now. 

Economic Justice is something we're used to hearing about from guys like Al Sharpton or Spike Lee - and of course, we've generally dismissed it as some coded message about Race-based Politics, but maybe now we're seeing a move toward the rhetorical framing that makes the concept of greater economic equality sound more acceptable emotionally - which in turn will make that equality more achievable politically.

The pendulum swings.

Another Day, Another Spill

From Reddit by way of HuffPo:

Breaking News: Large air spill at wind farm!  No threats reported.  Some claim to enjoy the breeze.

Wouldn't it be nice.