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May 13th, 2014

5/13/2014

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PLEASE DO NOT LOOK THE OTHER WAY AT ATTACKS ON CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE HAPPENING TO THE WORKING CLASS AND POOR-----THE MIDDLE-CLASS KNOWS IT TOO IS VICTIM AND THESE ASSAULTS BELOW WILL COME TO YOU AND I.


As a middle-class professional I try in my blogs to encourage the upper-middle and middle class to not be complacent with the loss of civil rights and liberties of the working class and poor in our country.  Remember, neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism is about making all but a very few impoverished so you and/or your children and grandchildren will be facing this dismantling of public justice and Bill of Rights.  Residents in cities may think its good to push out the poor but let's think how an injustice to one becomes an injustice for all.

There is a social media meme circulating that says----

the richest are telling the richer
to tell the middle-class the problem is the poor.

Well, the problem is that the richest have stolen tens of trillions of dollars from the US economy and off-shored it to overseas accounts and our entire democracy and public justice and public sector works and services are being dismantled.  This is causing poverty to soar and crime and violence with it.  So, the problem is the richest have yet to have Rule of Law brings back the loot THEY STOLE FROM GOVERNMENT COFFERS AND INDIVIDUAL'S POCKETS.

The US is now in a state of propaganda as is found in second and third world countries.  When corporations control data creation-----they will skew it to their benefit and not the public interest.  Whether at the Federal level with Obama or the State level with O'Malley, or the city level with Rawlings-Blake-----ALL DATA BEING PRODUCED IS SKEWED. Below you see how corporate media now simply reports the propaganda as news.  For people liking public radio, NPR in 2009 was doing a fine job holding power accountable.  In 2010 NPR was reorganized to corporate control and the reporters made clear that they were being forced to report 'spin'------propaganda----and not journalism.  This is what you see below.  Maryland is king of spin.....Baltimore is supreme.  The middle-class in Baltimore now have to watch as citizens are completely stripped of all rights as citizens-----they are stripped of any way to earn money and are reduced to crime to survive------and of course it is the small businesses and middle-class who become the targets of desperate attempts to get money.  The violence of poverty is skyrocketing with the huge increase in poverty in Baltimore and will come to all communities as people lose hope and embrace retaliation.  THAT IS WHAT THIRD WORLD SOCIETIES LOOK LIKE.  This is Baltimore City today.

Gentrification is a natural process.  It has happened throughout civilization.  It can be done equitably and within Rule of Law.  The State of Maryland and Baltimore lose billions of dollars each year to fraud and corruption that should be going to these communities to rebuild opportunity. 

STOP THE FRAUD AND CORRUPTION AND SEND MONEY TO DEVELOP THESE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES FOR THE UNDERSERVED.

That does not mean the poor cannot be moved or ratios of populations cannot change.  It means that development will be fair in making sure people stay in the communities or areas they have lived all their lives.  It means that development funded with Federal, State, and local tax money be held to the laws of equal opportunity and access in housing and education.  You do not use Federal money from HUD to dismantle public housing buildings and then not provide public housing nearby.  It may not need to be public housing if grants allowed low-income and homeless to occupy these thousands of blighted houses all through these neighborhoods.

Instead, public policy written by Johns Hopkins and the Baltimore Development Corporation are set on forcefully removing all working class and poor from city center and downtown and go so far as using city services to bankrupt low-income homeowners with deliberately inflated water bills and tax bill and fines----driving these homeowners into bankruptcy and foreclosure.  As I have said----Johns Hopkins is the most neo-conservative institution in the world having Baltimore democrats pushing these undemocratic policies. 

WE NEED TO REBUILD THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AWAY FROM CORPORATE CONTROL AND BACK TO THAT OF PUBLIC INTEREST AND CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES.


When a society allows the deliberate targeting of communities with fraud and corruption in order to advance development----you have an autocratic society.  Using police brutality and misconduct to scare people away and jailing people known not to have committed a crime is all intimidation tactics used in covert warfare folks.  IT IS AUTOCRATIC AND IGNORES ALL RULE OF LAW----IT DOES NOT BELONG IN AMERICA.

If you do not care if the poor lose their rights as citizens think of what is happening to the middle-class with the attack on retirements, home equity, pensions, health care coverage and Medicare, and even our children's students loans----all losing wealth from corporate fraud and government corruption.  So, this is not simply something hitting the lower class-----it pushes all of us into impoverishment and loss of rights as well.

WAKE UP======AN INJUSTICE FOR ONE WILL BECOME INJUSTICE FOR ALL!
Below you see martial law being implemented in Baltimore City because City Hall has defunded communities and community services, have put minority and women contractors and the people they hire out of business......they have eliminated the public sector and cleansed the school system of the city's middle-class killing all of the ability of families to provide support for  extended family.  City Hall allows people's homes to be stolen, police brutality to run wild, fraud and corruption to take a billion and more from city coffers each year -----money of which would help these youth.  They are doing it because the goal is to make it impossible for the working class and poor to survive in the city.  Two decades of these kinds of attacks on the poor with O'Malley and now Rawlings-Blake and the neo-conservative Baltimore City Hall has succeeded in pushing some of the poor out to the counties-----but you know what-----these people simply come back because there is no support mechanism for these families.

THE ENTIRE SOCIAL SERVICES AND SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM IN BALTIMORE IS BROKEN.


Mind you-----these children are living in homes torn with drug abuse and parents incarcerated on and off through life.  This children have parents having to work 3 jobs because Baltimore has a system of enslavement in lieu of wages that allow citizens to actually support themselves-----all driven by Johns Hopkins.  Closing community recreation centers where youth could go for support?  REALLY???????  The use of national corporate/ church non-profits  etc.  to replace these public community centers takes the one avenue for social gathering and organizing, developing of leadership, for political discussion out of the communities
. 

YOU MUST NOT BRING POLITICS INTO THESE NON-PROFITS AND IF WE DO-----WE WILL DECIDE WHO TALKS AND ABOUT WHAT. 


That is what Baltimore City Hall is creating in Baltimore.  It is totalitarian in its exclusion of the public and in enforcement of law.
  Mind you-----Baltimore has some fine private non-profits and community groups doing good work-----they are fighting for funds and support and these connected groups receive the bulk of funding.  The #1 institution receiving and then deciding how public policy as regards the working class and poor unfold-----JOHNS HOPKINS IS BALTIMORE'S PUBLIC SECTOR.

There's no doubt these children need to stay off the streets and especially at night.  If they have no computers, cannot afford phones, have no real parks and amusement facilities.....and now, no rec centers-----WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THESE YOUTH TO DO?

An autocratic society crushes these families with more fines, penalties, and exposure to police action.


Council approves tough new curfew for city youths Some kids would be required to be inside by 9 p.m.




By Luke Broadwater, The Baltimore Sun 8:24 p.m. EDT, May 12, 2014

A tough new curfew forcing kids off the streets as early as 9 p.m. was approved Monday by the Baltimore City Council over objections it will place too much stress on the Police Department and lead to conflicts between youths and officers.

The legislation requires one more vote for final passage, which is expected next month. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has said she'll sign it into law.

The bill's sponsor, Councilman Brandon Scott, said it is intended to keep small children from wandering the street, becoming victims of crime or suffering from neglect.

"We have to do something," Scott said. "Young children are out there. ... This bill is not about arresting kids. This bill is not about dropping crime. It's about connecting young people and their families with the services they need."

The legislation, approved 11-2, calls for youngsters under 14 to be indoors year-round by 9 p.m. Youths ages 14 through 16 could stay out until 10 on school nights and 11 on other nights.

Currently, all children and teens younger than 17 can stay out until 11 on weeknights and until midnight on weekends. Parents can be fined up to $300 if their children are caught outside after curfew.

TALK ABOUT IT: Should Baltimore enact an earlier curfew for city youths?

The legislation increases penalties to $500, though they could be waived if parents and children attend counseling sessions provided by the city.

"We all know that when children are on the streets late at night without proper supervision, they are more likely to either become the perpetrators or the victims of violent crime," Rawlings-Blake said in a statement. "I believe this legislation will be another much needed tool to help reduce the number of juveniles on the streets at night, while furthering a commitment my administration has made to provide more services for young people we know are vulnerable."

The bill was opposed the American Civil Liberties Union and criticized by the head of the city's police union. City Councilmen Carl Stokes and Warren Branch voted against it.

Branch, the chair of the council's public safety committee, said he worried the legislation would force yet another responsibility on police.

"There should be more agencies involved instead of putting the stress and pressure on our Police Department," he said.

Sonia Kumar, an attorney at the ACLU of Maryland, sent a letter to council members expressing concern about the "constitutionality and policy implications" of the curfew.

"The bill is a very significant expansion of Baltimore's curfew laws," she said. "Whatever the intention of the bill, there's no evidence that the bill will accomplish those goals. There are really significant reasons for not entangling young people and their families in the criminal justice system."

Kumar said she saw difficulties in enforcing the legislation fairly without police stopping kids and demanding they produce an ID card.

"The breadth of what is proposed is deeply troubling and a poor use of city resources," she said.

Rawlings-Blake has announced plans to expand the city's curfew center to become two year-round Youth Connection Centers for kids and teens who violate the curfew.

"We continue to invest in programs such as basketball leagues, jobs programs and rec center improvements that provide constructive alternatives for our young people," she said. "We need an all-hands-on-deck approach."

The legislation continues current exemptions from the curfew, including a provision for youths to be out late if they're with a parent, or going to or from a job, religious event, or school or recreational activity. The legislation eliminates an exception that has permitted young people to run errands for their parents.

Scott said those opposed to the bill have an outdated view of the curfew center.



_____________________________

The City of Baltimore loses a billion dollars and more to fraud and corruption, gives a billion more to subsidize global corporate wealth in development, and loses hundreds of millions more in waste and mismanagement of Federal and State funds----this is why it just cannot seem to find a million to fund strong public recreation centers for the citizens of all communities.

REMEMBER, THE GOAL IS TO PRIVATIZE ALL THAT IS PUBLIC INTO THE HANDS OF GLOBAL CORPORATIONS.

Keep in mind that these rec centers being closed are run by the communities themselves.  The goal of tying the new recreation centers to charter schools-----which will be the new school buildings identified as where these new rec centers will be built----is that charter schools will be taken private and run by corporations----yet another end of public gatherings and freedom to discuss, organize, and implement policy as the community sees fit.

Lack of funding could close Baltimore City rec centers
11:26 PM, Oct 24, 2011 5:31 AM, Oct 25, 2011 BALTIMORE -

Advocates say the 55 recreation centers around Baltimore City give kids a safe place to play and learn after school. But now there's a controversial plan that could result in the closing of many of those rec centers.

The Cecil Kirk Recreation Center doesn't look like much from the outside. In fact, the sign on the wall is missing some letters. But "The neighborhood kids come here. We're packed all the time in there," said parent Russell Smith, who also coaches basketball at Cecil Kirk.


It's packed, he says, day after day -- with kids from this neighborhood near North Avenue. "If I wasn't here I would probably be at home, but being at home wouldn't be as much fun as being at the rec," said Alanna Jones, who visits the center every day after school.

They come after school to find a safe place to play, meet friends, and get help with homework.


"There are some of us who are still barely making it and we need places like Cecil Kirk," said Angelique Jones, Alanna's mother.


A plan proposed by City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake would shift the funding and operation of many of the city's 55 rec centers to private companies, or charities.

But a call for bids on running them brought only six viable entries. A spokesman for the mayor tells ABC-2 news that could mean many of the centers will be forced to close in just a couple months.

"If they're closing the recs where are we going to send our children to? What are we going to do?" Angelique Jones said.


Several members of city council say they have concerns with the mayor's plan.
Monday night, Councilman Bill Henry (D-4th) called for a public hearing on the issue. "This is not something that the city can step away from. We say all the time, the kids are our future. But if we mean that, we would spend money on them," he said.

Ian Brennan, a spokesman for Mayor Rawlings-Blake, said "The (privatization) plan is part of a larger effort to revitalize the rec center system. We need to stop doing things because that's the way we've always done things."


But parents outside Cecil Kirk say the old way, still works for them. "They're still serving their purpose because kids still come here," Smith said. "I could see if the kids weren't coming. That's a different story if the kids are not showing up. But the kids are here, and what are you going to do with them?"
The mayor's spokesman says they are looking for more companies and organizations to bid on running those rec centers.

The councilman's hearing, in which the head of the Rec and Parks Department is expected to come before council and explain how the plan would work, is expected to be on November 2nd.
_____________________

This is just one example of the largesse sent to national corporations for no reason at all----this case was actually racketeering.  Downtown has mortgaged tax collection for the richest of corporations and developments while the city residents send their tax revenue to maintain and build this infrastructure. 

Meanwhile, the citizens of Baltimore simply want small and small and regional businesses in their communities.....not corporations that are ground zero for massive fraud and corruption.

City Council votes on controversial Harbor Point tax plan $100M tax break is on the line for developer


UPDATED 7:07 AM EDT Aug 13, 2013
A $100 million tax break from Baltimore City is on the line for a developer who wants to rebuild a piece of land between Harbor East and Fells Point.

The most controversial part of the measure is the tax break. The city wants to use tax dollars to help finance the Harbor Point project.

The City Council took a preliminary vote on that strategy Monday night and passed it.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake called this a once in a generation project that she and supporters said will eventually mean thousands of jobs and a much bigger tax base for the city.

Plans call for Harbor Point to house the new regional corporate headquarters for Exelon and other businesses. There's also supposed to be high-end living space and retail, along with a hotel.

The tax break from the city is supposed to help pay for infrastructure and other improvements to the site of the project.


But opponents of the tax break deal are skeptical about it and who it will actually benefit. Some said the developer, William Beatty, should give a portion of his tax break to the surrounding impoverished neighborhoods and city schools.

"It really doesn't contribute to uplifting the people who live in that community. This seems to be an intentional, direct benefit to a developer and all of the hangers-on of this developer, and I don't see that the residents or the surrounding community are going to benefit," concerned citizen Kim Trueheart said.

A final vote on the whole project is expected to happen Sept. 9.

_________________
The idea that we want Baltimore's youth coming into contact with a police force known nationally as being one of the most brutal in the country----the idea we want these working class and poor families ticketed and fined right into jail===where by the way they will find a job as private prison and jail contractors now work the incarcerated for $2 an hour doing formerly public sector work-----a middle-class job.

From stop and frisk to high speed police chases ending with citizens shown to have nothing but maybe a previous arrest record----to police deliberately planting drugs and guns to create the reason for apprehension.....we all know this is happening and using yet another assault on public justice and rights on youth----is a disgrace.  It is a policy written by Johns Hopkins----the City Hall are neo-conservatives running as democrats!

Baltimore City Officer Suspended On Allegations Of Excessive Force

July 30, 2013 5:52 PM

Christie Ileto Christie Ileto joined WJZ's News Team in the fall of 2012.

BALTIMORE (WJZ)– A city police officer is suspended for allegedly using excessive force on a suspect in their custody.

Christie Ileto has more on the incident being investigated by top brass.

Sky Eye Chopper 13 caught the aftermath of a car crash Baltimore City police say started as a pursuit on Belair Road on Monday evening.

“During the course, the vehicle went off the road and collided,” said Deputy Commissioner Jerry Rodriguez.

Members of the regional auto theft task force were trying to stop a car they believed to be stolen.

“By the time I got the corner, a little young dude, a teenager, was laying on the ground,” said a witness.

Baltimore City police say it wasn’t the pursuit of the young driver, but what happened after he crashed into an auto car lot that had top brass concerned.

“They threw him on the ground, and it looked like the other police smacked him,” a witness said.

“The message is clear. We will not tolerate officers breaking the law in order to enforce the law,” Rodriguez said.

Police brass say the alleged assault occurred after the juvenile was on the ground.

And rather than a citizen filing a complaint, Rodriguez says police initiated the investigation themselves.

“While the age of the individual certainly gives us concern, we want everyone to be treated fairly and professionally,” Rodriguez said.

City police have policies that allow them to use force and instruct them when it’s appropriate to initiate a pursuit. But Rodriguez couldn’t tell us at this point if any rules had been broken.

This case is under investigation.

Police have not been able to confirm the age of the driver or his name.

The department says not only will they investigate the officer allegedly involved, but his supervisor’s actions as well.



__________________

Congress included in the Affordable Care Act that authorities can now sedate a citizen without their consent -----setting the stage for the kinds of imprisonment of political dissidents in third world countries.  More importantly, our children are being subjected to high levels of drugging all in an effort to control behavior.  Behavior problems in city youth often come from chemical exposures like lead----from parents with drug addiction and abuse at home.  All of this is tied with poverty.  So, to reverse these problems you end poverty......NOT SUPERSIZE IT. Are these youth reacting to dosing with anti-psychotics and hyperactivity drugs in a negative way-----?   Wealth inequity is a myth.  The rich at the top simply stole tens of trillions of dollars and left massive amounts of impoverishment at the lower levels. 

SIMPLY REINSTATING RULE OF LAW AND RECOVERING THOSE FRAUDS WILL BRING RELIEF FROM POVERTY AND MANY OF THE SYMPTOMS.


If the middle-class cannot see how these policies will come to your neck of the woods----WAKE UP!!!!
Dosing children with drugs known to have serious side-effects and physical reactions is unethical and immoral.  It is policy you would find in China and Soviet Russia to control citizens.  We do not do this in America. 

THINK WHO YOU ELECTED TO OFFICE IN BALTIMORE CITY HALL AND MARYLAND ASSEMBLY TO SEE WHO IS ALLOWING THESE POLICIES TO ADVANCE.  THEY ARE NOT DEMOCRATS.


Antipsychotic Use Skyrockets in America's Poorest Children


Fran Lowry

March 12, 2013

Investigators from the University of Maryland in Baltimore found that from 1997 to 2006, use of antipsychotic medications in this population increased 7- to 12-fold, with most of the increased use associated with treatment for behavioral problems.


"Awareness of the expanding use of antipsychotic medications in the emotional and behavioral treatment of children has been noted in several studies of community-based pediatric populations," lead author Julie Magno Zito, PhD, from the University of Maryland, told Medscape Medical News.

"But," she added, "additional information is needed on trends in our neediest youth, namely according to how antipsychotic users differ in terms of their eligibility for Medicaid insurance coverage and the reasons for use. Such information would help to characterize the 'who' and 'why' of expanded antipsychotic use."

The study is published in the March issue of Psychiatric Services.

Call to Action

In the current observational, cross-sectional study, Dr. Zito and colleagues analyzed claims data for 456,315 youths aged 2 to 17 years who were continuously enrolled in Medicaid in a mid-Atlantic state from 1997 to 2006.

They focused on the use of antipsychotic drugs in the following Medicaid-eligibility categories: foster care; State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), currently known as the Children's Health Insurance Program; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), for children whose family income was at or below the federal poverty level; and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

The researchers found that the prevalence of use of antipsychotic medications almost tripled, from 1.2% in 1997 to 3.2% in 2006.

This growth was greatest in youth enrolled in SCHIP (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 5.9), followed by those in foster care (AOR, 4.1) and TANF (AOR, 3.6), and least among children with SSI (AOR, 2.8).

"The children on SSI are the ones we would presume to be the sickest," Dr. Zito noted. "This 6-fold increase for near-poor or SCHIP children and the 3.6-fold increase among poor or TANF children in a decade means that there was increasing use among the vast majority of enrollees and not, as one would expect, among the small minority, approximately 10%, on SSI, who qualify as the most vulnerable."

During this decade, 9320 children received a prescription for an antipsychotic. The growth in prescribing was most pronounced for pediatric bipolar disorder (AOR, 3.77) and behavioral conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder (AOR, 3.48).

The researchers also found that the proportion of children using antipsychotics from 1997 to 2006 increased significantly more among African Americans and Hispanics than among whites.


"These data support a call to action for outcomes research to better establish clinical appropriateness and to encourage system-wide oversight for quality assurance," Dr. Zito said.

Postmarketing surveillance studies are also needed to assess the outcomes of community-based psychiatric treatment, she added.

"This is particularly true when medications are used for off-label conditions that have minimal or no evidence of benefit relative to medications with FDA labeling for a particular diagnosis," she said.

Psychotherapy Undervalued

"This is a continuation of the important work by Dr. Zito and her group," R. Scott Benson, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist in private practice in Pensacola, Florida, told Medscape Medical News.

In this article, the researchers acknowledge that there are many factors involved in the increased rate of prescriptions for antipsychotics in children, Dr. Benson pointed out.

"There is always the suggestion that these children are given a diagnosis without the benefit of the comprehensive assessment that these psychiatric conditions demand. And there is the suggestion that the reimbursement system undervalues effective psychotherapy interventions and overvalues prescribing medication," he said.

He added that the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry have developed guidelines for the evaluation of children and the use of evidence-based treatment.

"Florida and other states have developed consultation services for physicians who are providing care to these children, and we have seen a reduction in the prescription of these medications. Also, when they are prescribed, there is closer monitoring for safety and effectiveness," Dr. Benson said.

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SPEAKING OUT:

Baltimore’s Poverty Cleansing Program


by Brendan Walsh      

REMEMBER the game of musical chairs? Players circle around assembled chairs until the music stops. Then everyone rushes for a chair. There are never enough chairs for each player. The object of the game is to gradually eliminate the players until one player grabs the last chair. During the game, stronger players often knock weaker ones off the chairs. It can be a fierce game if you want to win. And you can always assure victory if you control the music and own the chairs.
      We are playing this game in Baltimore. It’s a “poverty-cleansing” game, and the poorest of the poor are gradually being eliminated. No one is assessing the ramifications of the policies that are causing people to lose life’s necessities--a home, a just living wage, a real chance at an education, and even basic food stamps.
      According to “Plan Baltimore,” more than 156,000 Baltimoreans live in poverty. That’s 24% of the city’s population struggling to hold on to the “chairs” that sustain life.
      To live a human life, to raise a family, to build a community, you need housing. You need meaningful work that pays a living wage. You need food, a sense of dignity, human recognition and respect, and hope in large doses. Poor people are being denied each of these necessities.
      Keep a close eye on our housing programs, our jobs and wages, our incarceration rates, and our educational disasters. We are developing a “zero tolerance” for poor people. We are, intentionally or through neglect, cleansing Baltimore of poor people.
      On July 3rd, when the Murphy Homes were demolished, there was rejoicing. Buildings designed to “teach the poor a lesson” were leveled in a controlled implosion. Bleak, sterile, cheap places of confinement were removed from the landscape. It also means the loss of 658 units, housing for 1,500 to 1,700 people.
      One decade ago there were 18,162 public housing units, 18,526 “other subsidized” units, and 53,002 families “still in need” in Baltimore City. These numbers represent at least 90,000 families--more than 200,000 Baltimoreans, some of the poorest of the poor--all of them desperate for housing.
      But, as we enter the new millennium, we learn that the federal government is getting out of the housing business. When they level places like the Murphy Homes, they do not build new units for the majority of those displaced. The major fact in Baltimore is demolition. Houses are bulldozed without rhyme or reason. There is no comprehensive plan. Of the 66,000 rowhouses in center city, the plan is to demolish 20% by the year 2004. Virtually all of these houses are in the poorest neighborhoods.
      Think about it. We have a poverty rate of 24%. We are in the process of tearing down all public housing and 20% of the existing affordable rowhouses. So where will the poor go?
      We are told that the private sector, through programs like Section 8, will take up the slack. It is suggested that the poor should just get themselves to the five surrounding counties and “things” will work out. The unbinding of Baltimore will save us all. Does anyone believe there is a welcome mat in Baltimore, Howard, Carroll, Anne Arundel and Harford counties?
      The reality is that the poorest of the poor will just go wandering--a forced march to nowhere. Or they will “double up” with a relative or friend, or simply hide out in whatever abandoned building is still standing.
      If you are one of our 50,000 addicts, you will not be considered “housing-ready.” Thus, you will not be eligible for any subsidized housing. If you have been arrested for some drug-related offense, you too will not be eligible for subsidized housing. The number of people not “housing-ready” grows daily.
      Look at jobs and wages in the Baltimore metropolitan area. According to the recent report of the Job Opportunity Task Force, 62% of all jobs in the region are “low skill” jobs, and two out of three of these jobs are located outside the city. A “low-skill” job means a “low-wage” job--a poverty wage. The economic boom of the ’90’s has clearly created a sharp division between “high-skilled,” well-paid workers and “low-skilled” underpaid workers, and more and more unemployed. For every “low-skill” job, there are three “low-skill” job seekers.
      Our response to this crisis is abominable. We continue to remove the necessary chairs. There are more cries for “quality of life” arrests and we build more and more prisons. We lock people up and add fuel to the fire. People get out of jail fully enraged and then return to poor neighborhoods with no skills, no hope.
      One big result of our “welfare to work” program is that young children often have no adult parent or guardian at home when they return from school, or during the summer months. At our soup kitchen, more and more children are coming without an accompanying adult.
      When we began Viva House 30 years ago, we only saw single men over the age of 50. Now women and children are 70% of our guests. By the year 2004, will it be only children coming to soup kitchens?
      We are going in exactly the wrong direction.
      It is time to end the game of musical chairs. We can’t eliminate poverty by eliminating the poor. The federal government can’t drop out of the housing business at precisely the moment people are in dire need of housing. We can’t permit 62% of our labor force to work “low-skill,” “low-wage” jobs, while a few people pile wealth on top of wealth. We need to invest in the poor. In their lives. In their schools. In their neighborhoods.
      We can either change priorities, or that big bulldozer will level all of us.
      Everyone is entitled to a chair at the table.
____________________

The same people creating the subprime fraud are now receiving all the foreclosures and state funding for affluent development using the subprime mortgage fraud while victims remain homeless.  This article shows the plan to corner people forced into renting in a captured real estate market that will be predatory and criminal. 

This is what Baltimore City Hall thinks is great!  This is what has Baltimore youth disconnected and disenfranchised.
  These residents are what is replacing public housing and section 8-----


Last Updated: March 31, 2014

Delancey Closes on 3rd Baltimore Multifamily

By Erika Morphy | Baltimore

BALTIMORE—"We feel that Class B multifamily is the right place to invest due to the opportunity to buy properties below replacement cost that generate significant yield, and have a captive renter base," says CEO Daniel M. Kline.


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WPC is a market-based policy group pushing privatization of public education.  Baltimore is ground zero for ending public education and handing all education to corporations, creating schools as businesses and vocational tracking from K-college.  Underserved children and schools are taken first because they have no advocates protecting public education.  Once established in Baltimore---this privatized system will expand across Maryland.

Underserved schools are subjected to tiered funding---principles literally cannot afford toilet paper.  Students are placed in front of computer terminals and online lessons that do not engage and have the students feeling negatively about education.  This is what youth in Baltimore have to face as the one community source that should be positive.  Making these youth travel by buses to reach schools that offer enriched programs means students will drop out or be truant more times than necessary.  These are the public policies that create negative youth behavior.  If you do not respect a person----that person will not respect the system.


As you see below, Baltimore is one of a few that subject its schools to tiered funding -----deliberately defunding schools for underserved and special needs creating a warehousing that ends democratic public education.  These schools will simply become Wall Street charter chains---and this will expand to middle-class public schools as well.

Alonzo is a Bloomberg---Wall Street ax-man willing to dismantle American public education for corporate control and profit.
  Students drop out rates and truancy are soaring in Baltimore with Alonzo's and Wall Street's reforms.  Remember, this is Johns Hopkins policy pushed by Baltimore City Hall and Maryland Governor O'Malley---formerly of Baltimore's neo-conservative pols running as democrats in Baltimore.  Anyone in Baltimore can tell you this article below is pure propaganda.....schools are not doing well, the curricula is hated, the students are falling in performance and leaving school----ergo, the problems that extend to the streets.

What We Can Learn from Baltimore City Public Schools


By Liv Finne, Director, WPC’s Center for Education

, October, 2010 Forward-thinking school superintendents, like C.E.O. Andres A. Alonso of Baltimore City Public Schools, are reorganizing the way they run their schools, and achieving dramatic gains for students. They are implementing Fair Student Funding. This reform shifts control over school spending from central districts to individual school principals. Under Fair Student Funding, school principals are able to control the actual dollars in their school budgets, instead of having to manage a building already staffed by the district. Principals with budget power are then able to customize their programs to meet the individualized educational needs of their students. In return for this new flexibility and control, school principals are held accountable for student performance.

Thirteen other school districts across the nation have adopted Fair Student Funding, also known as Student-Centered Funding, student “backpacking,” or Weighted Student Formula.
The idea is the same. Instead of providing funding based on staffing ratios or categorical program, the money follows and funds the child, weighted according to his educational needs. The districts employing this strategy for funding schools include the following: Belmont Pilot Schools in Los Angeles, Boston’s Pilot Schools, Renaissance 2010 Schools in Chicago, Cincinnati, Clark County (which includes Las Vegas), Denver, Hartford, State of Hawaii, Houston Independent School District, New York City, Oakland, Poudre School District in Colorado, St. Paul, and San Francisco.

The story of how Baltimore City Public Schools achieved this reform is well worth telling. It started with a visionary leader: Andrés A. Alonso. He was selected as Chief Executive Officer of Baltimore City Public Schools in the summer of 2007.

Elements of Fair Student Funding

  1. Create a system of great schools led by great principals who have the authority, resources and responsibility to teach all students well.
  2. Engage those closest to the students in making key decisions that impact them.
  3. Empower schools, then hold them accountable for results.
  4. Ensure fair and transparent funding that schools can count on annually.
  5. Size the district appropriately -- schools and central office -- to address the realities of revenues and expenditures.
  6. Allow dollars to follow each student.
  7. Put the resources in the schools.
Read the full Policy Note here








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April 22nd, 2014

4/22/2014

0 Comments

 
PLEASE CHECK BELOW MY BLURB ON PUBLIC MEDIA'S ATTACK ON FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS AND ELECTION VIOLATIONS!  I WILL SPEAK TODAY ON BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON AS GLOBAL CORPORATE CHAMPIONS REEKING HAVOC ON THE WORLD WITH ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER AND IMPOVERISHMENT!


Below you see that WYPR is about to block my campaign from speaking about the issues of this election. Mind you, my comments are always factual where the comments of the politicians given media coverage are not. This violates Federal Election laws. As you heard this morning, WYPR is no longer stating where a governor's forum was held because, as I state, all 501c3/4 political debates and forums must invite all candidates for office. At a time when elections are being bought.....at a time when candidates running for office are working for corporations in pay-to-play, it is critical that America has a public media that is not involved in this corporate corruption. I will be contacting all businesses that advertize with WYPR to ask why they support this suspension of Rule of Law and free and fair elections!




'Congratulations on your decision to run for the office of governor of Maryland . WYPR always supports diverse opinions and we wish you well in your campaign.
By the rules of the Public Broadcasting Act and by WYPR policies, the use of WYPR's airways, website, or social media outlets by ANY political candidate during an election campaign is strictly prohibited. We very much appreciate your cooperation with these restrictions AND you are welcome to contact our general manager who would be happy to provide further explanations. Therefore, we ask that you not make further postings as we are required to remove all of your posting to date and in the future so long as you are a candidate for public office.
Thank you for understanding'.



If a candidate cannot make comments on a public media site and those same candidates are excluded from all election coverage on public media in Maryland then how does that meet with Federal Election Laws requiring all 501c3/4 organizations to give all candidates for election a forum for their campaigns?  Do you think constantly referring to all but the global corporate candidates meets that requirement?  Of course not------I will continue to post my research information on policy as my organization Citizens Oversight Maryland does.  Cindy Walsh for Governor of Maryland looks forward to WYPR giving all campaigns and platforms access to public media airwaves!




Here in Maryland all the media is preparing to block any comments about Bill and Hillary Clinton as the 2016 will see an onslaught of political advertizing and social media/email campaigning. As a candidate for governor of Maryland I was just told by WYPR that I cannot comment on their facebook page about election issues and at the same time they are refusing my campaign any media coverage.  My campaign is completely blocked.  Meanwhile, the candidates who are going to advance these global corporate policies of Pacific Trade Pact (TPP) and Clinton's global corporate rule has unlimited airtime on public media.  BELOW YOU SEE WHAT BILL AND HILLARY HAVE BEEN UP TO SINCE ENDING GLASS STEAGALL AND PUSHING NAFTA-----THEY ALLOWED DEVELOPING WORLD'S TO BE ENSLAVED BY US CORPORATIONS AND WHEN THOSE NATIONS KICKED OUT THESE US CORPORATIONS NEO-LIBERALS ARE NOW MOVING INTO AFRICA, THE CARIBBEAN, AND IF TRANS PACIFIC TRADE PACT IS PASSED.,......INTO THE US. It is people of color who are being enslaved whether Asian, black, or Hispanic, but the Trans Pacific Trade Pact will take all Americans to the developing world level.  See why it is so important for WYPR to block my campaign?



Haiti has been made the new sweat shop of the West.  Clinton is bringing US manufacturing from Asia and installing them in the West.....first in the Caribbean and then in the US when TPP is installed.  US labor unions know this is what will happen and they know that all of Maryland candidates for Governor of Maryland except Cindy Walsh for Governor will do this....Brown, Gansler, and Mizeur as well as the republicans.

Bill Clinton: Haiti’s Neo-Colonial Overlord

Tue, 11/16/2010 - 14:03 — Ashley Smith

by Ashley Smith

Bill Clinton is no friend to Haiti. The former president, who inflicted great harm to the Haitian people while in office, now acts as a kind of regent, “promoting sweatshops, tourism, and export-oriented agriculture.” A primary actor in stripping Haiti of its sovereignty, Clinton “is putting Haiti up for sale to multinational capital.”

 

Bill Clinton: Haiti’s Neo-Colonial Overlord

by Ashley Smith

Ashley Smith is a featured speaker at a “Day of Outrage in Harlem” rally and march in support of the people of Haiti, on November 20. The theme of the protest is, “U.S. Out of Haiti – Clinton Out of Harlem.”

“Clinton has betrayed all his humanitarian promises and failed to collect even a fraction of the promised $10 billion for reconstruction.”

The corporate media portrays former President Bill Clinton as a great humanitarian friend of Haiti. The truth could not be more different. He has always supported policies in the interests of multinational corporations and the Haitian ruling class at the expense of the country’s workers, urban poor and peasantry.

After the 1991 coup that toppled Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide, Clinton as President did maintain relatively ineffective sanctions. But he violated his campaign promise and continued George Bush Sr.’s policy of jailing Haitian refugees in Guantanamo. He also pressured Aristide to adopt free market economic policies as the condition of restoring him to power in 1994.

Clinton succeeded in getting Aristide to moderate his program of social reform and drop tariffs on rice to the advantage of U.S. Agribusiness. He then compelled Aristide’s successor, Rene Preval, to further deregulate the economy successfully turning Haiti into the most free market economy in the Western Hemisphere, and consequently its poorest.

“Clinton pressured Aristide to adopt free market economic policies as the condition of restoring him to power in 1994.”

Confronted with this evidence, he recently apologized for impoverishing the lives of peasant farmers in Haiti. But as always with Clinton, his rhetoric could not be more different than his policies. After the second U.S.-backed coup against Aristide in 2004, Clinton has worked with former World Bank employee Paul Collier, multinational corporations and the Haitian elite to impose another free-market plan on Haiti. While U.N. troops have occupied Haiti since 2004, Clinton and Collier toured the country promoting sweatshops, tourism, and export-oriented agriculture.

After the devastating January 2010 earthquake in Port au Prince, Clinton became co-chair of Interim Haiti Recovery Commission. He is now the country’s neo-colonial overlord. He has betrayed all his humanitarian promises and failed to collect even a fraction of the promised $10 billion for reconstruction. And his reconstruction plan is the same free market plan he has been touting since 2004. He is putting Haiti up for sale to multinational capital.

The last thing Haiti needs is more “help” from Bill Clinton and the U.S. Instead, the U.S. and other imperial powers including the U.N. should get out of Haiti and pay reparations so that Haitians can rebuild their country in their own interests.

Ashley Smith can be reached at: ashley05401@yahoo.com. For information on the November 20 “Day of Outrage in Harlem,” contact Nellie Bailey at harlemtenants@gmail.com


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Trans Pacific Trade Pact (TPP) is a neo-con/neo-liberal effort to end the national sovereignty of all nations signing this pact and handing control of all public policy and law enforcement to global corporate tribunals.  This is all courtesy of Bill and Hillary Clinton who, with Reagan embraced neo-liberalism and took the people's democratic party and handed it to corporations.  This is why labor and justice, 80% of the democratic base has been silenced.  We need labor unions to stop backing these neo-liberals and in Maryland all candidates other than Cindy Walsh for Governor of Maryland will push TPP.

Below you see the Neo-conservative think tank and the neo-liberal think tank all getting their dander up because the nations around the world being forced into TPP are fighting it and kicking the leaders out who signed this treaty.  Don't think for one minute that any neo-liberal pol will not vote to pass this!  Obama has built the lobby structure to push it through.  Also note that NGOs are included in this TPP stakeholder deal.  NGOs are simply corporations made to be non-profits controlling public policy!

IN THE US THAT WOULD BE OBAMA AND IN MARYLAND ALL OF THE MARYLAND ASSEMBLY AND CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR ARE PASSING LAWS SUPPORTING TPP!



Don't think that because a few democratic Congress people have shouted against Fast Track for TPP that it is not advancing------all of the policies passed during Obama's Administration have been TPP related.  Bush set the stage and Obama is super-sizing it. 

WE ARE AT THE CROSSROADS IN STOPPING TPP-----STOP ELECTING GLOBAL CORPORATE POLS!


Crunch Time for the Trans-Pacific Pact — and for U.S. Leadership in Asia

By Claude Barfield
Thursday, October 10, 2013

Filed under: World Watch, Economic Policy

At a crucial time in U.S.-Asian relations, China is stealing the limelight. America needs to get back in the game. Admittedly, one can overreact to the negative consequences of President Obama’s decision to cancel his trip to Asia and forego participation in the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ meeting and the East Asian Summit. But it would also be a mistake to underestimate the blow — at least in the short term — to the ability of the United States to project a confident leadership role in the region. Headlines such as “Obama cancels Asia trip. Is the U.S. ‘pivot’ in jeopardy?” and “As Obama’s Asian ‘pivot’ falters, China steps into the gap” are all too representative of the reaction both within Asia and around the world. 

My AEI colleague Michael Auslin has suggested that the real danger to U.S. leadership does not stem from the past week’s debacles but rather from the fact that the Obama administration is presiding over a decimated defense budget that in future years cannot sustain U.S. security promises and obligations in Asia — let alone around the world. The point is well taken, but my analysis will concentrate on the short and medium term effects relating to soft diplomacy and prestige and, in more detail, to the implications for the major U.S. regional economic initiative, the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).

Short-Term Losses 

In the immediate future, the image embodied in Hillary Clinton’s robust announcement of an American ‘pivot’ to Asia and her comment that ‘We are back to stay’ will take a credibility beating. In the immediate future, the image embodied in Hillary Clinton’s robust announcement of an American “pivot” to Asia and her comment that “We are back to stay” will take a credibility beating. The White House had planned both practical deliverables in the TPP negotiations and also highly symbolic visits by the president to Malaysia and the Philippines. The picture of President Obama twiddling his thumbs in the White House and haggling over a looming U.S. default while Asian leaders meet in Bali and in Brunei will be hard to erase in the short term. 

Worse, partly by coincidence, Chinese leaders stood ready to fill in the gap. Though long-planned, visits by President Xi Jinping to Malaysia and Indonesia captured headlines around the region, not least from the largesse dispensed along the way — a $15 billion currency swap agreement with Indonesia and a promise to triple trade with Malaysia to $160 billion by 2017. In a tag team display, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is now off on follow-up official visits to Vietnam, Thailand, and Brunei. Though President Xi was circumspect at the two summit meetings, the Chinese press was euphoric and scornful. Typical was the comment of the Hong Kong-based Communist party newspaper, Ta Kung Pao: “Chinese President Xi Jinping has become the brightest star on the Asian diplomatic platform. . . . The influence of the U.S. is questioned more and more.” 

Looking back over the week, even a former administration official and loyal Obama supporter, Kenneth Lieberthal of the Brookings Institution, was led to conclude: “This is a serious blow to U.S. diplomacy” that will raise doubts about the president’s “ability to deliver on commitments.” 

Moving on, the potential impact of the president’s no-show at TPP negotiations is a likewise negative development but not necessarily a fatal one to the successful conclusion of the agreement. With or without Obama’s presence, the situation with regards to the negotiations stands as follows. Since 2010, when serious bargaining began, there have been 19 negotiating sessions. At this point, most if not all of the technical underbrush has been cleared away by the trade bureaucrats from the 12 member states. What is left is a group of at least a dozen highly sensitive political questions and judgments that must be settled by political leaders. Among the issues outstanding are rules and commitments related to state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the environment, labor, market access and rules of origin, intellectual property (IP), government procurement, services and investment, regulatory coherence and coordination, and data flows and protection, among others. (The list will vary from observer to observer and cannot be conclusive since no actual potential text has been made public). 

Throughout 2013, TPP members have steadfastly maintained the goal of completing the negotiations by the end of the year, even though all knew that this was more a tactic to keep up momentum than a realistic endpoint. Neither President Obama nor other national TPP leaders could be expected to iron out the specific details of all of the aforementioned politically sensitive issues in the single day allotted to the TPP in Brunei. Rather, what Obama missed was the opportunity to push personally for a successful conclusion of the talks soon after the new year — and to weigh in with individual leaders on a limited number of issues where only the highest national leaders can seal the deal.

The Endgame

Neither President Obama nor other national TPP leaders could be expected to iron out the specific details in the single day allotted to the TPP in Brunei. Rather, what Obama missed was the opportunity to push personally for a successful conclusion of the talks. Without crying now over spilt milk, it will be crucial for the president and the administration to turn full attention to the TPP endgame. Trade policy and negotiations have been described by political scientists as a “two-level game.” On the first level, political leaders have to fix their own goals and bargain with their counterparts from other nations. In this case, the White House must decide quickly in coming weeks what its top offensive and defensive priorities will be. Will we demand, for example, quite detailed competition rules for SOEs? Will we push for greater IP protection for biotechnology products? Will the United States want enforceable rules in the environmental chapter and for health and safety provisions? And will the United States at this late date suddenly demand trade rules to curb currency manipulation? Defensively, the White House must make judgments on what we will give in return (and the offensive/defensive moves are linked): for instance, Vietnam has made it clear that it will not move on SOEs without U.S. concession on shoes and textiles. Further, what can the United States give on sugar or cotton? How much continued protection will it defend for the U.S. automobile industry? And what can we concede from our highly protected dairy sector?

Political timing is now crucial. U.S. companies with both offensive and defensive issues at stake are aware that it is crunch time for key decisions on the products and services they hold dear, and they have begun high-powered lobbying campaigns to achieve their disparate goals. While the administration has worked diligently with domestic stakeholders (including NGOs), its own domestic political actions in this two-level game must be redoubled. This means moving forward quickly with Congress to pass new trade promotion authority that sets out congressional trade priorities and guarantees a timely up or down vote for a future TPP agreement. Down the line, it will also mean that the president himself must be willing to spend the political capital to craft a coalition that can assure congressional approval of the TPP (most particularly with congressional Republicans, who will almost certainly provide the majority of the votes).

At a news conference in the wake of the Pacific summits, President Obama ruefully admitted that missing the Asian leaders’ meeting was “almost like not showing up” for his own party, and that this inevitably “created a sense of concern” on the part of U.S. allies and trading partners. But on the larger canvass of U.S. leadership in Asia, the damage is not irreparable. Despite the burst of Chinese triumphalism, Asian nations certainly are aware that Beijing has in reality not backed off it belligerent stands and demands regarding the East and South Chinas seas — nor its bullying of smaller nations such as Vietnam and the Philippines. The ongoing, huge buildup of Chinese military prowess only underscores the perceived necessity for an enduring U.S. defense presence as a counterbalance. 

In addition to committing full diplomatic and political resources to completing and passing the TPP, the president should also move with dispatch to assuage the “sense of concern” in Asia by quickly rescheduling the cancelled trips to Southeast Asia and add on Japan and Korea. For the TPP, there might be a quick payoff for the negotiations, as Korea was widely expected to announce at the Brunei summit that it would join the talks, but apparently backed off when Obama cancelled. A visit to Seoul might just seal that deal and further tip the balance toward the TPP as the lead institution in a new regional economic architecture.

____________________________________________

Right now the only thing saving Americans from this third world agreement is that citizens of other nations are in the streets and kicking their political leaders out of office to stop this Trans Pacific Trade Pact (TPP).  In the US .......labor and justice leaders are backing the same neo-liberal candidates who will push these policies through.  In Maryland, all the candidates for governor......especially Gansler, Brown, and Mizeur will push TPP through EXCEPT CINDY WALSH FOR GOVERNOR OF MARYLAND!



As you hear, Clinton is stating the lifting of democratic and labor conditions even as ALL INTERNATIONAL LABOR AND JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS ARE SHOUTING LOUDLY AND STRONGLY AGAINST IT!


Clinton Announces Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement

Clinton Announces Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement Video Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Vietnam to pursue democracy while announcing details of a a new trans-Pacific trade agreement focused on south Asia, during a visit to Hanoi on Tuesday. (July 10)

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press



Clinton Announces Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement

AssociatedPress
441,355 781 views 14     24 Published on Jul 10, 2012

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Vietnam to pursue democracy while announcing details of a a new trans-Pacific trade agreement focused on south Asia, during a visit to Hanoi on Tuesday. (July 10)



Here in Maryland all media is captured by corporations and we are seeing the Clinton machine locking up all areas of campaigning and election exposure. Public media needs to be the one source of free and fair elections and in Maryland------WYPR and MPT controls most public media and they are completely blocking all candidates that do not support pushing TPP through.


Bill Moyers on why the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement is death for democracy
11/5/2013 10:05am by Gaius Publius

Many of you know
I’ve been covering TPP (the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement) for a while now — for example, here. Obama and the rest of the neoliberal (“free-trade”) Democrats are dying to implement it, and the Republican servants of the same fine CEOs are not far behind.

But the TPP is complicated — at least in appearances — and the public is having a hard time bottom-lining it, in between taking kids to soccer and paying bills in the evening. By comparison, characterizing Keystone is easy — “Want to drink goo from your faucet and watch the earth cook? Support Keystone.”

It’s not really hard to understand TPP though, once you see the pattern — TPP puts the ruling class (and the corporations they control) in charge of most aspects of our economic and regulatory life. It rewrites the laws of every nation that signs it, all to increase the wealth of our pathological betters. We just need more people saying that.

Now comes Bill Moyers with an excellent, listenable primer on what TPP is and why it spells death to democracy (literally) and breathes even more life into the predator 1% of the 1%.

Governments involved with our betters in implementing the TPP “corporate-rule” agreement. These are the perps.

But don’t take my word for it. Listen to Moyers’ great introduction, then to the discussion with Yves Smith of Naked Capitalism and Dean Baker of CEPR. This is one of the best ways to come up to speed on TPP I’ve found — very tight, very clear:

From the video’s introduction at Vimeo:

A US-led trade deal is currently being negotiated that could increase the price of prescription drugs, weaken financial regulations and even allow partner countries to challenge American laws. But few know its substance.

The pact, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), is deliberately shrouded in secrecy, a trade deal powerful people, including President Obama, don’t want you to know about. Over 130 Members of Congress have asked the White House for more transparency about the negotiations and were essentially told to go fly a kite. While most of us are in the dark about the contents of the deal, which Obama aims to seal by year end, corporate lobbyists are in the know about what it contains.

And some vigilant independent watchdogs are tracking the negotiations with sources they trust, including Dean Baker and Yves Smith, who join Moyers & Company this week. Both have written extensively about the TPP and tell Bill the pact actually has very little to do with free trade.

Instead, says Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, “This really is a deal that’s being negotiated by corporations for corporations and any benefit it provides to the bulk of the population of this country will be purely incidental.” Yves Smith, an investment banking expert who runs the Naked Capitalism blog adds: “There would be no reason to keep it so secret if it was in the interest of the public.”

Suitable for sharing with your friends and online associates. Seriously; help to make TPP a household name ahead of the Senate hearings on it and the Fast-Track legislation that will introduce it.

We’ll be following this closely as well. At some point soon, we’ll all need concerted and raucous citizen opposition. As Moyers and company show, this is as big a deal as stopping Big Carbon in its tracks. If we don’t prevent this, TPP will rewrite constitutions across the globe, including here at home.

And believe me, our poor Constitution has taken on a lot of rewriting lately. Save the Constitution. Help kill the TPP “corporate-rule” agreement. (More information here.)


__________________________________________

Bill and Hillary Clinton were the head cheerleaders for Monsanto and are now major shareholders in chief of this global disaster waiting to happen.  Yes, Bill Gates is now partnered with all of this and is behind global PHARMA and killing public health around the world.  You know......public media's 'good billionaire'.


The reason you will see corporate NPR/APM keep all political comment to neo-liberals and neo-cons is that they want only global corporate pols to get airtime even is the only media outlet that should promote free and fair elections and -----PUBLIC MEDIA.   


WYPR IN MARYLAND HAS DELIBERATELY CAPTURED ALL PUBLIC MEDIA AND SILENCES ELECTION RACES NOT COMMITTED TO GLOBAL CORPORATIONS!



Monsanto and Hillary Clinton's Redemptive First Act as Secretary of State
  • By Linn Cohen-Cole
    Op-Ed News, February 9, 2009
    Straight to the Source

For those who hope Obama will bring something different to the world, we must first see clearly what is happening, and make demands of him that are profound, not show.

Liberals are pleased he may appoint a White House farmer to plant an organic garden. That is empty show.

Meanwhile corporations like Monsanto are moving rapidly to take control of food supplies ... and democracies, including ours. www.dailykos.com/story/2009/2/1/192127/2714/736/691835


Obama chose Hillary Clinton to be Secretary of State. We cannot know what deals were struck to make her stop her destructive campaigning long after it was apparent she had lost. But we do know that Mark Penn, CEO for Burson-Marsteller, one of the world's large PR firms representing Monsanto.
http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/?lid=392
advised her for years and ran her campaign. And when she showed up again, by Obama's side, suddenly so did a man named Michael Taylor ... also again.


MIchael Taylor is a Monsanto lawyer Bill Clinton once put in charge of the FDA where he approved Monsanto's rBGH. Hillary was back, andObama was putting Taylor on his transition team. www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_15710.cfm

Using the transition team's advice, Obama appointed Tom Vilsack to head the USDA, overriding 20,000 opposing "grassroots" emails. The objection to Vilsack? His deep Monsanto connections.

www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_15573.cfm

Hillary Clinton's connections to Monsanto go way back the Rose Law Firm where she worked. Rose represents Monsanto, Tyson, and Walmart -the world leaders in#genetic engineering, animal production and industrialized food. She received favors there, as did Bill. In office, Bill's USDA immediately and significantly weakened chicken waste and contamination standards, easing Tyson's poultry-factory expansion, www.financialsense.com/editorials/engdahl/2006/0828.html , and his USDA head, Espy, was indicted for bribes, money laundering, and much more, with Tyson was the largest corporate offender.

What happened specifically with Monsanto?
Bill appointed Michael Taylor head of the FDA and put other Monsanto employees in as US Agricultural Trade Representatives, onto International Biotechnology Consultive Forums, and more ...  

Original story, more: http://www.opednews.com/articles/Monsanto-and-Hillary-Cli...




By MBD June 29, 2013
Yes, Monsanto Actually DID Buy the BLACKWATER Mercenary Group!


A report by Jeremy Scahill in The Nation revealed that the largest mercenary army in the world, Blackwater (later called Xe Services and more recently “Academi“) clandestine intelligence services was sold to the multinational Monsanto. Blackwater was renamed in 2009 after becoming famous in the world with numerous reports of abuses in Iraq, including massacres of civilians. It remains the largest private contractor of the U.S. Department of State “security services,” that practices state terrorism by giving the government the opportunity to deny it.

  Many military and former CIA officers work for Blackwater or related companies created to divert attention from their bad reputation and make more profit selling their nefarious services-ranging from information and intelligence to infiltration, political lobbying and paramilitary training – for other governments, banks and multinational corporations. According to Scahill, business with multinationals, like Monsanto, Chevron, and financial giants such as Barclays and Deutsche Bank, are channeled through two companies owned by Erik Prince, owner of Blackwater: Total Intelligence Solutions and Terrorism Research Center. These officers and directors share Blackwater.

One of them, Cofer Black, known for his brutality as one of the directors of the CIA, was the one who made contact with Monsanto in 2008 as director of Total Intelligence, entering into the contract with the company to spy on and infiltrate organizations of animal rights activists, anti-GM and other dirty activities of the biotech giant.

Contacted by Scahill, the Monsanto executive Kevin Wilson declined to comment, but later confirmed to The Nation that they had hired Total Intelligence in 2008 and 2009, according to Monsanto only to keep track of “public disclosure” of its opponents. He also said that Total Intelligence was a “totally separate entity from Blackwater.”

However, Scahill has copies of emails from Cofer Black after the meeting with Wilson for Monsanto, where he explains to other former CIA agents, using their Blackwater e-mails, that the discussion with Wilson was that Total Intelligence had become “Monsanto’s intelligence arm,” spying on activists and other actions, including “our people to legally integrate these groups.” Total Intelligence Monsanto paid $ 127,000 in 2008 and $ 105,000 in 2009.

No wonder that a company engaged in the “science of death” as Monsanto, which has been dedicated from the outset to produce toxic poisons spilling from Agent Orange to PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), pesticides, hormones and genetically modified seeds, is associated with another company of thugs.

Almost simultaneously with the publication of this article in The Nation, the Via Campesina reported the purchase of 500,000 shares of Monsanto, for more than $23 million by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which with this action completed the outing of the mask of “philanthropy.” Another association that is not surprising.

It is a marriage between the two most brutal monopolies in the history of industrialism: Bill Gates controls more than 90 percent of the market share of proprietary computing and Monsanto about 90 percent of the global transgenic seed market and most global commercial seed. There does not exist in any other industrial sector monopolies so vast, whose very existence is a negation of the vaunted principle of “market competition” of capitalism. Both Gates and Monsanto are very aggressive in defending their ill-gotten monopolies.

Although Bill Gates might try to say that the Foundation is not linked to his business, all it proves is the opposite: most of their donations end up favoring the commercial investments of the tycoon, not really “donating” anything, but instead of paying taxes to the state coffers, he invests his profits in where it is favorable to him economically, including propaganda from their supposed good intentions.
On the contrary, their “donations” finance projects as destructive as geoengineering or replacement of natural community medicines for high-tech patented medicines in the poorest areas of the world. What a coincidence, former Secretary of Health Julio Frenk and Ernesto Zedillo are advisers of the Foundation.

Like Monsanto, Gates is also engaged in trying to destroy rural farming worldwide, mainly through the “Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa” (AGRA). It works as a Trojan horse to deprive poor African farmers of their traditional seeds, replacing them with the seeds of their companies first, finally by genetically modified (GM). To this end, the Foundation hired Robert Horsch in 2006, the director of Monsanto. Now Gates, airing major profits, went straight to the source.

Blackwater, Monsanto and Gates are three sides of the same figure: the war machine on the planet and most people who inhabit it, are peasants, indigenous communities, people who want to share information and knowledge or any other who does not want to be in the aegis of profit and the destructiveness of capitalism.




So why were so many media outlets, editorialists and bloggers clamoring to say that the purchase was a “hoax”?

That’s a good question. The more cynical among us might suspect a financial incentive from Monsanto itself to such “journalists.” Monsanto indeed has hired a public relations team to seek out critical blogs and websites reporting on their crimes against both Nature and humankind. We have seen this first hand in comments on PoliticalBlindSpot.com articles on Monsanto. It is not beyond the realm of possibilities that they have created blogs where seemingly legitimate authors write organic thoughts, observations and rebuttals. The public presumes these are real-world people, when in fact they are working PR for the company.

But the core argument of those who claim that the Monsanto purchase of Blackwater is not true lies in the fact that we can only officially document Blackwater being hired by Monsanto for years. Immediately following this extensive work that Blackwater did for Monsanto, they sold the company. Because of the nature of how the sale transpired, it is impossible to document who the sale was to. The obvious and logical conclusion to insiders (particularly in the private security industry), however, is that the sale was in fact to Monsanto who had been employing the group.

Xe (now Academi) has, indeed, been purchased, and while there’s no way of DOCUMENTING who the new owners really are, the logical conclusion would be that Monsanto, who had been employing them prior to the sale are the new owners. This, of course, would also make sense of the secrecy surrounding the deal and the identity of the new owners. The company was bought out by private investors via private equity companies that don’t have to divulge any of their dealings, with Bank of America providing much of the $200 million in financing for the deal.

New York-based USTC Holdings said it will acquire Xe and its core operating subsidiaries, but did not disclose the price or terms of the agreement in a statement.

USTC Holdings is an investor consortium led by private equity firms Forte Capital Advisors and Manhattan Partners.

Various researchers have been trying to document the buy via a paper trail, but so far without much luck. That, of course, is the point…

Keeping it private

One thing that is known: Forte Capital Advisors is the baby of long-time Blackwater ally Jason De Yonker:

DeYonker has unique experience with the Company that dates back to its founding in the late 1990s. He advised the Company through development of its early business plan and expansion of the Moyock training facility as well as supporting negotiations of its first training contracts with U.S. government agencies. Between 1998 and 2002, Mr. DeYonker co-managed Xe founder, Erik Prince’s family office which included management of Mr. Prince’s portfolio companies.

What does that mean? The guy is a glorified accountant.


Prior to joining Forté, Jason co-managed a +$100 million family office. In addition to actively managing various platform companies, Jason was a part of the executive team responsible for family wealth management.

Jason has spent the last 18 years advising on various mergers, acquistions and divestitures with an aggregate transaction value greater than $1 billion. Jason’s experience include: transaction advisory, portfolio management, real estate development, venture capital and cross border dealings. Jason began his career with Arthur Andersen Corporate Finance Group, and was a Director in Deloitte & Touche’s Corporate Finance Group. He also was the Finance Director for the West Family Trust, a venture capital group focused on cross-border transactons.

Jason recieved a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a concentration in finance and accounting, from the Univeristy of Michigan.

The other investor? It looks like the very junior partner will be Manhattan Partners, a private equity company – a shop that gathers money from anonymous rich investors and uses the pool of cash to  leverage buyouts of big companies they wouldn’t have been able to take over on their own.

Manhattan Partners invests in “compelling growth and special situation transactions,” but this will be their first known foray into defense industries – WarIsBusiness.com reports (via Spencer Ackerman):

Manhattan Growth Partners is led by Dean Bosacki and Patrick McBride. Bosacki serves on the board of “the world’s largest commencement photography business,” among other companies. Manhattan Growth Partners, which describes itself as “a progressive thinking private equity firm,” also holds a majority interest in Hugo Naturals, a line of organic, vegan-friendly soaps, lotions, scents and soy candles sold at Whole Foods and other greenwashed retailers.

At the end of the day, it would seem the logical conclusion is that in spite of arguments to the contrary, Monsanto in fact did by the Blackwater mercenary group… or at least the renamed Blackwater Xe (now Academi) Services group. The big question now is why?


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All over the world Monsanto and GMO are tied to massive crop failures as industrial agriculture and Monsanto's patented seed controls all the world's food when a nation allows it to enter their country.  This is why Monsanto has needed to become militarized and it is why Bill and Hillary Clinton has had to make the Trans Pacific Trade Pact (TPP) about forcing nations to allow industrial farming into nations signing these pacts.  SEE WHY THE CITIZENS OF THE WORLD ARE FIGHTING THESE TRADE DEALS?

 The American people are relying on nations of the world to force these neo-liberal policies down while US media captures all journalism on this fight against global trade agreements!


Scientists Warn EPA Over Monsanto’s GMO Crop Failures, Dangers

by Anthony Gucciardi
March 12th, 2012
Updated 11/04/2012 at 12:07 am

A group of scientists is calling for major federal action in order to deal with the threat posed by Monsanto’s GMO crops, now petitioning the EPA to address the issue head on. The group of 22 academic corn experts are drawing attention to the immense failure of Monsanto’s genetically modified corn, which is developing mutated and resistant insects as a result of its widespread usage. Corn is critical not only as a food staple, but is heavily used in ethanol production, animal feed, and much more. As GM corn becomes the norm, currently taking over 94 percent of the supply, these scientists are seriously concerned about the future of corn production.

Joseph Spencer is one outspoken member of the group, a corn entomologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, part of the University of Illinois. Spencer states that what is happening is no surprise, instead it is something that needs to be addressed. Warning the EPA over the dangers, the experts sent a letter on March 5th to the agency explaining their worries regarding long-term corn production prospects in light of GMO crops failures. Specifically, the experts are worried about the lack of protection presented by GMO crops against rootworms.

The EPA has already acknowledged that Monsanto’s GMO crops are creating resistant rootworms, which are now ravaging the GMO crops as they mutate to the biopesticide used known as Bacillus thuringiensis (BT). The EPA found that the resistant rootworms, which are evolving to resist the insecticide,  are currently found Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska. After the EPA evaluated documented cases of severe crop damage as well as reports from entomologists, the EPA stated “Monsanto’s program for monitoring suspected cases of resistance is ‘inadequate’”.

Essentially, the GMO crops are doing the opposite of their supposed purpose — leading to more damage from rootworms as they become mutated to resist the defense of the crops. And Monsanto has answered by simply further genetically modifying the Bt, which research shows is extremely ineffective.

“When insecticides overlay transgenic technology, the economic and environmental advantages of rootworm-protected corn quickly disappear,” the scientists wrote.

It’s time for the EPA and other agencies to address the serious threats to nature and human health presented by Monsanto’s genetically modified creations.



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March 10th, 2014

3/10/2014

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We are seeing much research and organizing against Race to the Top and the intent to privatize all of K-college to Wall Street.  If you listen to corporate NPR/WYPR you hear that their sponsors are in fact these corporate education businesses having the goal of being handed our public schools.  As I said, Wall Street is using cities to build the charter structures that will then be expanded across the states and the absurd categorization of charters as 'public' will disappear to the private category in which they now fall.

Unlike what Maryland media and neo-liberals present, teacher's unions across the country as well as university academics are fighting Race to the Top and are succeeding in stopping this Wall Street funded policy.  It will be reversed as will the corporatization of our universities.

IN MARYLAND, BROWN, GANSLER, AND MIZEUR ALL SUPPORT RACE TO THE TOP AND THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT IS EDUCATION PRIVATIZATION.  THEY WILL CONTINUE O'MALLEY'S KILLING OF PUBLIC EDUCATION BECAUSE THEY ARE NEO-LIBERALS.

CINDY WALSH FOR GOVERNOR WILL REVERSE THESE POLICIES BY APPOINTING PEOPLE WHO VALUE STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS!



Parent 'Manhandled', Arrested While Speaking Out Against Common Core At Meeting

www.youtube.comhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBSodYYlYu0

Good for YOU...Cindy Walsh!!!


Please watch this video of a public forum on education by Maryland Department of Education.  The Maryland media passed this protest off as a fringe group of republican voters, but if you look there I am-------as progressive democratic voter can be shouting that the public must have voices in these public policies and not be threatened with jailing for demanding this right.  I told you people in the audience actually said to me that the procedure now was to stand up and shout your views as you walk to the door so security does not throw you out.  THIS IS CRAZY STUFF FOLKS!




Thanks to the AFT for getting in the stop privatization protest.  Please shout out in Maryland as Baltimore is building a template for the
state!
 
Whether it is Parents Across America or PURE in Chicago, these parent groups are helping teachers and academics fight this dismantling of what makes the US a democratic nation.  Why do we not see these groups in Maryland and Baltimore?  The leadership is silent and fearful.  If they had a governor that supported them and not Wall Street-----they would be just as active.

CORPORATE POLS IN MARYLAND USE THE MARYLAND STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION AS AN EXAMPLE OF TEACHERS SUPPORTING RACE TO THE TOP.  YET, BELOW YOU SEE THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS----THE LARGEST UNION HAS NOW SAID ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.


Check out
Cashing in on Kids

and help us spread the word by sharing with your social networks.

American Federation of Teachers


For-profit charter schools that operate in the dark without basic public transparency and without strong public control too often put their bottom line ahead of the public interest
and high-quality public education.


  Is the rapid expansion of charter schools about helping kids learn or about enabling for-profit operators to rake in millions in tax dollars?   Find out.

So, last week, in partnership
with In the Public Interest, the AFT launched the
website Cashing in on
Kids—a one-stop shop for the facts about for-profit
education in
America.

While we are working to reclaim the promise of public education, these for-profit charters are cashing in on kids. Help us call them out.

The site profiles five for-profit charter school operators:

K12 Inc., Imagine Schools, White Hat Management, Academica and Charter
Schools USA.


It identifies several issues that need to be addressed in charter school policy, including public control, equity, transparency and accountability, and it analyzes the impact of profit-taking and privatization in charter schools, where student results are mixed and mismanagement is widespread.

Curious to see how Jeb Bush’s friends are cashing in on kids? Check it out.

We built this site because we want parents, educators and policymakers to be better
informed about the impact of profit, money and private interests in education,
particularly charter schools.

Check out Cashing in on Kids, and help us
spread the word by sharing with your social networks.

In unity,

Randi
Weingarten
AFT President

P.S. Don’t forget to “like” Cashing
in on Kids on Facebook and to follow it on Twitter.

____________________________________________

Chicago is home of these Race to the Top privatizers from Obama and his chief of staff Rahm Emanuel to Obama's Education Secretary of privatizing all that is public education Arne Duncan. So, these brave teacher's unions, parents, and justice groups are fighting for all public education and schools across America......we thank them for their activism!

Baltimore is the Maryland center for building this same platform for privatizing and if left to continue will be expanded across Maryland.  Don't think it will remain in the urban centers!     



Monday, Mar 3, 2014, 7:19 pm

CPS Threatens Teachers Over Standardized Test Boycott

BY Yana Kunichoff Email Print Sarah Chambers, a teacher at Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy, will not be administering the Illinois Standard Achievement Test this year—nor will any of her colleagues at Saucedo. (Chicago Teachers Union)  

Beginning Monday, teachers in schools all across Chicago are expected to sit their third- through eighth-graders down for two weeks of standardized testing. On students’ desks will be the Illinois Standard Achievement Test (ISAT), a state-level assessment that, thanks to the nationwide move to Common Core, won’t have any bearings on school ratings, grade advancement or instructor evaluations this year.

But teachers at Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy and Drummond Thomas Montessori School, which joined the educator-led boycott of the ISAT last week, have declined to participate. Teachers from both schools say they are willing to risk disciplinary action so their students can get two weeks of teaching, not testing.

In response to their decision, Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said in a letter this week that teachers who "advocate against the ISAT on work time"—referring, the Chicago Teachers Union believes, to an instructor boycott—risk disciplinary action. Although teachers say they have not encouraged any students to opt out of the test outright, Byrd-Bennett also wrote, "The State Certification Board may take action to revoke the certification of any employee who encourages a student to boycott the ISAT."

And some administrators have taken part in the pushback, too. In a letter distributed to teachers last week, the principal of Saucedo, Isamar Vargas Colón, wrote, “Failure to conduct yourself in a manner befitting your profession will subject you to serious disciplinary consequences up to and including termination of your employment and possible action by ISBE [Illinois State Board of Education] with respect to your educator’s license.”

In an email to Saucedo teachers sent over the weekend, Colón said she would ask each individual teacher Monday morning whether they would or would not be administering the test. Colón did not respond to requests for comment.

A teacher at Saucedo, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, says the warnings are particularly concerning for the handful of untenured educators at the school.

Overall, it is unclear to what degree CPS will discipline teachers. But the union contract negotiated following the Chicago teachers’ strike in fall 2012 includes a progressive discipline clause, which, among other requirements, forbids an employer from going to the harshest disciplinary action without probation and mandates warnings from employers.

The CTU has said it doesn’t consider the district’s reaction to be an “idle threat,” and is working with lawyers on the best ways to support boycotting teachers. Jesse Sharkey, vice president of the union, called the proposed disciplinary actions “really absurd and harmful.”

Nationwide, there are few precedents for the testing boycott, and none incurred any discipline against participating teachers.

Around the same time last year, teachers at Garfield High School in Seattle—alma mater of Jimi Hendricks and Macklemore—voted unanimously not to administer the standardized Measures of Academic Progress test. Like in Chicago, Garfield teachers had the support of the many parents who had also chosen to opt out their children.

Though teachers at Garfield were initially threatened with a ten-day suspension, the Seattle Public Schools superintendent eventually backed down when several other schools joined the boycott.

In 2002, a group of teachers in Chicago at Curie Metropolitan High School boycotted the Chicago Academic Standards Exam (CASE), despite the risk of losing their jobs, because, they argued, the test took away valuable instruction time.

The test had been an issue of contention for years, and even led to the firing of one teacher who published the test in its entirety in Substance News, a teacher-run education newspaper. Eventually, district administrators, including now-Education Secretary Arne Duncan, agreed to drop the CASE and develop a new test.

Even at schools where the test is still being administered, many students and parents decided to join the boycott. More Than a Score, a national anti-high-stakes-testing group of parents and community groups, says that more than 1,000 students across the city have opted out of the ISAT tests this year. A spokeswoman for CPS confirmed that students who opted out of the test wouldn’t have to take it, but was not able to give a definitive number of opt-outs. 

Teachers, for their part, say the opt-out process was rife with disinformation and confusing signals for students, parents and instructors. In a voicemail message directed to parents and obtained by In These Times, Saucedo principal Colón said, “ISAT testing doesn’t take away two weeks of instruction …  [it] will prepare out students to take next year’s Common Core-aligned questions … also helps our school tailor better instructions.”

These claims have been refuted by Saucedo teachers in their arguments against administering the ISAT: They say the test takes more than two weeks, because teachers must help students prepare for it, and that it does not assist in educational planning in any way.


Zerlina Smith, a Saucedo parent, says she believes the teachers have the students’ best interests at heart; she hopes the ISAT boycott will go down in history as a successful one. “We send our kids to school to learn,” she says. “We put our kids in the hands of these educators, and we have to trust their decisions.”
___________________________________________
NEO-LIBERALS AND REPUBLICANS MAKE A GAME OF FLIPPING BLAME TO EACH OTHER AS BOTH PUSH THE SAME POLICIES OF HANDING ALL THAT IS PUBLIC TO WALL STREET.  DO YOU HEAR ON YOUR MEDIA OUTLET THAT PROTESTS ARE GROWING LARGER AND PROTESTORS ARE NOT THE RIGHT WING REPUBLICANS......NOT THE FAR LEFT DEMOCRATS......IT IS EVERYONE.

PLEASE REMEMBER, RACE TO THE TOP IS A REPUBLICAN POLICY WRITTEN BY CONSERVATIVE THINK TANKS AND CORPORATIONS.  SO, HATING RACE TO THE TOP UNDER NEO-LIBERALS IN CONGRESS AND OBAMA IS NOT HATING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY BECAUSE THESE POLS ARE NOT DEMOCRATS....THEY ARE GLOBAL CORPORATE POLS.  DO NOT VOTE FOR A REPUBLICAN BECAUSE YOU HATE RACE TO THE TOP. 

GEORGE BUSH AND DICK CHENEY WROTE MOST OF COMMON CORE AS A CAPTURE OF DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION.  CHENEY FAMOUSLY SAID HE THOUGHT HISTORY WOULD TREAT HIS ADMINISTRATION KINDLY-----WELL, THAT IS BECAUSE CHENEY AND BUSH WROTE THAT COMMON CORE HISTORY LESSON!


Below you see the groups organizing against this kind of education involve all socioeconomic groups and political leaning.  As this article tells------THIS EDUCATION POLICY SHOULD DECIDE WHO YOU ELECT AS GOVERNOR AND IT IS GOVERNORS PUSHING THESE REFORMS FOR WALL STREET. 

You will hear none of this on Maryland media because Maryland media is captured by Wall Street as are all of the democratic party by neo-liberals.
          
Education Spring ‘Year Of Action’ Revs Up


When President Barak Obama, in his State of the Union address, called for a “year of action,” he probably didn’t have this in mind.

An extensive and diverse coalition of forces opposed to the education policies pushed by his administration, and many state governors, is organizing on an unprecedented scale to spur a variety of protest actions, including street rallies, sit-ins, walk-outs, strikes, boycotts, and disruptive legislative actions and lawsuits.

It’s clear, last year’s emerging Education Spring that revealed a nationwide movement of diverse factions opposed to unpopular education policies has now developed substantial new organizational capacity and a more powerful voice.

The “new populism,” as my colleague Robert Borosage reveals, that is defining the economic debate in 2014 is also firing a new populist movement to reject failed education policy mandates and call for new reforms of our public education system.


“Movements grow,” Borosage reminds us, “only when harsh reality is combined with dedicated organizers and teachers.” Well, the “dedicated organizers and teachers” for a populist education movement have arrived.

Meet The Organizers And Teachers

This week, hundreds of activists are gathering in Austin, Texas for the first annual meeting of the Network for Public Education, a group with a stated opposition to the status quo education policies pushed by federal and state governments, including “high-stakes testing, privatization of public education, mass school closures,” and “for-profit management of schools.”

Headlining the meeting are prominent critics of the nation’s current education policies, including education historian Diane Ravitch, Texas superintendent John Kuhn, and Chicago Teachers’ Union President Karen Lewis. A contingency is expected from a group calling themselves the Bad Ass Teachers Association that has the expressed “aim to reduce excess testing, increase teacher autonomy, and include teacher-family voices in legislative processes.”

This gathering comes on the heels of recent news stories about Testing Resistance and Reform Spring, “a new coalition of national groups,” explains a report in Education Week, that “hopes to bring together a growing number of grassroots boycotts, protests, and petitions aimed at reducing and revamping student testing.”

Valerie Strauss on her blog at The Washington Post explains, “The emergence of the alliance represents a maturing of the grassroots testing resistance that has been building for several years locally in states, including Texas, Florida, New York and Illinois.” This opposition, notes Strauss, contends that the Obama administration has gone beyond the excesses of high-stakes standardized testing mandated by No Child Left Behind legislation under the administration of President George W. Bush.

Among the first actions promoted by TRRS is an event in Denver Colorado, March 28-30, convened by United Opt Out, an organization “dedicated to the elimination of high stakes testing in public education” by advocating for boycotting standardized tests that are used to make “high-stakes” decisions about students, teachers, and schools.

Other events are being planned across the country.

Not to be left out of this new education populism are the students. Student activist Hannah Nguyen writes, “Students all over the United States, from Portland to Chicago to Providence, are tired of feeling powerless when it comes to decisions that affect their education … They’ve begun to organize together, forming student unions and fighting back against threats to their education, such as budget cuts, high stakes testing, and school closings. From mass walkouts and sit-ins to creative street theatre and flash mobs, these students are demanding that their voices be heard.”

Nguyen is widely known from a video that went viral over the Internet showing her taking on former Washington, DC chancellor Michelle Rhee and saying, “I used to stand by reformers, I will admit it, I did. But after seeing the facts, and the data and everything, and my own lived experience, I cannot –  I’m sorry – stand by what you preach if it has to do with high-stakes accountability, this ‘school choice’ … [and] charter schools, and how they push out certain students.”

Nguyen is now involved with the grassroots Students United for Public Education, “a national network of students who are committed to fighting for educational equity in America and to work collectively to organize action that works towards this vision.”


SUPE has worked with other student activists to organize the event EmpowerED: Los Angeles Student Power 2014 on March 29. The meeting claims to be “the first education conference led by students, for students,” drawing student organizers from Chicago, Newark, Portland, Providence, and Baltimore to “work with the student organizers in workshops to build organizing skills, discuss their ideas for education, and collaborate on developing a student power movement in their community.”

This spreading network of activist, organizers, and advocates is accompanied by teacher union activism that pushes the needs of students to the fore.

New Form Of Union Activism Emerges

Along with the grassroots direct action ramping up, a new form of union activism is connecting teachers’ labor grievances to their students’ learning conditions.

Earlier this month, when teachers in Portland, Oregon threatened to strike they made students learning conditions – particularly class sizes – a focal point of their grievances. District administration conceded to “hire 150 teachers to reduce class sizes and teacher workloads,” fewer than the 170 new positions teachers requested, but vastly exceeded the 88 new teacher hires proposed by the district.

When teachers made class size a main rationale for the threatened strike, they drew widespread approval from students and parents in Portland.


Also this month, in St. Paul, Minnesota, when negotiations faltered and the union considered authorizing a strike, the teachers made clear their actions were not over salary and working conditions, but over the students’ learning conditions. Those conditions included, according to a local report, limits on class sizes, less instructional time devoted to testing, increased student-support personnel, and expanded slots in the district’s pre-k program. It’s clear from the report that students and parents vocalized strong support for the teachers’ demands.

When a deal was reached and terms were announced this week, teachers got most of what they wanted: limited class sizes, less time spent on testing, and more consideration of increased student support staff and expanded Pre-k.

Too often in recent times, teacher unions have been portrayed as motivated by the narrow self-interest of their members. But the strategies exemplified by teachers in Portland and St. Paul turned that perception on its head.

Voices Louder, Stakes Higher

A year ago, the nation was roiled by the widespread, unified backlash to top-down education mandates driven by corporate interests, private foundations, and promoters of a market-based philosophy for education. The protests had huge impacts on elections for mayor in New York City and school board in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

This year, the voices of dissent are louder and the stakes are far higher. More states are pausing education mandates and challenging the status quo of high-stakes testing. “Testing season begins soon in U.S. public schools … But this year is filled with tumult,” reports Lindsey Layton for The Washington Post.

State elections this year will determine the fate of three-dozen governors and more than 6,000 legislators. Education, always a more important issue in these local races, could make or break some political contests. No candidate can afford to ignore the new education populism.


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This article shows how a candidate runs as a progressive and then simply serves as a neo-liberal.  Those who follow politics knew de Blasio was a Clinton neo-liberal embracing a few progressive bones to be electable.  Indeed he was elected by a landslide showing what the citizens want.  But, as with Obama, what we elect and what we get are now two different things as it is now OK to lie about platforms.  IT IS GOOD THAT THE OUTPOURING OF VOTERS WAS PROGRESSIVE.  WE SIMPLY NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR CANDIDATES ARE TOO!  You need to look beyond the standard 'progressive issue of the day' that neo-liberals put out to appease the masses......like minimum wage increases.

Baltimore education reform is controlled by Bloomberg and Wall Street through Johns Hopkins and all of this current public schools building fund leverage has to do with exactly the same issues Diane speaks to in the article.  The intent is to hand all of the remodeled schools over to charters having the public paying for the infrastructure for what will become private charter schools run by national chains.  Same thing happening with the MTA privatization of public transportation.

Leveraging school reconstruction of one billion dollars at a time government budgets are strained from the massive corporate frauds of last decade still waiting for justice-----at a time when Wall Street is imploding the economy again-----is simply a plan to have these Wall Street contracts in place so at the time of collapse government default will hand all these schools over to the private investors protected against the crash by CDS....credit default swaps.  HANDING OVER THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS AS THEY ARE FILLING THE SCHOOLS WITH CORPORATE PRIVATE NON-PROFITS CONTROLLING ALL POLICY IN THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS while parents are told this is what they want.

Remember, what is happening in NYC is happening in Baltimore.  You see Cuomo as with O'Malley behind pushing these policies and by no coincidence----they are both running for President in 2016.  NEO-LIBERALS GETTING THE PRESS!

DID YOU KNOW THAT BERNIE SANDERS IS AGAINST THIS PRIVATIZATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND IN FACT VERMONT HAS LITTLE OF THIS POLICY BEING IMPLEMENTED!


THAT IS CORPORATE TOTALITARIANISM AS NOAM CHOMSKY SAYS!


Look for you education news at websites of groups fighting this reform!

Diane Ravitch's Blog: The Big Lie about Mayor Bill de Blasio and Charters



Diane Ravitch March 6, 2014
  • Diane Ravitch's Blog
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  • Bill de Blasio
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The New York City tabloids–whose owners are zealous about charter schools–have whipped up a frenzy against Mayor Bill de Blasio because he did not approve every single charter application rushed through the Bloomberg board at its last meeting in October 2013. That board, which never said no to Mayor Bloomberg, approved an unprecedented 49 charter applications, some of which are co-locations.

A co-location means that a charter, which is operated by a private board of directors, gets public space in a public school. The public school has to surrender “empty” rooms that were previously used for art, music, resource rooms for special education, and any other space that is not considered a classroom. The regular public schools–attended by 94% of all public school children, must be overcrowded to make room for the charters. Because the charters are heavily subsidized by private funding, they typically renovate the space (not good enough for them), and their students have the latest and best of everything. In New York City, the term “academic apartheid” is becoming a reality, in the very same building. In some co-located spaces, the children in the charters have separate entrances, to keep the others out of their space.

De Blasio had to decide what to do with so many co-locations. The city already has 183 charters.

He approved 39 of the 49. He turned down 9, and one is under review.

Let me say that again. He approved 39 of 49. That is hardly anti-charter. In fact, many public school parents are outraged that their schools will now be forced to give up space to a charter that operates under different ownership (private).

Of the 9 that were denied, three were destined for Eva Moskowitz’s charter chain called Success Academy.

But of the 39 that were approved, Eva won three.

Instead of celebrating the addition of three new charter schools to her growing chain (the largest in the city), Eva has gone on the warpath, claiming that de Blasio is anti-charter and wants to hurt the poor black and brown children she serves.

The media do not know that her schools do not serve the same demographic as the children in the public schools. She enrolls fewer children with special needs and fewer English language learners. Her schools have a high suspension and attrition rate.

Her logic seems to be that since she gets high test scores (note the above sentence as one does tend to get high scores by keeping out low-scoring students), she deserves to get whatever space she wants, rent-free.

By that logic, the city should give extra privileges to students with high scores, and should take away space and privileges and programs from those with low scores.

This makes no sense.

Public schools must serve all children, not just those who can get high scores on standardized tests. Public schools must serve children who don’t speak any English. They must serve children who have severe disabilities. They must serve those who have emotional and social problems. They must serve those who have all kinds of problems and who are unwilling or unable to walk in a straight line.

It is sad that Governor Andrew Cuomo threw his political weight on Eva Moskowitz’s side. As governor of the state, he is responsible for all children, not just the precious few in charter schools.

Everyone understands that the hedge fund managers and equity investors are supporting Eva’s fight against de Blasio. He has already annoyed them by saying he wants them to pay a slightly higher tax rate to fund universal pre-kindergarten. The charter school fight gives them a chance to strike back at him, while pretending “it’s all about the kids.” They would like nothing better than to take down New York City’s first progressive mayor in at least 20 years (some one say even longer).

De Blasio has not declared war on charters. He has made a judgment. Many public school parents are angry that he approved 39 out of 49 charter co-locations. Eva and the tabloids think she should have whatever she wants.

The question before the Mayor is whether he will continue to fund a dual school system–one sector able to choose the students it wants–and the other sector serving all. He is trying to have it both ways, and it doesn’t work. He gave the charter lobby almost everything it wanted, and they still came after him as if he had given them nothing at all.

This blog post, which first appeared on the Diane Ravitch's Blog (http://dianeravitch.net) website, has been shared by permission from the author.
Readers wishing to comment on the content are encouraged to do so via the link to the original post.
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For those wanting to know the goal of all of this privatization policy look to conservative and neo-liberal think tanks like Fordham Institute and Brookings Institution where all this policy is written.  You see the goal is online K-12 which falls with the policy of ending teachers in the classroom and having education techs who just facilitate the classroom connection to these online lessons.  Common Core works with this standardization and control of all information content as these few online instructors come to all schools across America.

None of this has to do with quality teachers......what is good for achievement......what is good for developing strong community and business leaders.  It is about building the cheapest model to educate children for specific vocations with tracking determined
by pre-K testing of children.  Businesses will profit off of selling education data.  IT IS ALL ABOUT PROFIT AND CORPORATE EXPANSION OF EDUCATION GLOBALLY.


FOR THOSE REPUBLICANS IN MARYLAND PRETENDING AS THOUGH THEY FEEL THEIR CONSERVATIVE VOTER'S PAIN......ALL OF THESE POLICIES ARE WRITTEN BY WALL STREET IN CONSERVATIVE THINK TANKS.  BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS THE SOURCE OF COMMON CORE AND RACE TO THE TOP. 

So, to stop this we need to shake the neo-liberal bugs from the democratic party rug by running and voting for labor and justice!!!!!


NOTICE YOU WILL NOT HEAR CINDY WALSH FOR GOVERNOR TALKING ON MARYLAND MEDIA ABOUT MY PLATFORM ISSUES.  YOU WILL ONLY HEAR BROWN, GANSLER, AND MIZE


Overcoming the Governance Challenge in K-12 Online Learning



John E. Chubb Fordham Institute February 14, 2012

Michael K. Barbour March 22, 2012 Press Release → Media Citations →

This fifth and final paper in the Fordham Institute’s series examining digital learning policy is Overcoming the Governance Challenge in K-12 Online Learning. The purpose of this report is to outline the steps required to move the governance of K-12 online learning from the local district level to the less restrictive state level and to create a free market for corporate innovation in K-12 online learning. Unfortunately, the report is based on an unsupported premise that K-12 online learning will lead to increased student achievement. The body of research to date suggests that there is no learning advantage for virtual schools. Further, no evidence is presented that supports the wisdom or efficacy of centralizing governance at the state level or that moving to a market model is a superior, productive or economical practice. The recommendation that virtual schools should be funded at the same per-pupil amount as traditional public schools raises the question of profiteering, given Fordham’s claim that virtual schools operate more economically (a claim for which there is limited evidence). This report appears to be ideologically motivated and designed to open up the $600 billion market of K-12 education to for-profit corporations.




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February 26th, 2014

2/26/2014

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FOLKS......PRIVATE MILITARY CONTRACTORS ACTING AS OUR NATIONAL MILITARY AND RECRUITING FOREIGN NATIONALS TO PROTECT US GLOBAL CORPORATE INTERESTS OVERSEAS!!!!!!!  REALLY?????  THESE EMPLOYEES HAVE ALLIANCE TO CORPORATIONS AND NOT THE PUBLIC!  TPP ON STEROIDS.

NEO-LIBERALS HAVE WORKED TO PRIVATIZE THE MILITARY HARDER THAN BUSH/CHENEY.   SO, WHEN YOU LISTEN TO ONE FEEL OUR PAIN AND NOT SHOUTING OUT AGAINST ALL OF THIS POLICY....IT IS PROGRESSIVE PROPAGANDA. 
THEY ARE NOT DEMOCRATS!




Regarding the WYPR's voice out to Van Hollen on military cuts:


HELLO!!!!!!!!  THE PROBLEM IS PRIVATIZATION OF US MILITARY!


'The Clinton administration's "Reinventing Government" initiative promised to downsize it by shifting functions to contractors as a way cut costs and improve efficiency. Later under George Bush, private companies got to compete for 450,000 government jobs, and in 2001, the Pentagon's contracted workforce exceeded civilian DOD employees for the first time'.

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First, I listened to Van Hollen remorse about the treatment of Vets and outraged at this austerity that would have vets with 1% COLA raises each year and no access to health care as premiums, co-pays, and deductibles would keep vets from accessing most care.  Haven't heard Van Hollen say anything about recovering trillions of dollars in defense industry fraud or the dismantling of all that is public with the Veteran's Administration.  Haven't heard a thing from Van Hollen over the suggestion that after freezing wages of teachers and other public sector workers that they too were to get 1% increases, and lastly, Van Hollen said nothing about Social Security monthly payments being gutted of hundreds of dollars because the FED manipulates the inflation numbers to make what is 3-4% inflation look as if it is near zero.  So, Van Hollen is surrounded by people getting only 1% pay raises and yet....it is this one that hurts.

All of this is happening of course in the State of Maryland....Van Hollen's neo-liberal state.  It is neo-liberals who are allowing massive fraud to go without recovery making the public and a manufactured 'austerity' pay down the debt of tens of trillions stolen from the American people.

There is a greater concern in this conversation that Van Hollen is not telling you....the cuts to the defense industry is not only about gutting veterans benefits just as neo-liberals in Maryland are gutting all public sector wealth....it is about the fact that hundreds of thousands more public military staff are being let go.  Remember, I wrote a while ago that today's US military is over 70% private military contractors all of which operate with impunity overseas without government oversight.  The further downsizing of public military troops does not tell Americans the over side of the coin.  Congress passed laws that allow foreign citizens to serve as US military in the nation's where US global corporations have investments so as to protect them overseas.  So, Americans are having fewer and fewer public military troops accountable to them as corporate military contractors protecting corporate interests are taking most of the US military budget and is subsidized by global corporations.  WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THAT?  WELL, YOUR MILITARY NO LONGER WORKS FOR WE THE PEOPLE....IT WORKS FOR CORPORATIONS.  

HOW TPP IS THAT????

Of course Van Hollen knows all of this as he comes on media and feels the pain of vets being thrown under the bus by Obama and neo-liberals after Bush and neo-cons forced them to fight in military tour after tour after tour.....all the time knowing they were going to take all of what was due to these vets.  MARYLAND IS DOING THIS NOW SO THIS IS NOT A REPUBLICAN ISSUE....IT IS NEO-LIBERAL/NEO-CON.  Wouldn't you think the goal of making the US military completely privatized and working for US global corporations would be shouted by democratic pols?  NOT IF THEY ARE NEO-LIBERALS RUNNING AS DEMOCRATS!

Below is a great overview of the goal of transferring our public military over to private military contractors.  You can see how, with no oversight these military contractors are stealing trillions of dollars in fraud and now have more alliance to the global corporation for which it fights than to a sovereign nation called the US.  HOW TPP IS THAT??????  This is a long article so please continue down to the last few articles.





Outsourcing War: The Rise of Private Military Contractors

Contributed by Stephen Lendman on Tue, 2010/01/19 - 6:37pm


In sections:

 
Outsourcing War: The Rise of Private Military Contractors (PMCs) - by Stephen Lendman

In The Prince, Machiavelli (May 1469 - June 1527) wrote:

"The mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous, and if anyone supports his state by the arms of mercenaries, he will never stand firm or sure, as they are disunited, ambitious, without discipline, faithless, bold amongst friends, cowardly amongst enemies, they have no fear of God, and keep no faith with men."

In an August 11, 2009 Global Research article titled, "The Real Grand Chessboard and the Profiteers of War," Peter Dale Scott called Private Military Contractors (PMCs) businesses "authorized to commit violence in the name of their employers....predatory bandits (transformed into) uncontrollable subordinates....representing....public power in....remote places."

True enough. Those performing security functions are paramilitaries, hired guns, unprincipled, in it for the money, and might easily switch sides if offered more. Though technically accountable under international and domestic laws where they're assigned, they, in fact, are unregulated, unchecked, free from criminal or civil accountability, and are licensed to kill and get away with it. Political and institutional expediency affords them immunity and impunity to pretty much do as they please and be handsomely paid for it.

So wherever they're deployed, they're menacing and feared with good reason even though many of their member firms belong to associations like the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA) and the British Association of Private and Security Companies (BAPSC). Their conduct codes are mere voluntary guidelines that at worst subject violators to expulsion.

When IPOA wanted Blackwater USA investigated (later Blackwater Worldwide, now Xe - pronounced Zee) for slaughtering 28 Iraqis in Al-Nisour Square in central Baghdad and wounding dozens more on September 16, 2007, the company left the association and set up its own, the Global Peace and Security Operations Institute (GPSOI), with no conduct code besides saying:

"Blackwater desires a safer world though practical application of ideas that create solution making a genuine difference to those in need (by) solving the seemingly impossible problems that threaten global peace and stability."

Blackwater, now Xe, makes them far worse as unchecked hired guns. Wherever deployed, they operate as they wish, take full advantage, and stay unaccountable for their worst crimes, the types that would subject ordinary people to the severest punishments.

In his book "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army," Jeremy Scahill described a:

"shadowy mercenary company (employing) some of the most feared professional killers in the world (accustomed) to operating without worry or legal consequences....largely off the congressional radar. (It has) remarkable power and protection within the US war apparatus" to practice violence with impunity, including cold-blooded murder of non-combatant civilians.

Employing Mercenaries - A Longstanding Practice

Called various names, including mercenaries, soldiers of fortune, dogs of war, and Condottieri for wealthy city states in Renaissance Italy, employing them goes back centuries. In 13th century BC Egypt, Rameses II used thousands of them in battle. Ancient Greeks and Romans also used them. So didn't Alexander the Great, feudal lords in the Middle Ages, popes since 1506, Napoleon, and George Washington against the British in America's war of independence even though by the early 18th century western states enacted laws prohibiting their citizens from bearing arms for other nations. Although the practice continued sporadically, until more recently, private armies fell out of favor.

Defining a Mercenary

Article 47 in the 1977 Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions provides the most widely, though not universally, accepted definition, based on six criteria, all of which must be met.

"A mercenary is any person who:

(a) is specially recruited locally or abroad in order to fight in an armed conflict;

(b) does, in fact, take a direct part in the hostilities:

(c) is motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a Party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of the Party;

(d) is neither a national of a Party to the conflict nor a resident of territory controlled by a Party to the conflict;

(e) is not a member of the armed forces of a Party to the conflict; and

(f) has not been sent by a State which is not a Party to the conflict on official duty as a member of its armed forces."

This Article's Focus and Some Background

This article covers the modern era of their resurgence, specifically America's use of private military contractors (PMCs) during the post-Cold War period. However, the roots of today's practice began in 1941 in the UK under Captain David Stirling's Special Air Service (SAS), hired to fight the Nazis in small hard-hitting groups. In 1967, he then founded the 20th century's first private military company, WatchGuard International.

Others followed, especially during the 1980s Reagan-Thatcher era when privatizing government services began in earnest. As vice-president, GHW Bush applied it to intelligence, and then defense secretary Dick Cheney hired Brown and Root Services (now KBR, Inc., a former Halliburton subsidiary) to devise how to integrate private companies effectively into warfare.

The Current Proliferation of PMCs

According to PW Singer, author of "Corporate Warriors: The Rise of the Privatized Military Industry:"

Included are companies offering "the functions of warfare....spanning a wide range of activities. They perform everything from tactical combat to consulting (to) mundane logistics....The result is that (the industry) now offers every function that was once limited to state militaries."

Warfare, in part, has been privatized so that "any actor in the global system can access these skills and functions simply by writing a check."

In the 1991 Gulf War, the Pentagon employed one PMC operative per 50 troops. For the 1999 Yugoslavia conflict, it was one for every 10, and by the 2003 Iraq War, PMCs comprised the second largest force after the US military.

They've also been used in numerous civil wars globally in nations like Angola, Sierra Leone, the Balkans throughout the 1990s, Papua New Guinea, and elsewhere. From 1990 - 2000, they participated in 80 conflicts, compared to 15 from 1950 - 1989.

Singer cites three reasons why, combined into "one dynamic:"

1. Supply and demand

Since the Cold War ended in 1991, the US military downsized to about two-thirds its former size, a process Dick Cheney, as defense secretary, called BRAC - Base Realignment and Closure, followed by privatizing military functions. But given America's permanent war agenda, the Pentagon needed help, especially because of the proliferation of small arms, over 550 million globally or about one for every 12 human beings, and their increased use in local conflicts.

2. Changes in the conduct of war

Earlier distinctions between soldiers and civilians are breaking down, the result of low-intensity conflicts against drug cartels, warlords and persons or groups aggressor nations call "terrorists," the same ones they call "freedom fighters" when on their side for imperial purposes.

High-intensity warfare also changed, so sailors aboard guided missile ships, for example, serve along side weapons and technology company personal, needed for their specialized expertise.

In addition, the combination of powerful weapons and sophisticated information technology let the Pentagon topple Saddam with one-fourth the number of forces for the Gulf War. This strategy can be just as effective in other conventional warfare theaters, depending on how formidable the adversary, but it doesn't work in guerrilla wars - the dilemma America faces in Afghanistan, earlier in Iraq and still now as violence there is increasing.

3. The "privatization revolution"

Singer calls it a "change in mentality, a change in political thinking, (a) new ideology that" whatever governments can do, business can do better so let it. The transformation is pervasive in public services, including more spent on private police than actual ones in America. And the phenomenon is global. In China, for example, the private security industry is one of its fastest growing.

By privatizing the military, America pierced the last frontier to let private mercenaries serve in place of conventional forces. Singer defines three types of companies:

1. "Military provider firms"

Whatever their functions, they're used tactically as combatants with weapons performing services formerly done exclusively by conventional or special forces.

2. Military consulting companies

They train and advise, much the way management consulting firms operate for business. They also provide personal security and bodyguard services.

3. Military support firms

They perform non-lethal services. They're "supply-chain management firms....tak(ing) care of the back-end, (including) logistics and technology assistance...." They also supply intelligence and analysis, ordnance disposal, weapons maintenance and other non-combat functions.

Overall, the industry is huge and growing, grossing over $100 billion annually worldwide, operating in over 50 countries. By far, the Pentagon is their biggest client, and in the decade leading up to the Iraq War, it contracted with over 3,000 PMCs, and now many more spending increasingly larger amounts.

A single company, Halliburton and its divisions grossed between $13 - $16 billion from the Iraq War, an amount 2.5 times America's cost for the entire Gulf War. The company profits handsomely because of America's commitment to privatized militarization. More about it below.

Since 2003, Iraq alone represents the "single largest commitment of US military forces in a generation (and) by far the largest marketplace for the private military industry ever."

In 2005, 80 PMCs operated there with over 20,000 personnel. Today, in Iraq and Afghanistan combined, it's grown exponentially, according to US Department of Defense figures - nearly 250,000 as of Q 3, 2009, mostly in Iraq but rising in Afghanistan to support more troops.

Not included are PMCs working for the State Department, 16 US intelligence agencies, Homeland Security, other branches and foreign governments, commercial businesses, and individuals, so the true total is much higher. In addition, as Iraq troops are drawn down, PMCs will replace them, and in Afghanistan, they already exceed America's military force.

According to a September 21, 2009 Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report, as of June 2009, PMCs in Afghanistan numbered 73,968, and a later year end 2009 US Central Command figure is over 104,000 and rising. The expense is enormous and growing with CRS reporting that supporting each soldier costs $1 million annually, in large part because of rampant waste, fraud and abuse, unmonitored and unchecked.

With America heading for 100,000 troops on the ground and more likely coming, $100 billion will be spent annually supporting them, then more billions as new forces arrive, and the Iraq amount is even greater - much, or perhaps most, from supplemental funding for both theaters on top of America's largest ever military budget at a time the country has no enemies except for ones it makes by invading and occupying other countries and waging global proxy wars.

Regulating PMCs

Efforts to do so have been fruitless despite the General Assembly trying in 1989 through the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries. It took over a decade to get the required 22 signatories, but neither
America or other major PMC users were included.

An earlier effort also failed when in 1987 a special UN rapporteur was established to examine "the use of mercenaries as a means of impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination." It was largely ignored, and a 2005 effort won't likely fare better under a working group for the same purpose. Nor will industry associations functioning more for show than a commitment to end bad practices that will always go on as long as rogue firms like Xe and others like it are employed.

Singer noted how PMCs have been involved in some of the most controversial aspects of war - from over-billing to ritual slaughter of unarmed civilians. Yet none of them have ever been prosecuted, convicted or imprisoned, an issue Singer cites in listing five "dilemmas:"

1. Contractual ones - hiring PMCs for their skills, to save money, or do jobs nations prefer to avoid. Yet unaccountability injects a "worrisome layer of uncertainty" into military operations, opening the door to unchecked abuses.

2. PMCs constitute an unregulated global business operating for profit, not peace and security when skilled killers are hired - former Green Berets, Delta Force soldiers, Navy Seals, and foreign ones like the British SAS.

3. Conducting public policy as serious as war through private means is worrisome, including covert operations to avoid official oversight and legislative constraints.

4. Moving private companies into the military sphere creates disturbing gray areas. PMCs can't be court martialed, and international law doesn't cover them. Further, operating in war zones makes them even less accountable as who can prove their actions weren't in self-defense, even against unarmed civilians.

5. Increasing PMC use also "raises some deep questions about the military itself." How do you retain the most talented combat troops when they can sell their skills for far greater pay? Also consider the uniqueness of the military.

"It is the only profession that has its own court system, its own laws; the only profession that has its own grocery stores and separate bases;" its own pensions and other benefits for those staying around long enough to qualify. So what happens when it's transformed into a business with profit the prime motive? Simple - more wars, greater profits. The same idea as privatizing prisons - more prisoners, fatter bottom line.

Another consideration is also worrisome. Given America's imperial ambitions, global dominance, permanent war agenda, and virtual disregard for the law, public distrust is growing for politicians who never earned it in the first place.

Given the Pentagon's transformation since 1991, the number of services it privatized, and America's permanent war agenda, what will conditions be in another decade or a few years? How much more prominent will PMCs be? How much more insecurity will result? How soon will it be before hordes of them are deployed throughout America as enforcers in civilian communities outside of conflict zones, with as much unaccountability here as abroad? What will the nation be like if it happens?

Halliburton/KRB

In his book, "Halliburton's Army: How a Well-Connected Texas Oil Company Revolutionized the Way America Makes War," Pratap Chatterjee describes a company tainted by bribes, kickbacks, inefficiency, corruption and fraud, exploitation of workers as near-slaves, and other serious offenses, yet operates with impunity and sticks taxpayers with many billions of dollars in charges.

Before spun off in 2007, KBR won the bulk of Iraq contracts as part of Halliburton, many of them no-bid. Earlier from 2002 to March 2003, it was involved with the Pentagon in planning the war and its role once it ended - the one co-founder George Brown claimed Lyndon Johnson described in the 1960s as a "joint venture (in which) I'm going to take care of politics and you're going to take care of the business side of it." Fast forward, and nothing's changed.

In a February 19, 2009 article, titled "Inheriting Halliburton's Army," Chatterjee writes how their employees are in "every nook and cranny of US bases in Iraq and Afghanistan," yet stateside operations yield additional billions in revenue. He describes their "shoddy electrical work, unchlorinated shower water, overcharges for trucks sitting idle in the desert, deaths of KRB (its former subsidiary) employees and affiliated soldiers in Iraq, alleged million-dollar bribes accepted by KBR managers, and billions of dollars in missing receipts, among the slew of other complaints" that got wide publicity since the beginning of the Iraq war.

He explains that since it got a 2001 contract to supply US forces in combat theaters, KBR grossed over $25 billion. It then got new contracts under Obama, leading Chatterjee to ask: "How did the US military become this dependent on one giant company?"

Tracing its history since the 1960s, he noted its connection to Lyndon Johnson, its profiteering from the Vietnam War, again under Ronald Reagan, then more under GHW Bush and Dick Cheney, his defense secretary who accelerated the Pentagon's privatization agenda, then headed the company as CEO. Bill Clinton continued it, hiring KBR in 1994 to build bases in Bosnia, later Kosovo, and run their daily operations.

Then under Bush/Cheney, outsourcing accelerated further, so today there's one KBR worker for every three US soldiers in Iraq. They build base infrastructure and maintain them by handling all their duties - feeding soldiers, doing their laundry, performing maintenance, and virtually all other non-combat functions.

Despite its abusive practices, KBR is such an integral part of the Pentagon that Chatterjee asks "could Obama dismiss (its) army, even if he wanted to?" Not at all so expect KRB's $150 billion 10-year LOGCAP contract (the Army's Logistics Augmentation Program - beginning September 20, 2008) to continue, and KBR's army to remain on the march reaping billions from the public treasury as the nation's largest PMC war profiteer.

PMCs Under Obama

In February 2007, Senator Obama introduced the Transparency and Accountability in Military Security Contracting Act as an amendment to the 2008 Defense Authorization Act, requiring federal agencies to report to Congress on the numbers of security contractors employed, killed, wounded, and disciplinary actions taken against them. Referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee, it never passed.

Then in February 2009 as president, Obama introduced reforms to reduce PMC spending and shift outsourced work back to government. He also promised to improve the quality of acquisition workers - government employees involved in supervising and auditing billions of dollars spent monthly on contracts. Even so, PMCs are fully integrated into national security and other government functions, as evidenced by the massive numbers in Iraq and Afghanistan alone.

Earlier, PMCs were at times used in lieu of US forces. As mentioned above, they helped General Washington win America's war of independence. Later the war of 1812, and in WW II the Flying Tigers fought the Japanese for China's Chiang Kai-Shek. In the 1960s and early 1970s, they were prominent nation builders in South Vietnam. From 1947 through 1976, the CIA's Southern Air Transport performed paramilitary services, including delivering weapons to the Contras in Nicaragua in the 1980s.

In 1985, the Army's LOGCAP was a precursor for more extensive civilian contractor use in wartime and for other purposes. It's involved in pre-planned logistics and engineering or construction contracts, including vehicle maintenance, warehousing, base building abroad, and a range of non-combat functions on them.

The Clinton administration's "Reinventing Government" initiative promised to downsize it by shifting functions to contractors as a way cut costs and improve efficiency. Later under George Bush, private companies got to compete for 450,000 government jobs, and in 2001, the Pentagon's contracted workforce exceeded civilian DOD employees for the first time.

In 2002, under Army Secretary Thomas White, the military planned to increase its long-term reliance on contracted workers, a plan known as the "Third Wave" after two earlier ones. Its purposes were to free up military manpower for the global war on terror, get non-core products and services from private sources so Army leaders could focus on their core competencies, and support Bush's Management Agenda.

In April 2003, the initiative stalled when White resigned, among other reasons for a lack of basic information required to effectively manage a growing PMC force, then estimated to be between 124,000 - 605,000 workers. Today, more precise figures are known and for what functions, but a lack of transparency and oversight makes it impossible for the public, Congress, the administration, or others in government to assess them with regard to cost, effectiveness, their services, whether government or business should perform them, and their effect on the nation for good or ill, with strong evidence of the latter.

The 2008 Montreux Document is an agreement obligating signatories with regard to their PMCs in war zones. Seventeen nations ratified it, including America, Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Canada and China, pledging to promote responsible PMC conduct in armed conflicts. Divided in two sections, its first one covers international laws binding on private contractors, explains states can't circumvent their obligations by using them, requires they take appropriate measures to prevent violations, address them responsibly when they do, and take effective steps to prevent future occurrences.

The second section lists 70 practices for helping countries fulfill their legal obligations, including not using PMCs for activities requiring force, implementing effective control, using surveillance and sanctions in case of breaches, and regulating and licensing contracted companies, that in turn, must train their personnel to observe the rules of law.

Given the obvious conflicts of interest, self-regulation won't work. Unchecked, combatant PMCs are accountable only to themselves, operating secretly outside the law - for the Pentagon as an imperial tool.

Given Obama's permanent war agenda and how entrenched PMCs have become, expect little constructive change, save for tinkering around the edges and regular rhetorical promises, followed by new fronts in the war on terror and even greater numbers civilians and soldiers for them.

Then add hundreds more billions diverted from vital homeland needs to enrich thousands of war profiteers, addicted to sure-fire blood money, and expecting plenty more ahead. They'll get it unless enough public outrage demands an end to this madness before it's too late to matter.

Some Final Comments

On January 13 (on antiwar.com), Jeremy Scahill reported that Representative Jan Schakowsky (D. IL and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence member):

"is preparing to introduce legislation (Stop Outsourcing Security Act - SOS) aimed at ending the US government's relationship with Blackwater and other armed contracting companies."

Originally introduced in 2007 but not passed, Schakowsky says:

"The legislation would prohibit the use of private contractors for military, security, law enforcement, intelligence, and armed rescue functions unless the President tells Congress why the military is unable to perform those functions. It would also increase transparency over any remaining security contracts by increasing reporting requirements and giving Congress access to details about large contracts."

Meanwhile on January 12, 2010, a coalition of groups opposed to Blackwater called on Congress to investigate why criminal charges against the company were dismissed on grounds of prosecutorial misconduct. They also want to "pull the funding on war profiteers like Blackwater (and) stop them for good."

It's a tall order given how entrenched they are and expanding. In Haiti, for example, reports say Blackwater is there providing security, an indication perhaps of more contingents to follow, from them and other armed contractors, "authorized to commit violence in the name of their employers."

Stephen Lendman is Research Associate at the Centre for Research on Globalization. He lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.


____________________________________________


As we see both Clinton and now Obama are working as hard as they can to hand almost all of the US military off to private military contractors.  The 'austerity' cuts neo-liberals and neo-cons are using to pay for the massive corporate fraud of trillions of dollars are a continuation of that privatization.  More and more cuts of public troops and what would have been their benefits as more and more private contractor troops are hired overseas.  Your military tax dollars are going to a defense industry budget to pay for the US hiring of African citizens to protect US global corporate interests in Africa.  This isn't just the fight against terrorists....this is the protection of oil fields, banking systems, industrial factories.  This army works for corporations and not me and you.  

I THINK MOST AMERICANS FIND THIS OUTRAGEOUS AND UNACCEPTABLE YET YOU DO NOT HEAR ONE PEEP FROM NEO-LIBERALS!  They simply have to pretend to feel our pain as they work to see this all implemented!  

This article from 2005 does not include Obama as the one above does....but it does show that Clinton era is when this process grew.  It is important to know that as Secretary of State, Hillary moved Bill's military privatization forward with Obama.



DON'T YOU THINK VAN HOLLEN AND MARYLAND POLS WOULD BE SHOUTING OUT ABOUT THIS AS THE PROBLEM!

What do private military contractors do?
Frontline PBS 2005

Doug Brooks, the president of the International Peace Operations Association, an association of private contractors, describes three categories of companies: logistical support firms, private security firms, and private military companies. The private military companies provide combat forces for hire. These types of companies, such as the now-dissolved South African company Executive Outcomes, are rare and none of them are currently operating in Iraq.

+ When did the relationship between private contractors and the military take off?

"You're talking about an industry that really didn't exist until the start of the 1990s," says Peter Singer, the author of Corporate Warriors: The Rise of the Privatized Military Industry. "And since then, it's grown in size, in monetary terms to about $100 billion worth of revenue a year. In geographic terms, it operates in over 50 different countries. It's operated on every single continent but Antarctica."

Singer says three trends coalesced during this time that drove the industry's growth: the end of the Cold War, which led to military downsizing not only in the U.S., but around the world; a global increase in smaller conflicts; and the ideological shift towards privatizing government functions in general. The Pentagon's use of private contractors has increased dramatically between the two Gulf wars: During the first Gulf War in 1991, there were 50 military personnel for every one contractor; in the 2003 conflict the ratio was 10 to 1.

+ How many private security firms are working in Iraq?

No one knows the exact number of private security contractors that rushed into Iraq following the war. In April 2004, in response to a request from Congress, the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) compiled a list of 60 different firms employing a total of 20,000 personnel (including U.S. citizens, Iraqis and third-country nationals).

Before handing over power to the newly elected Iraqi government in January 2005, the CPA established "Memorandum 17," a notice that called for all private security companies operating in Iraq to register by June 1 and established an oversight committee led by Iraq's Ministry of the Interior.

According to Lawrence Peter, a former CPA official and the director of the Private Security Company Association of Iraq, as of June 21, 2005, 37 security contractors have registered with the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior. One is awaiting approval, and at least 18 additional security companies are in the process of registering.

+ Who is employed by the private contracting firms in Iraq?

Here is a breakdown of the numbers:

    50,000 support/logistics contractors
    These are civilians hired by KBR, the Halliburton subsidiary which holds the military's logistical support contract. They work as weathermen, cooks, carpenters, mechanics, etc. Most are from Third World countries and the majority are Filipinos.

    20,000 non-Iraqi security contractors
    Of these, 5-6,000 are British, American, South African, Russian or European; another 12,000 are from Third World countries, such as Fiji, Colombia, Sri Lanka, and India.

    15,000 Iraqi security contractors
    Most of these were hired mainly by the British security firm Erinys to guard Iraq's oil infrastructure.

    40-70,000 reconstruction contractors
    Hired to rebuild Iraq. Some are Iraqis, but they're mostly from the U.S. and dozens of other countries and employed by companies such as General Electric, Bechtel, Parsons, KBR, Fluor and Perini.

+ How much do private contractors get paid?

Money is a prime motivator for those working in Iraq. Guards for private security firms can typically make between $400 and $600 per day. Guards employed by Blackwater, a high-profile American company that guarded Ambassador Paul Bremer, the former head of the CPA, are paid up to $1000 per day.

+ How many contractors have been killed in Iraq?

The exact number is not known; not all companies report casualty numbers. In June 2005, when the film originally aired, Erinys said it had lost three employees on its contract with the Army Corps of Engineers, and an additional 16 employees who were killed guarding Iraqi oil infrastructure. KBR, which employs over 50,000 in the region, told FRONTLINE that 65 of its employees, including 16 truckers, have been killed since the beginning of the war.

Update: In November 2005, Knight Ridder obtained insurance-claim statistics from the Department of Labor and reported 428 civilian contractor deaths and 3,963 other casualties. However, the story quoted two companies -- Halliburton and L-3 Communications -- as saying their casualty figures were higher than those reported by the Labor Department for their companies.

+ Given the continuing violence and dangers facing contractors, are the companies having problems hiring?

So far, no. The private companies can increase salaries to correspond with need, and as yet, there haven't been recruitment problems.

+ What are some advantages and disadvantages of hiring private contractors?

The number one reason cited for using private contractors in Iraq is the same reason driving arguments for privatizing other government functions: Outsourcing saves taxpayer money because private firms in a competitive market can do the job more efficiently and at a lower cost. Critics question how money is saved if firms must pay employees higher wages to attract them to work in Iraq, but defenders point out that a) firms can hire and fire based on a surge capacity; b) that employees from non-Western countries can be paid lower wages; and c) that companies don't have to pay all the long-term benefits that are required of the military.

Critics also argue that financial efficiencies are lost when companies subcontract with other companies, as is typical of the private contractors operating in Iraq.

No definitive studies on the cost-effectiveness of military outsourcing have been done yet.

+ Read more on the debate over cost-effectiveness.

One of the major disadvantages of using private contractors in Iraq is that they operate outside of the military chain of command, with two consequences. First, if a situation becomes too dangerous, individuals can halt operations or break their contracts and leave. For example, after an incident on April 9, 2004, in which a 19-truck KBR convoy was ambushed -- six drivers were killed, one was taken hostage, and one is still missing -- FRONTLINE was told that scores of KBR truckers refused to drive until security improved and hundreds of contractors left the country. For weeks, the military was left with dwindling stores of ammunition, fuel and water.

+ Read this July 2005 GAO report on the continuing challenges in getting capable private security contractors, coordinating their working relationship with the U.S. military and tracking the costs of these forces. (pdf file)

Another consequence of contractors being outside the military command structure is the lack of coordination on the battlefield. As Steven Schooner, an expert in government contracting, explains, "[Contractors and the military] don't communicate in the same networks. They don't get the same intelligence information. And so, when things begin to develop quickly, there's an awful lot of people around with weapons who have important tactical responsibilities who don't have the same information and aren't getting the same messages from the tactical leadership." This problem was evident on March 31, 2004, when four contractors working for the private security firm Blackwater were ambushed and killed while escorting a convoy in Fallujah. Marine Col. John Toolan, who at the time was in command of the region including Fallujah, told FRONTLINE that not only did he not know the Blackwater contractors were in the area, but that their deaths forced him to set aside his initial strategy for quelling the insurgency in the area when he was forced to invade the city and find the killers.

In order to remedy the coordination problem, the CPA contracted with another private security firm, the British company Aegis, to coordinate and track all the security teams operating in Iraq through a Reconstruction Operations Center (ROC). But participation is voluntary and because they want to maintain their competitive advantage in the marketplace, some companies are loathe to share information with another company. A July 2005 report from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the ROC had improved coordination between the military and the security contractors, but it also suggested two problems remain. First, there were still incidents when security personnel approached military convoys or checkpoints, and second, upon deployment to Iraq, many military personnel were not aware of security personnel operating within the country.

+ Is the use of private contractors leading to a "brain drain" from the U.S. military?

This is an argument of some critics, who say private security firms are poaching highly trained Special Forces soldiers with salaries that are two to four times what they can earn in the military. According to a report from the British-American Security Information Council, "Reportedly, exhausted American and British Special Forces personnel are resigning in record numbers and taking highly-paid jobs as private security guards in Iraq and Afghanistan." The Pentagon has responded by offering cash bonuses of up to $150,000 for Special Forces to reenlist.

Brooks of the IPOA acknowledges that the industry's growth has created a new market for Special Forces soldiers. However, he argues that the temporary nature of the security industry is unlikely to draw those who didn't already want to leave the military. "How long is Baghdad going to last? How long is there going to be demand for these services? It's not a career-ending decision," he says. "You have to think if you're about ready to leave Special Forces it makes sense. If you're in it for a career, then there's no point in leaving just to do one or two years of personal security work.

+ What is the legal status of private contractors in Iraq? Are they accountable under U.S. or Iraqi law?

One of the real problems in regulating all private contractors is their somewhat ambiguous legal status. As Singer wrote in a March 2005 article in Foreign Affairs, "Although private military firms and their employees are now integral parts of many military operations, they tend to fall through the cracks of current legal codes, which sharply distinguish civilians from soldiers. Contractors are not quite civilians, given that they often carry and use weapons, interrogate prisoners, load bombs and fulfill other critical military roles. Yet they are not quite soldiers, either."

In June 2003, the Coalition Provisional Authority handed down Memorandum 17, which grants foreign contractors immunity from Iraqi law while working within the boundaries of their contracted tasks. The memo placed private contractors under the legal authority of the workers' home countries. In June 2004, one day before the CPA transferred sovereignty in Iraq to the interim Iraqi government, Paul Bremer signed a revised version of Memorandum 17, which stipulates that the rule remain in effect until multinational forces are withdrawn from Iraq or until it is amended by Iraqi lawmakers.

U.S. government contracts worth $50 million or more with private companies must be reported to Congress, and the companies must comply with the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which regulates the import and export of arms material and services. But, for example, of the 60 known private security companies operating in Iraq, only eight worked directly for the CPA; the rest are subcontracted to provide protection for the primary contractors or even other subcontractors. When companies are not contracted directly to the government, they are accountable only to the contractor whom employs them.

Companies that contract with the Pentagon are required to follow a set of rules known as the Defense Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). DFARS governs all aspects of contract enforcement, from accounting procedures to use of government property, and contains a section on "Contractor Standards of Conduct" covering proper behavior and a hotline for reporting improper conduct. DFARS was amended on June 6, 2005, to hold contractors working to provide support to U.S. forces deployed overseas accountable under U.S. and international laws as well as those of the host country. It also permits contractors to carry weapons at the discretion of the military commander.

American private contractors are also subject to the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA), which allows for the prosecution of civilians employed by or accompanying the military while overseas and was signed by President Bill Clinton in October 2000. MEJA has been criticized for loopholes, which came to attention after reports surfaced of abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison. Although private contractors stand accused in a series of lawsuits filed in U.S. courts by former detainees, the companies might not be liable under MEJA because the law deals only with contractors employed by the Department of Defense. As of June 2005, the only person to be prosecuted under MEJA was Latasha Lorraine Arnt, who in February 2005 was sentenced to eight years in prison for killing her husband, a military policeman stationed at a U.S. Air Force Base in Turkey.

+ Have any contractors been prosecuted for misbehavior in Iraq?

No, according to Peter Singer. However, there have been civil lawsuits filed against some of the PMCs; for example, the families of the four Blackwater guards killed in Fallujah are suing for wrongful death.

+ What about allegations against Halliburton/KBR?

KBR has inspired a cottage industry of critics charging undue political influence -- as its parent company Halliburton was formerly run by Vice President Dick Cheney -- and financial fraud. The company has been the subject of numerous audits: One by the U.S. Government Accountability Office of dining hall costs for one four-month period alleges KBR charged $88 million for meals it never served. And Pentagon audits allege that KBR overcharged $212 million for fuel and billed the government $1.8 billion in other unsupported costs. The Pentagon terminated the fuel contract. As for meals, KBR says workers prepared food that just wasn't consumed. And the unsupported $1.8 billion, they say, is a paperwork issue that's being resolved.

But for all the controversy, there are many in Wall Street and in Washington who believe KBR is making only a slim profit, and that they've simply been overwhelmed by the military's needs and failed to adequately track costs.


________________________________________________

You can see why neo-liberals paint Kirsten Gillibrand as the next Hillary.....SHE IS AS NEO-LIBERAL AS IT GETS.  THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL PARTY/NEO-LIBERALS MEDIA LOVES GILLIBRAND!  

Remember, it is Harry Reid as Senate leader who appoints the heads of these committees.  You do not have a raging privatization without these people.



United States Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel
From Wikipedia,


    Kirsten Gillibrand, New York, Chairwoman
    Kay Hagan, North Carolina
    Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
    Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
    Tim Kaine, Virginia
    Angus King, Maine[1]

    

    Lindsey Graham, South Carolina, Ranking Member
    Saxby Chambliss, Georgia
    Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire
    Roy Blunt, Missouri
    Mike Lee, Utah

Ex officio

    Carl Levin, Michigan
********************************************

SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE.

Majority     

    Carl Levin, Michigan, Chairman
    Jack Reed, Rhode Island
    Bill Nelson, Florida
    Claire McCaskill, Missouri
    Mark Udall, Colorado
    Kay Hagan, North Carolina
    Joe Manchin, West Virginia
    Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire
    Kirsten Gillibrand, New York
    Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
    Joe Donnelly, Indiana
    Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
    Tim Kaine, Virginia
    Angus King, Maine[2]

***************************
If you know Pelosi  and Hoyer are neo-liberals and the DCCC is controlled by neo-liberals .....you know Van Hollen is right there.  Now, if you were on the House Budget Committee and Deficit REduction Committee the first thing you would do as a democrat...

SHOUT LOUDLY AND STRONGLY THAT ALL OF THE NATIONAL DEBT WAS CREATED BY MASSIVE CORPORATE FRAUD AND RECOVERY OF THAT FRAUD WILL PAY THE ENTIRE NATIONAL DEBT.

Just because a pol is a nice guy or gal....doesn't mean they are working for you and me.
  These pols can use their platforms to protect the American people from TPP


Chris Van Hollen
From Wikipedia

Christopher "Chris" Van Hollen, Jr. (born January 10, 1959) is the U.S. Representative for Maryland's 8th congressional district, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Montgomery County, an affluent suburban county adjacent to Washington, D.C., as well as portions of Carroll and Frederick counties. He is an alumnus of the Kodaikanal International School, a very prestigious school in southern India.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi created a new leadership post, Assistant to the Speaker, in 2006 so that Van Hollen could be present at all leadership meetings. After the Democrats regained control of the House in the 2006 elections, Van Hollen became the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the fifth-ranking position among House Democrats. In this post, Van Hollen was responsible for leading efforts to get more Democrats elected to Congress.

After the Democratic losses in 2010, Van Hollen did not run for re-election to chair of the DCCC. Van Hollen instead chose to run for the top Democratic spot on the House Budget Committee, which was being vacated by outgoing chairman John Spratt who had been defeated for re-election. Van Hollen was elected as the ranking member on the Budget Committee on November 17, 2010. Pelosi appointed him to the 12-member bipartisan Committee on Deficit Reduction with a mandate for finding major budget reductions by late 2011.
0 Comments

February 17th, 2014

2/17/2014

0 Comments

 
WHEN YOU HEAR OR SEE TERMS LIKE --------NEW ECONOMY, 21ST CENTURY ECONOMY, THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION AND 'CENTER' POLITICS, MOVING FORWARD AS A CAMPAIGN SLOGAN, JOHNS HOPKINS DEVELOPMENT.....

THIS IS ALL TPP-------WE HAVE ALL THE MONEY AND NOW WE ARE BUILDING GLOBAL CORPORATE RULE. ALL OF MARYLAND POLS ARE NEO-LIBERALS AND MARYLAND IS FIRST IN INSTALLING TPP. IT IS ALL ILLEGAL!




Regarding Maryland's ranking as first in implementing TPP:

As I posted in my last blogs, all of the policies passed by Obama and Congress are tied to the TPP. Getting rid of regulation in public education and health by privatization......ignoring all laws for immigrants as the Immigration Bill readies the Congress for a flood of immigrants each year into every state.

NO ENFORCEMENT OF RULE OF LAW SO NO ONE IS PROTECTED FROM THE ABUSES OF CORPORATE FRAUD AND CORRUPTION ESPECIALLY THOSE IMMIGRANTS BEING LURED TO MARYLAND AND THEN LEFT TO WAGE THEFT AND WORKPLACE ABUSE.

So, as you political pundit and politicians pretending to be progressive in passing these laws knew then and now that all this was in preparation of TPP, I remind people that my blog talked of this for 4 years.

EVERYONE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS KNEW ALL OF THIS WAS TPP. THIS IS WHY PUBLIC MEDIA WAS HANDED TO CORPORATIONS IN 2010.....SO FREE PRESS IN AMERICA WOULD NOT ALLOW AMERICANS TO KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THE WORLD KNOWS.....AMERICANS DO NOT BECAUSE OF CORPORATE/STATE CAPTURED MEDIA.

I am already hearing the laments of all those 'progressive' leaders......WE DIDN'T KNOW!!!!!.....and O'Malley and all of the current candidates for governor in Maryland all knew and participated in making Maryland tops in global corporate tribunal rule. Fraser Smith sounded confused over Maryland's ranking on top of Hispanic deportations even as Maryland is ranked on top for immigrant abuse and indentured status.

The important thing to remember is that all of this is reversible. You won't hear it on public media NPR/APM, but all of this is illegal and a COUP against the US Constitution and politicians allowing all of this suspension of Constitutional rights and law go unenforced are indeed acting criminally. If you look at the article below, you will see a picture of Obama and Eric Holder as the face of TPP and ending US Constitution and Rule of Law. Remember, it is the states that allow all of this Federal dismantling to occur. It is Maryland Congress people who are silent as they do the deed.....it is Maryland's O'Malley and Attorney General Gansler who suspends Rule of Law and pushes all the TPP policies through a willing Maryland Assembly. WHEN A GOVERNMENT SUSPENDS RULE OF LAW IT SUSPENDS STATUTES OF LIMITATION.

NEVER ONCE DID YOU HEAR ANY OF THIS IN US MEDIA WHILE OVERSEAS....THE MEDIA WRITES OF THE DECLINE OF AMERICA TO THIRD WORLD AUTOCRACY.

As you see US rankings in yet another democratic freedom falls between Haiti and former USSR satellite Romania.

REMEMBER, YOU ARE ONLY HEARING ALL THIS NOW BECAUSE ALL OF THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE!



US Plummets In Press Freedom Rankings


The Huffington Post | by Jack Mirkinson

Posted: 02/12/2014 7:09 am EST Updated: 02/12/2014 9:59 am EST Huffington Post




America Press Freedom Index Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index US Press Freedom Index Media News

The United States plunged 14 places in the annual Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders on Wednesday. The group said it was "one of the most significant declines" in press freedom it had tracked during 2013.

The US in now ranked 46th on the RWB list, in between Romania and Haiti. It was ranked 32nd in the 2013 index. (Finland tops the entire list.)

The press freedom group was blunt in its explanation. It cited increased efforts to track down whistleblowers and the sources of leaks, mentioning Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden in particular. It also condemned the Justice Department's surveillance of reporters, and the continued leak battle facing New York Times journalist James Risen.

RWB also criticized the United Kingdom for what it said were its "disgraceful" threats against the Guardian newspaper, and for its detention of Glenn Greenwald's partner, David Miranda.

"Both the US and UK authorities seem obsessed with hunting down whistleblowers instead of adopting legislation to rein in abusive surveillance practices that negate privacy, a democratic value cherished in both countries," the group wrote.

The decision by RWB to rank the UK 13 places higher than the US, at 33, drew a great deal of skepticism from many in the media:

The US also came under fire from the Committee to Protect Journalists, which, in its annual Attacks on the Press report, said that press freedom had "dramatically deteriorated" in 2013.

The US was 20th on the list just a few years ago. It fell 27 places in the 2012 index thanks to the harassment and arrest of journalists covering Occupy Wall Street, before climbing 15 places in 2013.

Read the full RWB report here.

___________________________________________

I was sitting in Baltimore in a cafe while at the table next to me a very LOUD telephone conversation was taking place. It was relevant to this conversation because the person talking was telling the other NOT TO LET ANYBODY KNOW ABOUT A PROJECT CONTRACTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT WANT ANYONE TO KNOW UNTIL AFTER THE PROJECT IS DONE.

This man was a Federal employee of a decade or more talking with his son, a fresh PhD now working as a government contractor on a project. The son wanted to share with everyone his accomplishments and connections but the father knew that the Federal government would not hire him again if anyone knew what that project was. Now, this was not necessarily classified information.....it was simply public policy that moved the US from domestic to global corporate structure.

SEE WHAT SNOWDEN MEANT WHEN HE SAID THAT THE PUBLIC DESERVED TO KNOW! IT IS HISTORIC VISIGOTH RAIDING OF OUR US GOVERNMENT AND ALL MONEY AND ASSETS!

I met with the same attitude a few years ago by simply trying to do research at University of Maryland Library. This is a state institution that all citizens have a right to know how it is being run. I went there and asked for access to the databank that had all of the negotiations involving the merger of Baltimore's U of M campus with College Park. The librarian was aghast that I would think there would be a database and even more so that the public would have access to it. IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS JUST ASK ME AND I WILL CHECK ON IT!

This is what a totalitarian government looks like. As people in Baltimore and Maryland know, that is how all public policy works. The public is no longer in the loop of public policy-making because all policy is written by corporate power and handed to us by neo-liberals working for that corporation. Same with the Federal government. We now know that NSA is Wall Street and we know all of the Federal outsourcing of public agency work has ended all public sector. Wall Street has been working to take over state and local government for these few decades and that is what O'Malley and Rawlings-Blake represent. Like the idea of minimum wage increase? It is all a con because TPP does not allow enforcement of labor law if it takes from corporate profit.
NEO-LIBERALS AND NEO-CONS ARE GLOBAL CORPORATE POLITICIANS. THE MEDIA'S 'CENTER' IN POLITICS IS THIS GLOBAL CORPORATE RULE.




Restoring Transparency to Automated Authority


Frank Pasquale, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

Article
Publication Date

2011


Leading finance, health care, and internet firms shroud key operations in secrecy. Our markets, research, and life online are increasingly mediated by institutions that suffer serious transparency deficits. When a private entity grows important enough, it should be subject to transparency requirements that reflect its centrality. The increasing intertwining of governmental, business, and academic entities should provide some leverage for public-spirited appropriators and policymakers to insist on more general openness.

However well an "invisible hand" coordinates economic activity generally, markets depend on reliable information about the practices of core firms that finance, rank, and rate entities in the rest of the economy. Brandishing quasi-governmental authority to determine which enterprises are funded and found, they need to be held to a higher standard than the average firm.
Journal

____________________________________________

When Mayor Rawlings-Blake keeps telling the public that deals and contracts the city entered on behalf of the Baltimore Development Corporation are confidential and as we know full of fraud and corruption.....this is what handing our public sector over to private partnerships does. IT ENDS DEMOCRACY AND CITIZEN'S RIGHTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS DEMOCRACY. THIS IS WHAT TPP DOES AND MARYLAND HAS ALREADY IMPLEMENTED TPP.

All of Maryland's pols are neo-liberals who have worked to create this environment and they did it knowing all of it ended democracy and all of it was illegal. IT IS A COUP ON THE US CONSTITUTION AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. Just because media is only now letting us know as the groundwork is laid.....WE CAN AND WILL REVERSE THIS BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL.



Reporters Committee of Freedom of the Press

Other bodies to which governmental or public functions are delegated.

Although the entity may have a public purpose (i.e., carrying out an advisory or quasi-legislative function), it is not subject to the Act unless it is a public body as defined by the state. § 10-502(h). Thus, for example, a University of Maryland task force that was not created by a rule, resolution, or bylaw of the Board of Regents of the University, but was created as an investigatory body wholly under the province of the Chancellor was not a public body subject to the Act. A. S. Abell Publishing Co. v. Board of Regents, 68 Md. App. 500, 514 A.2d 25 (1986). Section 10-502(h)(2) expands the definition of public bodies to include any multimember board, commission, or committee appointed by the governor or comparable local chief executive that includes at least two individuals not employed by the state or a local jurisdiction. § 10-502(h)(2).


___________________________________________
Now, you will hear all kinds of republican groups calling what Obama is doing a COUP against the Constitution, but remember, Obama is simply continuing George Bush policy....so, the very republicans pretending to hate this constitutional attack are the ones behind it as well. THIS IS THE NEO-CON/NEO-LIBERAL 'CENTER' CORPORATE NPR/APM TELLS US IS GOOD.

Ellsberg is of course speaking of the takeover of all of the US CIA/FBI/NSA services by Wall Street and the categorization of everything as classified.....just as with the local Rawlings-Blake/Baltimore Development Corporation deals. NONE OF THIS IS CLASSIFIED.....IT IS SIMPLY A TAKEOVER OF ALL THINGS PUBLIC. Remember, Congress cannot pass laws knowing they are illegal. For example, Congress cannot pass a law that says Congress people cannot be charged with insider trading for goodness sake. Only governments in Africa pass that kind of law. The Supreme Court cannot re-write the US Constitution by pretending to be 'interpreting' it in ways that completely negate what the Constitution says.

WE THE PEOPLE ARE CITIZENS WHO WRITE THE LAWS OF THE COUNTRY. WE THE PEOPLE ARE GUARANTEED BILL OF RIGHTS. WE THE PEOPLE ARE PROTECTED EQUALLY UNDER LAW......PERIOD




Ellsberg: A Coup Against the Constitution
TheRealNews

Published on Jun 15, 2013

Daniel Ellsberg, the man who released the Pentagon papers, says the FISA court is a sham and warrantless wiretapping, which has being going on for years before 9/11, is a violation of the US Constitution no matter what law Congress passes.

______________________________________________
Try as I might to take any of this to court or to get the Maryland Attorney General's office to pursue these issues.....which is in fact what they should be doing.....I CANNOT GET ANY PUBLIC JUSTICE ORGANIZATION TO PURSUE WHAT IS A COUP AGAINST THE US CONSTITUTION.

The article below shows that a huge number of law school graduates are unemployed and law schools are no longer offering anything other than corporate/international law. REMEMBER, GLOBAL MARKETS ARE DEAD.

THE CITIZENS OF THE WORLD HAVE FOUND GLOBAL MARKETS AND NAKED CAPITALISM FILLED WITH FRAUD AND CORRUPTION AND NOT CONDUCIVE WITH DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES. SO, THIS ATTEMPT TO END ALL DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES LIKE RULE OF LAW IN THE US MUST BE REVERSED!




Equal Protection Of The Law

n. the right of all persons to have the same access to the law and courts and to be treated equally by the law and courts, both in procedures and in the substance of the law. It is akin to the right to due process of law, but in particular applies to equal treatment as an element of fundamental fairness. The most famous case on the subject is Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) in which Chief Justice Earl Warren, for a unanimous Supreme Court, ruled that "separate but equal" educational facilities for blacks were inherently unequal and unconstitutional since the segregated school system did not give all students equal rights under the law. It will also apply to other inequalities such as differentials in pay for the same work or unequal taxation. The principle is stated in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution: "No State shall…deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."


___________________________________________

This is because all of the public sector has been gutted with naked capitalism and neo-liberalism ending all regulatory and public justice because corporate profits come first. ALL MARYLAND POLS ARE NEO-LIBERALS. THEY ARE NOT THE EXCEPTION AND YOU KNOW BECAUSE MARYLAND IS THE BIGGEST GLOBAL CORPORATE RULE IN THE COUNTRY.

So, Maryland's unemployment above 36% as Economic Policy Institute let's us know is based on this gutting of the public sector and public justice. All that needs be done is reverse this by running and voting for REAL PROGRESSIVE LABOR AND JUSTICE CANDIDATES IN ALL PRIMARIES BUT ESPECIALLY MARYLAND/CITY ATTORNEY. So far.....ALL OF THE CANDIDATES ARE CRONY AND NEO-LIBERAL. Remember, the first thing Mizeur said when she announced was that she would continue the public private partnerships that end the public sector and she said she would continue all the leveraging Wall Street bond debt for development-----THIS IS NEO-LIBERAL. It does not matter if she pretends to support a few progressive bones. If she pushes TPP-----none of those laws will be enforced!



June 7, 2012
Unemployment Among Recent Law Graduates Is as Bad as It's Ever Been

By Katherine Mangan

The employment rate for recent law-school graduates has fallen to its lowest level since 1994, according to figures released on Thursday by the National Association for Law Placement. Only 85.6 percent of 2011 graduates whose employment status was known had jobs nine months after leaving law school.

That rate, which has declined every year since 2008, was two percentage points below the previous year's employment level. The figure is based on data submitted by schools and includes graduates working part time and in jobs that don't require a law degree. (Recently, more than a dozen law schools have been sued and 20 more threatened with legal action over their allegedly inflated job-placement rates.)

According to a report from the association, only 65.4 percent of the 2011 graduates who reported their employment status were working in positions for which they had to pass a bar examination. More than nine percentage points below the 2008 rate, that proportion is the lowest the association has ever measured.

"For members of the Class of 2011, caught as they were in the worst of the recession, entering law school in the fall of 2008 just as Lehman Brothers collapsed ... the entry-level job market can only be described as brutal," the association's executive director, James G. Leipold, said in a written statement.

"When this class took their LSAT's and applied for law school, there were no signs that the legal economic boom was showing any signs of slowing," he said, "and yet by the time they graduated, they faced what was arguably the worst entry-level legal-employment market in more than 30 years."

Fewer than half of the employed graduates were in private practice, a share that has also been steadily declining.

The only glimmer of good news in the report was Mr. Leipold's suggestion that the job market may have bottomed out and might begin creeping up over the next few years.

The shrinking job market and declining applications have prompted some law schools to cut their incoming class sizes, while others have moved ahead with plans to expand.



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February 05th, 2014

2/5/2014

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I wanted to take today to look at what many people will consider dry and boring.....yet it is what makes you and I citizens.....civics 101 is knowing your Constitution and what your elected officials are legally bound to do in your name.  What I have shown is that none of this is happening at the Federal, state, or local level. 

YOU CANNOT BE A CITIZEN IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THE CONSTITUTION AND DO NOT HOLD YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE.  STOP BEING A COUCH POTATO.....WAKE UP.....AND GET ENGAGED!!!!!


Regarding Maryland acting as if TPP is already in force:

Now that everyone knows that neo-liberals have as a goal to end national sovereignty and create a system of City States in the US with global corporations running these fiefdoms......Johns Hopkins obviously being the Medici of our region, its good to know all of this can and will be reversed as all of it was built with a suspension of Rule of Law, Equal Protection under Law, and elections of politicians knowing acting against the public's interest....politicians are public servants required to work in the public's interest our they are committing public malfeasance.


Today I would like to give a brief civics lesson on State Constitutions to show how the state of Maryland politics today has absolutely no legal and Constitutional standing as public officials are openly allowing massive fraud and corruption permeate the business and government systems in the state and where all public policy is now written by corporate interests in the guise of quasi-governmental organizations I am sure are not legal in and of themselves.  The public has been locked out of public debate, writing public policy, and even have private corporate-run non-profits running our communities.  NONE OF THIS IS LEGAL------IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL -------AND THE PUBLIC ASSETS AND WEALTH BEING LOST THROUGH THE NEGLECT OF RULE OF LAW CAN AND WILL COME BACK.

What this means is that Johns Hopkins does not get to run the Baltimore region.  It does not get to write law, to have politicians hand all that is public into the hands of Johns Hopkins, or to openly allow massive fraud and corruption keep we the people and our government coffers empty.  ALL OF THIS IS ILLEGAL AND CAN BE REVERSED.

So, Johns Hopkins as VEOLA ENVIRONMENT taking control of water and waste......Johns Hopkins as Port of Baltimore taking all control of Inner Harbor commerce.....Johns Hopkins as public health taking control of all health care administration with no public transparency or input ................ Johns Hopkins taking control of all public education and schools with corporatization policy that sends profit directly to Hopkins-related education businesses........and Johns Hopkins as solicitor and installer in chief of national private corporate non-profits taking control of all aspects of public policy with directors in place to support all policy moved by the Hopkins-run Baltimore Development Corporation.


FOLKS......IT LOOKS AS IF IT IS DAUNTING TO TAKE CONTROL BACK FROM WHAT WE CAN A GREAT BLOOD-SUCKING SQUID WITH TENTACLES AROUND EVERYTHING.....BUT IT IS EASY PEASY.

All we have to do is break up the political machines in Baltimore and Maryland that keep these henchmen and women in office allowing all of this consolidation and control to be taken.  ALL OF MARYLAND'S POLS ARE NEO-LIBERALS...THEY ARE NOT DEMOCRATS AND WE SIMPLY NEED TO RUN AND VOTE FOR LABOR AND JUSTICE IN ALL ELECTIONS.....STOP ALLOWING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY MACHINE IN THE STATE TO CHOOSE YOUR CANDIDATES WHILE IT IS CONTROLLED BY NEO-LIBERALS!

THESE POLITICIANS ARE SWORN TO SERVE THE PUBLIC!


You do not need to be a rocket scientist to know that handing all that is public to consolidated private hands at great loss to the public and a suspension of Rule of Law with no public justice is NOT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND ALL CONTRACTS SIGNED UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE NULL AND VOID.  So, handing the Port of Baltimore and all its tens of billions in profit once coming to the state and now going to HighStar's leading shareholder Johns Hopkins.....NOT LEGAL.
NO CONTRACT DOING THAT IS LEGAL.

Handing all of the region's water and waste to VEOLA ENVIRONMENT with HighStar's leading shareholder Johns Hopkins ........NOT LEGAL.  NO CONTRACT DOING THAT IS LEGAL.

Billions of dollars lost to the State of Maryland and City of Baltimore from massive and systemic fraud and corruption for years and years.....NO STATUTES OF LIMITATION BECAUSE GOVERNMENT SUSPENDED RULE OF LAW AND EQUAL PROTECTION.


Now, if you look at Maryland's


WIKILEAKS
Malfeasance in office, or official misconduct, is the commission of an unlawful act, done in an official capacity, which affects the performance of official duties. Malfeasance in office is often grounds for a for cause removal of an elected official by statute or recall election.

The Maryland Constitution's Requirement to take the Oath of Office

and The Actual Oath of Office Public Servants in Maryland are Required to Take

Article 1, Elective Franchise

SEC. 9. Every person elected, or appointed, to any office of profit or trust, under this Constitution, or under the Laws, made pursuant thereto, shall, before he enters upon the duties of such office, take and subscribe the following oath, or affirmation: 

I, _______________, do swear, (or affirm, as the case may be), that I will support the Constitution of the United States; and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the State of Maryland, and support the Constitution and Laws thereof; and that I will, to the best of my skill and judgment, diligently and faithfully, without partiality or prejudice, execute the office of ________________, according to the Constitution and Laws of this State, (and, if a Governor, Senator, Member of the House of Delegates, or Judge,) that I will not directly or indirectly, receive the profits or any part of the profits of any other office during the term of my acting as ___________ (originally Article I, sec. 6, renumbered by Chapter 681, Acts of 1977, ratified Nov. 7, 1978).




Statutory Law Listing Which Public Servants Must Take This Oath

§ 16-102. State Government

(a)  The oath prescribed by Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution shall be taken and subscribed before the Governor by:

(1)  the Adjutant General;
(2)  the Attorney General;
(3)  the Comptroller;
(4)  the judges of the Court of Appeals and their clerks;
(5)  the judges of the Court of Special Appeals and their clerks;
(6)  the Secretary of State;
(7)  the State Reporter; and
(8)  the Treasurer.

(b)  On or as soon as practicable after the third Monday of January next after the election for Comptroller, the successful candidate for that office shall qualify by taking the oath prescribed by Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution.

(c)  The Secretary of State shall maintain a book that records the oaths taken and subscribed under this section.

And, yes, the Governor must take the same oath:


§ 16-101. State Government

(a)   The Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall take and subscribe the oath prescribed by Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution:

And Many Other Public Servants Must Take This Oath, as well

§ 16-105. State Government

Except for an officer specified in §§ 16-101 through 16-104 of this title, an officer elected or appointed to any office of trust or profit under the Maryland Constitution or a law of this State, including a mayor or other chief magistrate of a municipal corporation, shall take and subscribe the oath required by Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution before a clerk of the circuit court or before a sworn deputy of the clerk.

Appointed Officials Must Take Constitutional Oath

§ 4-908. Governor - Executive and Administrative Departments

Each person appointed under this subtitle, within thirty days after his certificate of appointment has been issued and before entering upon the duties of his office, shall take and subscribe the constitutional oath of office before the clerk of the court in the county or Baltimore City, where the commission may be received. The clerk of the court shall transmit to the Secretary of State a certificate indicating that the person commissioned has taken the constitutional oath of office.



§ 3-202. State Personnel and Pensions


(b)  Before taking office, each appointed member shall take the oath required by Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution.


Treasurer Must Take Another Oath in Addition to This Oath

§ 5-101.1.  State Government

In addition to the oath specified in Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution, the Treasurer shall take an oath to discharge the duties of the Office of Treasurer faithfully, diligently, and honestly.




_____________________________________________



CONSTITUTION OF MARYLAND


DECLARATION OF RIGHTS. We, the People of the State of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty, and taking into our serious consideration the best means of establishing a good Constitution in this State for the sure foundation and more permanent security thereof, declare:

Article 1. That all Government of right originates from the People, is founded in compact only, and instituted solely for the good of the whole; and they have, at all times, the inalienable right to alter, reform or abolish their Form of Government in such manner as they may deem expedient.

Art. 2. The Constitution of the United States, and the Laws made, or which shall be made, in pursuance thereof, and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, are, and shall be the Supreme Law of the State; and the Judges of this State, and all the People of this State, are, and shall be bound thereby; anything in the Constitution or Law of this State to the contrary notwithstanding.


Art. 4. That the People of this State have the sole and exclusive right of regulating the internal government and police thereof, as a free, sovereign and independent State

Art. 6. That all persons invested with the Legislative or Executive powers of Government are the Trustees of the Public, and, as such, accountable for their conduct: Wherefore, whenever the ends of Government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the People may, and of right ought, to reform the old, or establish a new Government; the doctrine of non-resistance against arbitrary power and oppression is absurd, slavish and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.

Art. 7. That the right of the People to participate in the Legislature is the best security of liberty and the foundation of all free Government; for this purpose, elections ought to be free and frequent; and every citizen having the qualifications prescribed by the Constitution, ought to have the right of suffrage (amended by Chapter 357, Acts of 1971, ratified Nov. 7, 1972). Art. 8. That the Legislative, Executive and Judicial powers of Government ought to be forever separate and distinct from each other; and no person exercising the functions of one of said Departments shall assume or discharge the duties of any other.

Art. 9. That no power of suspending Laws or the execution of Laws, unless by, or derived from the Legislature, ought to be exercised, or allowed. Art. 10. That freedom of speech and debate, or proceedings in the Legislature, ought not to be impeached in any Court of Judicature.

Art. 18. That no Law to attaint particular persons of treason or felony, ought to be made in any case, or at any time, hereafter. Art. 19. That every man, for any injury done to him in his person or property, ought to have remedy by the course of the Law of the Land, and ought to have justice and right, freely without sale, fully without any denial, and speedily without delay, according to the Law of the Land.


_____________________________________________

Keep in mind that it is the Governor and the Mayor of Baltimore charged with assembling a legal team to serve the interests of the public.  It is the same who would shout loudly and strongly if a State or City Attorney could not see fraud.  Could you imagine massive fraud and corruption going without justice if O'Malley and Rawlings-Blake used their bully-pulpit to out the AIDING AND ABETTING of crime?  Of course not.  So, these are the two executive offices that are failing to serve and as such are guilty of malfeasance.  If the entire system is corrupt what does a citizenry do?  First, make sure these executive positions are working for you and me.

The next problem for citizens at both the national and state/local level is the suspension of public justice.  Now, Congress and the Maryland Assembly can cut funding to public justice but as we all know RECOVERING CORPORATE FRAUD PAYS FOR ITSELF....NO FUNDING NEEDED.  So, while O'Malley and the Maryland Assembly pretends to fund public justice in the form of paying private lawyers to do PRO-BONO WORK.....which is where all the state's funding goes for public justice......the National Lawyers Guild....with state and local offices are supposed to be protecting WE THE PEOPLE against all of what I speak.



The Maryland Bar Association is so corrupt that if you look at all the fraud that happens in the state....it is the lawyers in the state getting much of the wealth.  Subprime mortgage loan fraud with MERS at the center?  Mostly involving Maryland Bar lawyers.

Now, every single Maryland Bar lawyer is not crooked of course, but to practice law in Maryland you must be a member of the Maryland Bar and as we know.......THERE IS NO PUBLIC JUSTICE COMING FROM EITHER THE NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD OR THE MARYLAND BAR.
  Also remember, that the judge appointed by O'Malley and the Maryland Assembly nominating committee are choosing from this Maryland Bar population for the positions.  When you have a corporate state enforcing law selectively as if corporations run the state.....then the lawyers and judges will run their offices as such. 

YET, NONE OF THIS IS LEGAL.  LAWYERS CANNOT SIMPLY SUSPEND US CONSTITUTIONAL LAW TO PRETEND A COUP AGAINST THE US CONSTITUTION WITH PACIFIC TRADE DEALS IS ALLOWED AND THEN FOLLOW THOSE TRADE DEAL LAWS....WHICH IS WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MARYLAND BEFORE THE TPP IS EVEN PASSED.


Judges who knowingly facilitate unconstitutional law with rulings that pretend to be subjective when they are completely re-writing law are doing so illegally.  DOES ANYONE BELIEVE THAT THE MERS OPERATION IN MARYLAND'S WASHINGTON SUBURBS WAS A LEGAL METHOD OF TRANSFERRING HOUSE TITLE?  ABSOLUTELY NOBODY BELIEVES THAT and this needs to be appealed to higher court.  This is an example of courts ruling in ways that have nothing to do with existing law just to protect corruption in the state.

WE THE PEOPLE MUST GET ALL THESE SYSTEMS BACK TO WORK AND IT IS NOT HARD.  WE SIMPLY NEED TO SHAKE THE BUGS FROM THE RUG BY RUNNING AND VOTING FOR LABOR AND JUSTICE CANDIDATES AND STOP ALLOWING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONTROLLED BY NEO-LIBERALS CHOOSE OUR CANDIDATES!


I want to end by saying that lawyers within the National Lawyers Guild are not bad people for not taking this on.  It is a huge problem that needs the whole of the communities to provide the support for these lawyers wanting to do good.  I  am a skeptic about the capture of these kinds of private organizations by people with no intent of serving the mission....so no doubt a little of both is happening!

National Lawyers Guild

From Wikipedia

The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) is a public interest association of lawyers, law students, paralegals, jailhouse lawyers, law collective members, and other activist legal workers, in the United States. The group was founded in 1937 as an alternative to the American Bar Association (ABA) in protest of that organization's exclusionary membership practices and conservative political orientation. They were the first US bar association to allow the admission of minorities to their ranks.

The group declares itself to be "dedicated to the need for basic and progressive change in the structure of our political and economic system . . . to the end that human rights shall be regarded as more sacred than property interests."[1]



National Lawyers Guild

409 Washington Ave, Baltimore, Maryland
(410)494-8119
University of Maryland School of Law
This page developed and maintained by National Lawyers Guild, University of Maryland Law Student Chapter


________________________________________

I speak to people I know are lawyers about running for State/City Attorney to put public justice back on the map in Maryland and I hear time and again.....the problem with corruption and the suspension of public justice is that the Maryland Assembly is full of lawyers.  Indeed, it is.  Lawyers have always been the butt of jokes about trustworthiness and ambulance chasers.  Their job is to serve a client by making the law work in ways that benefit that client.  In Maryland, the Maryland Assembly is working for global corporations and corporate profit so whether is is written law, legal oversight, enforcement.....they will work against you and I to maximize profit for corporate shareholders.  Keep in mind, US corporations have spent these Obama years getting all kinds of free money from the FED and Congress and are buying back their corporate shares as fast as they can.  That means shareholders are increasingly Corporate Board members all part of that cabal of the richest.  So, when I say a neo-liberal is working for shareholders......that increasingly means only a very few people.  We know our pensions are simply used as fodder so when that is the case....you really are not a shareholder.

NOTE THAT ALL THE CANDIDATES FOR STATE AND CITY ATTORNEY ARE ALL PART OF THIS CRONY POLITICAL SYSTEM....WE NEED REAL PUBLIC JUSTICE CANDIDATES IN THIS COMING PRIMARY.....FEBRUARY 25TH IS THE DATE FOR FILING!


Lawyers in the Maryland General Assembly

SENATE OF MARYLAND (12). Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. (D), Calvert & Prince George’s Counties; Senator Brian E. Frosh (D), Montgomery County; Senator Norman R. Stone, Jr. (D), Baltimore County; Senator Allan H. Kittleman (R), Carroll & Howard Counties; Senator Robert J. Garagiola (D), Montgomery County; Senator Lisa A. Gladden (D), Baltimore City; Senator Robert A. Zirkin (D), Baltimore County; Senator Jamie Raskin (D), Montgomery County; Senator Joseph Getty (R), Baltimore & Carroll Counties; Senator Victor Ramirez (D), Prince George’s County; Senator Roger Manno (D), Montgomery County; Senator Bill Ferguson (D), Baltimore City.

HOUSE OF DELEGATES (32). Delegate Kevin Kelly (D), Allegany County; Delegate Jon S. Cardin (D), Baltimore County; Delegate Elizabeth Bobo (D), Howard County; Delegate Frank S. Turner (D), Howard County; Delegate Kathleen M. Dumais (D), Montgomery County; Delegate Brian J. Feldman (D), Montgomery County; Delegate Susan C. Lee (D), Montgomery County; Delegate Luiz R. S. Simmons (D), Montgomery County; Delegate Joseph F. Vallario, Jr. (D), Calvert & Prince George’s Counties; Delegate Mary-Dulany James (D), Cecil & Harford Counties; Delegate Susan K. McComas (R), Harford County; Delegate Michael D. Smigiel, Sr. (R), Upper Eastern Shore; Delegate Jill P. Carter (D), Baltimore City; Delegate Samuel I. (Sandy) Rosenberg (D), Baltimore City; Delegate Curtis S. (Curt) Anderson (D), Baltimore City; Delegate Keith E. Haynes (D), Baltimore City; Delegate Doyle L. Niemann (D), Prince George’s County; Delegate Dana Stein (D), Baltimore County; Delegate Jeff Waldstreicher (D), Montgomery County; Delegate Ben Barnes (D), Anne Arundel & Prince George’s Counties; Delegate Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D), Anne Arundel & Prince George’s Counties; Delegate Aisha N. Braveboy (D), Prince George’s County; Delegate Stephen W. Lafferty (D), Baltimore County; Delegate Kirill Reznik (D), Montgomery County; Delegate C. William (Bill) Frick (D), Montgomery County; Delegate H. Wayne Norman, Jr. (R), Harford County; Delegate Sam Arora (D), Montgomery County; Delegate Geraldine Valentino-Smith (D), Prince George’s County; Delegate C.T. Wilson (D), Charles County; Delegate Cathy Vitale (R), Anne Arundel County; Delegate Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr. (D), Baltimore City; Delegate Luke Clippinger (D), Baltimore City.

0 Comments

January 27th, 2014

1/27/2014

0 Comments

 
Regarding the next phase to the New Economy....economic collapse:

The major banks and states appear to be preparing for impending crisis, while pretending to the public that the economic situation is improving.


It is interesting that when I first hit on this Forbes article yesterday I had no problem opening it.....and today, the page was inaccessible.

Below you see what has been coming since Obama took office.  Since all Obama did was oversee massive movement of money from one place to another to make it look like economic activity was happening while tens of trillions of dollars have  been carted out of the US and into off-shore accounts....making the economy starved of cash and stagnant.....China/Europe has been doing the same thing.  So, all the Wall Street news about recapitalized banks ready to get on with business is a lie.  What is happening is the few families at the top who have the massive wealth are now fighting on how to hide it and/or use it to their benefit while the entire economic system collapses.


REMEMBER, WE NEEDED TO NATIONALIZE THE US BANKS IN 2009 TO DOWNSIZE THEM BY SIMPLY RECOVERING TENS OF TRILLIONS IN CORPORATE FRAUD.  EASY PEASY.  OBAMA AND NEO-LIBERALS WERE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN....RATHER, ALL THAT MONEY HAS BEEN MOVED AROUND THE WORLD TO HIDE IT.



China Halts Bank Cash Transfers: Forbes

Sunday, January 26, 2014 15:59
0

(Before It's News)


According to this breaking story from Forbes.com, China has halted all bank cash transfers as shared in the story below. WHY would China’s central bank ORDER commercial banks to put an end to cash transfers? Is this the next step in the global currency war? Could this lead to WW3 as is now being argued by some? With America already practically ‘owned’ by China and getting more in debt every year, this can’t be a good thing. Video reports on China’s money problems also below.
The People’s Bank of China , the central bank, has just ordered commercial banks to halt cash transfers.
In short, there will be a three-day suspension of domestic renminbi transfers. There will also be a suspension, spanning nine calendar days, of conversions of renminbi to foreign currency.
The specific reason given—“system maintenance” at the central bank—is preposterous.  It is not credible that during the highest usage period in the year—the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday beginning January 31—the central bank would schedule an upgrade and shut down cash transfers.
A better explanation is that the country’s banking system is running dry.  Yes, there is an increased need for money in the run-up to and during the Lunar New Year holiday, but that is only a small factor.  After all, central bank officials knew this spike in demand was coming—it occurs every year at this time—and a core function of central banks is to manage seasonal liquidity fluctuations.  Moreover, the holiday has not started yet, and the PBOC, as that institution is known, could have added more liquidity to meet cash needs.


*****************************************

As we see, a US bank crash is coming because all that has happened over these few years is scuffling around of money to prop up the European market and hiding and expanding in a Chinese market all of which having money sucked out of economies.  

THIS IS OF COURSE ALL FRAUD AND CORRUPTION THAT YOUR NEO-LIBERAL IS AIDING AND ABETTING BY PASSING LAWS THAT MAKE ONCE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES NOW LEGAL....OR SO THEY SAY.  THE US HAS ANTI-TRUST AND MONOPOLY LAWS THAT ARE SIMPLY BEING IGNORED.

You know I have called for this for three years as US media played the propaganda machine yet again....acting as if something real was being done.  There is nothing that can be done to stop this crash.....citizens in Europe will stop the TROIKA sucking of all public wealth and the US citizens are waking to the fact that all their wealth is being sucked up as well in this US Perestroika.  Without that sucking of public money the economies will collapse.  Not so bad for the few families at the top they say......the plan is to soak the public sector with debt as Rawlings-Blake and O'Malley have done with tons of credit bonds, Wall Street leverage deals,  and TIFs, so that when the collapse comes, even more public wealth comes as cities and states default and public property and partnership deals go into the hands of Wall Street and public sector pensions and benefits are dismissed in bankruptcy.  

THIS IS THE BAINS CAPITAL GUTTING OF PUBLIC SECTOR WEALTH....SAME THING THAT WAS DONE WITH PRIVATE CORPORATIONS SHEDDING ALL THEIR DEBT AND LABOR CONTRACTS WILL NOW HAPPEN WITH THIS CRASH.

Look at what has happened with HSBC to see the wave of the future in the UK, Europe, and US.....this is the next bank bailout.....it involves simply capturing the people's bank accounts to pay a municipal debt created by mayors and governors across the country all under the guise of 'development and jobs'.

HSBC is simply the British version of Wall Street banks like Bank of America and Citigroup.....that spent these few years expanding all over the world with the free money the FED gave them and now all of them are exposed to these global economic calamities.  So, Obama and neo-liberals......ALL MARYLAND POLS ARE NEO-LIBERALS....were not deadlocked these few years.  They were working on TPP and international marketing and growth while allowing the US economy to be starved.  That was their job.  So, US banks have been operating under the wild west of no regulation as they expanded overseas and our economy is now tied ten times more to this TOO BIG TO FAIL.  Only this time the Federal government has been tapped and it will be your bank account and mine that banks seize to keep them afloat.  Add to that all kinds of public infrastructure like roads, bridges, water and sewer infrastructure and you betcha......PERESTROIKA'S NEXT STEP IN THE NEW ECONOMY!

It is valuable to record all of this....I for example print all FACEBOOK and website entries because I know they could disappear any time.....please do the same.  Documenting that all of this was known beforehand allows for legal retribution when the people reinstate Rule of Law and bring back all those tens of trillions of dollars.....remember, when a government suspends Rule of Law, it suspends Statutes of Limitation!



A Closer Look at China and HSBC – Are they Running Out of Cash?
Kerry-anne


January 26, 2014


Fears are growing that HSBC bank is insolvent, after the Bank refused cash withdrawals and has an $80bn blackhole in their balance sheet.  Last night,Forbes and a variety of sources including Max Keiser, and FXstreet (Forex) reported a Bank of China announcement suspending all cash transfers for the next several days.  So what’s really going on?


HSBC Collapse

 

HSBC is scrambling to manage a seemingly terminal liquidity crisis (a lack of hard cash) that could see the bank become the next Northern Rock – and trigger a bank crash. The analyst’s advice is for shareholders to sell HSBC investments, and customers to move their accounts elsewhere before the crash.


This from the Telegraph:

Forensic Asia on Tuesday began its coverage of Britain’s largest banking group with a ‘sell’ recommendation, warning the lender had between $63.6bn (£38.7bn) and $92.3bn of “questionable assets” on its balance sheet, ranging from loan loss reserves and accrued interest to deferred tax assets, defined benefit pension schemes and opaque Level 3 assets.

According a report by the BBC’s MoneyBox Programme, HSBC customers have gone to withdraw cash from their accounts, only to find HSBC would not release the funds. Customers were told to make a bank transfer instead, unless they provided documentation proving the intended use of the money. Stephen Cotton attempted a withdrawal and told the programme:

“When we presented them with the withdrawal slip, they declined to give us the money because we could not provide them with a satisfactory explanation for what the money was for. They wanted a letter from the person involved.”

Mr Cotton says the staff refused to tell him how much he could have: “So I wrote out a few slips. I said, ‘Can I have £5,000?’ They said no. I said, ‘Can I have £4,000?’ They said no. And then I wrote one out for £3,000 and they said, ‘OK, we’ll give you that.’ “

He asked if he could return later that day to withdraw another £3,000, but he was told he could not do the same thing twice in one day.

As this was not a change to the Terms and Conditions of your bank account we had no need to pre-notify customers of the change”

He wrote to complain to HSBC about the new rules and also that he had not been informed of any change.

The bank said it did not have to tell him. “As this was not a change to the Terms and Conditions of your bank account, we had no need to pre-notify customers of the change,” HSBC wrote.

Mr Cotton is not alone, with other customers seeking to withdraw cash amounts over £3,000 facing the same obstacles. While HSBC argue there is comes customer security interest here, the story simply doesn’t add up. Customer identification is required for large withdrawals, not customer intentions – a person’s cash is theirs to withdraw and place wherever they so wish. Instead, HSBC has been found to have a capitalization black hole (gap between actual cash and obligations) of $80bn. The message is simple, get your money out now.
The Gold Rush

The major banks and states appear to be preparing for impending crisis, while pretending to the public that the economic situation is improving.

There is a gold rush underway, with Banks and States frantically buying up as much gold reserve as they can, stoking fears that confidence in currency is at an all-time low. In recent months and weeks, banks like HSBC and JP Morgan, and states such as the US, Germany and China have joined the gold rush, making vast purchases of stocks.

Investment analysts at Seeking Alpha have been monitoring the strange activity on the COMEX, stating:

“keeping track of COMEX inventories is something that is recommended for all serious investors who own physical gold and the gold ETFs (SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), PHYS, and CEF) because any abnormal inventory declines may signify extraordinary events behind the scenes.”


Another Bank Crash? Why?

 

The crash is in some ways a replay of the last one. The US dollar is a fiat currency (as is the pound sterling, the euro and most other major currencies). This means, it is monopoly money. There is no gold reserve that its values are pegged to. It is simply made up. So how does money get made? A private, for profit central bank prints it and lends it to the government (or other banks) at an interest rate. So the Central Bank prints $100, and gives it to the government on the basis that it returns $101. You may have already spotted the first flaw in this process. The additional $1 can only ever come from the Central Bank. There is never enough money. The second issue is that all money is debt.

This used to be the way pretty much all of the money in circulation came to be. That is, until Investment and Retail Banks got tired of this monopoly on debt based currency, and kicked off the commercial money supply. You might assume that when you take out a loan or other form of credit, a bank gives you that money from its reserves, and you then pay back that loan to the Bank at a given interest rate – the Bank making its profit on the interest rate. You would be wrong. The Bank simply creates that loan on a computer screen. Let’s say you are granted a loan for $100,000. The moment that loan is approved and $100k is entered on the computer – that promise from you to the bank creates $100k for the bank, in that instant. This ledger entry alone creates the $100k, from nothing. Today, over 97% of all money that exists, is made this way.

This is what drove the dodgy lending practises that created the last crisis. But since then, the failure to regulate the markets means that while bailouts hit public services and the real economy – banks were free to continue the same behaviour, bringing the next crash.

The world’s second richest man, Warren Buffet warned us in 2003 that the derivatives market was ‘devised by madmen’ and a ‘weapon of mass destruction’ and we have only seen the first blast in this debt apocalypse.

The news that should have us all worried is: the derivatives market contains $700trn of these debts yet to implode.

Global GDP stands at $69.4trn a year. This means that (primarily) Wall Street and the City of London have run up phantom paper debts of more than ten times of the annual earnings of the entire planet.

Not only can the Bankers not pay it back, the combined earning power of the earth could not pay it back in less than ten years if every last cent of our productive power went solely to pay off this debt.

This is why answering the issues with our currencies, our banking practices and economic system are not theoretical or academic – they are a most practical matter of keen urgency.


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Below you see what is about to happen in the UK, Europe, and the US.  When this happened in Cyprus there was all kinds of discussion as to how this could be legal, but what happens when a government allows itself to be called bankrupt and tied to the IMF is that all sovereignty is lost.  This is what they are doing to the southern European nations and they know that banks will do the same thing in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Greece as was done in Cyprus.

For the US and Americans.....remember the first thing neo-liberals did when the last collapse came was to raise the FDIC insurance of bank accounts to $250,000 per bank, protecting the affluent from losses.  The wealthy no longer have much wealth tied to these accounts and just as Congress voted to raise the FDIC.....it can lower/eliminate it because.....it will not be able to afford to pay the protection....it will default on you and me.


ARE MY DEPOSITS INSURED?

FDIC insurance covers all deposit accounts, including checking and savings accounts, money market deposit accounts and certificates of deposit. The standard insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category.




Cyprus banks remain closed to avert run on deposits

By Michele Kambas and Karolina Tagaris

NICOSIA Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:44pm EDT


People sit at a cafeteria as Cyprus' President Nicos Anastasiades addresses the nation in Nicosia March 25, 2013. REUTERS-Yorgos Karahalis


Anti-Troika protesters hold a 'Hands off Cyprus' banner during a demonstration outside the EU offices in Nicosia March 24, 2013. REUTERS-Yannis Behrakis

 
(Reuters) - The president of Cyprus assured his people a bailout deal he struck with the European Union was in their best interests, but banks will remain closed until Thursday - and even then subject to capital controls to prevent a run on deposits.

Returned from fraught negotiations in Brussels, President Nicos Anastasiades said late on Monday the 10-billion euro ($13 billion) rescue plan agreed there in the early hours of the morning was "painful" but essential to avoid economic meltdown.

He agreed to close down the second-largest bank, Cyprus Popular, and inflict heavy losses on big depositors, many of them Russian, after Cyprus's outsize financial sector ran into trouble when its investments in neighboring Greece went sour.

European leaders said a chaotic national bankruptcy that might have forced Cyprus from the euro and upset Europe's economy was averted - though investors in other European banks are alarmed by the precedent of losses for depositors in Cyprus.

"The agreement we reached is difficult but, under the circumstances, the best that we could achieve," Anastasiades said in a televised address to the nation on Monday evening.

"We leave behind the uncertainty and anxiety that we all lived through over the last few months and we look forward now to the future with optimism," he told compatriots who face an immediate, deep recession and years of hardship unlikely to be milder than those experienced by Irish, Greeks and Portuguese.

Many Cypriots say they felt anything but reassured by the bailout deal, however, and are expected to besiege banks as soon as they reopen after a shutdown that began over a week ago.

Reversing a previous decision to start reopening at least some banks on Tuesday, the central bank said late on Monday that they would all now stay shut until Thursday to ensure the "smooth functioning of the whole banking system".

Little is known about the restrictions on transactions that Anastasiades said the central bank would impose, but he told Cypriots: "I want to assure you that this will be a very temporary measure that will gradually be relaxed."

Capital controls, preventing people moving funds out of the country, are at odds with the European Union's ideals of a common market but the government may fear an ebb tide of panic that would cause even more disruption to the local economy.

Without an agreement by the end of Monday, Cyprus had faced certain banking collapse and risked becoming the first country to be pushed out of the European single currency - a fate that Germany and other northern creditors seemed willing to inflict on a nation that accounts for just a tiny fraction of the euro economy and whose banks they felt had overreached themselves.

Backed by euro zone finance ministers, the plan will wind down the largely state-owned Cyprus Popular Bank, known as Laiki, and shift deposits under 100,000 euros to the Bank of Cyprus to create a "good bank", leaving problems behind in, effectively, a "bad bank".

Deposits above 100,000 euros in both banks, which are not guaranteed by the state under EU law, will be frozen and used to resolve Laiki's debts and recapitalize the Bank of Cyprus, the island's biggest, through a deposit/equity conversion.


PRECEDENT SET

The raid on uninsured Laiki depositors is expected to raise 4.2 billion euros of the 5.8 billion euros the EU and IMF had told Cyprus to raise as a contribution to the bailout, Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem said.

Cyprus government spokesman Christos Stylianides said losses for uninsured depositors would be "under or around 30 percent".


Laiki will effectively be shuttered, with thousands of job losses. Officials said senior bondholders in Laiki would be wiped out and those in Bank of Cyprus would have to make a contribution - setting a precedent for the euro zone.

Comments by Dijsselbloem on the need for lenders to banks to accept the potential risks of their failure had a knock-on effect in the euro zone, raising the cost of insuring holdings of bonds issued by other banks, notably in Italy and Spain.

Global equity markets and the euro retreated on his comment that the Cyprus bailout could be a template for solving other problems, by shifting more risk to depositors and stakeholders:

"What we've done last night is what I call pushing back the risks," Dijsselbloem, who heads the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers, told Reuters and the Financial Times.

A first attempt at a deal 10 days ago had collapsed when the Cypriot parliament rejected a proposed levy on all deposits, large and small. That proposal outraged ordinary Cypriots, leading to queues at bank cash machines.

The central bank has imposed a 100-euro daily limit on withdrawals from ATMs at the two biggest banks to avert a run.

PUBLIC SCEPTICAL

Russia signaled it would back the bailout even though it would impose big losses on Russian depositors, who by some estimates may hold a third of all deposits in Cypriot banks.

President Vladimir Putin ordered officials to restructure a loan Moscow granted to Cyprus in 2011 - having rejected Nicosia's request for easier terms in crisis talks last week.

Among Cypriots sipping coffee in warm sunshine, there was a mood of wariness about the deal: "How long will it last?" asked Georgia Xenophontos, 23, a hotel receptionist in Nicosia.

"Why should anyone believe anything this government says?"

In the morning, a public holiday, residents of the capital lined the streets to watch a parade by soldiers and students to mark Greek Independence Day, waving the Greek and Cypriot flags.

"On this day I'm proud to be Greek, but at the same time I feel humiliated," said Marios Charalambous, 56, a print-shop owner. "I'm worried what will happen when the banks reopen."

Cyprus' tottering banks held 68 billion euros in deposits, including 38 billion in accounts of more than 100,000 euros - enormous sums for an nation of 860,000 people that could never sustain such a big financial system on its own.

The U.S. Treasury, noting the importance to the United States of financial stability in Europe, its largest trading partner, said it was now up to Cypriots to rebuild their economy: "It is critical to lay the foundation for a return to financial stability and growth in Cyprus," the Treasury said.

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China's Epic Offshore Wealth Revealed: How Chinese Oligarchs Quietly Parked Up To $4 Trillion In The Caribbean

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/21/2014 20:02 -0500


  The last time the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists made a splash in the financial media was in April of last year year when it disclosed a trove of secret documents revealing a massive treasury of offshore wealth parked away from taxation-happy host governments. The context was clear: in the aftermath of the Cyprus deposit confiscation, public opinion had to turn against those who were exploiting offshore tax loophole in order to avoid a panic that the same "bail in" could happen to the common man.

Needless to say, the circumstances surrounding the release then were rather curious: one day thousands of files - revealing the names behind covert companies used by people from American doctors to Russian executives and international arms dealers - just happened to turn up at a source's house.

Well, the ICIJ is back in the spotlight once again, this time revealing "nearly 22,000 tax haven clients from Hong Kong and mainland China. Among them are some of China’s most powerful men and women — including at least 15 of China’s richest, members of the National People’s Congress and executives from state-owned companies entangled in corruption scandals."

Once again, the source of this treasure trove of data is secret, although we feel the recent Bloomberg cover up (and suspension and termination of Michael Forsyth) regarding a certain investigation into Chinese tycoons' connections with Communist party leaders may have something to do with it. All ICIJ says on the matter is that "In November, a mainland Chinese news organization that was working with ICIJ to analyze the offshore data withdrew from the reporting partnership, explaining that authorities had warned it not to publish anything about the material. ICIJ is keeping the identity of the news outlet confidential to protect journalists from government retaliation." But where the data comes from is largely irrelevant.

What is relevant is that once again the two largest Swiss banks are about to be embroiled in yet another money laundering scandal, this time involving the parking of wealth belonging to China's aristocracy - including its princelings - in various Caribbean, and mostly British Virgin Island, tax havens.

From the ICJC's findings:

PricewaterhouseCoopers, UBS and other Western banks and accounting firms play a key role as middlemen in helping Chinese clients set up trusts and companies in the British Virgin Islands, Samoa and other offshore centers usually associated with hidden wealth, the records show. For instance, Swiss financial giant Credit Suisse helped Wen Jiabao’s son create his BVI company while his father was leading the country.

The files come from two offshore firms — Singapore-based Portcullis TrustNet and BVI-based Commonwealth Trust Limited — that help clients create offshore companies, trusts and bank accounts. They are part of a cache of 2.5 million leaked files that ICIJ has sifted through with help from more than 50 reporting partners in Europe, North America, Asia and other regions.

Since last April, ICIJ’s stories have triggered official inquiries, high-profile resignations and policy changes around the world.

Until now, the details on China and Hong Kong had not been disclosed.

What is notable, if not unexpected, is just how pervasive the parking of offshore capital has been, and confirms that it is not inflow of money that the PBOC has to be afraid of when its internationalizes the Yuan, it is the outflow that will be far more worrisome.

The data illustrates the outsized dependency of the world’s second largest economy on tiny islands thousands of miles away.  As the country has moved from an insular communist system to a socialist/capitalist hybrid, China has become a leading market for offshore havens that peddle secrecy, tax shelters and streamlined international deal making.

Every corner of China’s economy, from oil to green energy and from mining to arms trading, appears in the ICIJ data.

But the biggest stunner is the sheer size of the wealth transfer: according to ICIJ estimate, up to $4 trillion in "untraced assets" may have left China since 2000.

Chinese officials aren’t required to disclose their assets publicly and until now citizens have remained largely in the dark about the parallel economy that can allow the powerful and well-connected to avoid taxes and keep their dealings secret. By some estimates, between $1 trillion and $4 trillion in untraced assets have left the country since 2000.

And while the parking of capital abroad is not illegal, it does contribute to concerns about vast corruption in China, which is also why the current Politburo has been scrambling to cut down on superficial among China's higher echelons. At least optically... And certainly not going to the very top, where it appears the bulk of the corruption resides as the initial data dump discloses.

To be sure, this is just the start of peeling away the layers of China's offshore wealth: the ICIJ provides this teaser: "Along with the China and Hong Kong names, ICIJ’s files also include the names of roughly 16,000 offshore clients from Taiwan. ICIJ will continue to publish stories with its partners in the next few days and will release the Greater China names on its Offshore Leaks Database on Jan. 23."

In the meantime, the ICIJ has disclosed select key individuals that suddenly may have a lot of explaining to do, considering China's very theatrical crackdown on corruption and all that.

The key players, whose life is about to get a whole lot more difficult, are without doubt China's princelings.

China's Politburo Standing Committee is the all-powerful group of seven (formerly nine) men who run the Communist Party and the country. The records obtained by ICIJ show that relatives of at least five current or former members of this small circle have incorporated companies in the Cook Islands or British Virgin Islands.

China’s “red nobility” — elites tied by blood or marriage to the current leadership or Party elders — are also popularly known as “princelings.” Ordinary Chinese have grown increasingly angry over their vast wealth and what many see as the hypocrisy of officials who tout “people-first” ideals but look the other way while their families peddle power and influence for personal gain.

The leaked offshore records include details of a BVI company 50 percent owned by President Xi’s brother-in-law Deng Jiagui. The husband of Xi’s older sister, Deng is a multimillionaire real estate developer and an investor in metals used in cell phones and other electronics. The records show the other half of Excellence Effort Property Development was owned by yet another BVI company belonging to Li Wa and Li Xiaoping, property tycoons who made news in July by winning a $2 billion bid to purchase commercial real estate in Shenzhen.

Since taking over as the Communist Party’s top official in 2012, Xi has sought to burnish his image with an aggressive anti-graft campaign, promising to go after official corruption involving both low-level “flies” and high-level “tigers.” Yet he has crushed a grassroots movement that called for government officials to publicly declare their assets. Wen Jiabao, who stepped down as premier in 2013 after a decade-long tenure, also styled himself as a reformer, cultivating an image of grandfatherly concern for China’s poor.

The ICIJ offshore files reveal that Wen’s son Wen Yunsong set up a BVI-registered company, Trend Gold Consultants, with help from the Hong Kong office of Credit Suisse in 2006. Wen Yunsong was the lone director and shareholder of the firm, which appears to have been dissolved in 2008. 

Bare-bones company structures are often created to open bank accounts in the offshore firm’s name, helping obscure the relationship to the real account owner. It isn’t immediately clear from the documents what Trend Gold Consultants was used for. A U.S.-educated venture capitalist, Wen Yunsong co-founded a China-focused private equity firm and in 2012 became chairman of China’s Satellite Communications Co., a state-owned firm that aspires to be Asia’s largest satellite operator.

ICIJ made repeated attempts to reach Wen Yunsong and other individuals named in this story. Only a few responded. Wen was among those who did not. Citing confidentiality rules, a Credit Suisse spokesman said the bank is “unable to comment on this matter.”

The ICIJ files also shed light on the BVI’s previously unreported role in a burgeoning scandal involving Wen Jiabao’s daughter, Wen Ruchun, also known as Lily Chang. The New York Times has reported that JPMorgan Chase & Co. paid a firm that she ran, Fullmark Consultants, $1.8 million in consulting fees. U.S. securities regulators are investigating the relationship as part of a probe into the bank’s alleged use of princelings to increase its influence in China.

Fullmark Consultants appears to have been set up in a manner that obscured Wen Ruchun’s relationship to the firm, the ICIJ files indicate. Her name does not show up in any of the incorporation documents in the ICIJ data, though a 'Lily Chang' is CC’d in one August, 2009 email correspondence about the company. Her husband Liu Chunhang, a former Morgan Stanley finance guru, created Fullmark Consultants in the BVI in 2004 and was the sole director and shareholder of the firm until 2006, the same year he took a government job at the agency that regulates China’s banking industry.

Liu transferred control of the company, the ICIJ files show, to a Wen family friend, Zhang Yuhong, a wealthy businesswoman and colleague of Wen Jiabao’s brother. The Times reported that Zhang also helped control other Wen family assets including diamond and jewelry ventures. 

The ICIJ files show that offshore provider Portcullis TrustNet billed UBS AG for a certificate of good standing for Fullmark Consultants in October 2005, indicating a business relationship between Fullmark and the Swiss bank. In response to ICIJ’s questions, UBS issued a statement saying its “know-your-client” policies as well as procedures to deal with politically-sensitive clients are among “the strictest in the industry.” Liu and Zhang did not respond to ICIJ's requests for comment.

A 2007 U.S. Department of State cable passed along a source’s tip that Premier Wen was “disgusted with his family’s activities,” and that “Wen’s wife and children all have a reputation as people who can ‘get things done’ for the right price.” The cable, part of the Wikileaks document dump, reported that Wen’s kin “did not necessarily take bribes, [but] they are amenable to receiving exorbitant ‘consulting fees.’ ”

The records also include incorporations by relatives of Deng Xiaoping, former Premier Li Peng, and former President Hu Jintao.

China experts say that the growing wealth and business interests of the princelings, including offshore holdings, are a dangerous liability for the ruling Communist Party but that people in leadership positions are too involved to stop it.

“What’s the point of running the Communist Party if you can’t get a couple billion for your family?” said Steve Dickinson, a China-based American lawyer who has investigated fraud cases involving BVI companies. “The issue is enormous and has tremendous significance for China, and the fact that everybody dances around it and doesn’t want to talk about it is understandable but scandalous.”


Perhaps now, finally, the dancing will stop. Because for the first time, key players are named. First the "Red Nobility" (full list here)


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January 24th, 2014

1/24/2014

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CONTINUING TALK ONE MORE DAY ON TOTALITARIAN POLICY LET'S REVIEW YESTERDAY'S POINTS......CAPTURED ELECTIONS TAKING THE DEMOCRACY OUT OF DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS.......BUILD-UP OF MILITARISTIC POLICING WITH SUSPENDED RULE OF LAW ALLOWING NO PUBLIC JUSTICE AND HOLDING NO ONE ACCOUNTABLE FOR CRIMES BY CORPORATIONS AND GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION.  YOUR MONEY BECOMES THEIR MONEY.  I'VE SPOKEN ENOUGH FOR NOW ON TPP AND THE RE-WRITING OF THE US CONSTITUTION AND SHOWED HOW IT WILL ALLOW ENSLAVEMENT TO OPERATE RIGHT HERE IN MARYLAND FOR EXAMPLE. 

No matter how many times they say all this loss of privacy and freedom is Constitutional-----IT IS NOT!

LET'S REVIEW THE SURVEILLANCE AND SECURITY SYSTEM THAT IS HOMELAND SECURITY:

Remember, the reason the US suddenly has all these people wanting death to America is that US policy went with global corporations with Reagan and Clinton and since then the IMF has attempted to capture developing world governments and economies just as they are doing now in the US.  All we have to do is run and vote for labor and justice and reinstate Rule of Law to downsize these global corporations----EASY PEASY.


ARE YOU MAD AT CORPORATIONS AND WALL STREET?  UNDERSTAND WHY OTHERS WOULD WANT TO FLY A PLANE INTO WALL STREET?


Baltimore is home of Johns Hopkins which is NSA and drone extraordinaire so the first to build militarized policing would be Baltimore and NYC.  Bloomberg is tied to Hopkins so all policy is shared.  Baltimore has a population of around 650,000 people most of which are poor and working class and Hopkins through a development corporation has been forcing huge numbers of poor and working class out of city center just as with NYC with many more wanted to go.  This brings social unrest and with it all kinds of security build-up.  We just had another spy plane fly over testing for radiation (dirty bombs).  The other problem will be the really bad policy of making Baltimore a world-class Port for international shipping.  It will kill our bay and Port but that does not matter.  With international shipping comes cargo containers that may have dirty bombs.

For those living in Baltimore and Maryland we know there is a common denominator in drones, NSA surveillance, and Smart Meters of which I speak below.....JOHNS HOPKINS AND BROOKINGS INSTITUTION.  Hopkins owns VEOLA ENVIRONMENTAL that will be overseeing Smart Meters for waste and energy and profiting from recycling and tiered energy pricing.....not to mention all of that personal data heading to the super computer on the Hopkins campus.


Why is a Gigantic War-Blimp About to Fly Above the Skies of Suburban Baltimore?

Posted on January 23, 2014

One of the most disturbing and relentless trends over the past several years has been the redirection of war technology and equipment from the battlefield abroad toward domestic use in the USA. This has resulted in a militarization of police across the nation and has encouraged small towns to use Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grants to purchase ridiculous items such as tanks.

Sadly, it appears this trend is only accelerating. With billions of dollars already spent, and failed wars abroad, the military-industrial complex needs to continue to generate cash flow. May as well just use it against the American people.

We find out from the Washington Post that:

They will look like two giant white blimps floating high above I-95 in Maryland, perhaps en route to a football game somewhere along the bustling Eastern Seaboard. But their mission will have nothing to do with sports and everything to do with war.

The aerostats — that is the term for lighter-than-air craft that are tethered to the ground — are to be set aloft on Army-owned land about 45 miles northeast of Washington, near Aberdeen Proving Ground, for a three-year test slated to start in October. From a vantage of 10,000 feet, they will cast a vast radar net from Raleigh, N.C., to Boston and out to Lake Erie, with the goal of detecting cruise missiles or enemy aircraft so they could be intercepted before reaching the capital.

Interesting, I didn’t realize we were at war. When was the last time cruise missiles were shot into the United States?

Aerostats deployed by the military at U.S. bases in Iraq and Afghanistan typically carried powerful surveillance cameras as well, to track the movements of suspected insurgents and even U.S. soldiers.

Defense contractor Raytheon last year touted an exercise in which it outfitted the aerostats planned for deployment in suburban Baltimore with one of the company’s most powerful high-altitude surveillance systems, capable of spotting individual people and vehicles from a distance of many miles.


The Army said it has “no current plans” to mount such cameras or infrared sensors on the aerostats or to share information with federal, state or local law enforcement, but it declined to rule out either possibility. The radar system that is planned for the aerostats will be capable of monitoring the movement of trains, boats and cars, the Army said.

“No Current plans.” What a bunch of assholes. You know they can’t wait to attach an ARGUS surveillance system to these puppies.

“That’s the kind of massive persistent surveillance we’ve always been concerned about with drones,” said Jay Stanley, a privacy expert for the American Civil Liberties Union. “It’s part of this trend we’ve seen since 9/11, which is the turning inward of all of these surveillance technologies.”

The Army played down such concerns in written responses to questions posed by The Washington Post, saying its goal is to test the ability of the aerostats to bolster the region’s missile-defense capability, especially against low-flying cruise missiles that can be hard for ground-based systems to detect in time to intercept them.

The Army determined it did not need to conduct a Privacy Impact Assessment, required for some government programs, because it was not going to collect any personally identifiable information, officials said in their written responses to The Post.

Did the FISA court rubber stamp this assessment?

Technologies developed for battlefields — weapons, vehicles, communications systems — long have flowed homeward as overseas conflicts have ended. The battles that followed the Sept. 11 attacks have produced major advances in surveillance equipment whose manufacturers increasingly are looking to expand their use within the United States.

Aerostats — basically big balloons on strings — grew popular in Iraq and Afghanistan and also are used by Israel to monitor the Gaza Strip and by the United States to eye movement along southern border areas. Even a rifle shot through an aerostat will not bring it down, because the pressure of the helium inside nearly matches the pressure of the air outside, preventing rapid deflation.

So equipment used to control people in war zones are coming to America and there’s nothing to be concerned about?

The Defense Department spent nearly $7 billion on 15 different lighter-than-air systems between 2007 and 2012, with several suffering from technical problems, delays and unexpectedly high costs, the Government Accountability Office found in an October 2012 report.


“They are bringing this to the East Coast, close to Washington, to get the Pentagon guys and Congress to say, ‘Whoa, we could really use this,’ ” said Daniel Goure of the Lexington Institute, a military think tank with ties to the defense industry. “This is re-purposing. You’ve already spent the money.”

Have fun Baltimore.

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U of M College Park is no longer a public university----it is now a lean, mean corporate machine with all the course work it takes to keep US global corporations safe around the world.  All this is important for job creation you know!

Hitler took over a nation's industry and used it for his war of expansion, taking the public's wealth to do it.  He had the largest Secret Police and surveillance service making everyone fearful that someone else was a spy.  If you cannot see that happening with these NSA scandals and the expanded roll of policing and drone/surveillance technology in Maryland-----WAKE UP!!!!!

MASSIVE CORPORATE FRAUD OF TENS OF TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND PUBLIC MONEY USED FOR EXPANSIONS OF GLOBAL CORPORATIONS AND BUILDING SECURITY/SURVEILLANCE APPARATUS!!!!  REALLY?????


University Of Md. Among Schools Developing Drone Concepts For Civilian Use

January 2, 2014 5:08 PM

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) — Maryland airspace may not be involved, but the state’s brain power definitely is.

Alex DeMetrick reports the FAA will include research at the University of Maryland into the job of integrating drone aircraft into civilian airspace.

At the University of Maryland, they’re trying to do more than pilot drones by hand. Researchers are trying to figure out how insects navigate through the air without big brains or GPS.

Figure that out, and:

“We can leverage that to navigate and also possibly for sense and avoid technology in the national airspace,” said Dr. Darryll Pines, Dean, University of Maryland School of Engineering.

Right now, that airspace takes humans to fly in. But the FAA has selected Virginia and five other states to develop and test drone technology in unrestricted airspace–research the University of Maryland will also join in.

MEANWHILE-------


There is absolutely no way this technology will not be abused as they pretend they can simply allow these drones to fill the airways.  Do we really need drones to do the work of our Department of Natural Resources employees?  This is yet another step of taking the public out of all loops in knowing what is happening in the state and being accountable to the public. 

YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY ONCE YOU WALK OUT THE DOOR THEY TELL US-----OH REALLY????????  THAT'S A NEO-LIBERAL FOR YOU.

Please check out this group and get involved!!!!


No Drones Maryland

Tuesday, April 2, 2013


April Days of Action Against Drones in MARYLAND Advanced Physics Laboratory, home of drones research at JHU. Maryland has been an important site of protest activity against drones, particularly protests against drones research at Johns Hopkins University.

Numerous Maryland events are planned as part of the nationwide April Days of Action Against Drones.

UPCOMING MARYLAND EVENTS

TOWSON - Friday, April 5, through Sunday, April 7, 2013 - The Politics of Drone Warfare and the University - Topics in this important 3-day conference will include:
  • "Distancing Acts: Imperial War from Counterinsurgency to Drones"
  • "The Politics of Drone Warfare and the University"
  • "Teaching the War on Terror"
Speakers will include:
  • Rashid Khalidi - Columbia University
  • Nick Turse - TomDispatch.com
  • Phyllis Bennis - Institute for Policy Studies
  • Ray McGovern - Ex-CIA White House briefer
  • Irene Gendizer - Boston University
  • Judith Le Blanc - Peace Action
  • David Swanson - War is a Crime.org
  • Jerry Lembcke - College of the Holy Cross
  • Vinay Lal - UCLA
  • Paul Joseph - Tufts University
  • Carolyn Eisenberg - Hofstra University
  • John Prados - National Security Archive
Friday Keynote Session: Friday evening, April 5, St. John's Methodist Church, 2640 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD. Keynote speakers: Col. Ann Wright, former Army officer and State Department diplomat; Alfred McCoy, University of Wisconsin.

All Saturday, April 6 and Sunday April 7 sessions will be held at the College of Liberal Arts Building, Towson University, 8000 York Road, Towson, MD 21252

For additional details see: Historians Against the War

BALTIMORE - Friday, April 12, through Sunday, April 14, 2013 - Exhibit: Drone Warfare Exhibit and Luminous Light Intervention . . . Tuesday, April 16, 2013 - Exhibit: Workshop on the Legal, Political, and Ethical Implications of Militarized Drones . . . Tuesday, April 16, 2013 - Exhibit: "DRONECOMING" - Mobile drone warfare exhibition at Johns Hopkins University homecoming events.

(Add additional Illinois events to the master list of national April Days of Action actions.)


What about YOU? Become part of the No Drones movement!
Read about ALL the ways YOU can be involved  in the April Days of Action Against Drones!


____________________________________________

Do you think a government willing to allow massive fracking and exporting raw energy and global agriculture that drain and contaminate all of our fresh water is really concerned with energy conservation?  What a LOL thought!

This would have once been thought a conspiracy theory but we now see this article as mainstream as people across the country now believe that these Smart Meters are only meant to ration and restrict the public as needed.  I've spoken of the intent to end subsidy and tie product to what can be afforded.  As this article indicates, it goes further than that.  Wall Street and corporations will be allowed access to your energy consumption data for bill collection purposes----are you at home when not at work?  Will I hire someone who can only afford to keep energy running part of the day or will that make someone easily exploited?

This is not hyperbole.....it is in fact what a totalitarian society would do.  Control of every aspect of your life.

THIS IS WHY SNOWDEN OUTED THE NSA-------AS HE SAID -----YOU WILL NOT HAVE AN AVENUE OF PRIVACY AT ALL IF THIS IS LEFT UNCHECKED!


I included an article from the UK because it needs to be seen as a global effort.  There is no shortage of natural gas or electricity.....so the reasons are a ploy.



Smart meters could be 'spy in the home'

Smart meters could become a 'spy in the home' by allowing social workers and health authorities to monitor households, adding to concern at Britain's surveillance society. Smart meters will eliminate the need to take readings from traditional electricity and gas meters.

10:30AM BST 11 Oct 2009 UK Telegraph



The devices, which the government plans to install in every home by 2020, will also tell energy firms what sort of appliances are being used, allowing companies to target customers who do not reduce their energy consumption.

Privacy campaigners have expressed horror at the proposals, which come as two million homes have 'spy' devices fitted to their rubbish bins by councils who record how much residents are recycling.

The government wants every home in Britain to have smart meters, which give users information on how to save energy and send real-time data direct to utility companies, eliminating the need for customers to stay at home for meter readings or to receive estimated bills.

The devices also pave the way for a national 'smart grid', backed by David Cameron's Conservatives, which would use the data to manage national demand more efficiently and advise households when it is cheapest to switch on appliances.

In its impact assessment, however, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) says there "is theoretically scope... for using the smart metering communications infrastructure to enable a variety of other services, such as monitoring of vulnerable householders by health authorities or social services departments."

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  • Households face higher bills for using home appliances at peak periods

It adds: "Information from smart meters could also make it possible for a supplier to determine when electricity or gas was being used in a property and, to a degree, the types of technology that were being used within the property. This could be used to target energy efficiency advice and offers of measures, social programmes etc to householders."

Doretta Cocks, founder of the Campaign for Weekly Waste Collection, said: "This is Orwellian. We're already under surveillance for what we put outside the home in bins and now we could be watched for what we're doing inside as well.

"Most of us are happy to reduce our energy consumption or reduce waste but these measures always seem to come at the expense of our privacy. If I want advice on energy efficiency I will ask for it."

Guy Herbert, general secretary of NO2ID, said: "Information from smart meters might be useful to energy providers and perhaps even their customers, but there's no reason for any public authority to have access to it – unless they've a warrant to do so.

"This document is a prime example of government efforts to shoehorn data sharing and feature creep into every new policy. For example, it suggests that NHS or social services could use the system to monitor 'vulnerable

householders', or that companies could use the system to spam customers with adverts for their services – having paid the government for the privilege, no doubt."

The DECC document adds households could even have their power to some appliances turned off remotely to help the national grid if there is too much demand. It says: "In terms of potentially intrusive non-physical behaviour unrelated to data, smart metering potentially offers scope for remote intervention such as dynamic demand management, which is designed to assist management of the network and thus security of supply. This could involve direct supplier or distribution company interface with equipment, such as refrigerators, within a property, overriding the control of the householder."

It also says potential extra uses for smart meters would need to be checked to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act.

The Information Commissioner's Office said it had already discussed the issue of smart meters with some suppliers, including Eon, Scottish Power and British Gas. A spokesman said the ICO would "continue to maintain a close dialogue to ensure that their introduction does not compromise customers' privacy".

He added: "Important issues include what information is stored on the meters themselves, in particular whether information identifying the householder will be held. In any event energy companies will clearly need to hold records linking meters with householders and all the information must be held in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act."

A spokeswoman for the DECC said: "The accurate, informative data that smart meters provide will be of great value to consumers. Rules and safeguards governing access to, and the use of, the data from smart meters will be reviewed as part of the Government's work in preparing for the start of the mass smart meter roll-out."

Consumer Focus, the watchdog, has also expressed concern about the privacy implications of the meters, saying consumers are "at risk of unfair, excessive, inequitable and inefficient charging" because energy companies could use the new data to introduce more complex tariffs to maximise profits at peak times.

The government has yet to decide who will pay for replacing Britain's 47 million meters, which could cost up to £8bn over the next 20 years. Its preferred option is for the cost to be met by energy firms, who stand to gain the most from meters as they remove the need to employ meter readers or calculate estimated bills.

More than two million households in Britain have microchips in their council bin. Sensors and weighing equipment fitted to the back of each rubbish lorry allow the council to collect data as each bin is raised. Information collected from outside each household is downloaded to a database that allows officials to monitor how much waste each household is producing for waste and for recycling. Officials then use the data to target errant streets and households in a bid to increase recycling rates from 43 per cent to 60 per cent.


I want to be clear, when we are made to use our energy a particular way.....forced to recycle because to is now a corporate profit factor......charged more to use energy at prime time......and having all our data sold to corporations for their marketing/research needs we have lost all of our freedoms.

Keep in mind that when there is a water shortage or an electrical shortage the government simply has local news tell people not to water lawns or wash cars or not to use air conditioners at peak hours AND THAT WORKS JUST FINE!  So, this is NOT about conservation.....it is about control and surveillance.

The complaint about detecting marijuana growers is mute......the problem is far greater than that.

Smart Meters: Surveillance Devices

Smart Meters Are Surveillance Devices That Monitor The Behavior In Your Home Every Single Minute Of Every Single Day  

Today's Date:  Friday, January 24th, 2014 Decrypted Matrix

Have you heard about the new “smart meters” that are being installed in homes all across America?  Under the guise of “reducing greenhouse gas emissions” and “reducing energy bills”, utility companies all over the United States are forcing tens of millions of American families to accept sophisticated surveillance devices in their homes.  Currently, approximately 9 percent of all electric meters in the U.S. have been converted over to smart meters.  It is being projected that by 2012, the number of smart meters in use will rise to 52 million, and the federal government is spending a lot of money to help get these installed everywhere.  Eventually the goal is to have these smart meters in all of our homes and if that ever happened there would essentially be no more privacy.  Once installed, a smart meter monitors your home every single minute of every single day and it transmits very sophisticated data about your personal behavior back to the utility company.



So can’t we just tell the utility companies that we don’t want these stupid things?

Unfortunately, in many areas of the country you can’t.  For example, one outraged resident of California contacted the utility company and was told that if he did not consent to taking a smart meter he would receive no service.

So unless you want to live “off the grid”, what are you going to do?  Can any of us really survive without electricity these days?

The sad truth is that these things are being forced upon us.

It is happening in Europe too.  The European Parliament has set a goal of having smart meters in the homes of 80 percent of all electricity consumers by the year 2020.

Sadly, as these smart meters have gone in there have been reports all over the country of electricity bills increasing dramatically.  There have been mountains of complaints about these things and yet their use keeps spreading.

But of course the biggest issue with smart meters is how they will strip us of our privacy.

The concern is that the incredibly detailed data that these surveillance devices collect will be given or sold to a vast array of third parties.

For example, smart meters are already being used by police to bust marijuana growers.

It is also feared that insurance companies, credit agencies, lawyers, marketing firms and even criminals will be able to get their hands on this data as well.

A recent article posted on the website of the Electronic Frontier Foundation summarized some of the concerns….

“Without strong protections, this information can and will be repurposed by interested parties. It’s not hard to imagine a divorce lawyer subpoenaing this information, an insurance company interpreting the data in a way that allows it to penalize customers, or criminals intercepting the information to plan a burglary. Marketing companies will also desperately want to access this data”

For law enforcement officials, these surveillance devices are a dream come true. According to the Columbus Dispatch, police in central Ohio have been filing at least 60 subpoenas every single month for the energy-use records of those that they suspect are growing pot in their homes.

Well, it turns out that sometimes police are raiding homes that are using a lot of energy and they don’t find any marijuana at all.  Instead, sometimes these raids reveal others kinds of activities….

Sometimes, high electricity use doesn’t lead investigators to drugs. A federal investigation in the Powell area turned into a surprise for detectives.

“We thought it was a major grow operation … but this guy had some kind of business involving computers,” Marotta said. “I don’t know how many computer servers we found in his home.”

So do you want police raiding your home if you start using a little bit too much electricity?

Jerry Day, an electronics and media expert from Burbank California, recently detailed many of the ways that smart meters act as surveillance devices when they are installed in our homes….

1. They individually identify electrical devices inside the home and record when they are operated causing invasion of privacy.

2. They monitor household activity and occupancy in violation of rights and domestic security.

3. They transmit wireless signals which may be intercepted by unauthorized and unknown parties. Those signals can be used to monitor behavior and occupancy and they can be used by criminals to aid criminal activity against the occupants.

4. Data about occupant’s daily habits and activities are collected, recorded and stored in permanent databases which are accessed by parties not authorized or invited to know and share that private data.

5. Those with access to the smart meter databases can review a permanent history of household activities complete with calendar and time-of-day metrics to gain a highly invasive and detailed view of the lives of the occupants.

6. Those databases may be shared with, or fall into the hands of criminals, blackmailers, law enforcement, private hackers of wireless transmissions, power company employees, and other unidentified parties who may act against the interests of the occupants under metered surveillance.

7. “Smart Meters” are, by definition, surveillance devices which violate Federal and State wiretapping laws by recording and storing databases of private and personal activities and behaviors without the consent or knowledge of those people who are monitored.

8. It is possible for example, with analysis of certain “Smart Meter” data, for unauthorized and distant parties to determine medical conditions, sexual activities, physical locations of persons within the home, vacancy patterns and personal information and habits of the occupants.

Jerry Day has also produced a terrific YouTube video in which he explains many of these points more fully.  If you live in an area where these insidious smart meters are going in, then please share this video with as many people living near you as you can….

The time to object to these smart meters is before they go in.  Once they are in all of our homes it is going to be too late.

This is all part of the radical green agenda that is being forced down the throats of people all over the world.

Everything that we do has to be watched, monitored and tightly controlled for the “good of the environment”.

To the control freaks running things, that also means that the liberties and freedoms that we cherish so much must be greatly restricted.

If you don’t know about “Agenda 21“, you should learn about it.  The UN has a plan for the future of this planet, and once you find out about this plan you probably are not going to like it very much.  The entire globe is rapidly becoming one big prison grid as the elite implement their vision of the future.

If you want to get a really good idea of what they are planning, just watch this video.

If the control freaks get their way, there will eventually be no more privacy for any of us.

Unless we speak out now, the surveillance devices are just going to become more and more sophisticated.  At some point, none of us is even going to be able to sneeze without someone knowing about it.

So what do all of you think about these smart meters?  Does anyone out there have a smart meter horror story?  Please feel free to leave a comment with your opinion below….
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Those of us in Baltimore already know the debacle that is speed cameras and we know as well that it took constant media shaming and huge public outrage to stop what all knew were faulty tickets actually stealing money from citizens.  Between Smart Meters that are already showing skewed pricing for utilities and these ticketing schemes all of which record our movement by car.......the WAR BLIMP will follow us by train or bus!

Who are these people preparing all kinds of escape from whom our Homeland Security pretend to protect WE THE PEOPLE?  Probably the world's citizens coming to recover their tens of trillions of dollars stolen with massive corporate fraud!


Cordon multi-target photo-radar system leaves no car untagged

(video) BY Amar Toor October 31st, 2011 at 8:37AM ET

engadget


Go easy on the gas, Speed Racer, because Cordon is on its way. Developed by Simicon, this new speed sensor promises to take highway surveillance to new heights of precision. Unlike most photo radar systems, which track only one violator at a time, Simicon's device can simultaneously identify and follow up to 32 vehicles across four lanes. Whenever a car enters its range, the Cordon will automatically generate two images: one from wide-angle view and one closeup shot of the vehicle's license plate. It's also capable of instantly measuring a car's speed and mapping its position, and can easily be synced with other databases via WiFi, 3G or WiMAX. Plus, this device is compact and durable enough to be mounted upon a tripod or atop a road sign, making it even harder for drivers to spot. Fortunately, though, you still have time to change your dragster ways, as distributor Peak Gain Systems won't be bringing the Cordon to North America until the first quarter of 2012. Cruise past the break to see some footage of a field trial that's currently underway -- cars tagged with a green dot are traveling below the speed limit, those with a yellow marking are chugging along within an acceptable range above the limit, while vehicles with a red tab are just asking for trouble.

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January 23rd, 2014

1/23/2014

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I listened to my local corporate NPR/APM outlet WYPR give political commentary that does all it can to support the crony political system we have in Maryland.  As you read below, what got my ire going this morning requires remembering that progressive politics and neo-liberalism are at polar opposites in political spectrum.   A candidate cannot be a neo-liberal supporting a few progressive policies because global corporate rule will not allow any of these progressive stances to exist in the end.  Fraser Smith and his enthusiasm for Maryland's political machines cannot be outdone and WYPR makes sure that commentary like mine......a counterpoint is never heard.  I bet that my website and blog has more people visiting than WYPR!!!!!

IF YOU HEAR 'NEW ECONOMY' OR '21ST CENTURY ECONOMY' THAT MEANS THE WORLD UNDER TPP----GLOBAL NEO-LIBERALISM.
  The Brookings Institute and Johns Hopkins are leaders in these policies!

I so not know if this group is a real progressive economics group or a poser as is the case with most groups calling themselves progressive but this statement on their website hits at the definition of economic progressivism.  What we have in the US are neo-liberals-----global corporate pols using a few progressive issues to get votes and then they kill us with policy like TPP.  WE MUST DO OUR HOMEWORK WHEN WE CHOOSE MEDIA OR PUNDITS FOR OUR INFORMATION!!!!

Maryland has only neo-liberals in the democratic party.....as Fraser says......it is the political machines that choose the candidates.  So, when Heather Mizeur says she is 'progressive' and uses a few progressive issues to label her as such.....she makes her economic platform clearly neo-liberal.......tying the state to Wall Street leveraging, public private partnerships, and building global markets.  MIZEUR IS NOT THE PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE----SHE IS THE NEO-LIBERAL TRYING TO WIN WITH PROGRESSIVE ISSUES!  Montgomery County is the wealthiest in the nation because it is from here (and the Virginia suburbs) that all of the fraud and corruption bringing trillions to corporations originate.....and that includes state fraud and corruption.  We would not go to Montgomery County for a democratic candidate!


NEO-LIBERALISM = GLOBAL CORPORATE TRIBUNAL RULE = TOTALITARIANISM = THE END OF DEMOCRACY AND WE THE PEOPLE  US CONSTITUTION


Progressive Economics – Everyone Makes Progress
Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 - by Diane Alter

Progressive economics is chiefly concerned with advancing human commerce for the betterment of all – so that all can make progress. The aim is to make certain that greater stability exists in tandem with balanced growth in the economy, to keep money flowing – preventing it from accruing solely in one place or to one small group – in order to better reach universal goals. This is where the Center for Progressive Economics (CPE) comes in. The Encino, California-based non-profit company’s mission is “to promote the correct macroeconomic understanding, mainly through economic validation, that joins business with government, educators, environmentalists, civic and philanthropic leaders to create a quality global economy and community.”

At the helm is founder and Chairman Mark Pash, a Certified Financial Planner, who boasts the kind of lengthy and impressive resume that comes from 40 years of working in finance and politics. He was even a Congressional candidate in 1996. Pash founded CPE with the goal of making the world a better place for current and future generations.

Totally committed and passionate to this cause, Pash promised to fund all the expenses of CPE’s website, with its plethora of valuable information, for the next several years, encouraging everyone to become a member. Tax deductible donations are accepted, but CPE’s primary goal is to grow its member base rather than to increase the amount of dollars pledged.

CPE strives to educate individuals about, and be the advocate for, progressive economics. Members recognize progressive economic principles as being the most favorable way to safeguard the checks and balances between fair markets and community interests. As the backbone of our society, the economy has a monumental impact on the quality of life for everyone. In order for individuals to prosper and provide for their families, the economy must function properly. With proper policies, the economy can stabilize our society.

One of CPE's basic tenets is this: “We cannot have a politically democratic society without economic democracy.” CPE’s underlying philosophy is designed to facilitate the advancement of human commerce for the benefit of all, while also protecting the business environment from its own zealous hands and those of a meddlesome government. Acknowledging the myriad flaws of commerce and capitalism, the government has a role to play in countering these imperfections. But it must do so without hampering the marketplace, allowing for free enterprise and competition.

CPE, with its vibrant vision of future possibilities, explains that an understanding of progressive economic understanding along with wise application of its principles could be the conduit to future financial success for everyone – underscoring that we are all in this together. Progressive economic principles, CPE maintains, can insulate America and the entire world from the defects of capitalism, and is capable of escorting us into a future where wealth can be created and relished by all in a quality economy.




As we watch law enforcement become tightened and cruel on citizens of the US at the same time Rule of Law is suspended on white collar and government crime, we see what Germany and Fascism looked like as it was building in Europe pre-WW2.  Hitler took over all of a nation's businesses and used them for his goal of taking over the world.  Neo-liberals have as their goal taking over the world with global markets leading to colonialism.

SAME THING.  TRANS PACIFIC PACT-----TPP TRADE DEALS MOVE FURTHER TOWARDS THAT.

Let's look at some of the facts happening across the country to show what the goal looks like and how NOW IS THE TIME TO ENERGIZE AGAINST THIS.  In Hitler's time people ask......how did these citizens allow a grip on society take hold?  WELL, IT IS HAPPENING NOW IN AMERICA AND EUROPE.

I'm listening to my corporate 'public' media station WYPR giving its typical political coverage that has no counterpoint and always pushes the political machine agenda in Maryland.  Fraser Smith tells us that a newcomer to the state elections in June would not have a chance now because all of the campaign money and war chests and alignment of labor and justice has already taken place.  The candidate getting Fraser's ire didn't have any political experience for goodness sake and it seems he must have intentions of promoting his own business.  This is LOL as all Maryland politics is about promoting and moving money to connected business.  I was at an election event where a few candidates came to the podium to give their canned speaking points with the selected progressive issues of the election but the people were not able to ask any questions on policy.......neither are they at any event and the media certainly doesn't allow general questions.  So, what happens in Maryland are not elections.......THEY ARE FIXES.  The need for political experience to run for state office?  REALLY??????

WHEN THE US WAS NUMBER 1 IN THE WORLD WITH A THRIVING ECONOMY AND FIRST WORLD STANDARDS........THE GOVERNMENT WAS FILLED WITH TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, TRADES PEOPLE, CLERKS AND THE MANTRA------

SEND MR AND MS SMITH TO WASHINGTON, THE STATE HOUSE, AND CITY HALL!!!!!  AS IT IS TODAY. 


We try to help our local media be sharing with them what the Maryland citizens really think.  For example, did you know that Maryland has one of the strongest Expanded and Improved Medicare for All?  See why the private health system reform is trying to dismantle public health as fast as possible.  Not one word from media about this Universal Care movement!

Well, from Occupy, to labor and justice movements, to seniors and professionals------EVERYBODY WANT CORPORATIONS AND THEIR MONEY OUT OF GOVERNMENT AND THESE SAME PEOPLE SEE TODAYS NEO-CONS AND NEO-LIBERALS AS SIMPLY CORPORATE EXECUTIVES, NOT POLITICIANS.  So, why does Fraser Smith speak about the very system people do not want as the status quo that will stand? Oh, that's right ------corporate 'public' media working to keep corporate pols and their machines cranking!


LET'S SEE WHAT TOTALITARIANISM LOOKS LIKE IN AMERICA:



So, as Fraser tells us that having a campaign war chest will decide the Maryland elections in June-----(don't  forget FEBRUARY 25TH DEADLINE FOR FILING FOR ALL PRIMARIES),  you see the entire electorate wanting big money out of politics.  Even small business, which is an endangered species with global corporate rule, is on the bandwagon.  Here in Maryland we hear nothing of this mass movement!
  Rather, war chests are touted as what is needed to win-----GO GLOBAL CORPORATE POLS!!!!

A CAPTURED POLITICAL SYSTEM IS A MUST TO WEAN PEOPLE FROM THE IDEA OF FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS THAT DO NOT HAPPEN IN A TOTALITARIAN SOCIETY! 


About Us

We are a community of citizens who believe passionately that public funding is the single most critical long-term public policy issue our nation faces. What’s at stake are nothing less than the health of our democracy, the quality of our leadership, and our government’s ability to tackle the serious problems that affect us all: health care, energy policy, education, the environment and the economy.

Clearly, incumbents have an interest in keeping the current system in place — because it keeps them in place. It will take a powerful, non-partisan, grassroots movement to demand their support for a new kind of politics in America.

Vision

We have a vision of a better America, and a return to a more responsive, participatory democracy. It’s a nation whose leaders are accountable to the voters, and elected according to their abilities, their qualifications and their character. A nation whose citizens once more have confidence in their leaders and in the integrity of the political system. A nation where cynicism and apathy are replaced by the true American ideals of optimism and activism.




Business groups call for campaign finance reform
By Amanda Conto

March 01, 2013

Business leaders are calling for full disclosure and small-donor citizen-funded elections that will restore power to the voters.

Americans for Campaign Reform, along with several other groups, will host a free event discussing why campaign finance reform matters to New York's business leaders at noon on Tuesday, March 5 at the Albany Institute of History and Art.

The coalition formed by the American Sustainable Business Council, the Business and Labor Coalition of New York, Citizens Union of the City of New York, the Committee for Economic Development, the New York State Sustainable Business Council and New York Leadership for Accountable Government, will present an overview of business benefits related to campaign finance reform and discuss how small-donor citizen-funded elections can strengthen democracy.

According to Americans for Campaign Reform's website public funding is the "single most critical long-term public policy issue" facing the nation.

"We have a vision of a better America, and a return to a more responsive, participatory democracy. It's a nation whose leaders are accountable to the voters, and elected according to their abilities, their qualifications and their character—a nation whose citizens once more have confidence in their leaders and in the integrity of the political system, a nation where cynicism and apathy are replaced by the true American ideals of optimism and activism," the website states.

Campaign finance reformers say the current system promotes a pay-to-play mentality that encourages political giving as a means of influencing legislative decision-making and increases the risk of sacrificing long-term interests for short-term gains. They also said donor influence can serve to undermine market forces by the pursuit of policies and regulations that diminish competition or unduly benefit particular firms or industries.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo outlined plans for campaign reform during his Jan 4, 2012 State of the State Address. Rob Werner, national field director for Americans for Campaign Reform, said with Cuomo's support, now is the time for campaign reform.

The governor's plan includes a voluntary "multiple match" public financing system that will encourage candidates to fund their campaigns through a broad base of small donors. His plan also includes lower contribution limits and the closure of contribution loopholes as well as lower contribution limits for corporations and individuals who do business with New York state. (Sounds the same as public media requirements----wait, they have nothing but businesses supporting them now)  Note that Maryland has done just the opposite in raising campaign donation levels and no election oversight.  Would seeing no corporate fraud for Gansler equate to a campaign war chest?  THE ASSOCIATION IS EASY-PEASY!!!!

A new enforcement unit in the New York State Board of Elections, with the independence and authority to investigate alleged violations, is also a part of Cuomo's plan.

"New York is very important and beneficial. The people of New York provide a beacon for the nation," said Werner.

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Maryland is acting as though TPP has already been passed as all of Maryland Assembly works towards installing these policies in the state.  I spoke at length about this VEOLA Super Shuttle incident so I won't go further than to say it embraces the idea that a global corporation can act any way it chooses inside the US as laws that inhibit profits are not enforced.  So, this French global corporation with headquarters in Africa brings African immigrants to Maryland and indentures them with contracts that have them working but not earning any money. 


THIS IS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF MARYLAND CAPTURED POLITICAL SYSTEM THAT ONLY ALLOWS PEOPLE PROVEN TO WORK FOR THESE SITUATIONS RISE IN THE POLITICAL MACHINES......SEE WHY FRASER IS SO ADAMANT THAT POLITICAL MACHINE POLITICIANS BE THE ONES THAT RUN.......GROOM THEM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND IF THEY HAND ALL THAT IS PUBLIC TO MARYLAND'S 1%, THEN THEY CAN MOVE UP TO THE MARYLAND ASSEMBLY AND STATE POLITICS!  Just running MR AND MS SMITH in state elections????!!!!!  ARE YOU CRAZY SAYS FRASER!


BELOW YOU SEE A SURE SIGN OF TOTALITARIANISM.....CORPORATE SLAVERY RIGHT HERE IN MARYLAND!

Veolia Draws Labor Protest at its Headquarters in Baltimore


Oh, let's vote for more Maryland political machine candidates to fix this!!!!!!!  RUN AND VOTE FOR LABOR AND JUSTICE AND DO NOT ALLOW THE DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL MACHINES CHOOSE YOUR CANDIDATES AS THEY ARE ALL NEO-LIBERALS!

Baltimore PostExaminer·25 videos
  Published on Jan 20, 2014

Veolia is a billion dollar international corporation with transportation companies operating along the East Coast of the U.S. It hires SuperShuttle workers at both BWI and Dulles airports. Many of the SuperShuttle workers at the airports are very unhappy with the conditions of their employment. On Monday, January 20, 2014, some of the workers, and their allies in the Social Justice and Union Movements, stage a rally at Veolia's main office in Baltimore, MD. The action was organized by activists Sharon Black and Amy Millar of UFCW, Local 1994. To learn more, go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/20568...


Reclaim Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream -
END POVERTY & INJUSTICE! SUPPORT SUPERSHUTTLE DRIVERS!



PROTEST VEOLIA’S SYSTEM OF WORKER SLAVERY
Monday, January 20, 3 P.M. to 4 P.M. at Veolia’s Baltimore transportation HQ, 2100 Huntington Ave, Baltimore, MD (21st St. & Huntington Ave. right off of Howard Street near the car wash and Jiffy Lube)

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Below you see Bill Bratton, the NYC police chief put into place by a supposed 'progressive' de Blasio calling a citizen's beating for almost nothing anything but excessive force.  We all know in Baltimore it is militaristic policing that has police acting like this and the SWAT TEAM mentally is directed at WE THE PEOPLE and not terrorist.

Truthout
Kang Wong was attacked as he crossed a busy street in Manhattan. He was thrown against a wall and left with cuts on his face that required metal staples. But it was Wong who was subsequently arrested and charged at the nearest police station - because his attackers were New York City cops.


Why Did Police Beat an Elderly Man for Jaywalking?
Wednesday, 22 January 2014 15:12 By The Daily Take, The Thom Hartmann Program

(Image: Don't walk via Shutterstock)84-year-old Kang Wong is recovering today from a brutal attack on the streets of New York City.

Wong’s attackers jumped him as he jaywalked across a busy street in Manhattan, threw him up against a wall, and left him with cuts all across his face that have since been sealed up with four metal staples.

The attackers then brought Wong to the nearest police station, where he was booked on charges of jaywalking and resisting arrest.

Kang Wong’s attackers, you see, were New York City cops.

That city’s police commissioner, Bill Bratton, has said that excessive force wasn’t used in his arrest, but that statement doesn’t really face up to much muster. It’s pretty clear that the cops overreacted.

Wong doesn’t speak any English, and if it looked like he was resisting the officers in question, that’s almost certainly because he didn’t understand a word they were saying.

Understandably, his family now plans on pressing charges.

Wong’s brutal arrest is outrageous in its own right, but it also speaks to the broader problem of police brutality in this country. In some places, police culture is very professional; in others it’s just plain militaristic.

I know this from personal experience.

Back in 1996, the Olympics were coming to Atlanta. Just like right now, with Sochi trying to ramp up their security, Atlanta needed more security for the Olympics than was available from just the local police.

At the time, I was writing a novel about a private detective, and shadowing an Atlanta PI, a now-longtime friend named DeWitt Wannamaker, who has held a variety of jobs in law enforcement.

The Georgia Police Academy had opened their doors to civilians that year with an “executive protection” training course for people who’d work for Olympic athletes and visiting VIPs, and DeWitt got me into the course. I ended up not only completing the course but getting licensed for two years as a private detective in the state of Georgia.

Most of the guys going through the course were small-town cops who’d never had any professional training at all, and what I discovered was that there are a lot of really good, really dedicated, and really smart people who aspire to or work in law enforcement.

I also discovered that there are a small number of yahoos who are just really, really excited about the chance to get a gun and a billy club and have the legal authority to kick the stuffing out of people. I encountered one of those guys in the “hand to hand” part of the Academy’s course, and still remember the bruises.

It’s cops like that who do things like beat up an 84-year-old man for jaywalking and it’s cops like that who crack open a protestor’s head at an Occupy Wall Street protest.

Part of this, I believe, has to do with how we talk about law enforcement in the United States. We don’t solve crime, we “fight” it; we don’t have a campaign to stop drug addiction, we have a “War on Drugs.”

We tell cops that they’re in a battle with crime, and then they act accordingly: like soldiers, not public servants.


It shouldn’t be any surprise, then, that the number of SWAT team deployments - something unheard of when I was growing up - jumped from around one hundred in the 1970s to over 50,000 in 2005.

While we’ve turned our public servants into warriors, we’ve started to give up - at the federal level, at least - on the whole idea of community policing.

The federal Community Oriented Policing Services program, or COPS, which provides resources for local police forces around the country was initiated in 1994 during the Clinton administration as part of an effort to put 100,000 police officers on America’s streets.

The idea was to get officers out into the community where they could form relationships with everyday people and act more like teachers than soldiers.

Madison, Wisconsin Police Officer Katie Adler is a great example of the kind of person the COPS program was meant to create.

She is a neighborhood officer in the crime-ridden North Side area of Madison. Unlike regular patrol cops in Madison, neighborhood officers are put in at-risk communities to help make a difference and build relationships with citizens in the hopes preventing future crime.

Officer Katie, as everyone calls her, is beloved in the communities that she patrols, so much so that kids follow her wherever she goes. She’s even inspiring children in the communities to become police officers when they grow up.

But the promise of every neighborhood having an Officer Katie is becoming increasingly unlikely.

That’s because ever since the Bush administration, funding for the COPS program has been continually slashed by hundreds of millions of dollars.

In 2010, $792 million was allotted in the form of federal grants under the COPS program for local police forces across the country; by 2012, that number shrank to just $199 million.

We need to reverse this trend and ramp up funding for community policing.

Programs like COPS encourage law enforcement agencies to do more than just catch criminals. They encourage them to work with communities to create a culture of trust that breaks down the barrier between cops and civilians. They also encourage police officers, police officers like Katie Adler, to work towards solving the root causes of crime as opposed to just trying to stop its symptoms.

Not all police officers are bad guys. The vast majority, in my experience, actually want to do good by their community. But it’s clear that by turning our law enforcement agencies into battalions, we’ve created an environment where violence is both more acceptable and more likely.

If we really want to prevent people like Kang Wong from being brutalized at the hands of the people who are supposed to protect them, then we need to totally rethink what it means to be a police officer in America.

Part of this means drawing down wasteful and ineffective initiatives like Nixon’s War on Drugs that do nothing but alienate already vulnerable communities from law enforcement.

But we need to go bigger than that. We need to make a commitment to funding the COPS program so that police work is seen not just as a way to catch the bad guys, but as a way to serve communities all across the country.

We also need to pay police as professionals and hold them to professional standards just like we do other professions.

This won’t stop all police brutality, but it will definitely go a long way towards making sure that our streets become less of a battle zone and more of a place where we can all learn to live with each other in peace.


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January 21st, 2014

1/21/2014

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THE 1% ARE KILLING ALL AVENUES FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ABILITY OF THE PUBLIC TO NETWORK WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES!  WE SHOULD SEE A FLOOD OF PROTEST OVER ENDING NET NEUTRALITY, THE WAR ON THE POST OFFICE, THE PRIVATIZATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND THE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS/DATA MINING  WITHIN SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE NON-PROFITS TAKING THESE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.

TOTALITARIANISM LOOKS JUST LIKE THIS!!!!!


Regarding news outlets the American people no longer listen to:

If you listen to the social media bunch you never hear or see any mainstream media repeated or posted and MSNBC is losing any viewership because they are neo-liberal.  I happen to watch a Sunday CBS talk show that showed why.  The commentator asks the Obama representative about NSA and the fact that it is run by hedge funds and is not really a public agency and the Obama spokesman ignored the question and went on to say the issue is whether the government or private businesses should store the data,......THE POINT IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT AS A PUBLIC AGENCY IS NOT INVOLVED....IT IS PRIVATE BUSINESSES RUNNING NSA.  Then we read where Microsoft's Seattle is trying to pass anti-spying on the world legislation because since they are part of the hedge funds running NSA, tech companies are losing the world's business because no one trusts them.  So, they are pretending to be against the spying system they helped develop.  Today corporate NPR/APM's Marketplace tells us the world's monied elite and elite politicians need to do something about wealth inequity because the natives are getting restless.  This is like listening to the monied Godfather called elite and his Goodfellas called elite politicians.  Absolutely no one thinks of the crew at the top as elite.  People have even stopped viewing Ivy League schools as good academic institutions.  Abroad, American universities are looked at as the least of choices because they are now so sullied and thuggish.

This is why no one watches/listens to mainstream news.
This is also what people in second/third world autocracies hear when they listen to the news.  They sit there for a minute looking at news people saying nothing that is true, other nations are telling their citizens Russia and Iranian news is propaganda because they are doing the same thing.  Meanwhile the citizens have a completely separate system of media and communication. This is the state of US news media.

The important things for the American people in this regard are two-fold.  As we listen to neo-liberals handing the US Post Office over to Staples and cuts to buildings and employees we are seeing the VISIGOTH politicians dismantling the only public means of communication....if you think 46 cents is a lot for a letter wait until neo-liberals get rid of public mail.  The Maryland pols are all neo-liberals and when a supermajority of democrats had all branches of government.....they pretended to be writing a Financial Reform bill that has nothing enacted and is totally dismantled.  Maryland in fact is the most naked capitalist state in the country with its neo-liberals running as democrats pretending they are fighting for public interests!  Indeed, creating postal kiosks and giving Staples the rights to postal activities is simply killing the Post Office.  So, do you think two global corporations like UPS and FED-X will be looking for quality and cost competition without the Post Office?  Of course not.  Do you think they will be delivering RAIN, HAIL, SLEET, OR SNOW.....OR SOCIAL REVOLUTION?  Good luck, as people in third world countries get mail a few times a month.  The Post Office is the best run company in the country, it is just having a BAINS CAPITAL gutting of all of its assets so it cannot do its job. 

THOSE CRAZY PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS HANDING ALL THAT IS PUBLIC TO PRIVATE HANDS IN A RUSSIAN PERESTROIKA COUP AGAINST THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S WEALTH!

IF YOU KEEP ALLOWING THE SAME NEO-LIBERALS TO RUN FOR OFFICE EVERY ELECTION....IF YOU ALLOW A NEO-LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHOOSE YOUR CANDIDATES, YOU WILL LOSE ALL PUBLIC POST OFFICES AND THE LAST METHOD OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATION!  NET NEUTRALITY?  NEO-LIBERALS SAID FORGET-ABOUT-IT!  WE CAN TURN THAT AROUND.

The second issue is depending too much on social media.  As we saw a few years ago, the first thing neo-liberals did when the economic collapse revealed the entire business and government system in the US was criminal and corrupt was to pass laws allowing the government to do a wholesale shut down of all media in the US in the case of civil unrest.....just as third world Egypt and other revolutionary nations.  You see, since the US is going to have a revolution because VISIGOTHS have stolen all our wealth and intend to keep it.....they are preparing to be the autocratic crowd they are.  Indefinite detention, mass communication shut down, and spying extraordinaire!!!  Now we know what Muslim countries are feeling when they shout DEATH TO AMERICA, which means Wall Street and the TROIKA.  We know what they mean now don't we!  When you go from being hated around the world for your IMF activities taking over government control of undeveloped nations to doing the same in US cities and government.....you are pretty much hated by everyone.  This is what Obama and his NSA are all about.

 EVERYONE IS THE ENEMY.....WE WANT ALL WEALTH AND CONTROL.....ERGO, WE MUST BE THE MOST TOTALLY REPRESSIVE NATION IN THE WORLD.  THAT IS WHAT THESE PACIFIC TRADE AGREEMENTS.....TPP DO.  IT IS NOT SO MUCH ABOUT TRADE.....IT IS ABOUT ENDING NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY AND NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONS TO BUILDING A GLOBAL  NETWORK THAT CONTROLS ALL NATIONS. PRETTY TALL ORDER.

So, this is why Market Place said that the 'elite' need to get busy giving the poor some way to have money to survive....notice they did not suggest simply reinstating Rule of Law to recover tens of trillions of dollars in corporate fraud giving each person in America some hundreds of thousands of dollars.....and a democracy!!



REMEMBER, THE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS WITH THE POST OFFICE ARE A DISMANTLING OF ALL ITS ABILITY TO GENERATE REVENUE WITH SPINOFFS OF IT BASIC BUSINESS AND THE INCREDIBLE PRE-FUNDING OF PENSIONS IN THE HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS, WHICH IS NOW BEING STOLEN BY WALL STREET THROUGH PENSION FRAUD AND GOVERNMENT RAIDING.

YES, YOUR MARYLAND NEO-LIBERAL IS NOT ONLY RESPONSIBLE.....THEY ARE WORKING AS HARD AS THEY CAN TO HAND ALL THAT IS PUBLIC TO PRIVATE HANDS.


Staples' mini post offices draw union ire
By Gregory Wallace  @gregorywallace January 19, 2014: 9:04 PM ET  CNN Money



"The Staples-USPS deal has to be looked at in the context of a drive towards privatizing the U.S. Postal Service," said Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union. His group is a network of local unions that represents over 220,000 current and retired mail workers.

"We are willing to support this program as long as it's staffed with United States Postal Service employees," he said.

Staples declined to comment on the unions' concerns and said it doesn't discuss agreements with vendors, but said the pilot program is intended to offer "added convenience for our customers."

"Staples continually tests new products and services to better meet the needs of our customers," said spokeswoman Carrie McElwee.


And Postal Service spokeswoman Darleen Reid-MeMeo rejected the idea that the Staples program was "an attempt to replace stand alone Post Offices."

The post office, whose financial struggles are well-known, is adapting, Reid-MeMeo said. The Staples pilot is the next step of a program that already has over 65,000 retail partners -- including grocery stores and pharmacies that sell stamps and village stores that sell flat-rate boxes in rural areas.

Sarah Ryan, a faculty member at The Evergreen State College in Washington, said she thinks the Staples partnership does little to help traditionally underserved postal customers.

"The interesting thing is this won't do anything to help people who are in rural or lower income neighborhoods," Ryan said. She has studied privatization and the Postal Service and is a former retail clerk at a Seattle post office and held elected positions in the local postal union.


"This is the first time since the Sears deal that there's an effort to move the retail into a national, corporate chain," she said.

In the 1980s, the Postal Service and Sears (SHLD, Fortune 500) struck an arrangement similar to the one at Staples today. Postal unions protested and the program was eventually canceled.

This time around, Dimondstein said, the union president, said workers want guarantees their jobs will be protected and not outsourced to Staples.

"We do not have any problem with the people of this country getting expanded access to postal service," said Dimondstein. "We are willing to support this program as long as it's staffed with United States Postal Service employees."

The Postal Service counters are currently available at just over 80 Staples stores in and around San Francisco, San Diego, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Worcester, Massachusetts, said Reid-MeMeo, the USPS spokeswoman. She said the postal service is "always looking to expand access to postal products and services in locations where our customers frequent."


_________________________________________
Well, if they kill the public Post Office we will go to our community schools and communicate in public meetings and networking!!!!  Oh, that's right....they are privatizing all public education and schools are going to be run by national charter chains.  In Baltimore, people do not see their schools as center of community public forums and there goes the public community centers handed over to private non-profits run by corporate interests that just won't allow public dialog on political issues.  What is a person fighting for democracy to do in Baltimore and Maryland?

Below you see what school privatizers have already thought on that issue.  You see a Department of Education agency network designed specifically to give private education businesses the means to education data and how to capture a communities communications through schools.....

THERE GOES THAT PUBLIC OUTLET......OBAMA, ARNE DUNCAN, AND MARYLAND NEO-LIBERALS HAVE BEEN BUSY DISMANTLING ALL AVENUES FOR PUBLIC GATHERING FOR DIALOG AND NETWORKING.....OH, THAT IS WHY ALL THE PUBLIC COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTERS IN THE CITY ARE NOW CLOSED AND RUN BY PRIVATE NON-PROFITS!!!!!


A School-Community Communication Model:

1. Specific Behavioral Concerns of the Community for Its Youth. A Report on the Instructional Tasks Project.Abbot, William P.; And OthersThe longrange goal of the Instructional Tasks Project is to determine the requirements for an effective community-school communication model and its implementation. In the project's first year, the critical incident technique was used to identify the specific behavioral concerns of the community served by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, for its youth. Over 1,000 persons sampled from parents, youth, school staff, and the social community contributed data from which several thousand specific valued behaviors were abstracted and then classified via content analysis into a taxonomy of community concerns. Although subsequent data obtained from nonrespondents to the original sample and selected citizens indicated that the taxonomy was comprehensive, ratings of importance were not significantly associated with frequency of behavioral concerns mentioned by respondents in the initial sample. Hopefully this taxonomy will serve to progress further toward (1) an effective model and language for school-community communications about student performances, (2) development of instructional objectives based on community concerns, and (3) a description of similarities and differences among parts of the community in their concerns for youth. [Fig.1, p14 & Table 22, p46-56 may be of doubtful legibility in HC because of size of print.] (Author/JH)


THINK WE HAVE A DO-NOTHING CONGRESS AND WHITE HOUSE......MAN......THERE IS NOT AN AGENCY LEFT WITHOUT PRIVATIZATION AND IT IS AUTOCRATIC AS CAN BE!!!!!


WHEN OBAMA AND O'MALLEY SAYS THEY SUPPORT OPEN GOVERNMENT.....THEY DO NOT MEAN PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY.....THEY MEAN BUSINESSES CAN COME AND TAKE ALL DATA ACCUMULATED BY GOVERNMENT AND SELL IT, USE IT FOR RESEARCH.....WHATEVER. 


  • WWW.ERIC.ED.GOV
    PandaStats » Eric.ed.gov Analysis » www.eric.ed.gov





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____________________________________________

Obama and neo-liberals just allowed for the end of internet neutrality by not declaring the internet a utility regulated just as any vital service system in the US......electricity, water, communications.  What neo-liberals want to do is keep most people from being able to access the one ubiquitous means of communication by placing it in tiered payment levels that have full access too expensive except for the wealthiest.  Consolidation in the US has openly broken all ant-trust and monopoly laws and is allowing a few global corporations decide how the public's internet will run and be accessed.  The public paid for the internet.....it is our internet.  Not now say the VISIGOTHS and their neo-liberal pols!


I DON'T HEAR YOU SHOUTING LOUDLY AND STRONGLY AGAINST TAKING A FIRST WORLD COUNTRY THIRD WORLD!!!!!  RUN AND VOTE FOR LABOR AND JUSTICE IN ALL PRIMARIES!!!!!


Living in the Third World of Communications

March 8, 2007 digg  TMCNet Bloggers

If you haven’t heard, a court decided Vonage needs to pay Verizon $58 million in past damages for patent infringement in the following areas:  
  • Technology used to bridge Internet calls to the traditional phone system
  • Features such as call-waiting and voice-mail
  • Wireless Internet phone calls
  Now I know many people at Verizon and they are very smart, well rounded and seem nice enough. From an investment perspective they did a good thing by using patents as a competitive weapon against a small provider who has revolutionized the telecom industry and made telcos wake up and realize they need to compete.   The question worth posing however is how is the consumer benefiting from this lawsuit?   My concern is with the government and the various agencies who are supposed to be protecting me, my family and friends’ from monopolistic practices such as this.   When I learn about large companies using the legal and regulatory systems, to flush their competitors down the toilet I have to stop and remember what country I am living in.   I am a US citizen. I was born in the US and I am proud of it. I want consumers to have the best of everything. Lower prices, better quality – again, the best of everything.   VoIP has afforded consumers many benefits. FCC Chairman Michael Powell realized this and used Vonage as a poster child for competition that was pro consumer.   Unfortunately the massive amount of telco consolidation leaves a few large service providers with war chests full of cash and patents they will use to wipe out any and all competition in the market.   The system is so broken it is tough to imagine it can be called a system. How could the FCC feel good about this sort of decision? How could it ever be argued that a huge patent portfolio wielded like nuclear weapons can benefit consumers?   Merger after merger gets approved and no one puts an end to it.   This patent case is but one result of consolidation.   The damage of these mergers is not only to consumers but to the very telcos who are merging. I am speaking tomorrow at the VPF in Miami and as I sat through the sessions today I almost started tearing as I heard the amazing technologies and services being rolled out by companies like BT.   It seems phone companies in every country in the world are rolling out services that are many years ahead of the US.   The United States of America is the third world of telecom. It is an embarrassment and an outrage. Worse yet, we invent the leading edge technologies which actually get deployed on our shores next to last!   The few telcos in this country are falling behind in innovation and to be honest I do not blame them one bit. If I were a shareholder I would be proud of these accomplishments. In fact the way things are going, AT&T will be a single telephone company left to battle a single cable company.   At what point does the FCC need to stop mergers? It looks like there will soon be one choice in satellite radio for example.   Who decides how much competition is enough?   I remember a telecom market with no choice. I do not recall any innovation taking place with one company at the helm. Disruption and fear breeds competition and makes companies experiment with new products to get consumers excited. Duopolies do not.   When the old AT&T saw the threat from Vonage they rolled out a competitive service called CallVantage and you know what ? Tthey had a bunch of enthusiastic people at the helm of this organization and they innovated regularly. It was very refreshing to see AT&T act like a start up.   CallVantage now has pretty much been left for dead.   Every day I worry the path the US is going down is very wrong. We have to focus more on expanding competition and stop killing it at every turn. All government officials are responsible for what is happening to consumers through rulings such as the one above.   I suppose all I can ask is does anyone want to be responsible for telling their kids they are the reason there are 2 choices for telephone service where there was once thousands? Is this a legacy anyone wants to leave? How do you want to be remembered?   One day your kids may read this article – or even your grandchildren. Are you concerned at all? Please tell me you are.   I am very interested in opinions to this entry and I apologize if I come out harsh. Unfortunately some things just have to be said and someone has to start protecting consumers and keep them from getting thrown to the sharks.
___________________________________________
It is important for the American people to develop community-wide communications and having DEMOCRACY NOW MEETINGS STARTS THAT.  Whether newsletter or using local school networks, develop a strong system of communication that is not tied with social media and private phone services.  Democracy depends on free press and free speech and a national shut down of communications because of threats of civil unrest does not meet this mark.  We do not have as of now the mainstream media reporting on millions of people in the US and Europe marching and rallying....so think what will happen when everyone sees how TOTALITARIAN these neo-liberals are with TPP!!!!!

GO OLD SCHOOL WITH YOUR COMMUNICATION NETWORKS!!!!



New Bill Gives Obama ‘Kill Switch’ To Shut Down The Internet



Government would have “absolute power” to seize control of the world wide web under Lieberman legislation



Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The federal government would have “absolute power” to shut down the Internet under the terms of a new US Senate bill being pushed by Joe Lieberman, legislation which would hand President Obama a figurative “kill switch” to seize control of the world wide web in response to a Homeland Security directive.

Lieberman has been pushing for government regulation of the Internet for years under the guise of cybersecurity, but this new bill goes even further in handing emergency powers over to the feds which could be used to silence free speech under the pretext of a national emergency.

“The legislation says that companies such as broadband providers, search engines or software firms that the US Government selects “shall immediately comply with any emergency measure or action developed” by the Department of Homeland Security. Anyone failing to comply would be fined,” reports ZDNet’s Declan McCullagh.

The 197-page bill (PDF) is entitled Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act, or PCNAA.

Technology lobbying group TechAmerica warned that the legislation created “the potential for absolute power,” while the Center for Democracy and Technology worried that the bill’s emergency powers “include authority to shut down or limit internet traffic on private systems.”



The bill has the vehement support of Senator Jay Rockefeller, who last year asked during a congressional hearing, “Would it had been better if we’d have never invented the Internet?” while fearmongering about cyber-terrorists preparing attacks.

The largest Internet-based corporations are seemingly happy with the bill, primarily because it contains language that will give them immunity from civil lawsuits and also reimburse them for any costs incurred if the Internet is shut down for a period of time.

“If there’s an “incident related to a cyber vulnerability” after the President has declared an emergency and the affected company has followed federal standards, plaintiffs’ lawyers cannot collect damages for economic harm. And if the harm is caused by an emergency order from the Feds, not only does the possibility of damages virtually disappear, but the US Treasury will even pick up the private company’s tab,” writes McCullagh.


Tom Gann, McAfee’s vice president for government relations, described the bill as a “very important piece of legislation”.

As we have repeatedly warned for years, the federal government is desperate to seize control of the Internet because the establishment is petrified at the fact that alternative and independent media outlets are now eclipsing corporate media outlets in terms of audience share, trust, and influence.

We witnessed another example of this on Monday when establishment Congressman Bob Etheridge was publicly shamed after he was shown on video assaulting two college students who asked him a question. Two kids with a flip cam and a You Tube account could very well have changed the course of a state election, another startling reminder of the power of the Internet and independent media, and why the establishment is desperate to take that power away.

The government has been searching for any avenue possible through which to regulate free speech on the Internet and strangle alternative media outlets, with the FTC recently proposing a “Drudge Tax” that would force independent media organizations to pay fees that would be used to fund mainstream newspapers.

Similar legislation aimed at imposing Chinese-style censorship of the Internet and giving the state the power to shut down networks has already been passed globally, including in the UK, New Zealand and Australia.

We have extensively covered efforts to scrap the internet as we know it and move toward a greatly restricted “internet 2″ system. Handing government the power to control the Internet would only be the first step towards this system, whereby individual ID’s and government permission would be required simply to operate a website.

The Lieberman bill needs to be met with fierce opposition at every level and from across the political spectrum. Regulation of the Internet would not only represent a massive assault on free speech, it would also create new roadblocks for e-commerce and as a consequence further devastate the economy.






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    Cindy Walsh is a lifelong political activist and academic living in Baltimore, Maryland.

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