Smith on Poverty & Politics

Dear friends,

The current presidential candidates have referred to the "middle class" in abundance. Actually, so have earlier campaigners, from Truman to Clinton. You see, that is exactly to whom the Nazi movement appealed - that is, middle-class Germans. Moreover, it was they who were at the heart of Nazism - not Adolph Hitler...

Webster's Dictionary and American classrooms - from grade schools to colleges - brim with the word "Nazi" as representing a political party. It was not. Rather, it was a movement of ordinary people - the middle class. Today, politicians manipulate this body, in order to pass fascistic legislation like The Patriot Act. As has been said by others long before me, "The seeds of fascism are well-planted in America's soil.".

In his classic work The Mass Psychology Of Fascism, Wilheim Reich, the renowned scientist and thinker, insisted: "My character-analytical experiences have convinced me that there is not a single individual who does not bear the elements of fascist feeling and thinking in his (or her) structure. As a political movement fascism differs from other reactionary parties inasmuch as it is borne and championed by masses of people...Since fascism, whenever and wherever it makes its appearance, is a movement borne by masses of people, it betrays all the characteristics and contradictions present in the character structure of the mass individual. It is not, as is commonly believed, a purely reactionary movement- it represents an amalgam between rebellious emotions and reactionary social ideas." (see Preface to the Third edition)

The middle class consists of those who "go along to get along". Moreover, they make up "the herd" that allows individuals to hide in that group and spew forth hatred and imjustice, without fear of reprisal, because, as part of the herd, each member of the group becomes anonymous. Moreover, it was millions of ordinary "middle-class" people who aided in the killing of 40 million of their fellow Europeans (22 million Russians alone). Hitler and his cohorts understood the significance of recruiting this group, in carrying out their (the former's) dastardly plan. So, they appealed to that group. Every single American presidential candidate has followed their example, ever since.

At any rate, on the link below, in his typically original thoughtfulness, Elm Smith, of the Philadelphia Daily News, awakens us to the group that is almost never mentioned. Cheers!

G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20080930_Elmer_Smith__Candidates_don_t_show_much_interest_in_the_poor.html
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Where There Is Smoke...

Dear friends,

Ed O'Reilly, is a colleague of mine in the fight for equality, dignity, justice, and prosperity for all people. Just a few weeks ago, he reached the end of a great campaign, albeit unsuccessful, against incumbent John Kerry, in the Democratic primaries here in Massachusetts, for the US Senate. I am hopeful that, in the near future, he will try again to gain appropriate support from voters, for some other public office...

Nonetheless, Ed has not stopped in his diligence to offer leadership that is enmeshed in goodwill. With his personal permission, I am honored to share his acerbic insight with you. on the "Bailout" and the general political environment, through this informative piece below.

Cheers!

G. Djata Bumpus
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Where There Is Smoke, There Is (still) Fire!

As we begin this week, we have seen Congress working overtime rushing to put together the largest bailout plan in the history of our United States. Let’s make no mistake what this bailout is all about. It is all about trickle down economics! Every Congressional proposal is FOR the financial industry and NOT FOR average American working families and our senior citizens.

During the campaign, I often talked about the J.P. Morgan takeover of Bear Stearns. How was it that executives from J.P. Morgan could call the power brokers at the Federal Reserve Bank and within days put together a multi-billion dollar deal that gave out a multi-million dollar, no-bid, contract to a company called Black Rock and leave the average American taxpayer holding the risk? The answer is pure and simple—special interest money in politics. If an ordinary American has a financial problem, can he/she call the Federal Reserve and get the same kind of access, service and influence? The answer is clearly and obviously, no.

So, let’s take a look at how this all happens. There is great disparity in terms of access and influence with Washington decision makers. During the campaign, I cited my opponent’s campaign kickoff event as an example of how money gains access, and without access, there can be no influence. Let me be clear here. I use this as an example to illuminate a problem with the system and not, necessarily, with the person.

The election is over, but the system remains. This campaign kickoff dinner had a $1,000 minimum cover charge and $2,300 minimum to have a private reception with an elected U.S. Senator who was elected to serve ALL of the people of Massachusetts. Who would pay a $1,000 cover charge? Certainly an average American can not afford to spend this amount of money for dinner. So, why would a person pay $2,300 for dinner and a reception? The answer is simple. The expensive cover charges are the price of admission, not only to talk with the elected official, but also to help form relationships with others who have paid a similar amount.

Unfortunately, this campaign kickoff dinner is not an isolated occasion linked to this one so-called representative. Events like this happen all across America every week. Looked at from another angle, the contributions to campaign funds by lobbyists, bundlers, and Political Action Committees are the “dues” necessary to become a loosely-affiliated member of the “club”. Over fifty years ago, this “club” is what C. Wright Mills called “The Power Elite”. Mills described this “club” as being glued together by the interwoven interests of our corporate, military, and political leaders. What was written about over fifty years ago, has become fully illuminated by this bailout plan. This “club” is running OUR government! The truth is that ordinary Americans are being left relatively powerless and subject to the manipulation by today’s “ power elite”.

Let’s get back to the rush and panic that has set in and around Washington and, specifically, within Congress itself. Why not wait to have hearings? Are there no alternatives to bailing out the people at the top? Wouldn’t it be better to take $700 billion dollars and put it into direct aid to average Americans? What about all the pillaging that was done by the “greedsters”? The panic and the chaos that has enveloped Washington is the result of the realization that, if hearings were held, the truth would come out.

The truth is that most members of Congress need to look no further than the nearest mirror. The true blame for this mess rests with Congress itself and a system that thrives on special interest money.Recently, we have seen the largest gap in the inequality of income since just before the Great Depression. Out of the Great Depression came reform legislation such as the Glass-Steagall Act (1933), and later the 1956 Bank Holding Company Act, which mandated the separation of banks, insurance companies and securities firms. In 1999, however, Congress passed the Financial Services Modernization Act which basically tore down what has often been called the firewalls between these institutions.

As a result of the lack of regulatory firewalls, the arsonists of greed have pillaged our country and ordinary Americans are left to bear the costs of putting out the fire. Congress is acting quickly to extinguish the flames because the heat is licking at their heels. There is a problem in this country and the problem is special interest money in politics. It is at the root of nearly all political decision-making and, in this case, will keep the embers burning long after temporarily taking the heat away from members of Congress. This bailout plan is a smokescreen and where there is smoke, there remains fire. Let’s make no mistake about this bailout situation. The bottom line is that the middle class is being scorched and a trickling down economic plan will not put out a conflagration fueled by special interest money.

Respectfully,
Ed O’Reilly

PS There were only 8 Senators who voted against the 1999 “Modernization Act” and they were an eclectic mix that seldom, if ever, voted together – liberal stalwart Democrats Boxer, Feingold, Mikulski, and Wellstone to moderate Senators Bryan, Dorgan, and Harkin to the lone Republican, Senator Shelby (R-AL). It will be interesting to see how the remaining 6 U.S. Senators vote on this bailout.
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Al Martinez on Celebrity Pregnancies

Dear friends,

In light of celebrity pregnancies and their much-touted claims of adding to our nation's affluence, as well as their ostentatious display of social inequality...

It is always both a pleasure and honor for me to share with you the work of my friend and celebrated writer, Al Martinez ( who also just happens to be a Pulitzer Prize- winning journalist). Enjoy!

G. Djata Bumpus
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The Pregnancy Game
September 17, 2008
First Published - FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2008

It’s pregnancy season again among Hollywood’s nubile, and not so nubile, women, who are increasingly photographed for magazines, supermarket tabloids and various blogs while parading around in bikinis that reveal the expanding nature of their midriffs.

Their proud demeanor indicates that they believe their state of expectancy is an accomplishment few could ever achieve. This is a cultural oddity which at one time would have been handed over to a science writer who specialized in procreation, but in the re-imagining of the L.A. by God Times, he has been downsized out the door.

So I guess it’s up to me to make a few candid observations from the relative obscurity of my own blog. I trace the prance of the pregnant celebrities back to that revealing Vanity Fair Magazine cover photograph of Demi Moore some time ago, in which she offered America a naked profile of her pregnancy in its 4th trimester. Well, anyhow, in its advanced stages. This encouraged every female celebrity with sweet dreams of scoring the same notoriety to quickly begin wondering how to get themselves great with child and parade up and down the boardwalk or wherever for all to see.

Those periodicals concerned with their activities realized that celebrity pregnancy was a cash cow and let loose the dogs of photography, which would be the paparazzi, and now even naturally obese women aren’t safe from the hairy beasts. “Are you pregnant or just fat?” they shout in the mantra of their new quest. The subject of gravidity has become so all consuming that I am here today to explain just how it happens.

The attitude of many readers of celebrity journals is that the pregnant women of Hollywood have achieved some sort of intellectual benchmark by getting themselves, well, knocked up; as though they have studied for it and passed a barrage of tests. The truth of the matter is all you have to do is get drunk and take off your clothes. That will do it for many desiring to achieve the status of their cultural leader, Angelina Jolie, who became pregnant with twins and let it all hang out, big time. God knows what she will do next.

Human cloning is not currently a legal option, but when you have star power, who knows? It is probably wiser if one knows the name of the male sperm bearer, as it were, who impregnates her but that’s up to the individual female involved, who may or may not wish to know the identity of the with whomguy she slept. Some want picture IDs, others just want a stud.

My interest in the subject springs from two quarters: first a People Magazine cover photo of Angelina and Brad Pitt, the presumed father, promising to tell all about their new twins, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, names that are bound to make the news on their own someday if only for their lyrical qualities. Inside the magazine lurks the photograph of a slightly pouchy young woman under the heading, “Is Eva Pregnant?” One might ask “Eva who?” at first glance, but that is quickly explained. She is Eva Longoria Parker, who, we learn, is attempting to look “frumpy” for her role in next season’s “Desperate Housewives,” in which, one supposes, her character will stuff herself with beer and sausages and sleep around with similarly inclined men who devote their lives to meeting frumpy women in bars.

So now, as I understand the trend, we are looking for celebrity women who are not pregnant in order to speculate why they aren’t and whether they are likely to become so. It is said that hotshot investigative bloggers have already obtained the sperm counts of many of Hollywood’s most eligible men, and those who aren’t so eligible, and are watching to see which women they are spending the most time with. One of the more-or-less eligible men, People informs us, is someone named Balthazar Getty, who has already proved his virility by fathering four children. He was seen making out with Sienna Miller as his wife and kids vacationed nearby, if you can believe that little arrangement. Sienna was once “romantic,” by the way, with Jude Law and before him Matthew Ryes. A line forms to the right. Is the Pre-Pregnancy Derby off and running again? Not until Miley Cyrus assumes the permanent role of Hannah Montana and begins filling her shelves with how-to books. It may take awhile. She’s a rock star and they’re terribly slow learners.
http://almartinezeverythingelse.blogspot.com/
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The Palin/Biden debate

Dear friends,

The debate/personality contest, at least to me, proved something that I already knew. It is: There are, literally, a million or more women in this country, from all cultural and economic backgrounds who are more capable and competent than Sarah Palin, in any number of capacities. To be sure, she is unbelievably unskilled, regarding her understanding of leadership. Proof?

When she was speaking about her "experience" in Alaska as an "executive", she spent most of her time talking about "we", never having the confidence to say what "she" actually did. I am not talking about her saying "I" as some kind of narcissistic acknowledgement of herself; but "I" as in "I am I". In other words, as her saying "I" to represent her having a "sense of self" was totally missing from her seemingly pre-recorded spiel.

Additionally, Palin almost never answered Gwen Ifill's questions. Instead, she engaged in grade school-level polemics, repeating platitudes that we have been hearing from the equally unoriginal John McCain for years. Even worse, Palin repeatedly asserted that John McCain knew about "winning wars". What? He got shot down in an airplane, in a conflict that America ended up losing - especially because of failures like McCain, and spent five years (the rest of the war) in a POW camp. What is wrong with this picture? Palin is not even a person of average intelligence, in my opinion.

I will admit, nonetheless, that I was glad that Joe Biden put to rest the notion of John McCain as a "maverick". However, at least to me, it is quite curious that Ifill, the moderator, never asked what actual steps that either side would take, in terms of making the economy one where all citizens can be players. Oh, there were ambitions bandied about, regarding providing educational opportunities and more jobs. However, there was nothing specific said about how and when real jobs, for instance, would be created. In other words, neither had a plan.

Still, Biden's statesmanship overshadowed Palin's lack of it. This is particularly clear to me, because Palin is neither an educated or classy woman. Again, we have, at least, a million or more women in this country (i.e., educated and classy), of various ages and cultures, who fit that bill, so why did McCain pick her?

At any rate, I have never been very appreciative of the views of noted author and commentator Fareed Zakaria - until now. His recent interview, on CNN, shows him insisting that candidates should be placing intelligence over personality, when making choices for running mates. I strongly agree with his comments featured here, on the link below.

G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/09/29/zakaria.sarah.palin/index.html
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Clintons do not support Obama

Dear friends,

Along with a number of other African Americans, I have been saying for months that the Clintons are hoping that Senator Obama loses his quest for the White House. The article on the link below now makes it clear that our thoughts/words were prophetic.

G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10022008/gossip/pagesix/clintons_not_supreme_for_o_131711.htm Read full post

Some Videos for Thought

Dear friends.

Please consider watching, at least, one of the videos on the link below.

G. Djata Bumpus
http://thelawparty.org/ Read full post

Palin on "Bailout"

Dear friends,

On the link below, please see the tape of Sarah Palin answering a question about the "Bailout" to Katie Couric. It's simply amazing.

G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=40f_1222465239 Read full post