September 12--guess where?
I really had the place to myself this time. Coming down, as I approached Grass Lake, a couple of guys were coming up, but on the way up there was no one on the trail and no one at Jamison Lake. No swimming this time, though. I didn't even test the water, though I don't think it would have been too cold. Nights have not been real cold, but days have not been real hot, either. Clouds looked a little threatening but nothing happened until driving back. There was some pretty good rain coming down around Bordertown. Apparently the baloon races were this morning. On my way out of town I was caught up in all the people returning to their cars on Virginia Street after the big lift-off. Weather in town now is windy, off and on, and cloudy and fairly cool. This just could be the end of summer. I haven't decided whether to join the other hiking group next Saturday. I haven't made one hike with them this season so I should try to hook up to see how they are doing.
[JFK] viewed himself as a politically moderate representative of a liberal capitalist “progressive” tradition that had been inaugurated by Woodrow Wilson. We now know that the Kennedy administration, which ended with the assassination in Dallas, marked the beginning of the protracted death agony of that tradition. Imperialist commitments, economic decay and social polarization overwhelmed the liberal agenda. The modest goals proclaimed by Kennedy in the announcement of his candidacy were never achieved, and, in fact, were repudiated long ago by the Democratic Party.
--Barry Grey
The only obstacle to passage of the president's health care--or health insurance--legislation is the White House itself. Barack Obama knows better than any of us the difference between what he promised and what is about to be delivered. The undeniable difference is dawning on much of the public too, and is reflected in sagging poll numbers for Democrats and the president. The dozens of Democrats who have declared they will vote against any health care--or health insurance--bill that does not contain what they call a “public option,” are only trying to insulate themselves and protect President Obama from the worst consequences of his own treachery in selling out the vision of universal health care to big pharma and the insurance companies. They aren't blocking the president's bill. They're trying to ensure that there is something in the bill they can defend to the outraged public who elected them to pass health care reform.
--Bruce Dixon
The capitalist economic system is experiencing a completely natural life cycle. From the time of the collapse of feudalism and its birth in the Industrial Revolution, capitalism was always destined to become a dominant global force. Globalization will be an historic marker as the zenith of its existence. But globalization robbed the system of the only thing that kept its fatal internal contradictions at bay--growth. Capitalism has conquered the planet, it has nowhere else to feed. The time of its death is now at hand.
--Malcolm Martin
[I]f the President cannot put up a good fight on the primary issue that put him in office--his mother died of cancer from a lack of medical coverage--when will he? What about future battles? Obama was elected on promises of bold change, not tweaking around the edges of pernicious institutions, or a willingness to comfort those forces that are hurting the public. On the campaign trail, he said himself that if he were to start from scratch, he would create a single-payer health insurance system, which would eliminate private insurers. So why protect those insurers now?
--David A. Love
In Germany, Chancellor Merkel defends a murderous attack on civilians siphoning fuel from two stuck oil tankers, telling her countrymen that the war in Afghanistan is not really a war at all. In Washington, Bush administration holdover Robert Gates (whose role in carrying on the mission of the Empire is clearer by the day) tells the press that Washington will not "abandon" Afghanistan or Pakistan. In the White House, the current set of deciders discusses how many more troops to send into the mountains and plains of Afghanistan to fight an enemy in Chancellor Merkel's non-war while they add private mercenaries working for the dollar in their other zone of occupation, Iraq. The occupying soldiers have suffered more casualties in the Afghan non-war this past year than ever before. Yet, the big fool says to push on.
--Ron Jacobs
When the health care thing is said and done, Obama will direct a field goal in lieu of a touchdown. He may fail that, too.
--Stan Goff
[JFK] viewed himself as a politically moderate representative of a liberal capitalist “progressive” tradition that had been inaugurated by Woodrow Wilson. We now know that the Kennedy administration, which ended with the assassination in Dallas, marked the beginning of the protracted death agony of that tradition. Imperialist commitments, economic decay and social polarization overwhelmed the liberal agenda. The modest goals proclaimed by Kennedy in the announcement of his candidacy were never achieved, and, in fact, were repudiated long ago by the Democratic Party.
--Barry Grey
The only obstacle to passage of the president's health care--or health insurance--legislation is the White House itself. Barack Obama knows better than any of us the difference between what he promised and what is about to be delivered. The undeniable difference is dawning on much of the public too, and is reflected in sagging poll numbers for Democrats and the president. The dozens of Democrats who have declared they will vote against any health care--or health insurance--bill that does not contain what they call a “public option,” are only trying to insulate themselves and protect President Obama from the worst consequences of his own treachery in selling out the vision of universal health care to big pharma and the insurance companies. They aren't blocking the president's bill. They're trying to ensure that there is something in the bill they can defend to the outraged public who elected them to pass health care reform.
--Bruce Dixon
The capitalist economic system is experiencing a completely natural life cycle. From the time of the collapse of feudalism and its birth in the Industrial Revolution, capitalism was always destined to become a dominant global force. Globalization will be an historic marker as the zenith of its existence. But globalization robbed the system of the only thing that kept its fatal internal contradictions at bay--growth. Capitalism has conquered the planet, it has nowhere else to feed. The time of its death is now at hand.
--Malcolm Martin
[I]f the President cannot put up a good fight on the primary issue that put him in office--his mother died of cancer from a lack of medical coverage--when will he? What about future battles? Obama was elected on promises of bold change, not tweaking around the edges of pernicious institutions, or a willingness to comfort those forces that are hurting the public. On the campaign trail, he said himself that if he were to start from scratch, he would create a single-payer health insurance system, which would eliminate private insurers. So why protect those insurers now?
--David A. Love
In Germany, Chancellor Merkel defends a murderous attack on civilians siphoning fuel from two stuck oil tankers, telling her countrymen that the war in Afghanistan is not really a war at all. In Washington, Bush administration holdover Robert Gates (whose role in carrying on the mission of the Empire is clearer by the day) tells the press that Washington will not "abandon" Afghanistan or Pakistan. In the White House, the current set of deciders discusses how many more troops to send into the mountains and plains of Afghanistan to fight an enemy in Chancellor Merkel's non-war while they add private mercenaries working for the dollar in their other zone of occupation, Iraq. The occupying soldiers have suffered more casualties in the Afghan non-war this past year than ever before. Yet, the big fool says to push on.
--Ron Jacobs
When the health care thing is said and done, Obama will direct a field goal in lieu of a touchdown. He may fail that, too.
--Stan Goff