Michael Moore To Wall Street: ‘People Are Going To Demand That Your Ass Is In Jail’ (with video)

MEDIAite, with video (02:21):

Filmmaker Michael Moore is angry, very angry. Appearing last night on The Rachel Maddow Show, Moore spoke passionately about the current financial strain that state and federal governments are feeling and pointed the finger at corporate fat cats and “anybody who works on Wall Street.” If this sounds like a polemical version “second verse, same as the first,” don’t be fooled. This version of Moore’s enmity to America’s wealthy came complete with hand cuffs and a demand for justice. MORE...

LIVE VIDEO STREAM from Madison: Reaction to WI Senate Vote

Watch live streaming video from theuptake at livestream.com

The UpTake, streaming video.

Naomi Klein on Anti-Union Bills and Shock Doctrine American-Style: "This is a Frontal Assault on Democracy, It’s a Kind of a Corporate Coup D’Etat"

Democracy Now! with video/text (20:06):

As a wave of anti-union bills are introduced across the country following the wake of Wall Street financial crisis, many analysts are picking up on the theory that award-winning journalist and author Naomi Klein first argued in her 2007 bestselling book, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. In the book, she reveals how those in power use times of crisis to push through undemocratic and extreme free market economic policies. “The Wisconsin protests are an incredible example of how to resist the shock doctrine,” Klein says. [includes rush transcript]

Connelly: "Seattle's winter of lost trust"

Joel Connelly (seattlepi.com):

Near the end of what seems a ceaseless winter, the only thing worse than Seattle's dreary weather is the bleak look of the city's public life. Trust has been lost -- all over.
(SNIP)
Our gloom this year is a feeling that one of America's most envied cities is at best stagnating or, worse, in decline. MORE...

"After Citizen's United: What's Next? Public Forum, March 10th at UW‏"

Tiffany McGuyer:

On January 2010 the Supreme Court ruled that corporations have the right to unlimited spending to influence elections.

Join us at a public forum on

After Citizen's United: What's Next?
Thursday, March 10th at 7:00
University of Washington, Kane Hall, Rm 220

Speakers:

• John Bonifaz - Free Speech For People
• Jeffrey Clements - Free Speech For People
• Lynne Dodson - Washington State Labor Council
• Steve Breaux - WashPIRG
• Dorry Elias-Garcia - Minority Executive Directors Coalition of King County

Enrique Cerna from KCTS Channel 9 will moderate the event!

Sponsored by Washington Public Campaigns, UW Law School, UW Department of Communications, Free Speech For People , MoveOn Seattle Council, Minority Executive Directors Coalition, League of Women Voters - Seattle/King County and WashPIRG.

"Motivated Stoners…and How you Can be One Too!" (with videos)

Photo of Beth Mann by freedom is green.

Beth Mann (freedomisgreen), with videos:

Pot smokers have endured their fair share of negative publicity. The 1930’s movie Reefer Madness highlighted pot smokers who simply went bonkers from smoking a joint; jumping out of windows, beating each other to death and laughing maniacally (the last part may still hold some truth).

Decades later, pot smoking became personified by Sean Penn’s “Spicoli” in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

Damn, that one hurt. For a number of reasons:

1. The public at large began to think of all pot smokers as Spicoli: brain-fried, dopey and irresponsible.

2. Sean Penn morphed into a pompous jerk after this role, as if the funny were just smoked right out of him. (Give that man some Spicoli back, damnit!)

But times have changed. Over 40% of the U.S. population has admitted to smoking marijuana. Pot smokers aren’t falling out of vans in a cloud of smoke; they’re running multi-million dollar companies, winning Olympic medals, making movies and writing best-selling novels.

Here are just a few successful and motivated stoners:

* Stephen King, best-selling author
* Anita Roddick, British businesswoman, human rights activist and environmental campaigner
* Michael Phelps, Olympic Gold-medalist
* Rick Steves, Author and historian
* Richard Branson, British entrepreneur
* Montel Williams, television host, MS spokesperson
* Jodie Emery, executive director of Cannabis Culture
* Carl Sagan, astronomer and author
* Anita Thompson, best-selling author
* Ayn Rand, Novelist, philosopher and playwright
* Oliver Sachs, British neurologist and author
* Ted Turner, American media mogul
* Missy Suicide, founder of Suicide Girls, alternative pin-up site.

So how can you be a more motivated stoner? MORE...

Howie P.S.: I don't share the author's opinion of Sean Penn, post-Ridgemont.

Michael Moore>"The effects of capitalism: The most upsetting story I've seen on 60 Minutes in a long time" (video)

CBS News-60 Minutes, video (13:34):

For some children, socializing and learning are being cruelly complicated by homelessness, as Scott Pelley reports from Florida, where school buses now stop at motels for children who've lost their homes.

"Netroots Nation Scholarships » Howie in Seattle"

Check it out.

Damon on Obama: "I think he's rolled over to Wall Street completely."

Tom Teodorczuk (IndependentUK):

"They had a chance that they don't have any more to stand up for things," he says. "They've probably squandered that at this point. They'll probably just make whatever deals they can to try to get elected again."

Damon appears so disillusioned that, playing devil's advocate, I ask whether he is considering voting Republican. "Good God, no! I just got a 3 per cent tax cut. Do you think I'm going to start a small business with that money? You're out of your mind if you think so. I'm going to put it in the bank. So is every other guy that makes the kind of money I make. I don't think that's what's best for the country. I think a stronger middle class makes for a stronger country." MORE...

Howie P.S.: H/t to AMERICAblog.

Benen: "THE CONSEQUENCES OF WALKER'S FALTERING SUPPORT"

Steve Benen:

If you're an antsy Republican in the state Senate, possibly facing an organized recall campaign, the recent surveys are a reminder that the political winds are blowing in the other direction -- and support from an unpopular governor won't do you any good.

It almost certainly won't help matters that Walker, just yesterday, sent out layoff notices to 1,500 state employees, effectively telling Democrats, "Meet all of my demands or the workers get it." No one is fired just yet, but the governor said job losses would begin in two weeks unless Dems agree to his union-busting crusade. MORE...

"Papantonio: What A Strong Progressive Should Look Like" with (audio/video)

ringoffireradio.com, with audio/video (08:14):

A lot of progressives in America are more than irritated about the lack of strong, progressive leaders in Washington. They’ve become disillusioned with Obama for bowing to the right wing instead of standing up and fighting like he promised he would. But there is still some hope in Washington. Congressman Bruce Braley is leading the charge against the Tea Party Republicans with his House Populist Caucus, and he spoke with Mike Papantonio recently about what it takes to be a strong progressive leader in politics today.

John Nichols on Wisconsin: ‘Constitutional crisis’ created by Fitzgerald

Before signing them, Senate majority leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, picks up a stack of folders containing orders to detain the missing 14 Senate Democrats at the state Capitol in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 3, 2011.

John Nichols (Capital Times-WI):

On Thursday, (Scott) Fitzgerald got his fellow Republican senators to vote to hold the 14 Democrats in “contempt of the Senate” and to order police agencies to “forcibly detain” — translation: arrest — them.

Pretty serious business. But Fitzgerald says: “They have pushed us to the edge of a constitutional crisis.”

Actually, Fitzgerald is the one pushing toward the crisis zone.

The Wisconsin Constitution is clear. It reads: “Members of the Legislature shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest; nor shall they be subject to any civil process, during the session of the Legislature, nor for 15 days next before the commencement and after the termination of each session.”

Fitzgerald would have us believe legislative rules give him the authority to override the constitution. But a legal analysis prepared by the law firm of Cullen, Weston, Pines & Bach shreds that argument: “None of the 14 absent senators has been charged with a crime. Nor has any crime occurred. The Wisconsin Senate has absolutely no authority to order any of its members arrested or taken into custody in order to compel their attendance.”

That’s the bottom line.

So if there is a “constitutional crisis,” it has been created by Fitzgerald — at the behest of Walker. MORE...

"Michael Moore, Inspired By Palin And O’Reilly, Rallies WI Union Protesters" (with video)

UPDATE: Michael Moore tells us "How I Got to Madison, Wisconsin."

MEDIAite, with video (29:51):

Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore appeared in Wisconsin Saturday to encourage the pro-union protesters to keep up their struggle against Republican Governor Scott Walker’s budget plan as Moore continued to deliver his message that “America is not broke.” After listening to Sarah Palin and Bill O’Reilly discuss the issue Friday night, Moore claimed they inspired him to write a speech, which he then decided he needed to deliver himself in Wisconsin.

Moore stated that “Madison is only the beginning,” that the “rich has overplayed their hand,” and that Walker’s proposal is the “scam of the century.” Moore told the loudly cheering crowd that their message of “we have had it” has resonated in all fifty states. In a final battle cry, Moore urged the protesters, “Madison, do not retreat. We are with you. We will win together.”

Check out the full text of the speech or watch the clip below from Moore’s website:

Howie P.S.: (Video by Riley Moore).

"Bradley Manning and the stench of US hypocrisy"

Bradley Manning was forced to sleep naked in his cell, according to his lawyers. Photograph: EPA

Ryan Gallagher (op-ed, GuardianUK):

The US condemns human rights abuses abroad yet appears to be allowing the psychological torture of Bradley Manning---One of the few people to have visited Manning, David House, spoke yesterday of how he had witnessed his friend go from a "bright-eyed intelligent young man" to someone who at times has appeared "catatonic" with "very high difficulty carrying on day to day conversation". House drew similarities with the case of Bobby Dellelo, an American prisoner who developed psychosis after a lengthy period in solitary confinement conditions similar to Manning's. "For me this has been like watching a really good friend succumb to an illness or something," he said. "I think that Bradley Manning is being punished this way because the US government wants him to crack ahead of his trial." MORE...

Howie P.S.: I'm thinking "we don't want anyone else to consider doing what he did" is another motive.

"Cop vs. Cop: Norm Stamper Busts Gil Kerlikowske" (with video)

Norm Stamper (CELEBSTONER), with video (08:46):

I all but fell out of my chair when I heard drug czar Gil Kerlikowske say the drug war came to an end two years ago (see clip below). Think of the time, money and energy we could have saved! All those speeches, all that research, the scientific papers, legislative and citizen-led initiatives to repeal prohibition, the massive effort to combat the continuing reality of...war.

Kerlikowske should speak directly to the millions, most of them nonviolent drug offenders, who've been arrested since his declaration of peace.

It was a truly laughable moment in the annals of drug enforcement and drug policy reform. Except that people are still being tortured, still dying at the hands of drug cartels, still being stripped of their freedom, their civil liberties. Still suffering, day in and day out, the multiple ravages of the drug war.

It's too easy to respond by saying, "No, unfortunately Gil is wrong," however accurate that may be. Better to ask him for a single sliver of evidence that the war is over, just because he says it is. Near-record numbers of arrests for marijuana possession (see New York), Bush-era priorities and ratios in the continuing federal saga of enforcement vs. prevention, education and treatment funding, continuing SWAT raids on individual Americans' homes.

Kerlikowske took office promising openness, honesty, a fresh look, a commitment to science-based policies and decision-making. Instead, we get marijuana legalization is not in his or the president's "vocabulary." How unscientific and un-American is that? Marijuana has no "medicinal value." Marijuana is dangerous. On and on.

His statement two years ago that he and the Obama administration would end the drug war had a lot of people thinking we would turn the corner on this nation's obscene, costly war against its own people. Many of us knew better. Now, we all know better.

The former police chief of Seattle (Kerlikowske succeeded him), Norm Stamper, has become one of the leading voices of LEAP,(Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) and is the author of Breaking Rank: A Top Cop's Expose of the Dark Side of American Policing.

Howie P.S.: OK. I can't go ONE DAY without a political moment.

A Day Off from Politics, Pt. 2: "Miles Davis - Live Paramount Theatre, Seattle WA [April, 5 1973] " (audio)

Know Your Conjurer, with audio:

A stunning audience recording from 1973 - the quality is good - very listenable! And the set is quite simply out of this world. Enjoy!

Miles Davis
Paramount Theatre, Seattle WA
Audience Recording
April 5, 1973

Miles Davis (tpt); Dave Liebman (ss, ts, fl); Pete Cosey (g, perc); Reggie Lucas (g); Khalil Balakrishna (sitar); Lonnie Liston Smith (keyb); Michael Henderson (el-b); Al Foster (d); Badal Roy (tabla); James Mtume Forman (cga, perc)

Howie P.S.: This recording was just posted online, 20 December, 2010. Scroll down and click on "Live Paramount Theatre, Seattle WA [April, 5 1973" at the link above.

A Day Off from Politics: "Incredible Views Of Seattle, The Emerald City" (video)

Joel Edwards, video (03:11):

"Last year I went to Seattle to shoot a commercial spot with the Deadliest Catch Captains. Seattle is one of my favorite spots in the U.S.A. - so I booked a few extra days and drove around the area shooting B-Roll for a few days. " - Joel E.

Papantonio: "White Collar Criminals in America Rarely Go To Prison" (video)

golefttv, with video (03:43):

Out of the dozens of fat cat Wall Street firms in America -- no one went to jail when they virtually stole trillions of dollars from our economy with schemes involving CDOs, synthetics, and swaps. Our Department of Justice has made it clear that America has a white collar class of Wall Street and corporate criminals who operate with an immunity protection -- They are a gaggle of silk suit criminals who know that they have special protections in this country. The same country; where an 18 year old can be sentenced to life in prison on a drug charge.

Howie P.S.: This is not breaking news, but I feel compelled to post it anyway.

Matt Damon: "I no longer hope for audacity." (with video)

Alex Alvarez (MEDIAite), with video (01:02):

Actor Matt Damon visited Piers Morgan’s CNN show, taking the time to promote his new movie, The Adjustment Bureau, and… weigh in on Barack Obama’s ability to govern. In Damon’s defense, the actor was directly asked about his thoughts on Obama’s progress by Morgan after being asked whether he caught Sarah Palin’s Alaska. (Damon answered that, being the father of four daughters, he doesn’t have much time to watch TV.) Damon, you might recall, campaigned for Obama and was once quite a vocal supporter.

Damon’s response, which basically amounted to the actor expressing his disappointment in Obama, seemed articulate and well-reasoned enough, despite our personal apathy regarding celebrities’ political opinions. MORE...

Howie P.S.: Celebrity endorsements of political views are only as valuable as the quality of thought that produces them.

Seattle Times: "Live chat | Legalize marijuana in Washington state?"

Seattle Times:

Join Seattle Times editorial writers and guest panelists for an online chat Thursday, March 3 about whether Washington state should enact House Bill 1550, which would legalize marijuana. Moderated by Editorial Page Editor Ryan Blethen, the chat will include both proponents and opponents and begin at noon. Submit questions in advance of the chat.

Moderator

Ryan Blethen, Editorial Page Editor, The Seattle Times

Ryan Blethen joined the editorial staff in 2005. He is responsible for crafting the editorial voice of The Times and writes about journalism and democracy. Ryan has a BS from Washington State University and attended the William Allen White School of Communications graduate program at the University of Kansas. Prior to joining the editorial department of The Times, Ryan was the regional editor of the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, following a reporting stint there and at the Spokesman-Review and the Yakima Herald-Republic. Find him on Twitter: @ryanblethen

In favor of legalizing marijuana

Bruce Ramsey, Associate Editorial Page editor, The Seattle Times

Bruce Ramsey is the author of the Seattle Times editorial of Feb. 20 that argued for marijuana to be legalized, regulated and taxed by the state. He is a Seattle Times editorial writer and columnist. He has been involved in Seattle opinion or business journalism for 30 years.

Douglas Hiatt, Sensible Washington

Douglas Hiatt is a Seattle criminal defense attorney who has specialized in defending medical marijuana patients for the past 10 years and he is the author of the state initiative to legalize it. He is one of the attorneys for Seattle Hempfest and the current chair of Sensible Washington.

Against legalizing marijuana

Patric Slack, commander, Snohomish Regional Drug & Gang Task Force

Patric Slack retired as the Deputy Chief of the Everett Police Department and accepted the commander's position in July 2000. The Snohomish Regional Drug & Gang Task Force consists of 28 full time employees, and 5 part time federal employees. Slack is in his 42nd year of law enforcement.

Stephen Bogan, M.A., Washington State mental health counselor

Stephen Bogan has worked with adult and adolescent chemical dependency, mental health and adolescent development for about 35 years. He is also a National Certified Addiction Counselor and a licensed Chemical Dependency Professional. He specializes in recovery support for marijuana, alcohol and other drugs, co-occurring disorders and father/son relationships.