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Merry Christmas Before the Light Goes Out

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In the chill of Christmas nights, when we scour the darkness for colorful lights, when we hold the hands of our little children or grandchildren straining to see the cheerful twinkling displays, when we take selfies in front of dazzling, glittering decorations, it’s hard not to feel hope that, at least for a Christmas moment, we might be on to something decent within ourselves.

Religious, spiritually non-religious, non-spiritual non-religious – it really doesn’t matter. We are trained by season after season of songs, stories, customs and beliefs to expect more of ourselves as human being during this winter holiday than at any other time of year.  It’s kind of like an annual exercise in the expansion of our hearts.   [Read more…]

Tax Reform By Another Name: Grand Theft, Republican

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Despite abundant historical and economic data completely undermining the basic premises for what was called “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” it will become law once the “fixes” are applied due to errors in math, logic, and legal precedent.

As it turns out, the bill was so sloppily written the name had to be changed at the last minute after the Senate Parliamentarian ruled it did not pass muster. Trump may not sign the bill this year because a PAYGO provision won’t be accompanying it.

Republicans have just pulled off the biggest bank heist in U.S. history. More than $1 trillion over the next decade will leave our treasury to be deposited in the bank accounts of the wealthiest Americans and big corporations.

American corporations (which include about 40% foreign investors) are making record profits and the stock market is at an all-time high. (Fact: the market went up more during Obama’s first 11 months than it has under Trump).  Yet Trump and company based the need for tax breaks for corporations on the premise that our economy needs revving up.   [Read more…]

Tell The FCC Not To End Net Neutrality!

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By Robert Reich / RobertReich.Org

The FCC is voting Thursday on whether to repeal the “Net Neutrality” rule adopted in 2015.

Since its creation, the internet has been an open exchange of ideas and information, free from corporate control and influence. But corporations could soon have tremendous power over what we can access and share online, ending the internet as we know it.

In 2015, the FCC passed a landmark rule that prevents internet service providers from favoring some sites over others – slowing down connections or charging customers a fee for streaming or other services. It gave Americans equal access to all the content that’s available on the internet – videos, social media, e-commerce sites, etc – at the same speeds.   [Read more…]

Veterans For Peace Give Out 3200th Sleeping Bag Set in Downtown San Diego

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By Gil Field / San Diego Veterans for Peace

Veteran members, associate members, and friends and supporters of the San Diego Veterans For Peace, Chapter 91, are proud to announce that in November 2017 the 3200th  sleeping bag set was given out to the homeless in downtown San Diego!

It’s through the generous ongoing financial contributions of friends and the general public that our Compassion Campaign is able to indefinitely continue this humane, lifesaving program.

In December 2010 the San Diego chapter of the national Veterans For Peace organization began the Compassion Campaign — an outreach effort to help displaced homeless veterans. Ignited by conversations with many homeless veterans on the street in downtown San Diego, the chapter membership determined the lives of homeless veterans and non-veterans downtown could improve significantly if given basic equipment — like a sleeping bag, as many weren’t sleeping well on the hard pavement with only a light blanket, their jacket, or nothing.   [Read more…]

Through Our Eyes: Life in Puerto Rico Two Months After Hurricane Maria | Video Worth Watching

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Meanwhile, back in Puerto Rico …

“Now This” producer Melissa Fajardo presents video documentary footage from three Puerto Ricans coping with life in Puerto Rico two months after Hurricane Maria passed directly over the island, leaving devastation in its wake.   [Read more…]

Impeachment Campaign Rolls Out New Ad, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) Introduces Resolution to Impeach | Video Worth Watching

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Version 3.0 of Tom Steyer’s “Need to Impeach” campaign ad is on the air and features a display in Times Square showing the number of signers at around 2.6 million. The website, as I write, shows a figure of around 3.4 million. Meanwhile, in Congress, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) presented articles of impeachment on the floor of the House. The motion was ultimately tabled, but 58 Democrats voted against the motion to table.   [Read more…]

Trump’s Lawyer Pulls a Nixon | Video Worth Watching

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On Monday Trump’s personal lawyer pulled a Nixon. The Washington Post is reporting that John Dowd told Axios reporter Mike Allen that the “President cannot obstruct justice because he is the chief law enforcement officer under [the Constitution’s Article II] and has every right to express his view of any case.” Hmm. Now where have I heard that kind of argument before ….   [Read more…]

Veterans Challenge Trump’s Islamophobia

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By Brian Trautman

President Donald Trump revealed his inner nature again last week when he retweeted a series of anti-Muslim propaganda videos from the deputy leader of an ultranationalist, neo-fascist hate group in the UK.

Trump sank to a new low in terms of the blatant falsehoods and myths he will invoke and propagate to incite enmity against Muslims. He’s demonstrated repeatedly that white nationalism and the demonization of Islam is something that he wholeheartedly embraces and intends to advance at every opportunity.

The encouraging news is that Trump’s fear and hate mongering against Islam and Muslims is increasingly being denounced by a wider spectrum of individuals and groups, including many staunch conservatives, both in the U.S. and abroad. The groundswell of resistance is steadily growing.   [Read more…]

What The GOP Tax Scam Sounds Like | Video Worth Watching

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Here’s Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s once again pressing into service his creative use of BBs, this time updating it to illustrate the dynamics of the current GOP tax scam. Even after reading about percentages and dollar figures, it can be difficult to get a handle on the relative amounts. This demonstration helps make the situation visceral. It may be too late to call the number displayed at the end, but there is a demonstration today, Monday Dec. 4th, at 4:30 pm at the Federal Building downtown (880 Front Street).   [Read more…]

The Last Original Navajo Code Talker: Chester Nez | Video Worth Watching

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So, who were the men that were being honored by the ceremony that was unceremoniously dishonored by our current commander-in-chief? Here’s a brief video that features Chester Nez, relating some of his combat experiences. At the time of the recording he was the last survivor of the initial group of 29 Navajo code talkers.

For more about Chester Nez as well as the situation which created the nationwide buzz concerning this event, check out the Charles P. Pierce article on the Esquire site. In his witty acerbic style Charlie lays out the issues and skewers the current administration’s responses.   [Read more…]

Who’s in Charge at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? Mick Mulvaney or Leandra English? | Video Worth Watching

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I don’t envy anyone showing up for work this week at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). There are two people claiming to be your boss. One of them is the person designated by law as the successor to the former director, and the other is someone who the White House has decided it wants to run the agency. How to decide?

One of the principal architects of the founding the agency, Elizabeth Warren, presents the case that the Dodd-Frank Act clearly specifies the terms of succession for the CFPB, and that with the departure of former Director Richard Cordray, the Deputy Director Leandra English, by law, assumes the position of Acting Director. The White House, in arguing that there’s a vacancy that needs to be filled, and using that opportunity to appoint current White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, is actually acting illegally. The Acting Director, English, has filed suit in the U.S. District Court of D.C asking for a temporary restraining order blocking Trump from appointing Mulvaney and affirming her position. But in the meanwhile, chaos?   [Read more…]

Feeding the Deportation Pipeline: Caveat Recruitees

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By Isidro Ortiz / Draft NOtices

A previous Draft NOtices article, Removing a Few Bad Hombres, discussed the deportation of immigrant military veterans. Non-citizen immigrant recruits in the United States now find themselves possibly facing a similarly cruel and irreversible fate.

In this case, their potential deportation isn’t due to any criminal actions on their part. Instead, its roots lie in the Department of Defense’s (DoD) proposal to terminate the Military Accession Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program over security concerns. The program’s end would result in the cancellation of enlistment contracts with non-citizen recruits.

As reported in media venues such as NPR, this action would leave 1,000 non-citizen recruits without legal protection from deportation. Their plight is yet another reminder of the highly problematic and untrustworthy nature of the institutional commitment to those who aspire to serve in the military.   [Read more…]

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