Video: Moyer and Hedges On Capitalism's "Sacrifice Zones"

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After exploring parts of America that have been destroyed for quarterly profit, Bill Moyers and Chris Hedges touch on how our voices, particularly those of the doubters and thinkers, have almost no ability to effect change. Hedges fires on all cylinders throughout the interview explaining how truth and news are not the same thing and how we've become accomplices to our own demise.

Although Wisconsin or Scott Walker are not mentioned, my very first thought after watching this video was how Walker's "open for business" has turned Wisconsin into a giant sacrifice zone for the oligarchs of corporate-run government. It's a little long at 51 minutes, but there's a lot of meat to this video. I highly recommend readers experience it through your own eyes:



Read story here.

Rob Zerban On Blog Talk Radio Today!

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Rob Zerban, the presumed Democratic candidate expected to face Paul Ryan for the 1st Congressional District of Wisconsin is scheduled to be a guest/host on Blog Talk Radio today at 11 AM.

BlogTalkRadio Excerpt:
Congressman Paul Ryan is vulnerable in November's election. One year ago it would not have seemed possible; with Ryan being the darling of the corporate conservatives, and powerful chair of the House Budget Committee.

Things have changed in the 1st Congressional District. Rob Zerban has stepped up to challenge Ryan, and ... more>>>

Call in to speak with the host at (347)989-1307.

Janesville Gazette Admits Cover-Ups Are A Courtesy In Exchange For Access

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The Janesville Gazette issued their expected editorial defense for the local economic development group, Rock County 5.0, on Sunday. Titled, "Focus of Rock County 5.0 remains unchanged," the Gazette pretends like nothing happened but openly admits they would have preferred the film maker, Brad Lichtenstein, cover-up the conversation between Gov. Scott Walker and Rock County 5.0 officials Hendricks and Willmer - just like they apparently always do, and the Gazette went so far as claiming that Lichtenstein owed the RC5 that service because they granted him access to the meeting ...just like they do.

JG Editorial Excerpt: A stronger case of betrayal can be made against Lichtenstein for his treatment of some of the people who gave him almost-unrestricted access to their efforts and meetings. Those would include Diane Hendricks, Mary Willmer and the other members of the Rock County 5.0.

[...]Regardless, the release of the now-infamous clip with Gov. Scott Walker's "divide and conquer" statement about unions smelled of a "gotcha" moment intended to promote the film and advance a political agenda. The inevitable negative effects on Hendricks, Willmer and Rock County 5.0 obviously didn't enter into Lichenstein's decision.

It was Lichtenstein who betrayed? This is almost laughable. Wait! It is laughable. Remember that Scott Walker, Hendricks and Willmer gave permission to be taped and acknowledged it's ok that the tape won't be released for over a year. Plus, Walker, Hendricks and Willmer were reading from their own script, not Lichtenstein's.

So, instead of saying how proud they are of Brad Lichtenstein to have the gumption to produce a documentary that by chance exposed the duplicity of an economic development group and some of their members, they attack him. Truth is, I would not have expected anything different from this newspaper. But the admission they consider it a betrayal to not sweep pertinent information under the rug in exchange for access is something new, the admission that is, and you can bet this type of "protection" is leveraged.

Scary stuff from a small town daily newspaper.

Note: This Janesville Gazette editorial is not available on the Web as of this posting.

Civil Discourse Podcast With Rob Zerban

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If you're looking for a break away from Bliss Com's stodgy and stale right-wing engineered corporate radio broadcasts, these citizen operated podcast's hosted by Podomatic.com could be just the ticket for you. In this episode, Eric from Janesville talks with Rob Zerban, the democratic candidate running against Paul Ryan for Wisconsin's 1st Congressional district. Eric and Rob discuss the GOP's war on women and why it was so important to save the American auto industry. In the second segment, Eric talks about Janesville housing prices and Republican obstructionism.

Check out Civil Discourse here including all their previous episodes.

Not So Breitbart: From Mudslinger To Gunslinger

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When I first saw this posted at the Democurmudgeon and again at Blogging Blue I thought, aah well, Andy the Clown making a fool of himself... nothing new here. Time to move on. But wait a second! Hold on. Let's play this back one more time.



These are his people and they laughed in his clown face when he said "we have the guns." They laughed at him - not with him. Incredulous by their response, he meant it, "I'm not kidding" he said afterwards with a straight face. Admitting to losing the "rhetoric" (read reasoning) wars, Breitbart comes off sounding like the threatening Liberty Valance from the classic western with John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart. You know the black-hatted gunslinger who can't win the argument or the girl without trying to take them by force. Breitbart even implies the military is on his side. What the...?

Andy the Clown has everything going for him in this speech, the set up, the deadpan, the punchline and even the giggles and the laughs. The only thing missing was the clown nose and hair.

Photo: Eagle Caught On Watch At National Cemetery

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Forget politics for a moment. You only have to be an American to appreciate this photo.

Frank Glick, an amateur photographer, took this photo at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. When he recorded the shot, he never could have guessed how much it was going to mean to the widow of the World War II veteran buried there.

The eagle had landed on the grave of Sgt. Maurice Ruch. Read full story here.

This was sent in by a friend.

Madison's Center for Media and Democracy Pulls Underwear Off ALEC

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Madison's Center for Media and Democracy starts Wiki on ALEC.

Dane 101 Excerpt:
Today, Madison’s very own Center for Media and Democracy launched ALEC Exposed, a project that serves as a major document drop of more than 800 “model” bills written by ALEC that previously hadn’t been available to the general public.

CMD writes: “We have analyzed and marked up the bills and resolutions to help readers understand what the bills do, beyond the PR in the names of bills. We share them to help the public identify the legislation in their state and the wide extent of the agenda to rewrite our rights by the corporations that bankroll ALEC.”

While CMD has begun the process of connecting the dots they’re asking for help from the public. This link explains how to utilize the ALEC Exposed wiki.

Read more here.

The 4H Club Of Conservatism

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Although this letter is already a year old, it's still very relevant today. Plus, any dyed-in-the-wool new media 'logger will certainly appreciate the amount of time and effort the TPM blogwriter 'AmericanDad' put into his open letter to Conservatives. The letter contains a solid list of resource links outlining the GOP's long history of hyperbole, hypocrisy and hatred.

Moore In Madison: Country Is Awash In Wealth

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DailyKos Excerpt:
Um, you'd never know it from the news, but 50,000 wonderful people rallied in Madison again today. Highlight: the crowd parted to let the firefighters and their bagpipe brigade through, and Michael Moore was marching with them.

In his speech Moore said the country is not "broke" as conservatives claim. "The country is awash in wealth and cash," Moore stated "It's just not in your hands. It has been transferred in the greatest heist in history, from the workers and consumers to the banks and portfolios of the uber rich." Moore went on to say that 400 obscenely rich people have more wealth than half of all Americans combined. He also praised the protesters in Madison for arousing the "sleeping giant" of working people "Right now, the earth is shaking and the ground is shifting under the feet of those who are in charge," he said. "Your message has inspired people in all 50 states: 'We have had it."

Isthmus coverage on Moore.

Michael Moore: We Are Not Broke

Sunlight Foundation Presents "Poligraft"

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Here is a new data-driven media tool from the Sunlight Foundation that allows anyone to uncover political, campaign and lobbyist interconnections of individuals, organizations and other subjects in media articles, press releases or even blog posts.

The site, Poligraft, is very straight forward and a snap to use. Just cut, paste and click passages or the url of a blog posting or article and Poligraft will present you with an enhanced view of the interconnections and relationships described in the piece.

Check it out!

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