Howard Zinn Book I'm Reading..

I'm reading this fantastic book by my hero Howard Zinn. It's another awesome collection of his essays. Howard always gives it to you straight from the hip. Can you imagine the anarchy if Mr. Zinn were in charge of the reading cirriculum for high schools and colleges in this country. He exposes the truth of our so called "government by the people". Our congress and elected officials fall somewhere between used car salesmen and charlatan televangelist. He talks about the U.S. Military and all the lies, deception and murder for empire and profit that come out of the Pentagon. Our favorite House of Death. As always Howard Zinn takes you under the radar of the government controlled mass media in this country. Some of the pieces are a little older but still very timely as the Bush regime is still spreading american terrorism throughout the world. Maybe old Georgey Boy will figure out a way to pardon himself from all the bloodshed on his crony, greedy, and devilish little hands.

A few words about our new President..

I've been listening to a lot of NPR when I get up about 10:00am. It's pretty informative, sometimes a little to central but what can I say I'm a lefty. Anyway, I've been keeping up with President Obama's cabinet appointees and I have to say this guy may end up being our best president ever. You just went through 8 years of the worst president in our empirical history and the entire world has paid the price. But I still have hope, Howard Zinn says that there is always hope for a better world, so I gotta go along with my hero. Now that someone with brains is coming into office, I think we still have to remember to do our own part to make the world a better place. Let's use Barack as the catalyst and kick start a new world. The country seems to be in the shithouse right now, but the last eight years have proven that we can make it against incredible odds. So who's with me?

Dennis Kucinich is a hero of mine!!

After watching Kucinich at the DNC he has become a hero of mine. This guy is right up there with Howard Zinn, Ralph Nader, Michael Moore, Noam Chomsky and Jello Biafra.
He should be our next President. He reminds me of Thomas Paine.

Corporate American Empire

I've been reading the new Howard Zinn graphic novel "A People's History Of American Empire", which by the way should be mandatory reading for every high school and college history class in the United States and I got to thinking. This nation has been doing some pretty nasty things to people in this country and all over the world and the only thing we have accomplished is $3.59 for a gallon of gas in Cincinnati Ohio. If our own history books teach us that we are the almighty United States and nobody messes with us how did we become what we are? Let's just say we believe all the "good" government bullshit we are taught in school. If we are so high and mighty and holier than thou how can you explain the high cost of living we are suffering through? Why don't we just use our bombs and military technology and take over the world. Gas would be about 99 cents a gallon and the rest of the world would be our slaves and food would be sold at cost and we would be the most highly educated people on earth. That's right, I forgot about privitization and corporate America and cronyism. So now I get it. We are still the American Superpower of which we are taught but we are also the land of have and have nots. How stupid of me! So all I need to do is rape and pillage my way to the top 2% and I can have everything I want. I can step on as many toes and feet and arms and legs and chests and heads to get there and I'm applauded for it. Now I'm starting to get this Corporate America thing. They start you out young and tell you to shoot for that forever elusive American Dream. If you work hard your whole life and go in debt and stay in debt you can do it. Whatever you do you have to consume, please buy an SUV, Direct T.V., three cell phones, 2 iPods, take three vacations, shop at the Gap and become addicted to presription drugs. Don't worry about those credit cards, crappy insurance and car payments. There are thousands of credit counselors and financial institutes that can bail you out. For a Price! Sometimes I just want to sell all of my shit (except my books) and go live in the woods.

Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez

Let me just start by saying I love Ralph Nader. Here are a few words to describe Mr. Nader: Humanitarian, Political Activist, Author, Speaker, Environmentalist, Consumer Advocate, and Presidential Candidate. All positive words to use when talking about someone you admire. I have also heard him described as: Spoiler, Egomaniac and Stubborn As Hell. I'm willing to accept all of them because I "get" Ralph Nader.
Ralph, just like Eugene V. Debs believed that a two party system will eventually implode. The Republican and Democratic Parties are like the commercial "Taste Great.....Less Filling" it's still the same crappy beer in the end. What a terrible after taste. Let's look at Al Gore and John Kerry. Two of the biggest wussies in the world. If either one of them had any balls they would have stood up to the Bush mafia family . They could have fought in both Florida and Ohio and we would have had an eight year Democratic Presidency. So I blame them for BUSH. I blame the Democrats for the war in Iraq. I especially blame the ongoing occupation in the Middle East on the 'o6 Democrats. I know alot of liberals and progressives that blame Nader, I don't buy it. If Bush supposedly won Florida by 536 votes Gore sucked worse than I thought.
Now we get to the stubborn Ralph Nader. He is dead set on the fact that "people" want a third party candidate. I agree. There are tons of independents out there.
Think of all the people who read The Nation, The Progressive, Mother Jones and all the people who listen to NPR, Air America etc. Think about the number of people who are in the Green, Libertarian, and Labor parties. It's more than you think.
Imagine a debate with a decent moderator, someone like Howard Zinn or Ed Schultz and candidates with an even playing field. Think about the thought process of Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Dennis Kucinich, guys like McCain, Romney and Huckabee wouldn't stand a chance. Instead we get turds like, Blitzer, Russert, Matthews and the Fox geeks. The whole thing is a joke.
Now we get to the heart of the matter. Who will I vote for?
I have gone on record as saying I am voting for Barack Obama. I even have his sign in my yard. I have also said that I will support Hillary if she gets the nomination.
My heart wants me to vote for Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez. I like Gonzalez. He was part of the San Francisco City Council. He almost beat the Democrat candidate for Mayor of San Francisco. Not to mention Gonzalez is my age and seems like a very smart cool dude.
Most of my liberal friends have signed on with the Obama camp. Hillary is what I call "Republican Lite". She will be like Bill and take care of Corporate America while still trying to work with the working class. Every one of Barack's speeches have been about how hard it is for the average American to make it nowadays.
I can relate to that. What the Rev. Wright said was absolutely true. So for now the Republicans have zero scandal against Obama.
About my vote? I still stand up for voting for Nader in 2000. I almost voted for him again in 2004 because Kerry was horrible. As of this writing I still love Ralph Nader, read his book "The 17 Traditions" it's fantastic. But my still bleeding heart is voting for Barack Obama, sorry Ralph.