Saturday, June 05, 2004

Posted here Saturday, June 05, 2004 at 11:21:41 AM     at http://www.counterpunch.org/ for today   I propose as a candidate for Item #1 on the Universal Declaration of Human Wrongs: It is wrong to establish a category of human beings who have no rights. Slavery, colonialism, the Holocaust, and apartheid were all founded on the establishment of such a category. And when we rejected them, we were saying that such a category should never be allowed. It seems strange that we need to affirm this once again, but evidently we must. Let us hope that this time the affirmation will be universal. ********

Posted here Saturday, June 05, 2004 at 10:24:05 AM     Highly recommend the following PLAYING DIRTY By Joshua Green The Atlantic Monthly June 2004 http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2004/06/green.htm And read it not just for what it says about the republicans (remember that Dick Morris worked for Clinton), but about the political process, the use of technoklogy, and our vulnerability to such manipulations - and what can be done about it. ********

Posted here Saturday, June 05, 2004 at 9:58:30 AM     I need to be thinking about political platforms, hence the poem just posted. What has me thinking is, the list of issues emerging here and there feels off to me, so I need to get clear why. The economist for example has a list of issues that have come out of the Copenhagen process (see article for background). http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=2724755 That list is Civil conflicts Climate change Communicable diseases Education Financial stability Governance Hunger and malnutrition Migration Trade reform Water and sanitation My sense is that this list serves the technocratic state. It has little about culture, democracy, media, style. Nothing on arms trade (civil conflict might reach it) nor justice (fairness). Another list comes from a poll you can take on line http://www.presidentmatch.com/Guide.jsp2 and the list of issues that defines your politics is Poll topics Where do you stand on the following abortion positions? Appoint Judges Who Will Outlaw Abortions Outlaw "Partial Birth" Abortions Outlaw Abortions Except for Rape/Incest Parental Notification for Minors Under 18 How do you feel about issues related to gay rights? Constitutional Gay Marriage Ban Equal Rights for Civil Unions Allow Gays to Openly Serve in the Military How do you feel about the role of religion in government? Organized Prayer in Public Schools Commandments Displayed in Federal Buildings Federal Funding of Religious Charities Where do you stand on increased gun controls? Safety Devices on All New Guns Background Checks on Gun Show Purchases Require Safety Course, License Before Gun Purchase Allow Lawsuits Against Gun Manufacturers How do you feel about the death penalty? Abolish the Death Penalty National Review of Death Penalty Fairness Education What do you think about the following education initiatives? No Child Left Behind Act Vouchers for Public, Private or Religious Schools Increase Federal Funding for Higher Education Security and International Policy How do you feel about the following homeland security efforts? The Patriot Act Tighter Immigration Controls How do you feel about the U.S. efforts in Iraq? The War in Iraq Turning Over More Political Authority to U.N. Immediate Withdrawal of U.S. Troops Do you support these foreign trade policies? Embargo on Cuba U.S. Involvement in NAFTA Mandatory Labor/Environment Standards in Trade Agreements Benefit Programs How do you feel about the following health care proposals? Universal Government-Supervised Health Care Medicare Prescription Drugs Coverage By Private Insurers Expand Medicaid to Cover More Uninsured Americans Limit Malpractice Suits Against Doctors, Insurers Where do you stand on the following proposed welfare reforms? Hiring Welfare Workers Tax Incentive Welfare Benefits for Legal Immigrants Child Care Services for Getting Off Welfare How do you feel about these Social Security reforms? Raise Retirement Age Privatize Social Security Cap Payments to Wealthy Economy Where do you stand on the following tax proposals? Roll Back the Bush Administration Tax Cuts Roll Back Cuts for People Making Over $100,000 Additional Tax Cuts for Businesses How do you feel about these issues related to jobs? Raise the Minimum Wage Extend Unemployment Benefits Environment How do you feel about these key environmental issues? Oil Drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge Mandatory Clean Air Emissions Standards Tougher Fuel Efficiency Standards   These seem to me to be the issues that divide us, not the issues that could unite us. And they seem to cut the wrong way, certainly across my own politics. I am for education in any form , more of it everywhere. I am for rethinking corporate charters. I am against term limits. I am for arms trade reduction. I am for rethinking the "criminal" justice system. I am for rethinking the gerrymandering of the poor re mortgage rates and food availability, services such as garbage and police.   If we did these, many of the other issues would be "solved". So what is the tendency of thinking that leads the political into the current way of dicing the cake? ********