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Sandbox – 7jun15

07 June 2015

[Whew! The 4jun15 sandbox got a bit rowdy. All good thoughts from there can be continued hereunder. gjr]

Posted in Comment Sandbox

218 responses to “Sandbox – 7jun15”

Ben Emery

10 June 2015

Scott,
I had a thoughtful response but decided to go with a T. Juvinall response. Can you provide any links or proof to the assertions you have made.
– Permission
– Dope and Alcohol
– Going over the fence
– Music on the radio blasting out profanity
I watched the video again and your waistband theory is 100% false. No hands were reaching for his waistband.
As CHERYL DORSEY, the two decade veteran police officer says “He is a bully”.

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Ben Emery

10 June 2015

“Can you provide any links or proof to the assertions you have made.”
It means with credible sources not breitbart or something like that.
I will concede that Democracy Now! does have a left leaning agenda but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a credible news source.
Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and co-host Juan Gonzalez have won numerous awards including:
I.F. Stone Lifetime Achievement Award from the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, 2014
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation/United Nations Correspondents Association Global Prize Silver Medal, 2013
for reporting on Climate Change
Park Center for Independent Media Izzy Award, 2012
to DN! correspondent Sharif Abdel Kouddous for his coverage of the Egyptian Uprising
Gandhi Peace Award, 2012
for promoting enduring peace
Barcelona Human Rights Film Festival Award, 2012
for coverage of Arab Spring
Right Livelihood Award, 2008
for developing an innovative model of truly independent grassroots political journalism that brings to millions of people the alternative voices that are often excluded by the mainstream media
Park Center for Independent Media Izzy Award, 2009
for special achievement in independent media
Communication for Peace Award from the World Association for Christian Communication, 2008
Project Censored Top 25 Censored Stories for 2009
– APA Complicit in CIA Torture
ACLU-NCA Henry W. Edgerton Civil Liberties Award, 2008
for a distinguished career as an active defender and supporter of civil liberties
The Paley Center for Media She Made It Award, 2007
to honor women creating radio and television
Gracie Award for American Women in Radio and Television Public Broadcasting, 2007
Individual Achievement for Outstanding Program Host
James Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism, 2007
Career Achievement
Webby Award Honoree, 2007
Podcasts and Politics
Puffin/Nation Prize for Creative Citizenship, 2006
Groundbreaking Reporting
Ruben Salazar Journalism Award
Outstanding Commitment to Preserving the Integrity of Journalism
George Polk Award
Radio Reporting
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Prize
First Place, International Radio Documentary
Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award
Excellence in Broadcast Journalism
Edwin H. Major Armstrong Award
Best Radio Documentary
National Federation of Community Broadcasters
Golden Reels (several, including Best National News Story 2003)
Project Censored Award
Most Censored Story
Society of Professional Journalists
Best Investigative Reporting
Award for Excellence Series/Investigative Reporting
United Press International
Best Radio Feature
Associated Press
Best Enterprise Reporting
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Pioneer Award
American Women in Radio & Television
Pinnacle Award for Radio Programming
National Catholic Association of Broadcasters
Best Documentary
Best Religious Documentary
Radio/Television News Directors Association
Regional News Series/Documentary Award
Alliance for Community Media
Best Nationally Distributed Program
Other Awards Democracy Now! and it’s hosts have received include:
ACME (Action Coalition for Media Education)
National Media Literacy Activist Award
Amigos Del Sur Del Bronx (Friends of the South Bronx)
Evelina Antonetty Community Pulitzer Award
Boulder International Humanist Institute
Second Annual Symposium Award
Brooklyn Society For Ethical Culture
Peace Site Award
California Defenders Association
Gideon Award
City of Santa Cruz
Mayor’s Proclamation: Amy Goodman Day, September 17, 2006
Consortium on Peace Research, Education, & Development (COPRED)
Social Courage Award
The Deadline Club New York Chapter Award
Best Investigative Reporting in Radio
Disarmament and Economic Conversion Committee
Sadako Peace Citation
Feminist Caucus of the American Humanist Association
Humanist Heroine “Exception to the Ruler”
Hometown Video Festival
National Distribution–Professional Award
Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives
Kairos Award, Journalism and Human Rights Work
Media & Democracy Congress
Media Hero Award
National Editors Association
Golden Razor Award
Editor of the Decade
National Federation of Community Broadcasters
Golden Reel
National Special Event Coverage
National Women’s Political Caucus
Exceptional Merit Media Award
Radio Talk Show
New Jersey Peace Action Award
Political Courage Award
New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association
First Place Award
Best Enterprise Reporting Class 1 Radio
The Newswomen’s Club of New York
Front Page Award for Distinguished Journalism
NFCB (National Federation of Community Broadcasters)
Community Radio Awards
National Entertainment /Music Program–Silver Reel
Local News & Information
Office of the Americas
Peace and Justice Award
Pacifica Radio, Washington Bureau
The Unvarnished Truth Award
Prisoners Breaking the Chains Committee
Lois Lane Award
Journalist
RTNDA (Radio-Television News Directors Association)
Regional News Series/Documentary Award
Ruben Salazar Journalism Award
Outstanding Commitment to Preserving the Integrity of Journalism
Samori Marksman Memorial Award
Journalism
Twelfth Annual Joe A. Callaway Award for Civic Courage
Journalism Activism Broadcasting
Unitarian Universalist Association
The Wilton Peace Prize 2004
United Press International
Best Radio Feature

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Bill Tozer

10 June 2015

Watch out, Brother Ben is alive and well and woke up gunning for bear. I best run to the hills and lay low in my lair. Bet he has his reponse already to paste should anyone care to respond. He has the upper hand and a hair trigger this fine gloomy day. Think I will agree with Ben just to sour his mood. 🙂

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Gregory

10 June 2015

“I will concede that Democracy Now! does have a left leaning agenda but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a credible news source.”
That’s like concluding water is wet, Ben. It isn’t “leaning” left, it’s left through and through. It isn’t a credible news source: they’re grinding axes, and so are you.

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Scott Obermuller

10 June 2015

Ben – I see that you want to turn this into a she said, he said.
The first order of business is to provide evidence of racism. So far, you’ve provided none. Maybe the cop was out of hand, but that doesn’t mean he was racist. There were, apparently, some white kids there.
Where was the racism?

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Todd Juvinall

10 June 2015

Ben is just mouthing what he is told to mouth. There was no racism. Jeeze, if you don’t obey the cops command, no matter what color you are, you will be tossed to the ground. Equal opportunity tossing.
The rest is all liberal BS. Alinskyites like Ben Emery know the plot. Undermine the “authority” of the police and you rip the fabric holding order together.
I am fatifued with all this black and white liberal whining. You have the greatest country ever conceived and all these whiners and ingrates can do is cry they are “oppressed”. Jeeze Ben, you get free medical and food and they even pay your rent. They being the taxpayers. All this liberal BS is self defeating though. As soon as the nations enemies arrive they cut off the heads of their “helpers” who paved the way.

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Todd Juvinall

10 June 2015

Here is the link to the full text of Rules for Radicals.
http://archive.org/stream/RulesForRadicals/RulesForRadicals_djvu.txt

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Todd Juvinall

10 June 2015

Here is one paragraph Ben Emery will like from Alinsky.
“What is the alternative to working “inside” the system? A mess of
rhetorical garbage about “Burn the system down!” Yippie yells of “Do it!” or
“Do your thing.” What else? Bombs? Sniping? Silence when police are
killed and screams of “murdering fascist pigs” when others are killed?
Attacking and baiting the police? Public suicide? “Power comes out of the
barrel of a gun!” is an absurd rallying cry “

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Walt

10 June 2015

One HELL of a cut and paste job Ben,
You can hit up The Daily Caller,, they dumb this down just for LIBS.
They don’t use the 25 cent words LIB press try and impress with.
Heck. Name your LIB new source and I bet they blame (so called) racism on global warming.
Matter of fact, what DON”T they blame? It either causes it, or is caused BY.
DAMN… Cooked my roast TOO damned fast.. I’ll blame it on AGW, and today’s weather.
( a tad on the tough side.) Back down to 250 deg. the next time.

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Todd Juvinall

10 June 2015

Walt, the Democracy Now Amy Goodman column in our Union Newspaper shows what a commie looks like.

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Walt

10 June 2015

OK,,, Hawaii has really done it. Surpassed Ca. in the ECO Unicorn ranch idea.
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/29269793/gov-ige-signs-bill-setting-100-percent-renewable-energy-goal-for-state
Humm… Just what are they going to fuel cars and trucks with? Construction equipment?
Are solar airplanes going to bring the tourists?
Somehow I don’t think they thought this through. But HAY!! It looks good on paper.
The islands are going to look pretty different with all those bird blenders on all the ridge lines. Not to mention the low frequency “thuds” those things put out.
Hawaii might want to talk to those who have lived around those damned things.

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fish

10 June 2015

Whoa…..gentlemen (Paul, Ben)….it would seem that there’s no reason for you guys to fear the TPP after all. The secrecy was just to damp down opposition from reactionary haterz who don’t want our noble and good…peace be upon him….president from importing a crap load of more poor democratic lever pullers.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/06/10/revealed-the-secret-immigration-chapter-in-obamas-trade-agreement/
(PS….I looked but couldn’t find confirmation at Democracy Now….I’ll keep checking!)

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fish

10 June 2015

…and finally….a little something for everyone vis a vis the water crisis!
http://reason.com/reasontv/2015/06/10/joel-kotkin
(Psssssst……reason.com……KOCH BROTHERS……BOOOOO!)

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Gregory

10 June 2015

This is going to be a long hot summer; we may again find out what happens when the police refuse to police an area that desperately needs policing.
Ben had to vandalize RR with a laundry list of awards from left leaning groups to that left leaning pillar, Amy Goodman, while claiming the Breitbart-less Breitbart isn’t quotable because they’re right leaning. Wow, Goodman even won the Unvarnished Truth Award from Pacifica Radio!
Now, that really says something, just not what Ben thinks it does.

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Walt

10 June 2015

LIBS may care to read this. Yup,, even YOU Paul.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/06/10/up-in-smoke-california-lawmaker-wants-to-defund-dea-pot-eradication-program/?intcmp=latestnews

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fish

10 June 2015

Now I’m no Rubio fan….but apparently there are those cough…cough….New York Times….cough who feel that he maintains….well…..an extravagant lifestyle!
https://ricochet.com/marco-rubios-boat-vs-john-kerrys-boat/
The SecStates boat is apparently little more than a rubber dinghy and probably not even seaworthy.

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Gregory

10 June 2015

Fish, having seen and heard his wife, I think Kerry earned every penny that went into that dinghy.

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Paul Emery

10 June 2015

Fish
How do you explain then that it’s primarily the Republicans who are pushing the TPP with Obama as their spokesperson? Virtually none have read the agreenment but supported fast track so when it’s up for a vote they can offer no amendments

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fish

10 June 2015

Posted by: Gregory | 10 June 2015 at 02:50 PM
I’m sure that in some quarters Teresa Heinz is applauded for finding a way to make sure “Mr Ed” spends a lot of time away from home.

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fish

10 June 2015

Posted by: Paul Emery | 10 June 2015 at 02:59 PM
How do you get through your days being that big a “bucket head”?
I’m being a smart ass numbnut!

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Don Bessee

10 June 2015

Sounds like the leaking of the immigration pages from the trade agreement may be the death rattle of the fast track. That and the Europeans rebelling against theirs too. ==== PE 6/9 1004p, Care to name the last time growers won an actual vote anywhere in CA? Just last week there were 2 special elections in Riverside and Yucca Valley on grower backed propositions for dispensaries, both lost with 60%+- our way. The fiscal analysis from the State on the boutique pot proposition was very frank in acknowledging that any potential tax benefits would be lost to administration and (finally) acknowledged the other societal costs like significant increases for in and outpatient dependency treatment and rehab. That does not even count lost productivity as Gov. Brown keeps hammering. Voters know there is no shortage of weed and are not enchanted by the prospect of full legalization of commercialized weed. Then you have the issues of patient protections and environmental destruction splintering the legalizer communities. That’s why they hold elections.

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Paul Emery

10 June 2015

Fish
I was asking for your insights as to why the Repubs and Obama are so huggy huggy about TPP. Any ideas?

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Todd Juvinall

10 June 2015

DonB, if POP somehow gets legal, (probably by court action not voters) then the USA will become no more. I have seen to many users who are turned into lazy asses on public assistance but maintain that stupor of happiness.
On the TPP. I am still withholding until I read it. If it has some parts that I believe hurt more than help then I will decide. Regarding Obama’s support. He is one half of the branches that pass laws. Courts are not included. So in my view he is the leader of the democrats and all in apparently for the TPP. Therefore, using Emery logic, the democrats are all in.

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Paul Emery

10 June 2015

Bessee
Sorry to rain on your parade.
“A record-high 54 percent of California residents support ending cannabis prohibition, a June 3 poll from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) finds.
Among likely California voters, that number rises to 56 percent, PPIC finds, lending momentum to efforts to legalize the botanical in the 2016 general election.”
http://www.ibtimes.com/marijuana-legalization-2015-californians-support-adults-recreational-use-pot-reaches-1959028
You write ” The fiscal analysis from the State on the boutique pot proposition was very frank in acknowledging that any potential tax benefits……
Can you send a link to that information please?

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Don Bessee

10 June 2015

Under the heading of eating their own, NPR’s Diane Rhem attacked good ol’ socialist dem. Bernnie Sanders as a holder of dual Israeli / US citizenship. When he denied it she did the classic let me say this again VERY SLOWLY so you understand you stupid man. He politely pointed out that his dad came here from Poland. She did not back off until after the broadcast when much later it was discovered she got the info from of all places a palestinian conspiracy facebook page! OH YA, NPR a fount of journalistic ethics and standards that we should all slavishly parrot every utterance as the gold standard of fact.

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Ben Emery

10 June 2015

Don,
That is the big knock against Sanders is he is too easy on Israel policies towards Palestine. I don’t see him being too easy but rather not being his main platform issues. I have heard on many occasions him condemn the over response of Israel towards their neighbors. Is he where most activist progressives are on Israel and their war crimes, not even close but I cannot imagine this being the make or break issue for many.

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Ben Emery

10 June 2015

Scott and who ever else chimed in,
I didn’t bother reading the replies to my McKinney Texas comment since the lawyer for the police officer has come out with the story of why their client behaved so poorly.
It kind of takes the sting out of the whole debate. Unfortunately the officer had just responded to a suicide and an attempt suicide. The lawyer admitted the wrong behavior and issued an apology.
My follow up comment to what ever the response was going to be-
Hearing an officer of the law screaming obscenities at a person is very intimidating, especially if a teenager, since they supposedly have the law on their side and a gun on their belt.
It was the white “adult” residents using racial epitaphs and slapping the teenagers. Aren’t adults supposed to the mature people who calm down situations not escalate them?
The party was a planned party and if people hopped the fence it doesn’t have to do with the party but rather the people who hopped the fence. The section 8 housing remark was hurled at the girl who is a resident and member of the pool.
I guess since the maturity level for most here is that of a pre adolescent boy this type of behavior from the adults is just fine.

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Ben Emery

10 June 2015

Oops I meant epithet, I think that is the first time I every tried spelling it. Once reading my comment it definitely didn’t look correct, oh well my guess you guys are used to it from me by now.

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Ben Emery

10 June 2015

Todd,
“On the TPP. I am still withholding until I read it. ”
Are you joking?
We are supposed to be living in a democratic republic where laws, international agreements, and treaties are supposed to be public so we can tell our representatives how to vote.
And Yes! The leadership of the Democratic Party is 100% behind the TPP and just about all other free trade agreements since it was the labor traitor Bill Clinton that lied to the American public about NAFTA and WTO.

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George Rebane

10 June 2015

BenE 543pm – 1) the TPP agreement has yet to be negotiated; 2) such agreements have never been and can never be negotiated in public, for what should be obvious reasons; 3) the entire TPP will be made public before Congress votes on it so that we can tell our representatives how we want them to vote. The TPA will give Obama and every succeeding president the opportunity to conduct such confidential negotiations with credibility and dispatch. The president will, of course, be influenced during the course of such negotiations by the will of the people from the usual polls etc as they impact high level and relevant policy that should guide the negotiations. The people should never be involved in the detailed negotiations, again for obvious reasons. Hope this helps.

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Todd Juvinall

10 June 2015

Ben Emery | 10 June 2015 at 05:43 PM
Not joking Ben Emery. GeorgeR has explained the process on these kinds of treaties. I concur with them.
What is wrong with NAFTA? Using labor as a component to manufactured goods, if we can’t compete then adios to another member. What liberals fail to realize is a businessman and his business are not an arm of the Welfare Department of government. You think it is. You are misguided.

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Paul Emery

10 June 2015

George:
What is your view of the ISDS“ Investor-State Dispute Settlement,” provision included in the TPP as well as other trade agreements such as NAFTA? I’m not including details about it due to lack of time but there are those on the Right and Left that are opposed because of compromises to national sovereignty.
Here’s a quick look at ISDS.
“RW — ISDS, or Investor-State Dispute Settlement, is the international system whereby multinational corporations (MNCs) can sue the governments of countries in which they invest for violating their property rights. International treaties give MNCs access to ISDS, under which ad hoc international tribunals decide whether or not an MNC deserves compensation. There is no appeals system in place.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2015/03/26/people-are-freaking-out-about-the-trans-pacific-partnerships-investor-dispute-settlement-system-why-should-you-care/

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Gregory

10 June 2015

Here’s an account of the “pool party” in Texas. The first thing is… it wasn’t a pool party. The pool is run by the HOA, requires a deposit for a party, and any such party is limited to 20 people. More than 100 showed up from social media advertising of a free pool party and some began jumping the fence, because the resident and her mom (Chicago natives) didn’t rent the pool, and they wanted to swim.
It was a mess and a whole lot different than how Democracy Now! is reporting it.
http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2015/06/08/the-full-story-of-the-mckinney-texas-pool-mob-inside-the-craig-ranch-subdivision/comment-page-1/

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Bill Tozer

10 June 2015

Todd, I will tell ya what is wrong with NAFTA. It helps poor people in 3rd World countries and lifts the global standard of living for dirt poor folk of color in barrios, ghettos, slums and others eating out of the landfills outside of our borders. It gives them hope of survival, if not a better life. Just like world communism or socialism. It’s the fair and moral thing to do. That is what is wrong with NAFTA, it helps little Pablo. How can NAFTA’s critics be so heartless, so self centered, so concerned with only what’s in it for them? These xenophobic critics reek of protectionism and down right isolation. They are truly UGLY AMERICANS.

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George Rebane

10 June 2015

PaulE 632pm – I do not have time now to study the half-baked provisions of the TPP that are being leaked to the public before the final agreement is sealed. I stand with my previous high level concern that the TPP will overreach into affairs of our national sovereignty, a considerable part of which will be surrendered to uncontrollable agencies operating within the new TPP.

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Paul Emery

10 June 2015

George
What is your view of similar provisions in previous trade agreements such as this one included in NAFTA
“Chapter 11 establishes a mechanism for the settlement of investment disputes that assures both equal treatment among investors of the Parties to the Agreement in accordance with the principle of international reciprocity and due process before an impartial tribunal. A NAFTA investor who alleges that a host government has breached its investment obligations under Chapter 11 may, at its option, have recourse to one of the following arbitral mechanisms:
The World Bank’s International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID);
ICSID’s Additional Facility Rules; and
The rules of the United Nations Commission for International Trade Law (UNCITRAL Rules).”
https://www.nafta-sec-alena.org/Home/Dispute-Settlement/Overview-of-the-Dispute-Settlement-Provisions

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Walt

10 June 2015

Nice speach Bill, too bad that isn’t reality. That’s why everyone South of the boarder, all the way to Cape Horn is trying to get here. Then there are the Asians slapping a shipping label on their ass, and packed in conex containers. Those that do work “over there” still get paid 5 bucks a week, then ship that product here. Our jobs are still getting shipped back. Yup,, we sure are getting a “fair trade” on that.

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Walt

10 June 2015

“O” and Co. love sneaking immigration goodies into everything.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/06/10/revealed-the-secret-immigration-chapter-in-obamas-trade-agreement/

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Walt

10 June 2015

See LIBS?? Right wing news holds even “their own” accountable.
Even Paul Ryan has splain’n to do.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/06/10/paul-ryan-cooks-up-elaborate-ruse-to-save-immigration-components-of-obamatrade/
REPUBLICANS SCRAMBLE TO SAVE OBAMATRADE
‘IF PUBLIC COULD READ IT, WOULD BE DEAD’
Nice headline from a “right wing butt kisser”..

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Ben Emery

10 June 2015

You guys have no clue on what and how these trade agreements work. We have already signed over our sovereignty when we signed into the World Trade Organization, similar secret courts in the World Bank, and others.
Mexico took the US WTO court over Dolphin Safe Tuna. If US does not comply with this ruling we will be subject to trade sanctions. No matter what the ruling of the WTO was or will be in future cases it is overriding the United States ability to pass laws and enforce them.
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds381_e.htm
Bechtel vs Bolivia on capturing rain water and price gouging in the World Bank.
http://democracyctr.org/bolivia/investigations/bolivia-investigations-the-water-revolt/bechtel-vs-bolivia-details-of-the-case-and-the-campaign/
Immigration influx from the America’s since the Free Trade Agreements NAFTA, CAFTA, Panama, Columbia, Peru, Chile is what you guys are always bitching and moaning about. Our very subsidized agribusiness is allowed to flood these countries economies with cheap goods putting their farmers out of business. They then flood their cities looking for work and then migrate to the US.
Wonder where the US middle class has gone. 50,000 factories and millions of US manufacturing jobs have left the US since 2000 to exploit slave labor and intracompany trade loopholes in US Tax Code that allows US Corporations to keep its US profits offshore to avoid paying taxes. US corporations have never been so profitable while the US middle class is disappearing.

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Ben Emery

10 June 2015

Mr Free Trade himself on the disaster it caused in Haiti.
“It may have been good for some of my farmers in Arkansas, but it has not worked,” he said. “I have to live every day with the consequences of the lost capacity to produce a rice crop in Haiti to feed those people, because of what I did.” – Bill Clinton
Subsidizing Starvation
http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/01/11/subsidizing-starvation/
Opening paragraph
In the wake of Haiti’s devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake exactly three years ago, former U.S. President Bill Clinton issued an unusual and now infamous apology. Calling his subsidies to American rice farmers in the 1990s a mistake because it undercut rice production in Haiti, Clinton said he had struck a “devil’s bargain” that ultimately resulted in greater poverty and food insecurity in Haiti.

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fish

10 June 2015

Posted by: Paul Emery | 10 June 2015 at 04:26 PM
We’ve covered this ground before.
Alright….I’ll try and explain it to you one last time. C’mon…Ben, Paul….gather round!
Children….there is an incredibly powerful machine out there that takes in and redistributes the toil and effort of the people, doles out favors to those who support and service the machine, smites those who oppose the machine and its aims. Because this machine is so powerful there are people who want to use the machine to further their aims. They invest in gifts and tribute to those who service the machine. In gratitude those people grant their benefactors special favors and privileges.
It didn’t used to be this way.
The machine was initially designed to protect those in the vicinity of the machine from external aggressors, stop them from aggressing against each other by serving as an adjudicator of their disputes while protecting their rights in general. Soon though people began to think, “the machine is so powerful….what else can it do for us” So the people asked those who service the machine , “How can you use the machine to better our lives?”, And they said, “feed the machine more” and we will use it to make your lives better. So the people did. And at first things were better. But those who serviced the machine said we’ve done all we can do with the amount of food you provide the machine…..bring more food and perhaps the machine will do more. And the people brought more food, but the amount that their lives were bettered wasn’t as much as the time before but now the machine threatened, “BRING MORE FOOD OR I WILL MAKE YOUR LIVES WORSE”. So they brought more food…but their lives were not improved.
Now there were others who saw the people bring their bounty to the machine and thought, “surely the machine doesn’t need all that, If I occupy the machine their bounty can become mine…and I can share with those whom I can bind to my cause. The people are fools…they give up the product of their toil for nothing.
And over time the machine became theirs!
There is a naive segment of the population that believes that if only they can gain control of the machine they can get it to distribute the goodies in a more equitable fashion. They want the machine to remain powerful so it can truly do good. They believe that the huge and powerful machine can be stripped of its corruption and its might used only for the good of the people …..and their friends…and pet causes…..and those who “support” those “truly on the side of the people”….and to smite the enemies of the restored beautiful machine….and those who would question the goals and motives of the restored machine.
And it would be good….like it was in the beginning.
….and that’s why you will probably be getting the TPP in the very near future.

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Walt

10 June 2015

Ya, Ben,, and you can thank over regulation right here at home. You forget that our corp. tax is the highest anywhere. And you wonder why big business keeps it’s money elsewhere.
And just which party is content to regulate the shit out of us?
See the latest from the EPA?

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Bill Tozer

10 June 2015

Oh, Walt, have not we spent most of our lives hearing how bad and unfair it is to live in a rich country like the USA and not care about the huddled masses on yonder shores? If you could only raise the wages and incomes of people in faraway countries, if would a dream come true for our open minded globalists on the left side on the aisle. Make that the far left. Lord knows they have been pinning for this for a long time. The Progressive Solutions: lower our standard of living by raising the destitute villagers out of abject poverty in faraway lands to be fair. It is what they call justice or social justice. Has not worked Very well here in The Homeland, but it will darn sure work on a bigger scale, right? Blame America First! Then blame capitalism, corporate influence, and the Koch Brothers. That is the whole ball of wax in a nutshell.
But, what is this?? I see some democ-rats being the first to leave the ship. Rather odd.
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/244539-house-dem-obama-has-lost-touch-with-real-world-on-trade

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Bill Tozer

10 June 2015

Hillary should either strangle Bill, or buy him a boatload of hookers to keep him busy and out of sight until after the primaries next year. Make that two boatloads.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/06/10/bill-clinton-contradicts-hillary-on-email-claims/

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Ben Emery

10 June 2015

Walt,
No, we can thank the changing of the laws that allows companies to bring products back into the country without taxation that would equal the cost of making it in the US. The tax was called Import Tariffs. Since 2001 when China entered in the WTO the US has seen its trade debt with China go from around $80 billion to nearly $300 billion annually and 3 million US manufacturing jobs went to China.
Both parties regulate the shit out of the people while basically creating a situation where small and medium size businesses cannot compete with the WalMarts, Monsanto’s, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Tyson Chicken, ect….
Why do they do this? They are both owned by the same industries and their job is to redistribute wealth upward while making sure the electorate are divided on stupid ass shit like birth certificates.

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Todd Juvinall

10 June 2015

Ben Emery 7:36 PM
Ben says, “You guys have no clue on what and how these trade agreements work.”
OK, Ben Emery, then let’s have your credentials on trade agreements. List them here for us to read and admire. If you have never done a trade agreement (that is my guess), then your opinion on them means as much as Mr. Ed’s.
Paul Emery, tell us how you know the “leaks” of the TPP are really from the TPP. Does it not seem funny that ony certain parts are leaked? Does your curiosity not force you to question if these leaks are real and trustworthy? I mean, hey, you are a “journalist” right?

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Todd Juvinall

10 June 2015

Regarding NAFTA and other past treaties on trade. If America wants to compete as they once did for so many years, there will have to be a “come to Jesus” on laws and regulations. All the Alpha bet soup agencies of the Feds and the 580 of California, stifle most all innovation and risk taking. One only needs to try and obtain a building permit or change the ownership papers on a car at DMV to understand why we are at such a disadvantage now. But liberals don’t understand and they pile on more and more to make sweet unicorns prosper.

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Walt

10 June 2015

Oh.. Now it’s “both parties”. LOL!!
One again you show that you have no real clue how things work. But cast your vote for Bernie Sanders and his 80% taxation.
As I see it, if a LIB likes it, it bad news for America.
BTW,, think your eyes will burn out of you head if you read a story from BB?
I am one that’s peeved at any Repub that votes on anything he/she hasn’t read. Let’s repeat the same stupid action the LIBS did with healthcare. ” ya’ gotta pass it to see what’s in it.”. In other words,, “stool sample” legislation.

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Walt

10 June 2015

Question Ben,, how many lawyers will it take for little Suzy to open a lemonade stand on the family lawn? How much will she have to fork over in fees and permits? How many agencies will she need to go through? and how many weeks will she need to wait to get approval?
( Uhh,, you think I’m joking??)

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