Savage Austerity by Cindy Sheehan

[proud2BlibKansan]

“We’re all in this together,” is the chorus the ruling class loves to sing while it simultaneously bestows “quantitative easing” upon banks after imposing “savage austerity” measures on the working class.

I have been worried about Obama’s Bowles-Simpson “Cat Food Commission” (CFC) on reducing the deficit since it was announced, and it turns out my worries were well founded.

Besides suggesting raising the retirement age to an ungodly 69, savage cuts to Social Security and Medicare are proposed. Who needs Social Security and Medicare? Not the elite, but they are not forgotten in the CFC plan, the CFC also proposes to REDUCE taxes on the top earners from an already too low 35%, to an absolutely obscene 23%! Obama is following the international sport of the ruling class of forcing the least advantaged in society to pay for the crimes and excess of the One-Percent Club—those who sit at the top of the economic food chain controlling at least 50 percent of the nation’s wealth.

One thing we must understand, especially in the U.S, is that Capitalism creates these crises to be able to “capitalize” on them. The bubbles of the past were generated for gross profit on the expansion, and economic vampirism on the contraction. We who are not in the One-Percent Club may feel some temporary prosperity on the expansion, but each contraction squeezes us tighter and tighter.

more . . . http://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/2010/11/savage-austerity-by-cindy-sheehan.html

[Luminous Animal]

1. Kick.

[Swamp Rat]

2. k&r

[glitch]

3. Quite correct, K & R nt

[struggle4progress]

4. Sheehan ought to decide whether she's a laissez-faire libertarian or an anti-capitalist. As far as

I can tell, she's decided sometime before the 2008 campaigns to put aside her anti-war activism in favor of Dem-bashing -- and she'll switch POV to whatever is most convenient for her bashing

[mzteris]

5. she just likes the attention. n/t

[struggle4progress]

6. Could be. I might incline more to the view she lacks real knowledge, has no analysis, and talks

without thinking much

[mzteris]

7. that, too.

It's sad, really. I really felt for her in the beginning, but as time went on she just got weirder and weirder and more and more out there. Like you said, completely lacking in knowledge and know-how.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[janewin]

19. Thank you

Somebody needs to say that. The democratic party used her and her dead son to win election and now they are in power, they have no use for her and her cause. I support this woman and will continue to support her till real change start happening in the areas that really matter. END THE WAR, END THE BAILOUT and END THE QE

Peace

[Catherina]

24. Dearest Binka

I love you and wanted to let you know how happy I am that your son made it back to you in one piece after the big scare you had.

Thank you for sticking up for other mothers and for having compassion. I'm so proud to be your IRL friend.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5016988&mesg_id=5016988

http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5019575

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. No, she is still very much anti-war

The difference is that the Democrats are now in charge, voting to continue the wars.

[struggle4progress]

11. Remember this? "The Democrats are the party of slavery and were the party that started every war

in the 20th Century except the other Bush debacle"

Or this? "permanent federal (and unconstitutional) income taxes .. were brought to us via the Democrats"

That's Sheehan spouting antique rightwing bullshizz bromides against the Dems back in 2007, when she decided to attack Pelosi
Link: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/9/92356/44191

Now suddenly she's an anti-capitalist? Maybe she's just not a very level-headed thinker

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. She's always been anti-capitalist

What she is NOT is partisan. And that upsets Democrats. But I can assure you she doesn't care.

[struggle4progress]

14. I can't figure out what her POV is. Sometimes she's called herself a "progressive," but

(as quoted above) she apparently thinks the income tax is unconstitutional; she has sometimes been for single payer health care, but also sometimes adopts the libertarian view that Washington DC is the enemy. Her views frequently don't seem at all coherent or well-thought-out to me, which makes her a useless spokesperson on issues other than the war

link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV7g0RYW14A

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. She's anti-war, pro social justice

[struggle4progress]

16. And anti-income-tax. And spouts rightwing lies about Dems. And says "DC is the enemy"

:shrug:

Have a nice day :hi:

[derby378]

17. Cindy's had some bad experiences in DC

She's also miffed at those who told her not to challenge Democratic primary candidates, too. I think a lot of center-right Dems worked to drive her away from the party.

[struggle4progress]

37. "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog" - Harry S Truman

As far as I can tell, just about everybody has some bad experiences in DC: that doesn't justify spouting rightwing antigovernment crap

[Catherina]

25. I don't think she started out anticapitalist, did she?

My impression, and I emphasize that it's just an impression, was that she went on a long journey while trying to get answers and stop other mothers from losing children in a bullshit war. Maybe I'm projecting my own experience on her. Do you know?

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. The way she tells it she was just a mom

and not very political. Then her son was killed.

She spent a couple years lobbying Congress and managed to meet with nearly every rep and senator. And she built a peace movement of activists at the same time.

She's become disillusioned with all elected officials and the war machine. Capitalism feeds that machine.

So yes I guess you could say she was no more anti-capitalist than any other mom who isn't all that political.

It's amazing how we can change when we educate ourselves. I don't question Cindy or her beliefs (even though I don't agree with her on everything) because I haven't shared her experiences. I can say that if one of my kids was killed I would probably go crazy.

[Catherina]

30. Thank you for explaining, I'm surprised so many people don't understand

or maybe they understand too well which is why they smear her as an enemy. I admire her very much.

[Puregonzo1188]

54. That's the impression I got. Her journey to get answers opened her eyes to a lot of things

beyond just George Bush and the Iraq War. She got the drift that Iraq was part of a much larger foreign policy history of the United States, and she began to make connections between it and the dominance of corporations domestically, which I think finally led her to become a very radical anti-capitalist/socialist.

[jonnyblitz]

22. unmmm, you might want to study some history if you think she is

wrong. :crazy:

[struggle4progress]

36. Or maybe you should learn some history:

The Democrats split as the Civil War approached, along regional lines: it is therefore misleading to call the Democrats the party of slavery
The first income tax was enacted by the 37th congress in 1861: that congress had Republican majorities in both chambers
The income tax cannot possibly be regarded as "unconstitutional" -- there's a constitutional amendment specifically authorizing it
And, of course, it is brazen nonsense to attribute the major wars of the 20th century to the Democrats, unless one is crazy enough to think the Democrats started WWII

[ooglymoogly]

46. I won't suggest you study your history because you will not

understand it. Like all pugs parading as Dems, you will read into it whatever suits your odd predisposition and predilections.

Capitalism is only a tool; admittedly a powerful tool; as is socialism; both meant to be controlled and regulated for the good of everyone and the planet; so that neither gets out of control. When the opposite occurs and the monsters of either are let loose on a people who have to depend on their government to protect them acting fairly; if not, disaster will follow.

If the government becomes a tool of capitalism,or socialism; bankruptcy, feudalism, anarchy and or fascism must follow.

FDR was one of the very few who understood this and had the strength to follow through and a mind to outwit the forces arrayed against him....the same soulless folks arrayed against us today. We do not have such a mind in power today.

Cindy is right.

Your anger comes from, on some level, knowing you are wrong.

[struggle4progress]

49. My irritation comes in part from hearing the same tired rightwing lines spouted as if

they represented actual facts

I rather admire some of the antiwar work Cindy Sheehan did in the middle of the Bush era

But on larger issues, I am completely unable to discern her general position: one day she's a great admirer of Ron Paul and is blaming Democrats for the great wars of the twentieth century and is claiming the income tax is unconstitutional; another day, she is suddenly an opponent of capitalism

I have no problem with criticisms of capitalism: there are a number of cogent, profound, serious objections that can be raised to the system, and these objections have even more weight as one moves towards variants in which the state merely exists to protect and benefit capitalist enterprises, without meaningful regulatory restrictions -- the sort of free-for-all libertarians like Ron Paul promote

I do have problems with people who positions drift about randomly: Today, I'm a libertarian! ... And now today, I'm a socialist! I try to avoid such people: one gets no useful or reliable thinking from them

Winning the fights we face requires much more than simply cheering when somebody, whose name you recognize, happens to say something you agree with

[ooglymoogly]

53. I speak on this issue. I grant that Cindy is a work in progress

She jumped from meek housewife onto the stage in rage. Her mind in shock and wide open, but alas she has developed into a seasoned mind. I cut her as much slack as she needs for learning on the offensive.

We have to admit capitalism is unregulated and running ruffshod over the people of this country; socialism is regulated to the last dime and even that dime is put under a microscope. Our government is bought and paid for and social programs cut into what they consider their god given right, their booty...the tax money paid overwhelmingly by the middle classes to be hauled off by the truckload by the top 1% leaving the government and the people of this country jobless, destitute and starving.

Now they are going after the safety nets that do not even belong to the government.

This is not capitalism; it is thuggery by old well entrenched crime families fattened by the trillions paid into their coffers (the treasury) by what have become no more than poorly treated slaves.

The tightening and loosening of the money supply for the most bang for the buck is well known and well understood (boom and bust) on which the old crime banking families gather the last remaining gold in our teeth....

On this Cindy is right.

The Fed Re$erve is their counting house and the treasury collects their theft and fattens the money supply and covers their gambling debts; when called upon to do so; by the, what is laughingly called the "Fed" Re$erve; made up of those same crime families or their surrogates.

Social programs even though they have cost them nothing (SS) is a plunder they just could not resist. And now only have to write their rational and excuses for stealing those trillions belonging to the elderly the dying and the now homeless and jobless.

[Hannah Bell]

18. +1. the conversation referring to sheehan as becoming "weirder & weirder, more & more out there"

is a hoot.

nice slime job.

[dana_b]

20. when someone is on to you, it's easier just to slime them

rather than debating the issues.

[earth mom]

29. Cindy is speaking truth to power. Unchecked capitalism is what is destroying this country & planet

and why we're living through the Great Depression 2 and people are jobless and homeless and living in tents!


But you probably thought the gangster bankster bailout was a good thing, didn't you? :eyes:

[struggle4progress]

50. No, I thought the bankster bailout sucked eggs. On the other hand,

I found it completely predictable, given the nature of US politics as I have observed it over the years

And I simply don't find Cindy Sheehan is a useful spokesperson on such topics

[earth mom]

55. If you were in her situation would you just sit down and shut up because people said so?

I think Cindy is a great spokesperson for the true left and I'm so very grateful to her for her bravery and conviction to the things that really matter.

[walldude]

44. Then again it could be her son was murdered in an illegal

war and the woman has had no counseling and has no idea how to grieve after something like that. So she turned her energies on the people she believes responsible. I may not agree with her but I will never stoop to the disgusting level I see on most DU posts about Cindy.

Yeah it's convenient, that's why she does it. It has nothing to do with suffering the worst thing a parent could ever go through in their lives. She does it just to piss you off. :eyes:

[struggle4progress]

51. Yeah, the war was unnecessary and has scarred a lot of folk

I can't see how people like Cindy Sheehan could really ever recover from their terrible losses

Still, I'm completely unimpressed with her more general political analyses, which seem to change more or less randomly

[Jeffersons Ghost]

8. K&R

[SidDithers]

12. Unrec...nt

Sid

[Canuckistanian]

21. You're off the deep end, Sid

I really don't understand you any more.

You're on my ignore list. Don't bother trying to contact me.

[apocalypsehow]

34. Given that you were the one that replied to HIM, that's a very passive/aggressive post.

BTW, please put me on your Ostrich list, too. Thanks. :thumbsup:

[Canuckistanian]

40. It has nothing to do with you

This was just the last straw for me.

[SidDithers]

56. Why the hell do you think I'd want to contact you?...

I've never done so before. The only time we've conversed is when I replied to a PM you sent to me.

Too fucking funny. :rofl:

Sid

[Gold Metal Flake]

23. Rec...nt

[Catherina]

26. The picture in her article says so much

Rec'd

[Greyhound]

27. K&R for very well stated truth.

It is fairly rare for someone with a microphone to speak of the unspeakable truth. The FRBS and the so-called financial industry that grows around it serves to perpetuate and exacerbate the boom-bust cycle for those that control it, and with each cycle they gain ever more of our wealth.
:kick: & R

[Odin2005]

31. You go, Cindy!

[unkachuck]

32. "...Capitalizelism creates these crises to be able to 'capitalize' on them."

....that's why people in their twenties, thirties and forties should never ever invest for retirement....as your generation approaches retirement, the capitalists will once again crash the economy to steal your generations' retirement money....capitalists are willing to take your money during your working-life but they sure don't want to owe you anything at the end....and since it's their system, they can do what they want....

....what you need to do is help all of us massively expand Social Security into an actual, livable, pension-plan with Medicare covering all our healthcare needs....nothing is guarantee in this world, but government-run Social Security and Medicare comes as close as you can get....

[denem]

33. Cindy wanted Pelosi voted out.

What else can I say?

[ooglymoogly]

43. my guess she wanted Pelosi voted out for, amongst other things, taking impeachment off the

table, condemning this country to eternal shame. And I agree with that assessment

[Sirveri]

35. Her statement isn't even accurate. She picked the most extreme option and ignored the rest.

She picked option 1, which was a total wipeout of all tax exemptions. Including the child income tax credit and EITC. Adding those back in they'd drop to 24%, adding in reformed mortgage, retirement, and health benefits yields an upper bracket rate of 27%, not pursuing those reforms the upper bracket would be 28%. But that's only option 1! Option 2, which NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT, while it does have the bush tax cuts enshrined in it, at 35%, it also keeps the mortgage interest deduction but caps it as single residence only and only for the first 500k. It also triples deductions for those earning less than 30k/yr, and does a bunch of other stuff that can all be read here: http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/sites/fiscalcommission.gov/files/documents/CoChair_Draft.pdf
on page 26.

[ooglymoogly]

45. And where do you come from?

All the gobbledygook still equates to the lower and middle classes taking the biggest hit. How bout option #10; apple pie and respect for motherhood god and country for everybody while increasing the sales taxes on things like Gas which only hurts the poor. SS does not belong to the government....IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE WHO PUT THE MONEY THERE AND IS NOT THE GOVERNMENTS TO PAY FOR TAX BOONDOGGLES AND WELFARE FOR THE TOP 1%.

[Sirveri]

52. Wow, what a great response. Thanks for not taking the time to read a 50 page powerpoint

I mean seriously, it takes only 20 minutes to read ALL of the released material. The Powerpoint only takes about 5 minutes, the text file is 24 pages long and that takes maybe 15.
Powerpoint: http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/sites/fiscalcommission.gov/files/documents/CoChair_Draft.pdf
Text file: http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/sites/fiscalcommission.gov/files/documents/Illustrative_List_11.10.2010.pdf

[Dystopian]

38. KandR.

peace~

[laughingliberal]

39. K & R nt

[ooglymoogly]

41. Cindy, you surprise me....you have it exactly.

I call it the Boa constrictor Model.

[Starry Messenger]

42. k&r

[ProgressIn2008]

47. Too late to rec, but kick for Cindy. nt

[LWolf]

48. She's right.

One thing we must understand, especially in the U.S, is that Capitalism creates these crises to be able to “capitalize” on them.

[suffragette]

57. Good article in the Guardian about the damage from austerity policies

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/sep/06/employment-core-economic-recovery

But having the right policies to create jobs is only half the story. As the ILO paper notes, one of the factors that helped cause the crisis of 2007 was growing inequality. "In some countries, and particularly in the US, increasing inequality may have led to increased indebtedness of the household sector and thus an important factor in explaining the subprime mortgage crisis," it says. "Consumption was propped up by periodically very low interest rates and financial products that encouraged high indebtedness."

This is an accurate description of the trend of the past 30 years, in which labour has taken a smaller and smaller share of national output. The concentration of wealth at the top, the attacks on trade unions and the whittling away of welfare protection have all contributed to both greater inequality and greater instability.

The message from these two papers is as follows: the risks of entrenching high levels of unemployment mean that economic policy should have a bias towards growth. There should be no fetish for austerity and targeted measures aimed at vulnerable groups of workers should be retained. Alongside that, countries should boost minimum wages, offer social protection and encourage collective bargaining involving strong trade unions.

In other words, we need to junk the right-wing dogma that has dominated economic thinking for the past 30 years. And, in the case of the UK government, still does.



Austerity measures have wreaked havoc in Ireland and Greece and have even stalled a burgeoning recovery in Spain.
http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9555438

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-11/spanish-economy-stalled-in-third-quarter-as-austerity-undermines-growth.html
Spain’s economy stalled in the third quarter as the deepest austerity measures in three decades, aimed at taming the euro region’s third-biggest budget deficit, undermined the recovery from an almost two-year recession.


Yet, the G20 governments keep pushing this approach:
http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8769829&mesg_id=8769829

I wonder how much of that has to do with many of the current leaders of the G20 being right or center right leaning?

It's going to be incredibly difficult to withstand the pressure to impose austerity measures.
I'm glad Cindy is raising her voice about this.