"Ali Velshi is one of the finest journalists working today in American television. So it’s a particular honor to have been invited on his program this morning; you can catch us at 11 o’clock Eastern on MSNBC."
This is awesome. America needs to know the name Thom Hartmann - and the relentless pursuit of democracy that name embodies.
Meanwhile, JD decided to write the forward to Kevin Roberts' new book. So, Trump can back-peddle on Kevin's Project 2025 all he wants, but we know the three of them are as thick as thieves.
Destroying any central government and privatizing everything has always been the Republican agenda. They've consistently said America should be run like a business, so I guess they will let us know when the fire-sale is after they set it all ablaze. The CEO they have picked to run it has doomed most of his businesses, and that's what they want for us?
The fact that Trump is a psychopath is EASY to see. He thinks he is the world, and we are just objects inhabiting it. His pretend "reality" is being created literally minute to minute. He finally even frightened some Republicans! They are VERY late to the table, but we should welcome them.
Destroying a central government, will result in the destruction of the middle class, lowering the standard of living, this will wind up wiping out the basis of billionaire wealth, and destroying our national defense, some liberals will rejoice at the destruction of the MIC, but it will leave America vulnerable to take over by Russia and China, not to mention the reconquista of Texas, Arizona, NM, and California.
The logical consequences of Project 2025, is the devolution of the U.S.A into a shit hole country., a Christian version of Afghanistan., maybe Saudi Arabia., not quite the Saudis take care of their people they have Universal Health care, but it is not adequate to meet the needs of the people. limited private coverage. The healthcare system in Saudi Arabia focuses more on curative care than preventive care. This has resulted in higher rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. NCDs are the leading cause of mortality in the country, and their prevalence is increasing. The government has implemented several programs to address this issue, including the National Program for Prevention and Control of Diabetes and the Saudi Heart Association [3]. However, more needs to be done to reduce the prevalence of NCDs and improve the health outcomes of the population. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10250784/
While Saudi Arabia has universal education they are separated by gender and have differeing curriculums, with religion the first empasis More recently Saudi Arabian women have been labeled as homemakers, irrespective of their educational backgrounds, career interests, and qualifications. The professional world only slightly accommodates for their interests, as women are largely restricted to teaching and social work positions in all-female settings (Al Rawaf & Simmons, 1991). The true purpose of academia is to prepare citizens for productive lives, but Saudi society blatantly ignores women’s contributions to the advancements of humanity.
Saudi Arabia's economy relies heavily on migrant workers, who make up more than 80% of the private sector workforce and fill a variety of jobs, including manual labor, clerical, and service roles. The majority of migrant workers are from low-income backgrounds and come from Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. To work in Saudi Arabia, they often pay large sums to recruitment agencies in their home countries, who then handle the necessary legal paperwork. Some agencies may even falsify their dates of birth to make it easier for them to enter the country. But they relinquish their passports upon entry, and thus are virtual slaves.
The way I see it, is that if the oligarchs get their dictatorship, they will turn America into a nation like Hungary and Russia, where population growth will no longer be needed. But birth control and abortions will still be banned so they can have a surplus of slave servants and soldiers. Trump won't have to ship many immigrants back. Just the unhealthy ones and the criminals. Trump won't have to build a wall, the immigrants who come in by land will remain in their own countries, because they know it is worse in America where there is no minimum wage or medical care and they may be sent off to war wherever the oligarchs want, without weapons. I'm thinking of Taiwan?
America will be turned into a third world Catholic theocracy, like the rest of South America! The maga cult are already misogynist, sadistic, truth haters. The cult will get to experience real poverty and what real capitalist robber barons will do! It will go from bad to worse. If China slipped Trump a billion dollars in broad daylight it would probably allow them to conquer America and let the Chinese currency be the world reserve currency. A lot cheaper than war for the Chinese.
I can agree with some of these comments Bob, but not the generalization about Latin America. I have been to every country in that group, mainland and islands, from Tierra del Fuego to Tijuana and the differences between and within them are tremendous. You have people living on a European standard in places like Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, really together countries like Costa Rica, Cuba with its own economic agenda, and others that are very varied by internal regional economies like Brazil, the Dominican Republic and so on. And despite what the Church has said birth rates have dropped tremendously, while Protestant faiths have made noticeable inroads. That said, I'm sure the 2025 people would be glad to make the U.S. a fundamentalist theocracy, though what they would do about the many millions of Jews, Muslims, Hindus and non-believers here is a mystery I don't want to see this group try to address.
docrhw Weil, I researched Latin America and Argentina has a $230 a month min. wage and a 45 hr. work week. Costa Rica, Uruguay, Chile have the highest min. wages, about $600 a month, while the average looks like about $350 a month. If you can find a job. The poor children are left to climb on burning garbage piles with sharp objects and no shoes. Cuba is a dictatorship. Free trade was suppose to lift all boats, but it only lifted the rich and govt. employees, like in the United States. I have no desire to move there.
About what the fundamentalists will do to all the people who draw a govt. check like social security, veterans benefits, section 8 housing, foodstamps... and the journalists, socialists, intellectuals, criminals they created.... I think they will torture them, then kill them. Taking away their food and medicine is torture, you don't have to be put on the racks in a dungeon. I can't see the billionaires supporting any poor people, just abusing them. The poor young people will live in a polluted overheated insane world. Phony faith based religions and unlimited greed and the family unit are to blame the most, imho!
Unfortunately I agree, but include Russia. Trump will deliver Ukraine to Putin, he will refresh and rebuild and then attack and absorb Moldova, with internal help from Tansnistra.
The Suwalki gap that line on a map between Poland Lithuania, is the historical invasion plane, used by the Teutonic Knights, Napoleon, Hitler and separats Kaliningrad, the warm Baltic port from Belarus,which is a Putin satrapy. Is next and that means absorbing Lithuania and the Baltic States, and attacking Poland.
NATO will be neutered and unable to do more than put up a retreating fight.
But first there will be peace as Putin rebuilds and refreshes.
Europe doesn't have the resources, balls or will to fight, Fat from the peace and prosperity and mentality neutered, it is a push over,without America's support which Trump will dissolve.
Future wars are going to be hi tech. America gave Ukraine 31 M1a1 Abrams tanks, and in short order a quarter of them were taken out be Russian drones.
The fat headed Generals and staff in the Pentagon are always fighting the last war, and the MIC is ham strung by bureaucracy and politcs.
There is a defense related activity, contractor or sub contractor in every congressional district. The Republican controlled Congress is forcing the Air Force to keep airplanes that it wants to retire,to build ships it doesn't want.
The pentagon is not flexible, it has established supply lines and contracts, and it has Generals, officers and even senior NCO's, that have retired to go to work for these companies or sit on the boards.
I was a spec ops team leader, and I am talking 1968 while we were still in Vietnam.
The gear we needed, to travel, to hump to do our job,was not available in the supply chain, so I drew up justification to use civilian gear. The equipment we used,the gear we humped was civilian in green and camouflage, because the supply chain did not carry the equipment we needed. Even our boots.
And where they were,like cold weather boots, they were made in Czechoslovakia.
It is worse today, the battlefield today is high tech and the military is behind the curve.It is not DARPA and military contractors that are fielding the technology needed to win wars, but mom and pop, independent civilians.
In the past military and NASA technology, found its way not the civilian market, because there was consumer demand for the products
Today it is reversed, the consumer demand is for AI, drones, hi tech and the Pentagon is trying to play catch up.
The computer systems of the military can't accommodate the upgrades necessary to process AI. The Military is using 1990's technology, to fight a 21st Century war, and technology is no longer static as i was in 1945.
There is a book out Unit X, written by a former military, one was an F-16 fighter pilot who flew in the Operation Iraq Freedom. He flew along the Iran Iraq border,but had no way of knowing whether he was in Iran or Iraq, and flew with a laptop on his lap, that was linked to a satellite to make sure he didn't enter Iranian airspace.
F-16's are now equipped with GPS maps.
The authors of the book make the case for using a civilian military partnership, not the cumbersome MIC and sole source, cost plus contracts that drive big business and American politics.
The Postmaster General of the U.S., DeJoy, has major shares in Oshkosh of Wisconsin, he not only canceled orders for a fleet of electric vehicles, but placed an order for new Post Office vehicles with Oshkosh, which also makes Heavy and light tactical vehicles https://oshkoshdefense.com/vehicles/heavy-tactical-vehicles/
Which means he has tremendous political pull, especially in the swing state of Wisconsin.
It is easy to see Trump is both a sociopath and malignant narcissist, and his personality disorders are so entwined it’s difficult to see where one ends and the other begins. The big problem is that there are far too many people unwilling and unable to understand that.
To me, the key point here is the drop-box intimidation issue. I have a potentially explosive but I fear very necessary proposal. Wherever the DNC or, given its usual timidity, local Democrats, expect or see an armed MAGAt at a drop box, send an armed Democrat to stand there as well. Or maybe two. And advertise widely that this will happen, to reassure, even possibly help galvanize, Democratic voters. The Democratic monitors need to be sure all permits and licenses are in order and all laws as to distance, demeanor, etc, are followed, as local law enforcement will likely tend to favor the MAGAt monitors and look to intimidate and remove Democratic ones. This election is too important to ket the fascists control it. Even if violent incidents occur. I would suggest getting emergency restraining orders against all monitors, but due to First Amendment issues and our overwhelmingly MAGAtized courts, that would be an expensive and likely unsuccessful strategy, though the proper one in a national truly one of laws, which we are less now than in a very long time. I live in California, and can’t travel thanks to very poor health, or I would gladly be such a monitor in a red area in a swing state. We need to pull out all the stops to maximize the blue vote in November, from POTUS on down, we will lose our country and maybe a lot more if we fail.
I agree with you, Roy. But instead of having a Democratic armed guard stand at drop boxes where Republican armed guards are posted, I would suggest someone with a camera instead of guns with a connection to an online site.
Too late for camera's Gloria, because the election will be over, before the votes are counted. The whole idea of armed guards is to prevent the votes from being cast.
Sounds good in theory, but somehow I doubt that having a crowd of white people milling around the drop boxes in non-white neighborhoods will inspire voters' confidence.
The only way this works is for local organizers to do it, rather than bringing in more outsiders. Also, there may be reasons why a different approach would be more effective, and those perspectives need to be respected.
Excellent modification. Would offer a contrast to the MAGAt approach and document any illegal or harassing actions by the MAGAt mercenaries. Plus would likely enrage them more, as any bad thing they did would be against unarmed people. Just a great idea.
Feel concerned at the idea of armed Democrat monitors to balance armed Magats at any place to do with our voting process. How about setting up the use of our National Guard to be on hand if any armed intimidators are seen at any drop box? Instuctions about non partisanship must be part of any call for National Guard assistance.
Valerie: Only the governor can call out the National Guard and he must have a justifiable emergency, And most Governors are Republican. Fortunately the swing states are Democratic, but they still need a justifiable reason to call out the National Guard.
Would a governor discern "a justifiable" reason if an armed person appears in front of a drop box where people assume that voters are entitled to privacy.......? I would suppose that if this occurred in a swing state with an alert D Governor, one call for National Guard appearance could quash this use of guns at voting places.
Great idea Roy, but alas, you were correct. Democrats are too timid and politically correct, and there are some anti gun extremists like Stephanie Miller that need a fainting couch when you haul out a gun.
I don't see Republicans ever going back to an Eisenhower era; that was a one-off, brought about by a tamer GOP after 20 years of progressive Democrats (FDR/HST). The Republicans are driven by corporate oligarchs, who tend to be raging neo-fascists at heart. So the question for them is how to find a pill pocket--a bite of cheese or ground beef--to trick the public into swallowing the poison pill of their evil desires? Tax breaks for tipping off authorities about immigrants, LGBT, and other perceived enemies of the state? Will it take 40 pieces of silver?
What followed Eisenhower was the Nixon era and we know how that turned out. How such an unlikeable , immoral person could reach the presidency is hard to accept. Oh wait a minute, it happened again and just like Nixon he’s trying one more time. They did try honorable people like McCain and Romney but instead of making a good argument ( or finding an actor that can play the President like Reagan) they went full fascist w a useful idiot.
Actually, what followed Eisenhower was the Kennedy-Johnson era. Nixon was 8 years later. The reason "such an unlikeable, immoral person could reach the presidency" in 1968 is that the Democratic Party split into factions. And it wasn't just the anti-Vietnam War faction. It was also the Southern anti-civil rights faction. Both broke away from the establishment center.
A party that's broken to pieces can't win against a united party. That's what we're seeing right now. Only this time it's the Dems united and the R's splintering.
Dems are more united than usual, Republicans are less. I hope that’s enough! Dems still have a Left flank hung up on purity tests and of course the vexing Gaza War military support issue…a very real crisis of morality and geopolitics. Republicans still have some die-hard voting members not entirely sold out to Trumpism…e.g. still loyal Americans who might vote against their candidate.
The Kennedy Johnson era was when the "cold war" kicked into high gear, the boomer generation was raised on duck and cover and A bomb drills. Some of you might not remember the 1968 Campaign, when the Democrats had a TV ad of a girl picking daisy petals and then an A Bomb mushroom cloud in the background.
The Red Scare, kicked off by Sen Joseph McCarthy happened when Truman was president.
A whole generation of Americans have been conditioned and traumatized, pure child abuse.
Atomic bomb drills are a waste, and useful only for traumatizing people with a Pavlovian reaction.
When a nuclear weapon explodes, no desk or closet is going to protect you. The lucky ones within the blast zone of Nagasaki and Hiroshima were vaporized, those just outside he zone suffered agonizing pain, and slow painful deaths.
I recall how the Reagan administration popularized the notion of a "winnable nuclear war."
A Reagan Under Secretary of Defense said,
"If there are enough shovels to go around, everybody's going to make it." ..."with a shovel, anyone can dig a fallout shelter--a simple hole in the ground with a door over the top and three feet of earth on top of that. It's the dirt that does it." This cracked-pottery is also linked to the "rugged individualism" falsehoods that infect too many in America.
Today their Gigantic Orange Psychopath says, "Why don't we use them?!"
The thing with nukes is that they are so horrible, and with mutually assured destruction, MAD no one is going to use them unless already faced with annihilation.
What I have learned laterly is that missiles and nukes unless rigorously maintained, parts replaced and updates, won't work. Missiles won't leave their silo's, plutonium bombs won't work unless their plutonium pits, think peach pits, are updated constantly.
We lost the technology for making plutonium pits, when Lawrence Livermore lab, shut down when the evil empire fell.. and are in a mad rush to rediscover it, I am sure that Russia had the same problem, and compounded by another problem which affects the ability of missiles to leave their launch pads.. corruption. Their Generals and Admirals have siphoned off maintenance and repair funds to build dachas's for their mistresses and Mercedes limousines.
Kim Jong Un, the dictator of an impoverished country, directs all of his resources to building a missile, which he then launches into the ocean, to prove he is a threat, and on occasion all of his resources to blow a huge hole in the ground to prove he has nuclear capability. probably just kiloton's of explosive material, RDX,C4, TNT.
The whole act on the part of Putin and Un is to intimidate us into submission, banking on the fact that the majority of Americans are programmed to wet their pants when the word nuke is uttered.
What I would watch is Iran. The raison d'tre for the Mullahcracy is the annihilation of Israel, Islamic ideology, but the common enemy an oppressive regime needs to keep it's people cowed and under control
Iran is dedicated to the annihilation of Israel and uses third part actors, mercenaries like Hezbollah and HAMAS, in a game of tit for tat.
Israel won't confirm or deny it posses nuclear weapons, but that is confirmation, and there is an estimate that it has 250 such.
Before it faces total annihilation, before it goes down, it will go out with a bang.
They don't have to be plutonium bombs, or hydrogen bombs, simple atomic bombs will do, and Iran will vaporize, as will the attacking Arab cities. Saudi
Arabia knows this,I am sure the UAW, Qatar and Kuwait does as well, that's why they haven't mobilized against Israel, they enjoy a standard of living, drive gold plated Mercedes Maybach's, have built a city out of dredged sand, the Kahifa Burj and are looking to a future where they have run out of oil.
They aren't fanatics with an inferiority complex like Iran and Afghanistan.
I have read at least some of your books and articles on ADHD. Everything you write about is always interesting. Although I'm not ADHD, I think there may be some crossover if looked at more closely. Forgiveness may or may not affect the person(s) being forgiven. It will always affect the person doing the forgiving. We let go of a burden we no longer have to carry. It's not always easy to do. I ask for God's help and give him the burden. Ruthie B.
The Fed has several reasons for not lowering interest rates. As Thom mentioned, one is to influence the election in favor of Trump. Another is to raise unemployment to keep workers afraid, cling to jobs that barely sustain them, and be frightened to unionize. Who benefits when interest rates are high? The people who thrive on interest. And finally, a way to steal labor is when workers make down payments to buy houses and cars, then lose their homes and cars to the banks when they lose their jobs. Enough people must be unemployed and long enough to benefit the creditors. Workers lose their down payments and equity. We need changes.
Jerome Powell was nominated to the Fed Board of Governors by Obama, and promoted to Chairman by Trump.
No president of the United States has the knowledge and info to nominate anyone to the Fed board. rather he or she is given a name which they present to the senate for confirmation
The question I have is who is it that selects the the person whose name is given to the President.
Most members of the Board, were executives of member banks, especially Goldman Sachs, and all chairpersons served as members of the board.
Well, didn't everyone know Janet Yellen's background? Surely there are people with a broad view of the economic issues and knowledge of what to do to make the economy work for the majority of the people? Ted Powell has said outloud that he wants a Republican in office (a few years ago). With his continuation of highinterest rates, he's obviously indifferent to the economic challenges of the middle class, such as those who want to buy a home.
Janet Yellen has made significant contributions to economic policy and governance through her roles on various economic committees and councils, including the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. Council of Economic Advisors, and the American Economic Association. She was also an advisor for the U.S. Congressional Budget Office.
6
She has served as a research associate for the National Institute of Economic Research and held positions on the board of the Pacific Council on International Policy, among other affiliations.
Yellen began three decades' worth of service in the Federal Reserve System when she served as a governor for the Federal Reserve Board between 1994 and 1997. In 2004, she became president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, where she was credited with foreseeing the subprime mortgage crisis more accurately than her peers
Agreed about Jerome Powell.
Home ownership is out of the question these days, and homes that are coming up for sale are bought by corporations and then rented.
In the Seattle area they built apartments, and call them condominiums. I watch them being built, claptrap affairs, that go up in a week, uncured timber, cheap materials, and they are sold as HOA's, for the $600,000's,
In 1978 I bought a house in Spanaway, WA that was still under construction I picked the color, the rugs, the color of the floors and counters for $35,000 800 Sq ft, that same house goes for over $400,000 today.
In 2001 I bought the property I am living on, 5 acres, five buildings for $240,000, current tax valuation is almost $700,000. If I were to replace it and the property it would cost me a couple of million. Even if I downsized and moved further away, I would have to spend almost a million for something comfortable on a much smaller plot of land.
I feel sorry for young folk, looking for their first home, They have o be millionaires.
..just got done knocking doors for the Democratic party. I have to say Kamala and Tim have made a huge difference in the interactions I'm having with voters - very positive - and people are looking to get involved.
Was able to catch Thom with Ali Velshi on MSNBC from my phone while canvassing. Always a good day in America when Thom Hartmann is on national television!
Thanks, Thom. Trumps lies will be handled well by Kamala at the debate I know. The other thing is I think Kamala has Trump running scared, for real. I am so enjoying this. Thom the straitjacket is hard to wiggle out of. The Kamala affect. Let’s win this! Sorry I didn’t catch you on Velshi this morning. I will try and find it anyway.
We always record Velshi, and I am glad more people will learn about Thom Hartmann from his program this morning. I hope they will buy his books, which are an economical and efficient way to learn about the problems and common-sense remedies that will bring us closer to the vision the Founding Fathers had for the people. I will vote for the Harris/Walz ticket with my "honey do" list in mind. Go, Hartmann!
Velshi is a good guy, his parents moved to Kenya from Guajarat, India, he is nominally an Ishmaili, a Shia sect, but aparently one of the few secular Muslims, along with the Ugandan born, also Canadian Irshad Manji, self proclaimed secular lesbian Muslim
Unlike other MSNBC Muslims like Ayman Moheyldin, and Mehdi Hassan, and who left MSNBC , even Christiane Amanpour of BBC, he has not been vocal and taken sides on the present troubles.
I hope that this interview will open the door for more exposure, I would love to see Thom as a guest on Bill Maher.
I'm chuckling that Mesa Az is described as a wealthy enclave. I've lived here 30 years and there are wealthy parts just like in any city. With a million people there are bound to be those areas. Giles is Mormon and there are definitely some wealthy areas of mostly Mormons, but there is a lot of poverty as well. I think if you did a search of median income on zip codes it might show it, however my zip includes people with mc-mansions and people living in worn out mobile homes....
What have Jerome Powell and Joe Biden have in common? Neither one will defend American democracy with their life. I will take that statement back if Jerome Powell lowers the interest rate, he acts afraid of Trump, like McConnell and that ilk. If Biden fires Garland and appoints an aggressive AG to defend democracy, I will take it back also. Over the age of 70, most men can die at any time and meet their God, so why not have some courage? Unless they are down with turning America from a free nation into their Christian theocracy, just like South America has! Hello hunger and crime and suffering!
Christian Theocracy! Othodox Judaism! Whatever Saudis call their forced prayer study! I'm remembering Thom's wonderful article on the Separation of Church and State. Forced religion is anathema. I guess the other extreme in China and Russia is fear of any religious thought or discussion. I am so appreciative to have had well-educated parents who never pushed me in any direction. Have to add that my non Catholic mother would take me into St. Patrick's Cathedral when I was 3 and 4 to light a candle for my father (who was serving over in North Africa) and say what she called "Mispah, May the Lord keep us together while we are absent one from another." That Cathedral is magnificent and the incense smells delicately lovely...with no service or words. Oh, that others could be "normal" and make their own discoveries!
Bob, I think you misinterpreted my comment. trump has put the fear of God in anyone who opposes him. He said he was on a mission of retribution. Perhaps, Biden/Powell are unwilling to put the lives of their family members in danger.
Eadie, I have been a long supporter of sending the old ucks off to war first. Now that includes me. I don't see why young people need to get mamed and mutilated, because they didn't create the mess. Unlimited greed, freetrade, phony religion, overpopulation.....Now that the old are on deaths door step, they still won't fight for what is right! That is how a lot of them got wealthy and want to privatize the govt. That is what a dictatorship is. Their families will still be abused by the fascists even if they do cower like dogs!
We have to send the young ones off to war. If they stay home they might cause trouble like they did in the sixties. They did put an end to the draft bless their hearts. Too late for me but I survived.
If we had a strong president, in light of the Dodd decision the Supreme Court building would have been cleared out and shuttered. By executive order Roe v. Wade would remain in effect.
Let me add to that. The Supreme Court should be closed for the six months leading up to Inauguration Day. They have been a source of election interference as much as anything else.
Thom Hartmann on TV!
"Ali Velshi is one of the finest journalists working today in American television. So it’s a particular honor to have been invited on his program this morning; you can catch us at 11 o’clock Eastern on MSNBC."
This is awesome. America needs to know the name Thom Hartmann - and the relentless pursuit of democracy that name embodies.
Meanwhile, JD decided to write the forward to Kevin Roberts' new book. So, Trump can back-peddle on Kevin's Project 2025 all he wants, but we know the three of them are as thick as thieves.
Destroying any central government and privatizing everything has always been the Republican agenda. They've consistently said America should be run like a business, so I guess they will let us know when the fire-sale is after they set it all ablaze. The CEO they have picked to run it has doomed most of his businesses, and that's what they want for us?
The fact that Trump is a psychopath is EASY to see. He thinks he is the world, and we are just objects inhabiting it. His pretend "reality" is being created literally minute to minute. He finally even frightened some Republicans! They are VERY late to the table, but we should welcome them.
Destroying a central government, will result in the destruction of the middle class, lowering the standard of living, this will wind up wiping out the basis of billionaire wealth, and destroying our national defense, some liberals will rejoice at the destruction of the MIC, but it will leave America vulnerable to take over by Russia and China, not to mention the reconquista of Texas, Arizona, NM, and California.
The logical consequences of Project 2025, is the devolution of the U.S.A into a shit hole country., a Christian version of Afghanistan., maybe Saudi Arabia., not quite the Saudis take care of their people they have Universal Health care, but it is not adequate to meet the needs of the people. limited private coverage. The healthcare system in Saudi Arabia focuses more on curative care than preventive care. This has resulted in higher rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. NCDs are the leading cause of mortality in the country, and their prevalence is increasing. The government has implemented several programs to address this issue, including the National Program for Prevention and Control of Diabetes and the Saudi Heart Association [3]. However, more needs to be done to reduce the prevalence of NCDs and improve the health outcomes of the population. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10250784/
While Saudi Arabia has universal education they are separated by gender and have differeing curriculums, with religion the first empasis More recently Saudi Arabian women have been labeled as homemakers, irrespective of their educational backgrounds, career interests, and qualifications. The professional world only slightly accommodates for their interests, as women are largely restricted to teaching and social work positions in all-female settings (Al Rawaf & Simmons, 1991). The true purpose of academia is to prepare citizens for productive lives, but Saudi society blatantly ignores women’s contributions to the advancements of humanity.
Saudi Arabia's economy relies heavily on migrant workers, who make up more than 80% of the private sector workforce and fill a variety of jobs, including manual labor, clerical, and service roles. The majority of migrant workers are from low-income backgrounds and come from Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. To work in Saudi Arabia, they often pay large sums to recruitment agencies in their home countries, who then handle the necessary legal paperwork. Some agencies may even falsify their dates of birth to make it easier for them to enter the country. But they relinquish their passports upon entry, and thus are virtual slaves.
Same with the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait
The way I see it, is that if the oligarchs get their dictatorship, they will turn America into a nation like Hungary and Russia, where population growth will no longer be needed. But birth control and abortions will still be banned so they can have a surplus of slave servants and soldiers. Trump won't have to ship many immigrants back. Just the unhealthy ones and the criminals. Trump won't have to build a wall, the immigrants who come in by land will remain in their own countries, because they know it is worse in America where there is no minimum wage or medical care and they may be sent off to war wherever the oligarchs want, without weapons. I'm thinking of Taiwan?
America will be turned into a third world Catholic theocracy, like the rest of South America! The maga cult are already misogynist, sadistic, truth haters. The cult will get to experience real poverty and what real capitalist robber barons will do! It will go from bad to worse. If China slipped Trump a billion dollars in broad daylight it would probably allow them to conquer America and let the Chinese currency be the world reserve currency. A lot cheaper than war for the Chinese.
I can agree with some of these comments Bob, but not the generalization about Latin America. I have been to every country in that group, mainland and islands, from Tierra del Fuego to Tijuana and the differences between and within them are tremendous. You have people living on a European standard in places like Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, really together countries like Costa Rica, Cuba with its own economic agenda, and others that are very varied by internal regional economies like Brazil, the Dominican Republic and so on. And despite what the Church has said birth rates have dropped tremendously, while Protestant faiths have made noticeable inroads. That said, I'm sure the 2025 people would be glad to make the U.S. a fundamentalist theocracy, though what they would do about the many millions of Jews, Muslims, Hindus and non-believers here is a mystery I don't want to see this group try to address.
docrhw Weil, I researched Latin America and Argentina has a $230 a month min. wage and a 45 hr. work week. Costa Rica, Uruguay, Chile have the highest min. wages, about $600 a month, while the average looks like about $350 a month. If you can find a job. The poor children are left to climb on burning garbage piles with sharp objects and no shoes. Cuba is a dictatorship. Free trade was suppose to lift all boats, but it only lifted the rich and govt. employees, like in the United States. I have no desire to move there.
About what the fundamentalists will do to all the people who draw a govt. check like social security, veterans benefits, section 8 housing, foodstamps... and the journalists, socialists, intellectuals, criminals they created.... I think they will torture them, then kill them. Taking away their food and medicine is torture, you don't have to be put on the racks in a dungeon. I can't see the billionaires supporting any poor people, just abusing them. The poor young people will live in a polluted overheated insane world. Phony faith based religions and unlimited greed and the family unit are to blame the most, imho!
Unfortunately I agree, but include Russia. Trump will deliver Ukraine to Putin, he will refresh and rebuild and then attack and absorb Moldova, with internal help from Tansnistra.
The Suwalki gap that line on a map between Poland Lithuania, is the historical invasion plane, used by the Teutonic Knights, Napoleon, Hitler and separats Kaliningrad, the warm Baltic port from Belarus,which is a Putin satrapy. Is next and that means absorbing Lithuania and the Baltic States, and attacking Poland.
NATO will be neutered and unable to do more than put up a retreating fight.
But first there will be peace as Putin rebuilds and refreshes.
Europe doesn't have the resources, balls or will to fight, Fat from the peace and prosperity and mentality neutered, it is a push over,without America's support which Trump will dissolve.
Future wars are going to be hi tech. America gave Ukraine 31 M1a1 Abrams tanks, and in short order a quarter of them were taken out be Russian drones.
The fat headed Generals and staff in the Pentagon are always fighting the last war, and the MIC is ham strung by bureaucracy and politcs.
There is a defense related activity, contractor or sub contractor in every congressional district. The Republican controlled Congress is forcing the Air Force to keep airplanes that it wants to retire,to build ships it doesn't want.
The pentagon is not flexible, it has established supply lines and contracts, and it has Generals, officers and even senior NCO's, that have retired to go to work for these companies or sit on the boards.
I was a spec ops team leader, and I am talking 1968 while we were still in Vietnam.
The gear we needed, to travel, to hump to do our job,was not available in the supply chain, so I drew up justification to use civilian gear. The equipment we used,the gear we humped was civilian in green and camouflage, because the supply chain did not carry the equipment we needed. Even our boots.
And where they were,like cold weather boots, they were made in Czechoslovakia.
It is worse today, the battlefield today is high tech and the military is behind the curve.It is not DARPA and military contractors that are fielding the technology needed to win wars, but mom and pop, independent civilians.
In the past military and NASA technology, found its way not the civilian market, because there was consumer demand for the products
Today it is reversed, the consumer demand is for AI, drones, hi tech and the Pentagon is trying to play catch up.
The computer systems of the military can't accommodate the upgrades necessary to process AI. The Military is using 1990's technology, to fight a 21st Century war, and technology is no longer static as i was in 1945.
There is a book out Unit X, written by a former military, one was an F-16 fighter pilot who flew in the Operation Iraq Freedom. He flew along the Iran Iraq border,but had no way of knowing whether he was in Iran or Iraq, and flew with a laptop on his lap, that was linked to a satellite to make sure he didn't enter Iranian airspace.
F-16's are now equipped with GPS maps.
The authors of the book make the case for using a civilian military partnership, not the cumbersome MIC and sole source, cost plus contracts that drive big business and American politics.
The Postmaster General of the U.S., DeJoy, has major shares in Oshkosh of Wisconsin, he not only canceled orders for a fleet of electric vehicles, but placed an order for new Post Office vehicles with Oshkosh, which also makes Heavy and light tactical vehicles https://oshkoshdefense.com/vehicles/heavy-tactical-vehicles/
Which means he has tremendous political pull, especially in the swing state of Wisconsin.
I agree 100%!
It is easy to see Trump is both a sociopath and malignant narcissist, and his personality disorders are so entwined it’s difficult to see where one ends and the other begins. The big problem is that there are far too many people unwilling and unable to understand that.
To me, the key point here is the drop-box intimidation issue. I have a potentially explosive but I fear very necessary proposal. Wherever the DNC or, given its usual timidity, local Democrats, expect or see an armed MAGAt at a drop box, send an armed Democrat to stand there as well. Or maybe two. And advertise widely that this will happen, to reassure, even possibly help galvanize, Democratic voters. The Democratic monitors need to be sure all permits and licenses are in order and all laws as to distance, demeanor, etc, are followed, as local law enforcement will likely tend to favor the MAGAt monitors and look to intimidate and remove Democratic ones. This election is too important to ket the fascists control it. Even if violent incidents occur. I would suggest getting emergency restraining orders against all monitors, but due to First Amendment issues and our overwhelmingly MAGAtized courts, that would be an expensive and likely unsuccessful strategy, though the proper one in a national truly one of laws, which we are less now than in a very long time. I live in California, and can’t travel thanks to very poor health, or I would gladly be such a monitor in a red area in a swing state. We need to pull out all the stops to maximize the blue vote in November, from POTUS on down, we will lose our country and maybe a lot more if we fail.
I agree with you, Roy. But instead of having a Democratic armed guard stand at drop boxes where Republican armed guards are posted, I would suggest someone with a camera instead of guns with a connection to an online site.
Too late for camera's Gloria, because the election will be over, before the votes are counted. The whole idea of armed guards is to prevent the votes from being cast.
Sounds good in theory, but somehow I doubt that having a crowd of white people milling around the drop boxes in non-white neighborhoods will inspire voters' confidence.
The only way this works is for local organizers to do it, rather than bringing in more outsiders. Also, there may be reasons why a different approach would be more effective, and those perspectives need to be respected.
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Excellent modification. Would offer a contrast to the MAGAt approach and document any illegal or harassing actions by the MAGAt mercenaries. Plus would likely enrage them more, as any bad thing they did would be against unarmed people. Just a great idea.
Feel concerned at the idea of armed Democrat monitors to balance armed Magats at any place to do with our voting process. How about setting up the use of our National Guard to be on hand if any armed intimidators are seen at any drop box? Instuctions about non partisanship must be part of any call for National Guard assistance.
Valerie: Only the governor can call out the National Guard and he must have a justifiable emergency, And most Governors are Republican. Fortunately the swing states are Democratic, but they still need a justifiable reason to call out the National Guard.
Would a governor discern "a justifiable" reason if an armed person appears in front of a drop box where people assume that voters are entitled to privacy.......? I would suppose that if this occurred in a swing state with an alert D Governor, one call for National Guard appearance could quash this use of guns at voting places.
Great idea Roy, but alas, you were correct. Democrats are too timid and politically correct, and there are some anti gun extremists like Stephanie Miller that need a fainting couch when you haul out a gun.
I don't see Republicans ever going back to an Eisenhower era; that was a one-off, brought about by a tamer GOP after 20 years of progressive Democrats (FDR/HST). The Republicans are driven by corporate oligarchs, who tend to be raging neo-fascists at heart. So the question for them is how to find a pill pocket--a bite of cheese or ground beef--to trick the public into swallowing the poison pill of their evil desires? Tax breaks for tipping off authorities about immigrants, LGBT, and other perceived enemies of the state? Will it take 40 pieces of silver?
What followed Eisenhower was the Nixon era and we know how that turned out. How such an unlikeable , immoral person could reach the presidency is hard to accept. Oh wait a minute, it happened again and just like Nixon he’s trying one more time. They did try honorable people like McCain and Romney but instead of making a good argument ( or finding an actor that can play the President like Reagan) they went full fascist w a useful idiot.
Actually, what followed Eisenhower was the Kennedy-Johnson era. Nixon was 8 years later. The reason "such an unlikeable, immoral person could reach the presidency" in 1968 is that the Democratic Party split into factions. And it wasn't just the anti-Vietnam War faction. It was also the Southern anti-civil rights faction. Both broke away from the establishment center.
A party that's broken to pieces can't win against a united party. That's what we're seeing right now. Only this time it's the Dems united and the R's splintering.
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Dems are more united than usual, Republicans are less. I hope that’s enough! Dems still have a Left flank hung up on purity tests and of course the vexing Gaza War military support issue…a very real crisis of morality and geopolitics. Republicans still have some die-hard voting members not entirely sold out to Trumpism…e.g. still loyal Americans who might vote against their candidate.
The Kennedy Johnson era was when the "cold war" kicked into high gear, the boomer generation was raised on duck and cover and A bomb drills. Some of you might not remember the 1968 Campaign, when the Democrats had a TV ad of a girl picking daisy petals and then an A Bomb mushroom cloud in the background.
The Red Scare, kicked off by Sen Joseph McCarthy happened when Truman was president.
A whole generation of Americans have been conditioned and traumatized, pure child abuse.
Atomic bomb drills are a waste, and useful only for traumatizing people with a Pavlovian reaction.
When a nuclear weapon explodes, no desk or closet is going to protect you. The lucky ones within the blast zone of Nagasaki and Hiroshima were vaporized, those just outside he zone suffered agonizing pain, and slow painful deaths.
I recall how the Reagan administration popularized the notion of a "winnable nuclear war."
A Reagan Under Secretary of Defense said,
"If there are enough shovels to go around, everybody's going to make it." ..."with a shovel, anyone can dig a fallout shelter--a simple hole in the ground with a door over the top and three feet of earth on top of that. It's the dirt that does it." This cracked-pottery is also linked to the "rugged individualism" falsehoods that infect too many in America.
Today their Gigantic Orange Psychopath says, "Why don't we use them?!"
https://www.amazon.com/Enough-Shovels-Reagan-Bush-Nuclear/dp/0394414829
The thing with nukes is that they are so horrible, and with mutually assured destruction, MAD no one is going to use them unless already faced with annihilation.
What I have learned laterly is that missiles and nukes unless rigorously maintained, parts replaced and updates, won't work. Missiles won't leave their silo's, plutonium bombs won't work unless their plutonium pits, think peach pits, are updated constantly.
We lost the technology for making plutonium pits, when Lawrence Livermore lab, shut down when the evil empire fell.. and are in a mad rush to rediscover it, I am sure that Russia had the same problem, and compounded by another problem which affects the ability of missiles to leave their launch pads.. corruption. Their Generals and Admirals have siphoned off maintenance and repair funds to build dachas's for their mistresses and Mercedes limousines.
Kim Jong Un, the dictator of an impoverished country, directs all of his resources to building a missile, which he then launches into the ocean, to prove he is a threat, and on occasion all of his resources to blow a huge hole in the ground to prove he has nuclear capability. probably just kiloton's of explosive material, RDX,C4, TNT.
The whole act on the part of Putin and Un is to intimidate us into submission, banking on the fact that the majority of Americans are programmed to wet their pants when the word nuke is uttered.
What I would watch is Iran. The raison d'tre for the Mullahcracy is the annihilation of Israel, Islamic ideology, but the common enemy an oppressive regime needs to keep it's people cowed and under control
Iran is dedicated to the annihilation of Israel and uses third part actors, mercenaries like Hezbollah and HAMAS, in a game of tit for tat.
Israel won't confirm or deny it posses nuclear weapons, but that is confirmation, and there is an estimate that it has 250 such.
Before it faces total annihilation, before it goes down, it will go out with a bang.
They don't have to be plutonium bombs, or hydrogen bombs, simple atomic bombs will do, and Iran will vaporize, as will the attacking Arab cities. Saudi
Arabia knows this,I am sure the UAW, Qatar and Kuwait does as well, that's why they haven't mobilized against Israel, they enjoy a standard of living, drive gold plated Mercedes Maybach's, have built a city out of dredged sand, the Kahifa Burj and are looking to a future where they have run out of oil.
They aren't fanatics with an inferiority complex like Iran and Afghanistan.
The “daisy ad” was 1964, LBJ v Barry Goldwater, whose hawkish rhetoric was targeted as dangerously bellicose so soon after the Cuban missile crisis.
I have read at least some of your books and articles on ADHD. Everything you write about is always interesting. Although I'm not ADHD, I think there may be some crossover if looked at more closely. Forgiveness may or may not affect the person(s) being forgiven. It will always affect the person doing the forgiving. We let go of a burden we no longer have to carry. It's not always easy to do. I ask for God's help and give him the burden. Ruthie B.
The Fed has several reasons for not lowering interest rates. As Thom mentioned, one is to influence the election in favor of Trump. Another is to raise unemployment to keep workers afraid, cling to jobs that barely sustain them, and be frightened to unionize. Who benefits when interest rates are high? The people who thrive on interest. And finally, a way to steal labor is when workers make down payments to buy houses and cars, then lose their homes and cars to the banks when they lose their jobs. Enough people must be unemployed and long enough to benefit the creditors. Workers lose their down payments and equity. We need changes.
Jerome Powell was nominated to the Fed Board of Governors by Obama, and promoted to Chairman by Trump.
No president of the United States has the knowledge and info to nominate anyone to the Fed board. rather he or she is given a name which they present to the senate for confirmation
The question I have is who is it that selects the the person whose name is given to the President.
Most members of the Board, were executives of member banks, especially Goldman Sachs, and all chairpersons served as members of the board.
Well, didn't everyone know Janet Yellen's background? Surely there are people with a broad view of the economic issues and knowledge of what to do to make the economy work for the majority of the people? Ted Powell has said outloud that he wants a Republican in office (a few years ago). With his continuation of highinterest rates, he's obviously indifferent to the economic challenges of the middle class, such as those who want to buy a home.
No, nobody even knew Janet Yellens name, much less her background, before she was nominated for Chair of the Fed.
Her wikipedia page mentions her academic background, but she was also appoint to the Board of Governors of the Fed by Obama.
From https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/101613/janet-yellen-background-and-philosophy.asp
Janet Yellen has made significant contributions to economic policy and governance through her roles on various economic committees and councils, including the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. Council of Economic Advisors, and the American Economic Association. She was also an advisor for the U.S. Congressional Budget Office.
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She has served as a research associate for the National Institute of Economic Research and held positions on the board of the Pacific Council on International Policy, among other affiliations.
Yellen began three decades' worth of service in the Federal Reserve System when she served as a governor for the Federal Reserve Board between 1994 and 1997. In 2004, she became president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, where she was credited with foreseeing the subprime mortgage crisis more accurately than her peers
Agreed about Jerome Powell.
Home ownership is out of the question these days, and homes that are coming up for sale are bought by corporations and then rented.
In the Seattle area they built apartments, and call them condominiums. I watch them being built, claptrap affairs, that go up in a week, uncured timber, cheap materials, and they are sold as HOA's, for the $600,000's,
In 1978 I bought a house in Spanaway, WA that was still under construction I picked the color, the rugs, the color of the floors and counters for $35,000 800 Sq ft, that same house goes for over $400,000 today.
In 2001 I bought the property I am living on, 5 acres, five buildings for $240,000, current tax valuation is almost $700,000. If I were to replace it and the property it would cost me a couple of million. Even if I downsized and moved further away, I would have to spend almost a million for something comfortable on a much smaller plot of land.
I feel sorry for young folk, looking for their first home, They have o be millionaires.
Good luck on MSNBC.
We have the queen; they have the drone. Trump has the queenbee blues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuOU1ksfIBs
apt metaphor!
..just got done knocking doors for the Democratic party. I have to say Kamala and Tim have made a huge difference in the interactions I'm having with voters - very positive - and people are looking to get involved.
Was able to catch Thom with Ali Velshi on MSNBC from my phone while canvassing. Always a good day in America when Thom Hartmann is on national television!
Thanks, Thom. Trumps lies will be handled well by Kamala at the debate I know. The other thing is I think Kamala has Trump running scared, for real. I am so enjoying this. Thom the straitjacket is hard to wiggle out of. The Kamala affect. Let’s win this! Sorry I didn’t catch you on Velshi this morning. I will try and find it anyway.
Kamala is the shark, and Trumps sinking campaign is his electric boat.
Thanks for my chuckle of the day, G G!
There are #GOPs and there are #MAGAT(s). We only poach the BEST #GOPs aka "Independents" now! No #MAGAt(s) allowed! @Chasing Oz C=> https://chasingoz.substack.com/p/join-me-sunday-811-on-zoom #Historic-Cocoa #Senator-Oz
We always record Velshi, and I am glad more people will learn about Thom Hartmann from his program this morning. I hope they will buy his books, which are an economical and efficient way to learn about the problems and common-sense remedies that will bring us closer to the vision the Founding Fathers had for the people. I will vote for the Harris/Walz ticket with my "honey do" list in mind. Go, Hartmann!
Velshi is a good guy, his parents moved to Kenya from Guajarat, India, he is nominally an Ishmaili, a Shia sect, but aparently one of the few secular Muslims, along with the Ugandan born, also Canadian Irshad Manji, self proclaimed secular lesbian Muslim
Unlike other MSNBC Muslims like Ayman Moheyldin, and Mehdi Hassan, and who left MSNBC , even Christiane Amanpour of BBC, he has not been vocal and taken sides on the present troubles.
I hope that this interview will open the door for more exposure, I would love to see Thom as a guest on Bill Maher.
I'm chuckling that Mesa Az is described as a wealthy enclave. I've lived here 30 years and there are wealthy parts just like in any city. With a million people there are bound to be those areas. Giles is Mormon and there are definitely some wealthy areas of mostly Mormons, but there is a lot of poverty as well. I think if you did a search of median income on zip codes it might show it, however my zip includes people with mc-mansions and people living in worn out mobile homes....
What have Jerome Powell and Joe Biden have in common? Neither one will defend American democracy with their life. I will take that statement back if Jerome Powell lowers the interest rate, he acts afraid of Trump, like McConnell and that ilk. If Biden fires Garland and appoints an aggressive AG to defend democracy, I will take it back also. Over the age of 70, most men can die at any time and meet their God, so why not have some courage? Unless they are down with turning America from a free nation into their Christian theocracy, just like South America has! Hello hunger and crime and suffering!
Christian Theocracy! Othodox Judaism! Whatever Saudis call their forced prayer study! I'm remembering Thom's wonderful article on the Separation of Church and State. Forced religion is anathema. I guess the other extreme in China and Russia is fear of any religious thought or discussion. I am so appreciative to have had well-educated parents who never pushed me in any direction. Have to add that my non Catholic mother would take me into St. Patrick's Cathedral when I was 3 and 4 to light a candle for my father (who was serving over in North Africa) and say what she called "Mispah, May the Lord keep us together while we are absent one from another." That Cathedral is magnificent and the incense smells delicately lovely...with no service or words. Oh, that others could be "normal" and make their own discoveries!
They also might be preserving the lives of family members.
I guess we need more childless crazy cat politicians then. The families always have an excuse why they can't do the right thing!
Bob, I think you misinterpreted my comment. trump has put the fear of God in anyone who opposes him. He said he was on a mission of retribution. Perhaps, Biden/Powell are unwilling to put the lives of their family members in danger.
Eadie, I have been a long supporter of sending the old ucks off to war first. Now that includes me. I don't see why young people need to get mamed and mutilated, because they didn't create the mess. Unlimited greed, freetrade, phony religion, overpopulation.....Now that the old are on deaths door step, they still won't fight for what is right! That is how a lot of them got wealthy and want to privatize the govt. That is what a dictatorship is. Their families will still be abused by the fascists even if they do cower like dogs!
We have to send the young ones off to war. If they stay home they might cause trouble like they did in the sixties. They did put an end to the draft bless their hearts. Too late for me but I survived.
Isn't that kind of like child abuse though? The cult down with it for sure.
If we had a strong president, in light of the Dodd decision the Supreme Court building would have been cleared out and shuttered. By executive order Roe v. Wade would remain in effect.
Let me add to that. The Supreme Court should be closed for the six months leading up to Inauguration Day. They have been a source of election interference as much as anything else.