Ohio election news tomorrow on Laura Flanders 12/12 AAR

[SueZhope]

http://www.airamericaradio.com/shows/lauraflanders/

Ohio election news. Monday is a big day. MINISTER BILL MOSS is the lead plaintiff in an election challenge suit to be filed at the Ohio Supreme Court on Monday that seeks to overturn the presidential election results. Those filing the suit will present their evidence to Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee who will travel to Ohio Monday. JOHN BONIFAZ, founder of the National Voting Rights Institute and lawyer for the Green and Liberatian Parties, will help present the case for the Ohio presidential vote recount. MARK KARLIN, founder and editor of Buzzflash.com and REVEREND BILLY, from REVEREND BILLY AND THE CHURCH OF STOP SHOPPING will also lend a hand.

[Stephanie]

1. the Green and Liberatian Parties!

Reverend Billy? WHY?

[SueZhope]

5. That is strange

Don't know, maybe he is big on stopping fraud & stopping shopping.
:shrug:

[RevCheesehead]

6. Rev. Billy is fabulous!

I heard a spot on him last summer on NPR (or was it PRI?). Anyways, I bought his book from Amazon (which I haven't read yet). It's called "What should I do if Reverend Billy is in my store?" He took the title from a memo someone distributed to Starbucks.

Basically, he is a non-consumer activist. He shows up at Starbucks and asks people why they need a $5 cup of coffee. He leads a movement he calls "the Church of the Stop Shopping." He hates Disney with a passion. His basic message is to stop rampant consumerism which is destroying the world, both environmentally and economically.

The book jacket lists his website at:
www.revbilly.com

[SueZhope]

7. Thanks..he is doing great work

I have heard him on AAR
Do you think he is working on the Fraud issue also?

[Stephanie]

9. I know who he is. He's been doing this in Manhattan for years now.

But I don't think he belongs on this panel and I hope it is not a stunt.

[ClassWarrior]

12. Maybe it's because it's Christmastime?

You know, unlike HeadRush Limbo, Laura can hold more than two thoughts in her head at once.

NGU.

[trumad]

10. Uh..excuse me, why do you need a 5 dollar cup of coffee?

Uhhh...get the fuck out of my face asshole!

[americanwhothinks]

11. so,trumad, i guess you don't see any connection between american

excess and poverty around the world?

don't see how our wealth relates to (and funds!) bush's war?

don't see how our own practices (greedy, excessive, exploitative) connect to terrorism?

don't see any link between capitalism and scandal? disregard for human rights? dismissal of all questions that aren't economic?

perhaps bily's question (do you really need a five buck cup of coffee?) interferes with your good old fashioned sense of american entitlement??

(or did i misread you entirely?? i hope so?!)

[MarkusQ]

14. *laugh*

Ok, I don't have time to get into a long economics debate here, but as one of the few card carrying Republicans (and a fiscal conservative) I can't let this go without attempting an answer.

The $5 cup of coffee, provided by a free market, is a Good Thing(tm). Why? Because if some ding-dong has five dollars and nothing better to do with it than buy a cup of coffee, than that's exactly what he should do with it. He doesn't really need the money, and in a few seconds he won't have it anymore, someone else will.

Now, there is no guarantee that whoever gets it need it any more than he did, and they may well do something silly with it as well. But as long as there are no artificial barriers to trade, it will keep moving until it finds its way to someone who needs it.

Where this breaks down is when there are any artificial bounds placed on the flow of capital (note: I'm not talking about things like ecological regulations, which by fairly apportioning a hidden cost can improve market efficiency). Some capitalists stray from the True Path, advocating free trade, outsourcing, etc. but opposing things like transparency and corporate responsibility. If a grunt runs the risk of having his job outsourced to a lower bidder, so should the CEO; and it should be a lot easier to find someone willing to do the CEO's job for half the pay than it is to outsource a minimum wage job.

When there are no barriers, and everyone gets to play, the world is a better place for all but the people who hoped to profit from the barriers. The markets take things from people who don't need them (without a fight!) and give them to people who do. But it only works if cheaters are nailed hard every time.

And on that note, I'll return to our regularly scheduled election fraud discussion.

--MarkusQ

[ClassWarrior]

15. In a perfect world, Markus, I guess we meet up on the other side. LOL.

NGU.

[americanwhothinks]

16. well, yes..i agree: if the cheaters were nailed hard every time,

then perhaps this (idealistic?!) account of capitalism would, in the end, work for the good of all..

unfortuately, as the election fraud dsicussion highlights, what more often happens when wealth (=power) is in the hands of a few,

the cheaters are the winners!

They aren't nailed, they are endorsed, promoted, given greater access to all things...

while things get worse for everyone else... the five buck coffee exchange, in the end, represents the flow of resources between those who have,

while those who need are forever locked out!!

[bj2110]

18. Starbucks gives 100% of its political contributions to the Dems...

Not a very good example to be used here....

[rockedthevoteinMA]

21. And they use fair trade coffee, give their employees benifits at

20 hrs, tuition reimbursement, etc.

I had that talk w/my aunt at Thanksgiving. I had told her I had gone two -shock- months w/o Starbucks, and she asked why...got me to thinking that my money on my $2 cup of dark roast is worth it - rather than some other (D&D?) company getting the money, that wasn't so socially responsible. Okay sorry just had to add that in. :hi:

[ClassWarrior]

13. Thanks for that Progressive compassion, hope, and responsibility.

NGU.

[Sideways]

19. Wow CW I Expect That Sentiment From The Dark Side

Shocking to find it on DU especially from a long timer. I am saddened and a bit diminished. He/she should be ashamed.

[proud patriot]

2. Good

Being over here on the left coast I look forward to the
coverage .

[roguevalley]

3. God bless them all. I love buzzie. I am glad to see our activists

standing up for our country and me by proxie. I will have them all in my prayers.

[Gloria]

4. I love Buzzie, too!

eom

[pleiku52cab]

8. Saw him today on Conyers Hearing rerun

He was really pissed that he and his wife had to stand in line for 3 1/2 hours to vote this time.

[SueZhope]

17. Kick

The show is coming up at 7 on AAR
tonight (eastern time)

[Twist_U_Up]

20. Shes going OFF lol nt