Reverend Tyson Takes It to the Hill

A few days ago Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson testified before Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee. Here is the testimony and q&a in its entirety.

For some reason, I can't stop thinking that Dr. Tyson should be sitting not in the testimony seat but rather as a member of the committee itself. I hope the people in Congress have the enthusiasm and foresight to take some real action based on the Dr.'s remarks. This stuff is d*mn important.

peace.

Therein Lies the Rub

I hope this conversation leads to something substantial.

Dylan Ratigan and Co. are drafting a constitutional amendment to regulate campaign finance. Whoa nelly.

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This one, too.

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I actually need to sleep tonight, so I'll be very brief.

Corruption in campaign financing is the single most debilitating problem facing United States politics. Nearly every major government impasse or injustice during the past 30 to 35 years has roots in the flow of money in and out of the legislative system. If anything can be done to regulate the way politicians fund their campaigns, then many of the problems America faces will be solved pretty quickly. I wish Dylan and his folks the best of luck with this.

I'll sign the thing as soon as it gets to me.

peace.

Whistle While You Turk

After spending a few hours on yesterday's Watch The Throne review, I've decided to take it light today. I'm dedicating some hard time to my research project for the next couple of days. (Would you be interested in some excerpts?)

Last week I posted a video of MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan fervently proclaiming his dissatisfaction with the corporate control of Washington politics and the American economy. (See here.) Today, I'd like to offer a video by Ana Kasparian and Cenk Uygur, otherwise known as The Young Turks. Ana and Cenk do a wonderful job of peeling the layers of Ratigan's epic tirade, offering clear and simple explanations of Dylan's thoughts and ideas. Here, have a look.

Hmmm...

I wonder how "bought" President Obama really is?

peace.

As my mom would say...

This right here is the stone cold truth. If any of you are perplexed as to why the American political landscape is so toxic and congested, Dylan Ratigan has laid it on the line.

Be sure to stick with it until the end. Most in the 24-hour media are only running the beginning of the clip, but there's important stuff going down all the way through.



This is the type of anger and attention needed by the entire American electorate. Sure, there's a problem with the Republicans. Sure, there's a problem with the Democrats. But more than anything else, the problem is with the corporate control of United States policymaking. And it's about time someone told this to the people, loudly.

If we can only get the President to say it...



peace.

Bye Bye Weiner (A Quick Thought)

If you've been following this story, then you knew this was coming.

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As long as I've been alive this has been the climate of American politics; the politics of personal destruction. It's been the fog that masks the true dysfunctions and complications of government ever since Richard Nixon and Watergate. And even though I'm sure a hint of this has always permeated political chatter, and politicians have never been saints, the only function of these sagas is to distract the electorate from the true issues.

I hope we can someday move beyond this type of political discourse, but with cats like Andrew Breitbart around, I'm highly pessimistic.

Good luck, Anthony.

peace.

Tony, Tony, Tony...

Dude. Your name is Weiner.

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Really, dude. You REALLY should not have done this. You're a United States congressman who's last name is Weiner.

(sigh)

I got your back homie, because you have political beliefs with which I tend to agree. And truthfully, this thing has nothing to do with your ability to govern. But you've made things way more difficult than they need to be for yourself.

Good luck, Tony. You're going to need it.

peace.