Op-Ed
SAN FRANCISCO -- Up against the campaign of a wealthy businessman
who outspent him nearly 10-to-1, a strong progressive candidate nearly
won the runoff election last Tuesday to become this city’s mayor. Some
national news stories depicted the strong showing for Matt Gonzalez as a
big surprise. But it shouldn’t perplex anyone when vigorous grassroots
organizing combines with a sound strategy to get breakthrough results.
Local elections in San Francisco are officially nonpartisan, and ballots don’t indicate party affiliations. But the contenders spoke openly of their party labels. The Democrat in the race, Gavin Newsom, became so worried that Bill Clinton and Al Gore flew in to campaign for him. In contrast, Green Party member Gonzalez relied on several thousand active volunteers.
Contrary to all the conventional media wisdom, the Gonzalez campaign surged to receive 47.4 percent of the votes.
Local elections in San Francisco are officially nonpartisan, and ballots don’t indicate party affiliations. But the contenders spoke openly of their party labels. The Democrat in the race, Gavin Newsom, became so worried that Bill Clinton and Al Gore flew in to campaign for him. In contrast, Green Party member Gonzalez relied on several thousand active volunteers.
Contrary to all the conventional media wisdom, the Gonzalez campaign surged to receive 47.4 percent of the votes.
Christmas Comes Early for Bush and GOP Contributors at Americans' Expense
The MoveOn.org Voter Fund has launched a national cable network television and newspaper ad buy exposing "The most outrageous Christmas list in America," - a laundry list of early Christmas gifts from George W. Bush and the Republican Congress to their special interest friends and contributors in Washington, snuck into the proposed $820 billion omnibus bill.
"So who does President Bush think is naughty and nice?" asks the ad that appears in today's Washington Post. Both the national TV spot-which runs Tuesday through Thursday on cable stations-and the print ad challenge Bush Administration giveaways hidden in the omnibus bill: clearance for employers to strip 8 million workers of overtime pay, an FCC rules change that will permit epic media consolidation, and the renewal of no-bid contracts to Halliburton and other Administration-friendly companies.
The TV ad can be received tomorrow on the following satellite coordinates:
First Feed:
The MoveOn.org Voter Fund has launched a national cable network television and newspaper ad buy exposing "The most outrageous Christmas list in America," - a laundry list of early Christmas gifts from George W. Bush and the Republican Congress to their special interest friends and contributors in Washington, snuck into the proposed $820 billion omnibus bill.
"So who does President Bush think is naughty and nice?" asks the ad that appears in today's Washington Post. Both the national TV spot-which runs Tuesday through Thursday on cable stations-and the print ad challenge Bush Administration giveaways hidden in the omnibus bill: clearance for employers to strip 8 million workers of overtime pay, an FCC rules change that will permit epic media consolidation, and the renewal of no-bid contracts to Halliburton and other Administration-friendly companies.
The TV ad can be received tomorrow on the following satellite coordinates:
First Feed:
Howard Dean is asking for media trouble.
On Dec. 1, the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination went where few national politicians have dared to go -- directly challenging the media conglomerates.
Don’t get me wrong. Dean’s record in Vermont hardly reflects an inclination to take on corporate power. His obsession with balancing budgets and coddling big business often led him to comfort the already comfortable and afflict the afflicted. Low-income people suffered the consequences of inadequate social services.
But let’s give the doctor-turned-politician some credit for a new direction. Midway through his Dec. 1 appearance on MSNBC’s “Hardball” show, Dean said that he wants to “break up giant media enterprises.”
Dean went well beyond the hold-the-line stance adopted last summer by large majorities in Congress, who voted to prevent more media deregulation by the Federal Communications Commission. He declared that maintaining the media status quo isn’t good enough.
On Dec. 1, the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination went where few national politicians have dared to go -- directly challenging the media conglomerates.
Don’t get me wrong. Dean’s record in Vermont hardly reflects an inclination to take on corporate power. His obsession with balancing budgets and coddling big business often led him to comfort the already comfortable and afflict the afflicted. Low-income people suffered the consequences of inadequate social services.
But let’s give the doctor-turned-politician some credit for a new direction. Midway through his Dec. 1 appearance on MSNBC’s “Hardball” show, Dean said that he wants to “break up giant media enterprises.”
Dean went well beyond the hold-the-line stance adopted last summer by large majorities in Congress, who voted to prevent more media deregulation by the Federal Communications Commission. He declared that maintaining the media status quo isn’t good enough.
Freep Heroes - Students at Swarthmore College
They are our heroes for staging an “electronic civil disobedience” campaign against Ohio-based voting machine maker Diebold Election Systems. Diebold has been sending out “cease and desist” letters in order to prevent website owners from linking to or posting some 15,000 internal Diebold memos that reveal the company was aware of massive security flaws in its e-voting software. What this means is that Diebold machines are easily hacked into – leading to an apparent large unexplained vote shift that delivered the Florida 2000 election to Bush. How do we know? Hackers invaded Diebold’s computers and leaked their internal memos to journalists and voting activists. Swarthmore students are pledging to keep access to these memos alive by disobeying Diebold’s letters.
The Free Press Salutes - Global democracy activists
They are our heroes for staging an “electronic civil disobedience” campaign against Ohio-based voting machine maker Diebold Election Systems. Diebold has been sending out “cease and desist” letters in order to prevent website owners from linking to or posting some 15,000 internal Diebold memos that reveal the company was aware of massive security flaws in its e-voting software. What this means is that Diebold machines are easily hacked into – leading to an apparent large unexplained vote shift that delivered the Florida 2000 election to Bush. How do we know? Hackers invaded Diebold’s computers and leaked their internal memos to journalists and voting activists. Swarthmore students are pledging to keep access to these memos alive by disobeying Diebold’s letters.
The Free Press Salutes - Global democracy activists
Reuters is one of the more independent wire services. So, a recent
news story from Reuters -- flatly describing American military
activities in Iraq as part of “the broader U.S. war on terrorism” -- is
a barometer of how powerfully the pressure systems of rhetoric from top
U.S. officials have swayed mainstream news coverage.
Such reporting, with the matter-of-fact message that the Pentagon is fighting a “war on terrorism” in Iraq, amounts to a big journalistic gift for the Bush administration, which is determined to spin its way past the obvious downsides of the occupation.
Here are the concluding words from Bush’s point man in Iraq, Paul Bremer, during a Nov. 17 interview on NPR’s “Morning Edition” program: “The president was absolutely firm both in private and in public that he is not going to let any other issues distract us from achieving our goals here in Iraq, that we will stay here until the job is done and that the force levels will be determined by the conditions on the ground and the war on terrorism.”
Such reporting, with the matter-of-fact message that the Pentagon is fighting a “war on terrorism” in Iraq, amounts to a big journalistic gift for the Bush administration, which is determined to spin its way past the obvious downsides of the occupation.
Here are the concluding words from Bush’s point man in Iraq, Paul Bremer, during a Nov. 17 interview on NPR’s “Morning Edition” program: “The president was absolutely firm both in private and in public that he is not going to let any other issues distract us from achieving our goals here in Iraq, that we will stay here until the job is done and that the force levels will be determined by the conditions on the ground and the war on terrorism.”
RIO DE JANEIRO -- After a quarter-century of intensive grassroots
organizing and a victorious presidential campaign a year ago, Brazilian
social movements are in a strong position as they push the left-wing
Workers Party government to fulfill its promises. The contrast to
Washington’s current political climate is as diametrical as the
opposite seasons of the two countries. Yet Brazilian activists are now
giving heightened priority to the same concern that preoccupies an
increasing number of people in the United States -- the imperative of
challenging the corporate media.
On the night of Nov. 10, at the headquarters of the Brazilian Press Association here in Rio, more than 100 activists gathered to help kick off the nationwide Campaign for Media Democratization. In spite of progress for social justice, Brazil’s mass media remain firmly in the hands of nine wealthy families intent on serving the interests of conservative economic elites. The contradictions between an ascendant democratic movement and a timeworn media oligarchy are extreme.
On the night of Nov. 10, at the headquarters of the Brazilian Press Association here in Rio, more than 100 activists gathered to help kick off the nationwide Campaign for Media Democratization. In spite of progress for social justice, Brazil’s mass media remain firmly in the hands of nine wealthy families intent on serving the interests of conservative economic elites. The contradictions between an ascendant democratic movement and a timeworn media oligarchy are extreme.
One of the worst things about today’s ultramodern systems of
communication is hiding in plain sight: They waste our time.
Sure, gizmos like computers and cell phones and pagers can be real time-savers. But what’s less obvious is the great extent to which high tech keeps us waiting.
Whether you’re rich, poor or somewhere in between, time probably seems to be in short supply. And when intrusions keep draining away precious moments, you probably feel some combination of annoyance, frustration and anger.
The overwhelming nationwide response to the new do-not-call registry is a form of national rebellion against corporate time-stealers. “We need to appreciate the magnitude of what has happened,” writes Fortune magazine senior editor Geoffrey Colvin. “America’s stampede to zap telemarketers is a true grassroots movement, and a huge one. It shows how extraordinarily deep and intense people’s feelings are about this seemingly minor issue.”
Sure, gizmos like computers and cell phones and pagers can be real time-savers. But what’s less obvious is the great extent to which high tech keeps us waiting.
Whether you’re rich, poor or somewhere in between, time probably seems to be in short supply. And when intrusions keep draining away precious moments, you probably feel some combination of annoyance, frustration and anger.
The overwhelming nationwide response to the new do-not-call registry is a form of national rebellion against corporate time-stealers. “We need to appreciate the magnitude of what has happened,” writes Fortune magazine senior editor Geoffrey Colvin. “America’s stampede to zap telemarketers is a true grassroots movement, and a huge one. It shows how extraordinarily deep and intense people’s feelings are about this seemingly minor issue.”
Ask Your Member of Congress
to Lift Restrictions on Travel to Cuba
Our Country Will Win Friends Through Compassion-Not Hatred
The U.S. government does not allow Americans to spend money in Cuba, effectively banning travel there. But now-in a wave of sanity from Washington-Republicans and Democrats in Congress have voted to lift the travel restrictions.
However, forces in Congress will try to use legislative trickery to stop the Cuba amendment from reaching the President's desk.
One of your representatives in Congress is one of a handful who sit on a key committee that can ensure that the Cuba amendment remains in tact.
If you want your legislator to ensure that travel restrictions to Cuba are lifted, and you're a TrueMajority member, just reply to this email by clicking "Reply" and "Send" in your email program to send your message (text below). If you'd like to customize the message to your Senator, click here:
action.truemajority.com/index.asp?action=10090&ms=cuba1&ref=276633
The U.S. government does not allow Americans to spend money in Cuba, effectively banning travel there. But now-in a wave of sanity from Washington-Republicans and Democrats in Congress have voted to lift the travel restrictions.
However, forces in Congress will try to use legislative trickery to stop the Cuba amendment from reaching the President's desk.
One of your representatives in Congress is one of a handful who sit on a key committee that can ensure that the Cuba amendment remains in tact.
If you want your legislator to ensure that travel restrictions to Cuba are lifted, and you're a TrueMajority member, just reply to this email by clicking "Reply" and "Send" in your email program to send your message (text below). If you'd like to customize the message to your Senator, click here:
action.truemajority.com/index.asp?action=10090&ms=cuba1&ref=276633
AUSTIN, Texas -- Holy smoke! I know hellzapoppin' with the news here lately, but let's try keeping our eye on the shell with the pea under it. Fascinating as all this inside-D.C. stuff is about Rummy and Cheney, and who leaked the CIA agent's name, there's some major stuff being buried in the business section.
The manipulation of mutual funds -- nice, safe, comfortable old mutual funds -- is a story heating up nicely. In addition, if you are following the trial of Frank Quattrone in the nasty case of manipulating high-tech IPOs, you already have been whomperjawed over the goings on.
Add The New York Times Sunday account of how states and municipalities have been talked into bond issues by investment banking firms to cover pension costs, with highly unfortunate results, and you have a creepy and getting-creepier picture of the entire financial services industry.
The manipulation of mutual funds -- nice, safe, comfortable old mutual funds -- is a story heating up nicely. In addition, if you are following the trial of Frank Quattrone in the nasty case of manipulating high-tech IPOs, you already have been whomperjawed over the goings on.
Add The New York Times Sunday account of how states and municipalities have been talked into bond issues by investment banking firms to cover pension costs, with highly unfortunate results, and you have a creepy and getting-creepier picture of the entire financial services industry.
SEATTLE -- What a gully-washer. What a frog-strangler. You ain't seen rain until you've seen record rain in Seattle. My wetness awareness has shot up thanks to this town. But next day, the sun came out -- and you could hardly tell the deluge had occurred.
And so it is in our public life -- the finger of fate writes, and having writ, moves on, leaving today's horrendous scandal back there with the snows of yesteryear, while we all focus on The Latest.
But there is one deception that will not go away. What happened to the weapons of mass destruction? "The intolerable reality is that they blatantly twisted intelligence information to fit preconceived policies," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. "They lied to promote public relations, from the Jessica Lynch ordeal to the president's campaign landing on the USS Abraham Lincoln --- and about what war would cost our country."
"Before the war, week after week after week, we were told lie after lie after lie," said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.
And so it is in our public life -- the finger of fate writes, and having writ, moves on, leaving today's horrendous scandal back there with the snows of yesteryear, while we all focus on The Latest.
But there is one deception that will not go away. What happened to the weapons of mass destruction? "The intolerable reality is that they blatantly twisted intelligence information to fit preconceived policies," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. "They lied to promote public relations, from the Jessica Lynch ordeal to the president's campaign landing on the USS Abraham Lincoln --- and about what war would cost our country."
"Before the war, week after week after week, we were told lie after lie after lie," said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.