Both cause and consequence of Columbus as the “plague city” is City government’s—Council and paid staff including Columbus Police Department—rudeness. In ways that once surprised me, the City’s disrespect, dismissal, and incivility mirror the literal crudeness of the failing physical city, from filth to lack of sanitation, and endless broken streets and sidewalks. (See my “The plague city: Daily life in Columbus, Ohio,” Busting Myths, Columbus Free Press, Dec. 17, 2022.)

It is stunning how little attention mayor, city council, Zoning and Neighborhoods, and the Department of Public (aka Private) Services pay to “their” city. Instead, they cannot restrain the overflow of grants without accountability, tax abatements, and other incentives to developers which directly undercut the actual city’s well-being contradicting its charter-mandated services to its publics. The contradictions are incalculable.

In this video recording of a webinar from January 14, 2023, David Swanson discussed his forthcoming book The Monroe Doctrine at 200 and What to Replace it With. See the 26:24 point in the video.

The Monroe Doctrine was and is a justification for actions, some good, some indifferent, but the overwhelming bulk reprehensible. The Monroe Doctrine remains in place, both explicitly and dressed up in novel language. Additional doctrines have been built on its foundations. This book looks at the creation, evolution, and use of the Monroe Doctrine over the years since 1823, and proposes a radically different approach for the U.S. government to take with Latin America and the world.

David is available to speak about this or other topics, as are other World BEYOND War speakers.

--

VICTORY!  Congratulations and thanks to everyone who helped oppose this bill.

HB 434 passed the Ohio House 75-18 on March 3, 2022, but was not voted out of the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee at the end of December.

Under the Radar Bill:  Ohio House Bill 434 would have created a secretive new Ohio Authority that could dip into the public treasury for unspecified amounts of money to support research and development of what the bill termed an “advanced” nuclear reactor. But the entities behind the bill were promoting old and failed nuclear power technology. All this when the cost of new nuclear power to consumers is 4 to 5 times higher than wind or solar. 

The Ohio Nuclear Free Network led the charge against this bill, with help from the Ohio Green Party, the Cuyahoga County Green Party, Our Revolution Ohio, the Nuclear Information and Resource Service, Grassroot Ohio, WGRN-LP FM Columbus, the Columbus Free Press, Midwest Energy News, other groups whose members worked on this issue, and individuals.

Saturday, January 14, 7-8pm

Join progressive friends on Zoom to celebrate the new year and optimistic hope for the future.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83906590837
Meeting ID: 839 06

Facebook Event

We'll hear from peace activist and journalist David Swanson of RootsAction about his new book, on the subject of the Monroe Doctrine, that forbid European powers from colonizing the Western hemisphere -- and what to replace it with.

Q & A included.

Join through your phone:
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,83906590837# US (New York)
+13017158592,,83906590837# US (Washington D.C)
Dial by your location
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 839 0659 0837

The current notion of a “moderate Republican” is an oxymoron that helps to move the country rightward. Last week, every one of the GOP’s so-called “moderates” voted to install House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who won with the avid support of Donald Trump and got over the finish line by catering to such fascistic colleagues as Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert.