In case you missed it today, here's a link to Chris Hedges' presentation on CSPAN Book TV......

[marmar]

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/LiberalCl&showFullAbstract=1

[cantbeserious]

1. Another Very Good Interview On The Same Topic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vteQnUmCj9U

[defendandprotect]

2. Thank you ... actually watched it --

And I watched it out of respect for what I've read of Chris Hedges' previous writings --

HOWEVER .....

Chris Hedges, fellow at the Nation Institute, argues that America's liberal class has collapsed and with it the citizenry's protection against what the author deems, the "corporate state." Mr. Hedges contends that the liberal class, which includes universities, labor movements, the press, the Democratic Party, and liberal religious groups, has been gradually corrupted by corporate entities. He believes that without the existence of a liberal class there will no longer be checks and balances against corporate interests. Chris Hedges discusses his book at Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon.

Referring to liberals as a "class" is like saying that those who believe in democracy are a

democratic "class" -- or those who believe in justice are a justice "class" -- or those who

believe in human rights are a human rights "class." And those who believe in equality for all

are an equality for all "class." I don't think so.

These are concepts and ideals which we hold in our hearts and minds.


As for the once liberal structures we could count on, they were infiltrated by the

Military, the CIA/"Mockingbird" -- basic "National Security State" propaganda. This was

all very aggressive stuff, intimidation on a high level, dependent on a Cold War and later

perpetual wars. The labor movement/unions were equally attacked and dismantled over decades

using Mafia - and probably in the case of Walter Reuther, assassinating union leaders.

What we used to refer to as our MSM was an establishment press at best, but, I agree with

those who say: "The myth of a free press died with the assassination of Pres. John F. Kennedy."

After the coup on President Kennedy, a few Democrats got very interested in investigating the

CIA -- and very quickly found themselves out of office. Right wing has not only been targeting

liberal and progressive Democrats over decades, it has been targeting its own GOP liberals

and progressives. Not only did we have CIA targeting Congress, we had the CIA financing right

wing Republicans in Congress -- from Sen. Strom Thurmond to Rep. Gerald Ford and more. And, we

should also understand that the CIA didn't only operate on money given to them by Congress -

the CIA took money from any right wing sources, including KKK and Nazis. Pat Buchanan has also

been given money by the CIA.

I've no argument with the observation that we have a corporate state -fascism.



There was a liberalizing of organized patriarchal religions during the 1960's, but basically

I think we have to agree that male-supremacist religions are fascist and no friends of democracy.

Pope John XXIII with Vatican II did try to make the RCC a democracy, but a right wing coup

followed quite quickly and has worked 24/7 to overturn it -- including reinstating Opus Dei

which had been banned by Pope John XXII -- and in overturning "Liberation Theology."



It's not that we didn't notice all of these things at the time they were happening -- however,

the coup on President Kennedy didn't only take our president, it also took our people's

government.



So what I am stressing re the institutions -- Universities, Press, Democratic Party, Labor

Unions, and Liberal religion -- is that they are like our people's government . . .

As Professor Noam Chomsky has pointed out, government is like a typewriter -- it depends on

who is doing the writing as to what comes out of it.


Liberalism is still with us -- its movement, however, has been under serious attack by right

wing forces which are very powerful and criminal. And, we've had almost a half century of

in plein air political violence/assassinations by the right wing because that is the only way

they can rise. Assassinations, stolen elections, lies --

[KoKo]

3. From what I see the Liberal/Progressive Movement is dead..except for a few bright Bloggers on the

Internet and a few Mags like "The Nation" ...there's not much keeping a Left Movement together for the Democratic Party.

We sort of got "cut off at our knees." It's going to take a lot of work in the coming decades to make up for what we lost when we had the "Stolen Elections of 2000 and 2004 and the Iraq Invasion and Wall Street Criminality to be exposed as the "wind at our back."

We are pretty much decimated. A few rag tag bands keep trying to mobilize us to sign petitions and such. But, we've been there and done that much too man times...and that includes the Fax, Phone, E-Mail your Congrisscritter and Volunteer for the Polls and your local election, plus Oraganize and Go Door to Door. (Many of us have done that for over 20 years and some hard at it for ten years. It's going to take something else ...because everything else tried and failed.

[defendandprotect]

4. I don't think so ....

That would be like saying the anti-war movement is dead --

or equality for all is dead --

or democracy is dead --

or equal rights for women -- is dead --

The potential is there --

Look at the Egyptians -- 30 years of oppression by a dictator which the US supports --

and here they are now -- ready to be free or ready to be massacred.


We sort of got "cut off at our knees." It's going to take a lot of work in the coming decades to make up for what we lost when we had the "Stolen Elections of 2000 and 2004 and the Iraq Invasion and Wall Street Criminality to be exposed as the "wind at our back."

Interesting comments -- but when you add computers into the equation you still end up with a

stolen election -- and since the LARGE computers used by MSM began coming in during the mid-1960s

and the voting computers began to come in during the late 1960s, I'd question every election back

to Nixon/Humphrey!

Remember, the LARGE computers gave MSM new powers to PREDICT and CALL elections -- ELECTORAL

COLLEGE, WINNERS, LOSERS, STATES -- What we saw in 2000 was simply a reversal of those new

powers. And, evidently the voting computers were heavily used in Florida in the late 1960s

because I'm aware of at least two instances of journalists investigating the odd results.

One isVotescam -- The Stealing of America -- the name of the other journalist, I can't recall.

http://www.constitution.org/vote/votescam__.htm

You also have to add in 9/11 MIHOP and Antrax. This is a very violent and aggressive right wing

and has been so -- out in the open -- for almost 50 years now.


We are pretty much decimated. A few rag tag bands keep trying to mobilize us to sign petitions and such. But, we've been there and done that much too man times...and that includes the Fax, Phone, E-Mail your Congrisscritter and Volunteer for the Polls and your local election, plus Oraganize and Go Door to Door. (Many of us have done that for over 20 years and some hard at it for ten years. It's going to take something else ...because everything else tried and failed.
"What a Tangled Web We Weave...when First we Practice to Deceive


Sounds familiar -- been there, done that -- including trying to stop the runaway situation with

corporate-press/propaganda back 20 years ago and more. But, one of the things that has always

driven me nuts about the liberal organizations is that somehow it doesn't occur to them to

join together? rofl --

Unions and women can't come together?

The NAACP has always been good when speaking of their own fight for freedom would always

mention women, homosexuals, etal -- always admired that!

Women's marches have always included various groups, of course as I presume union rallies

have done?

There are lots of ways -- but none of us can do this alone -- and it's a tremendous mistake to

think we have "no where to go." We have a huge liberal voting bloc which we saw in '06 and

'08 -- and they fight constantly to turn it off. And, we didn't even come near to pulling out

all the voters who don't bother to vote anymore!

What liberals have to do is decide that they can discuss other options --

IMO, at the least, we need to draft someone like Bernie Sanders to run on a Dem ticket --

Tom Hayden -- anyone from outside the party who isn't pre-bribed and pre-owned by corporate

money -- and what would be even more interesting is if third parties would also support our

candidate -- !! So we'd pull a Green vote and a Socialist vote -- !!

PLUS, all kinds of things we can do with actions -- like "lights out" at a given time --

pulling your car over for 15/20 minutes at a given signal/time. Stop using ATM cards would

be huge for another beginning. Why in the hell are we running around every day going out

and making money for banks which in the end increases the costs of the products we're buying?

We need a lot of buttons and to wear them every day -- MEDICARE FOR ALL --

SOCIAL SECURITY -- STOP THE WARS --

Strikes can be limited and still be very effective -- like calling people out at 11:30 and

through lunch time. Or calling them out at 4:30 for a two hour strike? Many things we can

do -- we just have to decide that we're going to the LEFT no matter what -- !!



:)

[KoKo]

5. I will keep fighting...but I know that it means little..and results are incremental.

If that's what you were hoping to hear... BUT...MOVEMENTS FOR CHANGE..here in USA!" ROFL...GIVE ME A BREAK. It's DONE for a DECADE...After THAT TIME...things will move...but many of us will be dead.

We are doing and "have done" what we could. It's up to others. And, I don't want to get sick and dying over this...let someone else do THAT FOR ME! :-(