progaccumulator

"The Republicans love to say that the Democratic Party is ruled by ‘special interests.’ But when..."

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:47:32 -0400

“The Republicans love to say that the Democratic Party is ruled by ‘special interests.’ But when pressed to name these ‘special interests,’ the usual reply is women, blacks, teachers, and unions. Together they comprise the majority of Americans. What about the ‘special interests’ that dominate the Republican Party, the oil companies, the banks, the gun lobby, and the apostles of religious intolerance?”

- Geraldine Ferraro (via foulmouthedliberty)

"Atheism is more than just the knowledge that gods do not exist, and that religion is either a..."

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:51:33 -0400

“Atheism is more than just the knowledge that gods do not exist, and that religion is either a mistake or a fraud. Atheism is an attitude, a frame of mind that looks at the world objectively, fearlessly, always trying to understand all things as a part of nature.”

- Carl Sagan (via biscodeja-vu)

divineirony: otherwise-occupied: Source:...

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 16:39:34 -0500

divineirony:

otherwise-occupied:

Source: http://twitpic.com/7efyb2

This would make a great tattoo 1/2 sleeve

The Palin Trick

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 16:38:39 -0500

The Palin Trick:

underthemountainbunker:

It doesn’t matter if you did something wrong in the past, if the media reports it — it becomes the media’s fault.

At that point, you don’t even have to feel sorry about it anymore. That’s a neat trick, isn’t it?

Related:

How Herman Cain benefits from dropping out: Money and political power

Arrests Have Begun At Occupy LA - Live Stream

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:24:39 -0500

Arrests Have Begun At Occupy LA - Live Stream

sarahlee310: That’s what America really looks like. That’s how...

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:55:18 -0500

sarahlee310:

That’s what America really looks like. That’s how it looks to elected officials who scramble for campaign cash. Oh, they know you’re down there. Every few years they get out a microscope and reach down to pet your tiny, tiny head. But mostly everything you say just fades into a faint whine, drowned out by the basso profundo rumble of the 1%. Horton may have cared about the Whos, but Horton is not the kind of elephant you find in politics.

That’s how America looks to corporations and organizations who are piloted by these Godzillas of the 1%. Why should they be bothered if their massive strides should squash a few ants in passing? What difference does it make if their corporate colony gets its ants from China, or Cambodia, or wherever is cheap this week, rather than American ants? The 1% measure value by wealth, and the ants don’t have any. You put all the ants together, and they still can’t match even the beetles that live at the 90% mark. Actually, ants are bit of an exaggeration. You know those tiny black ants that try to invade your kitchen in the spring? Compared to the fiscal titans of the 1%, you’re not that big. Think more along the lines of dust mite.

The top one percent have 38% of stock. They control 62% of the interest in private business. Expand that to the top 10% — those hamsters at the big guy’s feet — and you have more than 80% of stock, more than 80% of bonds, trusts, and every other fiscal instrument. Over 75% of the non-residential real estate. You know what’s really scary? Even within the one percent things are heavily weighted toward a very few in the top 1% of the 1%. I’d draw them, but the image wouldn’t fit on the screen.

The “ownership society” exists. You’re just not part of it.

There’s only one place where the ants are supposed to be as tall as the giants — in the ballot box. That’s where the average person should be able to generate pressure that keeps this from being a nation of, by, and for Godzilla. Of course, it’s not quite that simple.

When Onepercentus rex and friends control the message that the ants hear on their radios and see on their TVs, it’s easy to get confused. When the beetles of the legislature determine that the only way to get fresh food for the giants is by taking it from the ants, it’s easy to feel as if being stepped on might be a relief.

(via Daily Kos: Fiscal inequality: Godzilla vs. Ants)

I Think PETA Should Come Out On Record As Opposing The War On Drugs, Given The Number Of Family Pets That Get Murdered By Police In Botched Drug Raids.

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:10:19 -0500

I Think PETA Should Come Out On Record As Opposing The War On Drugs, Given The Number Of Family Pets That Get Murdered By Police In Botched Drug Raids.:

letterstomycountry:

And of course, the inevitable money quote:

No drugs and no stolen games were found—and no one was arrested.

Yet in the story above, two beloved family pets are now dead, a child was almost shot in the head (and is probably scarred for life after watching his pets murdered in front of him at a tender age), and a disabled senior citizen got a knee in the spine for good measure.

God Bless America.

inothernews: A journalist captures the moment he and other...

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:58:44 -0500

inothernews:

A journalist captures the moment he and other protesters at Occupy Seattle were blasted in the face with pepper spray.

carton-rouge: 84-year-old Occupy Seattle participant Dorli...

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 02:06:02 -0500

carton-rouge:

84-year-old Occupy Seattle participant Dorli Rainey, pictured above after being pepper sprayed by Seattle Police on November 15th.

She later wrote about the incident:

“Something funny happened on my way to a transportation meeting in Northgate. As I got off the bus at 3rd and Pine I heard helicopters above. Knowing that the problems of New York would certainly precipitate action by Occupy Seattle, I thought I better check it out. Especially since only yesterday the City Government made a grandiose gesture to protect free speech. Well free speech does have its limits as I found out as the cops shoved their bicycles into the crowd and simultaneously pepper sprayed the so captured protesters. If it had not been for my Hero (Iraq Vet Caleb) I would have been down on the ground and trampled. This is what democracy looks like. It certainly left an impression on the people who rode the No. 1 bus home with me. In the women’s movement there were signs which said: “Screw us and we multiply.’”

Police in Riot Gear Raid Zuccotti Park, Order Protesters to Vacate | NBC New York

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:01:41 -0500

Police in Riot Gear Raid Zuccotti Park, Order Protesters to Vacate | NBC New York:

liberal-linguaphile:

Hundreds of police officers, some in riot gear, descended on Zuccotti Park after midnight Tuesday in a surprise sweep of the Occupy Wall Street headquarters.

It comes just two days ahead of a massive planned demonstration Thursday marking the movement’s two-month anniversary.

Police handed out letters to protesters ordering them to temporarily evacuate the park. Police said the eviction will improve health conditions.

Campers were ordered to remove all their tents. Police claimed it was a health issue.

and now, in ridiculous news of the day, the government is “concerned” with the health of Americans.

wearethe99percent: Working hard and Going without….1. Husband...

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:32:23 -0400

wearethe99percent:

Working hard and Going without….

1. Husband works 2 jobs, I work 2 part time.
    No insurance…
    NO RAISE FOR 10 YEARS…
    Our College education isnt being used at our jobs.
    Kids barely get things they need …

2.     Hadnt seen a Dentist in 10 years, Husband had teeth rotting out of his mouth causing infections… owe $4,000 for emergency room     visit when his face was swollen like a softball because no regular    doctor would see him without insurance or medical aide card. Cant afford Insurance, and
we make $64 too much a month to qualify for medical card.
    So I got a job cleaning Dental Offices and finally a Dentist saw him.

3. Cant afford to pay for our 3 kids school lunches, applied for help but     government doesnt take into consideration that my husband pays out     for childsupport to his     ex so my children cannot get reduced or free     lunches… but his ex’s can because     she is single.
we make $22 a month too much to qualify, so my kids have milk and     apples or     pretzels for lunch… School Lunches are 84$ a month

4. WHY WE CANT AFFORD ANYTHING…
    ALMOST ALL OF OUR MONEY GOES TO KEEPING OUR HOME

We had our mortgage paid down to below market value so we had equity…
then Chase raised our payment over a few months..
due to THEM not escrowing properly
House payment went from 900 a month, to 1,019 to 1,345 to 1,545 to 1,700!
GEE wonder how we got behind on payments.. we were told to stay behind to qualify for modification… that the mod would be done in 3 months…took 3 years to do modification.. CHASE kept losing paperwork… When modification went thru… CHASE waited sooo long to finalize the modification. We are now underwater and owed before the modification 110,000 on our home.
now we owe 140,000??? in fees, back payments and to “restart the loan”
House is now worth about 89,000

5. Few weeks ago Had shut off notice for water and gas, called utility they said to apply for assistance. We applied again made too much to qualify but not enough to pay on our own.. Assistance Rep told us ….she said if we quit one of the jobs or got divorced we can get food stamps and energy assistance…

!!!! this is not how we want to make it work.. I dont want to teach my children to give up and take rations like slaves!!!!!!!

THIS IS INSANE!

My Children dont understand.. they say.. Mommy and Daddy work all the time and we get good grades? My 8 year old keeps asking…Why don’t Mommy and Daddy eat dinner too?

I answer… Because Wall Street and CBOE need new porsches every year… I wonder do they come in Blood Red… because its all Blood Money!

We are the 99%

liberalsarecool: “We, the 99%, are the Americans and we want...

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:31:21 -0400

liberalsarecool:

“We, the 99%, are the Americans and we want our country back.”

"Scott Olsen is in a “critical condition,” in Highland hospital, a spokesman for the hospital has..."

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:33:01 -0400

“

Scott Olsen is in a “critical condition,” in Highland hospital, a spokesman for the hospital has just confirmed to me.

(We already knew he was there from the accounts below, but this is the first official confirmation.)

”

- The Guardian on the Iraq War vet wounded at Occupy Oakland. (via evanfleischer)

thephrygiancap: Police State Brutality Made Apparent Tonight...

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:18:50 -0400

thephrygiancap:

Police State Brutality Made Apparent Tonight @OCCUPYOAKLAND

divineirony: cwnl: Disturbing Video shot in Missouri that...

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:09:09 -0400

divineirony:

cwnl:

Disturbing Video shot in Missouri that should wake people up.

brickforaheart:

SWAT team breaks into home, fires seven rounds at family’s pit bull and corgi (?!) as a seven-year-old looks on.

They found a “small amount” of marijuana, enough for a misdemeanor charge. The parents were then charged with child endangerment.

So smoking pot = “child endangerment.” Storming a home with guns, then firing bullets into the family pets as a child looks on = necessary police procedures to ensure everyone’s safety.

Just so we’re clear.

http://reason.com/blog/2010/05/05/video-of-swat-raid-on-missouri

(via sarijuana)

I’ll take, Ways the police are losing respect, for 500, Alex.

pantslessprogressive: 192,499: the number of National Security...

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:52:05 -0400

pantslessprogressive:

192,499: the number of National Security Letters (NSLs) issued between 2003 and 2006

1: the number of terror-related convictions as a result of the NSLs

Infographic: Surveillance Under the PATRIOT Act

Iraqis look forward to an end to U.S. presence in their country

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 15:23:37 -0400

Iraqis look forward to an end to U.S. presence in their country:

underthemountainbunker:

HOWEVER DIFFICULT THIS IS FOR THE RIGHT TO ACCEPT, Iraqis would like their country back:

For Abu al-Hamza, a retired colonel of the pre-2003 Iraqi army who lives in Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, the withdrawal gives a chance for “Iraqi forces to depend on themselves and develop their abilities in the future”.

“The US presence brought problems for us — of course, their withdrawal will lead to an improvement in Iraqis’ lives.”

Around 39,500 US troops remain in Iraq on 18 bases, down from a peak of nearly 170,000 soldiers on 505 bases, and all must withdraw by the end of the year under the terms of a 2008 security pact.

Iraqis voice happiness over U.S. withdrawal decision | The Raw Story

image: letterstomycountry

Yep. Zero:

image: pantslessprogressive

Mission Accomplished.

wearethe99percent: I have always been a broke individual, but I...

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:56:19 -0400

wearethe99percent:

I have always been a broke individual, but I was always able to skate by. When I became pregnant I was forced to live in a homeless shelter. I worked 7 days a week through out my pregnancy, never had a break and was abused by my employers. Through all that I still couldn’t find a home. I had my daughter and we bounced from shelter to friends’ homes and back, being robbed and abused all the way. I stuck with my horrible job that would force me to bring my daughter to work and continue working where I got sexually assaulted. I put up with assault at my temporary homes to give my daughter a roof over her head. Finally I was accepted into a wonderful college, and finally have a home. I am working on having a better life for her, but I have no way of knowing if that is going to be a possibility. Here’s hoping!

wearethe99percent: When will a politician stand up for us??...

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:41:29 -0400

wearethe99percent:

When will a politician stand up for us?? When will ONE of them be on the “99%” side? I’m not poor because I choose to be..I’m poor because all or the majority of the AMERICAN jobs are GONE!

We must stop corporations from buying OUR politicians! I am fearful when I hear things such as getting rid of unions. I belonged to a union, and believe me, until we formed a union we earned barely minimum wage.

Corporations are buying their way with our government. If they have their way—which is happening— this is the CORPORATIONS IDEAL EMPLOYEE: minimum wage (or what they feel like paying), contracting employees, no health insurance, no unemployment insurance, no vacation pay, no sick pay, no retirement, no severance pay..nothing….

Politicians…make yourself known..With us or against us?? We 99% will be voting bigger than ever in 2012..

underthemountainbunker: commonsensejesus: John...

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:20:43 -0400

underthemountainbunker:

commonsensejesus:

John 2:13-16

…

Common sense for an OWS Sunday.