Quickie: Wall Street prefers Hillary over populist Republicans

From The 6 Principles of the New Populism (and the Establishment’s Nightmare): Wall Street and big business Republicans are already signaling they’d prefer a Democratic establishment candidate over a Republican populist. Dozens of major GOP donors, Wall Street Republicans, and corporate lobbyists have told Politico that if Jeb Bush decides against running and Chris Christie…

When money buys elections: the case of Steve Litzow and Andy Hill, as well as Tom Steyer

[The Bellevue Reporter published this in an abbreviated form as a letter-to-the-editor in their print edition today, including the part about Litzow and Hill’s funding by the Koch brothers.  So far the letter isn’t appearing on their website.] According to letsfreecongress.com, in the 2012 US House elections, 95% of the candidates that outspent their opponents…

Amazing GOP hypocrisy

From USA Today’s story Challenger concedes GOP primary to controversial rep A transcript of DesJarlais’ 2001 divorce showed that he and his then-wife, Susan, made a mutual decision to have two abortions. Still another woman has charged that DesJarlais encouraged her to get an abortion as well. DesJarlais, a doctor whose congressional seat was a…

The state Dems' platform says No to TPP. Will our lawmakers listen?

The Washington State Democrat’s platform says We oppose: . . . Trade agreements negotiated in secret without public interest representation; Foreign policies that put the profit-making interests of corporations above the rights, laws, and interests of governments or workers, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); But the last I heard both our US Senators, as…

Hey, Bill Gates!

  Elizabeth Hanson pointed out that many of Gates’ “charitable” donations have served a corporate agenda; in particular, his support of Common Core and educational testing has served the interests of corporations trying to privatize public schools. But Gates has also funded efforts to fight malaria and has donated to the Negro College Fund, for…

On forgiveness, self-esteem, and auto-immune diseases of the mind

There’s something that’s always perplexed me about forgiveness, and I finally think I’ve figured it out. Most people who talk about forgiveness say that it requires a change in our attitude towards the offending character.  They also say that by forgiving that person for what they did we can free ourselves from the pain of…

168 of the 3000 children and teens killed by gun violence each year in the US

To see the children in more detail, with names, click here. For statistics on gun violence see http://www.bradycampaign.org/about-gun-violence. For example, “A gun in the home is 22 times more likely to be used to kill or injure in a domestic homicide, suicide, or unintentional shooting than to be used in self-defense.” For information about I-594…