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Posts by Robert Greenwald
A Movement to Make Obama Bring an End to War
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Jane Hamsher, Brave New Foundation on June 16, 2009 at 7:58 AM.
Co-authored by Jane Hamsher.
In 2007, 82 Democratic members of Congress signed a pledge. They would never again vote to fund the war in Iraq without plans for troop withdrawal.
Republican critics accused them of demagoguing the war. Of using our soldiers as a political pawns, of not meaning what they said.
Those who signed that pledge need to cast their vote against the Supplemental Appropriations Act on Tuesday and prove them wrong.
We may agree or disagree about what needs to be done in Iraq, but a promise is a promise. Anti-war activists have supported these members of Congress because of that 2007 pledge. They knocked on doors and distributed leaflets and donated to their campaigns. They and marched side by side with them as they sought to bring an end to the war that still lingers in Iraq and escalates in Afghanistan, as the new film Rethink Afghanistan documents.
Read the rest of the post on the flip side »
Experts from Afghanistan Urge Members of Congress to Rethink the War
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Foundation on June 1, 2009 at 7:58 AM.
I'm in DC this week for the America's Future Now! conference, where I'm helping bring together a panel of experts from Afghanistan to discuss the war with conference attendees and members of Congress. As this war escalates, as the death toll soars and the financial and moral costs spiral out of control, we at Brave New Foundation are working with Campaign for America's Future to bring in experts who can provide a more complete picture of the dire situation in Afghanistan.
This Tuesday, June 2, from 5:30-6:30 PM in Room 2101 of the Rayburn House Office Building, there will be a briefing for congressional members and staff entitled: "Rethink Afghanistan: A View from the Ground." The following experts will discuss their perspective on issues facing Afghanistan with a focus on women's rights and empowerment:
Dr. Roshanak Wardak is an MP in the Afghan parliament. She is one of the few MPs who represent nearly 1 million people in their province. She is also a gynecologist and spent many years working with Afghan women in refugee camps in Pakistan.
Ann Jones is the author of eight books of nonfiction, most recently Kabul in Winter: Life Without Peace in Afghanistan. She spent the last eight years doing humanitarian work in conflict zones—four of them in Afghanistan—and is now working on a book about the impact of war on women worldwide.
Anand Gopal is a journalist covering the “Global War on Terror” from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia to the United States. He is a correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor, a contributor to the Huffington Post, and a blogger at www.anandgopal.com.
All three of these experts either currently live or have recently resided in Afghanistan, and they offer a profound understanding of the complex issues involved in this war. We have interviewed them for the Rethink Afghanistan documentary campaign, and now we are bringing them to DC, where they will engage elected officials, policymakers, think tank experts, and others.
If you are an elected official or a staffer, please attend this briefing tomorrow. Please call the offices of your members of Congress in the House or Senate and ask them to meet us as we Rethink Afghanistan.
Read the rest of the post on the flip side »
What Do Starbucks and Wal-Mart Have in Common?
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Films on May 19, 2009 at 8:31 AM.
Both corporate giants have long track records of harassing their workers when it comes to joining unions. Harassment and intimidation are illegal under Federal law, and we won't stand for it. Tell Howard Schultz, Starbucks' billionaire owner, to respect the people who work for Starbucks.
"The regional manager literally told us that we weren't allowed to invite people to union meetings...that's the same kind of violation that you see at Wal-Mart," said Erik Forman, a former Starbucks employee fired for union organizing.
Starbucks, like retail giant Wal-Mart, has a well-established history of breaking labor laws. The company has spent millions settling five labor complaints in the past few years alone, and it has fought hard against the Employee Free Choice Act in an attempt to continue intimidating workers hoping to unionize. In 2005, we took on Wal-Mart for their assault on workers with Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. Now we are exposing Starbucks' atrocious labor practices in our newest campaign, Stop Starbucks.
Watch the video to see Starbucks' blatant disregard for workers' rights.
Read the rest of the post on the flip side »
Fire Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Films on April 27, 2009 at 4:58 PM.
The economic crisis is out of control, as Bank of America and the corrupt corporate elite continue to wage class warfare. It’s time we hit back hard. It’s time we fire CEO Ken Lewis.
Our good friends at SEIU have been courageously leading this fight. We need to follow their lead and encourage everyone to demand the resignation of Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis. After all, Lewis works for us now. Tens of billions of our taxpayer dollars went toward bailing out Bank of America, but what have we received in return? More predatory lending, billions wasted on exorbitant salaries and executive bonuses, and corporate lobbying against Employee Free Choice.
Watch the video narrated by former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, and see for yourself why we must fire Ken Lewis.
Send this video to your friends and family, spread the word and Digg it. Tell them to join us Tuesday, April 28, in demonstrations across the country to fire Ken Lewis. And when you protest, make sure to yell loud and clear. Otherwise, Bank of America and other Wall Street firms will continue their economic rampage, obliterating our country’s working class.
As blogger Marcy Wheeler suggests, we need to fire Ken Lewis for over $3 billion in bonuses Merrill Lynch execs received after Bank of America took them over. We need to fire him for Bank of America’s continued predatory lending, soaring credit card fees, abhorrent mistreatment of workers, and for standing in the way of Employee Free Choice. We need to fire him for being the poster boy of corporate greed.
Discussing Veterans' Issues with Tavis Smiley
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Foundation on April 16, 2009 at 11:44 AM.
I appeared on Tavis Smiley last night to talk about In Their Boots and the issues facing veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now in its second season, In Their Boots is a Brave New Foundation series highlighting the reality that when the war ends for these brave men and women, the problems for them and their families continue. As I explained to Tavis, who always probes and asks questions of real substance, these problems require immense resources, particularly since it seems our country wasn't prepared for the scope and magnitude of so many veterans returning home from two drawn-out wars. Executive Producer Rick Perez and his In Their Boots team have been telling the powerful stories of these vets in a truthful and gripping fashion.
There are over 33,000 troops who were injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, and countless more in need of psychological help who have yet to come forward. Fortunately, we're seeing President Obama make good on his campaign promises to assist veterans. Just last week, Obama announced an overhaul of military and VA recordkeeping, as well as a substantial increase in advance funding for VA healthcare.
As IAVA's Paul Rieckhoff wrote, "Advance funding VA healthcare and an overhaul of military and VA recordkeeping will eliminate two of the most significant bureaucratic hurdles that keep veterans from the healthcare and benefits they have earned. Veterans nationwide applaud the Administration for making veterans and their families a priority."
Now, we need to build on this momentum with a strong commitment to provide more services and resources for our vets. And we need to distance ourselves from a military culture and its psychological hurdles that preclude vets from seeking much needed help.
Will the War in Afghanistan Help Me Get a Job?
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Foundation on April 15, 2009 at 12:21 PM.
We bring you Cost of War, part three of our Rethink Afghanistan documentary, which delves into the financial costs of this broadening war.
As we pay our tax bills, it seems an appropriate time to urge everyone to Rethink Afghanistan, a war that currently costs over $2 billion a month but hasn't made us any safer. Everyone has a friend or relative who just lost a job. Do we really want to spend over $1 trillion on another war? Everyone knows someone who has lost their home. Do we really want spend our tax dollars on a war that could last a decade or more? The Obama administration has taken some smart steps to counter this economic crisis with its budget request. Do we really want to see that effort wasted by expanding military demands?
Watch Pulitzer Prize-winning authors and journalists, military and foreign policy experts, leading economists, and many more explain just how much the war in Afghanistan will cost us over how many years. View both the trailer and full segment of Cost of War, part three of the Rethink Afghanistan documentary.
Last week, we delivered a petition to Sen. John Kerry and Rep. Howard Berman, demanding oversight hearings. These hearings could raise the critical questions about costs and many other issues. Now, we want to know what questions you would ask in such hearings. Would you want to know how exactly the war is weakening the U.S. economy? What about whether more troops can solve Afghanistan's problems or the escalating instability in Pakistan, subjects explored in parts one and two of this documentary?
We must urge Congress to raise key questions about this war at once. As FireDogLake blogger Siun recently wrote, "Once again we are planning a surge with no exit plan and a continued lack of concern for the most basic protection of the civilians in the land we claim to liberate."
My Final Day In Afghanistan
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Films on March 31, 2009 at 6:00 AM.
One day back from my trip to Afghanistan, and I first want to thank so many of you who sent wonderful messages, encouragement, and suggestions. Being in a dark room in Kabul while being able to post on Facebook and Twitter truly speaks to the connected universe.
The final day in Kabul: We were on our way to the peace and reconciliation committee when our “fixer” (that is the official name of the person who translates and helps arrange interviews, accommodations, and security) let me know that there would be 20 or so members of the Taliban turning in their weapons that day! I almost jumped out of my seat, which is relatively simple because virtually none of the roads are paved and so the bumps are big and continuous.
When we arrived, sitting in the courtyard were 20 or more men, their weapons lined up against the wall. I conducted an abbreviated interview with the head of the committee, then raced with cameramen to begin talking and interviewing the Taliban. Within a few minutes I was engaged in interviewing, talking, and asking the various Taliban how long they had been fighting (from 2-30 years), why they fought, what they wanted to say to the United States, and what they wanted in general (jobs and to take care of their families).
As we raced to the airport after the interviews, I emailed our Producer Jason Zaro to find a translator who could work this weekend so we could get the interviews translated and begin editing Monday.
Read the rest of the post on the flip side »
Afghanistan Alert: Robert Greenwald Witnesses Security in Kabul
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Foundation on March 25, 2009 at 8:00 AM.
Rethink Afghanistan Director Robert Greenwald is currently in Kabul. Here is his account of the intense security:
It’s hard to put into words many things about Kabul, where I’ve been interviewing members of the Afghan parliament, women’s advocacy groups, and former Taliban members who want to negotiate peace.
One of the most sobering things I’ve seen is how security takes over your daily life, and this footage of the front of the hotel tells it all. Guards with machine guns patrol everywhere–the face of a conflict brought home.
Keep spreading the word about our petition for congressional oversight hearings that nearly 40,000 people have signed, since these hearings will inform the public and rein in this war. And continue to follow my video blog updates and Twitter feed throughout my journey, as I bring you more experiences from Afghanistan.
What Is "the Most Dangerous Country in the World Today?"
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Foundation on March 20, 2009 at 10:41 AM.
"Pakistan is the most dangerous country in the world today."
- Bruce Riedel, a foreign policy expert leading President Obama's Afghanistan review
Recent protests in Pakistan reveal the country's potential explosiveness. Pakistan has nuclear weapons and a government disconnected from the crippling poverty, rampant malnutrition, and lack of healthcare afflicting its people. Though Pakistan remains an ally of the United States, tensions continue to rise as the U.S. considers broadening military strikes within Pakistan's borders. Part two of our Rethink Afghanistan documentary focuses on how the Afghanistan crisis affects Pakistan and all of us.
How exactly could the war in Afghanistan trigger regional chaos with Pakistan? Leading authorities like Steve Coll, Ahmed Rashid, Cathy Collins, Tariq Ali, Rory Stewart, Stephen Kinzer, and Andrew Bacevich weigh in on this perilous issue. Watch the trailer for part two of this documentary; the full-length version is available here.
The war in Afghanistan and its potentially catastrophic impact on Pakistan are complex and dangerous issues, which further make the case why our country needs a national debate on this now starting with congressional oversight hearings. Sign the petition to help make hearings a critical first step and then send the trailer to all of your friends and family (and be sure to Digg it). Imagine someone like Andrew Bacevich having the ear of Congress as he explains the perils of war. Now imagine a national dialogue filled with rational, thoughtful discussions on the issues surrounding Afghanistan. That is our goal.
Read the rest of the post on the flip side »
"Billions of dollars to the banks, yet we're the ones that are homeless."
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Films on March 2, 2009 at 8:57 AM.
"We were trained to mislead borrowers," says a mortgage broker in Orange County, California. "There were people who were club promoters or even drug dealers that found out it was more profitable to run a mortgage shop than to do whatever they were doing."
Take a look at our video about the subprime mortgage lending racket.
On Tuesday, Congress will vote on whether or not to level the playing field between the banks that caused the collapse of the housing market and struggling homeowners. Representative John Conyers has introduced legislation in the House that authorizes judges to require banks to reevaluate overpriced mortgages of bankrupt homeowners.
Sign our petition to let Congress know that you support Conyers' bill, H.R. 1106. Then, call your Congressional Representative and ask him or her to vote for it.
Conyers' proposal is a simple, modest fix that will help keep hundreds of thousands of families in their homes. This bill is a win for every homeowner in America. By helping stem foreclosures, it will help arrest the decline in home values for everybody, not just those who are struggling to make payments. President Obama supports the bill and has called on Congress to pass it. The banks and the lobbyists that represent them oppose the bill with a passion.
Read the rest of the post on the flip side »
Rethink Afghanistan While There's Still Time
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Foundation on February 26, 2009 at 9:34 AM.
Many of you reading this worked diligently to support President Barack Obama and his call for change. I’m sure you feel, as I do, an almost palpable air of excitement and pride right now in having a man of Obama’s intelligence and integrity in the White House.
What I also find remarkable is Obama’s conviction that it is imperative for those who disagree with him to speak out, make their voices heard and discuss ideas without attacking motivation or character.
Obama just committed 17,000 more soldiers to fight the war in Afghanistan. For me and the Brave New Foundation team, this decision raises scores of questions that must be addressed about troops, costs, overall mission and exit strategy.
Historically, it has been Congress’ duty to ask these questions in the form of oversight hearings that challenge policymakers, examine military spending, and educate the public. I invite you to sign the petition urging Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., to hold congressional oversight hearings at once.
The president has demonstrated his commitment to plurality of opinion and open debate on issues that impact our country most profoundly. In that spirit, I’m proud that Brave New Foundation will bring you Rethink Afghanistan, a new, feature-length documentary I am directing in the tradition of Uncovered: The War on Iraq and Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers. This documentary, which we will release in segments online, will foster the kind of discussion, debate and dissent Obama has called for, hopefully serving as a driving force to help make oversight hearings a reality.
Read the rest of the post on the flip side »
Who's Keeping Burger King Workers Below the Poverty Line?
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Films on February 17, 2009 at 11:32 AM.
What would you do with an extra $18,000 in your pocket?
That's the amount of extra cash each and every Burger King employee in America would have received last year if Goldman Sachs (one of the fast-food chain's largest owners) had shared its bailout billions with rank-and-file workers. Instead, Goldman Sachs squandered 6.5 billion of our taxpayer dollars on bonuses for their financial staff. These were some of the highest bonuses on Wall Street! Meanwhile, Burger King workers earn wages averaging just $14,000 a year -- well below the federal poverty line for a family of three.
Goldman Sachs has been having it their way with Burger King workers for too long. It's high time you had it your way with Goldman Sachs. Tell the Wall Street giant how they could have used the $6.5 billion blown on bonuses. We're looking for the most creative, constructive, or comical ideas to curb corporate greed and help fix the financial crisis. We will send all ideas to Goldman Sachs as a reprimand for their wastefulness. The winner of the Have It Your Way with Goldman Sachs contest will have their idea featured in our next video. The contest ends March 3.
Pass this video and contest to your friends and family. Tell them working people all over the country are pushing back against Wall Street excess. Tell them we're joining with SEIU and others to stage demonstrations and hold Goldman Sachs accountable! And tell them it's time to end this era of corporate greed and impunity.
Do you think Goldman Sachs should be forced to give back their bailout money to taxpayers, should they have to raise Burger King workers' wages, explain their spending to the government, or be left alone because they are living the American dream? Vote now in our online poll.
What Will Cost $1 Trillion in 2009 and Has Never Been Conquered?
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Foundation on February 16, 2009 at 7:11 AM.
The war in Afghanistan is "going to be much tougher than Iraq," according to Richard Holbrooke, the State Department's special envoy. Tougher than Iraq? Does that mean the Afghanistan war will last another six years or more? Will the death toll be worse than 4,200 soldiers and over 100,000 civilians killed? And will Afghanistan cost more than the $3 trillion our country will have spent on Iraq when all is said and done?
The time has come to Rethink Afghanistan, and one of the best ways we can is through Congressional oversight hearings. These deliberative hearings are fundamental to raising critical questions, examining the Pentagon's plans, and investigating military spending before this war spirals out of control. Historically, oversight hearings have played a major role in our system of checks and balances in wartime, except during the Bush administration.
In the past, you helped Uncovered: The War on Iraq penetrate the national consciousness, compelling people to examine the reasons for war. Thousands of you screened and distributed Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers, which caused war profiteering to become a national concern. Now we need your help demanding Congressional oversight hearings to Rethink Afghanistan. Sign the petition and urge Senator John Kerry and Representative Howard Berman to hold oversight hearings immediately. Then, watch the introductory video and send it around, alerting people to the urgency of this situation and the need for hearings.
Read the rest of the post on the flip side »
George Bush's Nightmare Before Christmas
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Films on December 16, 2008 at 7:00 AM.
The Bush administration isn't about to let democracy or the will of the people stop them from further ruining this country before they leave office. Knowing he can't get his long list of favors to his Republican cronies through Congress, Bush is doing a last minute end-run, jamming as many rules through the executive branch as he can during his waning days in power. These so-called "midnight regulations" will allow factories to pollute more, further restrict women's access to abortion services, cut off aid to needy families in the middle of a recession, and much more -- all without Congress' oversight or approval. It's wrong, it's antidemocratic, but, sadly, it's legal.
When given the opportunity to be "naughty or nice" this holiday season, Bush has clearly opted to go down as one of the naughtiest, most sinister presidents in our nation's history. We've created a satirical spin on the famous poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, in order to show President Bush crafting his last-minute agenda for health care, the environment, civil liberties, and labor practices -- rules that will affect everyone and will be difficult for the next administration to overturn. We are using humor here in the hopes that it both commands people's attention and enables us to shine a light on these all-too-serious midnight regulations.
After you've enjoyed this video, send it to friends and family (and don't forget to Digg it!). Let them know the harm President Bush's midnight regulations will bring. And stress the fact that there are far too many congressional representatives who have remained silent while Bush pushes midnight regulations that will wreak havoc on the lives of their constituents and local communities. We must call the tacit approval of these representatives into question.
Read the rest of the post on the flip side »
End the Death Penalty Today on Meet the Bloggers
Posted by Robert Greenwald, Meet the Bloggers on December 12, 2008 at 7:46 AM.
In this progressive era, isn't it time for the U.S. to abolish the death penalty? Doesn't everyone know by now the death penalty doesn't work as a deterrent and costs taxpayers more to prosecute than life imprisonment without the possibility of parole? It's uncivilized, ineffective, and inhumane.
This week on Meet the Bloggers, we're discussing the death penalty with actor Mike Farrell -- television's B.J. Hunnicutt on M*A*S*H* -- who has worked for social justice and human rights for more than 40 years. A lifelong opponent of the death penalty, Farrell is president of Death Penalty Focus. He joins show host Cenk Uygur and Liliana Segura, the Rights and Liberties blogger for Alternet.
We'll also talk to blogger Bryna Subherwal about Amnesty International's Global Write-a-Thon, now in progress. Plus, we'll learn about the state of the death penalty in Mexico from special correspondent Axel Woolfolk, as well as the hypocrisy of using the Bible to justify the death penalty from Brave New Films blogger Jonathan Kim.
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