Naomi Klein: The Financial Crisis Presents a Huge Opportunity for Change -- We Can't Let Obama Blow It

Can't be ... She would see that Obama is running the Shock Doctrine Gambit on the American People. Trilions in Wall Street Bailouts, Ramping up in Afghanistan, Killing real help for the poor, the working poor and the middle class in credit card ripoffs and cramdown denial ... And this praise for Rahm Emanuel, where does that come from?

Reading Naomi's speech was like living a nightmare, going down the rabbit hole. Was somebody holding her family hostage? All I can say is " Somebody shake me and wake me out of this bad dream but I also saw her on The Charlie "Bilderberg Meeting" Rose Show and she was just as bad if not worse there. Naomi Klein was a heroine of mine ... no more ...

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I have great respect for Naomi Klein and think her speech was very good and a call to continue to push Obama to pursue the progressive ideals for which we feel he was elected, instead of getting bogged down by the corporate political machine that is the Democratic Party. Unfortunately, his support for the bailout and continuation of Bush war policies have shown he is still do willing to try to have his cake and eat it, too, so there is, obviously, a lot of pushing needed.

Her point about principles is very important. We don't need a 600 page document describing the health care plan, we need a simple guiding statement that we are going to enact a universal single-payer health plan, starting immediately by expanding Medicare to cover everyone! After that is in place one can start examining details of cost containment, etc.

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What is up with Naomi Klein? Has her taste of celebrity made her backtrack on the brilliant insights that were written by her previously? She begins to sound like yet another progressive shill for the BHO 24/7 publicity train.

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It must be time for the Democrats to implode so they can keep pace with the Republicans. All we read about lately, is internal division within the Democratic party, with many going off in different directions just when party unity is most needed. Almost like they had a death wish.

The general public is witness to grimy side of both of the major parties as they can't seem to coalesce around any one point to effect "change" which is what the people want. The power of lobbies and their money is all too evident and will carry the day as usual and the people be damned.

Nader talked himself hoarse, trying to wake up the people to the fact that neither Republicans nor Democrats care a fig about anything but their perpetuation in office and this truth is being revealed now, with the Democrats opposing many of the progressive changes that are basic to what this country needs to reform and to get back on its feet.

I read and re-read this disjointed and rambling speech by Klein before concluding that she also must be a victim of implosion. Her usual clarity of purpose is absent and one is left with the impression that she is either totally burned out or terminally confused about which way to go to fulfill the many promises Obama made to the people.

Klein's praise for Emmanuel, as an effective assistant to the president, is certainly not borne out by any tangible results; his much touted ability to twist arms appears to be more fable than fact, as we see Obama fail effect the "change" in so many areas. We have the majority party wailing about not being able to muster the votes to bring about universal health care, an issue which is clearly what a majority of the people want.
The inescapable conclusion we must draw from this, is that the "lobbies" continue to run the show and the people are not even secondary to the monied interests. That's where the real story is!

Something aint right here, when people continue to dance all around the issue, with no one willing to address the "elephant in the room" which is the damn lobbies! This nation is NOT a democratic Republic by any stretch of the imagination!

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Notice that CNN now has adopted the MSM party line of referring to the health care public option as the "government plan" or "government-run insurance" -- all the better to scare people to death. Some blogger the other day warned that this was happening but I didn't believe it until I saw Suzanne Malvoux actually morph into one of those pods from Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Now Naomi Klein shows signs of "going green" in that way herself. Maybe she was just catering to the Obama worshipers in D.C. (He said hopefully)

But it really doesn't matter. It's pretty clear now that there is no such thing as a progressive or even liberal party in the U.S. that can make any difference.

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Consider the Connection to:
The CONSUMER
Who is the CONSUMER?
U & I
Where is the CONSUMER?
At the top of the Economic Pyramid.
Where is the Economic Pyramid?
Please Google Search:
Corporations
&
CTC123GREEN
The only inspiration & motivation for corporations is the bottom line.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

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I fear my far left cohorts are becoming as wild eyed, fanaitcal and delusional as the Far Right.
I appauld the reality the Torture photos & memos should be used only as means to prosecution- not Cables news' ratings boosters. Human rights includes Dignity and privacy.
Healthcare reform Must include a public option, and then use the market forces to ultimately obtain a nationalized healthcare systemA public option is a progressive move towards it.
As for the Bank Bailouts- folks they lost (or stole) all OUR money in the vaults. There was no choice but to replenish the 'nesteggs' that were lost by repriming the pump. Sucks but that is the reality. But full scale prosecutions and tight regulatory statues must be instituted. Unfortunately since almost everything they were doing was legalized by their Whores in congress & WH, we need to lure these sharks back in the water with some bait to catch them.
Afghanistan is a cluster and has been one for over 20 yrs. To pull out now will only leave the people of Afghanistan victims of the same Drug/Religio terrorist radicals who took over the country when we pulled out our covert oeprations after the Russian/Afghani war of the '80's. Screwing the people of Aghanistan again and kicking up the tempature in that premordial Hotbath of radicalism.
Alternative energy- lets not make the same mistake as we did going whole hog on Corn as biofuel. we are going to need to use some of the 'dirty' energy until we convert. And lets not forget the association of Powerlines and cancer/birth defects as we discuss Clean, renewable energy- it must also be safe. Electrical could pose as many health concerns as nuclear.
Stop fighting over verbage, accept the legality of 'Union'. Bob & Ted will not be arrested for saying they are 'married' (freedom of speech)
Broaden the Scope of conversation about what constitutes "Military Conduct and Code".Stronger evaluations as to what kind of thoughts, Ideologies and actions makes one 'Unfit for Duty'. Obviously there are far too many recruited and enlisted who pose a threat to their fellow troops, Our foreign 'charges' and dishonor US and the Uniform. Sexual orientation is not one of them. the Military's DADT policy needs to be revoked because it has been a code of silence which has been used to covered up many heinous crimes by soldiers and Officers.
It would behoove my fellow Progressives to review the definition of 'progress'. There are no magic wands, Progres takes time and requires thoughtful steps forward.

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If what Naomi says is progressive, then Germany's Christian Democratic Party and their Chancellor Angela Merkel are überprogressives.

So, yes, we're screwed. Screwed in the name of the dollar, which has ruled, rules and will rule this lovely country.

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"Naomi Klein: The Financial Crisis Presents a Huge Opportunity for Change -- We Can't Let Obama Blow It"

Naomi you really should read this book called "The Shock Doctrine". It outlines how certain people in power use disasters as opportunities to further their agendas. Usually their agendas benefit themselves and a small number of others, while being very detrimental to the remainder of society. Its almost one of those "Conspiracy Theory" thingies. Funny thing is I cannot recall who wrote it.

P.S. Obama allready blew it, on purpose.

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Just taking over factories does not solve the problem, otherwise communism would have been a great system. The crisis can only be solved if the root causes are recognised. These are usury (interest on money) and credit (the creation of money out of nothing).

If someone brought a 1/10 oz gold coin to the bank in the year 1 AD, and the money remained there until the year 2000 AD, collecting a yearly interest of 4%, the amount of gold in the account would have been 3.6 * 10^31 kilograms of gold. This is 1.9 * 10^27 cubic metres of gold weighing 317 times the complete mass of the Earth. This example demonstrates that interest on money is unsustainable and leads to crisis.

Credit and interest on money make it possible for an economy to grow above potential during a boom phase. In the boom phase investors add leverage using credit which further intensifies the boom, creating shortages of materials and labour resulting in rising prices. Interest on money entices banks to lend money to leveraged investors. Credit makes it possible to create money out of thin air, which enables the banks to fuel the boom. When the cycle turns into bust, investors start to deleverage, which intensifies the bust, creating surplusses of materials and labour resulting in falling prices. What most economists do not see, is that credit and interest on money are the root causes of economic booms and busts.

It is possible to end the depression in a few months, to have constant economic growth at maximum potential without crisis, unemployment and government intervention. You can read more about it here:

http://www.naturalmoney.org/introduction.html

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by a high-speed bag of nickles!

What happened Naomi, who/what turned you?

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If President Obama walked in the oval office the first day and was able to do anything he wanted, all of his campaign promises would have been kept that day. The great shame of all of this, and the shame is on us, is that never in history has one person been so attacked, so lied about, had so many calls for his harm and so vilified that I don't see how he does any job at all. We elected about 20 Democrats in the House and Senate that never vote Democratic. One is a rabid anti abortionist. And what have we done to stop the onslaught so he could do his job? We have complained. The only voices America hears are Limbaugh's, McConnell's, Hannity's, Beck's, screaming at the top of their lungs all day every day. There are about 50 people who do nothing but this. It has frightened so many Americans that they are not sure what is true anymore. They cannot find the TRUTH. They have turned their back on President Obama because we have not lifted one finger to protect him or back him. When they look to see what we think, when they go to the trouble to find an "AlterNet" all they see is what a terrible job we think he is doing. You go to work tomorrow and have everyone scream at you, have 3/4 of it be totally unfair and then have your boss stand back and disavow any knowledge of you. See how you feel. Right now he's putting a second term on the line so he can get decent healthcare reform. But Max Baucus (D) is fighting him tooth and nail. Where are your comments about what slime Max Baucus is? Do you read about the Dems who are blue dogs and how they are killing everything we need done? Are you calling for them to be replaced? If we lose Obama they will say that, again, and again, Democrats do not like the person they elected. You will get the evangelicals back. They will kill any life you hoped to have here. And when they do it they will use every word written against President Obama to say that even his own party thought he was lousy.

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First option: make the existing government work a bit better.

Second option: build your own community, which works pretty well. (you might take both these options on at the same time.)

Third option: dream. Build castles in the air, and put the foundations under them later. Sometimes this works.

Fourth option: Carp all day like a Republican.

I don't mind if Naomi Klein looks at the first option. The essence of M.L. King nonviolence is to negotiate with the adversary, then reach out to the people, then negotiate with the adversary, then escalate the actions, then negotiate with the adversary. At this time the government is slightly in a negotiating stance.

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There are those who wield power and those who talk about wielding power--never confuse the difference.

Not so long ago, you might have heard the slogan "power to the people." That meant that ordinary citizens were getting themselves organized in their communities to act on issues.

Klein cites the Republic Windows example. Yes, the workers were already organized. But it took incredible courage to insist that being shut down for lack of a loan from a bank that was being loaned $billions was insane. (I like Klein's naming the media as "insane;" it's true.)

If that's how Klein's remarks spoke to me, then what I hear in the carping upthread is people who would not recognize progressive positions even if spoken by Joe Hill. (If you don't know who that is, you are no progressive.) Or spoken by Norman Thomas (likewise). How about Michael Harrington. (Still not? no wonder we, progressives, are hopeless,)

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Those with megabucks and political power are thought of as superbeings and superior to ordinary people instead of the twisted, greedy psychopaths they actually are, we'll have a feudual system which will periodically self-destruct until rescued, only to begin the process over again. The way we THINK about these criminals is what must change.

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Into the memory hole. Nothing to see here folks.

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how about rational. Rational solutions in an irrational world. Rational planning pragmatic non ideological scientific these are all terms that can be used to undermine the opposition as they are the essence of a socialist economy. And they do work by the way, and they work much better when they do not have capitalist counter revolutionary empires undermining there every step.
Cheers,
RR

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?

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I would have liked to read it...now I'm stuck panning bits from the Google cache.

Removing this kind of article just makes everyone more curious about what it said, dontcha know.

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The above is the text of Naomi Klein's speech to the Momentum Plenary at the America's Future Now conference in Washington. It has been edited for length and clarity.

[The previous speech by activist Gabriela Sanchez] made me think of this idea of whether we should have Obama's back, or whether we should be pushing him further. You know Bob says both, and I think that's a good answer, but I also want to say something else, which is, Rahm Emanuel has Barack Obama's back. He is a great politician, Obama. He's doing fine and has people like Gabriela Sanchez and the people who work with her, who need us to have their back. It's a basic principle. A solidarity.

The president of the most powerful country in the world is doing all right. But there are a lot of people in this country who are not doing all right, and we need to rediscover these basic principles of solidarity in this moment more than any other.

There's another reason for having Obama's back when he gets criticized, which is the corporate media in this country is insane. This city is crazy; I don't know if you know this. So he gets attacked for all kinds of things -- everything -- including many, many things that are not at all progressive.

So, if our job is to just protect him when he's getting attacked, then we're going to end up protecting him from all kinds of things that we don't actually believe in. We believe in a lot more than that.

So, you end up in a situation where he gets attacked for releasing a memo on torture, but our goal isn't to have memos on torture released. Our goal, as [previous speaker Rep.] Keith Ellison reminded us, is to prosecute the people to the full extent of the law, who committed those crimes.

So let's not forget. Let's not forget what we believe in. He gets attacked in this city for not allowing the workers of General Motors to just screw off and die. That's cast as progressive, but what's actually happening at GM is not progressive, this downscaled, sort of vulture capitalist model of a bailout. We don't want that -- we want transformation.

Michael Moore just wrote a great piece, and a lot of economists, like Sam Gindin... -- he was the in-house researcher and economist for the Canadian Auto Workers Union, and he's been writing now for many months about the fact that we could be transforming the factories that are being closed down, all the feeder factories as well, into the engines of our new economy.

You think about a factory like Republic Windows & Doors. You know this factory that was making windows, energy-efficient windows, was shut down in the middle of this global economic crisis, and the workers in that factory -- the kind of people that need us to have their back, said, "No, I don't think we'll get fired this week."

And they went back into their factory. They occupied it, they guarded the machines with their bodies and said, "You're not going to auction off these machines to pay off the creditors. We're the creditors." They put Bank of America on trial, who had gotten all of this bailout money in the name of bailing out factories, bailing out creditors, and it turned out that they hadn't extended the line of credit at Republic Windows & Doors.

Anyway, they protected their factory. Now there's another buyer that's come in, realized they could get some stimulus money from the weatherization program ... so this factory is going to stay open.

But it's happening only because of these incredibly brave workers and their unions. It shouldn't just be left to that. This is a model. No factory in this country should be closed down before there is an environmental audit where you find out what sort of technological investment would it take to keep this factory open and producing for the supposed green new future.

And if the bosses don't want to run that factory,

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the only shock that will occur will be the impact on future generations due to the bankruptcy of the United States.

Nobody in their right mind would want to take on all that debt and to commit future generations to servitude.

Pay attention to the rest of world abandoning the dollar, with the result that all Americans will pay more and receive less.

Try not consuming so much and living within your means. Save for a rainy day. Maybe that will shock your system into being responsible.

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To all of Ms. Klein's fans who may not see the whole drawing...

The lady has a family. She has been on the road for some time now, speaking and putting out articles almost daily, while appearing on television. Sometimes in not friendly environments.

I believe she thought this piece was not up to her standards of professional writing...so she pulled it.

She must be tired, like any of us would be. I don't blame her.

Take a break, Naomi! Laugh a bit. hug the kids and your old man.:)

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Perhaps many of us don't understand the enormous pressure the establishment can exert on an individual. I heard Naomi speak of her phone being tapped and her bank account manipulated as well as her house being watched and her computer being manipulated. I know she was worried about her safety as well as her children' and their father. Many Americans are unwilling to believe that their government is willing to go to any length to protect "the secret". I have seen so many individuals start out with that grand attitude and ambition of wanting to do the right thing, for the public, only to see the energy shrivel up and change. I think that once you see the "secret" and who is behind it they come and talk to you, if you don't listen you have a car crash or plane crash or they find you hung yourself or overdosed on ibuprofen or drown or even shot in the head while riding in the back seat of a convertible. The fact is this; unless or until we can divorce money from the election process we will continue to have profiteers running our government. The corruption of public office is so endemic that it has become the norm. The democrats and republicans are two sides of the same coin, greed and the need to feel special or superior. As Ralph Nader said it, we have a two party dictatorship. Why didn't we have the same kind of reaction to the 2000 "election" as the Iranians are having?
Because politics have become a tool of the power elite with which to trick us into thinking democracy has a chance. We have been had by the military/industrial/intelligence complex that Eisenhower warned us about and there is not a damn thing we can do about it. Just ask Naomi!

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