Trump Protest Thoughts

New York had a relatively peaceful demonstration yesterday. Peaceful assembly is a right in the Constitution. New Yorkers also know that Trump is a con man -- he has a history of it and lost decisively in New York, and he's a former Queen's street boy. We don't see him keeping his populist promises (which he borrowed from Bernie who had huge crowds that went unreported in mainstream corporate media). It is not in Trump's character. He's already reneged on his wall promise -- it is now a strong 2-layered fence at certain places (like Hillary suggested). I think it is early to be out in the streets but I will be there, peacefully and loudly, when he attacks women's rights, the social safety net, the environment, etc., and doesn't deliver on jobs and stopping bad trade deals. The folks out there are being pro-active and should not be condemned for peaceful assembly. Violence is another matter.

Post Election 2016 Thought

Bernie had the energy and the crowds and a solid history of anti-establishment populism. The DNC pushed a flawed candidate with both earned and unearned baggage down our throats. That said, look to Bernie Sanders and the movement he has created, and push forward.

Chamber of Commerce vs The People

Thom Hartmann and others have been talking about it. I googled and found several good articles about how the Chamber President Tom Donohue is determined to spend over $60 million in the 2008 Elections to defeat populist candidates. (Why do you think Big Media refuses to cover John Edwards?) For a good overview, see the AFL-CIO weblog piece Chamber of Commerce vs. Populists. Donahue said, "We plan to build a grassroots business organization so strong that when it bites you in the butt, you bleed."