Good News for Justice: Anti-Corruption Hits Back

Posted on December 9, 2008 by Steve

Some of today’s highlights include:

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is found to have abused his powers in his role as Commissioner. This guy wouldn’t stick around to hear the many witnesses who wanted to testify at the FCC Hearings in Harrisburg last year. Thankfully, the Democrat Commissioners stayed until the very end.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Illinois has been arrested on corruption charges stemming from an FBI wiretapping sting. One charge included Blagojevich attempting to remove $8 million in funding from a CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL because its CEO refused to give $50,000 in campaign contributions to Blagojevich. And this guy is supposed to pick Obama’s successor.
Finally, 3 members of the world’s 6th largest standing army, the NYPD, have been charged with sexual assault and covering-up October’s sodomy attack on a Brooklyn tattoo artist. Apparently the man was smoking marijuana in a subway station. He must have been quite violent being on a drug approved for medical use in 11 states and recently decriminalized in Connecticut! I hope they get a cell near Patrick Pogan, who assaulted a Critical Mass rider this past July. There are times when I miss NYC, but I certainly don’t miss or respect these hitmen.

I’ll wrap up with a video I came across about a huge ride in 2007 where the NYPD targetted videographers, much like they did at the 2004 RNC.

Build Mass Transit & Bicycling Infrastructure NOW!

Posted on December 8, 2008 by Steve

An open letter to President Obama:

Dear Obama Transition Team:

Please emphasize mass transit, bicycling, and walking within your Infrastructure plan. Statistics show us Americans are driving less and less, while mass transit and biking are growing fast. Let’s account for this and build a country that is proud of its sustainable transportation options.

Build a world class rail system, ensure easy-to-use and high-frequency transit systems throughout our cities, and require all building projects to accommodate safe travel for bicyclists and pedestrians. These are the type of Green Jobs we need, not simply building new roadways, which only further promote the use of unsustainable transportation options.

If Americans gained access to a reliable, affordable, and high-speed rail system, we would also resolve the enormous problem of airplane emissions. To date, there has been little discussion from your Transition team regarding air travel and its enormous impact on our environment. We need alternatives to flying and driving long distances, a world-class rail system would effectively do this while providing millions of jobs.

Please fulfill your promises regarding the promotion of sustainable forms of transportation, make the creation of a nationwide network of mass transit, bicycling, and walking infrastructure a hallmark of your Administration. This type of focus will lead to job-creation and sustainability we can all believe in. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Steve Bozzone
Portland, OR

Send your own thoughts on Obama’s transportation priorities. See also: Obama CTO / Obama’s Urban Policy Prioritizer.

The Real Cost of Oil & Militarism

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Steve

click here to learn more

Our wartime President-Elect on his ambitions:

Sounding presidential, Senator Barack Obama said Wednesday he would order a surge of U.S. troops – perhaps 15,000 or more – to Afghanistan as soon as he reached the White House.

“We’re confronting an urgent crisis in Afghanistan,” Mr. Obama, the Democratic contender and now clear front-runner to replace George W. Bush, said Wednesday.

“It’s time to heed the call … for more troops. That’s why I’d send at least two or three additional brigades to Afghanistan,” he said in his most hawkish promise to date.

A U.S. army brigade includes about 5,000 soldiers along with tanks, armoured personnel carriers and helicopter gunships. via Globe and Mail

Palestine

Posted on November 12, 2008 by Steve

I’ve fallen in love with libraries again. Portland’s system is robust, and now that I have time to spend time in this wonderful institution, I’ve enjoyed checking out various media, reading Sunday papers, and ultimately having a space to relax that doesn’t require the exchange of cash.

Colleen has introduced me to graphic novels, and I’ve enjoyed reviewing the MOME series, which without a library membership I might otherwise have passed on. Most recently, I finished Palestine, by Joe Sacco. Joe combines journalism with comics, it is an innovative way to tell stories. Go ahead and put it ON HOLD at your local library, and prepare to find yourself deep inside the Palestinian experience. The injustice, the unbelievable suffering, the lack of hope.

These chronicles were from the early 90′s and I ponder how much has changed since Joe was able to visit. Who will save Palestine?

He’s Better Than Bush, But He’s No Anti-War President

Posted on November 6, 2008 by Steve

Here’s a video from our country’s strongest and most effective peace activists, Iraq Veterans Against the War. No doubt they’re hoping for Obama’s ear on this issue, but will they be heard?

Change We Can’t Believe In

Posted on November 4, 2008 by Steve

Obama looks nearly set to win the Presidential race, and by and far this is good news for the world. After many months of resisting direct support for Barack Obama, I have voted for him in Pennsylvania via absentee ballot. My pen wavered between Obama and Nader, my gut telling me to ensure Pennsylvania does NOT go for McCain, but my heart crying for REAL change and REAL hope that consumer-rights activist Ralph Nader could offer our country. If a third-party candidate could qualify for federal funding, we would actually be talking about a different America, not two campaigns that represent a broad, status-quo platform.

I consider issues most important to me: universal health care for ALL Americans, funding for jobs and education – not defense contracts and prisons, ending United States colonialism worldwide, and equal human economic rights for ALL Americans. Not only are Obama and McCain not even close to considering these options, their representative parties are equally as bland when it comes to fighting life-or-death issues in the U.S. Then I read what Ralph Nader considers on the table in his administration, or what Cynthia McKinney and the Green Party’s guiding principles, which include a binding pact to accept ZERO dollars from corporate interests.

I was surprised to hear from a DNC fundraiser that “Obama doesn’t accept donations from lobbyists,” because there’s MILLIONS in corporate donations to the Obama campaign by BIG guns like Citigroup, Lehman Brothers and Google, who are predicting who will win this 2008 bout. Obama is also heavily influencing the outcome of the election with buckets of cash, even though George Bush was heavily criticized by Democrats and progressives for doing the same in 2000 and 2004.

Clearly Obama will have a lasting effect if he has the likely opportunity to choose a few Supreme Court Justices, which will heavily impact hot-button human rights issues such as reproductive rights, stem-cell research, the death penalty, and the right to die. He will push the country in a better direction in terms of education and health care, but Democrats have shown us they are comfortable with watered down universal health care.

I’m dissappointed in myself and other progressives for falling into this again, the Republicans are really good at offering candidates who are absolutely frightening enough to be scared into voting for the other team. There were smaller Pennsylvania and Philadelphia races in which I voted for Green, Libertarian, Independent AND Republican candidates – I suppose the more radical changes will have to come locally, first.

Until then, enjoy the end of the Bush regime!