Allen L Roland's Radio Weblog

36 HOUSE MEMBERS DEFEND GOLDSTONE REPORT / 344 CONDEMN IT

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:46:19 GMT

36 HOUSE MEMBERS DEFEND GOLDSTONE REPORT / 344 CONDEMN IT

In what has to be the most blatant act of allegiance to AIPAC versus their constituencies ~ the House of Representatives denounced the balanced and responsible Goldstone Gaza war crimes Report 344 to 36 despite the fact that every Israeli human rights NGO denounced the Gaza war and supports the Goldstone Report : Allen L Roland

Despite the fact that a Rasmussen poll during the Gaza war found 55% of Americans opposed it and only 33% supported it ~ 344 spineless members of Congress followed the money, sold their souls to AIPAC ( American Israel Public Affairs Committee ) and their generous pro-Israel campaign contributions and condemned a truly balanced and responsible UN Report by the highly respected Judge Richard Goldstone.

Goldstone, both a Jew and a Zionist, rightfully condemned Israel's policy of collective punishment of a people under effective occupation, destroying their means to live a dignified life as well as the trauma caused by the kind of military intervention the Israeli government called Operation Cast Lead. http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2009/10/29.html

With that in mind Bill Moyers had a classic 20 minute must see interview with Dr Goldstone last week which was fair, impartial and most revealing ~ because Goldstone comes across as extremely fair in his analysis as well as honest and meticulous in his findings.

Here's the video and transcript ~ http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/10232009/watch.html

This is another classic example of how America's Congress only answers to special interest groups ( such as AIPAC ) and Wall Street Corporate Lobbyists ~ while ignoring the wishes, desires and feelings of Main Street America.

These obviously biased Lawmakers approved a non-binding resolution that called the Goldstone report “irredeemably biased and unworthy of further consideration or legitimacy.”

The symbolic measure also urges President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “to strongly and unequivocally oppose” any discussion of the report or action on its findings in any international setting ( such as the UN )

What a blatant sellout !

Congressman Kucinich rightfully stated: "Today we journey from Operation Cast Lead to Operation Cast Doubt. Almost as serious as committing war crimes is covering up war crimes, pretending that war crimes were never committed and did not exist ... Because behind every such deception is the nullification of humanity, the destruction of human dignity, the annihilation of the human spirit, the triumph of Orwellian thinking, the eternal prison of the dark heart of the totalitarian." ( Video / 2 minutes ) http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23899.htm

Those that voted against this resolution are to be congratulated and they were:

Baird
Baldwin
Blumenauer
Boustany
Capps
Carson (IN)
Clarke
Clay
Davis (KY)
Dingell
Doggett
Edwards (MD)
Ellison
Filner
Grijalva
Hinchey
Johnson, E. B.
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kucinich
Lee (CA)
Lynch
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
Miller, George
Moran (VA)
Olver
Pastor (AZ)
Paul
Price (NC)
Rahall
Snyder
Stark
Waters
Watt
Woolsey (CA) My representative

As Tikun Olam correctly writes ~ " The Goldstone Report seeks to end Israeli impunity. It seeks to bring international law to bear on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It seeks to place limits and constraints on Israeli behavior during war. This is a struggle on which the IDF, the Israel lobby, and U.S. Congress are on the losing side of history. This is not Congress’ finest hour " http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2009/11/04/house-denounces-goldstone-baird-courageously-dissents/

The time has now come for Independents to form a third party, which will truly reflect the will of the people, and make its presence dramatically felt before the 2010 mid-term elections.

Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2009/11/06.html

Freelance Online columnist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews and speaking engagements ( allen@allenroland.com )

Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net

Allen Roland’s weblog: http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/
Website: www.allenroland.com
ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY

READ FINE PRINT IN HEALTH CARE REFORM PLAN

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:54:35 GMT

READ FINE PRINT IN HEALTH CARE REFORM PLAN

Read the fine print in the 2000 page Health Care Reform Plan. That's about 400,000 words and with an estimated 10-year cost of $894 billion, that comes out to about $2.24 million per word. Be forewarned ~ hidden in its legalese are huge payoffs for the too big to fail Insurance Industrial complex: Allen L Roland

Take the time to read the fine print of this monstrosity and be prepared for sticker shock. Here's an example courtesy of Julie Applebee, Kaiser Health news. FINANCE BILL'S FINE PRINT MAY CAUSE STICKER SHOCK FOR SOME CONSUMERS ~ which appears to be the old political bait and switch.

Excerpt: " The first year the legislation would take effect, people getting subsidized coverage would be required to pay from 2 to 12 percent of their incomes for insurance. The government would pick up the rest of the tab. People with lower incomes would pay less and those with higher incomes more. But in the second year, it changes. From then on, it is based on a percentage of the premium that was paid the first year, no matter how far premiums rise. For years, health insurance premiums have risen faster than wages, and the trend is expected to continue. "People are going to have to keep paying more and more,” says Judith Solomon, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan Washington research group that looked at the effect in a recent paper. " http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/October/29/Premiums.aspx

So here's how it is suppose to play out ~ Obama gets his severely depleted Health Care Reform Bill , which doesn't take effect until 2013, but just in time for the mid-term and Presidential elections and the Insurance Industrial Complex gets its pound of flesh bailout but the American taxpayers don't get what they really wanted ~ Single Pay Health Insurance.

Dennis Kucinich summed up this injustice on the House floor yesterday ~ as he fought for the right of States to secure a single payer plan.

" Even though insurance companies make money not providing health care, the so-called reform bill gives so much power and money to the insurance companies that we are giving far too much for the few benefits which the bill may confer ... For example ~ The Insurance companies get at least another 26 million customers, they will receive at least an extra $ 50 billion in new revenue and, get this, they will be able to raise premiums 25%, even though in each of the last four consecutive years the industry has raised premiums by double digits."

So here we go again, Wall Street got bailed out by TARP and the Insurance weasels will be bailed out by the Health Care Reform Plan HCRP and who, once again, did not get what they wanted but is footing the bill ~ the American taxpayer. Once again, it will be a victory for Wall Street's too big to fail and a defeat for Main Street's too small to matter.

Read the fine print and support the Kucinich Amendment (H.R. 676) which must be put back in the health care bill, not just to protect the rights of states to pursue single payer, but to protect the rights of consumers to be free of the economic death grip of the insurance companies.

You can also urge your Senators and Representatives to support the Single Payer Health Plan (H.R. 676) by signing this petition:
http://www.democrats.com/single-payer-petition

Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2009/11/04.html

Freelance Online columnist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews and speaking engagements ( allen@allenroland.com )

Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net

Cartoon courtesy of Tom Toles / Washington Post

Allen Roland’s weblog: http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/
Website: www.allenroland.com
ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY

WALL STREET CRIME SYNDICATE / GOLDMAN SACHS EXPOSED

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:09:16 GMT

WALL STREET CRIME SYNDICATE / GOLDMAN SACHS EXPOSED

Greg Gordon, McClatchy News Investigative reporter, reveals how Goldman Sachs didn't tell buyers of 40 Billion in toxic Mortgage securities that it was secretly betting the other way ~ standard fare for a Wall Street crime syndicate that is about to become exposed : Allen L Roland

As I have said for some time, it's an Oligarchy, folks ~ the tyranny of the elites with government and Wall Street ruled by the powerful few ~ and the Obama administration is part of it.

In other words, Wall Street is the only game in town and it's crooked ! Ben Bernanke is a stooge for the Oligarchy along with former NY Fed chief and present Sec of the Treasury ~ Tim Geithner. http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2009/09/21.html

Here is Greg Gordon's, McClatchy News, detailed article on how Goldman Sach's scammed the system by selling toxic mortgages that they knew were not being reviewed ~ and then secretly bet the other way with high flying derivatives. http://www.truthout.org/1101095

But better yet listen to the highly respected Gerald Celente, who pulls no punches, announce that the political system is failing the America people and that the Banks ( Oligarchy ) are robbing us blind " Worldwide we are being set up for the greatest Depression and here, in the United States, it will be called Obamageddon."

Here is Celente's must see video interview ~

Gerald Celente on King World News | Part 1/4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNiAAiSMu9Y&;feature=player_embedded

If you're not outraged, you're on life support. As Celente predicts ~ watch for the formation of an angry Progressive / Libertarian third party before the mid-term elections in 2010 and I'll be an active participant.

Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2009/11/02.html

Freelance Online columnist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews and speaking engagements ( allen@allenroland.com )

Allen Roland’s weblog: http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/
Website: www.allenroland.com
ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY

WHY I DON'T TEXT MESSAGE

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:06:28 GMT

WHY I DON'T TEXT MESSAGE

As I have told my friends ~ the reason I don't have a cell phone or text is because I like my privacy and enjoy being out of reach and in the moment wherever I am. It's refreshing, somehow the world survives and I apparently avoid accidents and brain tumors : Allen L Roland

LY Love You

ROTFL Rolling on the floor laughing

T2UL8R Talk to you later

IHAHCAWTU In hospital after having car accident while texting you

AAW / NBB Alive & Well / No broken bones

IHNDE I had near death experience

IHAVSETLBBTL I heard a voice saying embrace the light by being the light

SMHND Scratching my head in disbelief

TOH Typing one-handed

TFIA The food is awful

VSF Very sad face

YAA Yet another acronym!

NMTWD No more texting while driving

PCIW2HYV Please call, I want to hear your voice

GFN Gone for now

OMG / TW2DACSOMB Oh my God / They want to do a cat scan on my brain

Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2009/11/01.html

Freelance Online columnist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews and speaking engagements ( allen@allenroland.com )

Allen Roland’s weblog: http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/
Website: www.allenroland.com
ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY

CAN A TRUE PUBLIC OPTION BE RAISED FROM THE DEAD ?

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:20:41 GMT

CAN A TRUE PUBLIC OPTION BE RAISED FROM THE DEAD ?

The Public Option, like Charley Brown's fictitious Great Pumpkin, keeps periodically rising from the dead to entice the public and scare conservative legislators and then disappears again. Now it has become a great ' Bait and Switch ' scenario which so far has completely fooled the American Public ~ for the vast majority of most Americans will still not have access to a Public Option under its current costume: Allen L Roland

I'm so tired of Pelosi's so called 'Robust Public option' and various other descriptions of a public option Health plan ~ when it's obvious America needs a single pay Medicare type public health plan but eventually will settle for a watered down version of a public option which was not the original actual "option" proposed in the Senate HELP Committee bill and HR 3200 but instead a Senate and House ' reform ' bill ~ which will be available only to about 30 million people, or about one American in ten and, get this, would apparently not be unavailable to the approximately 160 million people already covered through employers.

As Carolyn Lochhead writes in SF Gate ~ " House and Senate bills limit the option to the smallest businesses and to individuals who cannot get insurance, or whose health care costs exceed 12.5 percent of their income. Even seven years into an overhaul, an estimated 90 percent of Americans, including nearly everyone who has employer-based coverage now, would be shut out of a public option." Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/10/29/MNAL1ABCOT.DTL

It's the old Bait and switch fellow citizens ~ so be prepared to read the fine print before you buy into the long awaited Public Option ~ which may well be as real as Charley Brown's mystical great pumpkin.

Kip Sullivan explains ~
BAIT AND SWITCH ON 'PUBLIC OPTION' FOOLING PUBLIC

Kip Sullivan, Physicians for a Public Health Plan ~ " The New York Times reported on Saturday, October 17, that Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) is warning his constituents that the "public option" is not going to be available to the great majority of Americans. No one who has actually read the Senate health committee's "reform" bill or the House "reform" bill disputes this. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the "option" will be available only to about 30 million people, or about one American in ten. As the Times put it (slightly inaccurately), the "option" in the Democrats' legislation "would be out of bounds to the approximately 160 million people already covered through employers."

Does the public understand this? According to Wyden, they don't. Wyden says his constituents are shocked when they are told the "option" will not be available to the vast majority of Americans. When he began informing his constituents about this truth last summer, "They nearly fell out of the bleachers," he said .

I have written several papers warning the public that they have been the object of a "bait and switch" campaign by the leadership of the "option" movement. The "bait" in this campaign was the original version of the "option" promoted by Jacob Hacker. This version would have created an enormous public program that would have insured half the non-elderly population. Among several provisions of this first version of the "option" that would have ensured large size was one that said the "option" had to be available to all non-elderly Americans. The "switch" occurred when Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and three chairmen of House committees drafted legislation that would create a very small and weak "option."

After reading Wyden's warning, I examined over 50 polls to see if any pollsters had bothered to investigate the issue Wyden is raising. . . I discovered that the nation's best known polling firms have allowed themselves to be fooled. Pollsters are asking the public the wrong question. They are asking the public to comment on Hacker's original version of the "option" (the "bait"), not the actual "option" proposed in the Senate HELP Committee bill and HR 3200. Not surprisingly, the polls tell us very little about whether the public thinks the "option" will be available to everyone or to just a small minority. " http://prorev.com/2009/10/word_21.html

Why is this not a surprise to me or most Americans ? Because the vast majority of Americans know that Congress listens to special interest groups before they listen to their constituency ~ and then only when their election is at stake.

Next year is a mid-term election ~ so let's turn the tables and demand the truth and transparency regarding the so called Public Option. In summary ~ lost amid the ideological battle for a public option is a key overlooked fact ~ The vast majority of Americans would have no access to a public option even under its most expansive versions.

States should be free to create the best possible healthcare plans for their residents. If Congress gives States the right to "opt-in" or "opt-out" of a national "public option," it must also give States the right to "opt-in" to a State Single Payer plan.

Tell Congress the "Kucinich Amendment" must be included in a "Managers Amendment" to H.R. 3962 immediately. Pelosi will decide on Monday.
http://democrats.com/state-single-payer?cid=ZGVtczY1MzMzZGVtcw%3D%3D

Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2009/10/31.html

Freelance Online columnist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews and speaking engagements ( allen@allenroland.com )

Allen Roland’s weblog: http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/
Website: www.allenroland.com
ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY

GOLDSTONE TELLS MOYERS / ISRAEL GUILTY OF WAR CRIMES

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:07:46 GMT

GOLDSTONE TELLS MOYERS / ISRAEL GUILTY OF WAR CRIMES

Bill Moyers interviews Judge Richard Goldstone

Highly respected Judge Richard Goldstone, who is both a Jew and a Zionist, rightfully condemns Israel's policy of collective punishment of a people under effective occupation, destroying their means to live a dignified life as well as the trauma caused by the kind of military intervention the Israeli government called Operation Cast Lead: Allen L Roland

The highly anticipated Goldstone human rights report has exposed Judge Goldstone to both universal acclaim as well as some strident and bitter criticism ~ mainly from the Israeli far right ~ however, late last week, the UN's Human Rights Council officially endorsed his findings.

With that in mind Bill Moyers had a classic 20 minute must see interview with Dr Goldstone last week which was fair, impartial and most revealing ~ because Goldstone comes across as extremely fair in his analysis as well as honest and meticulous in his findings.

His report accused both the Israel Defense Forces and Hamas of war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity. While condemning Palestinian rocket attacks, the report's harshest language was rightfully reserved for Israel's treatment of civilians in Gaza.

This interview took place at the same time the United Nations is calling on Israel to immediately halt forced evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, warning that as many as 60,000 people there may be at risk of forced evictions, demolitions and displacement. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=32736&;Cr=Jerusalem&Cr1=

Here is the Moyer 20 minute Journal interview and transcript as well as some pertinent excerpts;

BILL MOYERS: " Your report, as you know, basically accuses Israel of waging war on the entire population of Gaza."

RICHARD GOLDSTONE: " That's correct."

BILL MOYERS: " I mean, there are allegations in here, some very tough allegations of Israeli soldiers shooting unarmed civilians who pose no threat, of shooting people whose hands were shackled behind them, of shooting two teenagers who'd been ordered off a tractor that they were driving, apparently carrying wounded civilians to a hospital, of homes, hundreds, maybe thousands of homes destroyed, left in rubble, of hospitals bombed. I mean there are some questions about one or two of your examples here, but it's a damning indictment of Israel's conduct in Gaza, right? "

RICHARD GOLDSTONE: " Well, it is outrageous, and there should have been an outrage. You know, the response has not been to deal with the substance of those allegations. I've really seen or read no detailed response in respect of the incidents on which we report. "

BILL MOYERS: " Why is that? "

RICHARD GOLDSTONE: " Well, you know, I don't know. I suppose people hate being attacked. There's a knee-jerk reaction to attack the messenger rather than the message. And I think this is typical of that. And of course, a lot of the allegations, I certainly don't claim anything like infallibility. But I would like to see a response to the substance, particularly the attack on the infrastructure of Gaza, which seems to me to be absolutely unjustifiable."

Goldstone made an important point, during the interview, when he reminded Moyers that Gaza is not a nation state and alluded to the very important point that no civilian population can be expected not to strike back at illegal settlements built on occupied territory ~ which is obviously, as reported, still going on.

This may very well be wishful thinking ~ but the Obama Administration should support the Goldstone report which urges Israel to investigate its military's documented misdeeds. It should also not equivocate regarding the Goldstone recommendation that the UN Security Council refer the matter to the International Criminal Court ~ if Israel fails to comply.

Here's the video and transcript ~ http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/10232009/watch.html

Petition to the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council: In light of the evidence of war crimes on both sides in the report of the UN fact-finding mission on Gaza, we call on you to demand independent and credible national investigations, and if this is not done, commit to an international process, using all your powers to ensure that justice is done and the continuing blockade of Gaza’s civilian population is lifted. http://www.avaaz.org/en/truth_for_gaza

Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2009/10/29.html

Freelance Online columnist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews and speaking engagements ( allen@allenroland.com )

Allen Roland’s weblog: http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/
Website: www.allenroland.com
ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY

NEIGHBORHOOD PIZZA BAR IS A BLESSING DURING HARD TIMES

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:58:30 GMT

NEIGHBORHOOD PIZZA BAR IS A BLESSING DURING HARD TIMES

During these hard financial times why not seek out a friendly local tavern and get to know your neighbors while warming your spirits as we all try to survive: Allen L Roland

When times are tough and money is tight ~ it's the little pleasures that count and, for us, one of those little pleasures is the Corner Bar at Sonoma's Pizzeria Capri with its huge 51 inch HD sports television screen and consistently great food ~ we have never been disappointed.

Keiko and I watched the recent baseball playoffs there while enjoying their generous appetizers, fresh salads, savory Pasta, tasty Pizza and scrumptious homemade garlic bread ( with fresh garlic, mozzarella cheese and oregano ) Yum !!

Not to mention Inger's delicious homemade apple pie ala mode ~ to die for ! Norwegians have always been the best bakers and Inger is right up there with the best of them.

The quality of their food reflects their obvious family pride, unlike other commercial restaurants, and the warm friendly atmosphere is a welcome oasis for anyone who steps through their doors. The extensive wine and beer selection is also quite reasonable ~ with happy hour specials Monday through Thursday 4 to 6 PM.

We always feel welcomed ~ almost like we are part of the Gundeid family ~ because all four of their delightful adult children work there and serve the patrons.

Located at 1266 Broadway, just to the north of Train Town, this restaurant and corner bar is Sonoma's best kept secret and its been family owned and operated since 1989. ( That's almost as long as I've lived here )

Check out their website www.pizzeriacapriristorante.com

and note their menu ( all items can be prepared to go ) or better yet join us at the Corner Bar ~ we'll be there every night watching the World Series.

Allen L Roland

http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2009/10/28.html

Freelance Online columnist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews and speaking engagements ( allen@allenroland.com )

Allen Roland’s weblog: http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/
Website: www.allenroland.com
ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY