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| [credit Mike Keefe, the DenverPost] |
The fabric of American democracy has become woefully threadbare in the 21st century, and anybody whose brain is not addled by mass media, drugs, or alcohol knows national politics is now exclusively a rich man's contest*. What awaits potential occupiers of Chicago to protest the G-8 meeting in May is machine mayor Rahm Emanuel armed with a historically violent police force, new draconian demonstration ordinances, video surveillance cameras hidden and airborne, and cordoned-off "free assembly areas" that in actually are police holding pens. Mr. Putin should be impressed. Similar plans are afoot for Tampa and Charlotte, the site of the party conventions later in the year. Both sides of the American duopoly are spending cash in unprecedented amounts to win the auction.
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| [credit: Adam Zyglis, the Buffalo News] |
Wackydoodle sez, Smoke 'em!
*Americans for Prosperity, the political front organization of the Koch Brothers is spending $700,000 on television advertising to convince Wisconsinites to retain their union busting governor, Scott Walker, in the recall election now underway. Its only part of a "stand with Walker" campaign being financed by the Kochs. All told the election could cost as much as $70 million. According to Reuters, Walker's donors include rich conservatives like Bob Perry a Houston home builder who gave the governor $500,000. Hedge fund manager Bruce Kovner gave $100,000, and oil executive Trevor Rees-Jones also gave $100,000 to Walker's campaign to stay in office.
