Yesterday I woke up to about 2.5 centimetres of snow on the ground while today it was freezing rain for a short time. The temperatures warmed up during the day so no more ice or snow, at least not on the ground about me. But a quick look upwards yields a beautiful sight . . . more snow on the mountains behind me. What a glorious view!
Short Takes
Common Dreams — Speaking just blocks away from the belly of the beast, presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders on Tuesday gave a major policy speech during which he laid out his plan to take on Wall Street and end the era of "too big to fail" banking.
"To those on Wall Street who may be listening today, let me be very clear," Sanders said. "Greed is not good. Wall Street and corporate greed is destroying the fabric of our nation. And, here is a New Year’s Resolution that we will keep: If you do not end your greed we will end it for you."
A great speech from Bernie, and he is so correct . . . the US needs Glass-Steagall. The world needs Glass-Steagall in the US.
Council of Canadians — On October 5, 2015, Canada, the United States, Mexico and nine other countries – together representing more than 40 per cent of the global economy – announced the conclusion of negotiations on the massive Trans-Pacific Partnership “free trade” deal.
The Council of Canadians opposes this deal because it includes an investor-state dispute settlement provision that allows transnational corporations to sue governments over legislation or policies made in the public interest, it extends the patent length (and profits) of pharmaceutical corporations by delaying the introduction of lower cost generic drugs, it slashes the domestic content requirement for automobiles, putting thousands of autoworker jobs at risks, and it undermines family farmers by opening up the Canadian dairy market to imports without creating new export markets for Canadian farmers.
The TPP could be voted on in the new Parliament early in 2016 and is expected to face a U.S. Congressional vote in the spring of 2016.
Read on in Council of Canadians.
The TPP directly threatens:
Public health and access to medicines: The U.S. is using the TPP to push for excessive patent protections and other intellectual property rights that are guaranteed to make medication much more expensive in Canada and even inaccessible to the poorest countries involved in the negotiations. Across the world, health advocates claim it is a matter of life and death that we say no to these changes in the TPP.
Click through for more details. The video below is followed by a RootsAction petition if you haven't already signed it.
My objection to this deal can be summed up in three words: People not profits! Just before Christmas, my student received news from her family in South Sudan . . . a close friend, who was like a sister but younger than her, died. She had been ill a short time but with no doctor nearby and no money to buy medicine, her fate was sealed. Her aunt's daughter-in-law who is very ill, will likely meet the same fate. In the US, how many people cannot afford life saving drugs and medical treatment, even with Obamacare. You generally can thank Republicans for that . . . and their corporate masters! But the TPP affects more than just pharmaceuticals. People before profits!
Common Dreams — American big business has now officially endorsed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), giving many all the proof they need that the 12-nation deal—poised to be the largest ever—is bad news for people and the planet. …
That endorsement followed Monday's announcement from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) that it is throwing its weight behind the pact. "Open markets encourage cooperation and prosperity among nations and governments, rather than conflict, …"
And if you believe that highlighted line, have I got a bridge over swamp land to sell!
YouTube — Two videos from John Oliver,
And now a lighter look at resolutions.
My Universe —
And you thought it was only in Narnia and Lord of the Rings that trees showed their faces!
10 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 05/01/2016”
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Petitions in PP stories signed. Here is another one – Glass-Steagall Act
Common Dreams/Bernie Sanders
Let's break up the big banks!
There’s an important thing to know about Too Big To Fail that a lot of mainstream analysts don’t mention.
But you might have heard it in Bernie Sanders’s major speech about how he’d take on the big banks.
“If a bank is too big to fail, it is too big to exist… a handful of huge financial institutions simply have too much economic and political power over this country.”
–Bernie Sanders, Jan. 5, 2016
Yes, breaking up the banks is about political power.
The big banks don’t just have a stranglehold on our economy, their armies of lobbyists have a hold on our politics, too.
That’s why it’s so important to pass Elizabeth Warren’s 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act mentioned today: It breaks up the banks, getting us closer to an economy AND a government that works for all of us.
Sign the petition to tell Congress: Pass the 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act to break up the Too Big To Fail banks!
Petition:
http://act.demandprogress.org/sign/break-up-the-big-banks/?source=rootstrikers&t=1&akid=3905.3068451.UtYUHk
Cartoon: Awesome Tree Face!
Watch and listen to the video: WikiLeaks – The US strategy to create a new global legal and economic system: TPP, TTIP, TISA just above the TPP petition link. Highly recommended.
Petitions signed (thanks Lynn and Jim).
Not really separate issues, banks and big business in incestuous relationships and producing the expected deformed offspring.And not so easy to get rid of a power system that "works so well" but only for those for whom it works at all.
Universe – magnificent photograph! And it's not surprising he looks a little peeved. What is surprising to me is that he doesn't look even more angry. As in "furious."
2.5 cm may sound like a lot, but it's only 1".
Great mindss fall in the same ditch. Same topic as my lead storyu today, but different sourses.
I stand with the Cpuncil of Canadians.
Amen Oliver!
Does that tree have a built in Squatch?
That bearded man in snow is incredible!
I did a wee bit of digging, and see that it was a "Daily Picks & Flicks" from almost four years back (3/3/12):
http://dailypicksandflicks.com/2012/03/13/daily-picdump-421/snow-face-with-beard-on-a-tree/
Do you know anything more about it? Who took it? Where taken? Etc.?
Have no idea. I saw it on Care2 and liked it. I am sure that TC would say it is a Squatch in a selfie!
Really? A selfie?
Then I'll be so bold to offer one word WRT that … hmmm … errr … facial growth:
ELECTROLYSIS!
Thank you for helping to stop the TPP
We most certainlt need Glass-Steagall back!
And, I just loved The Lord of the Rings, have been a big fan of Ents ever since!
If Bernie makes it to the White House he will bring along a bunch of congressional dems. That ought to make it somewhat possible for him to get his agenda going.
The rain has stopped here after three days (about 50 mm in three days, not bad at all and very much needed) and the temperatures are back in the 30s (°C) withe a little breeze, drying my laundry in 1/2 -1 hour , but back in the Netherlands a cod red warning has been given off for the North, roads and footpaths may become killers because of sleet. I know where I'm rather at now. And I don't begrudge you your magnificent view, Lynn (well, not much), I'm very content with mine (wallabies with joeys in their pouches, galahs, sulfur crested cockatoos and king parrots enjoying their dinner together).
Common Dream: I'll give the same comment I've given elsewhere: "Who would have thought that an American would ever warm the cockles of my Democratic Socialist's heart. Go Bernie! GO! "
Council of Canadians: Let's hope their regained political sense will allow Canadians also to retain their sense of preservation and their common sense as Canada has already felt what it means to be sued by companies that want things done their way.
The very fact that TPP, TTIP and TISA, and most of these trade deals, are negotiated by governments and government leaders on behalf of the big global corporations and give them all the ask for to circumvent regional laws and regulations and sue countries for putting the interest of their citizens first, show who's really in charg here and ruling the world. Open markets, my a$$
Darn, wish I could see these John Olivier video's.
My Universe: Beautiful picture by a very observant photographer.