We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Sen. Coburn Blasted for Blocking Veteran Suicide Prevention Bill

Click here to access article from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
Due to the action of one U.S. Senator, critical legislation that would address the epidemic of veteran suicide was today blocked in the Senate. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), which spearheaded the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans....
We have constantly heard the theme "support our troops" in mainstream media whenever our masters in the ruling capitalist class want ordinary young Americans to serve in their imperial armies. Have you noticed how they ignore this theme after they are finished using these young Americans? This article reports on another illustration of this. 

One might argue that this is an incorrect interpretation because the House of Representatives passed the bill unanimously. I don't think for one minute that Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma was strictly acting independently. After all, such an extremely unpopular action would jeopardize his re-election. He very likely received his orders from the directors of the ruling class who are far more interested in supplying war materials to Ukraine than to "support our (former) troops". Coburn knows that he can rely on the ruling class to provide him with all the money he needs to be re-elected, or else they will find him a high-income cushy job in a corporation or some branch of government. In short, he will be well taken care of.