Lynch Mob: Someone has to pay!

There's been a terrible crime and it feels like someone has to pay. The leader of the mob points a finger at an unpopular figure with a bad rep, yells "he did it, get him! Now!" No waiting for the investigation, no trial - because he might get off! The mob gets worked up, drunk on likker and wild talk. They march out by torch light, seize the accused and hang him. 

Maybe the lynch mob gets the one who did the crime, and maybe not. Maybe death was appropriate, maybe not. Maybe the justice system would have failed, maybe not. But the rule of law dies on that day. 

And maybe the guilty party is the one leading the mob. Or maybe not. 

How would our following the call to demand War on Syria be different from joining that lynch mob - apart from little details like it would cost tens of thousands of (mostly Syrian) lives and tens of billions of dollars, would probably escalate, could end up costing trillions and killing hundreds of thousands or millions like Iraq and Afghanistan, and could spin out of control and set off World War III? 

The case against Assad is paper thin, the public evidence points to the "rebels", yet Obama has rejected a UN investigation. The case for this being an appropriate response makes no sense. The risks are huge, and the stakes for the American people are unclear. 

And intervening in a civil war on the side of Al Qaida-linked terrorists is staggeringly, breathtakingly wrong. 

But we are being told to surrender our reason, to forget all the bitter experience of the past fifty years. Something terrible has happened and *someone* has to pay for it! Obama, Kerry and Co. say Assad did it, they have secret evidence they can't show us, just trust them! And we're supposed to follow them blindly into this new quagmire of blood? 

Been there. Done that. Too many times. The American people have learned our lesson and are sending a loud clear NO! 

Now we need a clear simple "NO" from Senators Warren and Markey.  They need to hear from us, even if we've already contacted them.  Call them again!  And Spread the word!

And Congressman McGovern, who we can be sure is taking a lot of heat for his brave and early stand against this war, needs to hear from us a loud "thank you! Hold steady, we're with you!"

Alert your unemployed friends

Shame on our dear President for tying the unemployment extensions, the middle class tax cuts and R&D tax credits, to a shameful, budget-busting bonanza for the wealthy and the super-rich, and to a back-door attack on Social Security. But it's done - thank you Jim McGovern for leading our Massachusetts delegation and a majority of the Democrats in the House in challenging it.

This article doesn't mention the reauthorization of the unemployment extensions, retroactive to Nov. 30, a life and death issue for tens of thousands in our state.

Already an estimated 1.1 million people have had their unemployment benefits cut off, including maybe 30,000 here, and have been facing a bleak or desperate Christmas. If recent history is any indication, some of them will not have heard about this reauthorization, some may not believe it is retroactive (these reauthorizations haven't always been), and some won't know to go into the "One Stop" and re-apply for their next extension.

Some may be stopped by shame from even telling their friends and family that that they are now destitute, and some may have already started to give up and have stopped paying attention.

If you know anyone who is collecting unemployment, whether or not they have said anything to you about extensions or cutoffs, you might want to pass this information along to them.

War reauthorization vote

Comment on Truthout.org:

In a defining moment in US history, 32 brave Democrats voted against the war reauthorization act. The "progressives" who defected - lamentably under Barney Frank's leadership - don't get it. The dollar, now hurtling toward disaster, is issued by a private consortium of the biggest bankers, which was given an outrageous private monopoly over the issuing of money. Our elected representatives have no control over them, and they have no loyalty to us. Like it or not, we, the people and our representatives, can't save their dollar. The IMF, which has never been a friend to working people anywhere, can't save it. We must not sacrifice our core interests and convictions on its alter. Make good note of who the 32 are - and their brave leaders Barbara Lee, Jim McGovern and of course Dennis Kucinich. These are the ones who are clear about whose side they're on, the ones still standing after all the threats and blandishments, the shell games and payoffs. These are the ones we have to defend, with all our might.