Rape is routinely used as a weapon of terror and torture. Yet do we imagine female soldiers--or any female--would sign up for rape survival school that involved repeated rape? Would you council your wife, "Hey honey, why don't you go get repeatedly raped? I think it would prepare you better in case is happens to you." Would you say to your husband, "Sweetheart, why don't you take that rape survival trainer position?"

Because of the link to the Bush torture program, we learn this logic was actually implemented at SERE schools. How many of our citizens are torture survivors, or torturers? What are the long-term consequences? Where is the evidence that torturing does anything other than harm the victim and the perpetrator?

 

I guess there is so much sick logic and nauseating policy being revealed that this is flying under the radar. I hope someone notices and shuts this part of the program down!

I just heard about Take Back the Land. The group is working to put homeless folks into vacant, foreclosed homes. Not through banks, courts, or legislative action, but by break-in!

To be clear, the squatters are not criminal crack-heads. They are foreclosure victims themselves, vetted to insure they will care for the property like--well--homeowners. In addition, the group only appropriates long-vacant homes owned by TARP-endowed banks.

It resonates as the right, the moral, and the necessary solution. It is immoral for institutions to push humans onto the street, and then hold empty homes against future profits. Even more when the institutions are taking our money to do so.

At the same time, it is shocking. I am astounded, not at this solution, but at the state of America! I would never have imagined that America could sink so low. That such drastic means would be needed just to house our working population and maintain our residential neighborhoods. That we continue to accept, reward, & lionize the bankers who have brought us to this pass. For shame! The bankers should be living on the street while the Take Back the Land staff run the banks!

By the way, so far, no neighbors have complained.

In an effort to attract bipartisan support, tax cuts comprise 33% of the proposed stimulus package. A mere 18% goes to infrastructure. Yet it is clear the latter will create jobs, while the former will not. Meanwhile, the Republican leadership have decided to oppose the President no matter what.

It seems impossible to sweeten this deal to suit Republican tastes. In fact, it is already overburdened with these empty calories.

I suggest the President take an opposite approach. For each day the Republicans block this bill, more tax cuts should be replaced with infrastructure projects.

When the days are darkest, a single candle burns bright.

Much love to Josh & all the TPM'ers for lighting our way. I think the days are getting longer at last!

Yo, Saturnalia*,
--Sandi

*the customary greeting for the occasion is a "Io, Saturnalia!" ­ io (pronounced "yo") being a Latin interjection related to "ho" (as in "Ho, praise to Saturn").
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia

Wow, if you have not seen it, you must watch Rachel hold her own in a civil, but unyielding, discussion with David Frum, Frum on Maddow. My guess it that Frum believed he could throw out the random, 'yeah we are bad, but so are you' and then move on to his other talking points. Rachel, bless her heart, did not let it pass unchallenged!

The real irony, Mr. Frum did not seem to grasp that, in order to engage in sarcasm & wit, you must needs actually have a grasp of the substantive issues.

"How can I protect my savings from bank failures?" we all ask. "Just diversify your accounts among banks, so that you never exceed the FDIC insurance limit," the experts reply.

But, as banks are merged to avoid failure, I wonder how much FDIC insurance is being merged out of existence? Anybody thoughts?