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Poverty in America: Bigger than ever and rapidly spreading. The flood of poor people in this Land of Plenty is being swollen by turbulent economic waters sweeping millions of Americans downstream from the middle class. This is our nation's true economic crisis. Unlike the manufactured "fiscal cliff" hysteria that continues to consume Washington politicos and pundits, the present pace of poverty really is dragging down our economy and our nation's potential for greatness.
The truth is our Postal System is profitable
By 
When the US Postal Service announced it was eliminating Saturday delivery, our media repeated the myth that our Postal Service was broke.
To use Joe Biden's phrase: Malarkey.
Our Postal Service hasn't taken a dime of taxpayer money since 1971. In fact, it's quite profitable, which is why the privatizers can't wait to get their hands on it. To learn more, check out the March 2012 issue of the Hightower Lowdown at http://www.hightowerlowdown.org/node/2927#.URQhxqW5fHg.
Who checks the "fact" checkers?
Wow, so many "facts," so little insight.
I've been factoided! As might be the case with your newspaper, the Austin daily uses a feature that's quite the fad in revenue-strained papers, especially the chain operations (ours is a Cox product, based in Atlanta). The feature is called PolitiFact, which immodestly claims to be "sorting out the truth in politics."
Reassembling America's Democracy
On the Fourth of July, we celebrated Jefferson, Franklin, Adams, Madison and all the other great men who created our democracy, right?
Not exactly. The Founders did create the framework for a democratic republic, but they didn't create much democracy. Indeed, in America's first presidential election, only 4 percent of the people were even eligible to vote.
Read the rest of this column on Creators.com
The GOP's Genetic Link to Big Oil
If scientists were to compare the DNA of Republican congress-critters and of oil corporations, I'll bet they'd find that they match perfectly. After all, the two species have identical political instincts and seem to have a natural affinity for each other — so I'm pretty sure they sprang from the same genetic pool.
Read the rest of this column on Creators.com
Media advisory: Moyers and Hightower talk populism on the last edition of "Bill Moyers Journal"
Media Advisory: For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Ehrlich 512-477-5588, ext. 1
MOYERS AND HIGHTOWER TALK POPULISM ON THE LAST EDITION OF "BILL MOYERS JOURNAL"
After years of insightful, award-winning television journalism, Bill Moyers' final edition of his weekly PBS "Journal" will air this Friday evening, April 30. For his concluding show, Moyers features a discussion about "America's real populism" with longtime populist agitator, Jim Hightower.
A SUPREME COUP
This is not judicial activism, it's judicial radicalism – a
black-robed political coup over America's historic democratic ideals. Five
men have just overthrown the power of the people's vote, enthroning
corporate money as supreme in all of our country's elections. Jefferson,
Madison, and the other founders of our democratic republic are not merely
spinning in their graves – they're trying to claw their way out and throttle
these shameful usurpers.
Remember their names – Alito, Kennedy, Roberts, Scalia, and
Thomas. Corporate whores.
The Fourth of July Is a Celebration of Agitation
Are you an agitator? You know, one of those people who won't leave well enough alone, who's always questioning authority and trying to stir things up.
If so, the Powers That Be detest you -- you ... you ... "agitator!" They spit the term out as a pejorative to brand anyone who dares to challenge the established order. "Oh," they scoff, "our people didn't mind living next to that toxic waste dump until those environmental agitators got them upset." Corporate chieftains routinely wail that "our workers were perfectly happy until those union agitators started messing with their minds."
Today's Perpetrators of Gas Pump Thievery
Like a Fourth of July crescendo of fireworks, our gasoline prices are rising higher and higher. While this is tough on consumers, we're assured by a covey of tongue-clucking industry analysts that nothing can be done about it, for it's simply the law of supply and demand in action — so suck it up, and pay up.
