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Thom's blog
The Republican Path to the Dark Side
 "Fear," a great Jedi master named Yoda once said, "leads to anger," which leads to hate, which leads to suffering, which, of course, leads to the Dark Side. And while Yoda's warning was directed at the long ago problems of a galaxy, far, far away, we'd do well to take it in stride right now in America in 2015.
That's because fear has reached an absolute fever pitch in the wake of the Paris and San Bernardino attacks, and, as last night's Republican debate showed, it's taking our politics into a dark and very disturbing place.
When the candidates weren't coming up with fun and unique ways to start World War III, they were debating whether or not Muslim human beings deserved rights like other human beings, and talking about ISIS like it's an army of zombie Nazis on steroids that owns its very own Death Star.
The conversation was apocalyptic, bizarre, and terrifying.
In other words, it went down exactly the way Republicans wanted it to go down.
They've always used fear to win elections.
Whether it's fear of gay people getting married, fear of the government taking away the people's guns, or fear of black men, they've always understood that fear works to motivate their white base.
Fear works because it appeals to our basic animal instinct to stay safe, and it makes the simplest, stupidest, and most downright evil solutions sound smart.
This is great for Republicans because they don't have any real solutions, but it's awful for our democracy and keeps us from having an honest conversation about the things that are really hurting our country.
Terrorism is a real problem, no one denies that, but Republicans and their enablers in the media are blowing it way out of proportion.
There's no reason Americans should be as scared about it as they are, and according to recent polls, they're more worried about terrorist attacks now than they have been at any time since 9/11.
This makes sense in the wake of a non-stop media and Republican scare campaign, but it's still ridiculous in the face of, you know, facts.
The simple truth of the matter is that terrorist attacks in the United States -- especially those committed by Islamic extremists -- are very, very, very, very rare.
Since 9/11, a grand total of 93 people have been killed in terrorist attacks on American soil, and of those 93 people, the majority of them were killed by white conservative terrorists.
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Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 10pm... What's Next For Climate Activists? (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT or Free Speech TV, and catch past shows on Youtube)
 Be sure to check out our newest video: RESTORATION - narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio & Thom Hartmann, directed by Leila Conners / Visit GreenWorldRising.org to check out all the videos: CARBON, LAST HOURS & GREEN WORLD RISING - narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio & Thom Hartmann, directed by Leila Conners
Big Picture Rumble:
- Bryan Pruitt, RedState 
- Alex Lawson, Social Security Works
- Charles Sauer, The Market Institute
Best of the Rest: What's Next For Climate Activists?
- Sam Daley-Harris, RESULTS/Center for Citizen Empowerment & Transformation/Reclaiming Our Democracy
- Dr. Danny Richter, Citizens Climate Lobby
PLUS, Who Is Ripping Off Our Students on Loans?
- Sarah Badawi, Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC)
Daily Take: The GOP Path to the Dark Side...As Yoda Says, "Fear Leads to Hate" |
Wednesday's Daily Stack 
Hour One: Was there any real winner in last night's debate?
Article: " Trade" by Rep. Sandy Levin. Quote: " Let me just say a few words to my friends in the Republican Party about extremism. When you deny the right of workers to come together in collective bargaining that's extremism..." - Sen. Bernie Sanders. Quote: " We believe that the time has come when people in Wisconsin, Vermont and all over this country create a political movement which says to the billionaire class: You can't have it all." - Sen. Bernie Sanders. Quote: " This campaign is not about Bernie Sanders. It is not about Hillary Clinton. It is about you." - Sen. Bernie Sanders. Quote: " When pollsters go out and ask Americans what they are worried about the answer is a 4 letter word called jobs. J O B S. Now is the time for a federal jobs program to create millions of decent paying jobs." - Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Quote: " This grotesque level of inequality is immoral. It is bad economics. It is unsustainable. This type of rigged economy is not what America is supposed to be about..." - Sen. Bernie Sanders. Quote: " Many of my Republican colleagues who come through New Hampshire and Iowa and so forth, they often talk about family values. They just LOVE families. But all of you know what they mean by family values. And what they mean by family values is that the women of this country should not have the right to control their own bodies. I disagree!" - Sen. Bernie Sanders. Quote: " ... our views are a little different than those of our Republican friends. When we talk about family values. what we mean is the United States should end the international embarrassment of being the only major country on Earth that does not guarantee family and medical leave to all of our families." - Sen. Bernie Sanders. Article: " 5th Amendment" (double jeopardy, witness against self, due process, taking clause, due compensation).
Hour Three: Your thoughts on last night's GOP debate! Quote: " You are looking at a senator and former congressman who voted against NAFTA, against CAFTA, against permanent normal trade relations and I will do everything that I can to defeat this disastrous TPP!" - Sen. Bernie Sanders. Quote: " We've introduced legislation which I will push through as President. Number one, I will make every public college and university in America tuition free..." - Sen. Bernie Sanders. Quote: " When we talk about rebuilding the middle class we talk about rebuilding the trade union movement..." - Sen. Bernie Sanders. Quote: " Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster... for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche. Article: " 4th Amendment". " The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.". |
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Thursday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 12-3pm ET
I'll be talking to Peter Navarro about The Rise of "the New Chinese Order".
And, the best of the rest of the news along with your calls right here on...
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And don't forget...Democracy is NOT a spectator sport...it begins with you...
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Thom's Poll
Will Donald Trump be the Republican nominee for President?
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Watch & Listen to Thom
Politics Panel: Networks Ignore Bernie & Launch Trump
The Dangerous Cyber Bill Threatening Our Privacy
Politics Panel: Trump Supporters Now Chant "Sieg Heil!" Really?
The Media Is Ignoring the Most Important Issue of Our Time
How the Dow/Dupont Merger Could Harm Us All
Crazy Alert! Poop Revenge
Or watch the Full "Big Picture" Show...
Full Show 12/15/15: Donald Trump Rally Turns Racist Again
Tonight's Politics Panel discusses the racism at yesterday's Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas, whether the GOP would actually go through with a brokered convention, and how the network news has covered 234 minutes of Trump and only 10 minutes of Sanders in 2015. Thom discusses the potential merger of Dow and Dupont with Food and Water Watch's Patty Lovera and in tonight's Daily Take Thom discusses how the media is ignoring the most important issues of our time.
Caller: Don't Count Jeb Bush Just Yet...
To be Sucessful in American Politics, You Must Sell Out!
Caller Argues with Thom Hartmann Over Gun Control & Climate Change
Caller: Bernie Sanders is the Only Candidate who can Stop Terrorism!
In Search of Bernie Sanders
Caller: Fox News has Won!
Could Tougher Gun Laws Have Prevented the Deadliest Mass Shootings?
Tonight's Republican Debate: FEAR, FEAR, FEAR! |
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Thom
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