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Finger People - Universal Language - Honduras

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Walker's War on the Elderly, Rural, Middle Income and Poor of Wisconsin - Raise Sales Tax

September 2017 ... Walker budget cuts Homestead Tax Credit ... how's that for "Tax Reform" !

12/26/2015 ... Be aware -  anytime Walker takes something away from one group, say your School Board, County Board, Teachers or state employees he is lowering the common denominator.  Others not in those groups have less control of their lives.  Your benefits or privileges are affected too.

1/1/2015 - MJS:  The myth of Scott Walker as a budget guru











~~~~~~~~~
1/22/2014 Walker's "State of the State" essentially meaningless.  Who paid the $1 billion in taxes collected that now may be distributed.  By that I mean incidence - wealthy or poor, elderly and/or rural residents?

1/24/2014 - The top 20% of Wisconsin wage earners — those making more than $88,000 a year and paying the most in taxes now — would receive 44% of the benefit of Gov. Scott Walker's latest proposed tax cuts, a new analysis shows.
The bottom 20% of state residents by income — those making below $21,000 a year and paying the least in taxes now — would receive 5% of the $504.6 million Walker wants to cut in property and income taxes, according to the review by the liberal Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy and the Wisconsin Budget Project.

Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/headlines/top-wage-earners-taxpayers-get-biggest-benefit-from-walker-tax-cuts-b99191408z1-241905661.html#ixzz2rXvWTJZE


Scott Walker: Eliminating income tax, raising sales tax on the table


In the printed version of WSJ under the label "Tax Reform" the Wisconsin State Journal headlines "Gov. Walker eyes more cuts".  The subtitle "His administration is exploring the idea of eliminating income tax while raising sales taxes in Wisconsin".

I don't know whether this is just another trial ballon or just an illustration of Governor Walker continuing to pander to the elites and 1%.

Who would such a change harm or have the greatest impact on.
  • Middle and low-income families.
  • Those living on fixed incomes, i.e., pensions, Social Security, et al, (double whammy).
  • Those generally living in rural counties and communities
I suspect a lot of people do not realize that those on Social Security in this state pay practically no income tax - this "perk/subsidy" was passed by Democrats and signed by Governor Doyle.
All social security benefits that are taxable for federal purposes. Up to 85% of social security benefits are subject to federal tax, but Wisconsin does not tax social security benefits. For taxable years beginning in 2008 or after, all federally taxable social security benefits are allowed as a subtraction.  page 5 of report in the link

Income tax in this state is mildly "progressive" which means the more you earn you pay at a higher tax rate by brackets.  Everybody pays on earned income at the low end.

I will probably add to my comments and observations as this "topic" continues to evolve.
____
12/21/13 some data

Governor Walker’s Tax Shift Plan Would Raise Taxes for Most

____



#WIVote  #WI 1848 Forward: #HiddenAgendaWalker >War on the #Elderly, Rural, Middle Income and Poor - Raise #SalesTax - #Walker even in leaving he sticks it to #rural WI 

#1% 1848 Forward: 's War on the , Rural, Middle Income and Poor of -Raise

#1%  's War 1848 Forward: on the , Rural, Middle Income and Poor of -Raise

#Elites #1% #Walker 's War WI 1848 Forward: on the #Elderly, Rural, Middle Income and Poor of #Wis - #WiVote

#Immoral #1% EX_GOV #Walker 's War WI 1848 Forward: on the #Elderly, #Rural, Middle Income and #Poor of #Wis - #WiVote

Sunday, December 8, 2013

What's up with this ad? Just benefits no costs to environment?

Although an exact number may be available all I can say is that it is played on "cable television" a lot!  I'm confident I've seen it at a least 10 times a month for at least the past several months.

What's wrong with it is that it uses our "brains" against us.  The ad has practically no substance or evidence included.  If the "farmer" and "circumstances" are real and let's assume they are it is at best a non-factual testimonial that this guy has not had any problems with raising cattle and having natural gas wells co-exist on his farm.

Their About says this -
Published on May 29, 2013
Keith has owned his farm for 30 years. With six active natural gas wells on his land, he can now grow the size of his farm, modernize his equipment and even send his grandchildren to college - all while protecting the health of the land and groundwater.

http://www.thinkaboutit.org

This kind of statement and the video narrative are what Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize Winner, describes as "availability and affect heuristics".

The combined use causes most of us to become "positive" about the co-existence of gas wells and farming just by hearing the narrative. We only hear and see positive things.  We are not presented with any possible risks or negative consequences.  Certainly it is being posited that somehow groundwater is being protected by the co-existence!

In Kahneman's book, Thinking, Fast and Slow, Chapters 12 and 13 go into these heuristics illustrating how they are an artifact how we sometimes think too quickly and need to carefully reflect on what we are being told.

You have to wonder why it is being "run" over and "over" again when we have strong political discussions going on about benefits versus costs of fracking, pipelines, local governmental control and environmental impact while many politicians are being "fracked" with political contributions.



Ad placed by: ANGA - America's Natural Gas Alliance

The "Think About It" tagline is also being run on NPR these days ... 12/13/2013 ... about public utilities using gas in Georgia ... not coal I assume? 1/29/2014 ... still doing it on NPR ... although there is a campaign going on to stop it now!

Texas family plagued with ailments gets $3M in 1st-of-its-kind fracking judgment


#Fracking #1% #Elites #Politics WI 1848 Forward:What's up with this ad? Just benefits no costs to #environment ? #47%

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Market Economy versus Market Society: Inequality and Civic Decisions - TED - Michael Sandel



Here's a question we need to rethink together:
 What should be the role of money and markets in our societies?

Michael Sandel: Why we shouldn't trust markets with our civic life


He makes the very important distinctions between Market Economy and Market Society!


Over the past three decades, we have lived through a quiet revolution. We've drifted almost without realizing it from having a market economy to becoming market societies. The difference is this: A market economy is a tool, a valuable and effective tool, for organizing productive activity, but a market society is a place where almost everything is up for saleIt's a way of life, in which market thinking and market values begin to dominate every aspect of life: personal relations, family life, health, education, politics, law, civic life. (bolding added)

Sandel gives two reasons for being worried about letting a Market Society come about.  I agree with him that we have been letting this happen.  One reason has to do with "inequality", e.g., a small group of people have a lot more money or wealth than most, by far the majority, of the people.

But when money comes increasingly to govern access to the essentials of the good life -- decent health care, access to the best education, political voice and influence in campaigns --when money comes to govern all of those things, inequality matters a great deal. And so the marketization of everything sharpens the sting of inequality and its social and civic consequence. ... (bolding added)

The second reason is that "social goods" served in a market society by market thinking is that our view of the "social goods" are changed.  I would translate this into potentially affecting our morality and ethics.  How should "social goods" be distributed? By need, by lottery, or by ability to "pay?"

There's a second reason apart from the worry about inequality, and it's this: with some social goods and practices, when market thinking and market values enter, they may change the meaning of those practices and crowd out attitudes and norms worth caring about.

Sandel does not directly address market regulation or management or control but it is implicit.  Any one who approaches this topic with a clear mind has to continue to question and consider "markets", how are they functioning and are they an appropriate way to allocate resources.

Watch the video. Read the transcript.  I only summarize his ideas.



04/05/2014

Consider this story in the context of the Supreme Court giving those with money a "bullhorn" to shout their views while the rest of us can only cup our hands.


Moyers - Is Net Neutrality Dead? 5/2014 New Threat ! PBS   ... let it not become "one of those things you can't afford!"

Another perspective -- EQUALITY -- click to listen -- 12 minutes

The Declaration of Independence: The Ultimate Self-Help Guide

So my night students got the kernal of the Declaration a lot faster than any other students I’ve seen. What the Declaration offers is a certain kind of rigor of analysis. What’s your diagnosis of your circumstances? What do you propose to do about it? How do you justify it? Three steps. So I think they found it very empowering. What was the different kind of course they wanted to set? How would they justify it.

And another point ---

Supply-chains can be a major point of catastrophe - especially during pandemics! 


#Inequality and #Civics Decisions WI 1848 Forward: #TED - Market Economy vs #Immoral Market Society == #Walker WI 

#Inequality #Immorality WI 1848 Forward: #TED - Market Economy vs #Immoral Market Society == #Trump - Who is he for? 

#KimmelTest #TheKimmelTest WI 1848 Forward:   #MarketEconomy vs #Immoral #MarketSociety == #Trump -Who is he for? 

#TRUMP #Inequality & #Civics Decisions - Market Economy vs Market Society:  #TED - Michael #Sandel -- #Immoral Market Society - where #Elites Trump & Radical #GOP are taking us ... you can't have it if you don't have the $$$  #Medicare  #PANDEMIC #MASK 

Monday, November 25, 2013

Letter(s) to Governor Walker - Two Author's Different Journey

The Struggle Goes On: 6/10/2015  Don’t Cut Long-Term Care, Save It The elderly and disabled deserve better By Steven Salmon

Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposes to privatize the long-term care system, which would have dire consequences for people with disabilities and the elderly.
It would lower care attendants’ wages, making the care profession undesirable as a job. There is already a shortage of care attendants when the care profession is one of the fastest growing jobs in America. Doesn’t Wisconsin need jobs?
Walker’s plan would eliminate a client’s right to interview, hire and fire their attendants. In the long run the governor’s new long-term care plan would create waiting lists for the elderly and the disabled, costing the state more revenue. Inevitably, people with disabilities and the elderly would end up living in institutions hiding these special people in closets. Is this how Wisconsin treats the disabled?

Update: Second Letter March 19th, 2015 - Can Home Health Care be Saved ...See Isthmus article, March 19-25, 2015,Vol. 40, No. 11, Madison, Wisconsin 

page 23 - A tale of perseverance by Mary Ellen Bell

Steve,

You are an inspiration to all. Keep up the good fight and enjoy your well deserved vacation! Nearly 20,000 views on your video. Keep telling your story.


On Wed, Mar 18, 2015 at 10:01 PM, Steven Salmon <stevensalmon@charter.net> wrote:

Please read an Isthmus article today about a CP author who uses Morse code to write since he is unable to use his hands.  In fact he edited two manuscripts in three months.  One manuscript is a middle grade represented by the Purcell Agency and the other manuscript is an adult fiction.  Amazing! 
Post. 
Dear State of Wisconsin and Governor Walker,
My name is Steven Salmon.  A real author with severe Cerebral palsy.  I have three published books and soon to be a fourth book published.  I use Morse code to write since I can't use my hands tapping one letter at a time making my dream come true.  Forward right, Governor!  ? Your right to work is destroying home health care.  People don't want to work for eleven dollars to hour to care for the disabled in their homes. During the last six weeks I had only one interview that fell apart!  My only other attendant has picked up more hours, but he has another client and deserves a break.  CLA is at fault, but needs more revenue to pay attendants a decent wage to live to care for the disabled.  I lost one of the best care attendants that I ever had because of low pay.  No one applies for jobs at the Community Living Alliance to be care attendants.  The one On Call injured worker covering one thousand clients who can't even roll over a person in bed or run the hoyer.  My seventy five year old mother has to do everything.  Meanwhile I keep moving onward making my dream happen working after midnight.  Day after day I write wondering will I end up in a home watching TV all day.  Should I give up because the State is too cheap to care?  Giving up isn't an option.  Sorry, Governor.  I'm going to be a thorn in your side while you go mud raking across the country with the Kock's brothers' money.  You're going to fail, Governor!  I will bet a book on it!  A talented educated physically disabled person like me needs and deserves the best care that the State can provide.  I will always be just a number to the system.  Only a few see the fire burning in the distance at night. 
If I had offended someone with this email, I'm sorry.  That wasn't my intention.  I never want to hurt people like the second best attendant, my "partner" and my disabled advocates.   I'm thinking like a writer here not a disabled person.  I know a lot of people are going to read our blog in the next several weeks.  This is an opportunity to educate and inform people.  I'm helping CLA not attacking it.  Trina will agree.  I don't hear that I can't write this.  My people understand what I'm doing  with this email.  Steve www.stevenbsalmon.com.
I'll be out of the office until Monday.  I have wanted to say that!  Basketball calls.  Enjoy the article.  Ask yourself how much time I put in the article while you are reading it and that's why I  deserve the best care.  Thank you. 


The First Letter:

This letter was passed on to me by a friend of Steve Salmon.  I know Steve but not as well as my friend.  One of the things that Steve fails to mention is that he is also the star of a video in addition to being one of the most dedicated to writing and hardest working people I have ever met.  He has written six books - most of us even if we have a great story and are a good storyteller/writer find it too easy to never really start.

Here is Steve's letter including a preamble to friends.  It is followed by a video that tells more of the story!

People,
Happy Thanksgiving to you.  I couldn't pass this up!  I had fun writing it.  Maybe one of you can get it to the Governor.  I will get there someday.  Show this to people.  Thank you.  Steve
Bob,
Please post.  Thank you.  Steve 
Dear Governor Walker, 
Congratulations on your book!  That's quite an accomplishment!  Several questions that I want to ask you.  How long did it take you to write the book?  How many hours do you write a day?  How many books do you plan to write?  Did you write the book or did hire a ghostwriter?  Do you have a literary agent?  How did you get on TV?  What is the secret?  Do you have ebooks?  Is your book in bookstores?  Did you take out a grant to do publicity?  Did you self published?  It's hard being an author plus being the Governor!  
My name is Steven Salmon.  I'm the Cerebral palsy author of three published books.  Currently, I'm writing my sixth books using Morse code to write since I'm unable to use my hands.  I write each day for eight hours a day.  I have a literary agent.  I beat you on that one!  But you don't need a literary agent.  You're a publicity magnet attracting the news media everywhere you go.  The media ignores me.  I have two manuscripts ready to send out publishers, but I don't have money to do publicity.  I have to buy my own books to put in local bookstores on consignment.  You can buy autographed copies of my books for fifteen dollars at the UW Bookstore in the Wisconsin author secton.  It costs me two hundred dollars to have my books convert to ebooks.  No disabled organization will help me finance publicity.  A grant costs six hundred dollars to apply for a grant.  I can't afford that.  It makes me feel small and insignificant.  You expect disabled people to work.  Then you cut Medicaid limiting opportunities for people with disabilities.  You should be ashamed of yourself being a parent of a disabled child.  Good luck running for Governor and president.  An author will be watching trying to remind people of shameful policies.  Then you'll have all of the time to write another book.  This time write it yourself! Www.stevenbsalmon.com



Steven Salmon from Cristalyne Bell on Vimeo.

There is also a YouTube version that by now - April 2016 has been viewed > ~23500 times!  End of December 1, 2017 -- 30,000+ views.



11/11/11 #Medicaid: Death by a 1K Cuts or 10K or More - Making It Personal



Ltr to Gov. #Walker :Two Author's Different Journey #Medicaid #CerebralPalsy -by MorseCode - Www.stevenbsalmon.com

Ltr to Gov. #Walker :Two Author's Different Journey #Medicaid #CerebralPalsy -by MorseCode - #wwJd #99% vs #elites

Ltrs to Gov. #Walker :Home Care Being Destroyed #Medicaid #CerebralPalsy -by MorseCode - Www.stevenbsalmon.com

#Moral ? WI 1848 Forward: Gov. #Walker ’s budget war >dire consequences for people with #disabilities & #elderly

Ltr to Gov. #Walker (man of character - NOT) - #99% vs #elites #Trump :Two Author's Different #Moral Journey #CerebralPalsy - by Ghost Author or MorseCode?  #GreenBay  #Kenosha #Racine #LaCrosse #EauClaire #StevensPoint


Saturday, November 23, 2013

Honduran Elections & After Story 2013 : on the ground reporting

Evolving updates ...

Honduras has unfortunately been the poster child for how "good intentions" can be corrupted by "hidden agendas".  Hope springs eternal - only by keeping the spotlight on the problems of "maintaining democracy" in Latin America and highlighting past transgressions and politic-ides if not genocides can we ever expect change.



From RebelReporting.com ... more links in the stories

Recent Posts



Honduran Elections 2013

From the blog ...

With just a few days left until the elections, Honduras is alive with propaganda, political debates and campaigners.  Driving down any road in the country one sees telephone posts and billboards covered in campaign posters.
Xiomara campaign propaganda
As one would expect, the biggest posters and most propaganda seem to be coming from the hyper-conservative, corporate party, Partido Nacional.  But what is surprising and exciting in this election is that the corporate parties are not leading in the polls.
Partido LIBRE, newly created by ousted president Manuel Zelaya, is widely supported by the rural poor, the indigenous and the working class of Honduras and is currently leading in the polls.  Its policies include re-implementing modest reforms from Zelaya’s time in office, including raising minimum wage and supporting a land redistribution program.  The party is also pushing to convene a national assembly to rewrite the constitution.  Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, wife of the former president, is LIBRE’s presidential candidate.
...
See allternet.org

Is Honduras On the Brink of Change? New Elections Could Restore Leftists to Power


#Honduran #Elections 2013 :on the ground reporting: Alternet.org -Marathon of Foreign Policy Shame

#Honduran #Elections 2013 :on the ground reporting: Alternet.org - RebelReporting.com #Kerry #Obama

#Honduran #Elections 2013 :on the ground reporting: Alternet.org - RebelReporting.com #Kerry #Latino

#Honduran #Elections 2013 :on the ground reporting: Alternet.org - RebelReporting.com #HumanRights

#Honduran #Elections 2013 :on the ground reporting: Alternet.org - RebelReporting.com #PalmOil

#Honduran #Elections & After Story 2013 : on the ground reporting - Who really won? #Latino  #campesinos

Monday, November 11, 2013

US Pop: Ideologically Conservative and Operationally Liberal

This story is a long read ... but ironic on so many levels.

The take sum up -------

Tea Partyers ranting “Keep the government’s hands off my Medicare!” may seem comical — but they also show just how broad a true consensus can be.  In fact, they reflect two central (but routinely ignored) facts of American public opinion that have remained remarkably stable since the 1960s, despite all that’s changed since then:


Tea Party shocker: Even right-wingers become liberals when they turn off Fox News

America's center is to the left, and even Tea Partyers are liberals when they turn off Rush and learn real facts

PAUL ROSENBERG 

WI 1848 Forward:US Pop: Ideologically #Conservative and Operationally #Liberal - it's a 1% #elites Paul #Ryan plot

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Great - Fracking - Oil - Gas - right where the only recent Ground Water may be in surplus



USA - A Decade of Water

November 1, 2013






















CREWs’ report, Natural Cash, shows fracking industry contributions flow to congressional candidates from fracking districts.

Texas family plagued with ailments gets $3M in 1st-of-its-kind fracking judgment


WI 1848 Forward: Great - #Fracking - #Oil - #Gas - right where the only recent #GroundWater may be in surplus vs #1%

#Fracking #1% WI 1848 Forward: Bad News - #Oil - #Gas - right where the only recent #GroundWater may be in surplus

2016 Here come the #Pipelines #Fracking #1% WI 1848 Forward: Bad News - #Oil - #Gas - where #GroundWater in surplus?

Walker undue influence on elections - Politics - GAB - AP Scott Bauer 11/4/13

Update: 8/8/2014

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says elections agency [GAB] head [Kennedy] 'has to go'

Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/assembly-speaker-robin-vos-says-elections-agency-head-has-to/article_2357f9f5-b54f-5961-ad73-a78f4232b7be.html#ixzz3FazDRVVf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11/14/2013

Why Vote?

The headline reads in one source carrying the story ...

Walker withdraws nomination of elections board member who was chair during recall


... another source ... same story ...


The Governor's privilege - right?  Consider ... that 2011 recall elections of the Governor and other WI Legislators ... what do you think ... smells like limburger to me!

... from Scott Bauer's AP story ...

Doyle reappointed Deininger to the board in 2010 for a term that expires in 2016. Walker initially pulled back the appointment after taking office in 2011, but immediately reappointed Deininger. However, he was never confirmed by the state Senate.

Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/state-and-regional/walker-withdraws-elections-board-nomination/article_adb99816-8372-509b-b636-8a0b41da6d53.html#ixzz2jmh7rJ7V
Looks more like Walker was trying to advise the GAB leader to toe the line for Republicans when making election and ethics decisions or you will not be reappointed! 

Right up there with buying a democratic legislator to prevent State worker union contract approval before Walker took office and giving him a job in your administration a month later. 

WI 1848 Forward: #Walker undue influence on #election politics - #GAB - #AP Scott #Bauer 11/4/13 - #voterID #wivote #timeCapsule  

#Walker Hidden Agenda WI 1848 Forward: undue influence on #election politics - #GAB - #AP 11/4/13 - #voterID #wivote #timeCapsule 



Sunday, November 3, 2013

TED - Mariana Mazzucato : Government -- investor, risk-taker, innovator - The BEST

I have been fond of saying big business, big government - what's the difference.  They both seem unmanageable but government is much more accountable (even though imperfect) and makes investments no matter your ideology that are important.  Big business on the other hand can do great harm by subverting governments and dumping costs of production on people - pollution (fracking) and causing recessions (derivatives) as two examples.

I also like her point about narratives - That they are just that and not always correct and they need to countered!  Speak UP!  Narratives seem to me to be like mob mentality - some body comes up with the spin and "television media" especially can't seem to exercise one neuron to actually think about whether it is reasonable!


As an example of "private enterprise" corrupting government -

N.C. wants to nix Duke Energy's $99,000 settlement for coal ash leaks
only after the big lie is discovered!


Government is really in the front seat !  Brought us the Internet !

Government Investment DARPA

#Feds #DARPA Created #WWW #GPS -> #Government > investor, risk-taker, innovator -The BEST #47% #99% vs #1% - WI 1848 Forward  - #TED Mariana #Mazzucato - 20th Century best technology came from #FEDeral Government -BasicResearch #Capitalism won't do it! 

Created the #Internet #www #Government -- investor, risk-taker, innovator #47% #99% -WI 1848 Forward: #TED -Mariana #Mazzucato vs #1% Greed #Grifters on Parade #GOP Grand Ostrich Party

WI 1848 Forward: #TED -Mariana #Mazzucato : #Government > investor, risk-taker, innovator - Created the #Internet - Provides #SurgeProtection in case of disasters (or should) #DisasterSurgeProtection 

WI 1848 Forward: #TED -Mariana #Mazzucato : #Government > investor, risk-taker, innovator - Created the #WWW #GPS - Provides #SurgeProtection in case of disasters (or should) #DisasterSurgeProtection 

#Government > investor, risk-taker, innovator - Created the #WWW #GPS -WI 1848 Forward: #TED -Mariana #Mazzucato - #Bezos #Musk owe it to at least 60yrs of #Space #Exploration 

#Government > investor, risk-taker, innovator - Created the #WWW #GPS -WI 1848 Forward: #TED -Mariana #Mazzucato - #Bezos #Musk owe it to at least 60yrs of #Space #Exploration ... and did their corps pay #TAXES?

Sunday, October 27, 2013

An Evening of Solidarity with Democracy in Honduras - Friday, November 8, 2013 Time 7pm until 9pm

Click to see the event ... invite your FB friends!

 Fair Trade Coffee House - 418 State St., Madison WI

Enjoy a fun evening of Central American food and live music at Fair Trade Coffee House on State Street while supporting independent reporting on the upcoming elections in Honduras This event is a benefit to raise funds to help send three local journalists to Honduras to report on the upcoming presidential elections, as well as documenting the social movements in the region this November.




THE EVENT

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Fair Trade Coffee House

FOOD: an array of homemade Central American snacks including fresh patacones (fried green plantains), red beans, chips and salsas.

DRINKS: Fair Trade Coffee will be provided for guests (specialty drinks will be available to order).

MUSIC: Los Tremendos will be providing the musical entertainment that night. They are a three-person band specializing in acoustic covers. Some songs you have probably heard before and others will be songs more traditional to Central America.

PRESENTATION: About half way through the evening we will pause the music for a short presentation by the journalists who will be going to Honduras to provide election coverage. The presentation will include some recent history of Honduras including the 2009 military coup and an explanation of why independent journalism will be vital to bolstering true democracy in Honduras in the coming weeks.

SUGGESTED DONATION: $10-$20 sliding scale at the door. No one will be turned away.

THE PROJECT

On Nov. 24, 2014, Honduras will hold a presidential election, widely considered the first democratic election since the military coup in 2009. Three Madison-based independent journalists will be going to cover the elections and document any irregularities that might occur.

Since the coup in 2009, Honduras has seen a wave of politically motivated killings as well as the general silencing of journalists and activists on the left. The coup and the subsequent repression were done with the tacit approval of the US government and military which supplies much of the military equipment and training in Honduras. While mainstream media turns a blind eye to abuses, it has been independent journalists that have shined the light on the situation of the people of Honduras. Now, with elections fast approaching, it will be up to the independent journalists and activists from around the world to provide the support Hondurans will need as they go to the polls and to the streets.


WI 1848 Forward:An Evening of Solidarity with #Democracy in #Honduras - Fri., 11/8/2013 Time 7pm until 9pm #Madison 

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Honduran general election, 2013 - Nov. 24th - Public Security Looms Large

Honduran general election, 2013


From Wikipedia ...
The Honduran general election, 2013 will be held in Honduras on November 24, 2013,[1] including presidential, parliamentary and local elections. Voters will go to the polls to elect:



Last week, in the midst of a political campaign that has focused heavily on public security, authorities in Honduras deployed 1,000 military police as part of an effort to address drug violence and organized crime in this Central American country, home to the highest homicide rate in the world. ...
If Hernandez wins the election, the military police approach is likely to become a permanent part of the security structure, Ungar said. But it is unclear what the outcome will be. While two parties—the centrist Liberal Party and the conservative National Party—have long dominated Honduran politics, it is now fairly certain that no party will win an outright majority, said Ungar. 
Frank warned that entrenched interests may cause trouble if Castro, who is campaigning with her newly created Free Party, wins the presidency. “Should Xiomara Castro win, we can predict that the elites who control the two traditional parties, along with other allies of the oligarchs, will do everything they can to make the country ungovernable, since they will be deeply threatened by any true efforts to restore the rule of law, end impunity, address corruption, protect the environment, and respect the rights of labor, indigenous people, and small farmers,” Frank said.
“In analyzing efforts that might be made to make the country ‘ungovernable’ or ‘unstable,’ after the elections, it's essential to bear in mind that the same actors behind those efforts are those that have already produced a disastrously chaotic situation, in which the rule of law has been thrown out the door,” she said.
“Rather than address the root causes of violence, it is dangerously militarizing the country,” she said of the government. “Without true economic development and the creation of good jobs, moreover, young people will continue to turn to drug trafficking and crime rather than let their families starve.” ...
On the ground reporting


WI 1848 Forward:  #Honduran general #election, 2013 - Nov. 24th - Public #Security Looms Large 

WI 1848 Forward:  #Honduran general #election, 2013 - Nov. 24th - Public #Security Looms Large < #Madison connection

#Honduran general #election, 2013 - Nov. 24th  - WI 1848 Forward:  - Public #Security Looms Large < #Madison #WORT