Republicans don't support bailouts? What?

From Taegan Goddard's Political Wire:

"We do not support government bailouts of private institutions. Government interference in the markets exacerbates problems in the marketplace and causes the free market to take longer to correct itself."

-- The 2008 Republican Party Platform, adopted earlier this month.

This is why Bush, McCain, and most other mainstream Republicans are calling for the biggest financial bailout by government this country has ever seen, right? $700 billion? Nah, that's nothing!

I really don't see how Republicans can even pretend to support free markets anymore; it's just so obvious that they favor government intervention whenever it suits them. How can they continue this charade any longer?

Oh, right, the mainstream media doesn't care enough to publish articles which seriously question the fundamental ethics of corporate bailouts. Also, fear-mongering. If government doesn't save the corporations, then we'll fall into another Great Depression! Well, shit...

Al Gore says change comes from the people...and then asks me to donate to Barack Obama's presidential campaign

How nice of Al Gore to personally send me an email! Always such a delight to hear from the man.

Dear Belinsky,

A few hours from now I will step on stage in Detroit, Michigan to announce my support for Senator Barack Obama. From now through Election Day, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure he is elected President of the United States.

Over the next four years, we are going to face many difficult challenges -- including bringing our troops home from Iraq, fixing our economy, and solving the climate crisis. Barack Obama is clearly the candidate best able to solve these problems and bring change to America.

I've never asked members of AlGore.com to contribute to a political campaign before, but this moment and this election are too important to let pass without taking action.

That's why I am asking you to join me today in showing your support for Barack Obama by making a contribution to his campaign today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/support

Over the past 18 months, Barack Obama has united a movement. He knows change does not come from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue or Capitol Hill. It begins when people stand up and take action.

With the help of millions of supporters like you, Barack Obama will bring the change we so desperately need in order to solve our country's most pressing problems.

If you've already contributed to Barack Obama's campaign, I ask that you consider making another contribution. If you haven't, please join the movement right now:

https://donate.barackobama.com/support

On the issues that matter most, Barack Obama is clearly the right choice to lead our nation.

We have a lot of work to do in the next few months to elect Barack Obama president and it begins by making a contribution to his campaign today.

Thank you,

Al Gore

I've bolded the important section. So apparently, change "begins when people stand up and take action." It doesn't come from the President or Congress. But Barack Obama will bring forth this change if he is elected President? Huh? Anyone else a little confused?

It sickens me that politicians exploit these genuine truths—that real change comes from the people when they take direct action, not from corporate politicians—that people feel are true deep in their hearts by soliciting donations. It reminds me of passing around the collection plate at a religious service. Donation to a state government political candidate's campaign and donation to a church both elevate people's hope and make them feel good, while only accomplishing superficial change—in religion's case some charity like feeding the homeless for a day and in Obama's case some social security like welfare. Both fail to attack the root of the problem, of course.

In fact, there are a lot of things about Barack Obama's presidential campaign that remind me of religion. Both make use of that sort of hopeful religious imagery. Visit Obama's website, and you'll find this quote at the top:

I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington...I'm asking you to believe in yours.

I think the words speak for themselves.

If Obama wins, I wonder what will happen. I know that we won't see significant change, of course. Corporate lobbyists may have a little less influence in politics and capitalism may seem a little less unjust, but fundamentally, we'll still have the same old state-sponsored capitalism. What I'm more interested in, however, is people's attitudes toward it all. Will they recognize that even the seemingly best President to take office in their lives cannot or will not institute the change they seek? Will the Democrats be exposed for what they are, just another side of the same coin? Or will people be appeased with slightly more tolerable lives? Unfortunately, if history has shown us anything, it is the latter. I think Lenin might have been right when he said that because the workers of first-world countries profit off the fruits of third-world workers' labor, the former group of workers are much less likely to revolt against their masters. Revolution is much more likely to occur in the third world, where exploitation is worse.

Chomsky copyrights his material?

According to a section of his website, Chomsky.info, Noam Chomsky copyrights at least some of his intellectual "property." And he isn't just reserving the right to profit off his work, which is justifiable in my opinion; he is actually reserving the right to use it at all without written permission, whether or not for profit. Perhaps he grants all requests to reprint the work as long as it is attributed to him? But if that's the case, why wouldn't he just say, "No written material on this website may be reprinted or posted elsewhere without correct attribution"? Is this hypocrisy I detect, or is there something I'm missing? I've decided to write Anthony Arnove, the person of contact according to that page, an email inquiring into this matter. I'll let you know about any response I receive.