Where is the Coverage?

The Question of the Day from The Average Father-in-Law:

"Today I read about the FBI memo implicating Rumsfeld in Abu Ghraib.

"Leading to my question of the day for Wednesday:

"Why don't I see these reports of catching the administration in lies, deceptions, incompetence, and malfeasance (and there have literally been dozens in the last few months) on television broadcast news or the major newspapers? Why do I have to read about it in "The Guardian" or in "Truthout" or from some other European news source? Where are the Upton Sinclairs, Ida Mae Tarbells, Lincoln Steffens, Margaret Sangers, George Seldes, John Steinbecks, Rachel Carsons, Betty Friedans, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernsteins of today? I mean besides Molly Ivans.

"In case you were wondering, I didn't just reel off those names from memory. I looked them up in, 'The Great Muckrakers of The 20th Century'. These are just a few. There were many more whose writings and speeches and actions changed the way we live today, all for the better."

Vote With Your Dollars

Here are some websites that have compiled information on which large companies donated their money to which politicians, to help us make informed decisions with our purchasing power:

• BuyBlue.org


• ChooseTheBlue.com

In addition, Working Assets has a list of The Worst Corporations when it comes to their relationships with employees and use of our environment.

Check 'em out before you check out!

Common Sense from a Texan

The Average Man likes Jim Hightower's "Common Sense Commentaries" e-mail newsletter. Usually there's one or two that really hit home, but this week they were all great. Enjoy!

GEORGE'S COZY COCOON
George W likes to live in his own world. In fact, "being Bush" seems like a joyful, almost dreamlike experience. Reality, for example, never intrudes into his consciousness.

HOW TO "DO" ETHICS TOM'S WAY
You do teach basic ethics to your children, don't you? You know, the difference between right and wrong.

THE MORALITY OF THE MORALISTS
What is it about ultra-right conservatives who build careers as tongue-clucking scolds? They constantly preach about the moral failings of the rest of us - yet they keep getting caught with their own pants down, morally speaking.

GROWING UP WITH YOUR CHIP
If we have the technology to track the movements of everyone in America, we should use it, right? "No," shout most of us, proud that our country has fought from the start to prevent prying authorities from constantly keeping tabs on where we go and what we do.

NAME THAT SCHOOL!
The attitude of corporate advertisers seems to be that if brute force isn't working, they're probably not using enough of it.

Democracy: Hanging On By A Thread

Been wondering what's going on with the vote recount in Ohio lately? This Columbus Free Press article not-so-nicely summarizes it.

An excerpt...

"Three major events made December 13 a monument to electoral theft:  a lawsuit filed in the morning at the Ohio State Supreme Court demanding a recount of all Ohio ballots; a Congressional hearing held in Columbus City Council chambers filled with angry, high-profile testimony of vote fraud and disenfranchisement and the illegal sabotaging of a recount; and then, at noon, a block away at the statehouse, the vote of Ohio's twenty illegitimate electors designating their choice of George W. Bush to be president.  "

These organizations are leading the recount efforts, and are well worth a donation to:
Black Box Voting
Help America Recount

A Man with a Plan - Two, Actually

"People are looking for something to believe in. They’re looking for meaning in life. They’re looking to be part of a broader project." -- Adam Werbach

Hopefully you've passed through whatever stages of grief you needed to deal with this election, and are ready to think about what to do next. This guy Adam appears to have some pretty good suggestions...

November 3rd Theses - how Democrats can return to the majority

The Apollo Alliance - an incredible plan to free the U.S. from foreign energy, keep our environment clean AND create new jobs!

A mind-opening interview with Adam is on Alternet.org

The Future of Democrats

The Democratic party just sent The Average Man a survey regarding the future direction of their party. Here's part of what I submitted:

Do not, I repeat DO NOT, move further towards the right. There is already one Republican party, we don't need another.

The fundamental principles I hold dear are peace, justice, freedom and equality. I will support a Democratic party that is willing to champion these principles and never back down when standing up for them.

If we learn anything from this past election, it is that people will vote for leaders who project strength and stand firm, regardless of what they actually stand for. If Democrats take the same attitude, and also happen to be standing for what is best for the majority of Americans, their strength will be unmatched.

Howard Dean recently made a great speech about not becoming "Republican-lite". His Democracy For America group did great work in getting progressives elected in November, and I agree with Arianna Huffington that he would make a great DNC chair.

One of the candidates DFA supported was Derek Kilmer, who knocked on 15,000 doors, talked about progressive solutions to common issues, and was elected to the state legislature in a typically conservative Washington district.

David Sirota found that many Democrats won seats in some of the "reddest" places in America last month by "having the guts to stand up for middle America – even when it draws the ire of corporate America - it's as powerful a statement about morality and authenticity as any of the GOP's demagoguery on 'guns, God, and gays.'".

Send the Democrats your thoughts here!

The Power of Nightmares

THE POWER OF NIGHTMARES is a three part documentary series produced by the BBC which charts the rise of the neo-conservatism in the west with the growth of Islamic fundamentalism in the East.

Watch it or read transcripts of the first episode here. You will be amazed.

It has also made the Average Man realize, more than ever, that to create a peaceful, safe and prosperous world for our kids, we're really going to have to put forth a cohesive vision for it.

Here's some recent suggestions The Average Man liked:

George Lakoff brilliantly defined our deeply American Progressive Moral Values.

Sean Gonsalves suggested we engage Bible-believers On Their Own Terms.

Arianna Huffington said Democrats Have a Winning Message, we just need to trust in it.

and Matt Taibbi thinks the key is to Find Love in Electoral Politics

And if you're still wondering why Kerry lost, read The November 3rd Theses.

There's a lot to do. Pick something, and go for it!