Cookie Jar

By Nicholas Ruiz III

A Republican cauldron brews destruction for Florida’s wildlife, land, rivers, lakes and oceans, and people. Acolytes like Rep. Sandy Adams (FL-24), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) are being sponsored - to wage war on land and on the water. The Republican front pushes forward against the environment, and everything that would live in it. Who will stop them? Democrats? Which ones?

Warring with NOAA to let over-fishing continue off Florida’s coast, we see that Sandy Adams doesn’t care if the red snapper population off the coast of Florida is driven to extinction. Warring to diminish funding for the EPA, which is charged with regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters, we see that Marco Rubio doesn’t care if Florida water standards meet the Clean Water Act of 1977.

Warring to pave over Florida’s state parks with commercial golf courses, we see that Rick Scott doesn’t care if thousands of acres of what little preserved land and wildlife Florida has - is bull-dozed over to provide narrow entertainment and low wage jobs. And by defunding beach renourishment from the Florida budget (and by default, the federal matching funds that go with it) Rick Scott’s beaches will continue to erode, along with the tourist revenue these beaches bring. And don’t forget, that extra sand that beach renourishment affords, means less chance of destruction should a hurricane hit Florida.

Well, I care about these things and Democrats care about these things.

Policies like these are representative of what the engine of the radical right has become: a war machine. Preemptive war against other nations; fighting against our working people; fighting against the concept of shared governance; destructive environmental policy – this is the system of belief of the radicalized GOP:

So here’s the thing – Democrats know something is wrong. They can feel it in their bones. And here’s what it is:

Do you think that all of the recent union-busting, the assault on worker’s rights, teacher tenure, the assault on public workers, etc., in state, after state, after state, nationwide is a coincidence? Do you think such an assault would have been possible twenty or thirty years ago – when Reagan had his ‘Sputnik’ moment and fired thousands of air traffic controllers in the PATCO debacle, denying many of them unemployment in a special case of ‘compassionate conservatism’? It isn’t an accident.

The radical right is coming for you. They’re coming for your job, your benefits, your right to shared governance, your right to healthcare, your right to decent public schools, for a woman’s right to sovereignty over her own body. The radical right’s thirst for war in every conceivable fashion is pornographic.

Do you think another self-proclaimed business genius superstar is the answer to all of this? I’m not talking about mom and pop business owners – you know what I mean. Political candidates that claim to have all of the answers because they made five bucks running some business? Let me tell you something. They are not the solution. In fact, they are the problem.

It’s no miracle to buy some widget for 5 cents and turn around and sell it for $500 and pocket the difference, while paying your workers poorly and offering them paltry benefits, or even laying off thousands of employees to achieve those profits. It’s no miracle at all. It’s no miracle to buy oil futures at $80 and sell them at $100; or to short oil futures at $100 and cover them at $80. Or equities, other commodities or currencies. It’s a game that reaps incredible rewards for the few at the expense of the many, because the big players and market movers are under-regulated, while small individual players are capital-starved and hyper-regulated. This so called ‘free market’ left unchecked and unfairly regulated - is a crime against society, Main Street and the American way of life.

Government is the fabric that holds us all together – take that away – and we’ll have nothing but profiteering chaos – and a free for all against the poor and those of lesser means and political influence. And that is exactly what the radical right aims to do.

They are waging a war against the very concept of American democracy and shared power in this country – and we had better defend it.

Put a progressive Democrat like myself in Congress – and you know that I will.

We must raise our wages, our benefits and reconstitute and improve the laws regarding shared governance for union workers, non-union workers and the unemployed alike. We must provide healthcare for all of our people, and ensure that our U.S. Social Safety Net is adequate for the roughness of our times. We must halt the prejudice and discrimination, and increase the opportunity of success for all of our people, regardless of their race, gender, sexual preference, social or economic status, disability, religion, age, where they come from, or the color of their eyes or skin.

Or shall we leave it to the political and economic hogs of indifference?:

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
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“Adams is waging a war on the Florida environment, on workers and continues to support excessive U.S. military overstretch and overspending - we need a new vision of prosperity and peace for America,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz — an avid surfer and fisherman, who is married to Danielle Ruiz and father of two boys, has lived in central Florida for over twenty years, and currently resides in New Smyrna Beach, what some have called the shark bite capital of the world.

“I have a compassionate understanding of life in central Florida, dedication to the care of our land and water, and the spirit to work toward creating a better standard of living for Florida and America,” he said. “Heading toward 2012, we will be calling upon citizens to consider their hopes for the future, and I’m confident we’re going to all agree that we should be working toward better times for more people - that's what this campaign is all about.”

Ruiz, who was born in New York City in 1970, has a PhD in humanities from Florida State University, and has spent most of his adult life in Central Florida. He describes himself as progressive Democrat, who is challenging what many have called a tea party Republican.

Adams, a freshman Republican who has recently called for defunding global warming research at NASA, defunding NPR, allowing for red snapper overfishing to continue, and remaining in Afghanistan - and is in favor of nuclear energy and oil drilling in the Gulf - is one of the many Republicans that were elected in the GOP sweep of the House in 2012. Ruiz is against all of these positions.

The Democratic Party has its hands full as they prepare for what will be a series of challenges to freshman Republicans in the 2012 elections.

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
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USA 32170
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Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
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From: intertheory@yahoogroups.com [intertheory@yahoogroups.com] on behalf of
Roxanne B. Raine [roxi.benoit@...]
Sent: 29 March 2011 21:25
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On Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 10:30 AM, Nicholas Ruiz III
<editor@...<mailto:editor@...>> wrote:
[cid:part1.08060602.07040702@...]

Hope to see you there! :-)

[Ruiz at UCF flyer]<http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160441710680607>[clip
1 -         lower ss age]<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpbU1MV_JNU&NR=1>[clip
- ad         1]<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hwUKnmO82U&NR=1>[clip - ad
2]<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=897ZsastInk&feature=related>[cid:part6.0707080\
2.09020303@...]


Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D

NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
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Games Without Frontiers

By Nicholas Ruiz III

"In the following, I aim to present some progressive ideas for America's future...I believe that we must first acknowledge that no social status is superior. No gender is superior. No race is superior. No sexual orientation is superior. No age is superior. No religion is superior...." continue reading

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
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Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
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The Perfect Drug

By Nicholas Ruiz II

There is a reason David Bowie is afraid of Americans. The reason perhaps, goes by many names, like Republicans Allen West (FL-22), Sandy Adams (FL-24), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Daniel Webster (FL-8), Bill Posey (FL-15) and others. Drunk on the ‘perfect’ cocktail drug of tea and tax cuts for their far right cashkeepers, they believe America is nothing but its wealthiest class. On the other hand, progressive Democrats, even the wealthiest, know that America is made of far more than its wealth.

Allen West’s bright idea? He wants to cut the corporate tax rate in half. After it has been unequivocally documented that corporations are already only paying about half of the legal tax rate due to loopholes and corporate subsidies. Donald Trump thinks he’s ‘an amazing guy.’ Gee, wonder why? Some even talk of a Trump/West ticket in 2012. A real trail mix, no?

And then there’s my Republican opponent for 2012, Sandy Adams. Along with Allen West, she feels that babies born in the U.S. don’t automatically deserve to be U.S. citizens (i.e. birthright citizenship, or jus soli), so she has signed off on another legislative howler - the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011, H.R.140. Largely, this is a Republican attack on the primary pool of U.S. immigrants in the 21^st century: Hispanics across the country. For corporate Republicans like these - unregulated, undocumented migrant worker labor may be ‘overlooked’ – but citizenship for babies born on American soil, who then require civil rights and fair wages – that’s a no go. Too many Republicans are hypnotized by xenophobes like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh - and Pat Buchanan, who in his book polemic he calls the ‘Death of the West,’ argues for hundreds of pages that America is for white, straight people. For Buchanan, apparently anyone - other than a Caucasian Anglo-Saxon, heterosexual male - is an intruder upon his American dream.

It appears that the increasing potpourri of colors and lifestyles in our United States of America is a real sore spot for U.S. representatives like Sandy Adams and Allen West. The hypocrisy for West in particular, is that the principle of jus soli, ‘right by soil’ – is a product of the 19^th century American slave-era, granting the 14^th amendment right regarding birthright citizenship to then newly freed African slaves, who henceforth became U.S. citizens. That would make West’s ancestors likely beneficiaries of jus soli policy he and Adams now seek to overturn. Isn’t it ironic?

Another pair of tea drinkers – Marco Rubio and Daniel Webster, (as did Adams, West and Posey) recently voted for increasing air and water pollution, and by default, increasingly the illness and morbidity of all forms of life that need clean oxygen and uncontaminated water. Imagine, hitting the tea bottle, they belched out a round of ‘Ayes!’ to defund the EPA and restrict them from monitoring air and water pollution. Great for corporate polluters’ profits! – bad for the people of the United States.

Rising stars? Tea party trinkets like these remind us all - everything that glitters, ain’t gold.

America needs stronger Democrats. Put a progressive Democrat in Congress.

And put David’s mind at ease:

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
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So How's Florida Healthcare Hypocrite Sandy Adams Been Doing In Congress So Far? by DWT

Acrobat

By Nicholas Ruiz III

Never underestimate the fidelity with which madness may be carried out.

When liberal radio personalities who attend town hall meetings, like Nicole Sandler who attended Republican Allen West’s (FL-20) event, are detained, imprisoned and maced without cause or provocation -  we might say that “nothing makes sense; nothing seems to fit.”

Yes, the tea barkers rolled through town this week.

The tea distribution began with Republican Daniel Webster’s (FL-8) Orlando stop, a far cry from the glory days when Alan Grayson represented the district with the lucidity of a lighthouse. Webster, armed with poster boards of an overflowing water faucet and a big scary red graph, pitched the mantra of divestment in America and tax cuts for everyone. Few were impressed, or convinced.

Republican Allen West’s (FL-20) militant tea debacle ended the way all militant debacles end: with incarceration of the innocent. Armed with a militant ego, and already knowing everything – all opportunities for dialogue were scripted right out of the final mix in Boca Raton. West taunted that those not in favor of his theater should “run someone against him.” It seems that West would believe that without him, FL-20 is nothing.

Next, Sandy Adams (FL-24) fresh off a congressional tea bender in DC, dropped some brew off in New Smyrna Beach, once again alarming no one but her most intimate tea keepers, with colorfully frightening graphs and political posturing: “What drives the debt?” she asked slyly. A progressive Democrat responded in kind – “Three wars!” Indeed – we can thank the Daytona News Journal for reporting that scene and bringing some light for a change.

Lastly, we encounter Republican Marco Rubio (R-FL). At an RSVP-only event in Daytona Beach, the auditorium was tea-packed and padded to the rafters. Hence multiple standing ovations, Brazilian-style cheer and assorted folly. It’s amusing that Rubio attempted to pivot his political future as opposed to America’s future. His political future is explicitly contingent upon his willingness to sell the Koch brothers’ agenda: under-taxation and under-regulation. Rubio was the No. 1 recipient of Koch money in the 2010 Senate races. Any wonder why he conspires to starve the federal government of important revenue, or diminish the U.S. Social Safety Net and environmental regulations, all while maintaining or even increasing corporate welfare and military spending?

Essentially, representatives like these are employed to bring America to its knees before the Corporation.

We must be acrobats. So don’t worry, and don’t let’em grind you down. As that song says, our time is coming around

In the mean time:

*********************************************************************************************************

Please contribute what you can now to help NRIII win against Republican Sandy Adams in 2012 - and work toward keeping a truly Democratic tradition alive in America:



and please endorse, and invite as many friends as you can to endorse his campaign here:

http://intertheory.org/contact_us.html

*********************************************************************************************************
Many thanks for your support!

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
http://twitter.com/#!/nriii


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Acrobat

By Nicholas Ruiz III

Never underestimate the fidelity with which madness may be carried out.

When liberal radio personalities who attend town hall meetings, like Nicole Sandler who attended Republican Allen West’s (FL-20) event, are detained, imprisoned and maced without cause or provocation -  we might say that “nothing makes sense; nothing seems to fit.”

Yes, the tea barkers rolled through town this week.

The tea distribution began with Republican Daniel Webster’s (FL-8) Orlando stop, a far cry from the glory days when Alan Grayson represented the district with the lucidity of a lighthouse. Webster, armed with poster boards of an overflowing water faucet and a big scary red graph, pitched the mantra of divestment in America and tax cuts for everyone. Few were impressed, or convinced.

Republican Allen West’s (FL-20) militant tea debacle ended the way all militant debacles end: with incarceration of the innocent. Armed with a militant ego, and already knowing everything – all opportunities for dialogue were scripted right out of the final mix in Boca Raton. West taunted that those not in favor of his theater should “run someone against him.” It seems that West would believe that without him, FL-20 is nothing.

Next, Sandy Adams (FL-24) fresh off a congressional tea bender in DC, dropped some brew off in New Smyrna Beach, once again alarming no one but her most intimate tea keepers, with colorfully frightening graphs and political posturing: “What drives the debt?” she asked slyly. A progressive Democrat responded in kind – “Three wars!” Indeed – we can thank the Daytona News Journal for reporting that scene and bringing some light for a change.

Lastly, we encounter Republican Marco Rubio (R-FL). At an RSVP-only event in Daytona Beach, the auditorium was tea-packed and padded to the rafters. Hence multiple standing ovations, Brazilian-style cheer and assorted folly. It’s amusing that Rubio attempted to pivot his political future as opposed to America’s future. His political future is explicitly contingent upon his willingness to sell the Koch brothers’ agenda: under-taxation and under-regulation. Rubio was the No. 1 recipient of Koch money in the 2010 Senate races. Any wonder why he conspires to starve the federal government of important revenue, or diminish the U.S. Social Safety Net and environmental regulations, all while maintaining or even increasing corporate welfare and military spending?

Essentially, representatives like these are employed to bring America to its knees before the Corporation.

We must be acrobats. So don’t worry, and don’t let’em grind you down. As that song says, our time is coming around

In the mean time:

*********************************************************************************************************

Please contribute what you can now to help NRIII win against Republican Sandy Adams in 2012 - and work toward keeping a truly Democratic tradition alive in America:



and please endorse, and invite as many friends as you can to endorse his campaign here:

http://intertheory.org/contact_us.html

*********************************************************************************************************
Many thanks for your support!

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
http://twitter.com/#!/nriii


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**Thank you to the hundreds of people that have stepped up to support this campaign.. ~NRIII

GOP Loser Dust
By Nicholas Ruiz III

For the first half of 2011, the Republicans have been boasting about fantasy mandates and a glorious supermajority, some have even spoken of divine right.

I see things a little differently.

Indeed, the Republican ‘stupid’ majority, being endured by Democrats, and even some thoughtful Republicans, and even still, some Republicrats that are complicit in that ‘majority’ - is almost total in its media parade and circulation.

But peacock pomp and media hype do not constitute wisdom. Many cultural or fiscal currencies and imaginary vehicles circulate and trade, while being of unverifiable value. Just ask the credit default swap gurus who bankrupted each other, and millions of people. Or consider the overheated Aussie and Kiwi. Or the dilution of the U.S. dollar. And of course, commodity price gouging, as a result of excess money flooding into oil, gold and grain futures. And the myth of job creation wrought by excess money afforded by ever lower government tax rates and quantitative easing.

But keep in mind - it is often the unexpected and unforeseen things that are most meaningful, even essential – from politicians like FDR to artists like Dali to bands like Nirvana.

Hence, we take it on faith that Lady Justice massages the electoral scaffolding of 2012, patient and alert. And of course we’ll do our part to help her along.

In a sense, Baudrillard says it best:

“Even the most extreme, most sublime thing one can conceive of will be taken over and surpassed by some other form - perhaps even its opposite or caricature. This is how it is. This is the game. Matters are never definitively settled.”

So XYZ news hurls talking points of every stripe like a one-eyed Cyclops hurling boulders across the nation’s ear and brow, hoping medieval ideologies stick and destroy democratic sensibilities and reason – like when Paul Ryan (WI-1) lobs his swanky Richelieu budget at the heart of America with the intent of making peasants of us all, calling it a ‘path to prosperity’ – a gross caricature of Benjamin Franklin’s ‘way to wealth.’ And then the skanky Gang of Six (or Eight, incl. Corker/McCaskill’s offer) counter offers with equal feudal swagger.

The most sensible American fiscal approach offered to date, the People’s Budget by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, endorsed with a bow by Jeffrey Sachs - was voted down like the plague by the stupid majority. Kicked in the teeth and left behind in House GOP loser dust. Over one hundred Democrats voted against it. Why? Obama on the People’s Budget: enjoy the silence.

The GOP stampede drags everything along with it: Democrats, Presidents, pundits, stock markets, cheerful celebration of an enemy death…like other stampedes, non-similar flora and fauna get swept up in the dusty fray.

So on behalf of rank and file Democrats everywhere, voting Democrats, who want the real thing in 2012, who want to invest in America, not in unnecessary tax cuts; who want social justice, not social poverty; who want peace and diplomacy, before war that must always be a rare and inescapable event; who believe education extends beyond math, science and automated testing, to art, humanities and imagination; who believe that a minimum wage must move forward in terms of dollars, rather than cents; who want government that errs to side of charity, not to the cold side of indifference to its struggling people – a message for Sarah, Donald and the rest of the Republican loser dust entourage:

“We won’t call you and don’t call us.”

For now, yes, you may have our attention, but don’t get the wrong impression –
we are not in love:

*********************************************************************************************************

Please contribute what you can now to help NRIII win against Republican Sandy Adams in 2012 - and work toward keeping a truly Democratic tradition alive in America:



and please endorse, and invite as many friends as you can to endorse his campaign here:

http://intertheory.org/contact_us.html

*********************************************************************************************************
Many thanks for your support!

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
http://twitter.com/#!/nriii


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The Blue Highway

By Nicholas Ruiz III



The blue highway should take us somewhere significantly different
than the red highway, no?

An unfolding atmosphere of non-progressive taxation, weak labor
laws, low benefits, low wages and temporary jobs, where the Koch
Bros. can buy a stake in an economics department at a public
university like Florida State University - does not a blue highway
make. Why is the average American stuck in the slow lane of
prosperity?

Because we’re not on the blue highway. Not anymore.

America has been forced onto the red highway – the lost highway -
where the prosperity lane is narrow and for the few.

Take Florida for example. Florida has 25 congressional
representatives – only six are Democrats in 2011. In 2008, there
were only ten Democrats. In 2006, nine were Democrats. Yet, there
are almost 600,000 more registered Democrats over Republicans in
Florida (i.e. 4,618,327 (D) > 4,050,277 (R)). Hence it’s fairly clear that
Florida Democrats, in general, are not satisfied with the Democrats
that run for the office of U.S. Representative in Congress. Why not?

Well, voters will tell you - most ‘Democrats’ from which to choose
don’t act like Democrats. Essentially, they don’t advocate for truly
Democratic proposals and they don’t advocate justly Democratic
legislation. Makes sense, no? Why would you vote for a Democrat
that thinks, acts, philosophizes, and votes like a Republican?
I won’t – and neither will the rest of Florida. And all the white pearl
necklaces and silk ties in the world won’t change a thing.

Sure. Congressional districts should be drawn fairly. One might be
tempted to blame the Democrats’ poor performance on the unfair
gerrymandering of districts. But then, why did Democrats lose the
statewide Senate race and the Governor’s race in 2010? Florida
hasn’t seen a Democratic governor in over a decade.  And do you
really think that Democratic voters, sufficiently inspired to turn out
in higher numbers, couldn’t overcome fixed districts – at least some
of the time? You bet they could. So why don’t they?

It’s simple. Because for too long, the party strategy has been to float
‘Republicrats’ as candidates –with the hope that they would entice
Republicans to vote for them. Like a cheap trick. Such a strategy
does not work to elect Democrats. It’s a great strategy, however, for
electing Republican representatives. Nineteen of them in fact – in
what is effectively a blue state with 25 congressional districts.

Welcome to Florida. The ‘bluest’ red state in the union? With
hundreds of thousands of extra Democrats to vote – Florida leans
left. Believe it. Go out and talk to some Floridians – they will tell you
how they feel. And then they will tell you: “Now give us some damn
Democrats to vote for! Democrats we can believe in!”

Merge left now…and put a progressive Democrat in Congress:

*********************************************************************************************************

Please contribute what you can now to help NRIII win against Republican Sandy Adams in 2012 - and work toward keeping a truly Democratic tradition alive in America:



and please endorse, and invite as many friends as you can to endorse his campaign here:

http://intertheory.org/contact_us.html

*********************************************************************************************************
Many thanks for your support!

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
http://twitter.com/#!/nriii


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Don’t Need a Gun

By Nicholas Ruiz III

They always say that truth is stranger than fiction, and that is because fiction, largely, with a few relative and often literary exceptions, simply dramatizes the truth.

So when NRA darling, Republican Sandy Adams (FL-24) of Oviedo, Florida votes against a House Judiciary measure that would block those on the FBI’s watch list from buying guns, it should come as no surprise to Democrats. Such is the state of radical Republican disrepair. Are Republicans tough on terror? Yeah, sure, as long as it doesn’t interfere with selling guns, which is always – so in other words, no, Republicans are not tough on terror or anything else - except the poor and the unfortunate, who cannot adequately defend themselves.

It’s obvious to Democrats that federal law should be able to prevent a person from buying guns if that person is a terror suspect. It’s also a fact that the more guns a nation has, more murders and suicides as a result of gun sales will occur. The U.S. of course, is at the pinnacle of that list. In this regard, we outpace everyone.

On healthcare, we drag behind. On distribution of commodity necessities, we drag behind. On education, we drag behind. On jobs, we drag behind. On our social safety net, we drag behind.

But we sure know how to sell some guns.

According to the Orlando Sentinel – “’Since 2004, over 1,300 persons on the terrorist watch list have been allowed to purchase firearms or explosives because federal law is so weak that being a known or suspected terrorist is not itself sufficient to prohibit someone from buying guns’ said Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign, a gun control group, in a statement.”

Americans love our Second Amendment rights – but this is ridiculous.

Sandy Adams of course, has nothing to say – because she is wrong – and voted against the gun control measure anyway. An America that allows gun sales to known or suspected terrorists to proceed unchecked by federal law, makes a mockery of justice and moral conscience.

America needs better gun policies – put a progressive Democrat in Congress.

*********************************************************************************************************

Please contribute what you can now to help NRIII win against Republican Sandy Adams in 2012 - and work toward keeping a truly Democratic tradition alive in America:



and please endorse, and invite as many friends as you can to endorse his campaign here:

http://intertheory.org/contact_us.html

*********************************************************************************************************
Many thanks for your support!

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
http://twitter.com/#!/nriii


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Drag

By Nicholas Ruiz III

Half a job, half a wage, half of benefits – many of which were not up to par adjusted for inflation, anyway – that’s the ‘jobs’ plan?

When the Washington Post (WP) reports that manufacturing is rising, albeit with ‘replacement’ jobs that pay half the wages of the jobs that left – what do you call it? The WP calls it: ‘the pay ain’t what it used be.’ When pay for similar work that has gone to other cities and countries plummets - say a job at Company A paying $20 an hour goes in search of cheaper labor in another country, and is replaced by a job at Company B that is paying $7.50 per hour – where do you imagine that kind of scenario takes us?

You can almost hear FDR shouting from his grave: ‘Not America!’ 

And the Republican government response has been to disintegrate unemployment benefits, in state after state. The tactic in effect, is to force American citizens into lower wage jobs. At least Oregon understands social justice in some capacity – they actually added an additional six weeks of unemployment insurance coverage.

Is this what all the Republican big talk of trickle down profits, growing and innovating America out of her downward spiral is all about? A red-ink renaissance for the American worker? More worker debt, more recession, more sacrifice?

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio (FL) is probably fine with that…he just voted to keep Big Oil on the government teat, with billions in U.S. government subsidies for oil companies that are already wildly profitable. Giving credit where credit is due, Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson (FL), voted to remove Big Pimpin’ Oil from the government teat. However, let’s not overlook the necessary criticism of our Democratic friend – who recently balked at the idea that we might more robustly, progressively tax the wealthy. Remind Sen. Nelson - that isn’t a Democratic position, friend. Robust progressive taxation is the cornerstone of a healthy and civilized society. Just ask all of the seniors and baby boomers who benefited from it – and continue to benefit from the remainder of those good ‘ol days.

Some say, quite timidly, something to the effect of: ‘it’s unclear that the jobs that are growing are desirable.’ Comical. On the contrary, it’s crystal clear – they are not. Not while jobs and pay drag behind what previous workers have earned for the very same work in decades past. That’s what you call ‘negative’ job creation.

It’s unrealistic that the U.S. will maintain its previously fabled posture of innovative and efficient supremacy in the face of globalization. No one is so clever - or so lucky as to be able to hold back that tide. Such a royal title will increasingly, be shared. Republicans and ConservaDems know it – so their ‘plan’ is to suppress and erode worker wages and benefits until near global parity is reached. That’s what underlies much of the recent union-busting. Such a plan is contingent upon reduced pay and benefits for American workers, while globally, wages and benefits slowly rise. The truth of the matter is Republicans think Americans have it too good. So they want to make it somewhat worse for you, a bit more austere, if you will.

Truly, what we need is a more thoughtful approach to our domestic and trade policies. Other countries like Brazil, Russia, India, China and others, are already and increasingly coming online. These countries have massive populations that are willing to work for far less pay and benefits than American workers are accustomed to expect, and global labor will weigh down global wages for decades to come – there is no escaping that fact. In light of this phenomenon, we need to redefine our American socioeconomic posture, and take care of our people. 

And on the narrative of ‘business’ – small and big - you cannot believe wealth-seeking political careerist, business-types that tell you trickle-down prosperity will find its way into the American heartland. No such prosperity has materialized, after decades of this lie. And it will not, because such excess prosperity that the empowered accumulate, they sequester and horde like thieves for a rainy day.

How do we do prosper in these times? We reinvest in America with the help of Wall Street and the Public Trust. We invigorate our social and cultural plurality through new institutions of research, community, sustainability and higher learning that are not necessarily driven by the thought of economic profit. Instead, we learn to think of social and cultural value and profit. Through robust progressive taxation and reinvestment in our land, people and institutions, the U.S. will have time and space to innovate and refresh our prospects for leadership and a sensible future. Out of that investment, will come new job creation, with better wages and benefits, and so on.

That is the path America must take, if it wishes to remain ‘America.’

Ahead no more, by almost every measure, America – get up and stop dragging behind.

Put a progressive democrat in Congress.

Please contribute what you can now to help NRIII win against Republican Sandy Adams in 2012 - and work toward keeping a truly Democratic tradition alive in America:



and please endorse, and invite as many friends as you can to endorse his campaign here:

http://intertheory.org/contact_us.html

*********************************************************************************************************
Many thanks for your support!

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
http://twitter.com/#!/nriii


Political advertisement paid for
and approved by Nicholas Ruiz III, Democratic candidate for Congress. 
To unsubscribe:
reply to this message and
indicate 'unsubscribe' in the subject line

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
Political advertisement paid for
and approved by Nicholas Ruiz III, Democratic candidate for Congress. 
To unsubscribe:
reply to this message and
indicate 'unsubscribe' in the subject line

Ryan Roulette, or the Path to ‘Austerity’

By Nicholas Ruiz III

Why is America being forced to play Ryan Roulette? Where each vote for such a misguided plan as Paul Ryan’s (WI-1), that can only be seen as the Republicans’ siren song - the medieval Path to ‘Austerity’ - is like a blow to the head of America.

And truly, America is reeling. Down, but not out.

The people don’t want it. They never did. The Republican austerity ‘mandate’ was nothing other than a global ad campaign, bought and paid for by the self-appointed kings and queens of America. Voters, activists, citizens – listen. You have one year to rally around the voices and figures that will turn the tide toward a more democratic, socially-just America. One year to 2012. There is much work to do. More than you can even imagine, because so much of it, is in your mind. It is not preordained that the Good, or Justice, will prevail. You must cultivate it. You must support it. You must make it happen.

Find your authentic progressive candidate(s) – and back them, unapologetically, with excitement and vitality, with every resource you can muster. Nothing less will do. They need you – and you need them. We all need each other.

The other side will not stop. They will never stop. Remember the tremor, the echoing words and vibrato of that powerful voice in Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA): “How much is enough?! When will the Greed end?!” We can answer him now. And we must know – Greed and its challenge will never end – and therefore, such tyrannical greed must be met at every turn with the promise of Democratic law and order erected to protect the commonwealth of America and her people. Some would attempt to whittle away democratic American ideals, and sacrifice the commonwealth for their own wealth, power and personal gain. We cannot let them.

If the other side succeeds – and they are close – closer than you can imagine…the America that persists will be an empty caricature of herself. Not America at all. Indeed, America in Absentia.

It’s up to you.

I believe we can make America more than a dream.

Please contribute what you can now to help NRIII win against Republican Sandy Adams in 2012 - and work toward keeping a truly Democratic tradition alive in America:



and please endorse, and invite as many friends as you can to endorse his campaign here:

http://intertheory.org/contact_us.html

*********************************************************************************************************
Many thanks for your support!

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
http://twitter.com/#!/nriii


Political advertisement paid for
and approved by Nicholas Ruiz III, Democratic candidate for Congress. 
To unsubscribe:
reply to this message and
indicate 'unsubscribe' in the subject line

Unsubscribe

--

Ryan Roulette, or the Path to ‘Austerity’

By Nicholas Ruiz III

 

Why is America being forced to play Ryan Roulette? Where each vote for such a misguided plan as Paul Ryan’s (WI-1), that can only be seen as the Republicans’ siren song - the medieval Path to ‘Austerity’ - is like a blow to the head of America.

 

And truly, America is reeling. Down, but not out.

 

The people don’t want it. They never did. The Republican austerity ‘mandate’ was nothing other than a global ad campaign, bought and paid for by the self-appointed kings and queens of America. Voters, activists, citizens – listen. You have one year to rally around the voices and figures that will turn the tide toward a more democratic, socially-just America. One year to 2012. There is much work to do. More than you can even imagine, because so much of it, is in your mind. It is not preordained that the Good, or Justice, will prevail. You must cultivate it. You must support it. You must make it happen.

 

Find your authentic progressive candidate(s) – and back them, unapologetically, with excitement and vitality, with every resource you can muster. Nothing less will do. They need you – and you need them. We all need each other.

 

The other side will not stop. They will never stop. Remember the tremor, the echoing words and vibrato of that powerful voice in Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA): “How much is enough?! When will the Greed end?!” We can answer him now. And we must know – Greed and its challenge will never end – and therefore, such tyrannical greed must be met at every turn with the promise of Democratic law and order erected to protect the commonwealth of America and her people. Some would attempt to whittle away democratic American ideals, and sacrifice the commonwealth for their own wealth, power and personal gain. We cannot let them.

 

If the other side succeeds – and they are close – closer than you can imagine…the America that persists will be an empty caricature of herself. Not America at all. Indeed, America in Absentia.

 

It’s up to you.

 

I believe we can make America more than a dream.

 
*********************************************************************************************************

Please contribute what you can now to help NRIII win against Republican Sandy Adams in 2012 - and work toward keeping a truly Democratic tradition alive in America:



and please endorse, and invite as many friends as you can to endorse his campaign here:

http://intertheory.org/contact_us.html

*********************************************************************************************************
Many thanks for your support!

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
http://twitter.com/#!/nriii


Political advertisement paid for
and approved by Nicholas Ruiz III, Democratic candidate for Congress. 
To unsubscribe:
reply to this message and
indicate 'unsubscribe' in the subject line

-- Gary Hall
Research Professor of Media and Performing Arts
School of Art and Design, Coventry University
Co-editor of Culture Machine http://www.culturemachine.net
Co-founder of the Open Humanities Press
http://www.openhumanitiespress.org
Website http://www.garyhall.info

Please contribute what you can now to help NRIII win against Republican Sandy Adams in 2012 - and work toward keeping a truly Democratic tradition alive in America:



and please endorse, and invite as many friends as you can to endorse his campaign here:

http://intertheory.org/contact_us.html

*********************************************************************************************************
Many thanks for your support!

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
http://twitter.com/#!/nriii


Political advertisement paid for
and approved by Nicholas Ruiz III, Democratic candidate for Congress. 
To unsubscribe:
reply to this message and
indicate 'unsubscribe' in the subject line

Please contribute what you can now to help NRIII win against Republican Sandy Adams in 2012 - and work toward keeping a truly Democratic tradition alive in America:



and please endorse, and invite as many friends as you can to endorse his campaign here:

http://intertheory.org/contact_us.html

*********************************************************************************************************
Many thanks for your support!

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
http://twitter.com/#!/nriii


Political advertisement paid for
and approved by Nicholas Ruiz III, Democratic candidate for Congress. 
To unsubscribe:
reply to this message and
indicate 'unsubscribe' in the subject line

**Please note: Progressive Democratic Leadership Fundraiser date changed to October 15, 2011.

Renaissance

by Nicholas Ruiz III

In a very real sense, America must be reborn.

Despite the magnanimity of American exceptionalism, and
America's truly spirited accomplishments – we are not all things to
all people, and we are not gods. We are young, with much growth
and maturity ahead of us. We grew up fast. We had to. And now, we
have to share the torch of prosperity and technological comfort,
domestically and abroad.

I realize many of you are in states other than Florida. What we must
understand is that federal elections are local, national and global.  
U.S. representatives on the American stage advocate for policies of
local, national and global scope. If you believe in the social justice of
progressive politics, I ask you to support this campaign as if it were
your district – because I will represent your ideals on the American
stage when I am elected. And I will not let you down.

The first stage of American history is over. The next stage has
begun. After the discoveries, the wars, the bombs and the civil
rights era; the financial technocracies, and global intertwining of all
human interests – what is our next move? The incumbent
bureaucrats will tell you – more of the same socioeconomic reversal
that began in the 1980s. And worse, the reversal of the exceptional
juridical progress America has made. I will tell you – we have yet to
arrive where we may go. We have yet to achieve what we are
capable of. But few of our so-called leaders have the vision to help
us get there. That is why I am running for Congress.

It will be easier for America to get there that you think – but we
cannot allow ourselves to be misguided by self-obsessed
charlatans and pretenders, young and old, that work against our
interests like a slap in the face. We have to back the right people –
and make sure we put them in a position to help us all. No one
person can achieve any of this.

In that sense, Hillary was right – it takes a village.

We require nothing short of a 21st century Renaissance, and that is
something that only liberals may understand and bring to life.
Conservatives, Republicrats and bureaucrats will never understand
what is at stake here. It is our recognition of our potential and
dedication to a new vision for our 21st century life that gets us
there.

 
*********************************************************************************************************

Please contribute what you can now to help NRIII win against Republican Sandy Adams in 2012 - and work toward keeping a truly Democratic tradition alive in America:



and please endorse, and invite as many friends as you can to endorse his campaign here:

http://intertheory.org/contact_us.html

*********************************************************************************************************
Many thanks for your support!

Nicholas Ruiz III, Ph.D
NRIII for Congress 2012
http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html
____________________________________
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Nicholas Ruiz III for Congress
PO Box 1372
New Smyrna Beach, FL
USA 32170
http://twitter.com/#!/nriii


Political advertisement paid for
and approved by Nicholas Ruiz III, Democratic candidate for Congress. 
To unsubscribe:
reply to this message and
indicate 'unsubscribe' in the subject line