America Spends Billions On Police State, Ignores The Real Security Issue

Because of the NSA leaks by Edward Snowden, not only are we fully aware of the violations to our civil liberties, we also know our tax dollars are being used against us, in the name of national security. There’s a lot of money being spent on a shiny new police state, and what is it buying us? — Less freedom. Less liberty. That’s not a very good bargain.

• • •

Obama To Arm Syrian Rebels: Does Anyone Remember The Sequester?

Never mind whether it’s a good idea to go along with old-man John “get off my lawn” McCain and arm the Syrian “rebels,” I ask, can we afford it? I mean, remember “the sequester” cuts? It was the across-the-board cuts to all kinds of government programs including defense. This was what we got instead of a sensible budget deal. It’s also what we got instead of tax increases above the rather minimal tax increase for top income earners that happened at the beginning of the year. Because why raise taxes on those who can afford to pay more taxes when you can just fuck the poor instead.

• • •

Melissa Harris-Perry Responds To ‘Hateful’ And ‘Vitriolic’ Conservatives

Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and other conservatives just couldn’t believe their ears when they heard Melissa Harris-Perry say, “kids belong to whole communities,” in a recent MSNBC “Lean Forward” advertisement. The fake outrage by these prominent conservatives caused the predictable: their minions sent Harris-Perry countless “hateful, personal attacks” to her inbox.

• • •

The Republican Solution To Everything: Spending Cuts, Tax Cuts, or Both

The United States of America is the wealthiest nation on the planet, but somehow we can’t find a way to fund important government programs that help lift people out of poverty and build a stronger foundation for our future. We have an entire political coalition that wants to cut taxes even further while attempting to make government so small it can fit in our bedrooms — right before they drown it in the bathtub (to paraphrase both The West Wing and tax pledge prophet Grover Norquist).

• • •