AND NOW … HERE IS THE NEWS

The Mendacity of Hope: Barack Obama and the Betrayal of American Liberalism
By Roger D. Hodge
http://www.amazon.com/Mendacity-Hope-Betrayal-American-Liberalism/dp/006201126X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1298299927&sr=8-1

Comparing the lofty rhetoric of Obama’s autobiography, The Audacity of Hope (2006), with the harsh reality of the Obama administration, Hodge, former editor of Harper’s Magazine, chronicles the growing disappointment in Obama’s failure to deliver on expectations for real change in Washington. Instead, Hodge cites example after example of how corporate interests have seen their investment in Obama’s campaign pay off while the aspirations of middle-class voters have been neglected. He details contributions by huge financial corporations—Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, and others—that have been rewarded through the financial system bailout. Hodge offers historical context for the long association between business and politics as candidates from both political parties have sought campaign support and made promises to corporate interests. He particularly laments that Obama’s eloquence has not matched his actions, engendering a disappointed fantasy that a single man can make changes rather than the need to reform the political system itself. --Vanessa Bush

Reviews of the Book

“The Mendacity of Hope should help wake up all those Obama-voters who’ve been napping while the wars escalate, the recession deepens, and the environment goes straight to hell.” (Barbara Ehrenreich)

“Hodge calls for revitalization of the founding tradition of civil virtue and republican values of liberty, a message that should be taken to heart if we are to reverse the drift towards an ugly future.” (Noam Chomsky)

“An eloquently sober indictment of the corruption which impels the self-aggrandizement of our executive branch, much to the bane of our Constitution. A frightening book whose conclusions ought to haunt every American.” (William T. Vollmann)

“Roger Hodge has written a desperately needed expose of how Barack Obama is not the messiah of liberalism but its designated gravedigger. . . . This is a blazing indictment of corporate collusion and a bracing injection of hard truths.” (Naomi Wolf)

“Ready to wake up from the Obama dream yet? If so, this thrillingly scathing and relentlessly truthful cri de coeur is your strong cup of coffee. ” (Naomi Klein)

“An excellent book. . . . US politics has ended up as a battle between the mostly corrupt and the entirely corrupt. . . . It’s long past time to put away your Obama t-shirt and take out your protest banner.” (Johann Hari, The Independent)

HR808 in 112th Congress - US Department of Peace
On February 18, 2011, Congressman Dennis Kucinich introduced HR808 into the 112th Congress, calling for a US Department of Peace. Please consider posting, sending to your networks and, if you are so inclined, writing an Op-Ed or Letter to the Editor. As USIP (United States Institute of Peace) faces a serious budget cut, let's send a message that peacebuilding and making peace an organizing principle in society is a priority.

If you wish to call and thank Representative Kucinich: (202) 225-5871.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-808

Committees are like "mini Congresses". Most bills begin by being considered by one or several congressional committees which may "report" the bill favorably or unfavorably to the Senate or House as a whole allowing it to receive consideration by the full body and move forward, or may fail to consider a bill at all preventing the bill from moving forward. Most bills never receive any committee consideration and are never reported out. House bills start in House committees and enter Senate committees only after being passed by the House and received by the Senate, and similarly for Senate bills.

Information on committee proceedings is notoriously opaque: committees vary in what information they make public and often do not provide basic public information such as the results of votes electronically or in an understandable format. Furthermore, if your Member of Congress does not sit on any committee relevant to this bill, you generally have no opportunity to voice your opinion on the bill while the bill is receiving its most important consideration.

The bill has been referred to the following committees:

House Oversight and Government Reform
House Foreign Affairs
House Judiciary
House Education and the Workforce

Further, here is a great article regarding the USIP situation:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703373404576148601662888050.html

Finally, this just in from Michael Shank in Congressman Honda's office: Was just running the numbers: USIP cuts = 3 hours-worth of funding for our troops in Afghanistan.

Standing with you in loving cooperation,

Dorothy J. Maver, Ph.D., President
National Peace Academy

Workers’ Uprising: Two Dozen Protests Launched Across Wisconsin, TV Talk Show Blackout of Union Reps
Joshua Holland, AlterNet
http://www.alternet.org/story/149986/10_latest_developments_in_the_huge_story_of_wisconsin%27s_uprising?akid=6551.9992.K6CCuI&rd=1&t=2

Exposing the Republicans’ 3-Part Strategy to Tear the Middle Class Apart – Let’s Stop Them in Wisconsin
Robert Reich, RobertReich.org
http://www.alternet.org/story/149981/exposing_the_republicans%27_3-part_strategy_to_tear_the_middle_class_apart_--_let%27s_stop_them_in_wisconsin?akid=6551.9992.K6CCuI&rd=1&t=5

Now Even Wisconsin’s Business Leaders Signal They’re Turning Against Gov Scott Walker
Mike Elk, Think Progress
http://www.alternet.org/rss/1/480081/now_even_wisconsin%27s_business_leaders_signal_they%27re_turning_against_gov._scott_walker?akid=6551.9992.K6CCuI&rd=1&t=24

‘This is What Democracy Looks Like’ in Wisconsin, as Largest Crowd Yet Opposes Union Busting
John Nichols, The Nation
http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/480134/%27this_is_what_democracy_looks_like%27_in_wisconsin%2C_as_largest_crowd_yet_opposes_union_busting/#paragraph3

Revolt Spreads: Indiana Dems Leave the State to Thwart GOP Union Busting
Chris Bowers, AlterNet
http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/482484/revolt_spreads%3A_indiana_dems_leave_the_state_to_thwart_gop_union_busting/#paragraph4