The Most Oppressive Debt- The Banking Scam You Never Hear About
As a former student organizer and staff of the US Student Association, I always have an eye out for stories about access to higher education, and the affordability crisis. Not only are there few stories, but they usually focus on the impact of rising tuition. The analysis (if there is any) is it is caused by more cut backs in state funding. There's little to no analysis of the declining value of the Pell Grant.This segment on Democracy Now is astonishing. Like I said, I know more than the average person about student loans, the impact on students, and on access to higher education for communities of color; and I am amazed at the analysis and the evidence here of a student loan racket and wholesale ripoff. You have to watch it for yourself starts 13 minutes in (scroll down for audio or the written transcript).
They show clips of Defualt: The Student Loan Documentary, from the website,
"While the media has focused on the disaster that sub-prime mortgages have turned out to be, only superficial attention has been given to financial giants which have been profiting by approving loans to low-income students with variable interest rates up to 25%."
Another guest, Alan Michael Collinge, author of The Student Loan Scam: the Most Oppressive Debt in US History--and How We Can Fight Back, talks about his personal experience with the student loan industry and reveals how private banks have created a perfect monopoly and racket in student loans that even the mob would envy. His website www.StudentLoanJustice.org is fantastic- it names names.In addition to extraordinary and arbitrary fees, student loans have been stripped of consumer protections, not just bankruptcy protection, but truth in lending laws. Under the banking protection laws, it is in their financial interest for students to default- you owe them WAY more, AND they still collect. This graph will help illustrate that profit motive.
McCain senior staffers have dropped hints to CNN that they are giving up on Iowa, Colorado and New Mexico, and going after Pennsylvania. If the Obama campaign were to take this talk seriously, that would mean McCain has decided that to make up for these three states that Bush won in 2004, he must try to take Pennsylvania from the Democrats. This reminds me of Robert E. Lee's strategy for some reason. Is it possible that McCain is just trying to coax the Obama campaign out of places like Virginia and North Carolina, where Obama has been making some real headway, and force him to spend some time and money shoring up Pennsylvania? Should the Obama campaign meet the McCain campaign on the fields of Gettysburg, and hope for a final, decisive confrontation?
Or should the Obama campaign march into Georgia like Sherman, and really throw the McCain people into confusion?
We are making a music video to Get Out the Vote for Obama and give the people of Los Angeles an opportunity to have their voices heard.
The theme of the music video is that with Individual Voices coming together we can inspire people to overcome fear and take action for a better tomorrow. The music video will feature citizens of LA holding homemade signs saying what HOPE, PEACE or CHANGE means to them.
We have an amazing song that has been produced by a grammy-winning producer and an experienced team of film makers.
We need VOLUNTEERS who would like to participate in this community effort.
Please email us at yesyoucanvideo@yahoo.com if you:
With the election coming up, we need to move on this fast. So please get back to us by Sunday, Oct 5th at 8pm. YesYouCanVideo@yahoo.com
THANK YOU!
Thursday October 2, 2008 - 6pm
Today I received a forwarded email from my sister who wanted to know if Obama really supports Infanticide. Thank GOODNESS for www.fightthesmears.com ...I hit "reply all" and sent the following message...feel free to copy and paste it if you should run into the same thing.
Forwarded messages should not be the end of the line when it comes to the most important of decision-making.I am so grateful that my sister forwarded me the video that devilishly tries to connect Barack Obama with Infanticide. She was inquiring about its validity. She is busy keeping together a beautiful family and business of her own. At this critical time, she recognizes the need to be critical of information since we are all aware that there is an endless supply of deceptive information floating around.Please see the following link to understand the critical truth of this matter.http://fightthesmears.com/articles/15/wildaccusationsAnd please, if you understand the deceptive tactics being used after researching this, forward this message on to anyone you know has received that video. It is vital for all of our safety, finances, and just plain happiness to elect the right candidate this year.Much Love and Blessings...Elaine Smith
Hi all-- It's energizing to see the great new ad the Obama campaign is putting out to attack McCain's gutter tactics. Well written, well put together... I fear it might be dismissed as more liberal media pandering since they don't have a quote in there from more conservative media, but nonetheless, I think he's striking back well.
I also think it's pretty fascinating that Karl Rove is even speaking out against McCain's tactics: Karl Rove: McCain's Ads Have Gone Too Far
Mitt Romney also had some harsh words for the Senator.
Colin Powell, while still playing coy on the candidate he's backing, is calling for the campaigns -- cough, McCain, cough-- to return to the issues.
So.. What does this mean?
Dunno. I'm happy that there seems to be some pushback on the dumbing down and trivializing of this campaign so hopefully we can get back to the issues, an area where Obama/Biden seem to really have some strength and can finally undo this co-opting of the message of change and unseat these mavericks from their Ivorique tower-- I presume one of the late night shopping channels has some kind of weird Ivory substitute with an equally "my stripper name" nomenclature.
While all this news is coming in, I did have one additional thought. I know that our man, Barack, seems to have been rocked a bit by the inane yet damaging squeelings and rantings the McCain camp has presented as their campaign platform. Could be that since Obama (wisely) freed himself from the public campaign financing, he might just be biding his time, letting McCain's tantrums (and finances) dwindle. Like in boxing, letting your opponent tire themselves out with superficial blows before you wade in and finish them. Or like letting a 4 year old tire themselves out in a tantrum before you come in and explain things.
I don't know that it's a proven strategy. I don't know if it's actually Barack's strategy. But it certainly does kinda feel that way and explain why he's been so disciplined about dismissing these stupid attacks and pressing on the issues. He's given himself a lot of ammo for the debates. And hopefully it's this last sprint that's really going to seal the deal for him and get him into the White House.
Am I wrong? Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee... anyone.... Bueller?
Even though we may be ahead in the polls in California, we still need to be sure we register new voters and get them all to the polls November 4th.
In addition, we can reach out and help our brothers and sisters in Nevada. The polls say Nevada is close and some of us can travel there to help register voters and canvass.
The Nevada team would appreciate our help. We are coordinating with supporters in Nevada.
It's the Obama Wild West Weekend in Las Vegas!
Join our SoCal posse as we stampede into Clark County and round up all the unregistered voters for Obama!
It's August 22-24. We're organizing caravans and carpools to Las Vegas. Limited supporter housing is available. Cheap hotel rooms are plentiful. Let's make Nevada Obama country.
Yippee!!!
Interested? Contact Dave Crocker, Out-of-State Travel Coordinator for Obamawood/North CD33, at DJCroc@yahoo.com.
Provide your name, email address and phone number. You'll be notified of all the details of when and where to meet.
(prior to Friday night 8-22-08). The event signup is also located at: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpgkjr
PLEASE, forward this information to any people or groups who can help. Let's get well over 100 people to Vegas.
Thanks.
LET'S WIN THIS ELECTION!
Dave Crocker (DJcroc@yahoo.com)
This is what really has to change, isn't it? Here is a religion that stands for tolerance, brotherhood and liberal values, being attacked by blind hatred. Unfortunately, we live in a world that encourages that kind of hatred.
The Obama campaign, which stands for similar values as the Unitarians, has also been the subject of unreasoned fear and hatred. What has to change is the whole environment of encouraging groups to pit themselves against other groups, of fomenting fear of people whose ideas or values may be different from yours, and of looking for scapegoats for people's problems.
How does the campaign reduce the level of bitterness and hatred? By not engaging in typical attack politics, for one thing. (That doesn't mean that we refrain from setting the record straight when we are attacked by our opponents, but it does mean that we have to keep ad hominem attacks to a minimum) The campaign also has to keep emphasizing its inclusiveness. The Obama administration will represent everyone's interests (except haters, perhaps). The campaign also needs to keep repeating its message that attacking one another is not the way to solve our problems.
Of course we will not completely eliminate hate and fear, but it must be the goal of the campaign to reduce it.
This is in response to my first post. I'm going without and wow -- what a joy. You don't know what you got till it's gone...
Life without Cable TV is good. I just watched a video on FORA.tv of Obama on his Audacity of Hope book tour. The video is about an hour long but totally worth it. This FORA.tv video paints the picture of his mind right before he announced running for President. It's very interesting... very good!
Let me know if you watch it and what you think. Peas out.
Congratulations, you are the strongest of the strong.
You, and all human life as it is right now, is the strongest DNA in history -- from the leaders in society to the homeless man on the side of the road. But what is DNA? Sure, you can look it up on wikipedia, but what I'd like to debate is a new theory. Play along and see what you think...
Every single life that has led up to yours is stored within you, and for now, I say within your DNA. Which means, like a microchip, each memory of every second of your DNA life from the beginning of time can be accessed, BUT! Not all at once, because you would overload. AND! Much doesn't come up at all, because it's not relevant or needed and could confuse the current situational requirements. But it's all there. You have access to all that strength -- the positives if you will are there to help you -- and maybe the negatives are there to haunt you. The good news is you're in control of it all.
This explains a lot about who we are, what we do and why -- those weird memories or misunderstood fears or fearlessness. This is the start of a new conversation on human understanding.
Energy transference brands each second into your DNA, from the point your parents conceived you, from the moment you became life and able to record each second into your own DNA. It's at that point you are you and not just a by-product of your parents DNA. But your parents are obviously important because they passed the most recent recorded memory into your start. At the point you were conceived their recording stopped and yours started, but their whole life up to that point is in you – in your DNA. Where we come from and what happened in those past life's are very important to each of us.
So as each of us begins life, we record it. The energy of what happens every second, the thoughts and feelings -- that processed learning is recorded and molds you into a new person, into yourself.
We have a subconscious memory of the time in our Mother's womb, the birthing experience, and our critical 1-5 years of age with family, friends, our surrounding environment and so on and so on. It's at this young age that we cannot control what is imprinted as much as it's imposed on us.
It's only at the point you can make your own decisions that you can mold your own DNA as you see fit. The good news is most of us get to the point that we can take control. And we must take control in order to access the positives, store never to need or use negatives in a safe understood way and get what you want out of life. All of us have the capability, because of this enormous tank of information – from knowledge of communications and other skills to knowledge of oneself which will enable the best practices of self governance.
DNA memory is your gift. Energy transference happens, make it your choice to use your energy wisely, surround yourself with good energy, and you will reap the benefits and fulfill your dreams. What do you want from your life? It's possible. Find that inner strength, knowledge. Use it wisely. Know what you want. Search yourself to find the possibilities. You only need to ask yourself to find the power. It's all within you.
We can problem solve the "de-evolution" (not the DEVO movie) happening in the world by simply controlling our own actions, our own energy and passing a more positive and enlightened DNA. It's an awesome responsibility, but a worthy one if you care about future generations. And if you are a fan of Obama you do care!
Current explanation from our scientific friends: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA
*Incomplete concept in history: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/11660
And I should add that my definition of energy transference is also new.
Please give me your thoughts on this theory -- add to it or critique. I'm looking forward to the discussion.
And thank you for reading. Pass this blog on. Let's start the conversation.
*Note: The idea came to me, and then I researched to find what others were doing and thinking on the subject. I'm self taught, so this is my way of learning. Though this theory can back-up into Darwinism, I am somewhat influenced by Carl Jung's collective unconsciousness. What I don't add in this post is my theory of how deep energy transference is felt throughout human kind as a whole and at an individual level.
While the media is trying to portray the presidential race as very close, the electoral map is showing a different story. According to the most recent polls, there are only twelve solid red states, amounting to only 80 electoral votes. The largest state in John McCain's solid Republican column is Tennessee!
http://www.electoral-vote.com/
Add in the "pink" states and McCain gets only another 112 electoral votes.
Meanwhile Obama starts with a solid 194 electoral votes, and also is now shown as narrowly carrying states like Montana, which the Democrats last carried in 1992, and North Dakota has just moved into the undecided column. States like Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana will still decide the election, but Obama has a real chance also to convert some Southern states as well as a few plains states to Democratic territory.
