This week readers were eager to discuss anti-Russian war hysteria and the role of privatization in public education. Strong responses came for “Freedom Rider: Democrats Are the McCarthyites” and “Cory Booker Hates Public Schools.”
“Freedom Rider: Democrats Are the McCarthyites” by Margaret Kimberley argues that liberals are endangering the world with their use of Russia-gate to promote war hysteria.
Debbie Tucker writes:
“So - the corrupt Dem establishment pretends to want war anywhere and pretend it is because they are going against what Russia wants. Such a crock of BS. It is FOR THE MONEY and FOR THE RESOURCES -- money for all the privatized war companies no matter what, money for the resource profiteers as a bonus if our takeovers are successful. The entire duopoly is corrupt and colluded with each other to dupe the public in so many ways, not least of which is the pretense that the parties have different goals and 'fight' each other.
“Putin wants GOOD RELATIONS and fair dealings with other countries, and has correctly noted that the US wants 'vassals,' not partners. And my research says that Russia provides healthcare (might even still have doctors do housecalls?), 3 years maternity leave, a month of vacation, and free college or good assistance with college. Hmmmm....”
Michael Shamamian writes
“I canvassed for Sanders for months in 2016, then switched to Trump for days. The Clinton's expansion of NATO and the Deep State's rush to war with Russia is very alarming.
Russians have much pride in their history and their nation. They defeated Napoleon and Hitler and would not simply give in to Clinton. Russia does not have the conventional weaponry to match the USA/NATO alliance and such a war would have to become nuclear. If Israel with 300 warheads can speak openly of the Samson Option, Russians, matching USA nuclear assets, must at least contemplate the same.
I'm old enough to remember when the American left was concerned to avoid nuclear war; now they seem to crave it.”
In “Cory Booker Hates Public Schools” Eric Blancdetails the history of the presidential candidate’s strong support for privatization of public education.
Greg Davis writes:
“I hate public schools too. All of the schools that serve my neighborhood are failing schools. The elementary school has 14% grade level performance. The middle school 13% and the high school 16%. The ACT average is 15.8. This has been the case for years. The school board and the school administration blame the kids, their parents and their community. I have given up on advocating for change. They have been impossible to fight. The only hope for the children is to take these schools away from these dysfunctional public education professionals and allow new and different approaches and management.”
Debbie Tucker responds:
“We need to understand how the corrupt have defunded schools (started to defund in the 90s), put in accountant types to supervise instead of education experts, and arranged in every way to cripple public education (and infrastructure, and the Post Office, etc). There was NO NEED for this, except that we have had greedy, corrupt money addicts running things for decades, and their biggest scam to enrich themselves is 'privatization, devised around 1970.
“Privatization is NOT AT ALL like a regular private business -- instead, it gets basically unlimited federal money, and the corrupt know that they can bill the federal govt for massive exec salaries and millions/BILLIONS in profits. And investors -- even Wall Street firms invest in these 'companies' -- typically know how it works and that profits are GUARANTEED via federal money.
“Our many dozens of war companies are privatized. And many federal prisons, and all migrant detention centers, and our healthcare insurance companies. And the charter school system they are pushing now is 'privatization.' That Orwellian word is to dupe the public, along with the blatant lies we are told.”
It is great as always to see serious debate on our articles. This is not something you will see in the mainstream media so we will all need to keep up the good work.
Jahan Choudhryis Comments Editor for Black Agenda Report. He is an organizer with the Saturday Free School based in Philadelphia, PA.
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Orion Meadows is a non-violence trainer with Institute for Nonviolence Chicago.
Michael Li is Senior Counsel in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice.
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