McWorld and Globalism on NPR

WNYC – The Brian Lehrer Show: The Fear Factor (October 01, 2003)

From the site:
Benjamin Barber argues that the McWorld is not a democracy. He accuses the Bush administration of confusing free-market ideology — sold on the sizzle of brand-marketing — with the spread of democratic ideals. Barber is the author of Fear’s Empire: War, Terrorists, and Democracy. According to Barber: “The two axial principals of our time %u2013 tribalism and globalism %u2013 clash at every point except one: they may both be threatening to democracy.”

Amending the Constitution, foreign born Presidents

“Natural-Born” Killer – Abolish the idiotic constitutional clause barring immigrants from the presidency. By Jefferson Morley

“Barring immigrant citizens from the White House is a pointless insult. Such nativism is weirdly out of place in the charter of a multicultural nation where immigrants run our largest businesses, command our armies, and preside over our courts.”

Although Hatch has pushed for this I still think it is a good idea.

Democracy Quotes

Democracy Quotes | Democracy Quotations | Democracy Sayings | Wisdom Quotes

“… the 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy.”

Australian social scientist, quoted by Noam Chomsky in World Orders Old and New

ACLU Criticizes the Patriot Act

Wired News: ACLU Chief Assails Patriot Spin

Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, speaking Friday at a conference on information technology and homeland security at the University of California at Berkeley, said the government has “repeatedly made false statements about the Patriot Act, presumably to deceive listeners into thinking the act gives the government less unilateral power than it actually does.”

Clark Presidential Bid Follow-up

Wired News: Clark’s Run: Net Made Him Do It

Wired article reports on the use of the internet in bringing Clark around to running. Some interesting discussion of how it all went down and what it might do to the Dean campaign.

FYI, I like Dean quite a bit but I think Clark has a better chance in beating Bush (which has to be a main goal here).

I am waiting to see his stance on everything before making up my mind. I find it great that he thought that invading Iraq without the support of the UN was a mistake (before it happened).