Thom Hartmann: The Koch Brothers have a plan for Recruiting Students for the Tea Party

Students at public universities are screwed. Earlier this week it was revealed that American oligarch Charles Koch - one of the billionaire Koch brothers - has a deal with Florida State University where he can handpick right-wing professors for the universities Economics Department in exchange for a heft cash donation to the school. Investigative reporter Lee Fang is now reporting that this story only scratches the surface of what the Kochs are up to as far as polluting universities with their far-right ideology.

At George Mason University - Clemson - West Virginia - Brown - Troy - and Utah State - the Kochs have thrown million's of dollars into the curriculums to ensure professors are hired who will promote deregulation and friendly oil policies - basically policies that help the Koch's profits. At some schools - students are even forced to read books that the Kochs have written. I guess this is the new strategy of these oligarchs - why spent millions kicking off the Tea Party movement.

Why try to get older people on board when you can buy professors to convince kids right out of college to put on the tri-corner hat.

-Thom

(Do you think they ought to be able to do this? Tell us here.)

Randi Rhodes: Afraid of Poets

Rightwingers are having a fit over a poet/rapper named Common who has been invited to take part in an “Evening of Poetry” at the White House. They’re livid because Common once slammed George Bush with a rhyme. Common performs rap and poetry. My first question would be—how in the name of God did conservatives ever find out about it? I know they monitor me, but don’t tell me that the rightwing noise machine is keeping tabs on poetry readings. The good part about that is that I bet they just HATE it. Fox News called Common “vile.” To be fair, I assume that most conservatives consider all poetry vile. Conservatives aren’t generally exposed to poetry… unless it’s scrawled on the wall above a urinal.

Osama bin Laden’s son, Omar bin Laden, says that his father was “summarily executed” in violation of the law. OK, anyone would be angry over the killing of their father. But when your father is Osama bin Laden, you honestly can’t really be very surprised. Osama bin Laden’s son hearing that he had been killed is like Evel Knievel’s son hearing that he had been in a accident. It goes along with the job that they chose. Omar bin Laden has been through a lot, not the least of which must have been some VERY tough times going through airport security with a name like that.

Incidentally, bin Laden’s son says that he was invited to the White House in the final days of George Bush’s presidency in a last-ditch attempt to find his father. He may be assuming too much. This being George Bush, he might have just invited Omar because he was extremely rich. Really, Omar bin Laden is a mega-billionaire from the Middle East. He’s actually part of George Bush’s political base. Omar did not accept the invitation to the White House, so he can’t really say if George Bush wanted to ask him to help find his father… or to make a generous contribution to the George Bush Presidential Library.

Today’s Homework | Discuss

MSNBC’s Martin Bashir asks former congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) if he would have preferred "the death of the president as opposed to bin Laden?” based on Tancredo’s assertion that “Mr. Obama is a more serious threat to America than al Qaeda”…

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Thom Hartmann: Republicans in Florida are now privatizing their union-busting efforts...

Republicans in Florida are so obsessed with privatization - they are now privatizing their union-busting efforts. The City of Winter Park - just hired a firm of right-wing political consultants to fight 150 city workers who are trying to form a union.

The consulting firm has ties to far right-wing organizations like the Ayn Rand Institute and the Federalist Society - and routinely boasts on their website that the "labor movement is dead" and that third world sweatshops are good things. The motive here is pretty clear - the city is hiring anti-union thugs to screw their public workers.

At least when Scott Walker was doing it in Wisconsin - he was doing it himself - and not giving piles of money to some sketchy right-wing yahoos who claim they can bust unions.

-Thom

(Do you think they will get their taxpayers' money's worth? Tell us here.)

Norman Goldman: justice is served on Afghanistan; immigration; the budget; Osama bin Laden and the zombies that are foot soldiers for the Republicon P

Norman Goldman May 9th 2011 Full Show
(Click Text Link Above to Hear 2Hour Show)

Today, justice is served on Afghanistan; immigration; the budget; Osama bin Laden and the zombies that are foot soldiers for the Republicon Party!

Arizona's governor is going to the Supreme Court seeking relief from the two layers of lower courts' telling her "No" she cannot have her "papers please" law. What are her chances of success there?

"Cut and run" has gone bipartisan! It seems now it's safe for BOTH parties to say "let's get out of Afghanistan!"

Polling numbers are out on the Osama bin Laden situation and I'll have them for you!

Once again, I have been deluged with hate e-mail from mindless zombies programmed to hate by the Koch Brothers and their ilk. What should be done?

On Beyond The Norm - skin cancer - what to look out for!

Fierce independence means not being afraid - we demonstrate this every day here - at the place where fierce independence IS the norm, The Norman Goldman Show!

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Randi Rhodes: Newt Steps Forward

Today President Obama turns his attention to immigration reform. If he handles it like he did the “find bin Laden” thing, our immigration problems should be solved by Thursday or Friday. There is no clear right and wrong on immigration. You can see that in the fact that conservatives are split on the issue, and they manage to hold both opinions for all of the wrong reasons. The big business wing wants as much cheap labor in America as possible, and the Tea Party nutjobs want to demand papers from anyone who doesn’t have freckles. The bottom line is that we can’t have these dangerous people down there around our southern border causing all sorts of problems. But enough about Arizona Republicans.

In a move seemingly designed to prevent people from wanting to come to America at all, Newt Gingrich is officially running for president. Ultimately, that announcement has as much significance as the announcement that Jamaica will be entering another bobsled team in the Olympics. In fact, the candidacy of Newt Gingrich is a lot like the Jamaican bobsled team—they have no chance of winning, the fact that they’re even in the race is a joke to most people, and they’re going to go straight downhill.

Insiders say Newt Gingrich may be trying to use Mrs. Gingrich as a secret political weapon. But it doesn’t help matters that most people’s first reaction is to ask “Which Mrs. Gingrich?” Newt is going to try and pawn himself off as a born-again family man, making a big deal that he’s been with this particular wife for 11 years. To put Newt’s 11-year marriage marathon in perspective, it’s a little over half the length of time that Barack Obama (who is 18 years younger than Newt) has been married to Michelle. Yup, Newt and Callista have been together for 11 years. And that’s not even counting the time they were together while Newt was still with his previous wife.

Visitors to Newt’s 2012 website can read “A Note from Newt & Callista.” Newt & Callista”? It sounds like a chapter title from one of the Harry Potter books. Is that part of a recipe for a magic spell? Maybe some kind of potion to make voters forget your past. By the way, Mrs. Gingrich is writing a children’s book. What’s the title—“Johnny Has a Series of Mommies”?

Today’s Homework | Discuss

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Thom Hartmann: Education in in a "State of Emergency"

Education, Education, Education. This week - schools are public issue number one as teachers - students - and parents are holding demonstrations from New York to California to protest cuts to education budgets. In what they are calling a weeklong "state of emergency" - the California Teachers Association is holding a sit-in at their state capital in response to Governor Jerry Brown's proposed $7 billion cut to education.

In the last three years - the state has seen its education budget whittled down by $20 billion and more than 30,000 teachers laid off - now the teachers union is saying, "enough is enough." Also - inspired by activist teachers in Wisconsin - New York City teachers are holding a march this week in opposition to Mayor Bloomberg's proposed cuts to education that will lay off thousands of educators. Tens of thousands of people are expected to join in the march from City Hall to Wall Street to demand that banksters - and not teachers - pay up for what they did to the economy.

Has our morality decayed so much that we rejoice banksters on Wall Street making hundreds of million in bonuses - yet yell and scream about teachers earning a meager 50K?

-Thom

(What do you think teachers and CEOs are worth? Tell us here.)

Randi Rhodes: Terrorist Toiletries

Among the items found at Osama bin Laden’s hideout was Avena syrup, commonly used to treat impotency. Call me cynical, but isn’t that what the multiple wives are for? Erectile dysfunction has to be especially difficult for someone who practices polygamy. “This never happens.” “Yes it does. I talked to wife number three.” This really makes the whole World Trade Center attack look a lot more Freudian. Osama, plenty of guys have erectile problems. But they don’t go around trying to knock down other guys’ “towers.”

Supposedly, there was also about a million dollars worth of marijuana plants growing on the property. Was Bin Laden a pot head? Most of the dopers I know are way too mellow to want to do something like 9/11… and way too stoned to pull it off if they did. Successful terrorism requires anger and ambition… the two qualities most absent in pot smokers.

Rightwing nutbags were trying to spread the bizarre lie that President Obama demanded the removal of American flags from Ground Zero before he would appear there. If Barack Obama hates American flags, he’s definitely gone into the wrong line of work. The President of the United States sees more flags than anyone this side of the people who work in a factory that makes them… which I assume is in China.

The Florida legislature has passed a law making it illegal to have sex with an animal. How did that vote go? When you’re passing a bill that makes it illegal to have sex with a horse, is anyone going to vote “Nay”? This is the third time the Florida legislature tried to pass a bill outlawing bestiality. The prior two were sunk because lawmakers who didn’t want to be accused of wasting time. Florida just slashed unemployment benefits. So don’t worry about “wasting time,” guys. I’d prefer it if the Florida legislature spent ALL of it’s time on issues like bestiality. In fact, with the bunch in office now, Florida would be better off if the state legislature just confined itself to doing nothing but regulating inter-species hanky-panky. At least we’d have reasonable unemployment benefits.

Today’s Homework | Discuss

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Thom Hartmann: Is it time for a new Civil Rights movement for Muslims in America?

Two Muslim religious leader were kicked off an airplane last week in Memphis - simply because they were Muslim. The two imams - both in traditional Muslim dress - went through multiple security screenings - and boarded the Delta Airlines Commuter flight. But shortly after taxing toward the runway - the plane returned to the gate and TSA came aboard and removed the men citing concerns from the other passengers. The imams went through an additional security screening - once again proving that they were not a threat - but the pilot refused to let them on the plane again and took off. Delta is now conducting an internal investigation into the matter - they so far have yet to offer an official explanation as to why the men were kicked off their flight. Coincidentally - the two imams were on their way to attend a conference on Islamophobia in America. Needless to say - they have a bunch of new material to report. So how bad does Islamophobia have to get in America - before we realize it may be time to start a new Civil Rights movement for Muslims in America?

-Thom

(What do you think? Tell us here.)

Norman Goldman: Justice is served on Al Qaeda, Republicons, gas prices and the "religious right".

Norman Goldman May 6th 2011 Full Show
(Click Text Link Above to Hear full 2hr Show)

Today, justice is served on Al Qaeda, Republicons, gas prices and the "religious right". Why did Al Qaeda admit Osama bin Laden is dead? What's their angle on this?

John Boehner says that the fight over Medicare is simply being deferred, not buried. Republicons re-litigate everything - and I will demonstrate today!

The 'Cons are at it again (along with 16 "Democrats") in passing a bill (H.R. 3) to further wage war on women. The story today.

Republicons have a simple answer to gas price problems: Drill, baby, drill. Can we start with their heads?

Yesterday was "The National Day of Prayer". Did you know that? Did you know Congress had enacted such a thing - in 1952! Is this constitutional? I'll have the issue for you today!

On Beyond The Norm, be careful when driving. Your car can be "impounded" and cause you a world of trouble. What THAT is all about today.

Fierce independence means having no fear. We prove this every day here, at the place where fierce independence IS the norm, The Norman Goldman Show!

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Randi Rhodes: Sour Grapes

It's Friday, ya bastids!

George Bush reportedly feels that President Obama is taking a “victory lap” in the aftermath of the operation to get bin Laden. Sorry George, but sometimes it’s hard for a person to avoid giving that impression… when they’ve had a huge victory. Bush is upset about Obama taking a “victory lap”? Come on! With his “Mission Accomplished” banner and speech, George Bush took a victory lap when he hadn’t even come close to completing a lap, let alone getting a victory.

If George Bush gets upset when he looks around him and sees people doing things he couldn’t do… well then he must be very upset a lot of the time. The world is full of people constantly doing things that George Bush can’t do… like riding bicycles without falling off, or staying up past 9 p.m., or swallowing a pretzel without passing out.

Last night there was a debate among some of the GOP presidential hopefuls. The biggest question raised was “Are THESE really the GOP presidential hopefuls?” The debate was held in South Carolina, and carried on Fox News, which are the only two places on earth that this pathetic bunch could be taken seriously. Ron Paul came out for the legalization of heroin, but he might have just been trying to nail down the junkie vote. Paul tried to make the point that not everybody would start using heroin if it was legal. No, but I’m willing to bet that a lot more people would be tempted to use it if Ron Paul was running this country. Hey, if Ron Paul is running America, I need something to help me get at least as divorced from reality as Ron Paul is.

It’s come out that it was Bin Laden’s fifth wife who was shot in the leg during the raid. I don’t know the protocol here, but I’m thinking that taking a bullet is the responsibility of the first wife. In a pinch, maybe the second wife steps up to take a bullet for her husband. But the fifth wife? At the most they should be responsible for things like rides from the airport. Besides, if your man is getting himself into situations where people are trying to kill him, AND he’s got four other wives… maybe you’re just in a crappy relationship. Taking care of Osama bin Laden was a job for the Navy Seals. But taking care of his wife sounds like a job for Dr. Phil.

Today’s Homework | Discuss

Stephen Colbert misses the ‘old Obama’…

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The Colbert Report
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Thom Hartmann: The "Deathers" over at Fox News who think Bin Laden is still alive...or was frozen - are on their own

Al-Qaeda acknowledged today that their leader is dead. An Internet statement posted on several Islamic militant websites read, "Osama bin Laden, God bless him, ... will not go in vain...We will remain, God willing, a curse chasing the Americans and their agents...their happiness will turn to sadness."

So now it looks like the "deathers" over at Fox News who think Bin Laden is still alive...or was frozen - are on their own. Even Al-Qaeda knows he's dead.

WATCH: Thom Hartmann: What is Alex Jones Smoking? Bin Laden mission...a fake?!

-Thom

(What are they smoking? Tell us here.)

Randi Rhodes: Taking the High Road

President Obama says he won’t release any of the photos of Osama bin Laden’s corpse. He said “We don’t trot out this stuff as trophies.” No, not if by “we” he means everybody but the Bush administration. They trotted out the pictures of the dead sons of Saddam Hussein like they were hoisting the Stanley Cup. And back in 2001, the Bush Administration sent out a CIA team with instructions to bring back Osama bin Laden’s head in a box of dry ice. The problem is that Bush didn’t give them the tools they needed to accomplish the mission. Heck, he didn’t even get them the dry ice.

As President Obama put it, “We don’t need to spike the football.” You don’t want to get the most wanted terrorist of all time, and then get penalized for excessive celebration. Not only would the people in the George Bush administration have “spiked the football,” they would have done a flying chest-bump, performed an end zone dance, and jumped into the stands. But then that’s a totally hypothetical scenario. In reality, George Bush’s administration never did and never would have caught Osama bin Laden. So there’s no point in imagining what their reaction would have been.

Sarah Palin’s position is the we should publish the death photos. Sarah tweeted “Show photo as warning to others seeking America’s destruction. No pussy-footing around, no politicking, no drama; it’s part of the mission.” Wow. It’s hard to pack so much stupid into 140 characters. No pussy-footing! Yeah, Mr. President. Don’t get all namby pamby after you just took down the most dangerous man in the world, OK? I love how Sarah says that putting out the photos is “part of the mission.” I don’t think you had any input when it came to defining this mission, Sarah. I’m not sure Sarah Palin could have pulled this mission off, if her attempts at killing that caribou on her reality TV show are any indication.

Today President Obama traveled to Ground Zero to honor the victims of Osama bin Laden. Glenn Beck says that President Obama is “taking a victory lap in New York today.” Beck described President Obama laying the wreath as “crass and obscene.” He has some nerve. Glenn Beck is the one who put the “ass” in “crass.” Beck is also the guy who launched the “9/12 Project” so that we could supposedly feel the same unity we did on the day after the attacks of 9/11. It just proves that Glenn Beck makes a mockery of himself better than he mocks anything else.

Today’s Homework | Discuss

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Thom Hartmann: That's Not Who We Are

No-go on the death photos. President Obama has decided not to release photos of Bin Laden's dead corpse saying - in an upcoming 60 Minutes interview - "It is important to make sure very graphic photos of somebody who was shot in the head are not floating around as an incitement to additional violence or as a propaganda tool...We don't need to spike the football...We don't trot out this stuff as trophies."

The President's decision is a marked departure from the polices of George W. Bush who repeatedly trotted out the "trophies" of people he killed while President - including Saddam Hussein's two sons and Abu Musab Al Zarqawi. It will also disappoint the bloodthirsty people like Sarah Palin who tweeted yesterday telling the President to "stop pussyfooting around" and "show photos as warning to others." Knowing the release of the photos could put our troops at risk and spur more violence - and certainly wouldn't satisfy the deathers who think Sunday's mission was a fake - the President saw no good reason to release them.

"That's not we are," the President said. I agree - no reason to brag - or show how violent we can be. It took us ten years to get rid of Bin Laden, and we're just recovering from Bush's brutality - now it's time to move on

-Thom

(Is Obama right? Tell us here.)