Who Is "The Man"?

Lately there's been a TV commercial airing, where a guy makes a remark about "sticking it to The Man", then he reflects that now He's the man, so then Now what..

Or Is he?

Do you make Five Hundred Thousand dollars per year or less?

If you make Five Hundred Thousand dollars per year or less, then you're NOT "The Man". You're down here with the rest of us, no matter what airs you try to put on. The Man is looking down on you too, with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. Being neither loyal to (nor considerate of) any particular land or people, he is secure in the knowledge that, in the words of Agent Smith of "The Matrix", you are destined to go about living your lives, "oblivious".

The Man wants to exploit your home and destroy your Government. He wants to "stick and move" without the inconvenience of rules, regulations or referees. He owns the television and radio stations that tell you that government is a bad idea; that slickly sell you the idea that war is good, that plant the seeds of helplessness: of "there's nothing I can do". If you don't give it any thought, his persistence might even convince you of it.

If he has his way, your Fruited Plain can and will go the way of Argentina. Or Mexico.

Or Haiti.

If he has his way, we'll continue to waste our scarce resources on colonial adventures overseas in places like Vietnam and Iraq, which we will continue to pay for through inflation, interest, bankrupt cities, oppressive fear, lower education rates, and all other signs of a weakened society, including continued loss of personal liberty amid rising rates of violent crime and a hungry, destabilized planet.

If he has his way, we working people will be further divided by things such as race, religion, national origin, sexual preference, style of automobile, favorite rock band, shoe-size.. whatever differentiator he can dream up to keep us from working together to throw off his oppression.

If he has his way, we will continue to give him our tax money so that he can build systems with which to threaten and/or control us, just like the people he controls in his other colonies.

This is why "government of, for and by the people" is not just a cool phrase by a guy with a beard and a tall hat. It is the principle of US, protecting ourselves from The Man.

The only way our democratic-republican government can function effectively is if we as citizens consider in good conscience what's going on in our world, and consider the sources and motivations of the messages we are getting. If we have no problem getting Rush Limbaugh on the radio in our cars or at work, then we should also have no problem getting Amy Goodman on the radio in our cars or at work. Then we as individual citizens can decide what we think is best.

Since the situation is not that, today, I challenge you to consider, when you hear or see the polished, commercial messages that bombard you day in and day out, what is The Man trying to sell you? Is he suckering you in?

It's when The Man makes it so you only hear his side of things, by owning all the media outlets, that many will start to think that things like Republic and Democracy aren't really important anymore, and that it's okay for The Man to run things for us (privatization).

By this point, you could rightly gather that I don't have anything nice to say about "The Man".

You shouldn't, either.


---- Mark Frankenberg

P.S. There's a crucial, national election this November. Call your Supervisor of Elections! Order your Absentee Ballot! Don't trust those electronic vote-stealing machines! Do your job as a citizen to help guide your republic…

while you still can!

Learn.
Teach.
http://www.JustSayNOtoFascism.com

Movie "America: From Freedom to Fascism"

Tell someone about this film. Opens July 7th, 2006 all over the place.

Fight Ignorance

MANY get their political opinions passively from the radio. Support outlets for Pacifica Radio and their affiliates. This could be the most important bit of activism many of us do. Plant the seeds of wisdom! www.pacifica.org

WarMongers falsely accuse Iran of persecuting religious minorities

Regarding Right-wing pundits and the people who listen to them.. the word SUCKER comes to mind. They are trying to sell you another war. It's that simple.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0523-04.htm
"Iran Target of Apparent Disinformation Ploy"
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0523-04.htm

Good Bumper Sticker Quote:

"How can this be a free country if everything is for sale?" -- from Northern Sun Merchandising (800-258-8579)http://www.northernsun.com/

"Bush secretly authorised the leaking of classified documents"

Always watch what happens on Saturday Mornings carefully. This is when the stock-brokers are sleeping off their hangovers and the working-joes are taking time off from the harder concerns of the world (except the ones who must work, of course). This story, which may be the final straw that breaks the camel's back, was all over the news first thing Saturday morning, and already today, Sunday, the spin-doctors are doing their best to bury it before monday:

"Bush secretly authorised the leaking of classified documents"
http://www.sundayherald.com/55039

"Maureen Dowd: Bush Should 'Fire Himself' For Libby/Miller Leak"
http://www.editorandpublisher.com...

In order for the people of the world, and particularly the citizens of the United States of America, to have justice through effective investigations and probably some impeachments, a majority of the opposition party (the Democratic Party) MUST be elected this coming November, by a landslide (to offset further cheating through the use of those electronic vote-stealing machines), with exit polls conducted by citizen's groups. I know, we are all very dissapointed with the cowardly, corrupt actions of some who call themselves members of the Democratic Party. I also know, that in a majority situation, the Democratic party will be better able to reform itself, now that we are all awake and watching.

Tell your neighbors and co-workers about this latest development in the Bush-Cheney-Libby-Plame scandal, tell them to register to vote, and tell them to vote for members of the Democratic Party in November, in order for our republic to have restored it's necessary system of checks and balances!

-- Mark Frankenberg

Veterans for Peace

I am a combat veteran. I oppose the war in Iraq.

Tampa Bay Veterans for Peace
http://www.tampabayvfp.org/

Veterans for Peace throughout the U.S.:
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/

Samm Simpson for Pinellas District 10 in Florida!

We have a progressive, independent Democratic Candidate to Challenge incumbent "republican" corporate shill Bill Young here in Pinellas County, Florida: District Residents sign the petition to get her on the ballot! Anyone can support her campaign financially!


Samm Simpson for Congress in 2006!
www.sammsimpsonforcongress.com

Inconvenient Guest

When Dr. Martin Luther King was murdered in 1968, Close family friend and supporter Harry Belafonte encouraged the late Reverend's wife Coretta to be strong and to continue the struggle. When Coretta King died, Harry Belafonte naturally was scheduled to speak at her funeral.

This was until George W. Bush decided to attend.

Some things are sacred.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/20/1439231

Trust a Slot Machine before you Trust an Electronic Voting Machine

If your precinct uses these ballot-stealers, VOTE ABSENTEE.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

Watch for this movie release:

Aaron Russo's film, "America: From Freedom to Fascism" is due out this summer. Give them an e-mail address and they'll keep you posted on screenings etc.
http://www.freedomtofascism.com/

Hunter S. Thompson exposed "flag-suckers" and accomplices.

Hunter Thompson wasn't afraid to live damn well the way he chose. When something didn't sit right with him, he said so. He didn't kiss anybody's ass. He didn't believe the Warren Commission and he didn't like Nixon and he said Bush made Nixon look like a liberal. He smelled a rat regarding 9/11 and he rightly predicted they'd use it to justify an attack on Iraq. He checked out a month after Bush was sworn in for a second term.

In the Summer of 2002 he did this interview. Behold a REAL Journalist.

So You Don't Think you're in Denial, Ey?

Remember how they said that bullets turn around in mid-air, in their explanation of the John F. Kennedy murder? Americans had to swallow that along with their self-respect.

Why did the World Trade Center towers fall at the speed of gravity, as if there was nothing intact to slow the descent? It's IN YOUR FACE.

I encourage you to visit http://www.reopen911.org/ and get the free DVD (let me know if you have any problems getting it).

Preserving our self-respect requires that we demand ANSWERS.

Florida government chastises supervisor of elections for finding flaws in electronic voting machines

http://votetrustusa.org/supportsancho.html

"
...
Ion Sancho needs our help!! Florida officials are attacking this courageous Supervisor of Elections for trying to protect the integrity of our vote. Please click [HERE] or use the information HERE to send an email to Florida officials protesting their outrageous treatment of this courageous Supervisor of Elections.

In 2005, Supervisor Sancho authorized security tests of the Diebold voting system used in Leon County, Florida. These tests definitively proved election results could be altered without detection using only a memory card. A team of California computer scientists have sinced confirmed the Leon County tests and discovered additional severe security flaws in the Diebold system.

Instead of thanking Sancho for exposing flaws that should have been discovered by state and federal certifiers, state officials are threatening Sancho with legal action, which could include removing him from office. Instead of hailing him as a national hero, state officials have condemned and threatened him. On top of that, the only three companies with Florida certified voting systems (Diebold, ES&S and Sequoia) have blacklisted Sancho and are refusing to sell their voting machines to Sancho, either in retribution for exposing serious security vulnerabilities in the Diebold voting system, or out of fear that he will find similar flaws in their systems. As a result of the Sancho now has no voting system in place.
...
"
http://votetrustusa.org/supportsancho.html

"Why we Fight" showing in Tampa this week

Why We Fight - A Film By Eugene Jarecki
What are the forces that shape and propel American militarism? This
award-winning film from the maker of "The Trials of Henry Kissinger"
provides an inside look at the anatomy of the American war machine. To
watch a preview: http://www.sonyclassics.com/whywefight/

Theatres other than Tampa (some leads):
http://markfrankenberg.com/whywefight.htm

Tampa Theater:
Friday, Mar 10: 7:30, 9:45
Saturday, Mar 11: 3:00, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45
Sunday, Mar 12: 3:00, 5:15, 7:30
Mon - Thurs (Mar 13-16): 7:30

The "Embodiment of Conservative Values" was a shoplifter.

Claude Allen was Bush's Domestic Policy Assistant. He was paid $161,000.00 per year with your tax money, the highest salary in the white-house, the same as Karl Rove's. He was ripping off retail-stores.

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/03/10/claude-allen/
"
From the police report:

The Target Loss Prevention Manger contacted Montgomery County Police and through the police investigation it was learned that Allen had been receiving refunds in an amount exceeding $5,000 during last year. Some of the fraudulent returns were made at Target stores and some at Hecht’s stores. He would buy items, take them out to his car, and return to the store with the receipt. He would select the same items he had just purchased, and then return them for a refund. Allen is known to have conducted approximately 25 of these types of refunds, having the money credited to his credit cards.
...
[Allen] was the top domestic policy adviser and a former Bush Federal Circuit Court nominee. The Washington Post labeled him the embodiment of “conservative values.”
"
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/03/10/claude-allen/

When the Media is Monopolized and elections are stolen, you get appointees like this. There are two hundred ninety five million people in the United States. 295,734,134. Some of them have honor and integrity and intelligence. This is the best we can do?

Retired Supreme Court Justice warns of Dictatorship

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5255712

"
Newly retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor took on conservative Republican critics of the courts in a speech Thursday. She told an audience at Georgetown University that Republican proposals, and their sometimes uncivil tone, pose a danger to the independence of the judiciary, and the freedoms of all Americans.
"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5255712



http://rawstory.com...
"
...
O’Connor said that attacks on the judiciary by some Republican leaders pose a direct threat to our constitutional freedoms.
...
The nation’s founders wrote repeatedly, she said, that without an independent judiciary to protect individual rights from the other branches of government those rights and privileges would amount to nothing.
...
death threats against judges are increasing.
...
a Georgia judge was murdered in the courtroom and the family of a federal judge in Illinois murdered in the judge’s home.
...
O’Connor observed that there have been a lot of suggestions lately for so-called judicial reforms, recommendations for the massive impeachment of judges, stripping the courts of jurisdiction and cutting judicial budgets to punish offending judges.
...
interference with an independent judiciary has allowed dictatorship to flourish
...
It takes a lot of degeneration before a country falls into dictatorship, she said, but we should avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings.
"
http://rawstory.com...

Mark Frankenberg to speak at Tampa Peace Rally March 19, 2006

My name is Mark Frankenberg. I say, government of, for and by corporatist war-profiteers is harmful to the human race.

Corporatism is Fascism. Just say NO to fascism. We have elections coming up in November. The federal system currently is designed effectively for two parties ONLY. Our Democratic Party (like it or not) MUST regain Congress. If all you do is vote, This will not happen.

If you're in Tampa Bay on the 19th, Hope to see you at the rally. If you're not in Tampa Bay, Find a rally near you HERE.

http://unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?state=FL
"
Tampa, Florida
RSVP • TAMPA BAY RALLY FOR PEACE
Sunday, March 19th 2006 11 AM
In order to commemorate the 3rd anniversary of the invasion of Iraq -- an action that the Bush administration deemed "mission accomplished" just weeks afterwards -- peace advocates, religious leaders, and activists representing a wide variety of constituencies will gather for an afternoon of picnicking, speeches, singing , poetry and information sharing, with a live phone call broadcast to all from Peace Mom Cindy Sheehan.
"
http://unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?state=FL

Movie: "From Freedom to Fascism"

http://www.freedomtofascism.com/

Thumbs-Up for the ten "NO" voters:

The 10 "No" Votes (Senators voting against renewal of the Patriot Act) Came From Feingold of Wisconsin,Byrd Of West Virginia, Jim Jeffords of Vermont, Daniel Akaka Of Hawaii, Jeff Bingaman Of New Mexico, Tom Harkin Of Iowa, Patrick Leahy Of Vermont, Carl Levin Of Michigan, Patty Murray Of Washington And Ron Wyden Of Oregon. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, Did Not Vote

I'd venture to say that these are about the only REAL DEMOCRATS in the Senate.