West

Here's a link to a tracked out and labeled 192k mp3 quality version of the WFUV stream from last night. This sounds pretty darn good except for several dropouts during Company In My Back. But is better than nothing until they release it officially and we'll all purchase a copy

 

You'll have to unzip it once you download it.

 

The link will be available thru July 3rd.

 

Download link

http://we.tl/SM5wp0btqr

I haven't been to this website in a while, but I had to find out my password to thank you!  If you can get all of the performances I will love you forever.

Cheers!

You have an odd concept of "freedom."

 

Ask the Danes if they feel like their freedom is impinged in any way. They pay astronomical taxes, but they also get free healthcare, free education including university, a stunning array of well-funded social welfare programs, ample funds for infrastructure ... and all of these taxpayer-funded benefits allow them a degree of freedom that Americans will never know.

 

Denmark is basically a socialist country in many ways -- certainly in terms of its welfare state -- yet it's also consistently at or near the top of the list of countries whose residents are happiest. Businesses thrive despite this socialist nightmare, and the markets are as free as virtually any in the world. According to Wikipedia, those America-hating commies at the Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation rated Denmark's economy as the "11th most free" in the world, yet 80% of workers belong to unions. Income taxes are the highest in the world, yet the standard of living is also among the world's highest, and wealth disparity is among the lowest.

 

What Denmark is doing, we could be doing too ... except that no one could ever sell that kind of success to the American public, who prefer their uniquely "American" brand of fucked-up, failed economics, corrupt politics, and greed-based corporate supremacy, despite it being against their best interests. Our system is pulling us over a cliff, but as a nation we're more interested in wrapping ourselves in the Stars and Stripes and shouting about how America is the Greatest Country In The World™ (or might have once been, anyway) than in facing up to the mistakes we've made and finding real solutions. That stubbornness and willful ignorance of our systemic problems will propel us over that cliff, sooner rather than later, and in the resulting chaos we'll see how much people truly cherish things like "freedom." In times of crisis, true freedom is one of the first casualties.

Yeah, I guess being responsible for yourself or wanting the freedom of choice is a strange concept of freedom. I guess I know what Sparky means now. The only thing I can think of to make you understand...

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

— Benjamin Franklin

I am not cryptique but if I may be so bold as to respond (is that a complete sentence?).

 

According to your quoted response, you should be able to give consent to all taxes. You must define our current tax system and all of our previous tax systems, including that which we were founded on as 'socialist' because citizens have never been able to give direct consent to any taxes.

Being our government is that of a republic and not a true democracy you could say that my representative is allowing me to be taxed, yet when we were founded it was not meant for the federal government to be so big, nor were people as bold as to tax as much as we are now taxed. I cannot think of any "socialist" thing about the beginning of our country or our first taxes, so maybe you can point it out.

You're confusing socialism with Soviet-style communism.

 

Also, you're concentrating solely on the calamitous events of 2008. The (relatively) unfettered free market, which gained considerable momentum during Reagan's time, led incrementally to the 2008 meltdown, though its onset was significantly expedited by the policies of the George W. Bush administration.

I don't think so; you promote a socialist doctrine, yet what if I as an individual do not want to give my money for whatever social program you offer? Today it is forcibly taken from me; if I refuse the IRS comes after me or whatever government agency. The fact is no matter how noble a socialist cause, without the consent of an individual, is an infringement of his freedom which the United States (used to be) is all about.

I'm for raising taxes drastically on the wealthy, closing loopholes on corporations (for example, those who incorporate in the Caymans to avoid U.S. taxes, and so on), raising a shit-ton more revenue, amending the Constitution to eliminate "corporate personhood" and guarantee Constitutional rights only to human beings (not corporations), and (among other things) repairing the nation's infrastructure, which is crumbling at an alarming rate, which would actually create hundreds of thousands of jobs, if not millions, not to mention the positive ripple effects it would have across the rest of the economy.

 

Essentially, a New New Deal. Let's bring back the Works Progress Administration. Let's give more than a spit-shine to this country -- update its infrastructure from mid-20th century to 21st century with room to grow into the 22nd. Let's re-regulate some industries that obviously can't behave themselves. Fuck the "unfettered free market" -- that's the naïve fantasy that landed us in this mess in the first place.

 

More than anything, let's narrow income disparity. Yes, that means wealth distribution, but instead of from the bottom up (which has been what's happening for decades, but especially since the Reagan administration), this time from the top down.

 

Does that smack of socialism? You fuckin' betcha. It also happens to be what this country needs.

You may have some points, but through socialism you take away individual choice and liberty which is something the United States is founded on. Oh, and the free market "didn't land us in this place". It was the fault of bankers who made terrible decisions.

West, you are new here. Until you started this thread, I've pretty much been on my own on most of these issues so don't get discouraged. Also, I don't give a rat's ass who any of the members of Wilco support for president, what their individual religions are, or what their favorite colors and flavors of ice cream are. They just make the best damn music going. I usually just come here for info on the band but sometimes I get suckered into these debates (my own fault) and succeed in convincing no one to my point of view while getting hammered by the VC gatekeepers. But I've got a few minutes before the Red Sox game goes on so I figured I'd kill a few minutes. Have fun, brother...

 

19 Reasons Why The Federal Reserve Is At The Heart Of Our Economic Problems

 

#1 The Federal Reserve system is a debt-based financial system.

 

The way our system is designed, normally no money comes into existence without more debt being created.

 

But this creates a huge problem, because when a new dollar is created, the interest owed to the banking system on that dollar is not also created at the same time.

 

Therefore, the amount money that is created is not equal to the larger amount of debt that is also created.

 

This is a Ponzi scheme that is designed to drain wealth from the American people and transfer it to the banking system.

 

Today, the amount of debt in our economic system is far, far, far greater than the total amount of money.

 

The only way to keep the game going is to create even more money which creates even more debt.

 

#2 The Federal Reserve and the bankers have a monopoly on the creation of this debt-based money.

 

In the United States today, the only people that can create money are the bankers.

 

You cannot create money.

 

You would go to jail if you tried.

 

Even the U.S. government cannot create money.

 

Although the U.S. Constitution specifically gives Congress the power to create money, the U.S. Congress has given that power to the Federal Reserve and to the banking system.

 

This gives them an enormous amount of power.

 

So how does money creation actually work?

 

Most Americans don't understand this.

 

Read the rest:

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/19-reasons-why-the-federal-reserve-is-at-the-heart-of-our-economic-problems

Yeah, at least we can all love Wilco together. It's kind of lonely in the real world when you can't find any Wilco fans.

Now, you got it...Oh, they'll come up with a new Bretton Woods II or something that will just disguise the old system with something which is essentially the same but with no democratic input from the people. It's already in the works. The same folks who have brought on the collapse are the ones who are putting the solutions together for the new system that they will run. Ending the Federal Reserve and placing our currency back on a precious metals footing is the first step. I truly believe that is the course our nation needs to take. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Whew, I thought I was going to get ganged up on this issue. I find it funny that they aren't really backing up anything with their negative approval of Ron Paul's economic stance. If only Wilco will see the light as well!

Edit:

jff, you stated that all politicians lie... well in that case it is impossible for Ron Paul to be a politician or your statement is false.

Laminated Nap

Oh, so West was right that it's Ron Paul's way or the apocalypse? No gray area whatsoever? Just binary one solution/ absolute failure?

Ron Paul wasn't put on the chair of the House Sub-Committe on Domestic Monetary Policy for nothing. He has a deep understanding of economics and our problems related to economics. Have you read any of his work or understand the reasons behind it?

http://www.ronpaul.com/on-the-issues/fiat-money-inflation-federal-reserve-2/

With all respect to Wilco and members of this board, feel free to believe and support who you want, but Ron Paul is one of the few principled politicians in the United States of America if not the entire world; a true upholder of the constitution of the United States. Any arguments against any of his issues should be addressed in a logical way as he has put forth logical reasons for his stance(If I am wrong about my support in Ron Paul I need to know why!).

It amuses me that there are people who would seek to pair Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich.

 

If you really think Paul and Kucinich are politically compatible, maybe it's time for you to do some reading and puncture some of the mythology that's built up in your brain around those two men. They certainly agree on a select few issues, but they're diametrically opposed on most of the others.

 

I have no doubt that Ron Paul is a principled man who only wants the best for his country. That said, I also think that his economic philosophy is preposterous and would only further cripple the national economy. I also disagree with him on a few very important social and civil liberties issues, though in that arena we see eye-to-eye a lot more than on economic policy. Also, he named his son "Rand." And Rand is a fucking lunatic.

 

Kucinich, on the other hand, is right up my alley ... except that he's a bit of a freak and would never win a national election.

 

 

As for Wilco, they will support Obama again, I'm sure, though they may choose to be less visible in doing so. Personally I have found Obama's presidency to be disappointing, but hardly "failed." However, I was never under the illusion that Obama was a leftist ... he's been a centrist his whole career, and lefties who feel let down by Obama's refusal to push their agenda simply weren't paying attention to his positions. It's hilarious that the Tea Partiers call him "radical" and a "socialist," because he's about as centrist as a politician can get.

 

If nothing else, Obama's presence in the White House has emboldened the GOP to show their true colors on a wide range of issues, and I think the electorate is starting to see them for what they are. 2010 may have been a repudiation of Obama's first two years, but I think 2012 could turn out to be a firm rejection of the Republican vision for America. It certainly should be, anyway.

 

I have little doubt that I will hold my nose and vote for Obama again in 2012, if only to prevent the election of another Republican.

I wonder, you're against Ron Paul's views on economy; so are you for spending money we don't have and allowing the Federal Reserve to print money(further devaluing our money? I just want to understand how you think.

Can't wait to see how this thread plays out.

 

One could argue that Wilco's two most recent albums are as big of "failures" as the Obama administration, so in that case wouldn't they be peas in a pod?

Really? I actually love Sky Blue Sky, but Wilco the album? Meh. Maybe we can argue Sky Blue Sky represents Obama's promises and then Wilco the album the failure? (No offense Wilco!)

I think Wilco, or at least Tweedy, is still very solidly in the Obama camp. I would be shocked if that changes at all.

Aw, even after Obamas failed presidency? It's ok, I still love tweedy. I wonder if he is even familiar with Ron Paul.

I became a Wilco fan 3 years ago after being asked to check out the Sky Blue Sky album by a friend. My musical taste is quite strict, but after absorbing the songs I have come to appreciate all Wilco albums. In fact I'm listening to a Norah Jones cover of Jesus etc. After doing a google search I found it seems that Wilco supported Barrack Obama for the 2008 president. Does anyone know who Wilco will support for 2012, if anyone? I'm a HUGE Ron Paul supporter and I also googled to find if Wilco had any feellings or words about Ron Paul, though I found nothing. Supposedly Arlo Guthrie donated to Ron Paul's 2008 bid for the republican nomination(http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?21019-Since-Arlo-Guthrie-s-onboard...-%28Wilco%29). Feel free to share any information or opinions.

P.S. Sorry if my first post was this one, but I love Ron Paul and Wilco.