Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
51. Listened to him daily on community access television and radio for years.
Sat May 24, 2014, 03:40 AM
May 2014

He's for Democrats, equal rights, a secular state and our causes. He's against the GOP, Tea Party, Libertarians and Koch brothers.

He's a DUer and he reads what we write here and has commented on it on his show. Progressives are being run out of media in every venue and they have to take what they can get.

Look at how many times some have been amazed to see Schultz and Maddox talk about our causes and then interview some lying neo-con shill. That's because they'd be tossed off the air if they refused, just as Olberman and Donahue were if they didn't allow these guys on their shows to dispute progressive viewpoints, and have to give them equal time, when they are only there because the owners say so.

Here's a sample of his work on the the con job that this nation has been subjected to for years. He posted the video and the transcript as well. I say he is an honest intellectual. not a media gadfly nor an opportunist. He did a program on the Kochs long before Reid and Sanders made news about them, back in 2012:

Thom Hartmann: Conservative Millennials, Boomers & Libertarians all being Conned

thomhartmann - Jul 26, 2012



Multigenerational political influence by a very narrow special interest group is rare, but we're seeing it played out right now in front of us. A billionaire family - the Kochs - have gone from influencing my father's generation, to my generation, to my kids' generation - and very few Americans realize it. Daddy Koch - Fred - made his first millions palling around with Joe Stalin in the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 1930s. As the fascists rose to power in Europe in the 1930s, he was an enthusiastic supporter of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, who invented the word "fascist," meaning essentially the takeover of democratic governments by big business interests. Mussolini went so far as to dissolve the Italian parliament, and replace elected politicians with representatives of each district's largest corporations. Fred Koch and Mussolini both particularly hated the trade unionists and their sometimes allies, the communists. So after Mussolini, along with his ally Hitler, lost World War II against America, Fred Koch brought the anti-communist pro-business-running-goverment - what some would call "facist" - torch to America big time, helping start the John Birch Society.

Two of their biggest efforts are pretty well known. After the Supreme Court ruled, in 1954, in the Brown versus Board of Education case, that segregation in schools was unconstitutional, the John Birch Society put up billboards all across America calling for the impeachment of the Chief Justice of the Court, Earl Warren. Daddy Fred Koch was very concerned about the integration of our schools - in fact, he wrote, "The colored man looms large in the Communist plan to take over America." With JFK's election, Fred Koch's John Birch Society went off again - this time against JFK. Using rhetoric not that different from the "secret Muslim" plots the Tea Party promotes about Obama, in a 1963 speech Fred said that " infiltrate the highest offices of government in the U.S. until the President is a Communist, unknown to the rest of us.”

When JFK was scheduled to come to Dallas that year, the JBS distributed flyers saying, "Wanted, for Treason" all around the town two days before his arrival. On the day JFK was assassinated, large ads ran in the Dallas newspapers attacking Kennedy as being soft on Castro, among other things. That was my dad's generation. Daddy Koch died, and his sons Charles and David took over the family business of promoting the business and billionaire takeover of our American government.

They're doing it with a two-pronged attack. For people over forty, they're funding the Tea Party through a variety of groups, most notably Americans for Prosperity and Freedomworks. And for people under forty, they're funding Libertarian think tanks, like the Charles Koch Foundation (which was renamed as the Cato Institute), and the Reason Foundation, where David Koch is a trustee, which happily embraces a new generation of young people with the idea that "freedom" means the "freedom" to buy politicians and the "freedom" to pollute. For the young people, of course, the Libertarians throw in the "freedom" to smoke dope and hire a hooker, but those are just bones being cynically tossed to young potheads and young protoge's of Dick Morris.

But the Koch's have been inside the Libertarian movement from its beginning - 32 years ago this year, David Koch was the Libertarian Party's official candidate for Vice President of the United States. It's really pretty incredible, but it's all true. The main agenda of the Koch's John Birch Society was to enhance the power and control of our government by big business and billionaires, while fighting organized labor and people like me who were protesting the Vietnam War. The main agenda of the Koch's Tea Party is to get millionaires elected to Congress and have them cut taxes and regulations for Koch Industries and other polluting corporations, while fighting organized labor and people like me who were protesting the Iraq War.

And the main agenda of the Koch's Libertarians - again, funded and trained by the Koch Brothers - is to keep intact the power of big money over our government, cut taxes and regulations on billionaires and polluting industries, while fighting organized labor and people like me who are protesting the corporate takeover of the United States of America. Three generations of Americans, all duped by the same billionaire family. Three generations buying into the idea that "what's best for industry and billionaires is best for America" - and that government is our "enemy" rather than something that our nation's founders fought and died to create for all of "We The People" And, increasingly, it's not just the Koch family. The Walton family - whose combined wealth is greater than 40 percent of all Americans - funded a covert campaign to rename the estate tax as the "death tax" and lobbied so hard they got the estate tax eliminated entirely in 2010.

Senator Bernie Sanders pointed out yesterday that - so far - we know of 26 billionaires - worth over $146 billion - who have already "invested" or committed to invest over $561 million dollars in this election cycle - most of it to defeat Democrats who want to raise their taxes. The good news is that young people are waking up and realizing that the Libertarian hustle the billionaires are feeding them is just that - a hustle. Just like Tea Partiers are waking up to their having been had by billionaires who want to privatize their Social Security. Hopefully, soon, America will regain its sanity and we'll go back to viewing cranky billionaires the way my Dad's generation did - as Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower did - when Eisenhower referred to their ilk as "small in number and stupid" They're not stupid any more, and if we really value American traditions, we really must push back on this kind of power and influence in American politics.


I have no problem with that and the facts there can be easily proven. He has a Wikipedia page that has a lot about him:



Thomas Carl "Thom" Hartmann
(born May 7, 1951) is an American radio host, author, former psychotherapist,[2] entrepreneur, and liberal political commentator. His nationally syndicated radio show, The Thom Hartmann Program, began in March 2003, and airs in the United States. It has 2.75 million listeners a week, and is one of the top progressive talk radio programs.[3]

Hartmann's 2002 article, "Talking Back To Talk Radio",[4] became part of the original business plan of Air America Radio, and he started his radio program out of his home in Vermont in March 2003. He moved to the network on February 19, 2007. On March 1, 2009, Hartmann moved syndication of his show to the former Jones Network, now owned by Dial Global. The radio show is also broadcast on community/non-profit stations via Pacifica Radio and Free Speech TV. In 2008 Hartmann started a daily TV show, The Big Picture. The show began on Free Speech TV, and has also been shown on the RT news network since 2012.


I suspect his syndication of his show is why he is not being forced to toe the party line for Putin.

Many more interesting things at the link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thom_Hartmann

Some links say he is now being listened to in 55 million households. Not a fringe guy, he's a regular liberal and progressive.

He always posts this link in reference to overturning Citizens United:

https://movetoamend.org/

His show are on in more than one place, not just RT:

The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann on RT TV & FSTV "live" 9pm and 11pm check for local listings at:

http://www.thomhartmann.com/tv

He can be heard on iTunes as a podcast:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-picture-with-thom/id409140538#

He provides a venue that would not otherwise be given by corporate media, for one of the most popular Democratic senators at DU:

Brunch with Bernie on the Thom Hartmann Show

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/must-read/brunch-with-bernie-on-the-thom-hartmann-show

I have no problem with him and with the sorry state of media in this country, our voices are being silenced. AFAIK, Hartmann is not a Putin supporter. His concern is the USA. America is in deep trouble, on the verge of losing everything.

Hope that is the kind of information you and others are looking for to make a decision about him. I don't watch RT, put don't mind downloading podcasts about things of interest from his show. Of course I have all the ones from the White House to see what is going on, since the media refuses to give him voice. Obama has not ignored anything, but looking at media, you'd think he was on a permanent vacation.

Gotta go.

K Cha May 2014 #1
& petronius May 2014 #4
! Bobbie Jo May 2014 #12
R Cha May 2014 #47
R baldguy May 2014 #2
indeed mopinko May 2014 #3
On the upside, RT gives Thom Hartmann's "The Big Picture" a platform. Snarkoleptic May 2014 #5
of course not eShirl May 2014 #7
+100 nt okaawhatever May 2014 #8
I listen to his radio show on an almost-daily basis and Snarkoleptic May 2014 #29
only portions, 2 or 3 times over the years eShirl May 2014 #37
Listened to him daily on community access television and radio for years. freshwest May 2014 #51
Huge Recommend for Read! KoKo May 2014 #97
Thom OWNS his show.. iamthebandfanman May 2014 #30
He's also a frequent poster on DU. Snarkoleptic May 2014 #36
Because he's a fake progressive. First he looks at the purse. MADem May 2014 #104
I like Thom too Shankapotomus May 2014 #55
YET... Or "So he says..." MADem May 2014 #53
He owns his own show and rents the space in RT's DC Studios... KoKo May 2014 #98
RT "broadcasts" him and he has no audience if he doesn't have the MADem May 2014 #101
Who is the "everyone" who knows it? You seem in favor of censorship. KoKo May 2014 #113
I've asked over and over for a list of polly7 May 2014 #122
I know...and remember when Firedoglake KoKo May 2014 #124
Really? Abby Martin did and she's still there. Plenty of coverage on the sabrina 1 May 2014 #115
Yeah--shows how much YOU know about that. The nail that sticks up gets hammered down. MADem May 2014 #123
that actually makes me question Thom Hartmann's credibility. MohRokTah May 2014 #85
Why post anything from the Corporate Media anymore? sabrina 1 May 2014 #6
Exactly 1000words May 2014 #10
Down with the corporate media! NuclearDem May 2014 #21
Al Jazeera, funded by the ruler of Qatar yet managed to provide some of the best coverage sabrina 1 May 2014 #23
Every 'news' outlett iamthebandfanman May 2014 #34
Media bias? of course! tech3149 May 2014 #59
You haven't seen this? Shankapotomus May 2014 #24
Of course I've seen it, the Neocon puppet who, before joining RT, interned for Sean Hannity on sabrina 1 May 2014 #38
Oh Shankapotomus May 2014 #56
Love that woman. Certainly no neocon puppet there. sabrina 1 May 2014 #66
Liz Wahl who was outed as a buddy of the Conservatives? KoKo May 2014 #99
RT is Russian government media. n/t pnwmom May 2014 #45
You mean it is funded by the Russian Govt. Like the BBC is funded by the UK Govt and Al Jazeera is sabrina 1 May 2014 #46
The Russian government is more repressive than the UK government. pnwmom May 2014 #48
What proof do you have that the Russian government is more repressive Texas Elvis May 2014 #72
From the Human Rights Watch. Russia's record is demonstrably worse. pnwmom May 2014 #83
Human Rights Watch is not the most unbiased source these days. Texas Elvis May 2014 #87
I'll take the Human Rights Watch over RT any day. n/t pnwmom May 2014 #88
If that's the case I'll refer you to page 640 Texas Elvis May 2014 #92
I didn't say we had a great record. But Russia's is demonstrably worse than ours or the UK's. pnwmom May 2014 #94
Because corporate owned media is so ...superior and truthful. L0oniX May 2014 #111
Right On bahrbearian May 2014 #69
DU battles over which media is better or worse ....silly. L0oniX May 2014 #112
Well said. Tired of that Anti-American Anti-Freedom Putin/Hitler Propaganda Being Posted Here 951-Riverside May 2014 #9
Lol, it reminds me of the Right Wing and Al Jazeera. They HATED them, called them 'terrorists'! Lol! sabrina 1 May 2014 #16
It's some Twilight Zone shit here these days anymore isn't it. Puzzledtraveller May 2014 #49
i thought calling folks unamerican for criticizing the government was a right wing thing. m-lekktor May 2014 #62
And remember when Hillary Clinton said she wished there were more Al Jaeera's? KoKo May 2014 #100
Yes, but she changed her mind since then. sabrina 1 May 2014 #108
Ban the books, ban the sources, ban what I dont like because I know best. rhett o rick May 2014 #32
Putin's anti-Americanism (indeed the right's in general) is irrelevant. His anti-liberal values pampango May 2014 #63
There are people here who are pro-Putin and Russia, anti-America. RT and RIA are the sources that okaawhatever May 2014 #11
Hahahahaha ... 1000words May 2014 #13
You mean like there were people here who were pro-Saddam, anti-America because they watched sabrina 1 May 2014 #19
"Btw, what did you think of Al Jazeera?" I think you should have asked that first. rhett o rick May 2014 #35
I'm pro Russia every bit as much as I'm pro any country in the world. polly7 May 2014 #58
I don't recall people posting Saddam state TV propaganda. joshcryer May 2014 #76
Wtf are you talking about? polly7 May 2014 #80
RT is Russian state TV propaganda. joshcryer May 2014 #81
No, I followed your threads, and said so. polly7 May 2014 #82
Fascist ultra bigots are not worth defending. joshcryer May 2014 #86
Nah ......... you didn't accept them at all. You doubled down, most times. polly7 May 2014 #89
Yes I did. joshcryer May 2014 #95
Lmfao. polly7 May 2014 #96
So Russia Duckhunter935 May 2014 #107
No, they didn't. Unless you have something more than your own opinion to prove it. sabrina 1 May 2014 #109
Yes, it is called facts Duckhunter935 May 2014 #114
This message was self-deleted by its author polly7 May 2014 #117
tell that to the Crimean Tartars Duckhunter935 May 2014 #118
Horrible what the Crimean Tatars went through ... polly7 May 2014 #119
They are still there today Duckhunter935 May 2014 #120
No, mistreatment of ANYONE is not 'fine with me'. polly7 May 2014 #121
I remember people attempting to stop the march to war against Iraq. Texas Elvis May 2014 #90
Well said n/t Strelnikov_ May 2014 #116
Thank you, agreed. closeupready May 2014 #14
Thank you citizen. I believe only WhiteHouse.gov videos should be posted! quinnox May 2014 #15
RT is not allowed in LBN. hrmjustin May 2014 #17
The Corporate Media is allowed in LBN. Which is why I don't read anything in LBN. In fact sabrina 1 May 2014 #20
foreign media is good to watch because you get a broader perspective. hrmjustin May 2014 #22
I don't care about Putin, he's a politician. I care about PEOPLE. I doubt he was very happy with RT sabrina 1 May 2014 #25
Derping into a tripwire flare is not the same as being shot. NuclearDem May 2014 #27
So you support the Bush policy of imprisoning and shooting at Reporters? You weren't clear so sabrina 1 May 2014 #39
I think you should get a refund on that Logic 101 course. NuclearDem May 2014 #60
You have a link to that from a reliable source? sabrina 1 May 2014 #65
I'm confused by your animosity towards that reporter. Texas Elvis May 2014 #73
Here is the latest video from Graham Phillips Texas Elvis May 2014 #74
I have RT and Al Jazeera and I watch them. I just am not a fan of RT. hrmjustin May 2014 #28
Were you a fan of Al Jazeera? Are you a fan of our own Corporate Media? I am not a fan sabrina 1 May 2014 #41
I like Al Jazeera. hrmjustin May 2014 #42
Al Jazeera sold out. They were at one time one of the best news organizations sabrina 1 May 2014 #43
Unfortunately media in this country is in bed with the powerful. hrmjustin May 2014 #44
Unfortunately, I agree with you as far as AJAM tech3149 May 2014 #61
+1000. nt. polly7 May 2014 #64
Because it's watched by a million bajillion viewers. NuclearDem May 2014 #18
I see your point, but as others have noted, nearly all "news" is propaganda to some degree. nomorenomore08 May 2014 #26
You got that right... its why I stopped watching any mainstream news. TampaAnimusVortex May 2014 #71
Why dont you make a list of what sources you dont like? Or just trash the threads and rhett o rick May 2014 #31
One thing tho Iliyah May 2014 #33
Watch the good stories and take them with a pound of salt Warpy May 2014 #40
They can post all they want BainsBane May 2014 #50
Got something against free speech? Corruption Inc May 2014 #52
The same reason we post FOX News and Glenn Beck videos here? To show how screwed up Obama is? pampango May 2014 #54
This. RT tells us about the character of the posters. joshcryer May 2014 #75
You are calling fellow DU'ers who read and post about RT..Compulsive Liars? KoKo May 2014 #102
That's people who post RT and push it as true when it's not. joshcryer May 2014 #103
It's another view/opinion. And our MSM is so biased towards MIC that reading KoKo May 2014 #110
I agree, but I just posted one above. He's the only one I'd post from RT. freshwest May 2014 #106
To annoy the government. nt bemildred May 2014 #57
RT is Putin's own version of FOX News. backscatter712 May 2014 #67
Actually it's closer to MSNBC. The shows tend to skew Democratically. KoKo May 2014 #125
While we're picking out discredited sources, I nominate JoeyT May 2014 #68
+1. nt bemildred May 2014 #70
Well said.. Remembering Judith Miller and the others who covered up KoKo May 2014 #105
we should just stick to watching "Morning Joe" Enrique May 2014 #77
That's just for laughs, though. Shankapotomus May 2014 #79
Not me.. I don't watch that bullshit. But Stephen Colbert saw this and called out his bullshit Cha May 2014 #84
Why bother posting anything from CNN, MSNBC, NBC,.... bvar22 May 2014 #78
Thanks for telling us what is not the approved channel to watch Comrade. Katashi_itto May 2014 #91
Actually, it was a question Shankapotomus May 2014 #93
How utterly silly Warpy May 2014 #126
This is not some "We have always been at war with Eurasia" sentiment Shankapotomus May 2014 #127
Of course it is Warpy May 2014 #129
All I wanted to know was why Shankapotomus May 2014 #130
I won't give RT clicks. Ever. MohRokTah May 2014 #128
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Why bother posting Russia...»Reply #51