Given the power and sophistication and entrenchment of the Military-Industrial Complex, no public official, no matter how well intentioned, can resist emperialism unless they are emboldened by a clear mandate coming from the bottom up.

With the campaign and election of Barack Obama, a new era of activism may unfold. Some are waiting for leadership from the new President and other self-starters are siezing the opportunity to mobilize, organize, and communicate.

That is where the people's power, the people's mandate for real change will come from.

The new President, no matter how well intentioned, will not be able to withstand the pressure from the think tanks, the lobbyists and the military-industrial complex without a strong public mandate to the contrary. Citizens must be actively involved in forming and advancing a peaceful agenda in the interests of all of the people, not just those who benefit from war, consumerism and pollution. From a Democracy Now interview, author Eugene Jarecki discusses the premise of his award-winning movie, "Why We Fight" Part 2 of the interview.

The new President, no matter how well intentioned, will not be able to withstand the pressure from the think tanks, the lobbyists and the military-industrial complex without a strong public mandate to the contrary. Citizens must be actively involved in forming and advancing a peaceful agenda in the interests of all of the people, not just those who benefit from war, consumerism and pollution. From a Democracy Now interview, author Eugene Jarecki discusses the premise of his award-winning movie, "Why We Fight"

Iraq War Moratorium Stands for Peace in Rice Lake, WI. Demonstrations will continue every third Friday until the war against Iraq is over.

Amy Goodman has become the first journalist to receive the Right Livelihood Award, established "to honor those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today." The annual prize, also known as the Alternative Nobel and widely recognized as the worlds premier award for personal courage and social transformation, will be awarded in the Swedish parliament in December. Please note in this video how Amy deflects praise from herself to her co-workers. That is a trait of a great coach and leader. Congratulations to Amy Goodman and Democracy Now! for this well-deserved award.

Democracy Now!

New Yorkers protested Wall Street bailout bill. Not everyone interviewed was against the bailout. That is a tribute to the fairness of Democracy Now! They just showed it as it was.

Gentrification in New Orleans extends to the public schools in an ugly form.

Identified with the City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco as well as the poets of the Beat Generation, 88 year old Lawrence Ferlinghetti is still active as a poet. This poem is a recent effort.

The mainstream media portrayed the Irag war in such a way as to support it.

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! tells the story of the Iraq War from more than the government's point of view.