06/04/13 06/04/13 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] >> from pacifica, this is democracy now! waysere are two immediately to increase economic activity in this country. one is to raise the minimum wage. tens of billions of dollars in consumer purchasing power will invigorate the economy. the second is to launch a repair america program, a public works program the way franklin delano roosevelt and others have done in the past. >> ralph nader on rebuilding the economy, challenging corporate power, and fighting government abuse. he is just of the new collection you so." called "told first, the trial of bradley manning begins. >> it is utterly wrong. it is immoral the way that are killing people in iraq, targeting people for death

rather than working with the population. this is wrong. each of these statements tells you about how he was doing a politically. >> we will get a report on day one of the berlin manning trial with michael ratner, turning -- attorney for julian assange and wikileaks. all of that and more coming up. this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. the united nations panel is accusing both sides of the syrian conflict of reaching "new levels of brutality" after more than two years of fighting. u.n. panel chair accused government forces of murder, torture, rape, forcible displacement, enforced disappearances and other acts, many of them carried out systematically against civilians. but he said anti-assad rebels were similar -- built of similar

atrocities. >> these groups have also committed murder, execution without due process, torture, hostage-taking and pillage. they continue to endanger the civilian population by positioning [indiscernible] past, there ishe a disparity between the violations of the crimes committed by the government forces and those committed by the rebels, but this is in intensity, not in the very nature of the crimes and violations. they are the same. >> the nominations panel also found a reasonable grounds to believe limited amounts of chemical weapons have been used in syria, but said it was not able to determine who was responsible. the british-based syrian observatory for human rights now says more than 96,000 people

have died in the syrian conflict. according to the tally provided to mcclatchy newspapers, more than 40% of those killed were government soldiers or pro- government militia members. the u.n. has put the total number of dead at about 80,000. mcclatchy is also reported the u.s. is withholding more than $60 million in aid to syria's main opposition group out of concern about its lack of organization. while the u.s. has publicly defended the group, unnamed official said large portions of aid pledged by the u.s. have not been delivered because the group is in disarray. answer is besieged western town of qusair, doctors are begging for help for hundreds of wounded residents after weeks of fierce fighting between the army and rebels. one doctor told the associated press the wounded are being treated in private homes after the main hospital was destroyed. medical supplies, food, and water are reportedly running out and bids to evacuate the wounded

have stalled after convoy was attacked and 13 people killed last week. the international committee of the red cross has sought access to the town, but has not received a direct response from the syrian government. the trial for army whistleblower bradley manning opened monday at fort meade, maryland. manning is accused of giving a cache of diplomatic cables and government documents to wikileaks and the largest leak of state secrets in u.s. history. in an opening statement monday, a u.s. government prosecutor accused manning of "dumping" hundreds of thousands of documents into the lap of the enemy. the lawyer attempted to establish close ties between manning and wikileaks founder julian assange, citing chat logs he said showed 8 "familiarity" between them. he also said email records show manning directly to dissipated in the editing of the collateral murder video which showed a 2007 u.s. helicopter attack in iraq that killed two reuters employees.

manning could face life in prison for the leaks. his trial is expected to run all summer. we will have more on the bradley manning trial after the headlines with attorney michael ratner. one of turkey's largest union confederations has launched a two-day strike in solidarity with anti-government protests that have ignited the country. the union accused the turkish government of carrying out state terror and its brutal crackdown against demonstrators. on monday, a 22-year-old protester was shot and killed in the southern city. he is a second person killed in the protests. first was reportedly hit by a car the day before. on monday, white house press secretary jay carney said the obama administration trusts the turkish government will "to properly work through this situation." >> we believe the vast majority of the protesters have been peaceful, law-abiding ordinary

citizens exercising their rights. the u.s. has serious concerns about the reports of excessive use of force by police and large numbers of injury and damage to property. we call on these events to be investigated and urged all parties to refrain from provoking violence. >> a military judge says u.s. army site -- u.s. army psychiatrist accused of massacring 13 people at fort hood, texas in 2010, represent himself at trial. mr. nidal hasan could face the death penalty for the to the opening fire on fellow soldiers. he says he will defend and self based on the so-called defense of others argument which would require him to prove he was protecting others from imminent harm. there's speculation has on not to argue he was protecting potential victims of the u.s. war in afghanistan from soldiers at the fort who were set to deploy there. his defense strategy will allow him to question the people he is charged with wounding during the rampage.

more than 65 countries have signed the first-ever treaty regulating the global farm trade. the u.s., which is the world's top arms exporter, has delayed signing it after accused -- being accused of weakening the treaty before its approval last month. secretary of state john kerry said monday the u.s. would sign as soon as the official translation process is complete. the treaty would not control domestic weapons use but still faces a tough battle ratification -- for ratification in u.s. senate. on monday, the u.n. secretary general ban ki-moon urged countries that export arms to embrace the treaty. >> i appeal to a major arms trading countries to be the first movers, the eyes of the as never watching before. i call on all governments to bring legislation and procedures in line with the requirements of the treaty so that it becomes a strong force for security and

development for all. >> the u.s. for the first time is offering bounties for informational meeting to the location of terror suspects in west africa. on monday, the state department offered a total of $23 million to help locate five top militants from groups including al al qaeda in the islamic region. the largest bounty is $7 million for the leader of the niger- based group boko haram. u.s. supreme court has ruled on a narrow five to four decision that police can collect dna samples from people they arrest, even before they're convicted of a crime. the ruling upholds a practice already in use in most u.s. states where dna samples are collected by cheek swab and use to solve crimes. justice antonin scalia wrote --

some advocates for rape victims said dna evidence is the best tool available to prosecute sexual violence. in north carolina, roughly 140 people were arrested monday during a weekly protest against the agenda of the republican controlled legislature. the local naacp has been leading demonstrations on so-called moral monday's to protest cuts to social programs, restrictions on voting rights, and the forgoing of medicaid expansion under obama's health care law. monday's protest was the largest to date. hundreds of people protested today outside a chinese poultry plant where a least 120 people died in a fire on monday. the blaze in the country's northeast marked one of china's worst industrial disasters. survivors said they rushed to emergency exits that turned out to be locked, all the single exit was open. more than 300 workers, most of them women, were in the factory the time.

scores were injured. local officials said the cause was in excess of ammonia gas. relatives of the victims blocked traffic, clashed with police, and called for answers about the deaths of their loved ones. worked there. after the incident happened, they have not given us any explanation. it was time for my daughter to the court, but the door was locked so that all burned to death. we're not moving into the government gives us an explanation. think safety was being managed properly. they need to work harder on this. the should never happen again. they paid the price with their blood. >> an egyptian activist and blogger has been given a six- month suspended jail sentence for criticizing president mohamed morsi. ouma is the first well- known critic of morsi to be convicted among several whose

arrests were ordered in march. he was from guilty of insulting the president and spreading false news. another round of sanctions on iran has been imposed on in a attempt to force concessions over its alleged of their weapons program. the new sanctions target iran's auto industry and its currency in a bid to make a currency unstable -- unusable outside of iran. in el salvador, a woman denied an abortion by the supreme court has undergone a c section in the pregnancy doctors said threatened her life. beatriz. is known as she suffers from lupus and kidney problems and had begged for abortion for weeks. last week the health minister granted permission for surgery. as predicted by doctors, the roughly 27-week-old baby died shortly after it was removed because it lacked major portions of its brain. a mississippi man has been indicted for allegedly sending letters containing the poison ricin to president obama,

senator roger wicker, in a state judge james everett dutschke was arrested in april. he could face up to life in prison. democratic congressmember carolyn mccarthy of new york has announced she will begin treatment for lung cancer. mccarthy has been a leading advocate for gun control after her husband was killed under some critically wounded in a mass shooting on the long island railroad in 1993. ofarty said monday her form lung cancer is treatable. i-- ersey democratic sen senator frank lutton rick has died at the age of 89. during his five terms in the senate, he was up for champion in control, environmental regulations, public transportation, consumer protections, investigations of wall street malfeasance and curbs on smoking and alcohol consumption. he was the senate's last surviving veteran of world war ii. in 2004, he delivered a

memorable speech blasting what he dubbed the chickenhawks in the bush a ministration, such as vice-president dick cheney, who led the way to the war in iraq but who at the time were criticizing democratic president a candidate and vietnam war veteran john kerry. >> they talked tough on national defense and military issues and cast dispersant on others when it was their turn to serve, where were they? awol. that is where they were. >> senator lautenberg died monday in manhattan of complications from pneumonia. his death is likely to decrease the democratic majority the senate since new jersey republican governor chris christie will appoint his replacement. and those are some of the headlines. this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman with aaron maté. >> welcome to all our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. the military trollop army whistleblower bradley manning is under way. he is accused of providing more than 700,000 secret u.s. current

documents and cables to wikileaks. it is the largest disclosure of state secrets in u.s. history. manning faces more than 20 charges, including violating the espionage act and aiding the enemy. he has pled guilty to misusing classified material. the trial began monday with the defense and prosecution with starkly contrasting accounts. manning's defense lawyer david coombs said manning wanted to the documents saying -- >>, prosecutor capt. joe morrow aiding in the manning of the enemy including osama bin laden who allegedly accessed some of classified state document cables after the were published by the website wikileaks. morrow said --

he responded -- coombs responded by saying -- the trial is expected to run to the end of august. supporters of bradley manning gathered outside as the trial opened. >> bradley manning did a very courageous thing. he tell the american people and the world about what was going on in afghanistan and misinformation and distortions that were used to convince people that we should be in this war and it was just and we were helping the afghan people. and a bunch of other misdeeds in the u.s. is doing. i think that was a service to the country. >> that was bradley manning supporter.

to talk more about the first of the trawler and its implications, we're joined by michael ratner, president emeritus of the center for constitutional rights and a lawyer for julian assange and wikileaks. he was at the opening session of the trial yesterday. welcome. describe the scene yesterday. this is when the defense and the prosecutor -- prosecution lays out their case. aboutn breivik talked this torture was devastated. second, when he talked about why he beat the documents and did his political reasons. this time, the scene -- imagine a small antiseptic looking court room with bradley manning sitting at the table between a very large people, including his lawyer, looking very diminutive but dignified. you have 16 of us in the courtroom plus a bunch of prosecutors, a few sketch artist and press. the government opens with a

slide show. the slide show is about how we are going to convince the court -- only a judge trial -- that bradley manning aided the enemy, dumped millions of documents, has nothing good to say about him, and we're going to put them away for life. they did not say that, but that is what happens if he is convicted. so your first impression is -- he has already pled guilty that he could get 20 years for, so what are they doing? if you saw this in a country u.s. claims is a dictatorship and he sought a truth teller getting up and saying, this is what my country is doing and the country gave him 20 years and then they went ahead and wanted to put him down for life, people would be screaming. people ought to be screaming. >> couldn't he face the death penalty? >> yes, treason carries the death penalty. if the prosecutor says they're not quite as for the death penalty, but it is still open to the judge. this is really serious and it is

outrageous. it is hitting bradley in a way that he should not be hit. apart from the bigger issue of the people we should be looking at are the people who committed the war crimes that bradley manning exposed. that is for the accountability should come, not about a soldier who acted on his conscience and acted because he wanted to have the american people see what america is doing. -- i would some real love for it to not have been happening in front of a, but there it was. these slides going across. in addition what will happen to bradley manning, the aiding the enemy charge which we mentioned, what they're really saying that is that by giving documents to wikileaks, could abandon york post or new york times, somebody in the world is an enemy of the u.s. will read those documents and therefore a soldier who is a whistle blower is automatically aiding the

enemy if he talks to you, talks to the press anywhere -- that is aiding the enemy according to our government. that is really incredibly outrageous reading of the statute to. the judge is going a little toward requiring the government approved a little more, but i think you have to have intent to aid the enemy but the government is not saying that at all. the government's conception, they dumped millions of documents, was just be lied really by what coombs said. one detail that shows where bradley manning is coming from, he had a dog attack on when he was in the military in iraq. on the back of the dog tag, it had the word "humanist" stamped on it. that is the bradley manning this world and country ought to care about. one danger is to bradley manning and the second is that we'll ever have a whistle blower again who talks to the media.

even if someone says, i'm not iraq,g good body armor in the soldier could be arguably aiding the enemy. a third aspect of the troy -- >> because that soldier who says that could be letting the enemy know that they are vulnerable because they do not have enough body armor. >> exactly right. a third aspect that i was sitting in shocked by was a place to drop this proceeding was julian assange and wikileaks. they first claimed he was giving direction to bradley manning then claimed bradley manning was using his wanted list -- so- called wikileaks wanted list -- >> what is that? >> a list of documents that wikileaks had up that said these are the documents that might be interesting -- i don't recall the exact words -- that would be interesting to reveal to the public. and that this is put together by

human rights groups, ngo's and released on wikileaks website. was fascinating because the third point i think is important as they are trying to get journalists and as co- conspirators or aiding and abetting their sources. they start with julian assange. is aboutt in fact getting published this trial is in large part about getting journalists. , thejames rosen of fox government looked at james rosen's phone records and did it with an affidavit that said he is a co-conspirator or later and a better of his source. we're talking -- >> james waller's and got information about north korea and the government -- james rosen got information about north korea and the government. they got a subpoena for his emails and apparently the attorney general eric colder approve the investigation. >> that is correct. the key way they got was that he

is a co-conspirator of his stores. so you have here fox news which was ready to bury julian assange as a "co-conspirator" and now has one of their own hopefully, what other media will understand, there is a major attack on truth tellers come on journalists in this trial really encapsulates that. the sad part is there's a human being at the center of this. being that david coombs point out this is not a dump. he had access to hundreds of millions of documents. he could have dumped if you is going to, millions of documents, that is not what he did. he selectively looked at documents and did two things. these are things that my conscience bothers me about when we're murdering and killing people committing war crimes. secondly, he made sure those were documents that were not

going to harm u.s. forces. when you look at the iraq war logs, the deadlocks of what happens in the field, all of those are within 72 hours, not really relevant anymore. that is the kind of material he wanted to ensure this was not one harm our troops, but open the discussion in the u.s. this truth teller is to the u.s. decides they're not going to just take 20 years, there on the potential for life. >> wikileaks of the pentagon to vet the documents before they released them if it was going to endanger anyone, and refused. >> wikileaks with the pentagon and said they were going to release the diplomatic cables in particular and it may have been more than that, and the pentagon refused to vet them. known as alleged the was any real harm to the u.s. soldiers -- and no one has alleged there

was any real harm to the u.s. soldiers. >> on the issue of aiding the enemy, the prosecutor cited the fact that manning read a cia memo that warned of a cut was possible using wikileaks. they're suggesting that means manning should of been aware his actions could have endangered u.s. >> first off, that memo, which is interesting, is one manning -- one of the charges against manning is looking at that memo as a memo prepared by the cia early on about the dangers wikileaks. they're basically accusing him of rigging a memo he hacked into. but that could have been said about any newspaper. the washington post, the new york times, published lots of cables, but they're not saying wikileaks or that the new york ofes is a co-conspirator

bradley manning, and they're not saying giving the new york times was aiding the enemy. in open court, they did say what if this had been the new york times in the middle between bradley manning and "the enemy" which is al qaeda, would he still be accused of aiding the enemy? the answer is yes. that shows you the danger they're talking about. if a soldier gives to the press , the soldier can be accused of aiding the enemy. i should say what has happened with both bradley, the press, julian assange -- the reason julian assange is in that embassy is he was granted political asylum because of this very fact. the ecuadorean government saw there was an attack on free press in the united states and that is what he was given a silent -- asylum. the effect on bradley manning is so outrageous and so disgusting

with this young man at 22 years old acts on his conscience and should be a hero, and yet they are going for his last pound of flesh. bradley manning should be given concert and gotten out of there, then every -- >> he has served three years now. >> and every student ought to read the reasons why he acted on his conscience and not all this junk u.s. prosecutor is putting in their. >> on monday, his attorneys cited this incident where his intelligence compound in iraq and his colleagues celebrate when they find out u.s. soldiers had been speared in the bombing, but when they find out an iraqi victim has died, it is only manning that feels hurt. >> they continued to celebrate. it was christmas eve, some kind of improvised explosive device attacks a u.s. convoy. everybody is really upset and bradley manning -- in bradley manning's group. when they find out none of their

friends are killed, they're celebrating. it next comes back the car in front of the convoy, and iraqi car, whenever an american convoy, spy -- another story, they get off the road because they go through everything they see. that explosive device injured five people in the car and killed one of them, two adults and three children. one person killed. that co was an that coombs pointed to as being important as how he formed his desire to want to expose american crimes in iraq and afghanistan because he said everybody continue to celebrate that no americans were killed, but what about these 5 injured iraqis and one who was killed? >> last week we spoke to julian assange. he fears if he is sent to sweden, he would extradited to the u.s. where he fears a grand jury secretly will indict him --

has secretly indicted him. he talked about the bradley manning case and the two dozen witnesses set to testify in secret at bradley manning's trial. >> it is a furtherance of what we have seen as this new political structure of centralized intelligence power continues to gain financial and political capital. advancing the frontiers to the degree where it is now conducting extensive secret trials, the same thing that is being introduced here in the uk no justice there is at all without open justice. judges themselves must be on trial before the public as they conduct trials. we're all aware of the terrible abuses in the past that have come about as a result of secret star chambers, but nonetheless, the new military industrial

complex has been in a political power where it is able or thinks it is able to go back to the earlier depraved time. >> that is julian assange and he is speaking from the ecuadorean embassy. behind him is a still taken from the video that bradley manning released to wikileaks, that wikileaks called collateral murder. the still of the video from july 12, 2007 when an apache helicopter took this video and showed the u.s. military opening fire on a group of men in new baghdad, killing 12, including two reuters employees. that video was not even classified. when he saw it, it was being discussed in bradley manning's unit. use all these pictures of what bradley manning described as bloodlust of the people in the

helicopter. then it firing on the actual van that was coming to rest or pick up the wounded and there were children in the van who were then wounded. i watch it many times and it is still one of the most blood chilling videos you can watch. it was not even classified, but u.s. was not disclosing a. y? they don't want american people to know the bloodlust with which we're carrying out wars and killing people, killing camera people, killing journalists, shooting at children and then basically one of the helicopter pilots says, well, they should not have brought the children with them. this is a car turned arrest people on the road and there is blood in front of them. -- this is a car trying to rescue people on the road and there is blood in front of them. this was the beginning of baby the unraveling of the u.s. war in iraq where the u.s. ultimately decided to pull most of its trip out of iraq in part because of the work of bradley

manning because it exposed the killings in the u.s. only wanted community. after these videos and these documents, the iraqi government said, we're not immunizing our troops. so these documents that bradley manning exposed, apart from the arab spring which helped bring on, these documents helped force the u.s. out of iraq. >> bradley manning how to edit the video? >> what we saw was an opening. the government makes lots of assertions in an opening. the question is, what can improve? so far, i'm not convinced at all they can cripple a lot of what they have said. i don't think they can prove necessarily at all that he edited the video. i've never seen any evidence of that. i don't think they can prove he to direction from julian assange and wikileaks. i think that is just thrown in there to terrify journalists about working with sources and to continue to samir wikileaks and julian assange and make

them, along with bradley manning, enemies of the united states. >> what about what they don't have to approve? for example, they don't have to approve the release actually helped the enemy. >> the s been roszak is serious. there are six charges under that. all they have to prove is that relate to the national defense and they could have harmed -- we're talking about two things. the could have harmed the u.s.. that is the as the ninth act. they don't have to prove the harm the u.s.. aiding the enemy, they don't have to prove that it did aid the enemy. they don't even have to prove he passed on classified material. if you're the enemy and i get a paper clip, and considered to be aiding the enemy because i have given me something material that can help you. it is an incredibly broad statute. i don't know whether he will be convicted by this juggernaut, but this charge will never hold up.

-- i don't know whether he will be convicted by this judge for this are not, but this charge will never hold up. i just don't think it can be upheld. in this context in this country right now, considering what was on the courtroom yesterday, they are all out for getting rid of the sense of military, making journalist terrified, and making sources thoroughly terrified to speak to any journalist. >> there's a piece today or britain and ecuador may discuss assage's status. the foreign minister of ecuador is scheduled to travel to london this month and has offered to meet with the british government. last week reuters said the ecuadoran government is preparing a document in which it would argue that britain is legally obliged to give assange permission to travel to south america. what is the story? >> the minister was coming a few

days before june 19, which is the one-year anniversary of julian assange being in that embassy. we have to get him out of there and get him a safe passage to ecuador. that is crucial he has been given political asylum. to me it is outrageous the british are not letting him exercise his political asylum he is entitled to and that no other country is permitted to interfere with. he should be allowed to go to ecuador. so for the british have had some meetings over the year, apparently, with the prime minister, and others, and let's hope there is a meeting and it is fruitful and julian assange can get back -- well, not give has to wikileaks which already been a blessing huge numbers of documents from the kissinger files to the syria emails, stratfor emails, etc., but let's hope we can get julian assange not just mental, but fiscal freedom as well. >> is there any more proof there

is a sealed indictment against julian assange in this country? >> people -- the other day i was on australian tv show and they they say there are no charges against julian and this stuff. i said, you have to be an ostrich to not think there are -- to think they're not charges against julian assange. if you look at the trial yesterday in the berlin manning case, it was threaded with trying to prove julian assange is somehow different than the new york times because he was working like this with bradley manning. that is the government's position. i would be pretty surprised if there wasn't an indictment against julian assange already. >> michael ratner, president emeritus of the center for constitutional rights and a lawyer for julian assange and wikileaks. he returned last night from attending the opening session of

bradley manning's trial at fort meade, maryland bridge when we come back, ralph nader. ♪ [music break]

>> this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman with aaron maté. for the rest of the hour we're joined by ralph nader. consumer advocate, corporate critic, attorney, author, activist and former presidential candidate. for well over four decades he has helped us drive safer cars, eat healthier food, breathe better air, work in safer

environments. his devotion to political reform and citizens' activism has fueled a number of critical policy victories and the creation of generations of watchdogs and activists to carry them board. >> ralph nader began to take on powerful corporations a mark with local activists on their campaigns in the 1960's. "unsafe atis book any speed: the designed-in dangers of the american automobile." in this interview from the same year, ralph nader pointed out the safety flaws of general motors aaa corvair. >> what aggravates is the rear wheels of the corvair began to tap under. it cany do, the ankle -- go from three or four degrees to 11 degrees almost in an instant. when that happens, nobody can control the corvair. >> well they found out something was wrong with the car and fixed it. >> but why did it take them for

years? this is my point. he there is sheer carelessness or indifference, or they don't bother to find out how their cars be paid. >> it lead to a first of number of federal laws bearing his imprint. the 1966 traffic and other safety act. he would help spur landmark bills including the safe drinking water act of 1974, and the krishna federal regulatory agencies such as the occupational safety and health administration on the environmental protection agency. he helped found a number of non- profit organizations dedicated to the common good including the center for study of responsive law, the public interest research group and public citizen. >> he ran for the president in 1996 and 2000 as a candidate on the green party ticket and again in 2004 and 2008 as an independent. he is just out the new book called, "told you so: the big book of weekly columns."

throughout, he tackles a major political issues of our time offering practical solutions rooted in collective organizing. he joins us for the first time .n our studios welcome. it is good to have you with us. so the title, "told you so"? >> i have been impressed by all the walmart heirs and falls predictor's get promoted -- i been impressed by all the warmongers and false predictor's get promoted. we don't recognize people who have predicted accurately, who have spotted problems of rising as we should. so i decided to say, told you so. we told nixon about the rise of corporate crime. we warned about the iraq war and the consequences.

we made sure the consequences of repealing glass-steagall are going to lead to huge speculation and serious problems on wall street for twins of dollars in workers' money. again and again and again. there's something wrong with a society that marjah losses and some any ways -- there's something wrong with society that marginalizes those who sent up the warning signals to people in the people who got us into iraq and warmongering and militarism and corporatism are the ones who get applauded, who give hundred thousand dollars beaches. i decided to throw down the gauntlet and said, told you so. >> can you compare our capacity to take on corporate crime, one of your big issues, from one for started out to today? improvedeveloped any

regulatory framework? >> the corporate criminals have overrun the government. the justice department has expanded bush's practice of deferred prosecution, so attorney general eric holder and president of them are basically saying to corporate crooks, you don't have to admit, deny culpability, we will defer prosecution, just pay a fine. it is a fraction of the cost of doing business. the drug companies may pay individually when caught, $500 million or billion dollars, but they gained numerous billions of dollars. nobody goes to jail. no corporate charters are pulled. it is basically above the law. >> in the past few months, the us food workers have walked off the job in a bid for higher minimum wage. seeking $15 an hour and a right to unionize without harassment. the one day strikes have hit

seven cities. of the an organizer group citizens of the action of wisconsin. >> this is one of the most profitable industries with $200 billion in profits and yet these are the lowest paid workers and our economy. they're standing up and saying, our families cannot survive on $7.25 an hour. >> this is a big issue in yours, seeking a higher minimum wage. >> this is a good start. we have to show the american people is easier than we think to turn the country around and let's start with the lowest bar of all. 30 million workers in this country are making less today than workers made in 1968 with inflation-adjusted. these are workers to grow our food, served as in the store, take care of ailing grandparents. just let that figure sink in. these are the workers uttermost underinsured, underemployed, work in some of the most dangerous situations.

they don't have unions. the question is, is our society so an art, is our society so surrendering of any kind of civic sovereignty that we cannot get a minimum wage equal to 1968? is supported, by the way, of 7% of the people, including rick santorum rid -- it is supported, by the way, by 7% of the people, including rick santorum and until last year, mitt romney. the democrats are sitting on inadequate bills in the house and senate and not really pushing the republicans. here is what we're trying to do. august is the big recess for the members of congress go back home. we want people to get 300-400 signatures of the people back, summoning congress people and the senators to exclusive town

meetings in each district, and those of you who are watching or listening to this program and want to show how to turn this around -- it is a great economic stimulus, by the way, to give people who desperately need necessities of life more money -- if you want to take 30 million people up to $10.50 an hour, which catches up barely with 1968, even though the worker productivity has doubled since that, just go to timeforaraise.org. if we cannot do this, it is doubtful we can change anything in this country. a veryne and you did well done summons that you can go around and get people to sign. it will be is this petition will probably ever get to sign read that it to the congress person or senator saying, in august we want you to show up and we're going to let you know what we

want you to do. that is why i call that a summons instead of a petition. >> let's go to president obama in february in a state of the union address calling on congress to raise the minimum wage to $9 an hour from $7.25 and automatically adjust with inflation. >> let's declare in the wealthiest nation on earth that no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty and raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour. [applause] we should be able to get that done. this single step would raise the income of millions of working families. it could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank. rent or eviction. scraping by or finally getting ahead. for businesses across the country, it would mean customers with more money in their pockets.

all whole lot of folks out there would probably need less help from government. in fact, working folks should not have to wait year after year for the minimum wage to go up while ceo pay has never been higher. here is an idea that governor romney and i agreed on last year. let's tie the minimum wage to the cost of living so finally becomes a wage you can live on. >> that is president obama in february in his state of the union address. >> has served in the bigger con man in the white house the barack obama? he is not lifted a finger since he made the statements. when he made the statement the 2008 campaign, he said nothing for four years on raising minimum wage. he may no pressure on congress. he is not even unleashed the people in his own white house on this issue. >> what can he do? >> he can barnstorming. that is what the bully pulpit is about. he can get george miller and senator harkin who have

introduced a week minimum wage increase bill to have dynamics hearings were he puts a face on all of these people who cannot even make as much as the workers made in 1968. look at the difference. there are in million walmart workers making less today published in 1968, inflation- adjusted, walmart workers, while the boss was making $11,000 an hour plus benefits, two-thirds of all low-income workers that are hired by these big companies like mcdonald's and burger king and walmart and the bosses are making anywhere from $10 million to $20 million a year. what does that do to the juices of the american people? where is the indignation here? why did they take it? they can hit the streets. they can march. they can turn this around how come they hit the streets in the third world countries? is an important for their livelihood? they cannot even get the necessities of life for their children.

the cruelty is unbelievable here. we are in advanced third world country. we have great military equipment and science and technology. half the people in this country are poor. they cannot even pay their bills. there are deep in debt. people sit around and say, the powers that be cannot do anything read what you mean? they can do everything. we do not have we the corporation at the beginning of the constitution, we have we the people. timeforaraise.org. in a that member back home town hall or whatever for an exclusive meeting on the minimum wage. >> we're going to take a break and then come back to ralph nader, whose new book is called, "told you so." stay with us. ♪ [music break]

>> this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman with aaron maté. our ralph nader guest ralph. let's go to a comment of the apple ceo tim cook in response to senate report that accuses this, the massive tax dodging scheme that saved it tens of billions of dollars. report describes a massive web of affiliates spanning several continents that were used, the country's profits even in countries or apple had no employees. overall, apple avoided paying u.s. taxes on $44 billion over a three-year period. this is tim cook speaking before the u.s. senate last month. >> apple has become the largest corporate income taxpayer in america. last year, our u.s. federal cash 30.5% andtax rate was we paid nearly $6 billion in cash to the u.s. treasury.

that is more than $16 million each day and we expect to pay even more this year. >> that was apple ceo tim cook. ralph nader, your response? >> apple is part of a huge percentage of its profits and tax havens abroad. so they can say the ones they have not part in this country, they hire tax rate, basically. apple is one of many tried incorporations who benefited from subsidies by the government, research and development, grew their profit on the back of american workers, and is not operating overseas, very and patriotically like other u.s. corporations, to be taxed escapees. they expect the government to give them the latest of elements and -- in science and technology which have infiltrated themselves to apple products. they expect all of the services

that taxpayers pay for, but they want to go to the bahamas and ireland and other tax havens and pile it up. in the meantime, to acquire not investing these huge profits but-cisco, intel microsoft, are not investing in this country. he had this amazing situation where you have high unemployment, high underemployment and you have huge capital reserves piling up, not being taxed to be put back into building our public works and repairing america and creating jobs. you have a rump congress basically curtsying. it is not too extreme to call our system of government now american fascism. it is the control of government by big business, which fdr defined in 1938 as fascism. they control the government and turn the government to their favor subsidies, handouts,

governments, the for prosecutions, and on prosecutions, and against the american people. the minimum wage just one. full medicare for all which a majority of the doctors and american people want. or we're thenly only western country that does not have it. 800 americans a week die because they cannot afford diagnosis and treatment for their ailments. 800 americans a week. 45,000 people a year. who says a? a study out of harvard medical school. we have the lowest minimum wage in the western world. we have the greatest amount of consumer debt. we have the highest child poverty, the highest adult poverty. huge unemployment, a crumbling public works. huge multi millionaires and hugely profitable corporations. i say to the american people, what is your breaking point? when are you going to stop making excuses for yourself? when are you going to stop

exaggerating his powers when you know you have the power in this country if you organize? that is why when people to go on line, get the summons, fill out the names come and get the congress people and the senators back in august. >> what b think the u.s. government should do? -- what do you think the u.s. government should do to take on high and a plum? >> we of trillions of dollars -- not just bridges and highways as sewage and water systems. public buildings. it is dams, ports, community clinics, libraries. the country is running down. when i say big corporations are running the u.s. into the ground, that is part of the dismal picture. that creates jobs that are good paying, decentralized in every community, and you cannot export them to china.

but of course, if president obama cannot defeat the worst, cruelest, most vicious and republican party in history and take over the congress, but instead loses it in 2010 in the house and loses it in 2012 in the house, and he is on the loose again in 2014 because he does not know how to take the republican votes that are so cruel and vicious that have actually passed the house of representatives and been documented by the house democratic caucus and hurl it against them in the coming election. what is he going to do the rest of his term if he is being run by boehner and cantor and mcconnell, the republican minority? >> you wrote an open letter to president obama asking him to explain by what authority he is empowered to imprison prisoners indefinitely at guantanamo and kill people abroad with drone warfare. >> it is quite clear. president obama is a recidivist by litter the-violator of our

statutes and treaties. we still have torture. we still have indefinite imprisonment. we still have war crimes all , by part of asia and africa letting all kinds of laws. of these wars of never been declared by congress. we have indefinite imprisonment. they use the word detainee. don't you like that word, detainee? your in guantanamo for nine years and you're still a detainee instead of a prisoner. the press uses that language, too. we sent them a letter with bruce fein who is now started a group called the national commission on misuse of intelligence to justify war. lies, in other words, cover-ups. these are the people who should be on trial, not bradley manning. the people who lied in official in washington, bush, cheney, wolfowitz, who lives and caused the deaths of thousands of and injuries,ers

this letter goes right to the -- should be on trial. this letter goes right to the core. every time obama says he is try to do this or that, he should give the tree authority. the press has not been holding or hiseet to the fire representatives. they should always has, by what authority are you doing this, mr. president, and by what evidence? have, last 10 seconds we franklyn burke, the long considered from new jersey just die. >> he has a marvelous record. his record on in farm and consumer. it will be a real loss to the senate. >> ralph nader, this new book, "told you so: the big book of weekly columns." [captioning made possible by democracy now!]

>> this is democracynow, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. we're asking you to become a member of link tv because we cannot do it without you. we can only do it with you. your call makes it possible for link tv to continue and if you appreciate the cooperation between democracynow and link tv, monday through friday democracy now!, 11 until noon in the morning, eastern time, repeated at six in the evening. this daily grassroots news hour is yours. we turn now to a remarkable documentary rarely seen. yes, it is a democracy -- them -- documentary about martin luther king, directed by sidney from, largely made original newsreel footage. the film played at a one-time only if then, march 24, 1970. l