another. public airwaves they are public it is in the interest to regulate the public airwaves to have a healthy democracy and by these corporations and wealthy individuals being able to funnel in tens of millions of dollars they are controlling the public airwaves and now what it has to do is. of opinion it's not about that you can spend hours or days maybe finding a dissenting opinion it's what people are bombarded with every day that's why they start to believe that global warming is a fraud even though the evidence is all that's why it's wrong and you know more than you know it's really. going to go in and are ever. again is what matters here it's the buying of the political process i want to stay with that note here craig i want to go back to you do you think that media is complicit in this is well it's because they make an actually

a lot of money off of this i mean these ads are expensive they make money off of it and they would like to see the process go on as long as possible because it's very profitable for television stations it has nothing to do with journalistic values or democratic hopes or anything else it's about making a lot of money and they're pretty pleased with it they love the primaries. you know you know by the way it's not only the media who's getting rich off these elections off of these super pacs it is also many of the people who are running these super pacs if you take a look at the super pacs since they're unaccountable to any real candidate or political party they tend to hire their own people to do the media work their own colleagues their own partners there is a flood of money go into these super pacs and we find it all being circulated within a very small elite circle of people who are running the super pacs because they lack accountability so it's not only a dangerous trend for elections this is this is ripe for corruption here ok

it's it seems you know a free speech or free markets ok but i mean is this just buying elections now i mean you crowd out the space with negative. i mean go ahead barack and people all around. american people are sheet you know we heard your talking points enough times already yes of course it is about buying elections look i just spent the last three loves here i like i mean we started out to be swayed by i had to know you know as of our poll i talked to hundreds of people all across the country in various cities who were all saying the same things our voice doesn't matter they said things like you can't you're not a corporation unless you have a senator or two in your pocket you know we can't buy the political process like corporations can people across the country and here is going to say you know. you have americans on a lot of people that is own bought and sold by the corporations and you can

go out and find this and i didn't write i was going to get elected. but it was a i free market brother and i received huge amounts of money from wall street barack obama is part of the problem ok i'm not a partisan like you. money has fundamental not a right as a political process that's how wall street that's how brazen. centrally crashing the global economy ok they have bought the political process with. the result they they were able to buy a huge huge bailout and then they were able to essentially sabotage any sort of finance reform there's been no sort of process prosecution the democrats and republicans are peas in a pod on this issue and on many other issues you know barack obama has the. climate change talks. craig had joined and the most fright. the most frightening

aspect about this is super pacs are not just buying elections this time around they're actually trying to buy the white house and. that's a very frightening prospect here we're seeing not only so much money going in there we're seeing super pacs that are really essentially coordinated with the presidential candidates pumping five million ten hundred million to support a presidential candidate whoever is going to be elected president is going to know who he or she owes their election to this is this is a frightening prospect for america i'd like to also you know i want you to do a lot of this. village x.l. pipeline which i think you can tell by the lack of civility. going on right now and how dangerous this is ok gentlemen. which i think is a great example there was a recent vote in the house on the x.l. pipeline in terms of the representatives who voted against approving the x.l.

pipeline they had received perhaps about one million dollars from the oil and gas industry for those who wanted the x.l. pipeline and the vote was pretty close they had received over eight million dollars from the. well and gas is our story so it's going to add that into the buying of the political process. that is going on go ahead jump in excuse me you know just naysaying is why they way certainly you know second of all money chases ideas it's not the other way around i wasn't a liberal until somebody wrote me a check and then all of a sudden i was a conservative that's absurd the money chases the ideas not the other way around ok craig you know if i could go out of the candidates only true if i go back to campaign financing you know up until the supreme court decision you know computing campaigns you know there was accountability do you think there's any reason for

middle class people to write a check for any candidate these days if so much big money is out there that crowds out the process being part of the political process and supporting candidates is it's what's the point in doing it i mean if ten dollars is nothing compared to the numbers you just mentioned being part of the political that's a story with there is a values we could have the lack of money to. take take a look at the occupy wall street movement the occupy d.c. moment the occupy k. street with the tea party i mean this is where groups citizens average americans are finding their frustration and many many of these people especially in the occupy wall street movement are actually advocating don't bother voting it doesn't matter anymore we're not going to see it is very easy to do it here in l.a. and as any one thousand you're going to hear and they don't have a ton of money wait a minute wait a minute the tea party elected sixty plus republicans in the house live here and they don't have this kind of money so what are you talking about what are you

talking that's going to do you know what it was. going to mean there's. no no there is we're out there that. there are there is. going to increase to i. forty seven percent you probably. want to say that i mean i'm spending they had a ton of money i had a ton of money. and they didn't i know the top three tea party groups believe me they'd love to have a ton of money they don't ok that's absurd and i mean this is this is go ahead go ahead. this is essentially the story goes on it's basically. you know we hear these blatant blame lies at least least on this show that we you know we're able we're able to counter some of these lies but the but the thing about citizens united and what you already have yourself they are able to essentially spew propaganda with no opposition whatsoever and this

and i think it's true that when it was where it was going to have as you know no you know i think we should we should we should allow dollars spent in two thousand fitted like nascar drivers where it shows their sponsors on their suits you know they they should have to wear logos sort of like that exxon mobil and the koch brothers ok craig go ahead jump in yeah we're going to see eight eight eight billion dollars spent in the two thousand and twelve elections and we're going to see a decrease in voter turnout because most of that money is going to be very negative it's going to. leave most americans feeling disgusted with our campaign finance system and it is not going to help mobilize or increase the confidence or increase the integrity of the democratic system in the u.s. ok we're in a very dangerous period i want to call that ok see them with the last word twenty seconds. well first of all government was strong we wouldn't have to do all those

second of all the reason tara is going to be down is because obama's. magical run is over and a lot of the new first time voters who never voted but voted for him will be gone next time ok gentlemen very spirited discussion thank you very much many thanks to my guest today in los angeles and in washington and thanks to our viewers for watching us here r.t. see you next time and remember crossfire. you can. download the official flick a show to your i pod touch from the q saps to. life on the go.

video on demand. tease my old cult. r.s.s. feeds now with the palm of your. machine on the dot com.

serious lem's an arab league plan to solve the country's crisis requiring president assad to step down calling it an interference in its internal affairs. the e.u. formally adopted the oil embargo against iran as part of president the sanctions against the country but there are fears that these sanctions may backfire joins me for the details in a few moments. croatia votes in favor of joining the dead stricken e.u. but a low turnout for the national referendum and violent protests exposed deep divisions within the country.

eight pm in moscow i match reza good to have you with us here on r t our top story this hour syria has rejected an arab league proposal to resolve the country's crisis requiring president assad to give up power damascus has slammed the plan as interference in its internal affairs and an attack on its sovereignty are key sorry for has more from damascus. the arab league cooled president bashar al assad to step down and to hand power of his deputy they also called for the formation of a national unity government and that would be a pretty late early parliamentary and presidential elections now those calls have been vehemently rejected by the syrian government here so it could play go into interference with the internal affairs really the sense here from damascus is that the government here are working on their own reforms they want the arab league

mission to focus on the edge of the pool the problem is you've got countries in the arab league like saudi arabia like qatar he now seemed to settle head at their preaching democracy to syria when of course they themselves don't have the. russia's stance is once again that this should be easy to resolution with our foreign intervention i've actually spoken to the national coordinator council which is the opposition within the country they welcomed the maven again reiterated their felt that as long as there is no move towards foreign military intervention that they're very pleased with the response from the arab league mission because you've still got observers on the ground it's expected. that mission is actually now going to continue possibly for another month and pulled usually. of their powers and their numbers as well of course what you don't want to see happen now is that the arab league mission which is really the only route that remains and you can see for

seeing dialogue in the country to now have blocks put in its way so the question really is how to make the mission the observer mission more effective because as we've been witnessing in the past couple of weeks really at the moment in the country what you want to be thing is the sightedness and not further division but it's not for civilization it's for. going. to homes the conflict has moved ever closer to the country's capital and though many damascus suburbs are also embroiled in the conflicts between government forces and the armed opposition. well this is all that's left of many of the houses now inside just absolutely gutted it's broken glass you've got bullet holes lining the walls you've got clothes stain around the house where people have left them behind fleeing very quickly you can really see the devastating consequences that this conflict has hurt the picking up the pieces prove easy amongst the opposition

themselves there are worrying divisions and as the conflicts become increasingly violent there are now areas of the country where it's unclear exactly is in control what do the people here. think the syrian army having control not or it's. not. a lot of numbers but a number of so if you see the heart of who's in charge and so. quickly the issue of the coordination the diversion up with the stuff and league observers look set to remain in the month trying to build the basis for multi-party elections even seen by the international community although you are sort of where you are into your position you have to put in your mind that you have to work with the other sides working with the other side these don't look. good with thousands killed bringing the different factions to the negotiating table is going to be

a major task sara for. damascus syria. has imposed fresh travel bans and asset freezes on the syrian regime as punishment for the ongoing violence but beirut based analyst dr omar now shari so the responsibility for the bloodshed should be shared by the syrian opposition and it's time to engage in dialogue. the opposition or what the so-called syrian free army or the desert there is from the syrian army have been also using heavy gunfire against civilians they have been using explosives apparently they have been using and the armored. rockets and you know some weapons that cannot usually be used in civilian areas and against civilians there is a president said also enjoys. popular support in syria one cannot deny this not even the institute in qatar denied this when they did the research last month

and they found that fifty five percent of the city and population opposed to down for an order to move out of president assad it's time for dialogue has has tried to meet some some reform some democratic reforms there is a constitutional council now in syria trying to rewrite the constitution there will be elections in the coming months there are some of the funds i think that the opposition shows face because it is of the interest of no one of no one's interests that need to steps in there would be destruction and they would be chaos as was the case in libya. egypt is one of the countries where people are now seeing the consequences of the democracy they fought so hard to achieve as the newly elected parliament holds or supposed revolution session many egyptians say they're betrayed by the muslim brotherhood and its march to have majority. but first e.u.

nations have formally adopted an unprecedented set of sanctions against iran including a block wide embargo on iranian oil the move targets iran's per nuclear program which the islamic republic insists is for purely peaceful purposes russia says it regrets the sanctions adding that they undermine diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis artie's our tests are syria is in brussels with more on the e.u.'s latest measures against iran. it's sensually a total oil embargo it will have immediate effect on new contracts but that existing contract will be allowed to run for another six months they've also agreed on a ban on the gold and gold trade and other precious metals with the iranian central bank all of these of course aiming to financially and economically cripple iran over its controversial nuclear program with western leaders still insisting iran is trying to build nuclear weapons while terror run denies this now the e.u. embargo follow strict new way u.s. sanctions that were passed into law by president obama in january so as far as the e.u. is concerned by july it will be

a full and total implementation of these new sanctions this is unprecedented in terms of the scope and be desired of potential effects on iran but it is also one president in terms of its potential economic impact on the european union itself let's not forget the e.u. imports up to twenty percent of rain in all its second biggest buyer and one of the twenty seven the biggest buyers within that are elite spain and greece the very same countries that are now struggling to deal with that sovereign debt crisis greece in particular heavily dependent on the radio oil with up to one third of its total imports from iran also it's relying on terror for easier credit terms so they will definitely have to find alternatives for these countries these are what their leaders will have to talk about how to cushion the potential economic impacts on the several member states and of course because of all the uncertainty oil markets have already reacted question oil prices up and higher oil prices will just mean higher prices of goods. this has implications other fresh sanctions against iran we're joined now by pepe escobar columnist for the times who's joining us live from

bangkok thanks for being with us so we have another round of sanctions at all embargo in particular what if it will come from this. it's a macro economic war you know i said nobody ever lost money betting on the foolishness of european union politicos in fact it's another stake in the grave of its elite spain and greece top five markets of oil exports for iran for our in asia defeatists it but spain in greece else a very important so why are they going to do people are going to set up a third country bank accounts or make payments through third banks india for instance india peace for you around them oil in a turkish bank this is something that this spanier city tallinn's and the greeks could easily do they will bypass because they need iranian oil just like u.s. allies japan and south korea they ask exemptions from the twelve minutes station

they will get it because they need it's ten percent of south korea then percent of those imports of farina cannot buy it from anybody else and according to them if saudi arabia has america passage to supply the markets they don't and on top of that they don't want to because they need the money oh you prices have to bribe their own populations against any arab spring the movement in saudi arabia un's nuclear watchdog has confirmed it's sending a team of experts into iran later in january why do you think the e.u. rushed in with a drastic measure as a total oil embargo why not wait for the i.a.e.a. mission to see how that pans out first well it comes back to the fullest in this and the fact that they'll forget that the country that proposed these sanctions at the european union what's france led or misled by nicolas sarkozy was probably going to lose the next french elections so they have that the europeans have an

extraordinary kept faceted shooting themselves in their feet. they keep complaining that. d. are hostages of russia in terms of gas sales in europe and they are not hostage to iran in terms of oil sales but the need the iranian oil specially to most vulnerable countries in the global map countries let's put it this way if you talk to anybody in brussels dead it's not replaying the official line all the time independent minds in brussels they are somewhat about the fact they say look we would go to run tomorrow sit down with them and do an overarching deal in terms of buying their oil and gas efore not constrained by the u.s. sanctions and now they are doing the same kind of sanctions proposed by the obama administration only two weeks ago so that it makes no sense that they defend this as a dual track approach sanction sanctions sanctions and then we fight iran to talk and

terence says what kind of talk is this when we were being pushed against the wall all the time you don't respect us as a nation and you traitors like a pariah why should we talk to you and now we have russia's reaction to the embargo the foreign minister saying it could be a mistake that could undermine diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis do you think this has the potential though to bring terror on back to the negotiating table. you know this thing is. that p. five plus one as it's called the five permanent members of the security council plus germany they should sit down theoretically by the end of this months with iran in this stumble the whole thing is brokered by turkey to start talking again about about iranian nuclear program but i wonder if iran has any incentive at the moment any fact the hard line there is interest say is actually that. after the sanctions and if they are fully implemented on july first we're going to close down this

street of hormuz as a reaction so do you think that iran will do that now it's now a good question but no they won't but this is something that they need to see themselves their internal public opinion because they're being pressured all the time by the europeans the americans and europeans any really an eighty million iranians are asking themselves what is our government doing to defend that any fact that we have the right to to to develop a peaceful nuclear program and there is no evidence in the you where by the i.a.e.a. by national intelligence estimates in the united states that they are developing a nuclear weapon so the government has to talk to the europeans to be a max of the same time talk to their own dog obedience but from now to july fourth is going to be really really hot all right pepe escobar asia times correspondent live from bangkok thanks for your insights. thanks. stay with us here on r.t. still to come later in the program the twists and turns of russian politics as the electoral campaign intensifies presidential hopeful wants to get tough on

immigration. but first any ticket has been approved by the people of croatia yes wasn't as solid as expected because more than half of croats simply ignored to vote in the national referendum the country will become the union's twenty eight member state by next july if it gets her out of five by all the other members curry show was split on the issue with those in opposition saying there is nothing to gain from a bloc that's currency currently experiencing its worst ever crisis as artie's tom barton reports there are divisions that they may be there to stay even after the vote. violent scenes in the croatian capital it is the country's speedy referendum that sent to. me. to be made behind me the police trying to push the protesters away as they take and protest his late six ways to many seats in the creation capital and financing

has been telling. you. these anti protests to say the government is trying to suppress the dissenting voices they are joining would surrender croatia's independence to brussels. in another street nearby the foreign minister is trying to convince people to session is vital to the current economy make to leave the stability can lead to the credit rating of creation. that is translated into membership of the. gracious budget would be in serious trouble everywhere you turn in croatia the e.u. . he's being discussed but whereas most of the political class no longer the question of the europhiles stands for public views differ widely in this it doesn't

tell us what to into or see and touch all our fish and that's our biggest club you know if you go there after you tube told us we have to pay the e.u. has regulations those that don't want to they must stop trading here in memphis even if we have two sons higher unemployment and maybe because of that i would be prior to being raped or murdered if the sim was good don't you know there are worries about solvency local industry and economic well being a form of study and there are still some voices in parliament that think the benefits of what joining it will be better than with it we're now going with our heads high up we're going on our knees because our economy. non-existing our exporting is pretty bad our b d p is very low so we don't really have anything to offer if you back out on the streets the arguments quality will not continue with ferocity with such strong emotions it seems unlikely this referendum dissolve the

nation's division of the european membership top box of. i. and there is still tension in one of the newest e.u. member states romania the country's foreign minister has been fired for criticizing the protesters angry at the government for more than a week people have been demanding the president and his ministers to step down this against the backdrop of wage cuts and tax hikes in the e.u. second poorest country which is struggling to meet the demands of its international creditors you quattroporte said earlier by artie's tom barton who was in the middle of the recent violence in bucharest on our web site r t v dot com. where russia's presidential election just around the corner the candidates are wrapping up their campaigns prime minister and hopeful writer lattimer putin is proposing stricter immigration rules in his second major newspaper article in the run up to the vote peter all over reports. multi-culturalism.