Everyday we seem to cede a little more of our rights and our precious Constitution to big business in exchange for convenience and new fangled technology. The price we pay is obvious. What is troubling, beyond the obvious loss, is how numb most of us have become to each of these little intrusions. Today’s New York Times has a delightfully diabolic article about how Verizon will not allow NARAL to use Verizon’s wireless network for a text message campaign.

Verizon’s claim is that it has the right to block “controversial or unsavory” messages. Such an argument is meritorious at first blush. I certainly don’t want to be getting spam text messages. I would especially not wish to receive unwanted text messages if I didn’t have an unlimited text messaging plan; those messages might get darn expensive. But random text messaging isn’t what we are talking about in this case. NARAL wishes to send text message to individuals who choose to receive said messages.

I think this issue is akin to spam. I don’t want random messages from right-wing nut job groups. The story is different, however, if I choose to sign up for their emailing lists. In this case the other major wireless networks are allowing NARAL to send out text messages to subscribers who ask to be on the list as a way of staying informed on an issue the individual deems critical.

Beyond the issue of Verizon denying its customers a choice to use their phones as they wish a larger, more important issue. Verizon is denying the public choice while using public airwaves. We own airwaves that the companies buy. Where are our protections? Where is our interest being represented? This doesn’t fall under the umbrella of net neutrality but the principle at stake is the same. Just as our world is becoming increasingly dependent and ever faster internet speeds so too is it becoming dependent on wireless communication. Big business cannot be relied upon to manage our interest and as our dependency grows we are going to be hearing about more troubles such as this.

Of course this all brings us back to where we started: we are ceding another small chunk or our rights and our Constitution to interests that believe our rights are subservient. We are so numb to this that I hardly suspect anyone will raise any objection to what Verizon is doing. We are so used to giving up what is ours that we nearly cannot even recognize that it is wrong anymore.

The following rant isn’t really political per se however, there is a broader message that can ties into our political and consumer cultures. Boston Red Sox owner John Henry recently paid $16 million for a home in Brookline that he now wants to tear down.

Disgusting.

I don’t believe he should be prevented from doing what he wishes with his property. So long as he is not infringing on the use and enjoyment of his neighbors property I pretty much believe an individual should be entitled to use his or her property in a manner he or she chooses. I highlight this story more out of sadness at this latest, and extreme, example of the throw away culture in which we live. That is the political message. We can’t figure out why our environment is deteriorating around us; we can’t figure out why some people live in excess wealth and opulence while more humans then ever live in more dire and abject poverty then ever; we can’t figure out why human existence seems to be devalued more and more. I think we can look to Mr. Henry’s decision and start to understand. When one person doesn’t even flinch at paying blowing up $16 million we can start to understand why we find the world in the condition it is.

My wife and I are going to run a few errands that require the use of the car tonight so we can participate tomorrow by keeping our beloved Volvo in its parking space tomorrow. (Yes, I am a liberal, yes I wear Birkenstocks, and YES I DRIVE A VOLVO!) We plan on exploring our lovely neighborhood (Roslindale) and city tomorrow using our bikes, two feet, and the MBTA. Celebrate World Car Free Day tomorrow and JOIN IN THE FUN!

The blogosphere and the MSM have been filled for several days now with story after story regarding the “controversy” of Moveon.org’s “General Betray Us” ad. I didn’t get too worked up about the ad in terms of support or denouncement however NOW I have a HUGE issue. The United States Senate took time while troops are dying, mortgages are forclosing, the environment is deteriorating, education is erroding, to…wait for it…VOTE TO WAG ITS COLLECTIVE FINGER AT A POLITICAL INTEREST GROUP.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, despite myriad pressing issues and a general position not to have any meaningful debates regarding Iraq our great representatives have taken the time to debate the naughtiness and pettiness of a political ad. Kettle meet pot, pot meet kettle.

The troops are that much safer now that we have “condemned personal attacks” on Gen. Petraeus and U.S. troops. We can rest assured that today in Iraq no soldier fighting this war will die of an IED or cowardly sniper fire. We can lay our heads tonight knowing that the United States Senate, the most august of bodies, will not rest, will not waiver in it’s fight against personal attacks. The Democrats and Republicans promised to make us safer and now we can see that they intend to deliver on that promise.

Personally I hang my head in disgust at all 100 members of the Senate. To take even 2 minutes to vote on this nonsense is a testament to the often worthlessness of our elected officials. Maybe the ad was right, maybe the ad was wrong but by God men and women are DYING. The Republicans filibuster any attempt to address troop needs and troop strain; they will not vote on issues. What a sad day for us all when the thoughtfulness or thoughtlessness of a political ad is enough motivation to bring every single member of the Senate down to the floor and proceed with a full vote when even the safety and lives of American soldiers cannot provide the same motivation.

Welcome to Mass Revolution Now 2.0.  I guess I have taken some time off from the blogging world and I am now back…hopefully.  I have no clue to what capacity I will keep this blog up.  I know that one of the reasons I closed my doors before was that it went from something I enjoyed to something akin to a chore.  This time around I hope to keep the fun in blogging.

I suppose I am back because I have been increasingly missing the voice that the internet gives to any person who has a stone in his or her shoe — and I certainly have had a stone in my shoe.  This time around there will be no grand vision or high and mighty purpose of the blog.  I think was striving for that (and greatly missed the mark) in 1.0.  I suppose my only real hope is that I find a way to express the passion I feel about the world around me.  My great hope is that I can make this blog more personal, more of a reflection on the journey of my politics then a purely partisan rant.  This blog isn’t a site for great reporting nor do I hope it degenerates into another echo in the chamber.  What we need now more then ever is thoughtfulness, not partisan thoughtlessness.

So please follow along as you wish and comment when the fancy strikes you.