World's humblest president stops to pick up hitchhiker

[sibelian]

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/worlds-humblest-president-stops-to-pick-up-hitchhiker--x190CFMTie

It’s not often that a world leader stops to give you a lift.

But a hitchhiker in Uruguay found himself in a car with the country’s president and first lady when they stopped to help him.

Gerhald Acosta was walking the 100 miles between his place of work and hometown as dozens of cars went past without stopping...

[sibelian]

1. Yeah ok doodz reccing is great an all but SAY something!

I'm lonely.

[LittleBlue]

36. ...

Those lazy drive-by reccers. Can't even leave a comment

[FailureToCommunicate]

2. Thanks for posting! This "gave me a lift" too!

[mountain grammy]

3. Great story.

[Marie Marie]

4. Walking 100 miles from his work to his home?

I am speechless... Sounds like just another lazy "taker" who should pull himself up by his bootstraps (if they aren't already worn out from this walk) and buy himself a car. This is heartbreaking and sometimes I really really hate the uber rich who don't have a clue what some people have to go through just to provide for themselves and their family. Kudos to the President of Uruguay. Thanks for sharing this sibelian.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

5. Sibelian

Thank you for posting this story about 2 humble men who recognize the humanity in each other.

K&R

[sibelian]

8. And thank you for saying that!

[FairWinds]

6. I pick up hitchhikers too . .

(judiciously, I must admit)
How about the rest of you?

[demosincebirth]

7. I used to, but not in this day and age. I hardly see anyone hitch hiking anymore.

[Curmudgeoness]

12. I never used to pass by a hitchhiker.

But years ago, I was threatened and assaulted by one who refused to get out of the car when our paths were going separate ways and he forced me to take him all the way home. After that, I was too afraid to pick up another one.

One person, ruining it for the rest of my life.

[Luminous Animal]

27. My husband and I do... (also judiciously)

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

29. Somewhat rarely

since I often drive vehicles belonging to either my housemate or my parents. I don't pick up anyone in their cars, but I'm more willing to in my old beater truck that isn't worth stealing.

[riderinthestorm]

49. My husband does. I don't. He just brought a woman home last fall - his latest hitchhiker.

He was coming back from teaching a clinic and was at the Rt 47 and I-90 truck stop to gas up. She was sitting/sleeping with a big backpack beside a trash can.

He woke her up and asked her if she needed some food or anything. She responded that she needed a ride. That she was a princess in disguise and was running away from her evil stepmother....

Oookay.

He called me first (as he usually does) and asked about bringing her back for a shower, laundry and some food. Of course, I said.

Her mental illness was very apparent but certainly not harmful to us. She was polite. Had a lot to say about her former "palace" and the servants. If she slipped and couldn't maintain the lie, and got asked to clarify, she got the most confused shifty expression. Said she was trying to reach her brother in New Hampshire.

Pretty sad really.

She had dinner and spent the night. Took TWO showers and got all of her laundry done. Slept like the dead (I checked on her a couple times to make sure she wasn't going to wake up disoriented in a new place). The next day I packed a big bag of food and offered to take her any direction 150 miles. She wanted to go back to the same truck stop so we did.

I went back to the truck stop to check on her the next day but she was gone. Safe journeys Liz...

As a woman, I'm just too leery of picking up strangers. My husband has hitchhiked himself extensively and is far more comfortable with it all.

[FairWinds]

9. But crime is down . .

what's different is the manufactured climate of fear.
I refuse to succumb.
but if the dude is hefting an ax I'll probably pass on by.
[Dudettes too]

[sibelian]

10. I think that's the way too.

drip drip drip, one moment of common decency at a time.

[bvf]

11. Now *there's* a man of the people.

Thanks for posting this.

[ohheckyeah]

13. If you follow

The link to the story about his Volkswagon it says that he declared the presidential palace as one of the homeless shelters.

What a great man.

[madokie]

16. If there really is a heaven

This man will be sitting right beside the throne when anyone gets there if he gets there first


What a man the President of Uruguay is

[niyad]

14. thank you for posting this lovely piece.

[redwitch]

15. The president of Uraguay seems like a really great guy.

One of my customers told me about him recently. Uruguay chose well.

[1bigdude]

17. Very cool story! Thanks for sharing! NT

[Jackpine Radical]

18. Sorry. I just recced it but

have nothing in particular to say.

Actually, I do. I wish to hell all political leaders were like that.

[blackcrow]

19. little Manuela in a linked to photo is

the three legged dog and also there is the big golden dog.

Really, that family is composed of saints.

[woo me with science]

20. What a contrast to the predation, lies, and manipulative PR we are fed day after day.

The Bait and Switch
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026164464

Lies upon lies upon lies
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6165449

The Democratic Party's Deceitful Game":
They are willing to bravely support any progressive action as long as there's no chance it can pass.
http://www.salon.com/2010/02/23/democrats_34/

Obama taps "cognitive infiltrator" Cass Sunstein for Committee to create "trust" in NSA:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023512796

Salon: Obama confidant’s spine-chilling proposal: Cass Sunstein wants the government to "cognitively infiltrate" anti-government groups
http://www.salon.com/2010/01/15/sunstein_2/

The US government's online campaigns of disinformation, manipulation, and smear.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024560097

Snowden: ‘Training Guide’ for GCHQ, NSA Agents Infiltrating and Disrupting Alternative Media Online
http://21stcenturywire.com/2014/02/25/snowden-training-guide-for-gchq-nsa-agents-infiltrating-and-disrupting-alternative-media-online/

The influx of corporate propaganda-spouting posters is blatant and unnatural.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3189367

U.S. Repeals Propaganda Ban, Spreads Government-Made News To Americans
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023262111

The goal of the propaganda assaults across the internet is not to convince anyone of anything.*
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023359801

The government figured out sockpuppet management but not "persona management."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023358242

The Gentleman's Guide To Forum Spies (spooks, feds, etc.)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4159454

Seventeen techniques for truth suppression.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4249741

Just do some Googling on astroturfing - big organizations have some sophisticated tools.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=1208351

[SidDithers]

24. ...

Sid

[woo me with science]

25. Right on cue. nt

[Art_from_Ark]

41. Sid probably thinks he's in the Lounge

watching somebody's cat video.

Either that, or he's inhaled too much nitrous oxide.

[woo me with science]

42. It was predictable.

That sort of observation about the administration *must* receive that sort of response.

If you observe long enough, you see the unwritten rules...

[giftedgirl77]

30. Jebus Christ, do you always have to be such a downer?

This shit has nothing to do with this awesome story but instead of posting something postitive you post 17 bluelinks of madness.

[woo me with science]

33. Actually, it has *everything* to do with this awesome story.

The contrast between Jose Mujica's enacted respect and compassion for the poor in his own country, and the slick advertising facade of manipulative, lying PR that passes for concern for the poor by corporate politicians is exactly the point.

We have come to accept the flat-out lies and propaganda assaults of corporate government as business as usual. We shouldn't.

Insincere, massively publicized speeches about reining in military power, followed immediately by huge escalations in military power, a new war in Syria, a new war in Iraq, carpet bombing of captive populations in Gaza, a continuation of the unconscionable droning of civilians in multiple countries with which we are not at war, and a new TRILLION DOLLAR ramp-up of nuclear weapons...That's not acceptable.

Lying, manipulative claims to care about the environment, while selling off expanses of the Gulf of Mexico for drilling, opening the Atlantic Coast for drilling, relentless support for fracking, and defense of the most environmentally predatory "free trade" agreements in this nation's history.....That's not acceptable.

Shameless, lying speeches extolling the government's transparency and protection of whistleblowers and respect for journalism, when we have all seen the treatment of Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden by this administration, and when we have all witnessed the outrageous targeting of investigative journalists through abuse of the Espionage Act....That's not acceptable.

Disgusting claims to represent the interests of the 99 percent, while stuffing the cabinet with predatory corporatists, signing cuts in aid for the poor and disabled repeatedly, putting SS on the table as a "greater evil" to justify the imposition of austerity greater even that that Paul Ryan initially requested, giving nauseating speeches about the need to eat our peas while repeating Republican LIES tying SS to the defiicit, personally lobbying to gain settlements for criminal bankers, and then unconscionably lobbying for the criminal CRONYBUS to even further deregulate banks and allow the looting of America to happen again.....That's not acceptable.

We are fed on slick PR and orchestrated lies as standard MO of our government now. This administration has legalized propaganda aimed at Americans that was considered unacceptable in previous decades. We are constantly assaulted with vapid pretty words and pictures that lie to our faces about what this administration cares about and is actually doing. And now we cannot even have discussion on the internet without the weird, creepy voices of corporatism infesting every single conversation through relentless disinformation and propaganda campaigns revealed by Edward Snowden and others.

This nation has sunk to the level of a corrupt, totalitarian state in its contempt for its own citizens, all because corporate money now drives everything it does. This is the difference between a representative government and a corporate government. By definition, corporations exist to grow their own profit and power. They don't represent anyone but themselves. They manipulate to grow profit, just like our government constantly manipulates us to sell the profitable, predatory corporate agenda it has already decided to implement against our interests.

Of course my comment is relevant, as shown by the immediate, predictable, defensive response. This humble president of Uruguay reminds us of what our representatives are supposed to be. That is why the PR brigade is threatened by this thread. It reveals an ugly truth about what we have a right to expect from those who claim to be our representatives....but don't receive anymore except in cynical, lying corporate advertisements.

[MsLeopard]

38. Thank you for speaking the truth

I completely agree with your perspective. We seem to be the most propagandized populace on earth and it's stunning how few people see or acknowledge it (which has to do with 30+ years of dumbed down education, so many are now incapable of critical thought). Please continue to offer your cogent and appropriate comments and links; I, for one, very much appreciate what you have to say.

[woo me with science]

39. Orwell: "We have now sunk to a depth at which..."

Last edited Mon Feb 2, 2015, 08:11 PM - Edit history (2)

[font size=3] Orwell: "We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men." [/font size]

Thank you, MsLeopard. Indeed, 2+2=4 regardless of the predictable, straining-to-insult defensive PR swarm insisting it is 5. Orwell was eerily correct about what we would face...

[giftedgirl77]

43. Nobody got defensive woo,

Just trying to figure out how you went from this nice, heartwarming story to the US Gov is evil look at all this bad stuff they are doing to us discussion.

As 23 said below I too usually just ignore your nonsense but this seemed a bit over the top even for you.

BTW, you forgot your links.

gg

[Number23]

34. "17 bluelinks of madness." That sounds like the name of an AWESOME new band

as well as being an incredibly apt description of the post you're responding to.

[woo me with science]

35. And...on cue.

[Number23]

37. I deliberately ignore most of your screeds but the description of your latest

by giftedgirl was spot on.

And if you think that squatting in this thread responding to everyone is some sort of refutation that your other post was "madness" then you're wrong, yet again.

[great white snark]

45. And to think that some question the necessity of a place like the BOG.

At least there a heartwarming story isn't subject to childish playground vindictiveness.

[Number23]

46. But apparently, it's his "job" as an "intelligent" man to "bless" the rest of us with his knowledge

even if no one asked for it and it has nothing to do in ANY way, shape or form with the subject at hand.

I honestly can't tell whether to laugh at the megolomania or pity anyone who feels that sort of behavior is rational.

[woo me with science]

54. Predictable personal attacks. Predictable defensive PR response when

the corruption of this administration is explicitly pointed out. The pattern never varies.

Transparent, predictable, and a sad sign of how corrupt and manipulative political messaging in this nation has become.

Always the same little group. Always the same ugly tactics to distract from the long list of political lies and deceptions.

We have come to accept the flat-out lies and propaganda assaults of corporate government as business as usual. We shouldn't.

Insincere, massively publicized speeches about reining in military power, followed immediately by huge escalations in military power, a new war in Syria, a new war in Iraq, carpet bombing of captive populations in Gaza, a continuation of the unconscionable droning of civilians in multiple countries with which we are not at war, and a new TRILLION DOLLAR ramp-up of nuclear weapons...That's not acceptable.

Lying, manipulative claims to care about the environment, while selling off expanses of the Gulf of Mexico for drilling, opening the Atlantic Coast for drilling, relentless support for fracking, and defense of the most environmentally predatory "free trade" agreements in this nation's history.....That's not acceptable.

Shameless, lying speeches extolling the government's transparency and protection of whistleblowers and respect for journalism, when we have all seen the treatment of Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden by this administration, and when we have all witnessed the outrageous targeting of investigative journalists through abuse of the Espionage Act....That's not acceptable.

Disgusting claims to represent the interests of the 99 percent, while stuffing the cabinet with predatory corporatists, signing cuts in aid for the poor and disabled repeatedly, putting SS on the table as a "greater evil" to justify the imposition of austerity greater even that that Paul Ryan initially requested, giving nauseating speeches about the need to eat our peas while repeating Republican LIES tying SS to the defiicit, personally lobbying to gain settlements for criminal bankers, and then unconscionably lobbying for the criminal CRONYBUS to even further deregulate banks and allow the looting of America to happen again.....That's not acceptable.

We are fed on slick PR and orchestrated lies as standard MO of our government now.

[Number23]

59. Your continued insistence on calling everyone that disagrees with you or finds you ludicrous members

of some PR enterprise again leads me to wonder whether to laugh at the megalomania or pity ANYONE that finds this behavior rational.

We all get it. You seem to genuinely believe that you are so important/informed that anyone who disagrees with you simply MUST be some paid shadowy operative instead of a supporter of the Democratic party who just might think that you are full of it or much, MUCH worse. Nothing could be further from the truth.

And it's not "always the same little group". One thing I'm noticing more and more is that with each unhinged, paranoid post from you that more and more posters are really wondering what the hell is going on with you. And I'm sure that in your head that's just more of the White House/Third Way propaganda crew trying to silence you instead of the fact that your really bizarre and mainly irrelevant responses are simply turning off far more people than are being brought to your side.

[giftedgirl77]

44. or a book perhaps??

I usually ignore their posts as well but that just seemed like a bit much, I see those damn links everywhere.

[woo me with science]

55. The incessant links would not be necessary

were it not for the incessant lies of the political machine.

Corporate politicians hope that their pretty speeches will be enough to convince the public that they are working on our behalf. It's important to keep putting the *actual* policies and behavior of these politicians alongside these pretty speeches, so that people see the MO of manipulation and propaganda. Over and over again.

That's why this thread is important, and why it makes the corporate defense team so angry and defensive. It is very threatening to the corporate MO to show people - with a living, breathing, contrasting example - how cynical and corrupt and manipulative their own "representation" has become.

[msanthrope]

57. I cannot believe you waited 20 posts to blame Obama. Normally, I would have expected the 17 blue

links of madness long before...but hey, everyone has a life, right?

[bvar22]

21. A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars,

it's where the rich ride public transportation. -Mayor of Bogota.

[Luminous Animal]

28. That is a great quote.

[woo me with science]

40. Excellent.

Thanks for that one.

[woo me with science]

22. kick

[americannightmare]

23. This man's incredible humanity...

brings tears to my eyes. Thank you to the people of Uruguay for giving the world someone to be inspired by...

[woo me with science]

26. Simple humanity in a head of state shouldn't be "incredible."

The fact that you naturally turn to that word underscores how effective the malignant propaganda campaigns to normalize predation and sellout in our elected representatives has been.

We tolerate the unconscionable, and we tolerate lying propaganda voices assuring us that this constant lying, manipulation, and abuse from our elected "representatives" is even remotely acceptable.

[giftedgirl77]

31. Kick, for someone upstairs being able to remember

the little people below.

[marble falls]

32. How would Teapublicans spin the story if the President picked up a hitchhiker?

[red dog 1]

47. K&R...Thanks for posting, sibelian

Uruguay is fortunate to have such a kind leader.

[woo me with science]

48. K&R Another great article about this man:

10 Reasons to Love Uruguay’s President José Mujica
by MEDEA BENJAMIN
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/05/15/10-reasons-to-love-uruguays-president-jose-mujica/

....

1. He lives simply and rejects the perks of the presidency. Mujica has refused to live at the Presidential Palace or have a motorcade. He lives in a one-bedroom house on his wife’s farm and drives a 1987 Volkswagen. “There have been years when I would have been happy just to have a mattress,” said Mujica, referring to his time in prison. He donates over 90% of his $12,000/month salary to charity so he makes the same as the average citizen in Uruguay. When called “the poorest president in the world,” Mujica says he is not poor. “A poor person is not someone who has little but one who needs infinitely more, and more and more. I don’t live in poverty, I live in simplicity. There’s very little that I need to live.”

2. He supported the nation’s groundbreaking legalization of marijuana. “In no part of the world has repression of drug consumption brought results. It’s time to try something different,” Mujica said. So this year, Uruguay became the first country in the world to regulate the legal production, sale, and consumption of marijuana. The law allows individuals to grow a certain amount each year and the government controls the price of marijuana sold at pharmacies. The law requires consumers, sellers, and distributors to be licensed by the government. Uruguay’s experience aims to take the market away from the ruthless drug traffickers and treat drug addiction as a public health issue. Their experiment will have reverberations worldwide.

3. In August 2013, Mujica signed the bill making Uruguay the second nation in Latin America (after Argentina) to legalize gay marriage. He said that legalizing gay marriage is simply recognizing reality. “Not to legalize it would be unnecessary torture for some people,” he said. In recent years, Uruguay has also moved to allow adoption by gay couples and openly gay people to serve in the armed forces.

[font size=3]4. He’s not afraid to confront corporate abuses, as evidenced by the epic struggle his government is waging against the American tobacco giant Philip Morris. A former smoker, Mujica says that tobacco is a killer that needs to be brought under control. But Philip Morris is suing Uruguay for $25 million at the World Bank’s International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes because of the country’s tough smoking laws that prohibit smoking in enclosed public spaces and require warning labels, including graphic images of the health effects. Uruguay is the first Latin American country and the fifth nation worldwide to implement a ban on smoking in enclosed public places. Philip Morris, the largest cigarette manufacturer in the United States, has huge global business interests (and a well-paid army of lawyers). Uruguay’s battle against the tobacco Goliath will also have global repercussions.[/font size]

.....

Again, what a stark contrast from the cynical corporate "representation" we have in the USA.

[woo me with science]

50. kick

[woo me with science]

51. kick

[woo me with science]

52. kick

[sibelian]

53. kick

[woo me with science]

56. kick

Thanks for this great OP.

[sibelian]

58. np!

[Blue_Tires]

60. Didn't he see that movie with Rutger Hauer?

[woo me with science]

61. kick