For the last midterm elections, I had the very good fortune of being in Washington DC, for the Rally to Restore Sanity. After looking at the American thoughtscape over the intervening years, I can pretty decisively say that the Rally’s objective has not been realized, and sanity is all too
Continue readingTag: USA
Political Eh-conomy: Political Eh-conomy Radio: In and out of crisis with Sam Gindin
Today’s podcast is a feature interview with fellow political economist Sam Gindin. I interrogate Sam about the political economy of the present: the exit from the 2007 crisis, the role of states, austerity, the place of finance and the possibilities of resistance. Download: podcast-140314-sam-gindin.mp3 Sam Gindin is a left political
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: If the 1% Has Russell Brand Killed…
If the 1% has Russell Brand killed, we will see it in the corporate media as a drug OD relapse, or a freak accident. Why? He is dangerous because he fearlessly tells the truth and challenges pretence. Let’s examine this in some detail here [with video]: His brain works twice
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: A Must Read – Why America Is Not in Decline, Except at Home.
America hasn’t really declined. America simply went global and, in the process, turned its back on working-class Americans, blue and white collar. A globalized America is an America of the 1%. The rest who still believe are suckers. That’s the premise of a fine essay in Politico by Sean Starrs,
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: SUPPORT: Auto Unions in the US and Canada are on a Roll
With all the union busting and union bashing going on by the 1% and their compradors in government, it’s nice to see the labour movement getting some traction. The next few days in Tennessee and Ontario could move workplace democracy and the 99% ahead significantly, with thousands of new unionized
Continue readingThings Are Good: The Day We Fight Back Against Spying
The Day We Fight Back against mass surveillance is today! Thanks to Edward Snowden we have learned about America’s and other countries illegitimate and immoral mass surveillance operations. More revelations about the extent of the surveillance programs are sure to come. Just in the past couple of days it was
Continue readingStop Canadian Complicity in Torture: FINALLY THE DRONES !!! And hopefully A LOT MORE to come about them !
First Look Media:
The // Intercept – LAUNCHED February 10, 2014
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/
Feb 10, 2014 – Article By Jeremy Scahill and Glenn Greenwald
The NSA’s Secret Role in the U.S. Assassination Program
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/article/2014/02/10/the-nsas-secret-role/
More:
Death by Metadata – Feb 10, 2014
FIRST LOOK MEDIA – https://www.firstlook.org/#/home
Continue readingStop Canadian Complicity in Torture: FINALLY THE DRONES !!! And hopefully A LOT MORE to come about them !
First Look Media: The // Intercept – LAUNCHED February 10, 2014 https://firstlook.org/theintercept/ Feb 10, 2014 – Article By Jeremy Scahill and Glenn Greenwald The NSA’s Secret Role in the U.S. Assassination Program https://firstlook.org/theintercept/article/2014/02/10/the-nsas-secret-role/ More: Death by Metadata – Feb 10, 2014 FIRST LOOK MEDIA – https://www.firstlook.org/#/home
Continue readingStop Canadian Complicity in Torture: FINALLY THE DRONES !!! And hopefully A LOT MORE to come about them !
First Look Media // The Intercept – LAUNCHED February 10, 2014 Defying Threats to Journalism, Jeremy Scahill & Glenn Greenwald Launch New Venture, The Intercept – Feb 10, 2014 http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/10/defying_threats_to_journalism_jeremy_scahill THE INTERCEPT – https://firstlook.org/theintercept/ FIRST LOOK MEDIA – https://www.firstlook.org/#/home
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Because You’re Not As Dumb As They Think You Are!
Today is Friday. Let’s make it “think for ourselves Friday.” It’ll work: the government/corporations/1% won’t see it coming! Twitter / occupythemob: http://t.co/doHx1xWO4l. December 17, 2013 Fried Squirrels (0) December 20, 2013 Enbridge: What Now? We Escalate Our Fight (4) January 7, 2012 Day Two of Tragedy of the Market: From
Continue readingThings Are Good: 4 Theories Why US Teenagers Are Driving Less
Cars are horrible for the environment and car infrastructure can have very negative impact on local economies so it’s nice to see enthusiasm for driving diminishing in younger generations. American teens are less likely to have a license and less likely to want to own a car than previous generations.
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Come On, Let’s Really Increase Taxes on the Rich
Well, here’s something you don’t see [ever] in corporate media: a review of tax measures in the USA since the crash in 2008 that have succeeded in increasing taxes on the rich. And it turns out, tax increases that are regressive [sales taxes, etc.] or include the non-rich, seemed to
Continue readingTrashy's World: 2014 is the Chinese year of the horse. Does this mean I should blow a bundle at the track?
I don’t often “recycle” posts. Yes, I am lazy, but what’s the point of a blog if you just re-post old stuff? But I thought that I’d dig up last years “Resolutions” post to see how I made out and to add any new stuff. Turns out it was a
Continue readingPolitical Eh-conomy: Precarious workers or satisfied customers: a fine line for giant retailers
This post is an appendix of sorts to my article, “Fired by Walmart for Christmas”, to be published this weekend by Common Dreams. In the article, I describe the stresses and difficulties faced by Walmart workers during the holidays. Overwork, a climate of fear and barely-organized chaos make for taxing
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: I Was Never Really Afraid of China Until I Read This
Chas Freeman, who served as Richard Nixon’s interpreter in his breakthrough 1972 visit to China, says the real danger from China is that it might just decide to become another United States. Some might say that America’s problem with China boils down to a well-founded fear of China becoming more
Continue readingThings Are Good: A Soap Company That Fights For a Better America
Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps are known for their cleaning power, but are increasingly getting known for their political power. The CEO of the company is a good example of a leader that practices what he believes – and leverages the company to ensure his thoughts are shared. In one example,
Continue readingTerahertz: Same old politics or revolution?
Progressives are buzzing after British comedian-turned-revolutionary Russell Brand released his revolutionary manifesto as guest editor of the latest issue of New Statesman and went on an anti-capitalist rant when interviewed by Jeremy Paxman on BBC Newsnight. The editorial is worth reading in its entirety. It wanders quite a bit but
Continue readingCuriosityCat: US Debt Ceiling: Issues Punted to early next year
The Cat goes to the Senate Twenty-four hours of so before the US government ran out of money to pay its debts, Republican senators nudged aside the Tea Party senators and House representatives, to kick the can down the road and renew the fight in two months time: The expected
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Obama’s Powers and the Debt Ceiling Increase: What if the Tea Party is right?
Senator Collins The debate is getting testy down south. The Republicans seem to believe that they have now become paragons of reasonableness, while the Democrats are risking armageddon: Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said that while Republicans entered the shutdown debate with unreasonable demands to scuttle key portions of Obamacare, it
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