Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Europe's Slushy Carbon Market: Weaker Every Day / Politics / Climate Change
By: Andrew_McKillop
GETTING DESPERATELY CHEAP
Anybody who wants to know how Europe's forced and mandatory Emissions Trading Scheme or ETS works - or doesn't work - needs only to check out the figures. One barrel of oil emits about 430 kilograms of CO2 when burned; 1 tonne of CO2 is therefore equivalent to burning about 2.25 barrels. European total CO2 output was about 5.1 billion tons, or 7.5 tons per capita in 2012, for a 3% decline on 2011 according to Holland's PBL Environmental Assessment Agency.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Credit Meltdown Transcripts - It's All in the Flows / Politics / Credit Crisis 2008
By: Fred_Sheehan
The 2007 Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) transcripts were released last week. Media reports have concentrated on the Fed's forbearance during the credit meltdown. Implied, but not stated (in what I have read) is the major reason for such nonchalance: The Fed only acknowledges flows, not stocks. This might sound boring. It is also very important to understand.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
On the Fringe of the Dominant Financial World / Politics / Market Regulation
By: Jeff_Berwick
Justin O’Connell writes: When CNN wrote recently, “Bitcoin, a virtual online ‘currency,’ seems to be gaining traction and legitimacy among those who need to transfer or launder their cash outside of the prying eyes of regulators,” they were elevating convenient prejudices over reality. For, although the prying eyes of regulators are something most people would rather avoid, the destructive policies of central bankers lead people to alternatives that may attract those eyes just the same. CNN referred to Bitcoin as "sketchy" and in so doing used a technique of identifying anything outside the purview of official transactions as “black market,” “gray market” or otherwise shady. The press outlet whittles Bitcoins’ userbase down to Iranians, hit men and drug dealers and others “who prefer to be paid in an untraceable currency.”
Thursday, January 24, 2013
President Obama Falls for a Fallacy / Politics / US Politics
By: Steve_H_Hanke
In his second inaugural address, President Obama made a series of direct and indirect references to the Declaration of Independence and other founding documents to make his case for collective (read: state) action. In doing so, he fell into the fallacy of argument ad antiquitatem – an illegitimate appeal to ages past in order to justify present and future actions.
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Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Wall Street Kow Tows To Obama / Politics / US Politics
By: Andrew_McKillop
BACK TO SQUARE ONE
In 2008, Goldman Sachs executives and employees were the largest single Wall Street backers of the president, but by 2012 things had changed. Obama had "meddled with the free market", or perhaps had not been generous enough with billion dollar bailouts, the chemistry wasn't right. Goldman Sachs Group, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup Inc., Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and other Wall Street heavyweights gave $21 million to Mitt Romney, more than any other presidential candidate since the USA's modern campaign system began in 1976, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
USA 2013 - The Existing Social Order Will be Swept Away / Politics / US Politics
By: James_Quinn
After digesting the opinions of the shills, shysters and scam artists, I am ready to predict that I have no clue what will happen during 2013. The weekend weather last week was a perfect analogy for attempting to forecast the future. The professional highly educated meteorologists predicted sunny warm weather, just as the PhD Wall Street paid economist mouthpieces assure the multitudes 2013 will be the year when zero interest rates and $1.2 trillion deficits will finally lead to sunny economic skies. Instead, the weekend was overcast and damp. As I was writing this article and watching the miraculous Baltimore Ravens comeback against Denver, I received a two minute warning from my wife. I had to pick up my son and his buddies at the Montgomery Mall. As I pulled the car out of the garage, I backed out into fog that was thicker than pea soup. I’ve driven the roads to the Montgomery Mall hundreds of times, but the fog was so thick I couldn’t see ten feet ahead. I drove hesitantly, wondering what might be just over the horizon or what might dart out from a side street. I see 2013 as a year of maneuvering through thick fog with startling apparitions lurking to surprise us and force a deviation in our normal course. As I proceeded cautiously through the murky mist there were few cars on the roads and the strip centers and fast food joints resembled haunted houses and grave yards. I expected to see Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, and Wolfman panhandling on the corners.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Decline of the Middle Class Under Obama / Politics / Social Issues
By: Money_Morning
Ben Gersten writes: U.S. President Barack Obama often makes a point of talking about how important our country's middle class is to our economic growth - something he reiterated yesterday (Monday) in his second inauguration speech.
"Our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it," President Obama said. "We believe that America's prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class."
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Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The Unintended Consequence of Green Cars / Politics / Environmental Issues
By: EconMatters
Energy and environment conservation has been high on every nation’s agenda probably even before the oil crisis in the 1970s. Green cars such as hybrids and electric cars have been gaining popularity as well as auto market share in the U.S. driven in part by high oil and fuel prices, as well as government policies, and subsidies in some cases, pushing for higher fuel efficiency.
Most people think “eco-driving” or even carpooling is a win-win-- saving gas money and the environment at the same time. But it looks like what may be good for the environment, is actually bad news for the government.
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Wednesday, January 23, 2013
American's Don't Worry About Your Guns, There Is Nothing Left To Defend / Politics / US Politics
By: Jeff_Berwick
Jim Karger writes: "And, to you tough-talking Neo-Cons with your AR-15 rifles and a few thousand rounds of ammo, here is reality: they will take your guns, and no, all your Second Amendment bluster aside, you are not going to do anything about it. You are not going to take on a platoon of Marines with state of the art automatic weapons and the best body armor you cannot buy protected by armed personnel carriers and attack helicopters unless you choose to die that day -- for nothing.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Pensions, The Last Remaining Store Of Real Wealth / Politics / Pensions & Retirement
By: Raul_I_Meijer
Yeah, The Last Remaining Store Of Real Wealth is somewhat tongue in cheek. I'm talking about pensions here, and despite the fact that hundreds of millions of people, especially in the west world, count on the pensions they pay into year after year for decades, to be there for them when they reach a certain age - which gets pushed forward all the time, talk about Receding Horizons! -, I've long since said that for most that is not going to happen. But many still see it that way: The Last Remaining Store Of Real Wealth.
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Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Obama Says We Will Respond To Threat, The Democrats Revenge / Politics / US Politics
By: Andrew_McKillop
OBAMA TOUGH ON TERROR
In his inaugural address for his second and last presidential mandate, 21 January, president Obama made it clear he was going to take an aggressive line, for the 1461 days of his second mandate, on what he described as a threat so massive and so grave that "failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.”
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
UK Moves Away from the European Project / Politics / US Politics
By: STRATFOR
Adriano Bosoni writes: British Prime Minister David Cameron will deliver a speech in London on Jan. 23, during which he will discuss the future of the United Kingdom's relationship with the European Union. Excerpts leaked to the media suggest that harsh EU criticism will figure prominently in the speech, a suggestion in keeping with Cameron's recent statements about the bloc. But more important, the excerpts signal an unprecedented policy departure: renegotiating the United Kingdom's role in the European Union. London has negotiated exemptions from some EU policies in the past, even gaining some concessions from Brussels in the process; this time, it is trying to become less integrated with the bloc altogether.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Inaugural Address: What Obama Did Not Say / Politics / US Politics
By: Jesse
Like many others I listened to President Obama's second Inaugural Address yesterday.There were of some higher moments, broader themes, and an emphasis on the positive. I struggled to find 'the memorable phrase' that would be repeated and quoted in the particular. I have one or two candidates. Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, January 21, 2013
Ron Paul on the Coming Debt Limit Drama: Government Wins, We Lose / Politics / US Politics
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
Last week President Obama bluntly warned Congress that he will not negotiate when it comes to raising the statutory debt limit. If Republicans attempt to use a debt ceiling vote to win concessions on spending from the White House, Mr. Obama threatens simply to raise the limit by executive order or other unilateral action.
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Monday, January 21, 2013
The Next Oil War Will be Different, China versus USA / Politics / Crude Oil
By: Andrew_McKillop
WAS IRAQ AN OIL WAR?
Probably in 50 years time, academics but not many other persons will still be talking about the subject. For plenty of historians, journalists, writers, paywrights and movie makers there is no problem at all: since the 1991 Liberation of Kuwait, the birth of al Qaeda and terror war, the 9/11 atrocities in the US, the Afghan war, the second Iraq war, and the overthrow and killing of Khadafi we have had a succession of Oil Wars either directly caused or promoted by the US. This is always denied, of course.
Monday, January 21, 2013
The Institutionalization of Tyranny / Politics / US Politics
By: Paul_Craig_Roberts
Republicans and conservative Americans are still fighting Big Government in its welfare state form. Apparently, they have never heard of the militarized police state form of Big Government, or, if they have, they are comfortable with it and have no objection.
Republicans, including those in the House and Senate, are content for big government to initiate wars without a declaration of war or even Congress’ assent, and to murder with drones citizens of countries with which Washington is not at war. Republicans do not mind that federal “security” agencies spy on American citizens without warrants and record every email, Internet site visited, Facebook posting, cell phone call, and credit card purchase. Republicans in Congress even voted to fund the massive structure in Utah in which this information is stored.
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Monday, January 21, 2013
President Obama's Inauguration Day / Politics / US Politics
By: Danny_Schechter
New York, New York: What a difference a term in office makes.
Look at the picture yesterday of the President becoming president again in an oval office ceremony surrounded only by his family swearing an oath administered by a Chief Justice he should be swearing at.
Today what fans turn up will cheer him on, but the die seems to be cast.
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Sunday, January 20, 2013
Sandy Hook Solutions / Politics / US Politics
By: Stephen_Merrill
How do people ever begin to redeem the suffering of twenty tiny souls? What can help diminish the horrible images Americans will long have of that terrible day the week before Christmas at Sandy Hook elementary school?In our modern world the answer, as always, is curative legislation. Legislation is the natural offspring of senseless tragedy wherever it might occur.
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Sunday, January 20, 2013
Does it Take Another Civil War? / Politics / US Politics
By: Michael_T_Bucci
To think that twenty young children massacred in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14 would become catalysts to accelerate the continuing disintegration of American society was unconscionable on December 14th - and it remains unconscionable. While the nation fell into shock followed by grief, many wrote on the web, "Obama's gonna take away guns!" The narcissism of "2nd Amen" cultists is without boundaries it appears; to wit: the NRA rallies.
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Saturday, January 19, 2013
The Trillion Dollar Coin: What You Really Need to Know / Politics / Fiat Currency
By: Rudy_Avizius
Recently a novel idea began circulating in the Washington Beltway that the government could print a $1 Trillion coin and use that to fund its operations in the absence of an agreement on the raising of the debt ceiling. This idea certainly sounds like it came from fantasyland, but if one follows it carefully through to its logical conclusion, it will shine a light on our current monetary system and how it is fundamentally unsustainable. The floating of the $trillion coin has inadvertently opened up a window not just to reform, but to transform our monetary system. The resulting transformational consequences would be welcomed by all political perspectives.