Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends

The analysis published under this topic are as follows.

Saturday, August 03, 2013

It will be madness in America soon, Out of control / Politics / US Politics

By: Michael_T_Bucci

I bought a copy of USA Today Weekend at the supermarket and wanted to gag. A front-page lead story showing a picture of Edward Snowden's Russian permit was titled: "Welcome, Comrade Snowden" (Is John McCain now writing their headlines?). To read American mainstream news is to collide with an illusory but impenetrable wall of rigid propaganda (rah, rah, America #1; rah, rah, S&P 1700; rah, rah, Washington vs. a world of enemies). In short, the paper's almost one-million readers were encouraged. In so many words, "Don't worry about NSA. Congress has heard the American people and is now moving to reform it. Sleep well tonight, Senator Patrick Leahy is awake."

Friday, August 02, 2013

How Obamacare Bailouts Work - A Struggling City's Best New Budget Tool / Politics / US Politics

By: Money_Morning

Diane Alter writes: Call it an "Obamacare Bailout" - while millions of Americans look for ways to opt out of Obamacare, broke Detroit is trying to get its residents signed up as soon as possible.

You see, Detroit has grossly over-pledged its benefits, pensions and fully-funded health care plans to thousands of public sector employees for decades, while its tax revenue dwindled.

Friday, August 02, 2013

Bradley Manning Still Facing a Lifetime With His Kidnappers / Politics / US Politics

By: Jeff_Berwick

Yesterday, Private Bradley Manning was charged and faces "up to" 136 years in a cage for being someone Thomas Jefferson would consider a patriot.  Considering the world's oldest person died at 116 years old last month it is quite clearly a life sentence.  For myself, at 42, I consider anything more than 10 years a life sentence.  Not that I couldn't still have fun at 52... but a lot less fun with a lot more viagra.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Reasons Why Obamacare Is Going to Ruin Your Medical Care… and Your Life / Politics / Healthcare Sector

By: Casey_Research

By Elizabeth Lee Vliet, M.D.

Of course you've heard of "liar loans"—in the heyday of subprime mortgages, unscrupulous lenders handed out mortgages to practically everyone with a pulse. "So you're saying you make $100,000 a year? Great, check this box titled 'McMansion.'"

We all know how this charade ended. Now Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet, M.D., an acclaimed expert on the subject of Obamacare, warns that the delay of the employer mandate by one year will force Americans into a single-payer system, raising insurance premiums and encouraging "liar subsidies" that might prove fiscally devastating. Not to mention that under the new health care system, you may well end up dead…

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Capitalism, A Norwegian Rat And Some Cockroaches / Politics / Science

By: Raul_I_Meijer

Often, for some reason, when you want to make a simple point, before you know it it mushrooms into something much bigger. Like in this case, blasphemy. All I started out with was the notion that if we put a dollar value on something like an Arctic melt, or the extinction of species, we are making fundamental mistakes. Which invariably show in the way we reach the conclusions, presented as "scientific", that make us put such values on potential or already final events.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

How We Can Fix State Education and the U.S. Economy / Politics / Educating Children

By: Money_Morning

David Zeiler writes: One of the biggest threats to the future of the U.S. economy is that more and more of the U.S. workforce lacks the skills needed to fill the jobs being created in the 21st century.

Last year, a survey by ManpowerGroup found that 49% of U.S. employers are struggling to fill essential jobs, because they can’t find workers with the proper skills.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

J P Morgan and Commodity Manipulation / Politics / Market Manipulation

By: BATR

The practices and methods of manipulating commodity markets, is a staple topic in financial journalism. Options, futures and exotic forms of derivatives, often put under the microscope, gives rise to calls for substantive regulation. One area of the commodity trade, seldom examined is that involved with physical commodities trading. With much fanfare, Under siege, JPMorgan to quit physical commodities, a Reuters announcement has many seasoned street professionals shocked.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Snowden's Dad Confronts Tyrannical Obama / Politics / US Politics

By: Jeff_Berwick

July 26, 2013
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Re: Civil Disobedience, Edward J. Snowden, and the Constitution

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Socialism - Appeasing Envy / Politics / Economic Theory

By: Henry_Hazlitt

Any attempt to equalize wealth or income by forced redistribution must only tend to destroy wealth and income. Historically the best the would-be equalizers have ever succeeded in doing is to equalize downward. This has even been caustically described as their intention. “Your levellers,” said Samuel Johnson in the mid-eighteenth century, “wish to level down as far as themselves; but they cannot bear levelling up to themselves.”

And in our own day we find even an eminent liberal like the late Mr. Justice Holmes writing: “I have no respect for the passion for equality, which seems to me merely idealizing envy.”[1]

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Larry Summers or Janet Yellen, Who will Obama Pick as Head of Fed? / Politics / US Federal Reserve Bank

By: Money_Morning

Garrett Baldwin writes: With Ben Bernanke prepared to step down as Federal Reserve chairman within the next year, the human resource debacle of locating the next Federal Reserve chair is underway.

Despite reports of Timothy Geithner, Alan Blinder, or Roger Ferguson being modest replacements (the latter I personally endorse), it seems that the candidacy has been narrowed to two.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

How Obamacare Will Affect Medicare / Politics / Healthcare Sector

By: Money_Morning

Diane Alter writes: We've talked about how Obamacare will affect our regular health insurers and routine doctor visits, but how about how Obamacare will affect Medicare?

We've all known for a while that the future of Medicare, the program than provides health insurance to seniors, is in dire straits. What we're just finding out is that Obamacare is making it worse.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

"World Citizen" Dies Missing The Point About Government / Politics / Social Issues

By: Jeff_Berwick

Garry Davis, called "World Citizen #1" and founder of WorldService.org and provider of the "World Passport", died a few days ago.  Newser reports that the former American citizen died after decades as a stateless "citizen of the world." Davis was 91 when he died and had spent 65 years stateless since renouncing his nationality along with all others since 1948. 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Algerian Scenario For Egypt? / Politics / Egypt

By: Andrew_McKillop

WESTERN APPROVED COUP
On November 3 1988, Algeria's one-party state run by the FLN, the 'historic' liberation front which fought the French in the 1956-63 colonial war, under prodding from Western democracies, amended the constitution to allow parties other than the FLN to stand. The FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) was founded shortly after, on February 18 1989, led by the elderly sheikh Abbassi Madani and the charismatic young mosque preacher, Ali Belhadj. Elections held in December 1991 were cancelled by the FLN after the first round, exclusively because the FIS was well ahead. The country's military took control. The FIS was banned and thousands of its members arrested. Islamist guerrillas rapidly emerged and began an armed campaign against the government and its supporters, that terminated in 2002 so far as major fighting was concerned, leaving at least 250 000 dead.

Monday, July 29, 2013

How the U.S. Empire Actually Functions / Politics / US Politics

By: LewRockwell

ROCKWELL:  Well, what an honor it is to have as our guest today on the show, John Perkins.  I think that if Hollywood weren’t so connected to the Pentagon, maybe there’d be a movie about him, staring George Clooney.  But there’s not a movie because of the sorts of books he’s written, especially Confessions of an Economic Hitman that was on The New York Times best-seller list for a year and a half and translated into 30 languages.  He’s also author of The Secret History of the American Empire and his newest book, Hoodwinked.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Ready for World War III with China? / Politics / China US Conflict

By: BATR

"U.S. policy must create a climate in which a rising China is never tempted to use its growing power coercively within or outside the region."  - Richard Haas, chairman of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations

Monday, July 29, 2013

Ron Paul - A House Divided Over NSA Spying on Americans / Politics / Intelligence Agencies

By: Dr_Ron_Paul

Last week's House debate on the Defense Appropriations bill for 2014 produced a bit more drama than usual. After hearing that House leadership would do away with the traditional "open rule" allowing for debate on any funding limitation amendment, it was surprising to see that Rep. Justin Amash's (R-MI) amendment was allowed on the Floor. In the wake of National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden's revelations about the extent of US government spying on American citizens, Amash's amendment sought to remove funding in the bill for some of the NSA programs.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Elite Fear Themes – Security And Prosperity / Politics / Social Issues

By: Andrew_McKillop

THE MORAL EQUIVALENT OF NUCLEAR WAR
“Frankly, we may get to the point where the only way of saving the world will be for industrial civilization to collapse”. Maurice F. Strong, Opening address, 1992 UN Earth Summit.

This was Strong's pitch for sustainable development. Despite the hard knocks and the general lack of interest the UN soldiers on, and on, spending millions on always-failed conferences trying to ram this meme down our throats, because it is elite cult-think. The Earth Summit of 2012 cranked the same elite prayer wheel.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

More Fake Peace Talks for Palestinians, U.S. and Israel Don't Negotiate / Politics / Middle East

By: Stephen_Lendman

They begin Tuesday in Washington. They're orchestrated to fail. Israel and America don't negotiate. They demand unconditional surrender.

PA coup d'etat president Abbas is a longtime collaborator. Chief PA negotiator Saeb Erekat's a convenient stooge.

He, Abbas and other PA conspirators represent Israel, not Palestine. They're well rewarded for doing so. Their history reflects duplicity and betrayal. They enforce Israeli harshness.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Snowden Won't Face Torture in the U.S. Maybe / Politics / US Politics

By: Andrew_McKillop

WATERBOARDING - MAYBE
US Attorney General Eric Holder in a letter released to 'Wall Street Journal' 26 July and dated 23 July, told his addressee, His Excellency the Minister of Justice of Russia that National Security Agency 'leaker' Edward Snowden would not face the death penalty. Holder also promised he would not be tortured—in a new bid by the Obama administration to persuade Russia not to grant Snowden asylum or refugee status.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

The US Empire Prepares for War on China / Politics / US Politics

By: Paul_Craig_Roberts

Amitai Etzioni has raised an important question: “Who authorized preparations for war with China?”http://yalejournal.org/2013/06/12/who-authorized-preparations-for-war-with-china/ Etzioni says that the war plan is not the sort of contingency plan that might be on hand for an improbable event. Etzioni also reports that the Pentagon’s war plan was not ordered by, and has not been reviewed by, US civilian authorities. We are confronted with a neoconized US military out of control endangering Americans and the rest of the world.