Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
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.
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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.
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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.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Ramadan Diaries - Islam, Muslims and the Haram Benefits Culture / Politics / Religion
By: Nadeem_Walayat
Channel 4 TV has been busy this past month broadcasting short 5 minute videos illustrating the experience of muslims during the Islamic Lunar calendar (that is 11-12 days shorter than the solar year) month of Ramadan that started the day after sighting of the first crescent of the new moon. The focus for muslims is on the dawn till dusk fasting as one of the five pillars of Islam for every muslim to follow in pursuit of their objective of gaining a place in heaven / paradise as it is said all those who fast will have all of their past sins forgiven.
Friday, July 26, 2013
How the US Became the USSR - Role Reversal / Politics / US Politics
By: Paul_Craig_Roberts
I spent the summer of 1961 behind the Iron Curtain. I was part of the US-USSR student exchange program. It was the second year of the program that operated under auspices of the US Department of State. Our return to the West via train through East Germany was interrupted by the construction of the Berlin Wall. We were sent back to Poland. The East German rail tracks were occupied with Soviet troop and tank trains as the Red Army concentrated in East Germany to face down any Western interference.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Detroit Bankruptcy, the Law, and Leonard Garment / Politics / US Debt
By: Fred_Sheehan
The City of Detroit, Michigan's petition for "bankruptcy protection and the adjustment of debts under chapter 9 of the United States Bankruptcy Code" (case number 13-53846 United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division), offers plenty of opportunity. Among the potential windfalls are to those who buy contracts at a discount, the clarity of bondholder claims, and the clarity of retiree benefit claims.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
A Tight Tax Leash Constrains American Citizens / Politics / Taxes
By: Casey_Research
By Nick Giambruno, Editor, International Man
Many readers are already well aware that the US government is essentially unique—and not in a good way—in how it treats its citizens living and working in foreign countries. No other country in the developed world imposes and effectively enforces as many burdens on its citizens abroad (and those who would do business with them) as does the US government.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Insuring Bank Deposits, Ensures Insolvency / Politics / Market Regulation
By: MISES
Frank Hollenbeck writes: The US government is trying to implement the 21st century version of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933. The proposed bill would separate traditional banks (which are backed by the FDIC) from riskier financial institutions that include companies focused on investment banking, private equity and more. This is to give the impression that governments are taking actions against the financial sector whose actions nearly brought the entire world economy to its knees back in 2008. The implicit assumption is: if this legislation is passed, the banking sector will never again be a source of financial panics. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Deciphering Bernanke - Horse, Pig, Helmet, Man, Woman / Politics / US Federal Reserve Bank
By: John_Mauldin
Grant Williams writes: Arthur Evans died in July of 1941 at the age of 90.
A rather ordinary name disguised an extraordinary life during which the famed archaeologist made many notable discoveries, including the unearthing of the Minoan Palace at Knossos, the site of a famous Greek mythological tale.
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Tuesday, July 23, 2013
The Most Rigged Economic Indicators / Politics / Economic Statistics
By: Money_Morning
Garrett Baldwin writes: On August 2, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will report the official unemployment rate. But this number doesn't tell the accurate story of the jobs picture here in the United States.
That's usually the case with government-produced economic indicators. Whatever the government figure will say, it will not truly reflect reality. Simply put, it's a rigged number.
When it comes to cheating the numbers, nobody does it better than Uncle Sam.
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Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Is Obamacare Creating a Part-Time America? / Politics / US Politics
By: Money_Morning
Frank Marchant writes: America has become a part-time nation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that in June part-time employees in the labor force reached an all-time high of 28 million, 3 million more than when the recession began in 2007.
The economy lost 240,000 full-time jobs in June and added 360,000 part-time jobs, the BLS noted. Of the 753,000 jobs created this year, 589,000 were part time.
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Tuesday, July 23, 2013
The U.S. Is a Failed State: Dissolve the Union / Politics / US Politics
By: Michael_S_Rozeff
America is a very sick patient with a curable cancer that, if left alone, will cause death. The cancer is the Union or the state known as the U.S.A. More commonly, the Union and the U.S.A. are referred to as the U.S. government, the federal government or simply the government. It is the body established by the Constitution that administers the powers described in that Constitution. Phasing out and dissolving the U.S. government, which can be done by constitutional means, will remove the cancer and restore a degree of health.
Ending the Union will certainly not cure all of America’s ills, because they trace back to wrong and false ideas. These are like bad habits, genetic and environmental factors that cause cancer. If they are not changed, the cancer will come back. The search for non-destructive politics is as never-ending as the search for health and longevity.
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Monday, July 22, 2013
NSA Spying - Civilization Means Privacy / Politics / Intelligence Agencies
By: MISES
Ben O'Neill writes: Since the details of the NSA programs became publicly known a short time ago, already there are signs of market pressures being brought to bear to curtail the actions of the agency and its partner companies. There are early signs of emerging boycotts of US-based internet and telecommunications companies, and customer migration to firms operating outside the United States.[1] One observer has even suggested that the next desirable IT feature will be for host companies operating outside the US to advertise that they are “not subject to US law” and this suggestion is gaining traction among IT commentators.
Monday, July 22, 2013
China’s Bernie Madoff Illustrates the Dangers of Doing Business in China / Politics / Scams
By: Money_Morning
Tara Clarke writes: Zeng Chengjie, a real estate developer who has been likened to "China's Bernie Madoff," was executed by the government last week for fraud and illegal fundraising.
The businessman allegedly defrauded more than 57,000 investors out of approximately RMB2.8 billion (US $460 million), of which RMB1.7 billion has been returned.
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Monday, July 22, 2013
Obama Arrogance, America, like Rome, Will Cross The Most Dangerous Line / Politics / US Politics
By: Money_Morning
Keith Fitz-Gerald writes: Romulus Augustus, the last emperor of Rome, had a lot of time to think about what went wrong to cause the fall of the greatest empire in history. Here, for the first time, in this exclusive essay he tells the full story of the fall and gives Obama sage advice to our Chief Investment Strategist, Keith Fitz-Gerald on how to avoid the same fate in the US. Please forward this to interested friends or family members.
My name is Romulus Augustus. I was the last Roman Emperor. Though I only ruled a few years before giving up my throne on 4 September 476, I lived for at least another 25 years according to the tax records. I drew a pension until at least 507 according to Cassiodorus. And, in doing so, had plenty of time to think about what went wrong.
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Monday, July 22, 2013
Atheism to Secular Humanism and Objectivism / Politics / Religion
By: BATR
At first thought, the different philosophical positions of Emma Goldman and Ayn Rand seem to be well defined. Notwithstanding, the contrast between a propensity towards anarchism with an advocacy for laissez-faire capitalism, both Russian born "Khazar Jewish" theorists and activists shared a rejection of a theist metaphysics. When Emma Goldman states: (speaking from a Detroit pulpit in 1898, quoted from Annie Laurie Gaylor, Women Without Superstition, p. 382), "I do not believe in God, because I believe in man. Whatever his mistakes, man has for thousands of years past been working to undo the botched job your God has made", her mindset distinctly sets her apart from the main body of Western Civilization thought.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Detroit Bankruptcy Milestone in the Decay of American Capitalism / Politics / US Debt
By: Barry_Grey
The bankruptcy of Detroit, the former auto capital of the world, is a milestone in the historical decay of American capitalism. It is as well a new point of departure in the social counterrevolution being carried out by the ruling class to make working people pay for the failure of its system.
Kevyn Orr, the unelected financial tsar, Republican Governor Rick Snyder, Democratic Mayor David Bing and the establishment media all point to the horrific conditions in Detroit—78,000 abandoned buildings, non-functioning streetlights, antiquated and understaffed fire protection—not to indict the politicians and corporate powers who are responsible, but to justify the destruction of the living standards and essential public services of workers who bear no responsibility for the disastrous situation.
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Monday, July 22, 2013
Ben Bernanke's Farewell Tour / Politics / US Federal Reserve Bank
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
Last week Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered what may well be his last Congressional testimony before leaving the Federal Reserve in 2014. Unfortunately, his farewell performance was full of contradictory comments about the state of the economy and the effects of Fed policies on the market. One thing Bernanke inadvertently made clear was that the needs of Wall Street trump Main street, the economy, and sound money.
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