Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
U.S. Secret Armies Gear Up for Global War / Politics / US Politics
By: Global_Research
Bill Van Auken writes: The “tide of war is receding” is a phrase President Barack Obama has employed ad nauseam—once in his State of the Union address, twice in the course of remarks last month at the unveiling of the Pentagon's new military strategy document, once again during his speech at the United Nations, also in his announcement of troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan, and in a Veteran's Day address.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
U.S. Lawmakers Help Themselves to Congressional Pork / Politics / UK Politics
By: Money_Morning
David Zeiler writes:
For members of Congress, the only thing better than getting "pork" for the folks back home is getting a slice of that pork for themselves.
Pork, also known as earmarks, describes the long-standing Congressional practice of steering tax money back to home districts to pay for expensive, constituent-pleasing projects.
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Thursday, February 16, 2012
Central Banks Financial Terrorism / Politics / Credit Crisis 2012
By: Bob_Chapman
By decree, by the privately owned Federal Reserve, zero interest rates are here to stay. You do not get to borrow at those rates, only the member banks do. In the latest currency swap (loan) from the Fed to the ECB, European Central Bank, as we noted in previous issues over the last two months, that Europe has been forced to join the Anglo-American system. The system of zero interest rates and the continual creation of money and credit. Due to the Fed’s ability to create endless supplies of money and credit it eventually took over the control of ECB and European monetary policy. These policies starkly point out the zero interest rates and monetary policy of endless money creation is the path to be taken probably by all in the system to lesser or greater degrees. That means no savings and that leaves speculation and the purchase of gold and silver related assets.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Financial Oligarch Power Raping Greece / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis
By: Stephen_Lendman
On February 12, Greece's banker controlled parliament passed sweeping austerity measures on top of multiple previous rounds.
New ones include:
sacking 15,000 public workers in 2012 and 150,000 by 2015;
slashing private sector wages by 20%;
lowering monthly minimum wages from 750 to 600 euros;
cutting fast disappearing monthly unemployment benefits from 460 to 360 euros; and
reducing pensions many Greeks need to survive by 15%.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Greece From Despair to Resistance: Test Site for Neoliberal Social Engineering / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis
By: Global_Research
Panagiotis Sotiris writes: On Sunday 12 February 2012 the people of Greece, in demonstrations and street fights all over the country expressed in a massive, collective and heroic way their anger against the terms of the new loan agreement dictated by the EU-ECB-IMF ‘troika’ (European Union, European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund). Workers, youth, students filled the streets with rage, defying the extreme aggression by police forces, setting another example of struggle and solidarity.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Is a US-Iran War Inevitable? / Politics / US Politics
By: Casey_Research
Interviewed by Louis James, Casey Research US-Iranian saber-rattling or impending shoot-out? In his usual, candid manner, contrarian investor Doug Casey talks about why he believes it's serious this time… why the US is the greatest threat to peace today… why Iran might move towards a gold standard… and what smart investors should do.
L: Doug-sama, I've heard you say you think the US is setting Iran up to be the next fall guy in the wag-the-dog show – do you think it could really come to open warfare?
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Obama Budget Disaster, Economists' in a Truman Show / Politics / US Politics
By: BATR
David Stockman's Viewpoint on the Obama Budget Disaster
Passing a Federal Budget is a rarity, especially under the administration of a committed Marxist. The Democratic Senate’s strangle hold on bringing up legislation, particularly a budget, goes without saying. What makes this new budget for 2013 any different? This time the day of reckoning hits hard the first of the next year. The recent interview with David Stockman on the Fox Business channel with Neil Cavuto is an extraordinary analysis why the economy will absorb a frightful tax increase all at one time. The fallout to commerce could become the real end of the world scenario. Take the time and watch the insightful observations from a courageous number cruncher who served this nation with distinction during the Reagan Presidency.
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Obama Signs the National Defense Authorization Act, a Bad Week For Freedom / Politics / US Politics
By: James_Quinn
“We have two American flags always: one for the rich and one for the poor. When the rich fly it means that things are under control; when the poor fly it means danger, revolution, anarchy.”- Henry Miller
With each passing week it seems this country spirals further into the depths of a frightening dystopian fantasy reminiscent of Huxley and Orwell’s dark world of isolation, fear and government brutality portrayed in their masterpieces Brave New World and 1984. I keep speculating whether it’s me that’s crazy and not the things I’m witnessing on a daily basis. The President signs the National Defense Authorization Act, passed by an overwhelming majority of Congress, which allows the government to imprison American citizens indefinitely without charge. And there is barely a squeak from the docile masses as they are soothed by Obama promising to never use that part of the law. I bet you $10,000 a President will invoke that portion of the NDAA in the very near future.
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The Money Masters Are Living in Fear / Politics / Credit Crisis 2012
By: Rudy_Avizius
“Whoever controls the volume of money in our country is absolute master of all industry and commerce…and when you realize that the entire system is very easily controlled, one way or another, by few powerful men at the top, you will not have to be told how periods of inflation and depression originate.” – President James Garfield, 2 weeks before his assassination.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Money, Banking, and the Federal Reserve / Politics / Central Banks
By: LewRockwell
Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson understood "The Monster". But to most Americans today, "Federal Reserve" is just a name on the dollar bill. They have no idea of what the central bank does to the economy, or to their own economic lives; of how and why it was founded and operates; or of the sound money and banking that could end the statism, inflation, and business cycles that the Fed generates.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
What You Need to Know About President Obama's 2012 Budget / Politics / Government Spending
By: Money_Morning
David Zeiler writes:
U.S. President Barack Obama's 2013 budget proposal will give Republicans and Democrats plenty to fight about.
The $3.8 trillion budget proposal, submitted to Congress, essentially follows the blueprint President Obama outlined in his State of the Union address.
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Ron Paul, We've Been Neo-Conned! / Politics / US Politics
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
The modern-day, limited-government movement has been co-opted. The conservatives have failed in their effort to shrink the size of government. There has not been, nor will there soon be, a conservative revolution in Washington. Political party control of the federal government has changed, but the inexorable growth in the size and scope of government has continued unabated. The liberal arguments for limited government in personal affairs and foreign military adventurism were never seriously considered as part of this revolution.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
George Osborne Does Not Care About Bank of England Governor's Letter / Politics / Inflation
By: Mario_Innecco
The governor of the Bank of England is supposed to write a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer (U.K. Finance Minister) explaining why he has not succeeded in maintaining the annual growth in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) within a range between 1% and 3%. The point of maintaining a median CPI around 2% is to safeguard the purchasing power of the currency that Britons use. The Bank of England and H.M. Treasury are supposed to protect the currency of the realm.
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Federal Government Spending, Hey, Big Spender? / Politics / Government Spending
By: Paul_L_Kasriel
Some political movement ought to unfurl the “Mission Accomplished” banner with regard to reining in federal government spending. As shown in the chart below, in the 12 months ended January 2012, the cumulative total of federal outlays – defense, non-defense, entitlements, interest on the debt, the whole ball of wax – increased only 1.5% vs. the 12 months ended January 2011. The median growth in 12-month cumulative total federal outlays from January 1954 through January 2012 is 6.6%. Starting with the 12 months ended March 2010, this measure of growth in federal outlays has been below the long-run median.
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Monday, February 13, 2012
Ron Paul on Obamacare Overreach / Politics / US Politics
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
Many religious conservatives understandably are upset with the latest Obamacare mandate, which will require religious employers (including Catholic employers) to provide birth control to workers receiving healthcare benefits. This mandate includes certain birth control devices that are considered abortifacients, like IUDs and the "morning after" pill.
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Monday, February 13, 2012
Zombie Workers, Zombie Votes / Politics / US Politics
By: Bill_Bonner
We used to like traveling. Now, it’s a drag.
“No, we don’t want to go through your new x-ray machine,” we told the TSA guard.
“Whassa matter? It’s safe…” she replied.
“How do you know that?”
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Monday, February 13, 2012
Eleven Offshore Banks On The US Radar: What Happens Next To Swiss-Based Private Banking? / Politics / Credit Crisis 2012
By: DK_Matai
1. Credit Suisse (including Clariden Leu)
2. HSBC Holdings
3. Basler Kantonalbank
4. Wegelin & Co
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Sunday, February 12, 2012
Unemployment, Foreclosures, Rising Debts and Despair: AMERICA'S SOCIAL CRISIS / Politics / Social Issues
By: Bob_Chapman
2012 is going to be a difficult year, but not as dreadful as anticipated. The neutralization process, as usual, we covered over by the availability of money and credit. We have already seen that via Fed $1 trillion loans to the ECB and the admission by the Fed that QE 3 is on the way. In Europe banks have borrowed $3.2 trillion and they find they will need $1 trillion more. These borrowings are more than troubling and indicate that there are 523 banks in Europe in serious trouble.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Europe's Energy Suicide Pact / Politics / Energy Resources
By: Andrew_McKillop
ENERGY FEAR
US media is warning gasoline consumers they are threatened with a possible mega price hike. If the long drawn out Iran crisis moved to war action like closing the Hormuz Straits this could spike barrel prices to $200, nearly doubling average US forecourt gasoline prices to $6 a gallon.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Student Loan 'Debt Time Bomb'; Obama's Misguided Proposal and My Two-Point Alternative / Politics / Student Finances
By: Mike_Shedlock
It's interesting to watch some of the terms bandied about in headline news. For example, the LA Times headline reads S&P says student loan debt could be next financial bubble.