Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Geithner's Failed Makeover of the U.S. Housing Finance Market / Politics / US Housing
By: Michael_Pento
To counter the increasing demands that government reduce its micromanagement of the economy, last week the Obama Administration offered a fig leaf in the form of a white paper entitled "Reforming America's Housing Finance Market." In addition to marking the official end of the Bush era "ownership society," where increasing the level of home ownership was a national priority, the document contains a recommended regulatory overhaul of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (together known as Government Sponsored Enterprises "GSE's"), that intends to bring the share of government owned home loans from the current 95% to 40% over the next 5-7 years.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
How to Win an Election / Politics / Social Issues
By: MISES
In his superb analysis of democracy, Hans-Hermann Hoppe observes that "prime ministers and presidents are selected for their proven efficiency as morally uninhibited demagogues. Thus, democracy virtually assures that only bad and dangerous men will ever rise to the top of government."[1] Those who seek political office appear to be eager to break the moral code that most of us are willing to follow. The greater the power of the political office that a candidate is seeking, the more likely it is that that individual has no sense of right and wrong.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Don't Be Fooled By Washington's U.S. Debt Ceiling Debate / Politics / US Debt
By: Money_Morning
Martin Hutchinson writes:
I have to tell you that - as a former international merchant banker - I want to laugh out loud when I hear the dire predictions of how the United States will have to default if Congress doesn't raise the nation's debt ceiling.
With a little Wall Street-style creative financing - even when the government's outstanding debt level reaches the official limit of $14.3 trillion sometime around the end of March - there's no reason why the country can't go on borrowing as if nothing has changed.
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Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Deception at the Fed / Politics / Central Banks
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
For the past three decades, the Federal Reserve has been given a dual mandate: keeping prices stable and maximizing employment. This policy relies not only on the fatal conceit of believing in the wisdom of supposed experts, but also on numerical chicanery.
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Monday, February 14, 2011
Egypt, The Distance Between Enthusiasm and Reality / Politics / Middle East
By: STRATFOR
On Feb. 11, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned. A military council was named to govern in his place. On Feb. 11-12, the crowds that had gathered in Tahrir Square celebrated Mubarak’s fall and the triumph of democracy in Egypt. On Feb. 13, the military council abolished the constitution and dissolved parliament, promising a new constitution to be ratified by a referendum and stating that the military would rule for six months, or until the military decides it’s ready to hold parliamentary and presidential elections.Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, February 14, 2011
Grapes Of Wrath 2011 / Politics / US Politics
By: James_Quinn
"And the great owners, who must lose their land in an upheaval, the great owners with access to history, with eyes to read history and to know the great fact: when property accumulates in too few hands it is taken away. And that companion fact: when a majority of the people are hungry and cold they will take by force what they need. And the little screaming fact that sounds through all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed." - John Steinbeck - Grapes of Wrath
Monday, February 14, 2011
Britain’s Bankers Given a Free Rein by Government’s Project Merlin / Politics / UK Politics
By: Global_Research
Julie Hyland writes: The manoeuvres by the Conservative/Liberal Democrat government with the banks express the cynicism and contempt towards working people characteristic of the ruling elite throughout the financial crisis.
Last week, the government unveiled Project Merlin—the outcome of four months of negotiations between government officials, bankers and legal advisers over bonuses and lending. To much fanfare, it was announced that banks would make available some £190 billion to small businesses, increase their contribution to the Business Growth Fund by £1 billion, and provide an additional £200 million to the government’s Big Society Bank, aimed at encouraging the voluntary sector to take over public services.
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Monday, February 14, 2011
Obama to Propose More than $1 Trillion in U.S. Budget Deficit Reduction / Politics / US Debt
By: Global_Research
Patrick Martin writes: The Obama administration will release a federal budget today for the fiscal year beginning October 1 that cuts the total federal deficit by as much as $1.1 trillion over the next decade, two thirds of it through cuts in domestic spending, according to press reports over the weekend.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Shocking Trends in Natural Disasters / Politics / Environmental Issues
By: John_Hampson
2011 has begun with drought in China and Kenya, flood in Sri Lanka, and Australia suffering both cyclone and flood. 2010 saw major drought and wildfires in Russia and the worst drought in the Brazilian Amazon in 100 years, as well as flood in Pakistan that affected a massive 20 million people. Volcanic eruption in Iceland affected European air travel and large earthquakes were registered in both Chile and Haiti last year.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Hold the Celebrations, Egypt's Struggle Just Began / Politics / Middle East
By: Stephen_Lendman
Hopefully beneath celebratory euphoria, Egyptians know ousting Mubarak was simple, especially since Washington long wanted him out. Covertly with Egypt's military, it facilitated long-planned regime purging for with new faces under old policies. In other words, have everything change but stay the same, a common imperial bait and switch con.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Whats Next In Egypt? / Politics / Middle East
By: Danny_Schechter
It is now the long morning after, as protesters returned to Tahrir Square to clean it up and savor their victory. There were even some initial scuffles with the military that may be over anxious to assert control and show that it is in charge.
In all the joy of the moment—the type of joy we see so rarely these days in the news—in all the electrifying coverage, and congratulations in the capitals of the West that stood by Mubarak for decades, there is still vast uncertainty.
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Saturday, February 12, 2011
Israeli Government Mourns Death of Dictatorship in Egypt / Politics / Israel
By: Global_Research
Jean Shaoul writes: The right-wing Israeli government of Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has been staggered by the massive demonstrations and strike wave engulfing Egypt, its critical Arab ally in the region, and the simultaneous emergence of social opposition in Israel itself.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Egypt Roars With Freedom, Hurriya! / Politics / Middle East
By: Global_Research
Ramzy Baroud writes: “Just listen to that roar,” urged a CNN correspondent in Egypt, as thousands of Egyptian protesters charged, fists pumped, against hundreds of armed Egyptian security forces. What a roar it was, indeed. The protests have shown the world that Arabs are capable of much more than merely being pitiable statistics of unemployment and illiteracy, or powerless subjects of ‘moderate’ but ‘strong’ leaders (an acronym for friendly dictators).
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Saturday, February 12, 2011
Russian Mafia Aided by British Lawyers Spreading Across Police State Britain / Politics / UK Politics
By: Nadeem_Walayat
Whilst the Egyptians celebrate ridding themselves of the mafia dictatorship and its oligarchy that has stolen Egypt's wealth and kept over 90% of the population both poor and enslaved, the people of Britain need to take a close look at what is taking place on their own Island which has increasingly constructed the infrastructure that is supportive of a near perfect police state that has become home to a literal flood of hundreds of Russian Mafia Oligarchs over the past 10 years that seek to join the bankster elite in the seditious corruption and control of British civil society the price of which will be paid for by ordinary British Citizens in loss of freedom and wealth.
Friday, February 11, 2011
The Illuminati's Secret 20 Trillion Dollar Bank / Politics / Global Financial System
By: Chris_Kitze
Zen Gardner writes: Of all the scams, the worldwide banking system is one of the most mind-boggling. Never mind the entire false premise of fiat money and the debt system, that vast amounts of this illusory "currency" get shifted every micro-second just begs deceit and piracy.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Fiat Currency World Uprising and Downfalling / Politics / Fiat Currency
By: Midas_Letter
Certain characteristics of crumbling empires are historically recurring, and pattern recognition practitioners are thus informed and so forewarned. Their discourse is labeled contrarian, hysterical, strident or radical, depending on the source of criticism, who seldom survive the subsequent reality to be told “I told you so”. Thats not the point anyway.
Friday, February 11, 2011
High-Speed Rail Initiative Stoked by Obama Budget / Politics / Infrastructure
By: Money_Morning
Jason Simpkins writes: U.S. President Barack Obama is poised to submit his fiscal 2012 budget on Monday, and one of its outlays will be $8 billion for high-speed rail development.
Obama first outlined his vision for an expansive high-speed rail network in 2009. The initiative promised to create jobs, lower carbon emissions, increase efficiency, and improve commerce.
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Friday, February 11, 2011
Facebook Nation, Facebook World / Politics / Social Issues
By: Ron_Holland
I’m using the term "Facebook Nation" to describe the growing power of individuals incorporating the internet and social media like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to effect political change.
I believe Mubarak’s fall from power and tyranny is just the first of many victories which will be credited to freedom-loving people using the internet and social media to defeat corrupt, dictatorial and unrepresentative governments. This is individual human action at its best as described by Austrian economist, Ludwig von Mises.
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Thursday, February 10, 2011
Stunning Data: Obama’s First Two Years a Complete Disaster / Politics / US Politics
By: Mac_Slavo
The argument will be that President Obama inherited this crisis, recession, depression or whatever you want to call it. But we didn’t hear any complaints during the 2008 election campaign, so we assume that President Obama wanted the job and had a grasp of what it was he was signing on for.
He got the job based on great marketing and the many promises made to his constituents. Many of them believed they’d receive free gas, free homes, and that they wouldn’t have to work for the American dream - it would simply be handed to them.
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Thursday, February 10, 2011
The Two Faces of Ben Bernanke / Politics / Central Banks
By: Peter_Schiff
Based on his recent public comments, Fed Chairman Bernanke seems determined to give the U.S. dollar the reputation of Egypt's Hosni Mubarak: an unwanted relic of the past that everyone agrees must go, but stubbornly clings to a privileged position. The dollar is currently the world's ruling currency, but, as with Mubarak, I believe that growing public discontent will spur regime change quicker than most pundits expect.Read full article... Read full article...