Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Ukraine and a Tectonic Shift in Heartland Power, The USA Russia Pipeline Wars / Politics / GeoPolitics
By: F_William_Engdahl
Part I: The Geopolitical significance of Ukraine today
A decisive vote against NATO - On February 14 Ukraine's Election Commission declared Viktor Yanukovych the winner in that embattled country's Presidential runoff vote, defeating former Prime Minister and Orange Revolution instigator Yulia Tymoshenko. Contrary to the positive spin Washington is trying to put on the events, they mark the definitive death of Ukraine's much-touted “Orange Revolution.“
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Monday, March 22, 2010
U.S. Election November 2010, Just More Rearranging of Deck Chairs / Politics / UK Politics
By: LewRockwell
Scott Lazarowitz writes: You’ve probably heard the expression, "Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic," which refers to making futile changes to a failing situation. This November’s elections will be such a case of rearranging the deck chairs on Titanic America, because the real problem that needs to be addressed is systemic, and serious systemic changes need to be made.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Two Corporations Run for Congress. Yes, I'm Serious / Politics / US Politics
By: Trader_Mark
You'd think this headline was from the satirical website, The Onion - but indeed brave Americans, we have entered the next logical step in our corporaticy (is that a word?). While a bit of a political stunt (kudos to the public relations firm), one can only imagine some corporations salivating at the thought. That said, why bother? Much better to continue the status quo & have their human puppets take all the flack while they collect all the rewards quietly in the background. This is actually a perfect book end to this morning's piece where Jon Stewart showed us all the things he could get away with in America, if he was a corporation rather than a human being.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Iraq War Seventh Anniversary Muted Media Coverage / Politics / Iraq War
By: Danny_Schechter
On The Seventh Anniversary of the War On Iraq: Spotty Coverage, A Few Protests, and A Desire to “Move On” To Make It All Disappear
American media loves anniversaries of major events. They become ideal “news pegs” to do follow-up stories. You would think that they would have pulled out the stops for the seventh anniversary of the US war on Iraq, a war that was described by the Pentagon in its first days as a “cake walk” and designed as a quick intervention modeled after the in-out combat of Operation Desert Storm ending Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
US-NATO Military Strike Against Iran? / Politics / Iran
By: Submissions
Rick Rozoff says that the US and NATO are tightening the military noose around Iran. The United States has made many moves, including placing land-and sea-based interceptor missiles in the Mediterranean. In addition, NATO has increasingly been deploying its deputy secretary to the United Arab Emirates, possibly to lay the groundwork for a military strike against Iran.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Economic Elite Versus The People of the USA / Politics / US Politics
By: David_DeGraw
Throughout this report, I have presented statistical and fact-based evidence to demonstrate that a strategic attack has been launched against 99% of Americans. Despite the efforts of the mainstream media and most current politicians, awareness of this reality is spreading throughout the United States.A recent Rasmussen poll found that only 21% of Americans think that the government has the consent of the governed. An Opinion Research Corp. survey revealed that 86% believe “the system of government is broken.”
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Divisions Between the US and Europe Widen Over Greek Financial Bailout / Politics / Global Debt Crisis
By: Global_Research
Stefan Steinberg writes: The Greek government is preparing to turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for financial help in the next few weeks to avert a default on its national debt. The move to engage the IMF follows the failure of European finance ministers meeting in Brussels earlier this week to agree on any concrete plan to provide financial backing for Greece. The principal obstacle at the Brussels meeting was the hard line taken by Germany.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Greenspan is Back With More Excuses on Why He did Not Cause the Financial Crisis / Politics / Central Banks
By: Mike_Whitney
Alan Greenspan is back. Maestro is scheduled to appear at the Brookings Institute today to deliver a 48 page explanation of why his low interest rates and regulatory neglect did not cause the financial meltdown. The contents of the ex-Fed chief's apologia have already been released to the press. It's just more finger-pointing and buck-passing; 48 pages of the-dog-ate-my-homework excuses in Greenspan's cryptic Fed-speak.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
London and New York Tie as Top Global Financial Centres, Asia Catching Up Fast / Politics / Global Financial System
By: Pravda
In the rating of global financial centers created by Z/Yen Group Ltd., Moscow dropped from 67th to 68th place out of 75 available. There were some changes on the top of the list as well. London, despite being a leader, has to share the top place with New York as both cities received 775 points out of 1,000 available.
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Saturday, March 20, 2010
Fake Forecasts, Misleading Statistics, Misguided Policies, Mass Unemployment and the Current Economic Crisis / Politics / Recession 2008 - 2010
By: Global_Research
Prof. Alan Nasser writes: On March 17 Congress passed the “Hire Now Tax Cut” giving companies a break from paying Social Security taxes for the remainder of the year on any new workers hired who have been unemployed for at least 60 days.
The legislation is a token response to the emerging consensus in both the mainstream and independent media that the economy’s unemployment problem is cumulative, structural and long term. But the prescription is entirely inadequate to the diagnosis. This should come as no surprise, as official sources have offered muddled and confusing accounts of the patient’s malaise.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Brain Drain From U.S. to China / Politics / Social Issues
By: Mike_Shedlock
In response to High Tech Research Moves From U.S. To China, I received this Email from Mark N. ...
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Ponzi Economics, Ferris Geithner's Day Off / Politics / Government Spending
By: Gary_North
In my previous report, "Why Should Your Children Pay for My Retirement?" I went through the logic and economics of Social Security and Medicare. I made the point that, at some point, the bill-payers are going to resist the payments that previous generations have legislated. What one generation can legislate, a subsequent generation can repeal.
The main political question is this: In which form will this repeal manifest itself?
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Friday, March 19, 2010
The Offshored Economy, Desolate Detroit / Politics / US Politics
By: Paul_Craig_Roberts
In the 20th century, Detroit, Mich., symbolized American industrial might. Today it symbolizes the offshored economy.
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Friday, March 19, 2010
SULTANS OF SWAP ACT II - The Sting! / Politics / Credit Crisis 2010
By: Gordon_T_Long
There are 7 stages to executing a successful sting operation. Whether this is the modus operandi behind the Sultans of Swap operating in the $605 Trillion OTC Derivatives market or just simple coincidence, I will leave it to you shrewd reader to determine. The seven stages do however offer us an instructive theater guide to better understanding these murky instruments called Interest Rate Swaps.
Friday, March 19, 2010
The Independence of the Fed? / Politics / Central Banks
By: Sarel_Oberholster
There is a thesis that the banks are in control of the Fed and as a result have gained control over the issuance of the currency of the United States. This thesis is based on the fact that the shares of the Federal Reserve Bank are held by these private banks. Does that mean that the private banks own the Fed?
Friday, March 19, 2010
Why Should Your Children Pay for My Retirement? / Politics / Pensions & Retirement
By: Gary_North
For the same reason that my children will pay for yours: because the government has offered them a deal: it will pay for our retirement.
Friday, March 19, 2010
The American Dream is Over, It Was A Wonderful Life / Politics / US Politics
By: James_Quinn
“Just a minute - just a minute. Now, hold on, Mr. Potter. You're right when you say my father was no businessman. I know that. Why he ever started this cheap, penny-ante Building and Loan, I'll never know. But neither you nor anyone else can say anything against his character, because his whole life was - why, in the twenty-five years since he and Uncle Billy started this thing, he never once thought of himself. Isn't that right, Uncle Billy? He didn't save enough money to send Harry to school, let alone me. But he did help a few people get out of your slums, Mr. Potter, and what's wrong with that? Why - here, you're all businessmen here. Doesn't it make them better citizens? Doesn't it make them better customers? You - you said - what'd you say a minute ago? They had to wait and save their money before they even ought to think of a decent home.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Creating our Own Credit, The Growing Movement for Publicly-Owned Banks / Politics / Credit Crisis 2010
By: Ellen_Brown
As the states’ budget and credit crises deepen, four states have initiated bills for state-owned banks, and candidates in seven states have included that solution in their platforms.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
U.S. Iran Sneak Attack? / Politics / Iran
By: Pravda
It has been revealed that hundreds of powerful U.S. “bunker-buster” bombs are being shipped from California in the U.S. to the British island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean in preparation for a possible attack on Iran. Although Diego Garcia is part of British Indian Ocean Territory, it is used by the US as a military base under an agreement made in 1971. The agreement led to 2,000 native islanders being forcibly evicted to the Seychelles and Mauritius.
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Thursday, March 18, 2010
Iran’s Natural Gas Riches / Politics / Natural Gas
By: Global_Research
The scheduled start of drilling this month by China National Petroleum Company (CNPC) in Iran's South Pars gas field could be both a harbinger and explanation of much wider geopolitical developments.
First of all, the $5 billion project - signed last year after years of foot dragging by western energy giants Total and Shell under the shadow of US-led sanctions - reveals the main arterial system for future world energy supply and demand.
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