Year: 2011

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economy

Charts from Mother Jones Illustrate That the Rich Have Won the Class War

November 19, 2011 Comments Off on Charts from Mother Jones Illustrate That the Rich Have Won the Class War
I came on a set of graphics in Mother Jones, “It’s the Inequality, Stupid: Eleven charts that explain what’s wrong with America” that illustrate what you probably already know. But, a simple refresher course in some of the reasons why the rich are rich. The 99% already have this base covered. Here are some of the --->> read more -->>
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economy

Economics Explained for 6th Graders

September 23, 2011 Comments Off on Economics Explained for 6th Graders
I ran across this somewhat longish article at NakedCapitalism.com. Even if you are not a 6th grader you will find this interesting. In part, Andrew Dittmer, who in fact has taught 6th graders, our author,  points out that modern economics is based on certain assumptions that render  much of the --->> read more -->>
Bush-War onTerror
empire

Parallels and Prescience – on the Tenth Anniversary of 9/11 and the “War on Terror”

September 12, 2011 Comments Off on Parallels and Prescience – on the Tenth Anniversary of 9/11 and the “War on Terror”
Having successfully avoided much of the national moment for our politicians to blather on about the true meaning of 9/11, I was struck this morning by parallel between our “War on Terror” and our longest war, the “War on Drugs” (I have written earlier about this here). Some may be --->> read more -->>
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politics

Idiocy in America

September 8, 2011 Comments Off on Idiocy in America
The recent scene of Jon Huntsman, Republican candidate for President, stating that he believed in evolution surrounding this with the parenthetical comment, “call me crazy”, sets out in stark relief how idiotic our politics and body politic are at this moment. Every other Republican running for President has disavowed evolution. --->> read more -->>
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economy

Where, Oh, Where Did Our National Debt Come From?

July 8, 2011 Comments Off on Where, Oh, Where Did Our National Debt Come From?
The political rhetoric of the current moment, chiefly flowing from Republicans, but barely challenged by the Democrats, describes tales of profligate over-spending by the Federal government matched with burdensome taxation. While it is true that Federal spending is higher proportionately than post-WWII norms, social programs are not the source of this --->> read more -->>
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justice/jails

America’s Longest War – a socio-political-military disaster – indicted by Global Commission on Drug Policy

June 12, 2011 Comments Off on America’s Longest War – a socio-political-military disaster – indicted by Global Commission on Drug Policy
Report of the Global Commission on Drug Policy Last week this commission released its report,  “War on Drugs“. This once again brings into focus our longest war, Nixon’s War on Drugs. Here are the first two paragraphs from the executive summary: The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating --->> read more -->>
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political system

Naomi Wolf’s The End of America – the movie

May 27, 2011 Comments Off on Naomi Wolf’s The End of America – the movie
The End of America – a film by Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern Here is a summary  of the ten steps discussed and illustrated by Ms. Wolf in the movie. 10 STEPS THAT CLOSE AN OPEN SOCIETY 1. invoke an internal and external threat People who are afraid are willing --->> read more -->>
healthcare

The Future of Healthcare??

May 21, 2011 Comments Off on The Future of Healthcare??
I don’t generally pause long over the editorials in the NY Times. This morning’s caught my eye. As a recent state resident I watched the debate closely and supported the single payer approach. Since then the results have been interesting and as noted in the Time’s editorial generally good. Here --->> read more -->>
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economy

Let’s Talk About The Defense Budget – a letter to the editor

April 2, 2011 Comments Off on Let’s Talk About The Defense Budget – a letter to the editor
(This was submitted to the Letters to the Editor section of the Register Star here in Hudson. Not clear at the moment whether it will be published.) Discussions of the Federal budget almost never mention the defense department.  Both political parties continue in the thrall of what President Eisenhower called the “military-industrial complex”. --->> read more -->>
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economy

Corporations as Persons – Freedom of Speech, now Right to Privacy – Bring on Three Strikes!

January 20, 2011 Comments Off on Corporations as Persons – Freedom of Speech, now Right to Privacy – Bring on Three Strikes!
The case of the Federal Communications Commission v. AT&T now being heard before the US Supreme Court raises anew the craziness of the thinking that has position corporations to be “persons” in the first place. Noun vs Adjective! First we have several of the justices focusing argument around the difference --->> read more -->>
empire

Bush, Anger and Dispair Over Our Situation

January 17, 2011 Comments Off on Bush, Anger and Dispair Over Our Situation
New Thoughts as of 1/18/11: This month’s Atlantic Monthly has a two page piece, “The Last Stand of Ricardo Sanchez” about General Ricardo Sanchez, the first commander of US forces during the now 8 year old Bush war, Iraqi Freedom. This reports on Sanchez’s quest to bering the Bush regime to --->> read more -->>