Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Monday, September 19, 2011
IMF-Troika Draconian Demands Force Greece Towards Debt Default? / Politics / Global Debt Crisis
By: DK_Matai
The Troika -- IMF, ECB and EC -- is demanding draconian new cuts in spending and public employment from Greece as a pre-condition for resuming aid talks, including:
1. 15 austerity measures Greece must take "here and now";
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Sunday, September 18, 2011
The US Government is Going After Your Retirement Funds... / Politics / US Politics
By: Bob_Chapman
We have warned subscribers and listeners and those on the Internet over and over again that government was going to come after your private retirement funds including 401K’s and IRA’s that hold $6.6 trillion in investments.
This past week in a grand deficit cutting bargain the Senate Finance Committee explored “Tax Reform Options Promoting Retirement Security.” The excuse is to make 401K plans more efficient; to keep Social Security afloat and to switch funds from these retirement plans to be used elsewhere by government. It is called a looting procedure.
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Sunday, September 18, 2011
The Architects of Economic Collapse: The Case of Latvia / Politics / Economic Austerity
By: Michael_Hudson
Prof. Jeffrey Sommers and Prof. Michael Hudson write: Anders Åslund and other austerity cheerleaders tout Latvia as a poster child for huge cuts. Nothing could be further from the truth
This past month's economic data reveals the global economic crisis continues to worsen, and by its duration and severity threatens to become known as the Great Depression II. Yet, even though it is evident to most that our problems arose from finance run wild, several media commentators claim the fault lies with its victim, the public. Instead of curbing finance, they advise governments impose radical austerity measures, which, in this economy, is tantamount to throwing the drowning victims an anchor, while tossing the perpetrators a life-preserver in the form of cash.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Obama Realitygate And The Green Energy Dream / Politics / US Politics
By: Andrew_McKillop
The rightly named Solargate scandal, going right up to Obama's White House, involving the Solyndra asset bubble and collapse (http://21stcenturywire.com/2011/09/16/solargate-obama’s-big-green-scandal-that-won’t-go-away/) underlines yet again that green energy miracles are not cheap, but even worse they are unreal.
The basic reasons - apart from resource, technology and industrial factors - feature the lose-lose mixture of political false hopes and incompetence, economic unreality and corporate greed that has dogged green energy since the mid-decade, when it suddenly became a political plaything.
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Saturday, September 17, 2011
European Leaders Flex Muscle / Politics / Credit Crisis 2011
By: John_Browne
Last Wednesday in a conference call followed around the world, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicholas Sarkozy and Prime Minister George Papandreou of Greece gave broad assurances that in exchange for Greek commitment to enact further austerity measures, the flow of bailout funds will continue from the north. Although details were scarce, and no significant structural solutions were proposed, the symbolism was sufficient to diffuse mounting anxieties on both sides of the Atlantic. Stock markets of the major democracies rose strongly, while precious metals fell. But investors are right to wonder if anything of substance actually occurred.
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Saturday, September 17, 2011
Will Governments Wait Until Panicked Again Before Acting? / Politics / Financial Markets 2011
By: Sy_Harding
As the downturn worsened severely in 2008, governments around the world finally jumped in with massive panicked rescue efforts.In March, 2008 there was the $29 billion bailout of Bear Stearns, in May the $178 billion in stimulus checks to consumers, in July the $300 billion for at-risk homeowners, in September the $25 billion bailout of automakers, and the $200 billion bailout of mortgage provider Fannie Mae, and in October the $700 billion bailout of banks.
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Friday, September 16, 2011
The Real Solution to U.S. Debt Crisis / Politics / US Debt
By: MISES
David D'Amato writes: In his famously doleful, dystopian novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell described a world enthralled to what was functionally a "permanent war economy," an "economy existing by and for continuous warfare."
Today, on the heels of a debt ceiling increase calculated to forestall a federal-government default, we both are witnessing and are yoked to the many indispositions of what could be characterized as a permanent debt economy.
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Friday, September 16, 2011
The Last Oil Wars / Politics / Crude Oil
By: Andrew_McKillop
In almost undisguised fashion, French and British media, with a weaker version in US mainstream media is talking up the Libyan war as an outright cheap oil victory - after all Libya has about 40 billion barrels of proven reserve, the oil is cheap to produce, and high quality. What matters now is who gets what, and the suppliers of airpower and munitions will be high up the list of winners.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
America's War on Liberty / Politics / US Politics
By: Bill_Bonner
We dipped our toes over the weekend, Fellow Reckoner. Re-tested the waters. We wanted to know whether, over the past ten years, the public discourse regarding 9/11 and the subsequent “War on Terror” – waged both on foreign soil and, increasingly, against the liberties of American citizens at home – had shifted. A few questions…
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Greek workers plunged into social misery / Politics / Economic Austerity
By: Global_Research
Robert Stevens writes: With Greece verging on a default of its debt of around €330 billion, and facing a forced exit from the eurozone, the PASOK government of Prime Minister George Papandreou is escalating its austerity programme against an already pauperised population.
Since its election in October 2009, PASOK has initiated a social counter-revolution, destroying the living standards of the working class.
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Thursday, September 15, 2011
French bank downgrade increases pressure for austerity across Europe / Politics / Credit Crisis 2011
By: Barry_Grey
The ratings firm Moody’s downgraded two of France’s biggest banks Wednesday, increasing pressure on governments across Europe to impose austerity measures on the working class.
Moody’s cut its rating for France’s second largest bank, Société Générale, from Aa2 to Aa3, and downgraded the third biggest bank, Crédit Agricole, from Aa1 to Aa2, citing their exposure to Greek government bonds. It left BNP Paribas, France’s biggest bank, at Aa2, while putting it on negative watch.
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Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The Police Exist To Serve and Protect the State / Politics / Social Issues
By: MISES
Wendy McElroy writes: Last month, an international rights tribunal slapped America across the face through a showcase ruling that has no legal force. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights found that Jessica Lenahan could sue the Castle Rock, Colorado, police department for its refusal in 1999 to enforce a restraining order against her estranged husband. The American courts had dismissed her case.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Why Obama Should Address the Rare Earth Crisis / Politics / Metals & Mining
By: Jeb_Handwerger
"A little bread-and-butter support by Obama could provide an important boost for the rare earth industry."There is a fast growing crisis to modern industrial nations posed by China's draconian and monopolistic maneuvers in the implementation of a quota system. With one specific bread and butter support by Obama, the rare earth industry (REMX:NYSE) could receive an important boost, providing jobs and facilitating the development of a new industrial sector.
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Crisis of Europe and European Nationalism / Politics / Euro-Zone
By: STRATFOR
When I visited Europe in 2008 and before, the idea that Europe was not going to emerge as one united political entity was regarded as heresy by many leaders. The European enterprise was seen as a work in progress moving inevitably toward unification — a group of nations committed to a common fate. What was a core vision in 2008 is now gone. What was inconceivable — the primacy of the traditional nation-state — is now commonly discussed, and steps to devolve Europe in part or in whole (such as ejecting Greece from the eurozone) are being contemplated. This is not a trivial event.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Pakistan's Energy Crisis and U.S. Interests / Politics / Pakistan
By: OilPrice_Com
On 7 October 2001, the opening phase of "Operation Enduring Freedom" U.S. military campaign began, which quickly drove the Taliban and its al-Qaida affiliates from Kabul on 12 November.
Since then, 1,760 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan along with 942 International Security Assistance Force soldiers, a total of 2,702 foreign military dead, with no end in sight.
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011
President Obama Spoke in the Rose Garden / Politics / US Politics
By: George_Maniere
In a speech in the White House Rose Garden Monday morning, that I’m sure he hoped no one was watching, President Barack Obama said he would pay for his $447 billion jobs plan by ending a series of tax breaks for oil and gas companies, hedge-fund managers and people making more than $200,000. In total, this plan would end about $467 billion of tax breaks over 10 years.
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Monday, September 12, 2011
Stupid Politician Monkeys Another Reason to Buy Gold / Politics / US Politics
By: David_Galland
David Galland, Managing Director, Casey Research writes: The human ape has any number of qualities not often found in other species of mammalia, including opposable thumbs and the ability to fashion and use tools.
Continuing the list, I would add a tendency to form all manner of mental constructs and to then act in accordance with those constructs, even when those constructs have little or no connection to reality.
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Monday, September 12, 2011
German Court Opens Door to Uber-Empire and Uber-Collapse / Politics / Global Debt Crisis
By: John_Browne
In the early days of September, financial markets worldwide were nervous. Investors and governments were waiting for a crucial ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany, a ruling that could have triggered the imminent collapse of the world's second currency, the euro. This past Wednesday, the court ruled that the German bailout of Greece did not violate the German Basic Law (i.e. constitution), and investors breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Monday, September 12, 2011
9/11 Go To Heaven / Politics / US Politics
By: Andrew_McKillop
Ceremonies in the USA and Europe, and in the few other regions and countries where 9/11 business is taken seriously have with time shifted focus. The annual show of gravitas and determination to fight and win the War on Terror, cranked up on the back of the New York and Washington attacks of September 2001 now has another target: deflecting, parrying and diluting the scary future.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Obama's Jobs Plan Will Barely Dent Unemployment / Politics / US Politics
By: Money_Morning
David Zeiler writes:
Even if passed intact, U.S. President Barack Obama's jobs plan, though ambitious, would at most nudge down unemployment by a single percentage point over the next year.
Furthermore, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives will surely object to several provisions in the American Jobs Act - particularly the total $447 billion price tag - further diluting its impact.
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