Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends

The analysis published under this topic are as follows.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Socialism - Appeasing Envy / Politics / Economic Theory

By: Henry_Hazlitt

Any attempt to equalize wealth or income by forced redistribution must only tend to destroy wealth and income. Historically the best the would-be equalizers have ever succeeded in doing is to equalize downward. This has even been caustically described as their intention. “Your levellers,” said Samuel Johnson in the mid-eighteenth century, “wish to level down as far as themselves; but they cannot bear levelling up to themselves.”

And in our own day we find even an eminent liberal like the late Mr. Justice Holmes writing: “I have no respect for the passion for equality, which seems to me merely idealizing envy.”[1]

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Larry Summers or Janet Yellen, Who will Obama Pick as Head of Fed? / Politics / US Federal Reserve Bank

By: Money_Morning

Garrett Baldwin writes: With Ben Bernanke prepared to step down as Federal Reserve chairman within the next year, the human resource debacle of locating the next Federal Reserve chair is underway.

Despite reports of Timothy Geithner, Alan Blinder, or Roger Ferguson being modest replacements (the latter I personally endorse), it seems that the candidacy has been narrowed to two.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

How Obamacare Will Affect Medicare / Politics / Healthcare Sector

By: Money_Morning

Diane Alter writes: We've talked about how Obamacare will affect our regular health insurers and routine doctor visits, but how about how Obamacare will affect Medicare?

We've all known for a while that the future of Medicare, the program than provides health insurance to seniors, is in dire straits. What we're just finding out is that Obamacare is making it worse.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

"World Citizen" Dies Missing The Point About Government / Politics / Social Issues

By: Jeff_Berwick

Garry Davis, called "World Citizen #1" and founder of WorldService.org and provider of the "World Passport", died a few days ago.  Newser reports that the former American citizen died after decades as a stateless "citizen of the world." Davis was 91 when he died and had spent 65 years stateless since renouncing his nationality along with all others since 1948. 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Algerian Scenario For Egypt? / Politics / Egypt

By: Andrew_McKillop

WESTERN APPROVED COUP
On November 3 1988, Algeria's one-party state run by the FLN, the 'historic' liberation front which fought the French in the 1956-63 colonial war, under prodding from Western democracies, amended the constitution to allow parties other than the FLN to stand. The FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) was founded shortly after, on February 18 1989, led by the elderly sheikh Abbassi Madani and the charismatic young mosque preacher, Ali Belhadj. Elections held in December 1991 were cancelled by the FLN after the first round, exclusively because the FIS was well ahead. The country's military took control. The FIS was banned and thousands of its members arrested. Islamist guerrillas rapidly emerged and began an armed campaign against the government and its supporters, that terminated in 2002 so far as major fighting was concerned, leaving at least 250 000 dead.

Monday, July 29, 2013

How the U.S. Empire Actually Functions / Politics / US Politics

By: LewRockwell

ROCKWELL:  Well, what an honor it is to have as our guest today on the show, John Perkins.  I think that if Hollywood weren’t so connected to the Pentagon, maybe there’d be a movie about him, staring George Clooney.  But there’s not a movie because of the sorts of books he’s written, especially Confessions of an Economic Hitman that was on The New York Times best-seller list for a year and a half and translated into 30 languages.  He’s also author of The Secret History of the American Empire and his newest book, Hoodwinked.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Ready for World War III with China? / Politics / China US Conflict

By: BATR

"U.S. policy must create a climate in which a rising China is never tempted to use its growing power coercively within or outside the region."  - Richard Haas, chairman of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations

Monday, July 29, 2013

Ron Paul - A House Divided Over NSA Spying on Americans / Politics / Intelligence Agencies

By: Dr_Ron_Paul

Last week's House debate on the Defense Appropriations bill for 2014 produced a bit more drama than usual. After hearing that House leadership would do away with the traditional "open rule" allowing for debate on any funding limitation amendment, it was surprising to see that Rep. Justin Amash's (R-MI) amendment was allowed on the Floor. In the wake of National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden's revelations about the extent of US government spying on American citizens, Amash's amendment sought to remove funding in the bill for some of the NSA programs.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Elite Fear Themes – Security And Prosperity / Politics / Social Issues

By: Andrew_McKillop

THE MORAL EQUIVALENT OF NUCLEAR WAR
“Frankly, we may get to the point where the only way of saving the world will be for industrial civilization to collapse”. Maurice F. Strong, Opening address, 1992 UN Earth Summit.

This was Strong's pitch for sustainable development. Despite the hard knocks and the general lack of interest the UN soldiers on, and on, spending millions on always-failed conferences trying to ram this meme down our throats, because it is elite cult-think. The Earth Summit of 2012 cranked the same elite prayer wheel.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

More Fake Peace Talks for Palestinians, U.S. and Israel Don't Negotiate / Politics / Middle East

By: Stephen_Lendman

They begin Tuesday in Washington. They're orchestrated to fail. Israel and America don't negotiate. They demand unconditional surrender.

PA coup d'etat president Abbas is a longtime collaborator. Chief PA negotiator Saeb Erekat's a convenient stooge.

He, Abbas and other PA conspirators represent Israel, not Palestine. They're well rewarded for doing so. Their history reflects duplicity and betrayal. They enforce Israeli harshness.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Snowden Won't Face Torture in the U.S. Maybe / Politics / US Politics

By: Andrew_McKillop

WATERBOARDING - MAYBE
US Attorney General Eric Holder in a letter released to 'Wall Street Journal' 26 July and dated 23 July, told his addressee, His Excellency the Minister of Justice of Russia that National Security Agency 'leaker' Edward Snowden would not face the death penalty. Holder also promised he would not be tortured—in a new bid by the Obama administration to persuade Russia not to grant Snowden asylum or refugee status.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

The US Empire Prepares for War on China / Politics / US Politics

By: Paul_Craig_Roberts

Amitai Etzioni has raised an important question: “Who authorized preparations for war with China?”http://yalejournal.org/2013/06/12/who-authorized-preparations-for-war-with-china/ Etzioni says that the war plan is not the sort of contingency plan that might be on hand for an improbable event. Etzioni also reports that the Pentagon’s war plan was not ordered by, and has not been reviewed by, US civilian authorities. We are confronted with a neoconized US military out of control endangering Americans and the rest of the world.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Ramadan Diaries - Islam, Muslims and the Haram Benefits Culture / Politics / Religion

By: Nadeem_Walayat

Channel 4 TV has been busy this past month broadcasting short 5 minute videos illustrating the experience of muslims during the Islamic Lunar calendar (that is 11-12 days shorter than the solar year) month of Ramadan that started the day after sighting of the first crescent of the new moon. The focus for muslims is on the dawn till dusk fasting as one of the five pillars of Islam for every muslim to follow in pursuit of their objective of gaining a place in heaven / paradise as it is said all those who fast will have all of their past sins forgiven.

Friday, July 26, 2013

How the US Became the USSR - Role Reversal / Politics / US Politics

By: Paul_Craig_Roberts

I spent the summer of 1961 behind the Iron Curtain. I was part of the US-USSR student exchange program. It was the second year of the program that operated under auspices of the US Department of State. Our return to the West via train through East Germany was interrupted by the construction of the Berlin Wall. We were sent back to Poland. The East German rail tracks were occupied with Soviet troop and tank trains as the Red Army concentrated in East Germany to face down any Western interference.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Detroit Bankruptcy, the Law, and Leonard Garment / Politics / US Debt

By: Fred_Sheehan

The City of Detroit, Michigan's petition for "bankruptcy protection and the adjustment of debts under chapter 9 of the United States Bankruptcy Code" (case number 13-53846 United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division), offers plenty of opportunity. Among the potential windfalls are to those who buy contracts at a discount, the clarity of bondholder claims, and the clarity of retiree benefit claims.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

A Tight Tax Leash Constrains American Citizens / Politics / Taxes

By: Casey_Research

By Nick Giambruno, Editor, International Man

Many readers are already well aware that the US government is essentially unique—and not in a good way—in how it treats its citizens living and working in foreign countries. No other country in the developed world imposes and effectively enforces as many burdens on its citizens abroad (and those who would do business with them) as does the US government.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Insuring Bank Deposits, Ensures Insolvency / Politics / Market Regulation

By: MISES

Frank Hollenbeck writes: The US government is trying to implement the 21st century version of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933. The proposed bill would separate traditional banks (which are backed by the FDIC) from riskier financial institutions that include companies focused on investment banking, private equity and more. This is to give the impression that governments are taking actions against the financial sector whose actions nearly brought the entire world economy to its knees back in 2008. The implicit assumption is: if this legislation is passed, the banking sector will never again be a source of financial panics. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Deciphering Bernanke - Horse, Pig, Helmet, Man, Woman / Politics / US Federal Reserve Bank

By: John_Mauldin

Grant Williams writes: Arthur Evans died in July of 1941 at the age of 90.

A rather ordinary name disguised an extraordinary life during which the famed archaeologist made many notable discoveries, including the unearthing of the Minoan Palace at Knossos, the site of a famous Greek mythological tale.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

The Most Rigged Economic Indicators / Politics / Economic Statistics

By: Money_Morning

Garrett Baldwin writes: On August 2, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will report the official unemployment rate. But this number doesn't tell the accurate story of the jobs picture here in the United States.

That's usually the case with government-produced economic indicators. Whatever the government figure will say, it will not truly reflect reality. Simply put, it's a rigged number.

When it comes to cheating the numbers, nobody does it better than Uncle Sam.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Is Obamacare Creating a Part-Time America? / Politics / US Politics

By: Money_Morning

Frank Marchant writes: America has become a part-time nation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that in June part-time employees in the labor force reached an all-time high of 28 million, 3 million more than when the recession began in 2007.

The economy lost 240,000 full-time jobs in June and added 360,000 part-time jobs, the BLS noted. Of the 753,000 jobs created this year, 589,000 were part time.