Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Sunday, September 02, 2012
Obama Doctrine: China is the New ‘Enemy Image’ / Politics / New Cold War
By: F_William_Engdahl
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the nominal end of the Cold War some twenty years back, rather than reducing the size of its mammoth defense spending, the US Congress and all US Presidents have enormously expanded spending for new weapons systems, increased permanent military bases around the world and expansion of NATO not only to former Warsaw Pact countries on Russia’s immediate periphery; it also has expanded NATO and US military presence deep into Asia on the perimeters of China through its conduct of the Afghan war and related campaigns.
Sunday, September 02, 2012
Middle Class Lost Decade, Who do You Blame? / Politics / US Economy
By: Mike_Shedlock
The Pew Research center ponders The Lost Decade of the Middle Class.
Read full article... Read full article...Since 2000, the middle class has shrunk in size, fallen backward in income and wealth, and shed some -- but by no means all -- of its characteristic faith in the future.
Sunday, September 02, 2012
Don’t Count Out the Labor Movement / Politics / US Politics
By: Walter_Brasch
Almost every conservative political columnist, pundit, commentator, blogger, and bloviator has written about the decline and forthcoming death of the labor movement.
They happily point to Wisconsin, where Republican Gov. Scott Walker shortly after taking office in January 2011 took advantage of a Republican majority in the House and Senate to ram through legislation that stripped numerous collective bargaining rights for public employee unions. Among collective bargaining rights are those that assure decent working conditions and a fair grievance process to prevent arbitrary and discriminatory discipline.
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Saturday, September 01, 2012
From Bollywood to Hollywood: Ripping Up the Social Fabric of India / Politics / India
By: Global_Research
Colin Todhunter writes: Apparently, we should ‘take care’ because we are ‘worth it.’ These are the feel-good catch phrases on English language TV channels in India that are being used to sell certain products. The commercials employ the same wording and that has been used in the West to sell these products for years. The actual news bulletins in India also bear a striking resemblance to the ‘newsworthiness’ agenda used by western channels. As in the West, the commercials and the news are becoming virtually one and the same.
Saturday, September 01, 2012
Fictitious Fiat Money, the Singularity and Root Cause / Politics / Fiat Currency
By: Joseph_Russo
If we wish ever to acquire an acceptable level of equitable harmony and justice both at home and abroad, it is essential that we maintain a keen understanding of, and a rather critical eye upon "money," which as you may know, in its fictitious form, is the singular root cause of all the world's most intractable challenges.
"In its true and honest form, money is the fruit of all freedom. In its fictitious form, it is the root of all evil."
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Friday, August 31, 2012
The Quiet Coup d'Etat in the Anglo-American Financial System / Politics / Credit Crisis Bailouts
By: Jesse
This is a reprise of an interview with MIT economist Simon Johnson which was posted here in February, 2009.
Have we heeded Simon Johnson's warning? Has he proven to be prescient? Is crony capitalism and the kleptocracy becoming bolder, more aggressive, ever more demanding?
Friday, August 31, 2012
Mainstream Media, The Voice of Tyranny / Politics / Mainstream Media
By: MISES
Mike Reid writes: The reporting on a violent incident at the Occupy protests last year reveals the linguistic lengths to which newspapers can go to hide responsibility. The National Post said it best:
Read full article... Read full article...Scott Olsen, 24, a former U.S. Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq, was struck in the head by a tear gas canister fired on Tuesday by police trying to prevent protesters from reclaiming a public square.
Friday, August 31, 2012
A Big Bad Brick Wall / Politics / Social Issues
By: Raul_I_Meijer
As America settles in for a three month long across-all-media screening of Dumb and Dumber, Europeans are setting up for a valiant effort to put up an even more mind-boggling spectacle. Competition is healthy, right? The world of finance hangs on ex-Goldman Sachs vice chairman and managing director Mario Draghi's lips almost as much as it sucks up to Ben Bernanke's Jackson Hole. Central bankers become ever more important simply because in the absence of honest profits they are the only source of money left standing. If you can't make it, fake it.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Republicans Take Aim at Bernanke, Fed’s QE Policy is on the Chopping Block / Politics / Quantitative Easing
By: Gary_North
Politicians running for the US Presidency, and their surrogates, are fond of saying “that this election is the most important of our lifetime.” They invoke this cliché so reflexively and so often that it no longer has any meaning. The reason they say this election is so important is because they want listeners to believe, for whatever reason, that it pits two deeply contrasting visions for America against one another, with only one vision capable of winning.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Enlightenment: Hawking, Einstein and Newton / Politics / Social Issues
By: DK_Matai
As a giant flaming orb descended from the heavens, Prof Stephen Hawking's instantly recognisable computerised voice boomed through the London Paralympics arena and offered some choice words of wisdom. The renowned astrophysicist – a man who has never let his immobility hold him back – wheeled on to centre stage during the extravaganza dubbed 'Enlightenment' as he guided his audience through a 'journey of discovery of the wonder of science' and implored the world:
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Three Questions for Super Mario Draghi / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis
By: Graham_Summers
Mr Draghi… a few questions for you…
You say that whatever measure you take… it will be “enough” to support the Euro. Seeing as you’ve already spent over €1 trillion via your LTRO 1 and LTRO 2 schemes only to find that:
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Thursday, August 30, 2012
Fed Needs to Get Out of Business of Central Planning / Politics / Central Banks
By: Bloomberg
James Grant, publisher of Grant's Interest Rate Observer, appeared on "Bloomberg Surveillance" with Tom Keene and Sara Eisen this morning and said that the Federal Reserve needs to "get out of the business of central planning."
Of the stock market, Grant said, "I think we live in a hall of mirrors in finance thanks to the zero interest rate regime and the chronic nonstop interventions. We do not know exactly where we are." Grant also said that he "would like to see the Fed admit it can't do what it promises to do" at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium this week.
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Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Mario Draghi Transparent Poker Face / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis
By: Michael_Pento
The European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve have both telegraphed that another round of currency depreciation is in the offing. The ECB’s Mario Draghi has pledged to do “whatever it takes” to save the Euro currency by setting specific targets for Italian and Spanish bond yields. And the Bernanke Fed has stated that addition monetary stimulation is warranted soon unless there is a “substantial and sustainable strengthening in the pace of the economic recovery.” Fed Presidents Charles Evans and Eric Rosengren have both recently indicated what action would be taken by saying that the U.S. central bank needs to expand its balance sheet until more favorable targets are reached on the unemployment rate and nominal GDP.
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Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Prince Harry, Goldman Sachs Pays Better than Porn / Politics / Credit Crisis 2012
By: Janet_Tavakoli
Dear Sir,
It has come to our attention that you have been offered a role in a porn film for $10 million. We urge you to reject it.
Princely Pay and Elite Status
Goldman Sachs is prepared to pay you much better than porn, and as a partner, your position will be much more prestigious than the Duke of York's role as a representative for international trade and investment. We twist country treasurers and central bankers around our little fingers. Politicians are at our beck and call. We even pay a lower tax rate than your grandmother.
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Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Destroying Internet Freedom by Taxation / Politics / Taxes
By: BATR
Government taxation is as old as the first brute using force to steal from those intimated by threats. So why should it be any different for the internet? In today’s political environment of choosing winners and losers, the rush to tax online sales is gathering steam. Everyone feels the presence of the Amazon behemoth. Retail outlets like Best Buys are rethinking their business model in order to compete. States are eager to tap the flow of transactions with a sales tax that would cost consumers dearly. The issue of "so called" fairness is the argument that bureaucrats love to hang their hat on. So who makes the valid case for exemption or inclusion?
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Why Everybody's Going To War in the Middle East / Politics / Middle East
By: Ron_Holland
"Everybody's going to war but we don't know what we are fighting for." – Nerina Pallot, from "Everybody's Gone to War"
Iran Wants War
Although a peaceful nation for hundreds of years, Iran was invaded and occupied by the Allies in both World War One and Two. Then in 1980, at the urging of the United States, Saddam Hussein invaded them and used poison gas against both Kurds and Iran. Over 500,000 civilians, Iranian and Iraqi soldiers died in the longest war of the 20th century, which lasted until 1988.
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Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Sandeep Jaitly, Ludwig von Mises, Ayn Rand and the Gold Standard Institute / Politics / Economic Theory
By: Darryl_R_Schoon
The Gold Standard Institute intends to bring truth into the open… and allow..people to make up their own minds…Far from us to try to impose our ideas on anyone!
Rudy Fritsch, Gold Standard Institute
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Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Saudi Arabia Goes on the Offensive Against Iran / Politics / Middle East
By: OilPrice_Com
Saudi Arabia has gone on the offensive against Iran to protect its interests. Their involvement in Syria is the first battle in what is going to be a long bloody conflict that will know no frontiers or limits.
Ongoing Disorders in the island kingdom of Bahrain since February of 2011 have set off alarm bells in Riyadh. The Saudis are convinced that Iran is directing the protests and fear that the problems will spill over the twenty-five kilometer long COSWAY into oil rich Al-Qatif, where The bulk of the two million Shia in the kingdom are concentrated. So far, the Saudis have not had to deal with demonstrations a serious as those in Bahrain, but success in the island kingdom could encourage the protestors to become more violent.
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Tuesday, August 28, 2012
U.S. On the Highway To Hell / Politics / US Politics
By: Chris_Kitze
Monty Perlerin / EconomicNoise.com
The Role of The Government in The Economic Crisis
Read full article... Read full article...At this point, everything the government is doing – and not just the US government but governments everywhere − is not only the wrong thing but exactly the opposite of the right thing. They’re passing more laws, raising taxes, creating more currency and incurring more debt. They should be doing the opposite. We’re currently still in the eye of the storm. Their actions guarantee that when we go back into the hurricane − the trailing edge of the hurricane − it’s going to be much worse and will last much longer than what we saw in 2007 to 2009. Doug Casey
Monday, August 27, 2012
Angela Merkel Just Revealed the Truth About Europe / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis
By: Graham_Summers
For several months now, I’ve been stating that the world’s central banks are in a bind. That bind is that their monetary policies are becoming less and less effective at placating the markets while the consequences of said policies (higher costs of living, the targeting of troubled banks in the credit market, etc.) are increasing.