Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
A Matter of Time for a U.S. VAT Tax / Politics / Taxes
By: BATR
The insatiable thrust for federal spending continues. The will to correct our fiscal black hole is absent. Even the Tea Party Republicans lack the strength of determination and votes to reverse the ship of state. No matter which party wins the next elections, the deficits facing the budget are huge. Until a total reformation of the way the central government functions, no solution is possible to balance the books. There is no way to escape this stark reality. Expect more gimmicks, additional devaluation of the currency and the inevitable imposition of new forms of taxes.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Secret System that Blew Another Hole in the Euro / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis
By: Money_Morning
Martin Hutchinson writes:
This may sound arcane and boring, but I promise you it's not.
What I've learned will blow yet another hole in the already shaky euro.
It begins with Bernd Schunemann, a law professor at the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich. He has sued the German Bundesbank over its participation in the Eurozone "Target-2" settlements system.
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Bernanke's Race Against Time to Delay Economic Catastrophe / Politics / Central Banks
By: Gary_North
Ben Bernanke's position as Chairman of the Board of Governors will end on January 31, 2014. He is now in a race against time.
(1) Will the American economy fall back into recession before then, thereby negating the tripling of the monetary base under his chairmanship? Will he get out before mass inflation rears its ugly head? (2) Will he be able to pass on the Old Maid of price inflation, the way that Alan Greenspan passed on the Old Maid of the Great Recession to him?
He suffers from a major liability: he is an academic. In the history of the Federal Reserve, only three men who have held the position of Chairman of the Board of Governors have had a PhD in economics.
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Cost of Taxes to Freedom and Society / Politics / Taxes
By: Casey_Research
The always-outspoken Doug Casey addresses a broader view of taxation and its costs to both individuals and society in general in this interview with Louis James.
L: Doug, the Taxman cometh, at least for most US citizens who file their annual tax papers on April 15. We get a lot of letters from readers who know about your international lifestyle and wonder about the tax advantages they assume it confers. Is this something you care to talk about?
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Bernanke’s Plan for the Middle Class Fattening Wall Street, Starving Main Street / Politics / US Politics
By: Mike_Whitney
Do you want to understand what the Fed is doing, but don’t have time to wade through volumes of tedious economics writing?
Well, now the pros at dshort.com have made all that possible. They’ve reduced 4 years of monetary policy into one chart that illustrates exactly what the Fed is up-to and who benefits from the policy. Here’s the link.
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Global Warming Gurus Beat The Retreat / Politics / Environmental Issues
By: Andrew_McKillop
Once upon a time, about 2009, it was practically impossible to say you do not believe in so-called "anthropogenic" global warming, or any kind of global warming - and try getting a job in anything that smacks of carbon finance or renewable energy, let alone the upstream of energy policy.
At the time and due to a small band of supposed guru geniuses given instant access to all government-friendly media, backed by showmen allies like Al Gore, there was Only One Possible Theory. The nearest comparison is Trofim Lysenko's delirious genetic theories which Stalin liked and approved - and used as one more prop in his quest for permanent and total power. From 1964 however, Lysenko was dumped by the new Krushchev power elite, and his ridiculous theory went down the drain. Exactly the same is happening to global warming hysteria, today.
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Russia's Strategy, Remaking the Union / Politics / Russia
By: STRATFOR
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 reversed a process that had been under way since the Russian Empire's emergence in the 17th century. It was ultimately to incorporate four general elements: Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus and Siberia. The St. Petersburg-Moscow axis was its core, and Russia, Belorussia and Ukraine were its center of gravity. The borders were always dynamic, mostly expanding but periodically contracting as the international situation warranted. At its farthest extent, from 1945 to 1989, it reached central Germany, dominating the lands it seized in World War II. The Russian Empire was never at peace. As with many empires, there were always parts of it putting up (sometimes violent) resistance and parts that bordering powers coveted -- as well as parts of other nations that Russia coveted.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Ron Paul on CISPA is the New SOPA / Politics / US Politics
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
Earlier this year, strong public opposition led by several prominent websites forced Congressional leaders to cancel votes on two bills known in Washington as "SOPA" and "PIPA." Both of these bills threatened search engines and websites with possible shutdowns if the Justice Department deemed them insufficiently cooperative with our phony "war on terror," or if they were merely accused of copyright infringement. Fortunately the American public flooded Capitol Hill with phone calls and Congressional leaders dropped both bills.
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Monday, April 23, 2012
America's Epic Jobs Failure / Politics / Employment
By: James_Quinn
“Facts are to the mind what food is to the body.” – Edmund Burke
No wonder one third of Americans are obese. The crap we are shoveling into our bodies is on par with the misinformation, propaganda and lies that are being programmed into our minds by government bureaucrats, corrupt politicians, corporate media gurus, and central banker puppets. Chief Clinton propaganda mouthpiece, James Carville, famously remarked during the 1992 presidential campaign that, “It’s the economy, stupid”. Clinton was able to successfully convince the American voters that George Bush’s handling of the economy caused the 1991 recession. In retrospect, it was revealed the economy had been recovering for months prior to the election. No one could ever accuse the American people of being perceptive, realistic or critical thinking when it comes to economics, math, history or distinguishing between truth or lies. Our government controlled public school system has successfully dumbed down the populace to a level where they enjoy their slavery and prefer conscious ignorance to critical thought.
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Monday, April 23, 2012
Dutch Government on Verge of Collapse After Economic Austerity Torpedoed / Politics / Euro-Zone
By: Mike_Shedlock
... Caretaker Government and New Elections Coming Up
The Netherlands has been one of the staunchest proponents of forced austerity on Greece. However, now that Brussels has demanded the Netherlands hit its fiscal targets, Dutch politicians can't get the task done and the government is poised to collapse. New elections are coming up.
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Monday, April 23, 2012
Sun Solar Maximum Ramps Up Earth Cataclysms / Politics / Environmental Issues
By: T_Anthony_Michael
How is the SUN triggering many earth changes?
More than any other major co-factor, the unprecedented, meteoric and relentless changes taking place throughout Planet Earth are the direct result of exceedingly powerful influences emanating from the presiding star of our solar system. The sun, and especially its recent and extraordinary activity, is at the very heart of every major geophysical and meteorological event taking place around the globe today.
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Sunday, April 22, 2012
Did Bernanke Prevent Another Great Depression? / Politics / US Economy
By: Frank_Shostak
In a lecture given at George Washington University on March 27, 2012, the chairman of the Fed said that the US central bank's aggressive response to the 2007–2009 financial crisis and recession helped prevent a worldwide catastrophe. Various economic indicators were showing ominous signs at the time. After closing at 3.1 percent in September 2007, the yearly rate of growth of industrial production fell to minus 14.8 percent by June 2009. The yearly rate of growth of housing starts fell from 20.5 percent in January 2005 to minus 54.8 percent in January 2009.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
More Americans Are Sneaking Out of the Subprime State / Politics / US Debt
By: Bill_Bonner
Memories take time. Like history. Or wine. Or cement.
At first, they are loose, fluid…and watery. Then, over time, they dry up…and develop more body…more shape…more substance.
Our recollections from our trip to Argentina are still congealing…setting up like a stone wall. We’ll show it to you in the days ahead.
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Sunday, April 22, 2012
Government Bonds and Debt Bondage / Politics / Global Debt Crisis 2012
By: Gary_North
The phrase "his word is his bond" is not heard as much these days as it was in my youth, back when Eisenhower was President. The phrase relied on a concept of "bond" that meant reliability. This reliability was based on predictability.
The other use of the word refers to bondage. The person who is in bonds is tied up. That also relates to the ides of a bond. A person is restricted by whatever it was that he promised to do. He is therefore predictable. The essence of "bond" is predictability.
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Saturday, April 21, 2012
U.S. Economic Recovery Debate, Still on the Fence? / Politics / Economic Recovery
By: Andy_Sutton
Lost among never-ending talk in the mainstream media about the ‘modest recovery’ being experienced in America have been some rather poignant headlines that are telling a completely different story. I’ve used up many weeks to outline the flaws regarding how our economic growth is measured and suggest more responsible alternatives. I don’t expect Washington to change, however. Those suggestions are for ‘We the People’ as we navigate our own individual situations and seek to do the things necessary in order that we are better prepared to deal with the undeniable consequences of gross mismanagement by our government.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Fiat Currency, Nixon, Gold and Crude Oil / Politics / Fiat Currency
By: Richard_Mills
In July 1944, delegates from 44 nations met at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire - the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference - and agreed to "peg" their currencies to the U.S. dollar, the only currency strong enough to meet the rising demands for international currency transactions.
Member nations were required to establish a parity of their national currencies in terms of the US dollar, the "peg", and to maintain exchange rates within plus or minus one percent of parity, the "band."
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Saturday, April 21, 2012
The JOBS Act: Washington Takes One Step Back Toward Capitalism / Politics / US Politics
By: Ron_Holland
I know my editorial credibility and reader confidence will suddenly collapse when this goes to print but I have some good news out of Washington and Congress. Yes, I know what you are getting ready to do but don't hit the delete button just yet!
The JOBS Act is actually good news for start-up and private company investors that will provide more liquidity, create an IPO boom and may be the beginning of a trend by Washington away from more regulatory and bureaucratic solutions holding down a nation and economy that simply can't compete with the rest of the world.
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Friday, April 20, 2012
What President Obama Doesn't Understand About Crude Oil Price Manipulation / Politics / Crude Oil
By: Money_Morning
Keith Fitz-Gerald writes:
If you think gasoline prices are volatile now, stay tuned. President Obama's plan to clamp down on oil speculators is going to make things worse.
I'm sure you've seen the news by now.
The president wants to clamp down on so-called "oil price manipulation" and has proposed a $52 billion plan to increase federal supervision of oil markets.
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Friday, April 20, 2012
LME Considering Settling Metals Contracts in Renminbi / Politics / Metals & Mining
By: Dr_Jeff_Lewis
According to a report last week in the Financial Times, the London Metals Exchange or LME is currently considering allowing members to settle their contracts in Chinese renminbi.
In a survey of its members aimed at aiding the design of a new clearing house, the metals exchange reportedly asked if they would like to include the renminbi among its current roster of other currencies for the settling and clearing of trades, and if dropping the pound sterling would be problematic.
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Friday, April 20, 2012
Unplugging Americans From The Matrix / Politics / US Politics
By: Paul_Craig_Roberts
Americans, the British, and Western Europeans are accustomed to thinking of themselves as the representatives of freedom, democracy, and morality in the world. The West passes judgment on the rest of the world as if the West is God and the rest of the world are barbarians in need of chastisement, invasion, and occupation. As readers know, from time to time I raise questions about the validity of the West’s extreme hubris. (See for example, the following articles: Washington’s Insouciance Has No Rival and Is Western Democracy Real or a Facade? ). China is often a country about which Washington’s moralists get on their high horse. However, China’s “authoritarian” government is actually more responsive to its people than America’s “elected democratic” government. Moreover, however incomplete on paper the civil liberties of China’s people, the Chinese government has not declared that it can violate with impunity whatever rights Chinese citizens have. And it is not China that is running torture prisons all over the globe.