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Decline and Fall (Maybe) January 1, 2011
The Happy New Year Edition (with some good news about 2011)
Michael Collins
The Money Party. Lots of fiddling while Rome and the rest of the world burned. Knowledge is power and among the ruling elite in the United States, the power was off. Somebody forgot to pay the bill or paid with a bad check, no doubt.
A Decade of Job Stagnation In 2000, 135 million citizens were employed. In 2010 there were 139 million Americans employed. Given the 9.7% increase in population since 2000, we would expect to see at least 148 million citizens with jobs. Nobody much wants to talk about this or the true unemployment figures produced by the US Census called "U6". That measure accounts for, "Total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force." Bureau of Labor Statistics
The "U6" unemployment figure is 17%, well above the official 9.8% we hear all the time. The official number accounts for 15 million citizens. But when we use U6, we add 9 million citizens forced by economic conditions to work less than they want in part time jobs and 2.5 million marginally attached to the work force - those who gave up looking and get no benefits. That gives us a real world total of 26.5 million citizens out of work or working part time against their will.
President Obama and the US Generals in Search of Navigational Change
By Mahboob A. Khawaja, Ph.D
H.G. Wells (Outline of History), once noted on the fall and decline of the Roman Empire: “so began the first of the most wasteful and disastrous series of wars that has ever darkened the history of mankind.” The 21st century US-British leaders share the same verdict of history that typifies what can go wrong with men who claim political ingenuity. In an age of global accountability, it is a staunch warning to the leaders that they are not above the laws and cannot escape the consequences of their treachery and wickedness. The global humanity flourishes with live conscience, not as digits and numbers on the electoral billboard but expects the leaders to be accountable for their role and performance. The mankind lives in one world on one planet. War waged by aggressors in one part of the planet, is a war against the whole of the mankind. Since the elected leaders faltered to deliver peace, they must be questioned for their treacherous role-play. There is no shortage of visionary, competent and intelligent people in the Western societies. Perhaps, the call of time will reinforce the demand to hire leaders who could serve the interest of the people for peace and lead the nations rather than waste time, money and hopes and disregard institutionalized political cynicism and bigotry - not Bush, not Cheney, not Blair and certainly not Rumsfeld - they are all candidates for war crimes against humanity.
Any respect for International law left in the US Congress?
By Franklin Lamb
This week marks the second anniversary of among the most savage criminal slaughters of human life in long memory. The 522 hour indiscriminate carnage, “Cast Lead” that killed 1,417 Palestinians, mostly civilians, 352 of them children, injuring for life more than 5,300 , indicts Israel as well as those countries that continue to supply it weapons, diplomatic cover and to enforce Israel’s illegal siege on sealed Gaza.
The US administration, as revealed in a State Department cable posted by Wikileaks, has been working overtime with Israel to parry further condemnation of Israeli crimes documented in the Richard Goldstone and Richard Falk Reports, among others. These investigations established massive violations of human rights and international law, war crimes, and possible crimes against humanity while refuting claims by Israel that it acted according to the limited international right of self-defense. Goldstone, Falk and others have demonstrated that it was both the victims of Cast Lead and the Mavi Marmara who alone possessed the right of self defense in light of Israel’s agressions, not Israel.
Hail to the Chief: Spinning Obama's Presidency
by Stephen Lendman
As if on cue, major media reports hailed "the Comeback Kid." In Obama's December 22 press conference, Reuters' Caren Bohan asked:
"You racked up a lot of wins in the last few weeks that a lot of people thought would be difficult to come by. Are you ready to call yourself the 'comeback kid?' "
CBS News anchor Katie Couric gushed about how "the president isn't calling himself the 'comeback kid,' but some other folks are."
From ABC News came Jake Tapper offering "congratulations," and George Stephanopoulos saying:
"The president takes a victory lap. How the Christmas season became what he called a 'season of progress.' Will it continue in the new year?"
The Enemy Within
By Jeff Gates
The phrase “enemy within” brings to mind the image of a shadowy spy stealing military secrets. That was the case for Israeli master spy Jonathan Pollard jailed for 1980s espionage that compromised U.S. Cold War strategy.
That phrase also describes those involved in a form of psy-ops that is not easily detected because it operates so brazenly. For instance, the well-timed release of diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks displaced reports of Israeli obstinacy in peace talks with reports of a need for war with Iran.
That operation relied on editors at four major newspapers chosen by WikiLeaks to manage the releases. Despite the delight at their impact voiced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, mainstream media failed to mention the possibility of undisclosed bias by those who chose what to release and when.
Was Jesus a Socialist?
By Robert Bows
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
--William Butler Yeats, The Second Coming, 1920
One of the techniques of successful propaganda is to repeat a statement over and over again until people believe it to be true, as any encounter with the media and the pulpit amply demonstrates. So, to transform the world into a sustainable and progressive place, we must deconstruct the underlying lies promulgated by the mouthpieces of plutocratic propaganda, by which they justify the current state of affairs.
Given the increasing gap between rich and poor, the sharp spike in religious fundamentalism, and the impunity with which corporate-controlled states seize resources to which they have no legitimate claim, one of our first priorities must be to disable the use of religious dogma to justify greed and war.
Since surveys indicate that three-quarters of Americans consider themselves to be Christians, let’s begin there.[1]
It has become a tenet of faith for many Christians that they can simultaneously practice their religion and conduct economic affairs in their own self interest. Indeed, ever since the Protestant Reformation arose from the pressures of the Industrial Revolution, the pulpits of Christianity have been used to turn wealth (economic success) into an indication of favor from God.
10 great progressive moments of 2010
Mary Shaw
2010 was a wild ride.
The year had its share of low points for progressives, like the reelection defeats of Senator Russ Feingold and Representative Alan Grayson, the scrapping of a single-payer health care option, Arizona's xenophobic new laws, and the extension of tax breaks for zillionaires.
But the year also had some high points.
Here are my 10 favorites political moments of 2010, in chronological order:
1. February 24 - General Motors announced that it would discontinue production of the gas-guzzling Hummer. The planet is grateful.
2. March 23 - President Obama signed the health care reform bill into law. It's far from perfect, but far better than nothing.
3. May 17 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that juveniles convicted of non-homicide crimes may not be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Every child deserves a chance at redemption.
Unity in 2011
by Timothy V. Gatto
As 2010 comes to a close, I’m reflecting on everything that has happened. In my personal life, it really hasn’t been a bad year. I’ve had two books published, a novel and a political book. I guess that seeing my novel in print (Kimchee Days or Stoned-Cold Warriors) after 15 years of rejections, it was the best thing that has happened this year. People that are closest to me are healthy so I’m happy about that also.
I can’t really say that the entire year has been a joyride. This has probably been the most frustrating year I’ve ever experienced. I knew that the Democrats were going to let us down, but knowing they would didn’t make the experience any better. I was amazed at the way Obama continued Bush’s foreign policy.
Psychiatric Drugs and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America
By Gary Kohls, MD
Duty to Warn:
Psychiatric Drugs and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America
Excerpts from Robert Whitaker’s Anatomy of an Epidemic
From Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol. 7, Number 1, Spring 2005
Full article, with extensive documentation, accessible at:
http://psychrights.org/index.htm
Excerpted, with minimal editing, by Gary G. Kohls, MD
The percentage of Americans disabled by “mental illness” has increased dramatically since 1955, when Thorazine – remembered today as psychiatry’s first “wonder” drug – was introduced into the market.
There are now nearly 6 million Americans disabled by “mental illness”, and this number increases by more than 400 people each day. A review of the scientific literature reveals that it is our drug-based paradigm of care that is fueling this epidemic. The drugs increase the likelihood that a person will become chronically ill, and induce new and more severe psychiatric symptoms, often psychiatric drug-induced, in a significant percentage of patients.
E. Fuller Torrey, in his 2001 book The Invisible Plague, concluded that insanity had risen to the level of an epidemic. This epidemic has unfolded in lockstep with the ever-increasing use of prescription psychiatric drugs.
The number of disabled “mentally ill” has increased nearly six-fold since Thorazine was introduced.
The number of disabled “mentally ill” has also increased dramatically since 1987, the year Prozac was introduced.
America's Gulf: New Report Says It's Dying
by Stephen Lendman
Concerned Citizens of Florida.com (CCF) believe efforts must be made now "to address what may very well be the greatest environmental catastrophe of North America in modern history....government (and media) cannot be relied on" for truthful information. As a result, its site is a platform for truth and accuracy on a disaster of such magnitude.
On December 1, CCF published a special Dr. Tom Termotto Gulf disaster report, titled "The Gulf of Mexico is Dying." He's National Coordinator for the Tallahassee, FL-based Gulf Oil Spill Remediation Conference (International Citizens' Initiative). Its disturbing findings are discussed below. He published them so "the world community will come together to further contemplate this dire and demanding predicament." Future generations depend on it.
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