You know, there is a whole group of Neoliberal Economists turtle shell rattling Shamen and corrupt con artists who say in calm, soothing tones- “Yes, the U.S. has lost manufacturing jobs, but that’s because our economy has transitioned to global, post industrial knowlege based industries like Computers and Pharamceuticals and Finance.” No mention of course …
Tag: ek Politics
May 08 2016
Penny for the Guy?
Remember, remember the fifth of November The gunpowder treason and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot. Guy Fawkes, twas his intent To blow up king and parliament. Three score barrels were laid below To prove old England’s overthrow. By God’s mercy he was catched With a dark lantern and …
May 06 2016
Stop Validating
I’m not talking about parking here, there is a point at which participation in a farce simply encourages the directors to continue. Don’t get me wrong, I strongly feel that institutional resistance is critical for positive change, but non-compliance and peaceful direct action delegitimizes the institutions and reduces their influence which is also positive change. …
May 06 2016
Ermordung durch Dekret
One of the most frustrating policies of the Democratic Party in general and the Obama Administration in particular is the United States’ continued involvement in War Crimes. War Crimes?! Well, yes actually. The kind which we executed scores of Germans and Japanese for after the Second World War. You know, the good one where we …
May 04 2016
The University of Michigan
Careful readers may remember that while I have studied at many institutions, none of them were the University of Michigan or Michigan State. They hate each other with the white hot passion of a thousand burning suns. The only things they have in common is, well… Michigan of course, a mutual hatred of Ohio State …
May 04 2016
TPP: Who do you believe?
Friends, Romans, Countrymen- Lend me your ears. I come to bury Ceasar, not to praise him. Monday Barack Obama placed an OpEd in the Washington Post (Pravda, meaning “Truth” and the Party organ of the Communist Party of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, as opposed to Izvestia, meaning “News”, the Official, State Sanctioned, Public …
May 03 2016
“Not all leaks are alike”
Edward Snowden (yes, that one) has an interesting piece up over at The Intercept on the moral and ethical difference between leaking for personal benefit (yes, that is bad and deserving of punishment) and whistleblowing to expose corruption and abuse (yes, that is good and should not be punished). I think an important consideration besides …
May 02 2016
Big Ag
Perhaps you think Big Agriculture’s influence over Congress and the Executive is limited to Monsanto and other Monopolist Mega-Corporations? Well companies like that have their own lobbying budget, but many Agri-Businesses are also members of mandatory marketing, public relations, and yes, lobbying groups. In the sense that these ever had a purpose it was to …
May 02 2016
Trade Deals Losing Momentum over Investor State Dispute Settlements
In a potentially fatal blow to Investor State Dispute Settlement 3 cases have recently become prominent. The first is a Chevron suit against Ecuador– The company is currently pursuing a $9.5bn suit against Ecuador’s government at an ISDS court in the Hague, for allowing indigenous people to sue the firm – for the same amount …
May 01 2016
Allez le Barricades!
The Internationale Arise ye workers from your slumbers Arise ye prisoners of want For reason in revolt now thunders And at last ends the age of cant. Away with all your superstitions Servile masses arise, arise We’ll change henceforth the old tradition And spurn the dust to win the prize. So comrades, come rally And …
Apr 30 2016
40 Minutes Of Lies
C-SPAN A Moral Debt for Bombing the Doctors Without Borders Hospital By THE EDITORIAL BOARD, The New York Times APRIL 29, 2016 (M)ilitary officials have refused to identify the individuals responsible for the disaster and to explain what type of punishment each will face. The Pentagon also appears to have ruled out the possibility of …
Apr 29 2016
War Crime and Punishment
This is a summary of the official U.S. military report. I suspect it is highly sanitized. Death from the Sky by May Jeong, The Intercept Apr. 28 2016, 2:31 p.m. On Friday, October 2, the city lay quiet, with just one building lit up against the dark sky. Most other international organizations had evacuated when …