Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Monday, November 30, 2015
“Black Friday:” Symbol of America’s Economic and Cultural Decline / Politics / Social Issues
By: Antonius_Aquinas
The day after Thanksgiving in recent times has become known as “Black Friday,” a day where retail businesses who have been in the red recoup losses while profitable firms widen their income margins. The day is also a supposed boon for consumers where goods are significantly discounted and new products are first displayed.
The Establishment has long since been a promoter of Black Friday, encouraging Americans, with often patriotic rhetoric, of their duty to frequent shopping malls and the like despite economic conditions or safety concerns from either domestic unrest or international threats.
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Monday, November 30, 2015
America's Rendezvous With Destiny - The Fourth Turning / Politics / Social Issues
By: James_Quinn
In Part 1 of this article I discussed the catalyst spark which ignited this Fourth Turning and the seemingly delayed regeneracy. In Part 2 I pondered possible Grey Champion prophet generation leaders who could arise during the regeneracy. In Part 3 I focused on the economic channel of distress which is likely to be the primary driving force in the next phase of this Crisis. In Part 4 I assessed the social and cultural channels of distress dividing the nation. In Part 5 I examined the technological, ecological, political, military channels of distress likely to burst forth with the molten ingredients of this Fourth Turning, and finally in this final part, our rendezvous with destiny, with potential climaxes to this Winter of our discontent.
We are now in the seventh year of this Fourth Turning. A famous quote from the seventh year of the last Fourth Turning portended the desperate, bloody and ultimately heroic trials and tribulations which awaited generations of our ancestors. What will be our rendezvous with destiny?
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Sunday, November 29, 2015
Politicians Driving The World Towards War - Fourth Turning / Politics / Social Issues
By: James_Quinn
In Part 1 of this article I discussed the catalyst spark which ignited this Fourth Turning and the seemingly delayed regeneracy. In Part 2 I pondered possible Grey Champion prophet generation leaders who could arise during the regeneracy. In Part 3 I focused on the economic channel of distress which is likely to be the primary driving force in the next phase of this Crisis. In Part 4 I assessed the social and cultural channels of distress dividing the nation. In Part 5 I'll examine the technological, ecological, political, and military channels of distress likely to burst forth with the molten ingredients of this Fourth Turning, and finally in Part 6 our rendezvous with destiny, with potential climaxes to this Winter of our discontent.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Turkey Downs Russian Jet to Draw NATO and US Deeper into Syrian Quagmire / Politics / Turkey
By: Mike_Whitney
On Tuesday, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane that was carrying out military operations against jihadi groups in Northern Syria. The downing of the Su-24 fighter jet is part of a broader plan by the administration of Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan to topple the secular government of Syrian President Bashar al Assad and to establish “safe zones” on the Syrian side of the Turkish-Syrian border. Erdogan needs the safe zones to provide a sanctuary for the militant extremists who are the footsoldiers in his war against Syria. The downing of the Russian fighter is a desperate attempt by Erdogan to incite a reaction from Russia that will draw either NATO or the United States deeper into a conflict which has dragged on for 4 and a half years and killed 250,000 people.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Black Friday, Weekend for Europe's Migrants / Politics / Social Issues
By: Raul_I_Meijer
How black would you like your Thanksgiving Friday slash weekend? Many Americans don’t even appreciate the term, or the events, at all anymore (or so they say), but the idea of getting what you don’t need, or want, on the cheap, will still prove irresistible. But then, when all of your desires have been fulfilled, food wise and gadget wise, and you’re still feeling empty, maybe we can help and offer a sweeping redefinition of the term Black Friday.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Social and Cultural Distress Dividing The Nation - Fourth Turning / Politics / Social Issues
By: James_Quinn
I wrote the first three parts of this article back in September and planned to finish it in early October, but life intervened and truthfully I don't think I was ready to confront how bad things will likely get as this Fourth Turning moves into the violent, chaotic war stage just over the horizon. The developments in the Middle East, Europe, U.S., China and across the globe in the last months have confirmed my belief war drums are beating louder, global war beckons, and much bloodshed will be the result. Fourth Turnings proceed at their own pace within the 20 to 25 year crisis framework, but there is one guarantee - they never de-intensify as they progress. Just as Winter gets colder, stormier and more bitter as you proceed from December through February, Fourth Turnings get nastier, grimmer, more perilous, with our way of life hanging in the balance.
Friday, November 27, 2015
Terrorism on American Soil / Politics / US Politics
By: Walter_Brasch
During this past week a three-year-old boy in Rock Hill, S.C., killed himself when he was playing with a loaded gun in his house.He wasn’t the only one in Rock Hill to die from a gunshot. In July, a man killed himself after shooting his wife, her son and the son’s girlfriend. The following month, someone killed a 30-year-old woman; someone else that same week killed a 27-year-old man.
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Friday, November 27, 2015
UK Immigration Crisis Hits New Extreme of 336k Net Migration, up 32% on 2014 / Politics / Immigration
By: Nadeem_Walayat
Britains unrelenting immigration crisis just keeps getting worse with each ONS data release as the latest record busting net migration figure of 336,000 in the year to June 2015 illustrates, an increase in the rate migration of 32% on 2014. Which literally translates into a DAILY flood of near 1000 people turning up on Britain's shores and demanding housing, education and school places, jobs with benefits such as tax credits, health & social services that have been buckling, breaking and ultimately freezing as the social housing has in many cities already for several years in the wake of a 15 year long trend of out of control immigration.
Friday, November 27, 2015
Erdogan Megalomania / Politics / Turkey
By: Stephen_Lendman
He’s a despotic loose cannon, a close US imperial ally, one of 28 NATO members - part of its killing machine war on humanity.
Downing Russia’s aircraft was an act of war - Washington the likely orchestrator, both nations acting conspiratorially - part of longstanding US-led Putin-bashing, the one world leader above all others challenging America’s imperial agenda forthrightly, deserving universal praise and support.
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Friday, November 27, 2015
Did Washington Order Russian Aircraft Shot Down? / Politics / Syria
By: Stephen_Lendman
A personal note. I’m not writing from my usual location, comfortably at home on my desktop - currently hospitalized, hopefully released soon.
I’ll be briefer than usual, conserving strength - thankful to maintain daily communication with readers, best as able when less than par.
Let’s not mince words. Washington is no Russian partner. Its policy is adversarially hostile, notably during the Cold War, especially throughout Putin’s leadership years - a preeminent world leader/peace champion polar opposite rogues running America, perhaps one day able to turn the tide against their hegemonic agenda.
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Wednesday, November 25, 2015
... / Politics / Syria
By: Nadeem_Walayat
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Wednesday, November 25, 2015
George Osborne’s Autumn Statement and Spending Review Full Text / Politics / UK Tax & Budget
By: Submissions
Mr Speaker, this Spending Review delivers on the commitment we made to the British people that we would put security first. To protect our economic security, by taking the difficult decisions to live within our means and bring down our debt. To protect our national security, by defending our country’s interests abroad and keeping our citizens safe at home. Economic and national security provide the foundations for everything we want to support. Opportunity for all. The aspirations of families. The strong country we want to build.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Terrorism - Grinch that Stole Christmas / Politics / Shopping
By: BATR
The usual holiday cheer that underpins the throngs of shoppers may be missing this season. Political pundits are eager to blame potential terrorist risks as a compelling reason to avoid the crowds at malls, but knowing the sentiments of the consumer culture, it is difficult to accept that retail businesses will be empty. Nevertheless, will the economy incentivize the bargain hunters to brave the added security obstacles to storm the doors for the reward of super discount pricing?
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Turkey NATO Member Shoots Down Russian Fighter Jet Over Syria; Putin Vows Revenge / Politics / Syria
By: John_Rubino
This is the kind of thing that happens when you put ten different armies, taking orders from at least ten different commanders, in the same theater.
Last night a Russian fighter was flying in and out of Turkish airspace and Turkey shot it down. Then local rebels (Syrian Turks) shot the pilots as they parachuted to the ground.
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Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Finally, Return to Athens / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis
By: Raul_I_Meijer
That’s right, I am at last able to come back to Athens, starting today. Alas, without Nicole Foss, who was supposed to join me in the city earlier this year but is back in New Zealand now. Why that plan never materialized, and why I couldn’t return myself, is all about the illness and subsequent passing of my mother, a process I write about in Eulogy for Johanna.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Donald Sutherland Confirms Hunger Games is Allegory for the United States / Politics / US Politics
By: Jeff_Berwick
Here is a short clip featuring Donald Sutherland, who acted in The Hunger Games movie series, to learn in some detail what he thinks about them. He says flatly, it is an allegory pertaining to the United States, which is just what I wrote about a year ago. You can see the Sutherland video clip:
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Monday, November 23, 2015
Who Should Pay For The Syrian Refugees? / Politics / US Politics
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
Last week the US House dealt a blow to President Obama's plan to resettle 10,000 Syrians fleeing their war-torn homeland. On a vote of 289-137, including 47 Democrats, the House voted to require the FBI to closely vet any applicant from Syria and to guarantee that none of them pose a threat to the US. Effectively this will shut down the program.
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Sunday, November 22, 2015
Redefining ‘The Human Rights’ In The Context Of The Rise Of Islamism And The Onslaught Of The Western Democracies / Politics / ISIS Islamic State
By: Dr_R_M_Mathew
ISLAMISM has emerged as the Greatest Threat to Democracy and Human Rights, besides the very existence of the Progressive Modern Societies shaped by Capitalism, Corporatism and Modern Technologies. It is thousand times deadly than Fascism for it is taking back the Humanity to the Age of Primitive Desert Tribal Gods, Wars, Culture , Caliphates and Social Order burying down Democracy, Equality, Freedom, Principles of Human Right, Open Society and Progressive Social Order.
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Hang Onto Your Wallets: Negative Interest Rates, the War on Cash and $10 Trillion Bail-in / Politics / War on Cash
By: Ellen_Brown
Remember those old ads showing a senior couple lounging on a warm beach, captioned “Let your money work for you”? Or the scene in Mary Poppins where young Michael is being advised to put his tuppence in the bank, so that it can compound into “all manner of private enterprise,” including “bonds, chattels, dividends, shares, shipyards, amalgamations . . . ”?
That may still work if you’re a Wall Street banker, but if you’re an ordinary saver with your money in the bank, you may soon be paying the bank to hold your funds rather than the reverse.
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Friday, November 20, 2015
European Borders May be Redrawn as Europe Embraces Nationalism / Politics / European Union
By: MISES
Ryan W. McMaken writes: In the wake of the Paris attacks, Europe is being pulled in two directions at once. On the one hand is the rise of localist nationalism in the form of border closings, border fences, and Euroskepticism. On the other hand is the rise of renewed militarism as the French state calls for even more aggressive foreign policy from its European allies in the name of security. In some ways, these two trends appear to be at odds, but they are really just different expressions of nationalism.