Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Greek Parliamentary Debt Committee Declares All Debt Illegal / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis
By: Raul_I_Meijer
For a while now, I’ve had a German saying floating around my files, that I didn’t really know what to do with. I know now. The saying is:
In der Not ist der Mittelweg der Tod.
Which loosely translates as:
Read full article... Read full article...In emergencies, the middle ground is lethal.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
A Net Assessment of East Asia / Politics / GeoPolitics
By: STRATFOR
George Friedman writes: When I began this series a month ago, I pointed out that the most significant feature of the global system currently is the ongoing destabilization of the Eurasian land mass, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the Arctic to the Arabian Sea. One important aspect of this is that the destabilization isn't, at this point, a single systemic crisis, but a series of relatively self-contained disorders. Thus the European, Russian and Middle Eastern systems have different dynamics, and while they touch on each other, they have not yet reached the point of having merged into a single crisis.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Cyber 9/11 - Your Digital Data is a Mortal Risk / Politics / Cyber War
By: BATR
The tech culture would have you believe that the digital format has produced untold innovations and advancements for personal development, societal advancement and business innovations. Well, the glass is half full for the kool aide drinkers, but for the mere mortals, who seek out a meaningful life as opposed to a regimented existence, the curse of placing the most intimate data on untold hard drives and shuffled among unknown servers, a loss of simple privacy is the least of the problems.
Friday, June 12, 2015
Spratly Islands - China Beating Uncle Sam at His Own Game / Politics / GeoPolitics
By: Mike_Whitney
The vast build up of military assets in the Asia-Pacific signals a fundamental change in U.S. policy towards China. Washington no longer believes that China can be integrated into the existing US-led system. Recent actions taken by China– particularly the announcement that it planned to launch an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) that would compete head-to-head with the World Bank and IMF— have set off alarms in the Capital where behind-the-scenes powerbrokers and think tank pundits agree that a more “robust” policy is needed to slow China’s ascendency. The current confrontation in the South China Sea–where the US has demanded that China immediately cease all land reclamation activities–indicates that the new policy has already been activated increasing the prospects of a conflagration between the two nuclear-armed adversaries.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Commencement Graduation and Employment Prospects / Politics / Educating Children
By: BATR
Is it worth going to college to secure viable employment? Once, the future looked bright, for students earning a university degree and selecting from various offers from employers. Today the mere notion that such a question can and should be asked illustrates that the American economy has greatly transitioned into a very insecure and tenuous career opportunity society. When the lack of employment realities drives job seekers to leave the search for rewarding positions that offer a chance for a path to attaining middle class aspirations, the entire labor equation needs to be rethought.
Tuesday, June 09, 2015
Why Greece Must Leave Eurozone / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis
By: Raul_I_Meijer
French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron and German Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel published a piece in the Guardian last week that instantly revived our long nourished hope for the European Unholy Union to implode and be dissolved, sooner rather than later. The two gentlemen propose a ‘radical’ reform for the EU. Going a full-tard 180º against the tide of rising euroskeptism, the blindest bureaucrats in European capitals are talking about more centralization in the EU.
Tuesday, June 09, 2015
Volcker Warns U.S. State Finances Lack “Truth and Integrity” / Politics / US Debt
By: GoldCore
- U.S. state budgets rely on “faulty practices” – Volcker
- Shoddy budget practices push costs to future generations
- Faulty budget practices lead to poor policy making
- “Problems hidden by lack of truth and integrity” – Volcker
- No common definition of balanced budget allows for gimmicks
Tuesday, June 09, 2015
Global Trade War US/EU against BRICS / Politics / New World Order
By: BATR
Do not be confused. Globalists whether Wall Street capitalists, corporatists, collectivist authoritarians or devoted internationalists, all share a common mindset – a worldwide financial system must control commerce and dictate economic activity. Under this formula, trade has little to do with free market transactions. Monopolies are the rule and real competition is fatal. So when the financial press emphasizes the difference between the IMF – World Bank faction and the newly aligned BRICS association, the conclusion usually misses and ignores that all the players are part of a globalist cabal committed to a New World Order.
Monday, June 08, 2015
George Soros Pushes US Bailouts and Weapons for Ukraine / Politics / Ukraine Civil War
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
If you look at the track record of the interventionists you might think they would pause before taking on more projects. Each of their past projects has ended in disaster yet still they press on. Last week the website Zero Hedge posted a report about hacked emails between billionaire George Soros and Ukrainian President Poroshenko.
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Sunday, June 07, 2015
G-7 Summit Russia Bashing / Politics / New Cold War
By: Stephen_Lendman
G-7 British, Canadian, French, German, Italian, Japanese and US leaders meeting Sunday and Monday in Germany intend assuring dirty business as usual continues.
Saturday, June 06, 2015
How Governments Keep You and Your Money From Leaving / Politics / Taxes
By: MISES
Ryan W. McMaken writes: The IRS reports that more people renounced their US citizenship during the first quarter of 2015 than during any other quarter in history. Notably, a sizable portion of those renouncing their citizenship are doing so to escape heavy taxation. The United States one of only a handful of OECD nations that imposes a "worldwide" tax on its citizens and residents-- and is the only country other than the military dictatorship of Eritrea that taxes its citizens living abroad on literally all forms of income.
Friday, June 05, 2015
Kill the Export-Import Bank and Cut Corporate Taxes / Politics / US Economy
By: Steve_H_Hanke
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry announced his candidacy for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination earlier today. Many recall his 2012 bid, which came to a rather spectacular end when Gov. Perry, on live television, forgot the name of the third federal agency he promised to eliminate if elected president. However, in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, Gov. Perry redeemed himself by offering a real candidate for elimination: the Export-Import Bank.
Friday, June 05, 2015
Why ISIS Just Grabbed the Resource More Essential Than Oil / Politics / Water Sector
By: ...
MoneyMorning.com Dr. Kent Moors writes: When we think of the resources under threat when it comes to the conflict in Iraq, crude oil is usually the first that comes to mind.
But ISIS just brought another resource back into play… one that has been a cause of dispute for centuries.
Oil may be the driver of the Iraqi central budget and economy, but there is something else even more essential to the people who live there.
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Thursday, June 04, 2015
How Islamic State Victories Shape the Syrian Civil War / Politics / ISIS Islamic State
By: STRATFOR
Forecast
- The Islamic State will prioritize the defense of its core supply lines, used to provide equipment and much-needed recruits.
- The Islamic State will continue to demonstrate considerable flexibility in its offensive operations.
- The Syrian government and rebel forces will have to increasingly devote their attention and resources to fighting the Islamic State, rather than prioritizing battles with each other.
Thursday, June 04, 2015
The Evolution Of The Oil Weapon / Politics / Crude Oil
By: OilPrice_Com
In the age of derivatives, swaps, and electronic money transfers, a new form of warfare has emerged: financial warfare. Recently, the US has passed sanctions on countries such as Syria, Venezuela, and North Korea , but the majority of energy related sanctions passed have been targeted at Iran and Russia.
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Tuesday, June 02, 2015
US Senate’s Patriot Act Betrayal / Politics / US Politics
By: BATR
Watching the DC establishment respond to Senator Rand Paul’s efforts to sunset important aspects of the Patriot Act is like peeling back the skin of a decaying onion to expose the rot. Members of the Senate all take an oath to defend and protect the U.S. Constitution. Well those “public servants” who are doing their perfected “Potomac Two Step” would have the public believe that next week’s vote on some version of the House passed USA Freedom Act will halt the NSA from their systematic violation of 4th Amendment protections.
Monday, June 01, 2015
Export-Import Bank is Welfare for the One Percent / Politics / US Politics
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
This month Congress will consider whether to renew the charter of the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank). Ex-Im Bank is a New Deal-era federal program that uses taxpayer funds to subsidize the exports of American businesses. Foreign businesses, including state-owned corporations, also benefit from Ex-Im Bank. One country that has benefited from $1.5 billion of Ex-Im Bank loans is Russia. Venezuela, Pakistan, and China have also benefited from Ex-Im Bank loans.
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Sunday, May 31, 2015
Alexis Tsipras: The Bell Tolls for Europe / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis
By: ...
MoneyMorning.com This is a letter From Greek PM Alexis Tsipras in today’s Le Monde. I have little to add, his eloquence needs few comments at this moment. One thing is certain: the negotiations will never be the same. And neither will Europe.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
We Need Actual Free Trade, Not the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) / Politics / US Politics
By: MISES
Ryan W. McMaken writes: Brendan Nyhan at The New York Times seems to be under the impression that the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) has something to do with free trade. Nyhan writes that the TPP
Read full article... Read full article...is the latest step in a decades-long trend toward liberalizing trade — a somewhat mysterious development given that many Americans are skeptical of freer trade.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
A Nation of Millennial Entitlements / Politics / Social Issues
By: Walter_Brasch
A student sued her college because she failed a nursing class. Twice.
She said she suffered psychological problems. Those problems included anxiety, depression, and poor concentration skills.
The college had agreed to allow her to retake the final examination last summer.