Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Kyrgyzstan Crisis and the Russian Dilemma / Politics / GeoPolitics
By: STRATFOR
Peter Zeihan writes: STRATFOR often discusses how Russia is on a bit of a roll. The U.S. distraction in the Middle East has offered Russia a golden opportunity to re-establish its spheres of influence in the region, steadily expanding the Russian zone of control into a shape that is eerily reminiscent of the old Soviet Union. Since 2005, when this process began, Russia has clearly reasserted itself as the dominant power in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Ukraine, and has intimidated places like Georgia and Turkmenistan into a sort of silent acquiescence.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Criminal Legacy of Alan Greenspan / Politics / Central Banks
By: LewRockwell
Ryan McMaken writes: For those of us who were mere economics undergraduates in the 1990's, Alan Greenspan was rather like a god. Admittedly, the vision of Greenspan handed down to the undergrads by the faculty wasn't one of vulgar hero-worship. Greenspan's mumblings and evasions were, after all, treated with bemusement by the faculty. But, there was the feeling that Greenspan, for all his lack of clarity, seemed to understand things that the rest of humanity didn't understand, and there was indeed faith in the idea that he must possess almost supernatural powers in fine-tuning the economy to ensure economic prosperity indefinitely.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Authoritarianism is Bad for Your Health / Politics / US Politics
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
The administration's terrible healthcare reform bill is now law, but the debate over how-- and whether-- the federal government should be involved in providing healthcare services is not over. It is not too late for America to correct its course and stop the march toward a government run, "single payer" healthcare system.
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Monday, June 14, 2010
Global Financial Crisis Could Lead to World War III / Politics / GeoPolitics
By: Larry_Edelson
You know where I stand on just about all the markets. And not much has changed in them, or my views, since I spoke with you in my column last week, or even via my video update last Thursday.
So today I want to change things up a bit, and address a very important topic. One that scares the heck out of me, quite frankly … and one that I know many people are thinking about.
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Monday, June 14, 2010
BP's Gulf Of Mexico Disaster - Palinology Versus Geology / Politics / Crude Oil
By: Andrew_McKillop
Rooting for further onshore drilling in her Alaskan State, Sarah Palin had this to say against the environmentalists she judges almost exclusively responsible for BP's catastrophe:
Monday, June 14, 2010
Putin Attacks Western Models of Democracy / Politics / Russia
By: Pravda
Vladimir Putin gave a traditional interview to French journalists prior to his visit to Paris. In the interview, the chairman of the Russian government said that the Western model of democracy does not exist per se. Below you can read several most intersecting excerpts from Putin’s interview.
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Monday, June 14, 2010
The Tea Party and the Looming Financial Cataclysm / Politics / Government Spending
By: Gary_North
The phrase "Tea Party" is synonymous these days with the politics of spending cuts. The big one is the compulsory health insurance law. Tea Party people want it repealed. Yet in the grand scheme of things fiscal, that law is a drop in the tea cup.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Two Decades Of Debt Induced Greed Unraveling into the Greater Depression / Politics / US Debt
By: James_Quinn
We are currently in the midst of a Fourth Turning. This twenty year Crisis began during the 2005 - 2008 timeframe with the collapse of the housing bubble and subsequent repercussions on the worldwide financial system. It is progressing as expected, with the financial crisis deepening and leading to tensions across the world. It will eventually morph into military conflict, as all prior Fourth Turnings have. The progression from High to Awakening through the Unraveling took from 1946 until 2006. The most treacherous period of the Saeculm is upon us.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Obama Orders Chump Change Federal Government Spending Cuts / Politics / Government Spending
By: JD_Rosendahl
Recently, in an attempt to look strong on spending and budget management, Obama orders cost-cutting, property sales.
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Sunday, June 13, 2010
NY State Shell Game - Municipalities Borrow from Pension Fund to make Required Pension Fund Contributions / Politics / US Debt
By: Mike_Shedlock
When it comes to pension funding schemes, NY governor David Paterson and the NY legislature have taken can-kicking to ever increasing levels of absurdity. Please consider State Plan Makes Fund Both Borrower and Lender.
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Sunday, June 13, 2010
Ultimate Market Regulator Failed / Politics / Market Regulation
By: Shelby_H_Moore
Email sent to: Brooksley Born,
I know your fought for the regulation of OTC derivatives: http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article14485.html
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Sunday, June 13, 2010
Open Letter to President Obama Re: BP Gulf Oil Spill Solution / Politics / Environmental Issues
By: T_Anthony_Michael
Dear President Obama,
We write this letter concerning the worst man-made, and ongoing, environmental catastrophe of the modern era, and perhaps the worst calamity the entire hemisphere has ever seen.
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Saturday, June 12, 2010
One Bank Ruled Them All, Trichet's ECB Powergrab / Politics / Central Banks
By: Mike_Whitney
On Thursday, European Central Bank head Jean-Claude Trichet announced that he would continue the ECB's low interest rates (1 percent) and easy lending policies for the foreseeable future. Wall Street rallied on the news sending shares skyrocketing 273 points on the day. Trichet also said that he would continue his controversial bond-purchasing program which has drawn fire from wary German leaders who fear the onset of inflation. The bank chief adroitly dodged questions on the program suggesting that he will operate secretively like the Fed, buying up downgraded assets and concealing their original owner. By appointing himself the de facto Fiscal Czar of the European Union, Trichet has stopped the fall of the euro, scattered the short-sellers, and zapped the markets upward. Not bad for a day's work.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Abolish Publish Schools, a $600+ Billion Spending Cut / Politics / US Politics
By: Gary_North
This will not be done. It will not be done because Americans do not really want major spending cuts.
To demonstrate my point, let us consider America's sacred cow, tax-funded education.
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Saturday, June 12, 2010
Seven U.S. State Pension Plans Out of Money by 2020 / Politics / US Debt
By: Mike_Shedlock
In a system, gone completely loony, pension plans in seven state will be busted by 2020 yet the states keep hiring public workers. Please consider Pension Plans Go Broke as Public Payrolls Expand.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
British Government Defends BP / Politics / Environmental Issues
By: Michael_T_Bucci
Judging the British reaction to the Gulf crisis, the Conservatives have now redefined the stakes beyond those of BP market capitalization losses. As one wire-service headline framed it: "Britain sticks up for BP". Comments left at British sites show anti-Americanism new to an otherwise friendly and allied relationship. The British press has whipped America for Obama's clumsiness, bad language, poor diplomatic skills and histrionic threats; while the British nation seems perfectly groomed, if I am to believe the media, to identify themselves with BP, a private corporation.
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Friday, June 11, 2010
How to Cure Western Bankers of Bad Bankster Behavior / Politics / Market Regulation
By: Money_Morning
Martin Hutchinson writes: Masayuki Oku, the new head of the Japan Bankers Association, recently said that Western bankers did not understand self-control the way Asian bankers did, which was a major cause of the 2008 crash and the Great Recession.
I think he has a point.
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Friday, June 11, 2010
China Trade War Threat, Who's Fault is it? / Politics / Global Economy
By: Mike_Shedlock
Congress is one again shaking its currency-manipulation rattle. What's different this time is Geithner appears to be listening.
Friday, June 11, 2010
In War As In Politics And Finance, The Real Action Is Covert, Hidden From The Public / Politics / Mainstream Media
By: Danny_Schechter
Defending America covertly has become an ongoing theme for one more TV series. Salute the flag and praise NBC (GE) for its latest effort to persuade the population to accept the kind of secret operations that now drive the war in Afghanistan. Their latest show is called “Covert Affairs” and airs on the patriotically named USA Network.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
BP Oil Disaster Could Hit Europe Via the Powerful Gulf Stream Current / Politics / Environmental Issues
By: F_William_Engdahl
The Obama Administration and senior BP officials are frantically working not to stop the world’s worst oil disaster, but to hide the true extent of the actual ecological catastrophe. Senior researchers tell us that the BP drilling hit one of the oil migration channels and that the leakage could continue for years unless decisive steps are undertaken, something that seems far from the present strategy.