Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
America’s China Currency Bashing, A Compendium of Junk Economics / Politics / US Politics
By: Michael_Hudson
It is traditional for politicians to blame foreigners for problems that their own policies have caused. And in today’s zero-sum economies, it seems that if America is losing leadership position, other nations must be the beneficiaries. Inasmuch as China has avoided the financial overhead that has painted other economies into a corner, nationalistic U.S. politicians and journalists are blaming it for America’s declining economic power. I realize that balance-of-payments accounting and international trade theory are arcane topics, but I promise that by the time you finish this article, you will understand more than 99% of U.S. economists and diplomats striking this self-righteous pose.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
China Cuts off Supply of Rare Earth Metals Hits Pentagon Laser Guided Bombs / Politics / GeoPolitics
By: Mike_Shedlock
Last Sunday in Prepare for Currency/Trade Wars; How Might China Respond to US Tariffs? I mentioned the possibility China might shut off exports of rare earth metals used in making glass for solar panels, motors that help propel hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius, and laser guided bombs.
Indeed, it was the shutoff of rare earth metals to Japan that caused Japan to "cry uncle" and release a Chinese boat captain detained by the Japanese in disputed waters.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
U.S. Social Inequality Income Gap Hits Record High / Politics / Social Issues
By: Global_Research
David Walsh writes: Figures released Tuesday by the US Census Bureau reveal sharply worsening conditions for tens of millions of Americans under the impact of the economic crisis and the accumulation of vast wealth by a relative handful.
Some of the figures, for particular states and regions, are simply staggering. Michigan residents experienced a 6.2 percent decrease in median income in the course of one year, from 2008 to 2009, while Illinois has suffered a 24 percent increase in poverty in the past decade. More than 36 percent of Detroit’s population officially lives in poverty.
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Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Financial Fraud and the Global Derivatives Casino, Mechanisms of the Scam / Politics / Credit Crisis 2010
By: Matthias_Chang
Basel Accords III is another crude endeavour by BIS and Global Too Big To Fail Banks to cover up their scams and shore up the global derivative casino.
Part 1 - The Mechanics of the Derivative Scam
The fact that common folks in the US and other developed countries have not come out in arms to lynch the central bankers and their accomplices in Wall Street and other banking centres is an indication how effective the financial elites have been able to hoodwink and confuse the masses.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Funky Town Finance Meets The Nuclear Renaissance / Politics / Energy Resources
By: Andrew_McKillop
Like a Marlene Dietrich show in a remake of 1945 Berlin, surrounded by Soviet troop hordes, the nuclear sales show has to go on. The vaunted “Nuclear Renaissance” which is being proclaimed by the industry could see more than 200 new reactors built during the 2010-2020 decade, rivalling the industry’s previous high-water mark of 1975-1985 when one new reactor came on line, on average, every 17 days. The image of cheap, clean, safe and low carbon energy which is also secure – despite the uranium being mostly imported – has seduced political deciders and the corporate elite, worldwide. But the reality behind this romantic green image of a nuclear panacea to future energy needs is something altogether different.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Western Civilization Lies Dying / Politics / Social Issues
By: John_Kozy
The Western commercial system exists to extract more from consumers than it supplies in products and services. Its goal is profit and has never been to improve the human condition but to exploit it. When governments institutionalize this system, they place their nations on suicidal paths, because as Jefferson recognized, "Merchants have no country." It is not terrorism that threatens the security of the Western World, it is the Western World's commercial system.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Can Politicians Help Us? / Politics / Government Intervention
By: Kel_Kelly
The word "politician" usually comes with a negative connotation. It often brings to mind thieving, lying, corruption, and malfeasance. Nonetheless, most people seem to look to politicians to manage their world for them, to protect them, and to make their lives better. In every instance of local or national elections, citizens are deeply focused on choosing the politician they think will do the best for their community or nation. They seek politicians with experience, knowledge, insights, and ideas. They seek a leader.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Free National Health Services, Time is Price / Politics / NHS
By: MISES
Predrag Rajsic writes: Canadian emergency rooms are infamous for their long wait times.[1] A recent study has shown that in most of them the average wait time exceeds 6 hours and sometimes reaches up to 23 hours. While some call for action in reducing these extremely high figures by increasing the supply of healthcare services, others try to present the situation as, in principle, an unavoidable fact of life.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
U.S.-China Trade Tensions Evident in Futile House Currency Bill / Politics / US Politics
By: Money_Morning
Jason Simpkins writes:
The U.S. House of Representatives today (Wednesday) will vote on legislation that would let the U.S. government take punitive actions against countries that undervalue their currencies.
The bill isn't likely to have any tangible impact on U.S. policy, but it's yet another manifestation of the growing friction between the world's two greatest economic powers.
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Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The US Does Not Own Or Control Its Money System / Politics / Central Banks
By: Graham_Summers
What is money?
Most of our adult lives are devoted to making this stuff. Next to food, water, and sleep it’s the #1 concern for most human beings in the US. Nearly 80% of divorced couples cite financial difficulties as a reason for the divorce. And the American Psychological Association reports that 73% of Americans cite money as a source of significant stress.
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Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Don’t Fear a Trade War With China / Politics / US Politics
By: Ian_Fletcher
The House Ways and Means Committee has just approved a bill that would attempt, albeit modestly, to crack down on Chinese currency manipulation, a key cause of America’s trade deficit. The Ryan-Murphy currency bill (HR 2378) would allow the Commerce Department to treat currency manipulation as an illegal subsidy for the purpose of calculating countervailing duties intended as retaliation. This bill has to be passed by the full House of Representatives and then the Senate before becoming effective, but already the prophets of doom are squealing about the dangers of starting a trade war with China. They are wrong.Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The Cost of Fed Incompetence / Politics / Central Banks
By: Richard_Daughty
I have grown old yelling at my neighbors and family members to buy gold, silver and oil, to little-to-no avail, and I can see that they are getting bored with my same old million reasons why they should, and how their deliberate inaction only proves their stupidity, which I never tire of pointing out, so they can't say that they "didn't know" that they were stupid.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
NATO Expands Afghan War Into Pakistan / Politics / Pakistan
By: Rick_Rozoff
On October 7 the United States and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization military allies will begin the tenth year of their war in Afghanistan, over 3,000 miles from NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
The following month midterm elections will be held in the U.S. and NATO will hold a two-day summit in Portugal. The American administration is eager to achieve, or appear to have achieved, a foreign policy triumph in an effort to retain Democratic Party control of the Congress and NATO something to show for the longest and largest military mission in its 61 years of existence.
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Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Pakistan and the U.S. Exit From Afghanistan / Politics / Pakistan
By: STRATFOR
Bob Woodward has released another book, this one on the debate over Afghanistan strategy in the Obama administration. As all his books do, the book has riveted Washington. It reveals that intense debate occurred over what course to take, that the president sought alternative strategies and that compromises were reached. But while knowing the details of these things is interesting, what would have been shocking is if they hadn’t taken place.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Billionaires Unite! Against Public Education and Teachers / Politics / US Politics
By: Shamus_Cooke
In less than a week two billionaires have joined the anti-teacher "Billionaires Club": a group of ultra-wealthy individuals hell-bent on destroying public education and teachers’ unions. The newest members of the club are Oprah Winfrey and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg.
Monday, September 27, 2010
U.S. Healthcare Reform: A Huge Misdiagnosis / Politics / US Politics
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
This week marked six months since Congress passed the healthcare reform bill in what has become all-too-typical legislative chicanery. Those in power crafted a mammoth piece of legislation and rammed it through Congress under a dire sense of emergency. Insisting on time enough to read the bill was dismissed as dangerous and crazy in a time of crisis. We were told that if we really wanted to see what was in the bill, we would have to pass it first. I cannot imagine the founding fathers intended for Congress to legislate in this manner. I would think if a Member is not absolutely certain the entire legislation meets Constitutional muster, the default vote should be "no" in accordance with our oath of office.
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Monday, September 27, 2010
Iran's Option In Case Of Attack On Its Nuclear Facilities / Politics / Iran
By: Global_Intel_Report
INCIDENT: Sources in the Gulf region report that Iran is preparing for a possible attack by Israel and/or the United States on one or more of its nuclear production units by stockpiling arms and munitions with its proxy militias in Kuwait and Bahrain. This comes as Bahrain arrests 23 opposition leaders accused of terrorism offences and hints that Iran is behind an alleged plot to overthrow the government.
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Monday, September 27, 2010
Oliver Stone's New Wall Street Film Money Never Sleeps is Asleep / Politics / Credit Crisis 2010
By: Danny_Schechter
The lead headline in the New York Times is “EXTENSIVE FRAUD APPEARS TO MAR AFGHAN ELECTION.” The line below, “A BLOW TO CREDIBILITY,” as if anyone who follows Afghanistan, a country known for blatant and notorious corruption was at all surprised by this latest “blow.”
Today’s “blow” followed an earlier “blow” a few weeks back with the disclosure of the crash of the Kabul Bank with $300 billion still unaccounted for.
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Monday, September 27, 2010
Russia to Spend Trillions on New Arms Race / Politics / Russia
By: Pravda
In the next ten years, Russia will spend up to 22.5 trillion rubles on armaments. It was planned that the state program will not exceed 13 trillion rubles. However, the Defense Ministry considered that these funds are insufficient. The new program is designed to bring the share of new technology, adopted in the RF, to 70-80%. Now the number is approximately 10%.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
SEC Denies China's Dagong of Market Entry After U.S. Debt Downgrade / Politics / GeoPolitics
By: Dian_L_Chu
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday denied the application by China's largest credit rating firm--Dagone Global Credit Rating Co.--to become a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (NRSRO) in the U.S.
The SEC cited concern regarding cross boarder supervision since “It does not appear possible at this time for Dagong to comply with the record keeping, production, and examination requirements of the federal securities laws."