Politics is all about money and the Citizens United ruling is the icing on the cake when it comes to who runs for political office and subsequently who becomes the candidate. What once was a combination of political parties and grass root campaigning has now been replaced with Billionaires and Millionaires with check books in hand.
Republicans could barely contain their glee when the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision cleared the way for unlimited spending in political campaigns.
But now — headed into a crowded presidential primary that promises to be longer, nastier and more expensive as a result of the ruling — some are having buyers’ remorse.
Concerns are mounting among top donors and party elites that an influx of huge checks into the GOP primary will hurt the party’s chances of retaking the White House. Long-shot candidates propped up by super PACs and other big-money groups will be able to linger for months throwing damaging barbs at establishment favorites who offer a better chance of victory, the thinking goes.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Saturday, July 11, 2015
APA SANCTIONED BUSH TORTURE POLICIES
Psychologists are considered part of what is commonly known as the "helping" profession. I use the term loosely given the latest revelation that the American Psychological Association (APA) was colluding with the Bush administration in helping torture human beings.
The Central Intelligence Agency’s health professionals repeatedly criticized the agency’s post-Sept. 11 interrogation program, but their protests were rebuffed by prominent outside psychologists who lent credibility to the program, according to a new report.
The 542-page report, which examines the involvement of the nation’s psychologists and their largest professional organization, the American Psychological Association, with the harsh interrogation programs of the Bush era, raises repeated questions about the collaboration between psychologists and officials at both the C.I.A. and the Pentagon.
The report, completed this month, concludes that some of the association’s top officials, including its ethics director, sought to curry favor with Pentagon officials by seeking to keep the association’s ethics policies in line with the Defense Department’s interrogation policies, while several prominent outside psychologists took actions that aided the C.I.A.’s interrogation program and helped protect it from growing dissent inside the agency.
Outside Psychologists Shielded U.S. Torture Program, Report Finds
The Central Intelligence Agency’s health professionals repeatedly criticized the agency’s post-Sept. 11 interrogation program, but their protests were rebuffed by prominent outside psychologists who lent credibility to the program, according to a new report.
The 542-page report, which examines the involvement of the nation’s psychologists and their largest professional organization, the American Psychological Association, with the harsh interrogation programs of the Bush era, raises repeated questions about the collaboration between psychologists and officials at both the C.I.A. and the Pentagon.
The report, completed this month, concludes that some of the association’s top officials, including its ethics director, sought to curry favor with Pentagon officials by seeking to keep the association’s ethics policies in line with the Defense Department’s interrogation policies, while several prominent outside psychologists took actions that aided the C.I.A.’s interrogation program and helped protect it from growing dissent inside the agency.
Friday, July 10, 2015
PAIN KILLERS THAT KILL
If you're one of the 29 million Americans who regularly take ibuprofen, naproxen or similar drugs for pain, you may be scratching your head a bit over the latest word out of the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA has strengthened its words of caution for people who use these nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, but in a way that may be confusing.
Researchers have known for 15 years that these drugs, in high doses, can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. But the drugs are also powerful tools for easing the pain of arthritis, headaches and muscle injuries.
Monday, July 6, 2015
BANKERS HOLD GREEKS HOSTAGE
The Barbarians are at the gates of Athens and they are looking for blood. By forcing Greece to tow the line bankers hope to quell what might be a backlash from other countries under their thumb forcing them to drop their terror campaign of austerity that has driven Greece to the brink of financial ruin.
In the European Union, most real decision-making power, particularly on matters involving politically delicate things like money and migrants, rests with 28 national governments, each one beholden to its voters and taxpayers. This tension has grown only more acute since the January 1999 introduction of the euro, which now binds 19 nations into a single currency zone watched over by the European Central Bank but leaves budget and tax policy in the hands of each country, an arrangement that some economists believe was doomed from the start.
Since Greece’s debt crisis began in 2010, most international banks and foreign investors have sold their Greek bonds and other holdings, so they are no longer vulnerable to what happens in Greece. (Some private investors who subsequently plowed back into Greek bonds, betting on a comeback, regret that decision.)
And in the meantime, the other crisis countries in the eurozone, like Portugal, Ireland and Spain, have taken steps to overhaul their economies and are much less vulnerable to market contagion than they were a few years ago.
In the European Union, most real decision-making power, particularly on matters involving politically delicate things like money and migrants, rests with 28 national governments, each one beholden to its voters and taxpayers. This tension has grown only more acute since the January 1999 introduction of the euro, which now binds 19 nations into a single currency zone watched over by the European Central Bank but leaves budget and tax policy in the hands of each country, an arrangement that some economists believe was doomed from the start.
Since Greece’s debt crisis began in 2010, most international banks and foreign investors have sold their Greek bonds and other holdings, so they are no longer vulnerable to what happens in Greece. (Some private investors who subsequently plowed back into Greek bonds, betting on a comeback, regret that decision.)
And in the meantime, the other crisis countries in the eurozone, like Portugal, Ireland and Spain, have taken steps to overhaul their economies and are much less vulnerable to market contagion than they were a few years ago.
Debt in the European Union
Gross government debt as a percentage of gross domestic product plotted through the fourth quarter of 2014.
Source: Eurostat
Sunday, July 5, 2015
GREEKS DEFEND DEMOCRACY AGAINST BANKERS
Unlike the US and much of the EU Greece has successfully taken a stand against being ruled by bankers. By demonstrating that a democracy is not ruled by autocrats but rather the will of it's people, Greece is sending a message to the rest of the world that it's time take back control of their economy and democratic way of life.
The Greek people have given their answer to international lenders, and the answer is no.
With nearly all the votes counted, a convincing 61 percent to 39 percent margin is emerging in the referendum on a German-led bailout plan that includes tough austerity measures for Athens, in exchange for a continued line of credit to keep paying the government's obligations. The answer so far is a resounding thumbs-down.
"Today we turned a page in Greek history," Prime Minster Alexis Tsipras, who urged a no vote, said.
Every single mainstream media has the following narrative for the economic crisis in Greece: the government spent too much money and went broke; the generous banks gave them money, but Greece still can’t pay the bills because it mismanaged the money that was given. It sounds quite reasonable, right?
Except that it is a big fat lie … not only about Greece, but about other European countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ireland who are all experiencing various degrees of austerity. It was also the same big, fat lie that was used by banks and corporations to exploit many Latin American, Asian and African countries for many decades.
Greece did not fail on its own. It was made to fail.
In summary, the banks wrecked the Greek government and deliberately pushed it into unsustainable debt so that oligarchs and international corporations can profit from the ensuing chaos and misery.
In Greece, the domestic banks got more than $30 billion of bailout from the Greek people. Let that sink in for a moment – the supposedly irresponsible Greek government had to bail out the hardcore capitalist bankers.
From 2009 to mid-2010, the yields on 10-year Greek bonds almost tripled! This cruel financial assault brought the Greek government to its knees, and the banksters won their first debt deal of a whopping 110 billion Euros.
The banks also control the politics of nations. In 2011, when the Greek prime minister refused to accept a second massive bailout, the banks forced him out of the office and immediately replaced him with the Vice President of ECB (European Central Bank)! No elections needed. Screw democracy. And what would this new guy do? Sign on the dotted line of every paperwork that the bankers bring in.
(By the way, the very next day, the exact same thing happened in Italy where the Prime Minister resigned, only to be replaced by a banker/economist puppet. Ten days later, Spain had a premature election where a banker puppet won the election).
In addition to that, the banker tyrants also get to dictate every single line item in the government’s budget. Want to cut military spending? NO! Want to raise tax on the oligarchs or big corporations? NO! Such micro-management is non-existent in any other creditor-debtor relationship.
So what happens after privatization and despotism under bankers? Of course, the government’s revenue goes down and the debt increases further.
The Greek people have given their answer to international lenders, and the answer is no.
With nearly all the votes counted, a convincing 61 percent to 39 percent margin is emerging in the referendum on a German-led bailout plan that includes tough austerity measures for Athens, in exchange for a continued line of credit to keep paying the government's obligations. The answer so far is a resounding thumbs-down.
"Today we turned a page in Greek history," Prime Minster Alexis Tsipras, who urged a no vote, said.
Every single mainstream media has the following narrative for the economic crisis in Greece: the government spent too much money and went broke; the generous banks gave them money, but Greece still can’t pay the bills because it mismanaged the money that was given. It sounds quite reasonable, right?
Except that it is a big fat lie … not only about Greece, but about other European countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ireland who are all experiencing various degrees of austerity. It was also the same big, fat lie that was used by banks and corporations to exploit many Latin American, Asian and African countries for many decades.
Greece did not fail on its own. It was made to fail.
In summary, the banks wrecked the Greek government and deliberately pushed it into unsustainable debt so that oligarchs and international corporations can profit from the ensuing chaos and misery.
In Greece, the domestic banks got more than $30 billion of bailout from the Greek people. Let that sink in for a moment – the supposedly irresponsible Greek government had to bail out the hardcore capitalist bankers.
From 2009 to mid-2010, the yields on 10-year Greek bonds almost tripled! This cruel financial assault brought the Greek government to its knees, and the banksters won their first debt deal of a whopping 110 billion Euros.
The banks also control the politics of nations. In 2011, when the Greek prime minister refused to accept a second massive bailout, the banks forced him out of the office and immediately replaced him with the Vice President of ECB (European Central Bank)! No elections needed. Screw democracy. And what would this new guy do? Sign on the dotted line of every paperwork that the bankers bring in.
(By the way, the very next day, the exact same thing happened in Italy where the Prime Minister resigned, only to be replaced by a banker/economist puppet. Ten days later, Spain had a premature election where a banker puppet won the election).
In addition to that, the banker tyrants also get to dictate every single line item in the government’s budget. Want to cut military spending? NO! Want to raise tax on the oligarchs or big corporations? NO! Such micro-management is non-existent in any other creditor-debtor relationship.
So what happens after privatization and despotism under bankers? Of course, the government’s revenue goes down and the debt increases further.
How do you “fix” that? Of course, cut spending! Lay off public workers, cut minimum wage, cut pensions (same as our social security), cut public services, and raise taxes on things that would affect the 99% but not the 1%. For example, pension has been cut in half and sales tax increase to more than 20%. All these measures have resulted in Greece going through a financial calamity that is worse than the Great Depression of the U.S. in the 1930s.
After all this, what is the solution proposed by the heartless bankers? Higher taxes! More cuts to the pension! It takes a special kind of a psychopath to put a country through austerity, an economic holocaust.
After all this, what is the solution proposed by the heartless bankers? Higher taxes! More cuts to the pension! It takes a special kind of a psychopath to put a country through austerity, an economic holocaust.
Friday, July 3, 2015
THE AMERICAN MONEY MAKING PARANOIA MACHINE
In the 1950's the "Red Menace" generated millions in bomb shelters and survival gear. Fast forward to 2015 and the buzz word is "terrorist" which has transformed America into an armed camp which is fed by the "anti-terror" industry that rakes in billions of dollars from the hyped up fear mongering marketing campaign design to instill terror in the hearts of Americans.
The FBI is setting up command centers at all of its 56 field offices across the country ahead of the July 4 weekend, to monitor any potential terrorist threats, law enforcement sources have revealed.
Sources told Fox News that local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. will be reporting any information about possible attacks to these command centers - where officials will decide how to respond.
The move comes amid growing fears that the terror group ISIS is working to awaken sleeper cells in Western nations, after sympathizers were linked to three back-to-back attacks in France, Kuwait and Tunisia last Friday.
While the FBI says there has been no specific credible threat so far, it seems to be more active in its warnings and actions ahead of Independence Day this year than previously.
The FBI is setting up command centers at all of its 56 field offices across the country ahead of the July 4 weekend, to monitor any potential terrorist threats, law enforcement sources have revealed.
Sources told Fox News that local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. will be reporting any information about possible attacks to these command centers - where officials will decide how to respond.
The move comes amid growing fears that the terror group ISIS is working to awaken sleeper cells in Western nations, after sympathizers were linked to three back-to-back attacks in France, Kuwait and Tunisia last Friday.
While the FBI says there has been no specific credible threat so far, it seems to be more active in its warnings and actions ahead of Independence Day this year than previously.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
BANKS: A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY
Democracy as we know it originated in Greece and is now under the threat of collapse by a cabal of powerful global financiers; those "too big to fail" institutions that brought the US to the brink of financial collapse.
On the surface it looks like politicians who collectively represent the EU are calling the shots but one needs to only look behind the scenes to see who is in charge. Simply put; those that hold the purse strings;...the EC, the ECB and the IMF.
The $1.8 billion Greece owes the IMF is just a tiny fraction of what the country owes. The Council on Foreign Relations estimates that Greece owes the IMF, one of its many creditors, $26 billion. And this Wall Street Journal interactive explains what Greece owes its creditors and when.
Talks between Greece and its creditors broke down over their proposals for Athens to receive an additional $8.17 billion, the latest tranche in several infusions that will go to repay the country's outstanding loans. Greece's creditors — the EC, the ECB and the IMF — want the country to raise taxes and cut spending on welfare.
On the surface it looks like politicians who collectively represent the EU are calling the shots but one needs to only look behind the scenes to see who is in charge. Simply put; those that hold the purse strings;...the EC, the ECB and the IMF.
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