The horizon is not so far as we can see, but as far as we can imagine

Category: Uncategorized Page 21 of 105

Open Thread

Use to discuss topics unrelated to recent posts.

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – May 5 2024

by Tony Wikrent

 

Disrupting mainstream economics

Finding the Money OFFICIAL TRAILER

[Finding the Money, YouTube,

Release MAY 3, 2024: www.findingmoneyfilm.com

An intrepid group of economists is on a mission to instigate a paradigm shift by flipping our understanding of the national debt — and the nature of money — upside down. FINDING THE MONEY follows Stephanie Kelton, former chief economist on the Senate Budget Committee, on a journey through Modern Money Theory or “MMT,” to inject new hope and empower democracies around the world to tackle the biggest challenges of the 21st century: from climate change to inequality.

Biden’s Economic Adviser Tries and Fails To Explain How Money Works

[Washington Free Beacon on YouTube, via Naked Capitalism 05-03-2024]

[TW: Jared Bernstein is one of the most progressive, pro-labor mainstream economists out there. He is is a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and serves  as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. His stupefaction on this question sparked a very interesting and informative discussion in the comments on Naked Capitalism Links 05-03-2024.]

 

Global power shift

SITREP 4/27/24: U.S. Admits Top Weapons Failures to Superior Russian EW 

[Simplicius the Thinker, via Naked Capitalism 04-28-2024]

Another US pilot confirms F-16s in Ukraine are toast 

[InfoBrics, via Naked Capitalism 04-30-2024]

Open Thread

Use to discuss topics unrelated to recent posts.

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – April 28 2024

by Tony Wikrent

Global power shift

Ukraine: A Guide For The Perplexed 

Aurelien, via Naked Capitalism 04-27-2024]

 

Gaza / Palestine / Israel

Naked Capitalism Links 04-21-2024, by Lambert Strether, has a series of X-tweets regarding the suppression of pro-Palestinian protests in USA, France, and other countries, the attempt to label protestors as anti-Semitic, and commentary about ties to intelligence agencies and suborning of police.

Israel’s defense minister calls for halting pro-Gaza protests at US universities 

[Anadolu Agency, via Naked Capitalism 04-25-2024]

Netanyahu Calls for Crackdown on Pro-Palestine Protesters in the US

Dave DeCamp [via Delphi Initiative, April 24, 2024]

Echoing President Biden, Netanyahu labeled the demonstrations ‘antisemitic’ by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday called for a crackdown on Americans protesting against Israel’s slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza at college campuses across the United States. “What’s happening in America’s college campuses is horrific. Antisemitic mobs have taken over

Israel’s Doom Loop for Our Democracy

Skip Kaltenheuse [via Thomas Neuburger, God’s Spies, April 26, 2024]

Would it go over if any other foreign country’s minions publicly announced they’d spend a hundred million dollars to defeat a handful of US Representatives who opposed ethnic cleansing? If they offered bribes of 20 million dollars to people to primary those they want removed?

Free Speech on the Ropes: Legislation to Revoke Not-for-Profit Status of Organizations that Support Palestine Protests Passes in House

[Naked Capitalism 04/26/2024]

[X-Twitter, via Naked Capitalism 04-27-2024]

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[X-Twitter, via Naked Capitalism 04-23-2024]

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Open Thread

Use to discuss topics unrelated to recent posts.

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – April 21 2024

by Tony Wikrent

 

Strategic Political Economy

Will the American Oligarchy Accept Limits or Choose World War Three?

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Conor Gallagher

 

Database Exposes ‘Illicit Network Undermining Democracy Around the World’

Brett Wilkins, April 05, 2024 [CommonDreams]

“Coups. Assassinations. Riots. Detentions. Disinformation. We know the tactics that have been deployed to undermine our democracies. But who is behind them?”

Progressive International (PI) asks and answers this and other questions with an extensive new database published Wednesday that connects the dots in what the leftist group calls the “Reactionary International“—a loose global network of right-wing leaders and organizations working to subvert democratic institutions.

PI calls it an “illicit network undermining democracy around the world.”….

A cursory search of the database’s contents shows users can:

  • Learn about Israel’s NSO, Rayzone, and Team Jorge, and how a team of Tel Aviv tech entrepreneurs fuel unrest in Latin America;
  • Meet the Grey Wolves, Turkey’s roving death squad with links to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ethno-nationalists in his governing coalition; and
  • Explore the global network of the Falun Gong, its Trump-connected media outlet The Epoch Times, and its traveling dance troupe known as Shen Yun….

 

Global power shift

Open Thread

Use to discuss topics unrelated to recent posts.

Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – April 14, 2024

by Tony Wikrent

 

Strategic Political Economy

Heather Cox Richardson Politics Chat: April 9, 2024

[Youtube, April 9, 2024]

[TW: 3:00 Two major things are occurring in USA, and they are closely tied to each other. One is what Trump is doing. The other is what the Republican Party is doing, which since 1981 has operated under the ideology that the way to make the country better is to concentrate wealth at the top of the economy, so the wisest and most business savvy cam invest it most efficiently to create growth and jobs.

5:30 Why the question “Is Trump a fascist?” is not really interesting or useful.

8:00 Even though the Founders were including only white wealthy males like themselves, the Declaration of Independence was radically revolutionary because it rejected the ideology that some people are better than others and should be the rulers. Trump and the people who support him have rejected this bedrock belief of American democracy; they believe some people are better than others, and they have the right to rule. They do not believe in human equality.

Trump is not running to win the popular vote. They realize they are a minority but believe they are correct and morally superior. They believe they are opposing the causes of USA decline.

Corporate leaders are seeking to protect their positions of privilege and the preferential tax treatment they have enjoyed under the Reagan, Bush and Trump tax cuts. They are determined to prevent Biden from upsetting their applecart.

25:30 The Republicans have only a minority of voters supporting them, and they recognize this. In 1986, they began their campaign of suppressing Democratic votes with their “ballot integrity” campaign. Then they began aggressive gerrymandering after the 2010 election which was the first election after the Citizens United decision allowed unlimited amounts of money into politics.

28:00 ? In 2007, Mitch McConnell became Senate leader, and he recognized that they did not have majority support. The clear majority of Americans liked Social Security, clean air and clear water, and business regulation. But, if Republicans could screw up Congress and prevent progressive legislation from being passed, they could pack the courts with people who believed like they did, and they could rewrite the laws by reinterpreting them, without passing any laws.

40:00 ? HCR lists Biden’s accomplishments, and concludes Biden is the most consequential President since LBJ and perhaps FDR. ]

 

If Trump Wins, the GOP Is Ready to Wage War on the Working Class

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