Corporatism and Fascism

By John Grant

I write a lot of critical things about militarism, our unnecessary wars and our growing surveillance/police state. So it was heartwarming to watch the videos and listen to the stories from the Boston Marathon bombing about civilian “first-responders” who chose not to flee but to wade into a very messy situation.

Post-Boston Bombings Fear-Mongering

by Stephen Lendman

On April 17, major media reported Obama and Senator Roger Wicker (R. MI) receiving letters containing suspicious substances. 

FBI testing continues. Initial evaluations confirmed ricin. A subsequent statement reported "inconsistent results." Further analysis is being conducted. 

Washington v. Venezuela

by Stephen Lendman

Longstanding US plans prioritize regime change. It's the oil, stupid! Venezuela has the world's largest reserves. It's a prize Washington covets. More on that below.

Post-election US-orchestrated destabilization continues. Venezuelans elected Nicolas Maduro president. The electoral process was scrupulously open, free and fair. The result is indisputable.

Marathon Terror: Homegrown or State-Sponsored?

by Stephen Lendman

Boston's marathon is the modern world's oldest. It's the best known. It's an annual tradition. It's been held since 1897. It's one of six World Marathon Majors.

Thousands of runners participate. Professionals and amateurs compete. Hundreds of thousands of spectators watch it. They do so throughout its 26.2 mile route.

Destabilizing Venezuela

by Stephen Lendman

On April 14, Venezuelans elected Nicolas Maduro president. He won fair and square. It's official. A nationally televised Monday ceremony announced it. 

Opposition candidate Henrique Capriles cried foul. He called Maduro "illegitimate." He refuses to recognize election results. He demands a recount. He wants "every vote" counted. National Electoral Council (CNE) president Tibisay Lucena responded.

By Dave Lindorff

I ran the Boston Marathon back in 1968, and, my feet covered with blisters inside my Keds sneakers, dragged across the finish line to meet my waiting uncle at a time of about 3 hours and 40 minutes. It was close enough to the time that the current bombing happened in this year’s race -- about four hours from the starting gun -- that had I been running it this year, I might still been near enough to the finish line to have heard the blasts.

Gold Drops Most in 30 Years

by Stephen Lendman

It's getting hammered. In August 2011, it rose above $1,900 an ounce. It was an all-time high. At midday April 15, it was $1,364. It's a 28%+ decline.

Silver's also hit hard. In 2011, it exceeded $48 an ounce. It plunged to its midday April 15 $23.45 level. It's more than a 50% decline.

By Dave Lindorff

What’s wrong with the Obama administration’s proposal to change the way Social Security checks are adjusted for inflation from using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to instead using something called a “chained” CPI?

Let’s start with the fundamental problem: Social Security is not a cause of the federal budget deficit, and will not be for years, even if nothing is done to raise more revenue for the program.

Creating a North Korean Threat

by Stephen Lendman

Washington needs enemies. When none exist, they're invented. A previous article said North Korea's straight from central casting. 

Pyongyang threatens no one. Media scoundrels say otherwise. So does Obama. On the one hand, he claims no one wants war on the Korean peninsula. He urges Pyongyang "to pursue peace."

Globalized Torture

by Stephen Lendman

America's the world's leading human rights abuser. State terror is official policy. So is waging war on humanity. 

Guantanamo operates lawlessly. It's America's public face. It's the tip of the iceberg. More on that below.

Greater Grand Theft Cyprus

by Stephen Lendman

Hit 'em again harder is policy. Cyprus is Exhibit A. It's pound of flesh demanded got greater. "Could it possibly get any worse," headlined Cyprus Mail?"

Obama's Neoliberal Budget

by Stephen Lendman

Main Street America's in protracted Depression. Conditions go from bad to worse. More than ever, vital stimulus is needed. Lots of it. 

Obama's solution is force-fed austerity. In term one, he prioritized it. His FY 2014 budget offers more of the same. 

Attacking Venezuela's Democratic Process

by Stephen Lendman

Jimmy Carter calls Venezuelan elections the world's best. He does so for good reason. They shame America's sham process. Duopoly power controls things. People have no say. 

Force-Fed UK Austerity

by Stephen Lendman

Since 2008, America, Britain and other European nations force-fed austerity harshness. Neoliberal and imperial priorities take precedence. 

Bankers, war profiteers, other corporate favorites, and privileged elites alone benefit. Ordinary people lose out entirely. Public needs go begging. Human misery grows. Things go from bad to worse. Nothing ahead looks promising.

Deplorable Bahraini Human Rights Abuses Continue

by Stephen Lendman

In summer 2010, sporadic protests began. In mid-February 2011, major ones erupted. Bahrainis want democracy. They want King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalif's repressive regime replaced.

 

By:  Alfredo Lopez

 

Last week the governments of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom fired a warning shot at Google and it appears they're reloading the gun with real ammunition.

Thatcherism

by Stephen Lendman

Thatcherism represents Chicago School fundamentalism writ large. She’s gone. She won’t be missed. 

She launched a corporatist revolution. She headed Britain down a slippery slope toward unfettered predatory capitalism. 

Obama's War on Social America

by Stephen Lendman

Obama, Republicans and most democrats are in lockstep. They claim Medicare and Social Security are going broke. They lie saying so. When properly administered, both programs are sound. Modest adjustments only are needed to assure it.

They're federally mandated. They're not entitlements. They're contractual obligations. They're for eligible recipients who qualify. Payroll taxes fund them. 

By Dave Lindorff

Note from TCBH: Manhattan island hosts the headquarters of four of the nation's five biggest "too-big-to-fail" banks: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, JP MorganChase, and Citi Group. US Attorney General Eric Holder has stated publicly in Congress that he has no intention of seeking criminal indictments of these banks or their top executives -- or even their middle-ranking executives for that matter -- despite the myriad frauds, scams and schemes they've all engaged in, like robo-signing mortgage documents and touting derivatives that they were privately calling "sh*t," all of which led to the crashing of the US and global economies.

Secret FDIC Plan to Loot Bank Accounts

by Stephen Lendman

It shouldn't surprise. It's already policy. Market analyst Graham Summers explained. Depositor theft is coming. Europe is banker occupied territory. So is America. 

New York Times Supports Targeted Killings

by Stephen Lendman

It doesn't surprise. When America goes to war or plans one, Times editors march in lockstep. They support imperial lawlessness. More on that below.

America's AfPak war is illegal. Tactics include targeted killings. Drones, helicopters and other conventional air strikes are used. 

Destabilizing Venezuela: Longstanding US Policy

by Stephen Lendman

It doesn't surprise. It's likely happening ahead of Venezuela's April 14 presidential election. It'll continue when it's over. 

Washington tolerates no independent governments. It demands pro-Western ones. It wants them serving US interests. Outliers are targeted for regime change.

Defending IMF Financial Terrorism

by Stephen Lendman

On March 29, New York Times editors headlined "Strengthening the IMF." What demands abolition, they support. It doesn't surprise. 

By Dave Lindorff

Hold everything!

I mean it. Stop talking about cutting school budgets, Social Security benefits, Medicare, Veteran’s pensions. Stop cutting subsidies to transit systems, to foreign aid. Stop cutting unemployment benefits. Stop it all.

Permanent War: Longstanding US Policy

by Stephen Lendman

Wars define America. They reflect longstanding policy. They're permanent. They've been waged every year in the nation's history. They target enemies at home and abroad. When none exist, they're invented.

Peace is a non-starter. It's always been that way. It never had a chance. It doesn't now. It's systematically spurned. 

BOJ Increases QE

by Stephen Lendman

On April 4, the Financial Times headlined "Bank of Japan follows the Fed, on steroids." Pedal-to-the-metal reflects new governor Haruhiko Kuroda's policy.

Playing the North Korea Card

by Stephen Lendman

For decades, North Korea's wanted normalized relations with Washington. It's been repeatedly rebuffed. Promises made were broken. America needs enemies. 

By Dave Lindorff

The history of third parties in America is pretty dismal. The system is rigged against them, for one thing. But equally problematic is the lack of focus that leads to infighting and splits whenever a third party is created.

Public Banking: What Better Time Than Now

by Stephen Lendman

Money power in private hands games the system. It does so destructively. Controlling money, credit and debt for private enrichment assures speculation, booms, busts, inflation, deflation, instability, crisis, recessions and depressions.