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Corporatism and Fascism
Corporatism and Fascism
Targeting Jeremy Hammond
Targeting Jeremy Hammond
by Stephen Lendman
America is no democracy. It never was an isn't now. Obama enforces police state harshness. It's official policy. Lawless entrapment reflects it. More on that below.
CISPA Is Back
CISPA Is Back
by Stephen Lendman
It shouldn't surprise. The 2011 Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) never really went away. It ducked and covered for another day.
It's more about destroying personal freedom than online security. It gives government and corporate supporters unlimited power to access personal/privileged information online.
Aaron Schwartz and the Fight for Information Freedom
By Alfredo Lopez
In the madness of our media-fed consciousness, the greatest threat to an informative news story is time. Given enough time, and the dysfunctional and disinformative way the mainstream media cover news, even the most important and revealing story quickly dies out.
That is, unless we who use alternative media keep that story alive.
Israel's War Criminal of the Year Award
Israel's War Criminal of the Year Award
by Stephen Lendman
Imagining honoring crimes of war, against humanity and genocide. Imagine calling war on humanity honorable.
Imagine granting a nation's highest civilian award for waging it. It shouldn't surprise. Obama will receive Israel's Presidential Medal of Distinction. More on him below.
Straight Talk on US/Israeli Relations
Straight Talk on US/Israeli Relations
by Stephen Lendman
Harry Truman recognized Israel minutes after its May 14, 1948 independence was declared. He was the first world leader to do so.
Weeks earlier on March 25, he met secretly with Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann. He pledged support. A special bond was established.
Meet 6 Politicians Getting Rich from America's Endless Wars
War is a racket, and perpetual war is a money-printing machine. Though the defense industry as a whole contributes relatively little to members of Congress compared to, say, the pharmaceutical lobby, it remains an incredibly powerful and influential lobby. Below are the six members of the House whose primary industry donor in the 2012 election cycle was the "defense" sector. (Numbers are from the Center for Responsive Politics, unless otherwise noted.)
1. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA): $566,100 in 2012 cycle defense sector donations.
It's impossible to talk about defense industry beneficiaries without mentioning Buck McKeon. He became the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee in 2009, and then the chairperson after the GOP took the House in the 2010 election. Donations from the defense sector to his 2012 campaign dwarfed all other House campaigns, with McKeon bringing in a whopping $566,100.
That big pile of money certainly seems to have made McKeon a friend to the military. As part of the House, McKeon doesn't have the opportunity to vote on Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel, but he still publicly opposed the appointment, due to Hagel's presumed willingness to back defense spending cuts. A statement on McKeon's website reads in part, “[Hagel's] refusal to shut the door on further defense cuts put him at stark odds with the current Defense Secretary and military leaders.” McKeon is also, predictably, against a round of planned automatic cuts to domestic spending and the military budget, known as the sequester, which he has said could “start costing lives.”
Regarding the US' longest war, McKeon thinks it hasn't gone on long enough. He has called the planned troop drawdown next year, “needlessly fraught with risk,” and said that “our hard-fought gains are fragile and reversible.” If that language sounds familiar, it's because he said almost the same thing regarding troops leaving Iraq. "I remain concerned that this full withdrawal of US forces will make that road tougher than it needs to be,” he said in a statement posted on his website. “These shortcomings could reverse the decade of hard work and sacrifice both countries have endured to build a free Iraq.”
McKeon is predictably hawkish on Iran, consistently supports providing military aid to Israel, and is in favor of expanding military powers as contained in the 2012 NDAA act, which critics say allows for the indefinite detention of US citizens by the military.
Economic Straight Talk
Economic Straight Talk
by Stephen Lendman
Things aren't as good as they seem. Dire economic conditions masquerade as sound. Media scoundrels twist reality.
Big Lies proliferate. Repetition convinces most people hard times are good or not as bad as their personal situations suggest.
Two Years of Bahraini State Terrorism
Two Years of Bahraini State Terrorism
by Stephen Lendman
February 14 marked the second anniversary of Bahrain's uprising. Earlier protests erupted sporadically.
In mid-February 2011, major ones did nonviolently. They continue virtually daily. At issue is King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa's tyranny.
Escalating Tyranny in America
Escalating Tyranny in America
by Stephen Lendman
America's no democracy. It wasn't established to be one. It never was and isn't now.
Latter day framers today would be called a Wall Street crowd. They included money-lenders, investors, speculators, merchants, politicians, planters, and lawyers. High-mindedness wasn't on their agenda.
Medals for Murder
Medals for Murder
by Stephen Lendman
Extrajudicial killing is official US policy. Drone wars normalize it. Obama decides who lives or dies. He appointed himself judge, jury and executioner.
He's got final kill list authority. His secret memo authorized Anwar al-Awlaki's assassination. Anyone anywhere in the world can be murdered on his say.
LAPD High Crimes
LAPD High Crimes
by Stephen Lendman
Michael Ruppert is a former LAPD cop. He knows its dark side well. He witnessed it firsthand.
Obama's Failed State
Obama's Failed State
by Stephen Lendman
Obama's State of the Union address didn't surprise. It reflected rogue leadership. It was beginning-to-end demagogic boilerplate.
Defending the indefensible took center stage. Rhetoric substituted for progressive policies. Bombast assured business as usual.
The LAPD Got their Man How They Wanted Him: Dead
By Dave Lindorff
It was clear from the outset when fired LAPD cop Chris Dorner began his campaign of terror against his former employer that the California law enforcement establishment, led by the LAPD itself, had no interest in Dorner surviving to face trial where he could continue to rat out the racist and corrupt underbelly of the one of the country’s biggest police departments.
America's Deplorable State of the Union
America's Deplorable State of the Union
by Stephen Lendman
Obama's annual State of the Union addresses reflect beginning-to-end doublespeak duplicity. Empty rhetoric signals business as usual.
Policy prioritizes corporate empowerment, rewarding rich elites, letting popular needs go begging, funding America's war machine, and cracking down hard on non-believers.
Beating Up on North Korea
Beating Up on North Korea
by Stephen Lendman
On February 11, Pyongyang informed Washington and China of its intentions. February 12 headlines explained.
They said North Korea conducted its third nuclear test. Russia's Defense Ministry estimated a blast exceeding seven kilotons.
Throwing Light on the Dark Side of Dorner's Rampage
By Linn Washington, Jr.
On September 10, 2012 the Los Angeles Times published an article with the headline: “LAPD to hold meetings on use of force policies.”
Top Los Angeles police officials announced those community meetings to counter growing criticism about videoed brutality incidents involving LA police officers in the preceding months, that article noted.
Impeach Obama: A National Imperative
Impeach Obama: A National Imperative
by Stephen Lendman
Do it now before it's too late!
America's Declaration of Independence states:
Record Number of US Military and Veteran Suicides
Record Numbers of US Military and Veteran Suicides
by Stephen Lendman
Headlines like this should shock: Suicides Outpace War Deaths. Surge in Military Suicides. Nearly Two Dozen Veterans Commit Suicide Daily.
These reports and similar ones reveal imperialism's dark side. War takes its toll. Civilians suffer most. So do many combatants and veterans after returning home.
Keeping Americans Safe: Freedom of Information Takes Another Hit in the United States
By Dave Lindorff
The US government doesn't like Iran. I get that. It claims, on pretty dubious grounds, that Iran might be planning, at some point down the road, to take some of the uranium it is processing into nuclear fuel to a higher level of purity and make it into an atomic bomb.
Whitewashing Extrajudicial Killing
Whitewashing Extrajudicial Killing
by Stephen Lendman
Extrajudicial killing is official US policy. Doing so violates fundamental international, constitutional, and US statute laws.
Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:
Big Oil's in Good Hands with Sally Jewell
Big Oil’s in Good Hands with Sally Jewell
by Stephen Lendman
On February 6, Obama chose Jewell as new Interior Secretary. More on her below.
She'll replace Ken Salazar. He supported BP's Deepwater Horizon operation. He ignored environmental risks. He approved BP's exploration plan with no environmental analysis.
First Constitutional Amendment to be Introduced in Congress Stating Corporations Are Not People & Money Is Not Speech
Reps. Nolan & Pocan Respond to Over 500 Municipal Resolutions Calling for “We the People” Amendment
On Monday, February 11, Move to Amend will join members of Congress as they introduce Move to Amend’s “We the People Amendment” an amendment that clearly and unequivocally states that: 1) Rights recognized under the Constitution belong to human beings only, and not to government-created artificial legal entities such as corporations and limited liability companies; and 2) Political campaign spending is not a form of speech protected under the First Amendment.
Extrajudicial Killing: Official US Policy
Extrajudicial Killing: Official US Policy
by Stephen Lendman
Since taking office, Obama headed America toward full-blown tyranny. He enforces Bush administration police state laws. He added more of his own. He governs like a tinpot despot.
He targets free expression, dissent, whistleblowing, and other constitutional freedoms. He usurped diktat authority.
Obama Declares Global Cyberwar
Obama Declares Global Cyberwar
by Stephen Lendman
Throughout his tenure, Obama governed lawlessly for the monied interests that own him. He's waged no-holds-barred war on humanity.
Hillary Clinton: Profile of Imperial Arrogance and Lawlessness
Hillary Clinton: Profile of Imperial Arrogance and Lawlessness
by Stephen Lendman
She was Washington's 67th Secretary of State. She served from January 21, 2009 - February 1, 2013. She's arguably America's worst.
From 2001 - 2009, she was US Senator from New York. In 2008, she challenged Obama for the Democrat party's presidential nomination.
Moscow to West: Hands Off Middle East/Africa
Moscow to West: Hands Off Middle East/Africa
by Stephen Lendman
Munich's Security Conference is held annually. This year marks the 49th session. Dozens of countries participated. Hundreds of world leaders attended.
They included heads of state, foreign affairs and defense ministers, as well as other senior figures. Active engagement was prioritized. Current and future security challenges were discussed.
Links? We Don’t Do No Stinkin’ Links: Cognitive Dissonance at the New York Times
By Dave Lindorff
For a masterpiece in cognitive dissonance, just look to the foreign editors and the managing editor of the New York Times, who ran two stories in Saturday’s paper without referencing each other at all.
Social Inequality in America
Social Inequality in America
by Stephen Lendman
Islamic Awakening requested an article on this topic. Later publication will follow. Specific questions were raised.
Related issues include imperial priorities, permanent wars, political injustice, wealth and privilege at the expense of popular needs, and deepening hardships affecting millions of Americans.
Women in Combat: A Distraction From the Real Issue
By John Grant
Waging War on Immigrants
Waging War on Immigrants
by Stephen Lendman
Earlier articles discussed Washington's racist war on immigrants. It's longstanding. It mocks notions of welcoming tired, poor, wretched masses yearning to breathe free.
White supremacist Judeo/Christian extremism prevents it. Poor and desperate people aren't welcome. People of color are scorned. Exploiting unwanted masses is policy. Helping them is verboten.
