It’s amusing to see how our staunch progressives — who believe so deeply in a level playing field and fair play, who railed so vociferously against crony capitalism back in Bush-Time — are now twisting themselves in knots to dismiss the stories about that long-festering font of corruption, the Clinton Foundation. Suddenly, what was once evil and corrosive — peddling …
American Politics: A House of Mirrors – Ulson Gunnar
A house of mirrors is an immersive, highly distorted and intentionally confusing version of reality. Those walking its corridors are sometimes amused and sometimes frightened by the disorienting experience, but luckily for them, it is only temporary. There is an exit, and they will walk through it, back to reality. But what if one existed their entire lives in such …
While Fire over TPP is Red Hot, Demand Grows for Clinton to Speak Up – Jon Queally
With the fight over Fast Track authority in full swing and the battle lines drawn between progressive voices opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and corporate-backed forces rallying in its favor, a growing chorus of voices want Hillary Clinton—who recently made her presidential bid for 2016 official—to take a definitive stance on the controversial trade pact that so clearly represents the …
US Lawmakers Quietly Advance Legislation to Penalize Boycott of Israel – Sarah Lazare
U.S. lawmakers are quietly advancing legislation that would penalize international participation in the growing movement to boycott, divest from, and sanction (BDS) Israel for human rights abuses against Palestinians. With little notice, anti-BDS directives were injected into the “Fast Track” legislation that passed the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday night, despite broad opposition to the bill, which gives the administration of President Barack …
Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation as Russians Pressed for Control of Uranium Company – JO BECKER and MIKE McINTIRE
The headline in Pravda trumpeted President Vladimir V. Putin’s latest coup, its nationalistic fervor recalling an era when the newspaper served as the official mouthpiece of the Kremlin: “Russian Nuclear Energy Conquers the World.” The article, in January 2013, detailed how the Russian atomic energy agency, Rosatom, had taken over a Canadian company with uranium-mining stakes stretching from Central Asia …
The Richest 0.01 Percent of Americans Gave 42 Percent of Political Donations in 2012 – Stephen Wolf
The top 0.01 percent of Americans gave nearly 42 percent of all political donation dollars in the 2012 election cycle. Photo Credit: crowdpac Forget the top one percent, the top 0.01 percent of Americans [2] gave nearly 42 percent of all political donation dollars in the 2012 election cycle. Just over 30,000 individuals contributed nearly half of all money. It is no coincidence …
Wall Street Is Cool With Hillary Clinton Pretending To Be A Populist – DS Wright
At this stage of the game you have to be exceedingly dim or incredibly delusional to think that Hillary Clinton is a progressive. Her record of supporting cuts to programs helping children in poverty, voting for reckless wars overseas, applauding domestic surveillance, and standing with corporate power in Congress speaks for itself. But in order to win an election in …
A Foreclosure Conveyor Belt: The Continuing Depopulation of Detroit – Laura Gottesdiener
Unlike so many industrial innovations, the revolving door was not developed in Detroit. It took its first spin in Philadelphia in 1888, the brainchild of Theophilus Van Kannel, the soon-to-be founder of the Van Kannel Revolving Door Company. Its purpose was twofold: to better insulate buildings from the cold and to allow greater numbers of people easier entry at any given …
The Ascent of Hillary, the $.2.5 Billion “People’s” Candidate – Glen Ford
The Democratic Party has become a desert where nothing grows – except the One Percent’s hold on the party machinery. No need for primaries; Hillary Clinton’s rich contributors have already locked up the nomination. “Wall Street is determined that there will be no serious Democratic deviation from the corporate agenda set by Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.” Hillary Clinton just …
As Corporate Forces Push Fast Track Bill, Progressives Draw Battle Lines – Deirdre Fulton
Warning that passing Fast Track legislation would amount to rubber-stamping corporate trade pacts like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, progressives are vowing to hold members of Congress accountable for their votes on the compromise bill announced Thursday—and reminding them of how dangerous such trade policies are for the public, workers, and the planet. “[T]he big deal is that Fast Track sets the stage for …