Push for Controversial Trade Deal Continues With Pitch From Defense Secretary

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on Monday trumpeted the administration’s so-called Pacific pivot and urged passage of legislative power that critics say will allow a massive corporate-friendly trade deal to be rammed through Congress. Carter made the remarks during a speech at the McCain Institute of Arizona State University ahead of his inaugural trip to Asia, which begins with visits to Japan and …

War budget might be permanent ‘slush fund’

The practice of slipping unrelated or pet projects into spending bills for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — from new helicopters to fighter aircraft — has long been derided as deceptive and financially irresponsible. But now lawmakers have taken the budget gimmickry to a whole new level — no longer even pretending that billions of dollars in additional war …

Institute Finds US Medical System Wastes $750 Billion Per Year

Now surely that’s a big number, and it’s really concerning just considering this fact — but I want to put this figure into perspective for you. After all, it’s hard to envision a billion dollars let alone 750 billion. The amount we’re talking about here is not only more than the entire budget for the US Department of Defense, or more than …

Fukushima: an unnatural disaster that must never be repeated

The Fukushima catastrophe four years ago today was no natural disaster, writes Arnie Gundersen. Operator TEPCO and nuclear regulators were well aware of the danger of tsunamis, but put money before safety. Nuclear power remains the only energy source that can destroy a country overnight – and it’s time to ditch it! Four years have passed since the March 11 tragic triple …

US Navy Sailors Search for Justice after Fukushima Mission

In March of 2011, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan rushed to Japan to help after the disastrous tsunami. Since then, many sailors from that ship have fallen ill, possibly as a result of exposure to radiation from the Fukushima nuclear meltdown. They will soon have their day in court. On March 11, 2011, the American aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan received orders to …