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Deconstructing Sunstein
by Keith Johnson
“Some of the nation's most important policies are implemented through regulation. In domains as diverse as energy efficiency, environmental protection, health care, occupational safety, civil rights, communications, homeland security, and many more, the government attempts to protect its citizens through regulations.” -Cass Sunstein
On February 16, 2010, Cass Sunstein made his first public speech as Obama’s regulation and information “Czar” during a keynote address at the American University's Washington College of Law. From it, we learn firsthand how a scientific dictatorship is being structured. Sunstein discusses techniques to manipulate human behavior in order to facilitate, or in his own words, “nudge” people into compliance with government policy. What’s frightening about his plan is that it parallels the social engineering outlined in Lord Bertrand Russell’s “The Impact of Science on Society”.
SUPRESSING EVIDENCE, DAVID MILIBAND AND UK COMLICITY IN TORTURE
BY SARAH GILLESPIE
Last Saturday I went to see Polly Nash and Andy Worthington’s harrowing documentary ‘Outside the Law, Tales from Guantánamo’ at London’s BFI.
The film knits together narratives so heart-wrenching I half wish I had not heard them. Yet the camaraderie between the detainees and occasional humorous anecdotes, such as Binyam Mohammed’s false confession that he tried to induce nuclear fission on April 1st, provide a glimpse into the wit, courage and normalcy of the men we are encouraged to perceive as monsters.
Violations of Iraqi Children Rights Under the American Occupation
Dr. Souad N. Al-Azzawi, Associate Professor in Environmental Engineering
For two decades, Iraqi children, along with all other elements of Iraqi society, have been subjected to grave human rights violations.
These violations began with the destruction of all civil services and Iraqi civil infrastructure by the US/UK aggression on Iraq during the Gulf War of 1991, and were followed by the brutal economical sanctions which deprived the people of Iraq of food, clean water, health care, education and security.
As a result more than half a million Iraqi children died during the nineties [1].The thirteen years of suffering under embargo ended with the American invasion of Iraq in 2003.
HIJAB: A Tale of Two Richards
by Nadia Hijab
They hail from opposite parts of the globe, but they have much in common: Jewish; experts on and passionate defenders of international law; and pummeling bags for Israel and the Palestinian Authority. And the future of the law of war lies at the heart of the campaigns against them.
Richard Goldstone, whose international stature was cemented as chief prosecutor in the Yugoslavia and Rwanda tribunals, has been excoriated by Israel and its allies ever since his team submitted the report on the Gaza war requested by the United Nations Human Rights Council in September 2009. The steady stream of invective (the report is “full of lies,” and he has “used his Jewishness to jeopardize the safety and security of Israel” are just two of the milder attacks) has also targeted his family and taken a toll on the publicly stoic judge.
Fannie and Freddie Start Returning Fraudulent Mortgages to Banks, But Crime Goes Unpunished
By Numerian Posted by Michael Collins
Citizens carry the load for bad loans by Wall Street
In a February regulatory filing with the SEC, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, now owned by the federal government, say they intend to return $21 billion in home mortgages to banks in 2010. Four commercial banks now dominate the home mortgage market: Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo, and they will receive the bulk of these repurchases. Since the banks sold these mortgages to these agencies for full value, they must buy them back at full value, but at least one bank, JP Morgan Chase, says these mortgages will then be immediately written down by 50%.
Why Switzerland Is Still Free and America Is Not
by Ron Holland
The American Time magazine article headline asks, "Will Switzerland Vote to Ban Minarets on Mosques?"
Swiss citizens are becoming concerned about the threat that Islam presents to their traditional culture, economy and religious institutions. As an American, I know how I would vote were I Swiss but the decision will be made by the Swiss electorate as they have this referendum right on all issues.
In Switzerland, the people still rule and have the ultimate right to decide decisions above the government or parliament. Through the right of referendum they can cancel legislation and with the initiative they can pass or create legislative action on issues parliament refuses to act upon.
The bias and closed statist views shown in the article is business as usual for the US media elites out to protect the American political establishment and are so evident in this headline and article. It isn’t the question they asked but rather the question they didn’t dare ask is the "700-lb gorilla in the room."
Targeting Israeli Apartheid
by Stephen Lendman
Reports like the Cape Town, South Africa-based Human Sciences Research Council's (HSRC) May 2009 one titled, "Occupation, Colonialism, Apartheid" highlight what many others understand, including former UN Special Human Rights Rapporteur for Occupied Palestine, John Dugard, stating in January 2007:
"Israel is clearly in military occupation of the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories). At the same time, elements of the occupation constitute forms of colonialism and of apartheid, which are contrary to international law."
IMF-STYLE AUSTERITY MEASURES COME TO AMERICA: WHAT “FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY” MEANS TO YOU
Ellen Brown
In addition to mandatory private health insurance premiums, we may soon be hit with a “mandatory savings” tax and other belt-tightening measures urged by the President’s new budget task force. These radical austerity measures are not only unnecessary but will actually make matters worse. The push for “fiscal responsibility” is based on bad economics.
When billionaires pledge a billion dollars to educate people to the evils of something, it is always good to peer closely at what they are up to. Hedge fund magnate Peter G. Peterson was formerly Chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations and head of the New York Federal Reserve. He is now senior chairman of Blackstone Group, which is in charge of disbursing government funds in the controversial AIG bailout, widely criticized as a government giveaway to banks. Peterson is also founder of the Peter Peterson Foundation, which has adopted the cause of imposing “fiscal responsibility” on Congress. He hired David M. Walker, former head of the Government Accounting Office, to spearhead a massive campaign to reduce the runaway federal debt, which the Peterson/Walker team blames on reckless government and consumer spending. The Foundation funded the movie “I.O.U.S.A.” to amass popular support for their cause, which largely revolves around dismantling Social Security and Medicare benefits as a way to cut costs and return to “fiscal responsibility.”
BOWING TO JEWISH PRESSURE
BY GILAD ATZMON
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced plans today to stop the issue of arrest warrants for foreign officials such as Tzipi Livni, Ehud Barak and other Israeli war criminals who were forced to cancel planned trips to London after arrest warrants were issued against them. Under Brown’s proposals, the Crown Prosecution Service will take over responsibility for prosecuting war crimes and other violations of international law. Currently magistrates have to consider the case for an arrest warrant to be issued.
A warrant for the arrest of Ms Livni was issued by a UK court in December last year following Israel's massacre in Gaza over a year ago. She consequently cancelled a planned visit.
Obama urges swift passage of his cost-cutting health care plan
President Obama spoke Wednesday to press for passage of his health care proposals. His remarks at the White House came less than a week after he hosted a bipartisan health care summit, which ended with no agreement from Republicans to back his plan.
Media commentary leading up to Obama’s remarks Wednesday focused on whether or not he would speak the word “reconciliation,” which refers to a procedure whereby congressional Democrats could approve the health care legislation with a simple majority vote. With the loss of a Senate seat to the Republicans in the recent special election in Massachusetts, the Democrats no longer have the 60 votes to end a Republican filibuster.
Although Obama did not refer to reconciliation by name, his remarks made clear that he will push for passage of the health care legislation through this process, hoping for a bill to sign before the Congress recesses for the Easter break beginning March 29.
What was truly remarkable about the speech, however, was the reactionary scope of the proposals Obama is seeking to implement. Nearly a year after beginning the push for an overhaul of the health care system, his administration has crafted—with input from congressional Democrats—a plan that unabashedly defends the profits of the insurance and drug companies while reducing and rationing health care for ordinary Americans.
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