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 Topics - Social/Political
 A Failed Experiment posted by Ernest Partridge via rialator, 2007-06-06 12:17:10
On January 20, 1981, in his first inaugural address, Ronald Reagan told the nation: "Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." Thus began a grand experiment: Release the American economy from the bonds of government regulation. Individual enterprise and initiative, the profit motive, the free market and open competition will usher in a new birth of freedom and a new era of unprecedented prosperity. (full story)
social/political / international
  The Hypocrisy of Religion: Catholic Cardinal threatens State Politicians posted by Kingfisher, 2007-06-05 15:25:24
SYDNEY -- A comment by Catholic Archbishop George Pell directed at Catholic Premier, Morris Iemma and other Catholic politicians, is clearly an attempt by the church to interfere with matters of State. Is this a case of an insular Cardinal pining for the good ol’ days when the Holy Roman Empire ruled Europe with a corrupt iron cross or is it a case of blatant religious hypocrisy? Perhaps the Cardinal’s comments relating to stem cell issues constitute a clear case of criminal blackmail – legal advocates may find a prime target in Cardinal Pell. A legal action could be interpreted as the State clearly delineating a distinction between matters of church and matters of State – Cardinals may discover they can’t have their cake and eat it with impunity! (full story and 1 comments)
social/political / international
Terrorism Defined: George Orwell and the power of language posted by Stephen Lendman via rialator, 2007-06-02 11:32:40
Probably no word better defines or underscores the Bush presidency than "terrorism" even though his administration wasn't the first to exploit this highly charged term. We use to explain what "they do to us" to justify what we "do to them," or plan to, always deceitfully couched in terms of humanitarian intervention, promoting democracy, or bringing other people the benefits of western civilization Gandhi thought would be a good idea when asked once what he thought about it. (full story)
social/political / international
At what cost: the loss of integrity? posted by fish, 2007-05-31 18:20:49
A view from the outside is far more revealing than the myopia offered from within. We are all apt to overlook the elephant for its trunk or ears when we are drawn too near a subject/object. In such a distorted world, teacup ‘storms’ appear as hurricanes. The loss of perspective is a precursor to the loss of FREEDOM; as the scope narrows, so our consciousness. Few in Oz seem to be aware that the opposition Labor party no longer has an ideological platform; the values of the traditional Australian Labor Party have been jettisoned for short-term gain, opportunism and expediency! (full story and 3 comments)
social/political / international
Bush kills off hopes for G8 climate change plan posted by J. Borger, D. Adam and S. Goldenberg via rialator, 2007-05-31 15:26:44
Bush kills off hopes for G8 climate plan US recognises global warming danger but wants to lead response outside UN.
George Bush yesterday threw international efforts to control climate change into confusion with a proposal to create a "new global framework" to curb greenhouse gas emissions as an alternative to a planned UN process. (full story)
social/political / international
 Whale slaughter in Southern Oceans posted by moby, 2007-05-28 09:08:25
Why is a Northern Hemisphere nation, JAPAN, permitted to flagrantly slaughter whales in Southern Hemisphere waters? Perhaps widespread inaction in the face of blatant Japanese smugness, arrogance, contempt for the environment, the International Whaling Commission and other nations is related to the world’s toleration of criminal wars resulting in hundreds of thousands of innocent human casualties! What chance do whales have if innocent HUMAN BEINGS are treated as expendable? (full story)
social/political / international
Politics of fear creating a dangerously divided world posted by Amnesty press via rialator, 2007-05-22 12:41:40
(London) Powerful governments and armed groups are deliberately fomenting fear to erode human rights and to create an increasingly polarized and dangerous world, said Amnesty International today as it launched Amnesty International Report 2007, its annual assessment of human rights worldwide. (full story)
social/political / international
 The Great Fellator: Kevin Rudd posted by nano, 2007-05-15 12:47:41
The Australian opposition leader Kevin Rudd is proving to be more servile, passive and accommodating than even the current Australian prime minister, John Howard – many would have thought it impossible to top Howard’s effort but Rudd has proven them all wrong! Rudd, desperate to please all will eventually please none if he persists with his supremely passive, non-assertive and thoroughly despicable behaviour. It‘s simply not fitting for an aspiring Australian leader to unashamedly kowtow to the wishes of China over the relatively benign visit of the exiled theocratic leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama. (full story and 3 comments)
social/political / national
 VIABLE Alternative posted by yarra, 2007-05-13 23:06:16
Murdoch makes his move, out with the old (conservative) and in with the new (conservative). The poll driven sheeple have just been nose-ringed by a Murdoch media ‘news poll’ that indicates the public has rejected the Howard-Costello cynical vote grabbing budget bribe in favour of the Murdoch endorsed K. Rudd, who “would make a good Prime Minister!” Have we forgotten that lunch in New York so soon? Murdoch's media reminds us the Kingmaker is a man of purpose and commitment. From now till the election observe his media slowly crucify Howard and project Rudd as the man for the Job – it’s time for a 'change'! (full story)
social/political / national
Bush's Zombie Shuffles Off posted by Tariq Ali via rialator, 2007-05-10 10:11:50
Tony Blair's success was limited to winning three general elections in a row. A second-rate actor, he turned out to be a crafty and avaricious politician, but without much substance; bereft of ideas he eagerly grasped and tried to improve upon the legacy of Margaret Thatcher. But though in many ways Blair's programme has been a euphemistic, if bloodier, version of Thatcher's, the style of their departures is very different. Thatcher's overthrow by her fellow-Conservatives was a matter of high drama: an announcement outside the Louvre's glass pyramid during the Paris Congress brokering the end of the Cold War; tears; a crowded House of Commons. (full story and 2 comments)
social/political / international
 Deconstructing the Australian Broadcasting Commission posted by peptide, 2007-05-07 13:05:44
The once public Australian broadcaster (ABC) is proving to be a brazen propaganda medium for the government. The latest overt propaganda issuing from ‘our’ ABC is clearly designed to soften public resistance to biometric and other intrusive forms of identification. Senator Stott Despoja is currently debating the uses and abuses of an identification smartcard in the Senate. With that debate in progress and unresolved we now witness BIOMETRIC ID ‘softening’ techniques by the ‘public’ broadcaster, ‘our’ ABC: (full story and 4 comments)
social/political / national
 The Insular Conservative: John Winston Howard posted by barra, 2007-05-05 11:16:54
The Federal Minister of Employment and Workplace Relations (big) Joe Hockey was forced this week to draw his leader’s attention to the oppressive reality facing average working Australians. Crushing debt, loss of penalty rates and other entitlements has forced many Australian families to the wall. Mortgagee sales in working class areas throughout the nation have increased at an alarming rate. John Howard, the darling of big business and the Corporate sector wondered why the common people were not eating cake! (full story and 1 comments)
social/political / national
 Dick Cheney's Banker Grantham Sees World Bubble posted by William Pesek via rialator, 2007-05-03 22:32:48
May 2 (Bloomberg) -- You'd expect someone whom the famously dour Dick Cheney entrusts with millions of his dollars might have a gloomy view of the world. Jeremy Grantham does indeed.
"From Indian antiquities to modern Chinese art; from land in Panama to Mayfair; from forestry, infrastructure and the junkiest bonds to mundane blue chips -- it's bubble time,'' he writes in Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co.'s latest quarterly letter titled, "The First Truly Global Bubble.'' (full story)
social/political / international
 Occupation Forces support Afghan Narcotics Trade posted by Prof. Michel Chossudovsky via rialator, 2007-05-02 11:51:21
The occupation forces in Afghanistan are supporting the drug trade, which brings between 120 and 194 billion dollars of revenues to organized crime, intelligence agencies and Western financial institutions. The proceeds of this lucrative multibllion dollar contraband are deposited in Western banks. Almost the totality of revenues accrue to corporate interests and criminal syndicates outside Afghanistan. (full story)
social/political / international
Political conjunctions and Blurring definitions posted by finn, 2007-04-30 23:17:48
A number of factors have recently formed a conjunction, which provided a new view of a popular ‘reality’. Whenever the flames of the terrorist ‘threat’ begin to wane convenient arrests are made that fan the embers back into flames of concern. Recent police raids in Sydney and Melbourne have resulted in the arrests of two Sri Lankan Tamils; “two men have appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on terrorism related charges,” ran the intro from one media outlet while another ran with, “men face terrorism charges after raids.” I’m sure we all get the drift but it should be noted that assistant commissioner to the Federal Police, Frank Prendergast, went to lengths "to make it clear that these men weren't involved in any possible attacks on Australian soil.” Well then, what? (full story)
social/political / national
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