Melvin A. Goodman | President Obama and the CIA: What Must Be DoneMelvin A. Goodman, Truthout: "New presidents (and President Barack Obama is no exception) fall in love with three Washington institutions: the Pentagon, the Central Intelligence Agency and Camp David. The Camp David love affair makes sense; it contributes to the president's physical and mental health. The infatuation with the military and intelligence communities, however, can create serious problems for both the administration and the nation."
Read the ArticleObama Administration's Budget Calls for Billions of Dollars in New Spending for Drones Jason Leopold, Truthout: "This is how major US defense contractors reacted to the Obama administration's unveiling of its fiscal year 2011 spending plan for the Pentagon, part of the president's overall $3.8 trillion budget proposal."
Read the ArticleLeslie Thatcher | Reign of MolochLeslie Thatcher, Truthout: "When, in a casual aside during a Macroeconomics lecture at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in 1976, Dr. Jamshed K. S. Ghandi mused about how and when children had gone from being 'investment goods' to becoming 'consumer goods,' I assumed that he was referring to the already-noticeable trend among middle class baby boomers like myself to prepare for the arrival of a new baby with the purchase of vast quantities of baby 'materiel' in constant need of disposal, upgrade, restocking, making the child a locus of unremitting consumption."
Read the ArticleObama's One-Dollar Promise to WomenDick Meister, Truthout: "One of the most important promises made by President Obama in his State of the Union address has been largely overlooked: his promise to crack down on violations of equal pay laws, so that women get equal pay for an equal day's work."
Read the ArticleObama Discusses War, Jobs and the Environment Live on YouTubeMary Susan Littlepage, Truthout: "President Obama sat down with an interviewer from YouTube Monday afternoon to sell his $3.8 trillion budget for fiscal year 2011. It's the latest step by an administration relentlessly focused on finding new ways to connect with the public."
Read the ArticleLandmark Case Could Restore Felon Voting RightsMatthew Cardinale, Inter Press Service: "A historic ruling earlier this month on behalf of felons who lost the right to vote could call into question the disenfranchisement of felons and ex-felons in the State of Washington and indeed across the United States."
Read the ArticleNorman Solomon | Don't Call It a "Defense" BudgetNorman Solomon, Truthout: "This isn't 'defense.' The new budget from the White House will push US military spending well above $2 billion a day. Foreclosing the future of our country should not be confused with defending it."
Read the ArticleDoes President Obama Really Want a "Better Approach" to Fix Health Care?Kevin Zeese, Truthout: "Obama keeps saying he wants better ideas, but then will not meet with doctors desperately trying to let him know a better approach."
Read the ArticleUS, Karzai Clash on Unconditional Talks with TalibanGareth Porter, Inter Press Service: "On the surface, it would seem unlikely that Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who presides over a politically feeble government and is highly dependent on the U.S. military presence and economic assistance, would defy the United States on the issue of peace negotiations with the leadership of the Taliban insurgency."
Read the ArticleYour Ticket to Violence and SqualorMark Chou, Truthout: "'Save a life, create jobs and rebuild communities.' Three reasons to travel you can't say no to. That's the pitch of Los Angeles's newest tourist attraction: LA Gang Tours. And it's a pitch that seems to be working. Even before the company opened for business earlier this month, tickets had already sold out."
Read the ArticleProp 8 Trial Week Three: The CliffhangerEric Malone, OpEdNews: "The fabled trial to overturn Proposition 8 in California is wrapping up after almost three weeks of testimony, and it's looking good for the plaintiffs who support same-sex marriage. (The defense is backing Prop 8, the initiative that defines marriage as between a man and a woman, denying that same right to gay people.) The attorneys working to overturn Prop 8 concluded most of their evidence and testimony last week, and this week the supporters of the gay marriage ban presented only two witnesses, pared down from a much larger number."
Read the ArticleRobert Reich | Our Incredible Shrinking Democracy Robert Reich, RobertReich.org: "I wish conservatives would stop complaining about big government and start worrying about the real problem - small democracy. I wish we'd all worry more about our incredible shrinking democracy."
Read the ArticleMexico Considers Clamping Down on TwitterMichael E. Miller, GlobalPost: "Mexico has racked up its fair share of menacingly named outlaws in a three-year drug war: the Zetas, Aztecas and even a band of female assassins called the Panthers. Now, if the government gets its way, another name will also make the wanted list: los Twitteros."
Read the ArticleNOW | Has the Democratic Party Traded Principles for Power?NOW: "To gain their historic control of Congress, Democrats fielded moderate candidates who didn't always follow the party line, especially when it came to abortion. Now that the Democratic Party has the legislative upper hand, are they willing to negotiate away reproductive rights for other political gains?"
Read the ArticleNorman Solomon on Guiding the Democratic Party in a Progressive Direction (VIDEO)Norman Solomon spoke at the Santa Rosa Democratic Club meeting on January 27, 2010. In a short video clip he gives a summation of his speech.
Read the Article
