Chris Hedges and Andrew Harvey: The Time For Action Is Now Before It’s Too Late

with Chris Hedges
Writer, Dandelion Salad
April 8, 2013

Image by D.C.Atty via Flickr

Progressive Commentary Hour – Conversations With Great Minds
Gary Null
April 8, 2013

[...]

Among Chris’ many noteworthy books are “American Fascists” (about the fundamental Christian Right), “Empire of Illusion”, and “Death of the Liberal Class”. His latest is “Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt”  – a  compelling hard look at the most impoverished regions in the US that have become what Chris calls “sacrifice zones” for the benefit of the  powerful and wealthy.

In the Arms of Dictators: America the Great… Global Arms Dealer by Andrew Gavin Marshall

Image by U.S. Missile Defense Agency via Flickr

by Andrew Gavin Marshall
Writer, Dandelion Salad
http://andrewgavinmarshall.com
March 26, 2013

The following is a first draft sample from a chapter currently being written for The People’s Book Project. Read more about The People’s Book Project here, and please consider donating to help the Project continue.

The American imperial system incorporates much more than supporting the occasional coup or undertaking the occasional war. Coups, wars, assassinations and other forms of overt and covert violence and destabilization, while relatively common and consistent for the United States – compared to other major powers – are secondary to the general maintenance of a system of imperial patronage.

The Empire is an Able Servant of Oil Companies and The War Machine by Cindy Sheehan + Tour de Peace by David Swanson

by Cindy Sheehan
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox Blog
February 17, 2013

Image by Dandelion Salad via Flickr

Long before it was “cool,” our family home in Norwalk, Ca (where my three youngest children were born) had solar space and water heating. We recycled and combined errands to try to use the least amount of fossil fuel as possible. Still, in California, (as in most other places in our nation), it’s almost impossible to live and work without a car: reliable, cheap, and useful public transportation just isn’t here.

However, when my son, Casey, was killed in Iraq in a war waged for the major, international oil companies and other profiteers, my opposition to fossil fuel usage grew along with my guilt for my own oil gluttony.

Recipe for Endless Profits to War Profiteers and Their Legally-Bribed Politicians by Ed Ciaccio

by Ed Ciaccio
Dandelion Salad
Featured Writer
February 10, 2013

Image by Steve Rhodes via Flickr

Ingredients (or should it be Ingreedients?):

Imperialist ideologues of all political parties

Arms manufacturers (war profiteers)

Politicians with no conscience nor regard for international laws or the Constitution

Corporate media

Generalissima Clinton Expanding the Empire by Ralph Nader

Image by Abode of Chaos via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

by Ralph Nader
The Nader Page
February 8, 2013

Hillary Clinton has completed her four-year tenure as Secretary of State to the accolades of both Democratic and Republican Congressional champions of the budget-busting “military-industrial complex,” that President Eisenhower warned about in his farewell address. Behind the public relations sheen, the photo-opportunities with groups of poor people in the developing world, an ever more militarized State Department operated under Clinton’s leadership.

When Did the Coup Take Place? by Luke Hiken

by Luke Hiken
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
January 11, 2013

Image by rawEarth via Flickr

When did the coup happen here, and how did we miss it? I always imagined military coups to occur when jack-booted generals marched into the town square in front of columns of heavily armed soldiers. Pinochet, Mussolini, Franco come to mind – we’ve all seen the pictures. But here in the United States, nobody even has a clue as to when the Pentagon, and its secret policing, “anti-terrorist” organizations took control of the U.S. government and its people.

A Political Odyssey: The Rise of American Militarism reviewed by Milina Jovanović

by Milina Jovanović
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
originally published at www.zcommunications.org
January 2, 2013

Image by jcolman via Flickr

Mike Gravel and Joe Lauria. A Political Odyssey: The Rise of American Militarism and One Man’s Fight to Stop It. 2008. Seven Stories Press.

When I finished reading the last pages of this book, I had to sit still and think about several discoveries. It is difficult for me to truly believe that I can actually like a life story, way of thinking, and actions of a high-level American politician. I come from a country, generation, and professional environment that didn’t encourage any naiveté about politics of any country. And we certainly didn’t grow up embracing any myths about the most significant characteristics of the global empire.

Throw out the NDAA, End the Wars and Start Nation Building at Home by Dennis J. Kucinich

Dandelion Salad

by Dennis J. Kucinich
Washington D.C.
December 13, 2012

Image by Lauriel-Arwen via Flickr

Billions to Continue War, Provoke Iran, Shred the Constitution — All Leading to Perpetual War

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today released the following statement on the NDAA:

“Today, this House will send the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to conference. Contrary to its title, the bill does not provide for the protection of the American people. It expands war. It further indebts our nation. It encroaches on basic rights with regards to indefinite detention. It eliminates the basic tenet that due process rights apply to everyone in this country – not just American citizens.

Michael Parenti: They Start Out By Demonizing Their Leader

with Michael Parenti
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Michael Parenti Blog
www.michaelparenti.org
December 8, 2012

“The Empire feeds off the republic.” — Michael Parenti

Image by ChairWomanMay via Flickr

by Radio Free Kansas
December 8, 2012

Michael Parenti is an internationally known award-winning author and lecturer. He is one of the nation’s leading progressive political analysts. His highly informative and entertaining books and talks have reached a wide range of audiences in North America and abroad.

Ralph Nader: Where Do We Go From Here? Unite On Populist Policies

Image by jcolman via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

with Ralph Nader

Nov 7, 2012 by TheRealNews

Ralph Nader: Time for a broad coalition to push Congress towards policy that most Americans can agree.

Ralph Nader: Obama–Prosecutor, Judge, Jury, Executioner and Cover-upper

Image by Dandelion Salad via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

with Ralph Nader

Nov 1, 2012 by TheBigPictureRT

Thom sits down with former presidential candidate Ralph Nader for an extended interview about the 2012 election, and with journalist and author Thomas Frank on our country’s subservience to the billionaire class. In tonight’s “Daily Take” Thom looks at how Republicans are planning to steal the election by disenfranchising voters in Ohio.

Ralph Nader: Half of Democracy Is Showing Up (must-see)

Dandelion Salad

with Ralph Nader

www.booktv.org

Image by Xiaozhuli via Flickr

Oct 21, 2012 by reticularimus

Ralph Nader presents his thoughts on America’s economic and sociopolitical landscape and provides seventeen solutions that he contends will answer several issues facing the country. The independent candidate for President in 2004 and 2008 opines on tax reform, the reduction of the military budget, and programs for job growth. Ralph Nader speaks at Busboys & Poets in Washington, D.C. [Oct. 5, 2012]

Noam Chomsky: The Emerging World Order: Its Roots, Our Legacy

Image by Synne Tonidas via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

with Noam Chomsky

Sep 19, 2012 by SISSAschool

On September 17, 2012, Noam Chomsky held a public lecture with the title “The Emerging World Order: its roots, our legacy” at Politeama Rossetti in Trieste.

When Will American Labor Connect the Dots? by Philip A. Farruggio

by Philip A. Farruggio
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
June 10, 2012

Image by Sharese Ann Frederick via Flickr

In Wisconsin and in two major cities in California, voters (made up mostly of working folks) chose to restrict the benefit packages and wage increases for public service AKA government employees. Some say that since most of the workers in these places, and throughout America, are employed by the private sector, the attitude became one of resentment. The private sector and non union (in most cases) workers were fed up of seeing their counterparts getting better benefit packages and wage increases. I call it Interclass warfare.

The Enemies of Economic Stimulus by Philip A. Farruggio

by Philip A. Farruggio
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
June 1, 2012

Image by Collin David Anderson via Flickr

Call me a socialist, a communist, a radical, whatever. What matters are the ideas one presents to make this a better place to live and grow. Period!

• Private Mortgage banks- Imagine if we had local community owned and operated mortgage banking; Nonprofit, charging only what overhead mandated.