Noam Chomsky: Authentic Democracy Is Being Dismantled

Image by Dean.Chahim via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

with Noam Chomsky

Akshay Pahilajani·Apr 4, 2013

Latest Message from Professor Noam Chomsky.

India: Growing Inequality and Destructive Development by Graham Peebles

by Graham Peebles
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
London
February 15, 2013

Image by dietmut via Flickr

Upon a foundation of deep spirituality and philosophical treasures, proclaiming unity, justice and service, New India, horns honking in violation of the good; is racing, no time to spare towards the Alter of Materiality and Market Fundamentalism.

Under the careful guidance of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the Indian government has for the last twenty years or so, (during which time the BBC 7/12/11[i] found “inequality has doubled”), embraced market liberalization and the global market; garlanded corporations with all manner of subsidies and damned the poor to greater poverty, destitution, suffering and, suicide in the case of farmers:

Nick Hanauer: Income Inequality

Dandelion Salad

Too Hot for TED: Income Inequality

by Jeffery A. Salter
May 16, 2012

Image by Dean.Chahim via Flickr

[...] “We’ve had it backward for the last 30 years,” he said. “Rich businesspeople like me don’t create jobs. Rather they are a consequence of an ecosystemic feedback loop animated by middle-class consumers, and when they thrive, businesses grow and hire, and owners profit. That’s why taxing the rich to pay for investments that benefit all is a great deal for both the middle class and the rich.” [...]

Economic Inequality’s Impact On Political Voice

Dandelion Salad

Image by M i x y via Flickr

May 11, 2012 by joefriendly

Discussion at Demos think tank about new book, The Unheavenly Chorus: Unequal Political Voice and the Broken Promise of American Democracy about the devastating effects of economic inequality on our political process with moderator Kenneth Prewitt and authors Kay Lehman Schlozman, Sidney Verba, and Henry E. Brady,

The Fourth Estate in Ireland 2012 is a Myth by Donal Peter Buckley

by Donal Peter Buckley
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
http://dandahan4.com, March 1, 2012
May 4, 2012

There is no Fourth Estate in Ireland 2012.

There never was a Fourth Estate in Ireland.

There are many commentaries and column semantics, even  hacks in fear and in hock to the establishment have spectacular media exposure. The Irish media and the establishment are of one voice.

Moyers and Company: Economic Malpractice and the Millennials

Image by Old Sarge via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

Moyers & Company | BillMoyers.com

February 10, 2012

How economic inequality destroys opportunity for the millennial generation.

Moyers & Company: On Winner-Take-All Politics

Image by Helen Cox, used with permission via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

With Bill Moyers
Moyers & Company | BillMoyers.com
January 13, 2012

Bill Moyers explores how America’s vast inequality didn’t just happen, it’s been politically engineered.

Bernie Sanders: An Extraordinarily Unfair Budget + Nadler: GOP Budget is Most Radical in Our Lifetime

Image by littlegreenfroggy via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

SenatorSanders on Apr 6, 2011

Sen. Sanders, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate about the outrageous budget proposals from House Republicans.

TN Protesters Arrested + Matewan (1987; clip) + Photos that set off the protests in Bahrain

http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/

Image by oemebamo via Flickr

UpTakeVideo on Mar 15, 2011

The fight over workers’ rights escalated in Tennessee this afternoon as protesters jammed a Senate hearing on a bill that would weaken unions. Seven were arrested as the protesters chanted and refused to leave the room. “Tennessee is not Wisconsin” said the Republican leader of the Tennessee Senate Ron Ramsey after the arrests, “We talk through our differences here.” SB1031 is aimed at weakening unions in Tennessee.

Sanders: Don’t Balance Budget on the Backs of the Middle Class, the Poor, the Children and the Elderly

Image by littlegreenfroggy via Flickr

http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/

SenatorSanders | Mar 2, 2011

Sen. Bernie Sanders spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate about the need for strong budget priorities. Sanders is a member of the Senate Budget Committee.

Bahrain: The Social Roots of Revolt Against Another US Ally By Finian Cunningham + Protesters killed as police storm protest camp

by Finian Cunningham
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
17 February, 2011

Image via Wikipedia

“Have you ever seen an island with no beaches?” The question posed by the young Bahraini taxi man standing among thousands of chanting anti-government protesters seemed at first to be a bit off the wall. But his explanation soon got to the heart of the grievances that have brought tens of thousands of Bahrainis on to the streets over the past week – protests which have seen at least seven civilians killed amid scenes of excessive violence by state security forces. Unconfirmed reports put the death toll much higher.

An Absence of Love by Philip A. Farruggio

by Philip A. Farruggio
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
February 15, 2011

It’s Valentines Day, and many of us scurry about choosing gifts to show our love. Greeting cards, flowers, chocolates and other sweet tooth succulents are wrapped and delivered to those we hold in deep affection… a time for giving. Yet, behind all the Christmases and Easters and Valentines Days we find so many Americans in deep trouble financially. A friend the other day told me ‘My wife needs a root canal and a crown. She’s in terrible pain. How in the hell can we afford the $1800 the dentist quoted her? She’s gonna have to have it pulled out… only will cost $300. ‘The same guy then focused his attention on the contract for his favorite player on the St Louis Cardinals, and debated whether the guy should take the mega millions offered or move on through free agency. I looked at him and said ‘who in the hell cares!!? ‘

Michael Hudson: Reaganomics Sucked Wealth Up, Did Not Trickle It Down

http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/

www.therealnews.com

Michael Hudson on Reagan Centenary: Creating an economy for predators is not respect for a free market

Will labor challenge austerity? by Brian Tierney

http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/

by Brian Tierney
SocialistWorker.org
January 7, 2011

Image via Wikipedia

Brian Tierney looks at one reason why there’s been little response so far to austerity.

ACROSS THE U.S., working-class people are struggling, scraping together meager sums in order to get by. In state and local governments throughout the country, workers are watching public services slashed in the name of balanced budgets.

Trillions of dollars have been doled out to Wall Street titans and big banks. And while the epidemic of home foreclosures and cuts to public services rages on, corporate profits are soaring to record highs, and banks are sitting on hordes of accumulated capital. Still, we are told, there simply isn’t enough money to help the millions struggling in these economic hard times.

The Metaphysics of Money By Nikki Alexander

By Nikki Alexander
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
http://nikkialexander.wordpress.com
January 8, 2011

When people want to communicate ideas they use language. Language is a medium of exchange. Without language people are reduced to physical touching or hand signals and have to be physically present with each other to communicate. With language people can exchange ideas with others in different centuries through books and in faraway places through the internet, newspapers and telephones. Sharing ideas leads to increasingly complex social agreements, concepts, inventions and discoveries, raising the standard of living and the level of expertise for the whole society.