How to Finance the National Dividend? by Richard C. Cook

by Richard C. Cook
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
August 07, 2009

Response to a Reader:

The question is always the same–how to finance the National Dividend, which would be somewhere in the range of $2-$3.5T U.S., depending on whether it is taxed and if there is an allowance for children.

To be brief, blunt, and brutal–the government would print it and give it away. When people stop swooning, you explain to them that of course all Western governments–esp. the U.S.–do this anyway by rolling over central bank debt.

Yes, they do pay it off– through inflation. But much of the inflation is due to interest paid to the banking system for the privilege of solvency.

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US Still Paying Blackwater Millions By Jeremy Scahill

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By Jeremy Scahill
http://www.thenation.com
August 7, 2009

Just days before two former Blackwater employees alleged in sworn statements filed in federal court that the company’s owner, Erik Prince, “views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe,” the Obama administration extended a contract with Blackwater for more than $20 million for “security services” in Iraq, according to federal contract data obtained by The Nation. The State Department contract is scheduled to run through September 3. In May, the State Department announced it was not renewing Blackwater’s Iraq contract, and the Iraqi government has refused to issue the company an operating license.

[…]

via US Still Paying Blackwater Millions

h/t: Raw Story » Scahill: Blackwater still getting millions in federal contracts

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Countdown: Erik Prince and “Bloodwater”

Obama Continues To Pay Blackwater (Christian Crusaders) Millions To Be In Iraq

Blackwater Founder Implicated in Murder by Jeremy Scahill

Entering the Greatest Depression in History More Bubbles Waiting to Burst, by Andrew Gavin Marshall

by Andrew Gavin Marshall
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
August 7, 2009

Introduction

While there is much talk of a recovery on the horizon, commentators are forgetting some crucial aspects of the financial crisis. The crisis is not simply composed of one bubble, the housing real estate bubble, which has already burst. The crisis has many bubbles, all of which dwarf the housing bubble burst of 2008. Indicators show that the next possible burst is the commercial real estate bubble. However, the main event on the horizon is the “bailout bubble” and the general world debt bubble, which will plunge the world into a Great Depression the likes of which have never before been seen.

Housing Crash Still Not Over

The housing real estate market, despite numbers indicating an upward trend, is still in trouble, as, “Houses are taking months to sell. Many buyers are having trouble getting financing as lenders and appraisers struggle to figure out what houses are really worth in the wake of the collapse.” Further, “the overall market remains very soft […] aside from speculators and first-time buyers.” Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington said, “It would be wrong to imagine that we have hit a turning point in the market,” as “There is still an enormous oversupply of housing, which means that the direction of house prices will almost certainly continue to be downward.” Foreclosures are still rising in many states “such as Nevada, Georgia and Utah, and economists say rising unemployment may push foreclosures higher into next year.” Clearly, the housing crisis is still not at an end.[1]

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Sibel Edmonds Fights to Testify by Luke Ryland

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by Luke Ryland
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Luke’s blog post
August 7, 2009

Bradblog has the latest.

The FBI and the Dept of Justice are trying to block Sibel from testifying, asserting that:

Edmonds is under “no compulsion” to testify in the Krikorian case and the FBI asserted that she, “does not have approval for any disclosure of any information.”

Sibel’s lawyers responded that:

“the objections raised so far by the agency are not sufficient to block Edmonds’ from “truthfully answer[ing] questions while under oath pursuant to a lawful subpoena” on Saturday morning in D.C. as scheduled.

Their press release [PDF], to be issued publicly later today, accuses the FBI and DoJ of attempting “censorship” and trying to “silence [a] whistleblower”.”

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Cheney Assassination Squad Details Revealed

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RussiaToday
August 07, 2009

RT Contributor and Investigative Journalist Wayne Madsen says that Pentagon Officials revealed important details about the alleged JSOC Assassination Ring at a conference in Virginia just weeks before the U.S. invaded Iraq. Madsen reveals the details of these special hit squads as he speaks with RT’s Dina Gusovsky.

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Associated Press excerpts may cost $2.50 per word

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CNN.com
August 5, 2009

In an attempt to generate new revenue, the Associated Press has partnered with iCopyright to charge licensing fees for quotes as short as five words.

[…]

via Associated Press excerpts may cost $2.50 per word – SciTechBlog – CNN.com Blogs

from the archives:

AP Demands Bloggers Cease Printing Exerpts!!!

see also

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/21/copyright_enforcement_bill/

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/6449/copyright_enragement/

Health care reform: It’s all about money!

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AlJazeeraEnglish
August 06, 2009

Fault Lines looks at the US health care system, expose its cracks, and uncover the forces that are spending millions of dollars every day to influence the debate over the US health care reform.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

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A Recipe For Disaster by Bruce Gagnon + Day Last Past + Vietnam: American Holocaust

Warning

These videos may contain images depicting the reality and horror of war/violence and should only be viewed by a mature audience.

by Bruce Gagnon
featured writer
Dandelion Salad
Organizing Notes
August 7, 2009

The American people’s minds have been colonized by the military industrial complex. Sixty-one percent still think the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were necessary. They believed for years that Vietnam was about bringing democracy to that nation. They were led to believe that Iraq had nukes and that North Korea and Iran are a threat today. They will be told that we are going to bring democracy and stability to Africa as we steal their resources. Continue reading

Fight back against health insurance lies + The drug lobby demands, and gets, Obama pledge to protect health care profits

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bravenewfilms
August 05, 2009

FORWARD THIS VIDEO!

Join the fight: http://sickforprofit.com

What does UnitedHealthcare CEO Stephen Hemsley have to lose if Congress passes real healthcare reform this year? Well, for starters, his nearly three quarters of a billion dollars in unexercised stock options might lose a few pennies on the dollar.

What does Isabella, a four year-old girl in Wisconsin who is physically incapable of eating and has had to be tube fed her entire life, have to gain from healthcare reform? The treatment she needs to live a normal life.

Brave New Films is launching a major new campaign to reveal the truth about the health insurance industry, and we need your help to do it. Contribute $25 today so we can create more campaigns exposing the obscene wealth of the CEOs of Aetna, CIGNA, Humana and WellPoint and the policyholders they’ve abandoned for profit.

http://sickforprofit.com/donate

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Countdown: Erik Prince and “Bloodwater”

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MoxNewsDotCom
August 06, 2009

Child Prostitution, Illegal Weapons & Murder! Yep! Sounds Like “Christian” Crusaders To Me!

http://earth2obama.org/ COMING SOON!!! http://MOXNews.com/
August 06, 2009 MSNBC Keith Olbermann

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about “Child Prostitution, Illegal Weapons &…“, posted with vodpod

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Obama Continues To Pay Blackwater (Christian Crusaders) Millions To Be In Iraq

Blackwater Founder Implicated in Murder by Jeremy Scahill

Blackwater

Obama – Bush Lite or just Dark? by William Bowles

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By William Bowles
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Creative-i
6 August 2009

When it emerged that Barack Obama was to be the candidate for 2008 election I wrote extensively on why such a ‘radical’ solution was chosen, asserting that selecting a black man was a stroke of genius, if the ‘masters of the universe’ could pull it off. Amazing really, considering the people who did it, essentially the Democratic Leadership Council (see, ‘Not corrupted by DLC, says Obama’, Blackcommentator.com and where you can find a wealth of information on the DLC and Obama) and that the selection was made at least five years ago (see my ‘Barack Obama — a wolf in sheep’s clothing or just the shepherd?’). At the same time, I was also aware of the paradox(es) involved and the potential pitfalls that might mean either bumping him off or removing him by some other means, I kid you not.

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