Bill Moyers Journal
December 18, 2009
Amidst fading hopes for real reform on issues ranging from high finance to health care, economist Robert Kuttner and journalist Matt Taibbi join Bill Moyers to discuss Wall Street’s power over the federal government.
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Bill Moyers rebroadcast the first segment of this post:
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with Peter B. Collins and Sibel Edmonds
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
originally published by Boiling Frogs Post
18 December 2009
Russ Baker discusses his book, Family of Secrets, the first complete historic portrait of the Bush dynasty, and provides us with an overview of how this dynasty shaped our politics. He tells us about the shadow government in the US, the real players, elites, and power centers within each president’s government, and the limitation on what and how much an American president can accomplish – considering the influence of these powerful and independent fiefdoms characterized by entrenched agendas and constant intrigue. Mr. Baker defines and explains the concept of Forensic Journalism, and talks about his nonprofit news organization WhoWhatWhy, the need for nonpartisan and independent journalism today, the current media landscape in the US, and more.
by Rick Rozoff
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Stop NATO
http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com
18 December, 2009
The higher number of Defense Department contractors, 160,000, added to over 100,000 troops – with the likely prospect of both numbers climbing yet more – will result in over a quarter of a million U.S. personnel serving under the Pentagon and NATO. The latter has 42,000 non-U.S. troops fighting under its command currently and pledges of 8,000 more to date, with thousands in addition to be conscripted after the London conference on Afghanistan next month. Approximately 35,000 U.S. soldiers are also assigned to NATO’s ISAF and if the 33,000 new American troops are similarly deployed the North Atlantic bloc will have over 120,000 forces fighting a land war in Asia. Along with a Pakistani army of 700,000 active duty troops fighting on the other side of the border and an Afghan army of 100,000 soldiers, there will soon be well over a million military personnel engaged in a war with a few hundred al-Qaeda and a few thousand Taliban forces.
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RussiaToday
December 17, 2009
This week Max Keiser and co-host, Stacy Herbert, look at food stamps in the U.S. and how drug money saved the global banking system. Keiser also speaks to Charles Goyette, author of NY Times bestseller, The Dollar Meltdown.
The White House
December 18, 2009
The President speaks and takes questions at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhage, Denmark. December 18, 2009 (Public Domain)
By Mike Whitney
December 18, 2009 “Information Clearing House‘
1 Mike Whitney—-The US media is very critical of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. He’s frequently denounced as “anti-American”, a “leftist strongman”, and a dictator. Can you briefly summarize some of the positive social, economic and judicial changes for which Chavez is mainly responsible?
Eva Golinger—-The first and foremost important achievement during the Chávez administration is the 1999 Constitution, which, although not written nor decreed by Chávez himself, was created through his vision of change for Venezuela. The 1999 Constitution was, in fact, drafted – written – by the people of Venezuela in one of the most participatory examples of nation building, and then was ratified through popular national referendum by 75% of Venezuelans. Continue reading
by Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Washington, Dec 17, 2009
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) released the following statement:
“This holiday shopping season, consumers have the choice of using credit cards that don’t take away their legal rights. Until now, all major banks have required their customers – through provisions hidden in the fine print of credit card agreements — to give up their constitutional right to their day in court. Those agreements have required customers to settle their disputes through a process called arbitration. In July, the House Domestic Policy Subcommittee, of which I am the Chairman, held a hearing in which we showed that mandatory arbitration is arbitrary, and that results depend more on the arbitrator to whom the case is assigned than on the facts or the law that applies.
Democracy Now!
Dec. 17, 2009
Leaked Internal UNFCCC Document: Global Temperatures Will Rise by More than Two Degrees Celsius
A leaked internal document from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change states that current targets on emissions reductions from countries around the world will cause global temperatures to rise above two degrees Celsius. According to the UNFCCC document, current emissions reduction targets could lead to a three degree Celsius rise. We speak to French journalist Jade Lindgaard. [includes rush transcript]
(starts at 46:35 minutes in on above audio)
Jade Lindgaard, journalist with the French news website Mediapart.
Naomi Klein, Author and journalist. She is blogging from Copenhagen for The Nation. Her recent articles include “Climate Rage.”
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Is ‘cap and trade’ a beginning or no solution at all? Continue reading
Dandelion Salad 