The Obama-Gates Maneuver on Military Spending by Gareth Porter

by Gareth Porter
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
20 April, 2011

Image by turtlemoon via Flickr

Last week Barack Obama announced that he wants to cut $400 billion in military spending and said he would work Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and the Joint Chiefs on a “fundamental review” of U.S. “military missions, capabilities and our role in a changing world” before making a decision.

Spokesman Geoff Morrell responded by hinting that Gates was displeased with having to cut that much from his spending plan. Gates “has been clear that further significant defense cuts cannot be accomplished without future cuts in force structure and military capability,” said Morrell, who volunteered that the Secretary not been informed about the Obama decision until the day before.

What You Need to Know to Save Your Ass by Mark A. Goldman

Cover of Web of Debt

by Mark A. Goldman
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
http://www.gpln.com
April 20, 2011

The political and economic strategies this country is pursuing are not sustainable and the folks who hold the reins of power know it.   They are pursuing strategies designed to facilitate the ability of big money interests to drain as much wealth as possible from those who have the least political clout to those who have the most and they will take those strategies as far as they possibly can.

Mimesis and the State of US Democracy by Gaither Stewart

by Gaither Stewart
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
20 April, 2011

Image by jef safi via Flickr

“And thusly we end up with pseudo leaders for a pseudo democracy, albeit one rammed down the throat of nations around the world with the benedictions of tens of millions of well-meaning but thoroughly brainwashed Americans.”

(ROME) Standard dictionary definitions of the word of ancient Greek origin, mimesis,relate the word to imitation, representation, mimicry, similarity, the act of resembling and of expression. Today, mimesis has more to do with literary and societal functions.

Kucinich to Introduce Legislation to End the War in Libya

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Image by Mohammad A. Hamama, A reflected version! via Flickr

by Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich
Washington, Apr 19, 2011

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) announced plans to introduce legislation that will assert Congress’ constitutional responsibility to make decisions about declaring war. He made the announcement in the following letter to colleagues:

April 18, 2011

Dear Colleague:

Kucinich Responds to Defense Department Moving Pfc. Bradley Manning to a Maximum Security Prison at Fort Leavenworth

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Image by Steve Rhodes via Flickr

by Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich
Washington, Apr 19, 2011

Demands Written Assurances of Protection of Rights and of Person

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today issued the following statement in response to a report by the Associated Press that the Department of Defense will move Private First Class Bradley Manning from Marine Corp Base Quantico to the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, a maximum security prison.

“Absolutely nothing the Department of Defense has done so far with respect to Pfc. Manning provides any assurance that his basic human and constitutional rights are being protected. The Department of Defense has refused to provide timely answers to even the most basic questions and have thus far refused to allow me to meet with him.

Kucinich Downgrades Rating of Standard & Poor’s

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by Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich
Washington, Apr 19, 2011

Credit Rating Agencies Have No Authority to Dictate Terms to Congress

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today released the following statement after Standard & Poor’s (S&P) threatened the fiscal health of the nation by announcing the possibility of a future downgrade of the United States’ credit rating.