politics for the 99%

Video – Interview with Noam Chomsky: Can we save our Democracy and History, 28.04 min, uploaded by The Chomsky Videos, Dec 3, 2014 – (see (US-)Republicans ‘dedicated with utter servility’ to the needs of the 1 percent – Noam Chomsky, on RawStory, by Scott Kaufman, Dec 5, 2014): “The last vote,” he said, referring to the November elections:

• “was the lowest turnout since 1940, in the middle of [World War II], when people couldn’t vote.”
• “Why? Because people understand what is shown in academic political science — that their voices just don’t matter. The opinions of the lowest 70 percent of the population — the lowest on the income scale — are simply disregarded” … //

… (full text).

Chomsky in 2014: FULL List and SMALL Clips, on raw story.   Continue Reading…

Abbas and the ISIS scheme, on Al-Ahram weekly online, by Dina Ezzat, Dec 5, 2014: Arab heavyweights are backing Abbas’s Palestinian Authority, not in the hope of reaching a final status deal with Israel, but in order to focus on ISIS and militant threats;

Egypt: Trial and revolution, on Al-Ahram weekly online, by Amira Howeid, Dec 5, 2014: Mubarak’s trials say much about Egypt’s post revolution political trajectory;   Continue Reading…

first this:

• FULL video: Black Man KILLED After NYPD Cop Puts Him In CHOKEHOLD For Breaking Up a FIGHT, 3.53 min, uploaded by Forever Stars, July 19, 2014: Advocates and family members are demanding answers following the death of a man who had a heart attack and died in police custody after officers put him in a chokehold – a tactic prohibited by NYPD policy …;
• Dozens arrested as NYC protests Eric Garner decision, on Russia Today RT, Dec 4, 2014: At least 30 people were arrested by the New York Police Department on Wednesday evening, as thousands of protesters flooded city streets after a grand jury declined to indict an officer for killing a Staten Island man via chokehold …;
• LIVE UPDATES on Russia Today RT, Published time Dec 4, 2014;

Continue Reading…

Published on Spiegel Online International, a Commentary by Christoph Schult in Brussels, Dec 2, 2014.

The president of Ukraine is talking up the idea of a national referendum to join NATO, an idea that the military alliance’s chief has openly supported. But such a debate is dangerous — because it divides member states and provides Putin with powerful ammunition … //

… Playing with Fire: … // Continue Reading…

Published on Spiegel Online International, by Nikolaus Blome, Matthias Gebauer, Hubert Gude, Frank Hornig, Gordon Repinski and Marcel Rosenbach, Dec 1, 2014 (Photo Gallery).

The German government has had enough of reading about state secrets in the media. SPIEGEL has learned that officials are now preparing to file a criminal complaint against unknown persons and has undertaken other efforts to identify moles as well. Continue Reading…

Published on The Guardian, by Farai Chideya, Nov 30, 2014.

Soon after the decision not to charge Officer Darren Wilson, the man who shot and killed Michael Brown in still-roiling Ferguson, Missouri, President Barack Obama acknowledged “disappointment”. But he added: “We are a nation built on the rule of law, so we need to accept that this decision was the grand jury’s to make.” Continue Reading…

Published on World Socialist Web Site WSWS, Nov 28, 2014.

The Second National Congress of the Socialist Equality Party (Britain) adopted this resolution unanimously on October 28:

• 1. The Socialist Equality Party endorses the International Committee of the Fourth International resolution, “Socialism and the Fight Against Imperialist War.” The resolution of this Congress incorporates and elaborates on the ICFI’s resolution, applying it to the work of the SEP in Britain.   Continue Reading…