The world order that’s now emerging

The Post-World-War-II world order was dominated by the one WW II major combatant that had only 0.32% of its population (the lowest percentage) killed by the war: the United States. The Soviet Union’s comparable number killed by the war was the highest—it was 13.7%—42 .8.times higher than America’s. The U.S. was the main force that defeated Japan and so won WW II in Asia. The U.S.S.R., however, was the main force that defeated Germany and so won WW II in Europe. The U.S.S.R. suffered vastly more than did the U.S. to achieve its victory. In addition to suffering 42.8 times the number of war-deaths than did U.S., the U.S.S.R.’s financial expenditures invested in the conflict, as calculated by Jan Ludvik, were 4.8 times higher than were America’s financial expenditures on the war. Continue reading

Business as usual: Washington’s regime change strategy in Venezuela

For those who have been following Venezuela closely in recent years there is a distinct sense of déjà vu regarding US foreign policy towards that South American nation. This is because Washington’s strategy of regime change in Venezuela is almost identical to the approach it has taken in Latin America on numerous occasions since World War Two. This strategy involves applying economic sanctions, extensive support for the opposition, and destabilization measures that create a sufficient degree of human suffering and chaos to justify a military coup or direct US military intervention. Because this strategy has worked so well for the United States for more than half a century, our elected leaders see no reason not to use it regarding Venezuela. In other words, from Washington’s perspective, its regime change policies towards Venezuela constitute business as usual in Latin America. Continue reading

Wildfire smoke is becoming a nationwide health threat

The impacts of recent forest fires in California reach well beyond the burned areas. Smoke from the Camp Fire created hazardous air quality conditions in San Francisco, more than 170 miles to the southwest—but it didn’t stop there. Cross-country winds carried it across the United States, creating hazy conditions in locations as far east as Philadelphia. Continue reading

Trump mocks what responsible governance is all about

He disgraces the office he holds. There’s virtually nothing redeeming about his tenure so far, no prospect for turning a page for improvement, things likely worsening ahead. Continue reading

Being thankful for William Goldman, RIP

‘Movies are a very, very odd way to make a living.’

I remember the first time I saw a movie that was written by William Goldman, the great screenwriter and author who died last Friday. Continue reading

Phil Ochs and the crucifixion of President John F. Kennedy

President John Kennedy was assassinated by the U.S. national-security state, led by the C.I.A., on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. That is a fact beyond dispute, except for those who wish to engage in pseudo-debates to deny the obvious. I prefer not to, since there is nothing to debate. Continue reading

The American ‘melting pot’ can turn into a volatile mixture at the top

America has always fancied itself as a “melting pot” of ethnicities and religions that form a perfect union. The Latin phrase, E Pluribus Unum, “out of many, one,” is even found on the Great Seal of the United States. However, as seen in a recent blow-up between First Lady Melania Trump and now-former Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel, old feuds from beyond the borders of the United States can result in major rifts at the highest echelons of the US government. Continue reading

Trump authorizes lethal force against asylum seeking aliens

Refugees, asylum seekers, and others from the wrong countries are unwelcome in Trump’s America—notably people of color and Muslims. Continue reading

Trump’s assault on the rule of law

The “rule of law” distinguishes democracies from dictatorships. It’s based on three fundamental principles. Trump is violating every one of them. Continue reading

Birthright citizenship—just and justified

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” Continue reading

How united progressives can topple the empire and empower the people

We are headed toward a catastrophic election in 2020 that must be addressed if humankind is to have a chance at survival. Continue reading

Trump isn’t Nixon, he’s Pinochet

Attempts by some to liken Donald Trump to Richard Nixon fail to understand the depths of fascism to which Trump has descended. A more accurate comparison of Trump to someone who imprisoned his political opponents, shut down the free press, and believed in a strong unitary executive is the late Chilean fascist military dictator, General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte. Continue reading

The Amazon robbery

The world’s richest man just pulled a con job on several hundred US cities, which tells us a lot about the (mostly) Democrats that run these towns. Continue reading

The tide is turning: Israel is losing on two war fronts

The November 12 botched Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip is delineating Tel Aviv’s failure to utilize its army as a tool to achieve Palestinian political concessions. Continue reading

Time for Medicare for All

In the midterm elections, most Democrats who were elected or reelected to the House supported Medicare for All. Continue reading

This Thanksgiving, don’t just give thanks, pay your blessings forward

Listen: I know it’s been a hard, heart-wrenching, stomach-churning kind of year. Continue reading

Why holiday-season arguments with relatives are so frustrating

Most of us think if everyone just knew the facts, they'd agree with us. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.

The weather has turned cool and crisp (or so I’ve heard . . . I’m in California, where it’s hot out and everything’s on fire). We’ve entered the time of year when soon we’ll get together with our loved ones, share a traditional holiday meal, and bicker over politics. Continue reading

Dangerous, expensive drugs aggressively pushed due to doctors’ conflicts of interest?

The year was 2011. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg proposed loosening conflict of interest rules for doctors sitting on advisory committees because non-compromised doctors were disappearing. The FDA could not find “knowledgeable experts who are free of financial conflicts of interest,” said news reports. Continue reading

The next crash

Sorry to deliver the news, but it’s time to worry about the next crash. Continue reading

El Paso & Juarez: My tale of two cities

When you were a kid, did you ever color Easter eggs? And put the yellow egg into the red die in order to watch it turn orange? That’s pretty much like what has happened here in El Paso in the past 200 years. Two different cultures have been mixed together here—and magically turned into an interesting, viable and delightful third one. Continue reading

With regard to war, Trump doesn’t talk the talk or walk the walk

Last week, Donald Trump disgraced himself before his French hosts, US and Allied military veterans, and the entire world by remaining inside the residence of the US ambassador to France and snubbing a memorial service for US dead in World War I. Continue reading

Saying goodbye to UN sanctions against Eritrea

It isn’t often the UN Security Council votes unanimously to remove sanctions against a country, but this past Wednesday, November 14, they did just that by saying goodbye to nine years of UNjust punishment against the small, socialist, east African country of Eritrea. Continue reading

Journalist James Risen: Trump is attacking free press ‘in a way we haven’t seen in modern American history’

Speaking from his years of experience being pursued by the Obama Justice Department for simply practicing journalism and refusing to reveal his confidential sources, Intercept reporter James Risen told The Hill on Monday that President Donald Trump is building on his predecessor’s war on the free press by “demagoguing” the media “in a way we haven’t seen in modern American history.” Continue reading

Lies, damn lies and post-truth

Most politicians lie. Continue reading

Did you hear? Poverty ended

Trump's advisers say there's no more need for anti-poverty programs. Let's see them raise a family of four on $25,000.

Someone needs to buy a Grassroots USA tour package for the members of Donald Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers, so they can at least visit the real world once in their lives. Continue reading

Trump’s jaded view of two world wars

Donald Trump traveled to Paris to, as he put it in a tweet, “celebrate” the centenary of the armistice that ended World War I. Trump not only decided to skip a planned visit to the Aisne-Marne American cemetery at Belleau Wood, but also the inaugural ceremony of the Paris Peace Forum. The forum, organized by French President Emmanuel Macron and attended by over 70 world leaders, is held in conjunction with the armistice centenary commemoration. Continue reading

Freedom Rider: The legacy of 1918

Donald Trump is a racist boor, but the European leaders he snubbed are unreconstructed imperialists whose nations have enslaved and slaughtered tens of millions. Continue reading

In breach of human rights, Netanyahu supports the death penalty against Palestinians

Right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is escalating his war on the Palestinian people, although for reasons almost entirely related to Israeli politics. He has just given the green light to a legislation that would make it easier for Israeli courts to issue death sentences against Palestinians accused of carrying out ‘terrorist’ acts. Continue reading

Blundering American ambassadors unmask the ‘War on Terror’

We know that U.S. ambassadors tend to be bureaucratic and boring. Continue reading

This was no vote accident

But New York, too, has ‘retrograde voting laws and practices.’

Here in the West Village, in beautiful downtown Manhattan, Election Day morning was overcast, with an autumn chill and some mist in the air. It was early and I was surprised by the number of people waiting to vote—a line about as long as in 2016—which was great but seemed a little odd because in this very, very blue neighborhood there were plenty of names on the midterm ballot but no contests of any great contention. Continue reading

What turkey producers don’t want you to know

As Turkey Day approaches, animal lovers cringe, food safety advocates become vigilant and industrial turkey producers hope you aren’t reading the news. Continue reading

Medicare for all: An idea whose time has come

Marketplace medicine prioritizes profits over human health. In America, it leaves growing millions uninsured. Continue reading