Back to economic basics

This discusses how we developed into the messy political/economic situation wherein we now find ourselves:

https://truthout.org/articles/questioning-the-logic-of-capital-a-conversation-with-richard-d-wolff/

A summary of the effects of the 21st century wars, so far.

Tom Englehart nails it.  War is a totally ineffective waste, except for the military/industrial/intelligence cabal that now rules the 'free' world.

http://www.unz.com/tengelhardt/in-the-heart-of-a-dying-empire/

The western world seems to have decided that is is more important to kill and destroy than to innovate, solve and progress in the era of rampant climate change.

Arms makers are not private corporations ...

... They are actually subsidiaries of governments.

https://original.antiwar.com/srichman/2018/10/31/lets-stop-the-merchants-of-death/

Mutuality is preferable to the golden rule

A detailed exposure of the failings of the golden rule as a basis for social behaviour:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/9/9/1794512/-There-s-a-Fundamental-Flaw-in-Our-Thinking?detail=emaildkre

Why Wikileaks and Assange are important

A good description of why the Wikileaks model is important for our freedom:

https://original.antiwar.com/Nozomi_Hayase/2018/08/26/unity-for-assanges-plight-is-necessary-to-build-a-movement-for-democracy/

A Summary of US conquests

Here is a concise outline of the wars that the USA has used to create its current empire. 

https://www.cirsd.org/en/horizons/horizons-spring-2018-issue-no-11/ending-americas-war-of-choice-in-the-middle-east

It shows that the US is not an innocent, benevolent, peaceful actor in the world.  Rather, it is a brutal, propaganda-shrouded user of violence to enhance the wealth of corporations.

War is obsolete

Here's why:

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/war-doesnt-make-sense-anymore/

US Murder industry wants 5% annual growth rate

This is just crazy!

https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2018/04/25/defense-industry-needs-5-percent-annual-budget-growth-to-stay-healthy-says-new-aia-report/

These guys want %5 more each year to be spent on killing equipment!!  Why not spend it on stem cell research, renewable energy, infrastructure, health care etc., etc.  

The Korean solution is important ...

Here's an interesting analysis of events and possibilities:

https://original.antiwar.com/justin/2018/04/22/korean-summit-its-not-about-us/

It seems that Marx and Engels were right ...

Very worthwhile review of the state of the art of capitalism as predicted in The Commuinist Manifesto in the mid 1800s:

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/apr/20/yanis-varoufakis-marx-crisis-communist-manifesto?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Facebook

History of Our Surveillance State

Worth a read:

http://thefederalist.com/2018/03/30/u-s-foreign-intervention-created-domestic-surveillance-state/

Finally the truth about the Iraq war.

The creation of an uncontrolled war state:

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/taibbi-the-legacy-of-the-iraq-war-w518193

A brief history of the 21st century ....

... or When The Assholes Took Over.
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/43950-the-last-person-in-the-room-john-bolton-pnac-and-the-end-of-the-world

Evidence of the lies that led to the Iraq war

A great summary:

https://medium.com/dan-sanchez-blog/16-articles-that-expose-how-they-lied-us-into-war-in-iraq-bedf2e47c0bc

A great summary of the Horrific 21st century ...

... that was created by the US War on Terror:

https://www.juancole.com/2018/03/american-crusade-terror.html

Keep in mind the North American media outlets do not cover the deaths of non-North Americans.  We only hear about local events.  We cause far greater horrors overseas.

World Domination concepts, China's plan

Found this in a article reviewing the rise and fall of empires:

https://medium.com/@mikebyrne_16145/the-rise-or-decline-of-us-global-power-a-critical-look-at-alfred-mccoys-new-book-2ed9cdd437ff 

This paragraph is intriguing:

"China’s grand strategy certainly isn’t your typical imperial grand strategy, depending moreso on economic soft power than pure power projection through military might. Nevertheless the strategy, if implemented would clearly change the geopolitical power dynamics of the world, and that obviously has some policymakers concerned in Washington. One of the main post-World War II pillars of US empire is “The Washington Consensus”, a philosophical framework of global governance that emphasizes the primacy of western financial and governance institutions in conducting global politics. Institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and WTO are products of this framework, and these institutions, along with military alliances like NATO, have served to maintain a western-centric global supremacy with the US government at the helm. China’s strategy looks to reorient the entire landscape, shifting the epicenter of global governance from a “unipolar” model, which emphasizes the need for a single powerful hegemon, to a more “multipolar” model, which emphasizes regional hegemons. Halford Mackinder once wrote that “Trans-continental railways are now transmuting the conditions of land power,” and that “…the century will not be old before all Asia is covered with railways,”. He wrote this back in 1904, and due to the damage accumulated in the wake of two world wars, it wouldn’t be until the next century that his vision was realized. China by 2030 plans on linking all of their major cities by high speed rail, while simultaneously working with surrounding states to make the effort transcontinental. Plans on constructing a “Eurasian Land Bridge” or a high speed rail line that would go from Chongqing to Leipzig, Germany in 20 days is an example of one such ambitious project. Why is this significant? China being able to ship via high speed rail allows it to circumvent shipping lanes, most of which are patrolled by either the US navy or US allies. Circumventing these shipping lanes gives the Chinese ability to get around any obstacles that may arise if any diplomatic or geopolitical tensions arise between China and the US. Chinese grand strategy also involves the construction of a vast network of pipelines for the purpose of importing oil and gas. One of the most significant deals in this realm was between the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and Russian state owned Gazprom. The deal was worth $400 billion, and it came during a time where Russia was facing increased sanctions from the West due to its annexation of Crimea. Russia as a geostrategic partner is essential for China’s implementation of their grand strategy. As long as Russia is the primary boogeyman of the West, and keeping the West bogged down in a two front proxy war in Syria and Ukraine, China can simply step in strategically without getting their hands dirty while continuing to implement what some in the US media are beginning to refer to as China’s “manifest destiny”. China is also looking to end the monopoly on military alliances, security alliances, and international economic institutions through alliances such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organizations(SCO), functioning as a Asian security alliance, and the establishment of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), built in the likeness and image of the IMF, and already has support from many countries, including US allies like the UK, Australia, and South Korea"

It is also interesting to note that China is not wasting trillions on war-based adventures.  It is now on a path to become free of all dependence on non-renewable energy sources.  Pursuit of petroleum-based resources is what has fuelled most of the wars in the last 100 years, and is still at the heart of US foreign policy.  China does not want to emulate this folly, when there is a better way achieve its security and wealth.

The real news about nuclear war, on any scale.

Just a reminder of the actual results of some bozo ordering a nuclear strike.

https://thebulletin.org/daniel-ellsberg-dismantling-doomsday-machine11539?platform=hootsuite

Secret Government spying comes to its logical conclusion ...

... by destroying the government that allowed it to happen.  Check out this guy's analysis:

http://www.stonekettle.com/2018/01/dirty-tricks.html?m=1

I really enjoyed the logic trail that was used to conclude that somebody is using all that collected spy data for his own personal gain.

We live in interesting times.  Will we survive?

An important essay on a failing democracy ...

This is a long read, but important concepts are discussed:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/03/america-is-not-a-democracy/550931/

Not exactly an optimistic view of the current world in which we live.

The effectivness of "trickle-down" economics ...

... has never been demonstrated in the real world.  Read on:

http://prospect.org/trickle-downers