Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The new items published under this topic are as follows.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
NHS 60 Today! Reform or Die? / Politics / NHS
By: Nadeem_Walayat
The NHS celebrates its 60th birthday today. The government has been marking the landmark event through a string of announcements of initiatives aimed at bringing the ageing and bureaucratic institution into the 21st century.
Following New Labour's 1997 victory the cry went out for more spending on the NHS in real-terms. i.e. above the rate of inflation as the NHS had been under funded for the duration of the preceding Conservative government. Labour more than fulfilled this election pledge by delivering a whopping £300 billion (est.) of extra real terms spending, as an example of the magnitude of the increase, £300 billion is more than the amount the government has earned from North Sea Oil and Gas since 1997 and has resulted in the NHS expansion from approx 4.8% of the UK's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 8% of GDP and is destined to continue to grow under New Labour towards a target of 11% of GDP by 2020.
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Thursday, July 03, 2008
Putting the 'Independence' Back in Independence Day / Politics / US Politics
By: Michael_S_Berliner
Jefferson and Washington fought a war for the principle of independence , meaning the moral right of an individual to live his own life as he sees fit.
America's cities and towns will soon fill with parades, fireworks, and barbecues in celebration of the Fourth of July, the 232nd birthday of America. But one hopes that the speeches will contain fewer bromides and more attention to exactly what is being celebrated. The Fourth of July is Independence Day, but America's leaders and intellectuals have been trying to move us further and further away from the meaning of Independence Day, away from the philosophy that created this country.
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Wednesday, July 02, 2008
The Presidential Election and What the Gold Price is Saying? / Politics / US Politics
By: David_Vaughn
Who is Going to be the Next President of the United States ?
Beats me. But I do know that both runners up, Republican and Democrat scare the fool out of me. Bring back the good old days. Reagan was a good president, a motivator and an excellent orator. Clinton was always entertaining. You woke up in the morning just to see what mischief he had gotten into the day before. Actually, I believe its going to be fun watching both Obama and McCain duke it out against one another. And whoever wins will still bring a witches brew of political excitement.
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Monday, June 30, 2008
Personal Freedoms and the Internet / Politics / US Politics
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
The most basic principle to being a free American is the notion that we as individuals are responsible for our own lives and decisions. We do not have the right to rob our neighbors to make up for our mistakes, neither does our neighbor have any right to tell us how to live, so long as we aren't infringing on their rights. Freedom to make bad decisions is inherent in the freedom to make good ones. If we are only free to make good decisions, we are not really free.Read full article... Read full article...
Sunday, June 29, 2008
The End of the Anglo-American Empire? / Politics / US Interest Rates
By: Richard_C_Cook
Much of the world's history over the last century has been dominated by the United States. But by the turn of the millennium in 2000-2001, the “American Century” had begun to descend into a chamber of horrors.
The years since then have been marked by the huge financial bubbles engineered by the U.S. Federal Reserve System and the virus of predatory global capitalism. We have the looming worldwide economic crisis with rising bankruptcies, credit disruptions, and soaring fuel and food prices. Alongside has been the thinly-disguised but continuing attempt by the U.S. to conquer the Middle East by force of arms under the heading of the “War on Terror.”
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Friday, June 27, 2008
Financial Markets Intelligence Report / Politics / Emerging Markets
By: John_Mauldin
This week I want to share with you one of the more important tools in my arsenal for keeping up with what is going on in the world. As I've told you before, George Friedman and his team at Stratfor are my go-to guys for geopolitical intelligence. Their insights into this facet of the world are simply without peer. Now I want you to see their Intelligence Guidance which they publish each Friday for the upcoming week; last week's edition is below. Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, June 23, 2008
The United States of Fiat Money and the Federal Reserve System / Politics / Fiat Currency
By: Darryl_R_Schoon
Fiat money is an oxymoron. Traditionally, money has been both a storehouse of value and a medium of exchange. Fiat money exists by mimicking both; but when its ability to do so ends, fiat money exposed for what it is, reverts to what it is—government issued coupons with expiration dates printed in invisible ink .
Fiat money distorts the time value of money and in so doing destroys both money and the economies that use it. Real money like gold and silver has value over time, the greater its value and the longer it endures, the more likely it will be accepted as money.
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Saturday, June 21, 2008
America's Military Machine Gearing Up for Total WAR / Politics / US Politics
By: Michael_T_Bucci
The news items this week point to a severe international crisis point ahead (maybe within months of now). Sweden has enabled new surveillance measures on the heels of Germany . The Treasury's man Paulson thinks procedures for future bank failures should be erected. The Bank of England is warning the British (like my friend Bev who wouldn't listen to anyone but his financial advisor, and my New Age friends Sharon and Jo who are busy "Ascending") that tough times are ahead and to downplay union strikes to protect against upward wage pressures.Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
European Politicians Living in Ivory Towers Confuse Stagflation with Stability / Politics / Euro-Zone
By: Axel_Merk
Just because we have been favoring the euro over the U.S. dollar in recent years doesn't mean we believe everything is perfect in Europe. The rejection of Irish voters of the latest attempt by the European Union (E.U.) to streamline its decision processes highlights a fundamental weakness: the inability of European politicians to communicate with its citizens. Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
THE BILDERBERGERS Paper Money & Paper Tigers / Politics / Fiat Currency
By: Darryl_R_Schoon
The last shall be first and the first shall be last - Jesus of Nazareth
Nobel Laureate Buckminster Fuller's introduction to his Critical Path is titled, Twilight of the World's Power Structures . Published in 1981, Fuller's book predicted the end of the world's power structures during a process where humanity would undergo a crisis of unprecedented proportions .
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Tuesday, June 17, 2008
What's the Cost of the Iraq War on US Economy? / Politics / Iraq War
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
What is the importance of the war in Iraq relative to other current issues? This is a question I am often asked, especially as Americans continue to become increasingly aware that something is very wrong with the economy. The difficulty with the way the question is often asked relates to the perception that we are somehow able to divide such issues, or to isolate the cost of war into arbitrarily defined areas such as national security or international relations. War is an all-encompassing governmental activity.Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, June 16, 2008
US Guaranteed Social Security Benefits: Make It So / Politics / US Politics
By: Steve_Selengut
The comically complicated PSA (Personal Savings Account) legislation bouncing around Congress will raise taxes, increase investment risk, and expand the size of government. Let's stop applying Band-Aids to spouting arteries. We are looking for a guaranteed retirement benefit program, and organizations capable of providing one. Additionally, we want the new program to reduce taxes, create jobs, boost the economy, cut prices, and increase salaries. Difficult? Not really.Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, June 16, 2008
Barrack Obama's Economic Folly and Paul Krugman’s Hypocrisy / Politics / US Politics
By: Gerard_Jackson
Barrack Obama's economic policy is one of incredible stupidity. He plans to bludgeon the economy with massive tax increases while flooding it with astronomical spending. Is this bloke a genius or what. (The question, of course, is rhetorical). But how in heavens name does such economic idiocy become common currency, particularly in the politically corrupt media?Read full article... Read full article...
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Bush Administration Corruption- Trillions of Missing Dollars / Politics / US Politics
By: Stephen_Lendman
Information for this article comes from long-time business, finance and political writer and analyst Bob Chapman who publishes the bi-weekly International Forecaster. It's power-packed with key information and a valued source for this writer. He obtained voluminous material directly from its source. People need to know it. Read on. Read full article... Read full article...
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Irish Say NO to European Super State / Politics / Euro-Zone
By: Mike_Whitney
On Friday, Ireland delivered a knockout punch to European elites and corporatists and shattered their plan for an EU Superstate. The so-called Lisbon Treaty was nothing more than a repackaging of the European Constitution that was defeated by French and Dutch voters in 2005. The treaty was loaded with the typical "democratic" gobbledygook to conceal the vicious neoliberal policies at its heart. If it had passed, the treaty would have paved the way for greater privatization of public services, diminished workers rights, less state control over trade policies and civil liberties, and an aggressive plan to militarize Europe.Read full article... Read full article...