Canada’s prime minister for the past nine years, Stephen Harper, led a charmed life until the October 19 federal election. Canada’s first-past-the-post elector system, where three parties—two left-liberal and one conservative—have split the vote election after election, allowed him to hold power with a third of the popular vote. Continue reading
Winning a significant victory, Justin Trudeau, son of former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, replaced the neoconservative Stephen Harper as Canada’s Prime Minister elect. Continue reading
Let’s suppose elections really mattered here in the USA. That I, if voting, could say confidently, “He (or she) will represent my position, will act on behalf of our ecosystem, will promote justice.” That we could enter a choice, selecting integrity, someone authentic who would take the oath and initiate the entirety of nouns pushed against verbs that formed campaign promises. Continue reading
In the recent Democratic Party presidential debate in Las Vegas, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton squared off about Denmark being a template for the type of social democracy Sanders would like to see introduced to the United States. Sanders said, “We should look to countries like Denmark, like Sweden and Norway and learn from what they have accomplished for their working people.” Clinton, ever the corporate two billion dollar trollop, responded by saying, “We are not Denmark,” and then going on to defend capitalism against overreaching state regulation. Continue reading
A decade of deplorable Harper-led Conservative governance ended. It gave Canadians endless wars of aggression partnered with Washington, deepened social injustice, hardline support for Israel’s killing machine, and police state harshness against nonbelievers. Continue reading
If you’ve watched all of the presidential debates so far—both Democratic and Republican—and you were waiting for the candidates to tell you if and how they would change Medicare, you are still waiting. Continue reading
Political debates are pre-scripted, well-rehearsed theater, especially presidential ones. They don’t edify. They insult. Avoid them. You’ll learn nothing. Continue reading
If I had my druthers, I would prefer Hillary Clinton not be the first woman president of the U S of A. Not that I underestimate her intelligence or capability to occupy this high office, but I feel very strongly that her marriage to “Scoundrel” Bill has both molded and tainted her against being credible to lead this nation . . . much less to be a leader most of the world would trust. Continue reading
In politics, doing the right thing exacts a price. It’s no game for sissies. Most officeholders are scoundrels. Exceptions like Corbyn prove the rule. More below on attempts to vilify him. Continue reading
The question avoided by all critics of the outrageous, outspoken, idiotic, anti-Christ, pro-Hitler, racist, misogynist billionaire who has equally antagonized the corporate Republican-conservative, corporate Democratic-liberal and (gag-barf-choke) corporate progressive establishments: Why is this cynical asshole candidate for president who loves Israel different from all the other cynical asshole candidates for president who love Israel? Continue reading
Get ready: the Republicans may not know it, but they’ve all but certified their ticket for 2016, and they will probably win. Continue reading
There is not a peaceful person among the Republican candidates. Even the female is heartless. Carly Fiorina positioned herself alongside the macho men as a warmonger. She let the military/security complex know that she, too, was for sale. Send in the campaign donations, and she will see that the money flows back to the military/security complex in the buildup of fleets and armaments that will send the Russians a message. Continue reading
I’ve been asked to express my thoughts about Donald Trump. Quite frankly, I have no thoughts about him. Well, that’s not exactly true. He is a crass, narcissistic, racist , sexist billionaire and a reflection of what this country stands for. Continue reading
Jeremy Corbyn’s victory Saturday is a clear message to the British political world. You politicians had better start listening to the people, otherwise you will be out. Continue reading
British Prime Minister David Cameron called Jeremy Corbyn a threat to national security. More on what he said below. Continue reading
Longtime British Labour Party MP since 1983, Jeremy Corbyn was considered a 100-1 shot for its leadership after declaring his candidacy in June, on an antiwar, anti-austerity platform, saying: “This decision to stand is in response to an overwhelming call by Labour party members who want to see a broader range of candidates and a thorough debate about the future of the party. I am standing to give Labour party members a voice in this debate.” Continue reading
How I spent my summer vacation—part of it, at least. One weekend in August, my girlfriend Pat and I went upstate to visit my sister, also named Patricia, and while there took a field trip to Elmira, New York. Continue reading
Dark horse candidate Jeremy Corbyn, who is currently leading in the polls for UK Labour Party leader, has included in his platform “quantitative easing for people.” Continue reading
I keep imagining the White House with a big, really big neon sign TRUMP across the top of the roof. Continue reading
America is run by a criminal aristocracy—a one-party system with two wings, serving monied interests exclusively at the expense of beneficial social change. Continue reading
If women are beginning to get a tad concerned about what their world might be like if the next occupant of the White House is a Republican, they have more reason to worry now that some of the GOP candidates for president are cluing us in about their Obamacare replacement plans. Continue reading
I’ve just received an interesting query from Mingo, a long-standing European journalist friend and expert on all-things-Afghan . . . someone whose acquaintanceship dates back to the early days of America’s involvement in Afghanistan. Someone, I might add, who did prove to have in 2004 a clearer vision of what was to happen in that country than most, if not all, military experts, media gurus and politicians in the US. My writings at that time can attest to that. Continue reading
It is obvious that Bernie Sanders functions as the political “sheepdog” of the 2016 presidential election. The sheepdog makes certain that otherwise disillusioned Democrats are energized enough to stay in line and support the eventual candidate, in this case Hillary Clinton. That is reason enough to oppose his campaign but it isn’t the only one. A hard look at Sanders on foreign policy issues shows that he is a progressive poseur, a phony, a conservative Democrat, and not a socialist by any means. Continue reading
Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida and brother of George W. Bush, has been referring to his brother’s failed “war against evil doers” in recent comments suggesting that he continues to support the wars of folly and choice waged by the Bush-Cheney administration from 2001 to 2009. Continue reading
Until recently, Bushism referred only to George W Bush’s infamous malapropisms, such as “they misunderestimated me,” “make the pie higher.” As Americans gear up for the 2016 presidential elections, it is coming to mean something completely different. Continue reading
Just finished reading Ann Rule’s book on serial killer Ted Bundy, a man she knew as a coworker and friend way back when in Washington State. Of course, Ann did not have the slightest inkling that this fine, intelligent, charming and empathetic soul (they worked together for a suicide hotline) could commit the most gruesome and enraged murders of young women . . . over and over again. Continue reading
The word socialism has great impact in the U.S. It provokes fear and condemnation and is often used as a political weapon, a means to put your opponent or member of the “other” party on the defensive. The socialist is usually seen as a threat to the security of the U.S. as well as our way of life. Continue reading
On Thursday, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras resigned and announced snap elections, likely in late September—a ploy hoping for enough voter support to remain in power before ordinary Greeks feel the pain of greater austerity he agreed to after pledging no more in January. Continue reading
Paul Eisen, until a week ago anonymous as far as most Brits were concerned, is now a kingmaker. The UK Jewish Lobby is convinced, for some reason, that the nature of Eisen’s relationship with Labour’s leading candidate Jeremy Corbyn will determine the future of this country. Continue reading
When the jar holding sustenance civic-water is broken, fragmented in countless small pieces, it seems foolish to waste time seeking superglue to put it back together. We would be wiser instead to acknowledge and accept the loss and, without delay or commiserating on all possible reasons for our misfortune, revisit our pottery skills and create a vessel to keep us from political dehydration . . . before it’s too late. Continue reading
The relationship between Jeremy Corbyn and British Jews can be summarized in a brief observation: While Corbyn’s success represents a hugely popular shift within British political thinking, the orchestrated Jewish campaign against him is there to suggest that once again, Jews set themselves against the people they dwell upon. Continue reading
RSS
Hillary ticks boxes, but can she be trusted?
Posted on October 28, 2015 by Linda S. Heard
US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is one tough cookie. I watched every second of her testimony before a grueling eleven-hour-long Congressional hearing on Benghazi in awe of her composure and self-control. Towards the end, she wilted slightly and briefly snapped against one of her Republican ‘interrogators’—but who wouldn’t in the kind of hot seat she had to endure. Continue reading →