us politics
Categories under us politics
- Kamala Harris (2)
Massive illicit bust of Edward Snowden erected in Brooklyn
Written By: - Date published: 9:25 am, April 7th, 2015 - 13 comments
A group of unidentified artists have erected a bronze patina bust of Eric Snowden on a stone column in Brooklyn. The authorities are investigating.
Trends in America
Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, April 6th, 2015 - 29 comments
Here’s some slow Monday reading to ponder, on political trends in America.
California drought
Written By: - Date published: 11:40 am, April 3rd, 2015 - 47 comments
The California drought gives us a case study in how the effects of climate change are going to play out.
Discussion starter for the day…
Written By: - Date published: 7:49 pm, March 10th, 2015 - 116 comments
I’d love to share these two posts with you and pick your brains on what you think!
Key’s credibility and the Snowden leaks
Written By: - Date published: 9:03 am, March 8th, 2015 - 71 comments
The Sunday Star Times has reported on the set up and reach of the Waihopai Spy Base. Key’s statement that the GCSB does not have the physical capability to conduct mass surveillance appears to be not true.
TPP protest reports
Written By: - Date published: 4:05 pm, March 7th, 2015 - 33 comments
For any accounts from the TPP protest marches today.
Politicising banking
Written By: - Date published: 7:25 am, March 3rd, 2015 - 110 comments
The attack on banking services for Mega is a high profile example of the politicisation of banking. We’re on a very slippery slope here…
Obama vetos Keystone pipeline
Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, February 26th, 2015 - 8 comments
Too little, too late, but a victory the environment (and for sanity) none the less.
NZ sending troops to Iraq
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, February 23rd, 2015 - 227 comments
New Zealand will be sending troops to Iraq, and you read it first on The Standard. Or in other words, why are we still pretending that the decision hasn’t been made?
Aussies & US mount opposition to TPPA – but in NZ we just keep nodding
Written By: - Date published: 2:56 pm, February 14th, 2015 - 47 comments
So much to sell, so little time… When this Government is finished selling, we will have sold our right to make laws for ourselves too. Be under no doubt, if the effect of bringing in a law for the health and well being of Kiwis will cost a corporate millions of dollars, part of their lobbying after the TPP, will be threatening to sue the taxpayers of NZ and watch such a Bill slip into obscurity. And those corporates wielding that power? Most will never pay a cent of tax into the coffers of NZ taxpayers.
The War Club Family
Written By: - Date published: 7:35 pm, February 8th, 2015 - 73 comments
There’s a fascinating article in the latest New Statesman titled “An Empire that speaks English: the right’s dream of a new world order.” Suddenly UK Foreign Minister Philip Hammond’s recent visit here makes sense. So does John Key’s references to sending troops to Iraq on behalf of the “club” or the “family” – he’s at the heart of the Empire.
Charity is illegal in Florida
Written By: - Date published: 11:21 am, February 1st, 2015 - 26 comments
Trump or Palin for the US Presidency?
Written By: - Date published: 6:10 pm, January 26th, 2015 - 37 comments
Donald Trump and Sarah Palin are reported to be considering runs for the Republican nomination for the United States Presidency.
The state of the union
Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, January 24th, 2015 - 75 comments
American commentator William Rivers Pitt on Obama’s state of the union.
Guantanamo Diary
Written By: - Date published: 11:10 pm, January 21st, 2015 - 4 comments
The Guardian has some amazing extracts from a diary that Guantánamo detainee Mohamedou Ould Slahi kept and gave to his lawyers. It’s the first book by a serving Guantanamo inmate.
Charlie Hebdo: ‘… and not give in to fear’
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, January 8th, 2015 - 596 comments
It is a shocking story to wake up to. A murderous act in a beautiful city. Condolences to those close to the people who were killed, and to the people of Paris and France. It is not a justification for the anti-democratic, invasive extensions to the surveillance state.
So what is happening with the price of oil?
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, December 18th, 2014 - 137 comments
The price of crude oil has nearly halved in the past six months and is causing massive repercussions throughout the world with both the Russian economy and the American Shale Oil industry under threat. The geopolitical implications are complex.
Finally, Cuba.
Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, December 18th, 2014 - 145 comments
I was born in June 1959. In October the following year, the United States put an embargo against Cuba, and it has remained in place ever since. Today it appears as if President Obama in the USA is intending to lift the substantive parts of the embargo. About time.
#TortureReport
Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, December 11th, 2014 - 56 comments
finally, we have the release of the report that documents interrogation techniques carried out by the CIA. it’s pretty awful stuff.
NRT: Least preferred option
Written By: - Date published: 5:33 pm, November 17th, 2014 - 40 comments
Back in September, John Key said that sending the SAS to Iraq was his “least preferred option”, “at the very outer edge of what we’d be wanting to do”. Today, he’s changed his tune in his predictable way. Such a poodle wanting to have his belly scratched by his masters.
Why does the right control the English speaking world?
Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, November 16th, 2014 - 116 comments
Jason Wilson in the Guardian has asked a very relevant question. Why is the right currently dominant in the English speaking Western World and what does the left have to do to change this?
The United States mid term Elections
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, November 9th, 2014 - 86 comments
Some brief thoughts on what happened in the United States election this week combined with a guest post by Ad on the challenges that progressive parties are facing in the Western World.
“Marching in the streets”
Written By: - Date published: 5:15 pm, November 8th, 2014 - 129 comments
Thousands of people protested and marched around the country against the secret and anti-democratic TPPA negotiations. Reports & pics. Updated
The long reach of “5 Eyes”: re-post
Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, October 6th, 2014 - 15 comments
With Chris Finlayson just announced as minister in charge of GCSB & SIS, I thought it appropriate to re-post something I published on The Standard back in July 2013: links 5 Eyes’ attorney generals, cyber-security, Dotcom, etc.
The email
Written By: - Date published: 2:57 pm, September 15th, 2014 - 143 comments
The email that alleges to show John key was in on a conspiracy, with Hollywood execs, to entrap Dotcom in NZ so they could extradite him to the US. Updated. Warners say the email is fake. But who was applying the “political pressure”? Updated: Cameron Slater is a techno idiot.
The enablers
Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, September 15th, 2014 - 14 comments
Under pressure from Glenn Greenwald’s revelations, John Key, using various smoke screens, is starting to reveal his complicity in working with the GCSB & its 5 Eyes partners, to extend the scope of their spying. Could the Southern Cross Cable Network not have known their systems had been tapped? Update: Statement by Southern Cross Cables
GCSB, privacy & Facebook messaging
Written By: - Date published: 2:42 pm, August 15th, 2014 - 7 comments
How private are communications on social media platforms such as Facebook? It is claimed that the GCSB law’s definition of “privacy” leaves a loophole for warrantless surveillance of messaging by Kiwis on platforms like Facebook.
Bracing for the book
Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, August 13th, 2014 - 104 comments
Nicky Hager has certainly got the attention of political circles in NZ, by announcing his (untitled) book launch today at 5.15pm. J[update: 3 news Livestream of book launch] Update: Title “Dirty Politics” – on attack politics – implicates John key & Slater]
Dancing on the grave of Hollywood and the reformation of the music industry
Written By: - Date published: 7:57 pm, August 3rd, 2014 - 144 comments
During every revolution there will be winners and losers, change can mean pain for some, especially for the bloodsucking leaches & parasites, that have entrenched their positions, after years of mediocrity. Yes the death of Hollywood and current Music industry would cause financial pain for some, including some of the arguably overpaid actors and performers […]
The view from Russia
Written By: - Date published: 1:21 pm, August 2nd, 2014 - 123 comments
Long time commenter, grumpy, has had this post from a russian friend explaining his view on what has been happening in the Ukraine. As this event has excited considerable comment over the last few months, this will probably be a good discussion post.
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