US politics

By Deirdre Fulton, staff writer | (Commondreams.org) | – – “Now more than ever before Americans deserve to know about the need for campaign finance reform,’ advocacy groups declare” As the U.S. heads into the 2016 election cycle, where spending by candidates and outside groups is poised to approach $10 billion, groups dedicated to campaign […]

Drone Warfare

The True Cost of America’s Ongoing Wars: Sebastian Junger, Spencer Ackerman et al.

contributors

Michael Moynihan, “The Business of Life” | VICE News Video | — “The AUMF (The “Authorization of the Use of Military Force”) was a bill passed in the immediate wake of 9/11 and authorized the President of the United States to use all “necessary and appropriate force” against those who had aided the terrorists responsible […]

Iran

The “Bomb Iran!” Lobby Gears Up for 2016

contributors

By Sina Toossi | ( Foreign Policy in Focus) | – “A tight-knit group of neocon dead-enders is pushing Iran to the forefront of the GOP's foreign policy agenda.” In a recent TV ad, a van snakes its way through an American city. As the driver fiddles with the radio dial, dire warnings about the […]

African-Americans

Boston Terrorism suspect Rahim switched from Hate Speech Activist Geller to Police as Target

contributors

WCVB Channel 5 Boston | (Video) | – – “Boston terror suspect Usaamah Rahim originally plotted to behead conservative activist Pamela Geller but changed his mind and decided to target Massachusetts police officers because it would have been easier, according to an affidavit.” WCVB Channel 5 Boston: “FBI: Boston terror suspect wanted to go after […]

Barack Obama

Adelson Tabloid slams Obama for Listening to ‘Court Jews’ in Questioning Israel’s Credibility

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – President Barack Obama gave an interview on Israeli television on Tuesday in which he said that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s position on rejecting a Palestinian state as long as he is in power is damaging Israel’s credibility. Netanyahu tried to retract his campaign pledge after he won […]

Government surveillance

Wins and Losses for Liberty and Privacy in USA Freedom Act

contributors

By Cindy Cohn and Mark Jaycox | (Electronic Frontier Foundation) | – The Senate passed the USA Freedom Act today by 67-32, marking the first time in over thirty years that both houses of Congress have approved a bill placing real restrictions and oversight on the National Security Agency’s surveillance powers. The weakening amendments to […]

African-Americans

Going for Broke in Ponzi Scheme America

contributors

Tom Engelhardt | (Tomdispatch.com) | – [Note to TomDispatch Readers: I’ve long had a weakness for commencement addresses, or at least for what they might be rather than what they usually are, which is why, I suppose, I’ve written them relatively regularly myself. Since no actual college or graduating class has ever asked me to give […]

Bill of Rights

Thank you, Edward Snowden: An End to General Warrants as so-called PATRIOT Act expires

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – The US government behemoth dedicated to spying on us all in contravention of the Constitution will likely be only slightly inconvenienced by the expiration of the misnamed “PATRIOT Act”, forced by Sen. Rand Paul late Sunday night. But at least a few baby steps back toward democracy will […]

Bill of Rights

Why Rand Paul is right to Kill the So-Called PATRIOT Act: It was never about Terrorism

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has vowed to force the expiration of the so-called PATRIOT Act on Sunday. Paul is right that it is unconstitutional and in this regard he is a better constitutional scholar than Barack Obama, whose stance on this issue is, to say the least, […]