So all the CIA, etc., knows about Putin comes from one or two informants who are "close" to him and have now "gone silent", and "American intelligence agencies have not been able to say precisely what are Mr. Putin’s intentions." In other words it's, as usual, just a lot of speculation designed to justify our rekindling the cold war. The State and Defense Departments are not left out of the CIA loop and presumably know which Russian diplomats are CIA informants and they would not be among those 60 expelled -- this part of the story was just put in as cover for them. We are also told that Putin wants to eliminate current US informants by poisoning retired ones by using a poison that points to him. He must be dumber than Trump. If Russia, with a mere pittance of the resources the US has, is able to stir up chaos over here just imagine what we are doing to Russia! And who are those "pro-Russian" politicians running for office in the midterms?
The opinions, views, thoughts, and ramblings of editors of PoliticalAffairs.net – and other stuff worth reading or viewing.
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Friday, August 24, 2018
Giraffes -- not just for the Zoo anymore
Since humans of a certain class and moral disposition cannot be prevented from slaughtering animals such as whales, dolphins, elephants, rhinos and now giraffes (etc., etc.) for fun and profit, and others from buying products made out the body parts of the slain wildlife to look "cool" is it too much to ask Congress (even Republican members not known for having reliable moral compasses) to enact laws to at least protect these animals from going completely extinct. Perhaps it is better for them to so if it is the only way to save them from never-ending acts of human cruelty and greed. Half the world still eats dogs and cats and if our "best friends" are still on the menu what hope do other animals have to escape our appetites for them as food, clothing, and the thrill of killing?
Monday, August 20, 2018
R.I.P. David McReynolds
A socialist from a different era but still a comrade for all that, he mused in 2015 “The failure of the Socialist Party, its tendency to substitute a kind of left rhetoric for serious analysis, is to be regretted because if ever we needed a democratic socialist movement it is today”--- a short three years later we see DSA rising to fill that need; the roles of other left forces are yet to be determined as democratic socialism, still "new" in the US is old in Europe and has failed to get beyond the welfare state and NATO. Communism (i.e., Marxism-Leninism) is still a viable alternative despite the failure of Eastern Orthodox culture to digest it as it is apparently working in China being compatible with a modern interpretation of Confucianism and as the ultimate solution to the contradictions engendered by the now dominant world capitalist system that evolved out of European mercantilism and whose continued existence is an existential threat to humanity and the planet.
About this website
NYTIMES.COM
David McReynolds, Socialist Activist Who Ran for President, Dies at 88His pacifist work spanned decades and several wars, and he twice ran for the White House as an openly gay man on the Socialist Party USA ticket.
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Trump vs Brennan: A Spat Between Scoundrels
Well, both Trump and Brennan lied to the American people (it's SOP for the CIA to circulate disinformation in support of government policies and to engage in deceptions and dirty tricks.) Once you leave government service there is no reason for you to keep your security clearance, it's a courtesy extended for loyal service. Once you bite the hand of a serving president don't be surprised if he bites back. These two scoundrels deserve one another and the American people deserve neither. There is nothing honorable about the Hon. John Brennan or the current President, their spat is a sideshow between two imperialist marionettes whose strings have become entangled.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
# MeToo is greater than the faux Feminists
Hypocrisy is obvious in the responses of many so-called "feminists" and in the world of sexploitation this is a human bites dog story (the human should be punished but male molesters vastly outnumber their female counterparts) nevertheless, from kindergarten through graduate school teachers should keep their hands off their own students (at least). There are moral obligations and duties with regard to trust that pertain to the student-teacher relationship and a teacher who violates that trust is unworthy of his or her position no matter how witty and scholarly they may be. It is disturbing to see so many other teachers attempting to defend this immoral behavior on the part of one their own as they disgrace the very worthy cause they ostensibly support. We all know the flesh is weak and that punishment should fit the crime and that redemption and reconciliation are always ideal, if rare, outcomes: we should try to make both victim and perpetrator whole again and I hope those at NYU (where I taught for many years) who are responsible for dealing with this sad embroglio find the wisdom to find a just solution to this situation.
Monday, August 13, 2018
Trump Contra Voting Rights
“The Trump administration wants to make it harder to vote, and they’ve thrown the weight of the federal government behind that,” said Lisa M. Manheim, an associate professor and election-law scholar at the University of Washington School of Law. “It’s hard to justify some of these measures as anything but an attempt to entrench Republicans in office.” This article details how Trump and the GOP realizing that they cannot win most elections on the basis of one man/woman one vote have set out to dilute the lists of eligible voters by purging minorities and others who might not vote Republican. This violates the constitutional rights of those targeted by Trump. It is a clear violation of his oath of office to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution and is clear grounds for his impeachment along with Vice President Pence and Attorney General Sessions who are part and parcel of this betrayal of the American people's right to vote. In comparison to the acts of the Republicans, allegations of so-called Russian election interference is nil and only serves as a smokescreen to cover up the real enemies of American democracy (such as it is) -- the 1% and their Republican and conservative Democratic tools trying to preserve their class rule from threats from the new growing progressive majority. Election rigging is a sign of desperation and of a growing trend to resort to authoritarian and neofascist policies on the part of the ruling class of Wall Street big shots and their allies. As for the Trump administration, Écrasez l'infame.
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Our "lazy" Ancestor: Homo erectus?
"They really don't seem to have been pushing themselves," Dr Shipton said.
"I don't get the sense they were explorers looking over the horizon. They didn't have that same sense of wonder that we have."
If only H. erectus had had the Protestant work ethic! Will social Darwinism never cease? What is the subtext of Australian scientists making such comments, and Europeans, or any dominant ethnic group living on territory taken from others? It is that we are here on your land because we are explorers who pushed ourselves over the horizon and you were "lazy." As far as the "lazy" Homo erectus is concerned, these ancestors of ours invented the first major stone tool innovation -- the hand ax -- looked over the horizon and emigrated from Africa to Asia and Europe -- cared for their sick and elderly (perhaps more compassionately than we do considering their circumstances) and evolved into us -- perhaps "our sense of wonder" even came from them.
Russia Hacks Florida Elections?
More Democratic fantasies about Russian government hackers. Florida is now going through a brouhaha of Russian election interference with exactly 0 evidence -- the witch hunt progresses! “They have already penetrated certain counties in the state, and they now have free rein to move about,” the Democratic senator told The Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday. He declined to elaborate or offer any proof.
“While we are aware of Senator Nelson’s recent statements, we have not seen any new compromises by Russian actors of election infrastructure. That said, we don’t need to wait for a specific threat to be ready.”-- Sara Sendek, Department of Homeland Security.
Mr. Detzner [Florida division of elections] contacted Homeland Security, the F.B.I. and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and none had any details about possible Russian hacking attempts. He said his division “has no evidence to support these claims." The real purpose of these anti-Russia memes is to divert our attention from our real domestic problems and blame foreign influences for our woes. The Democrats won't win elections with these tactics.
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