Archive
Attack of the Billionaires
It was a total lockdown. As jet after jet swept in surreptitiously with top brass and political decision-makers on board, every entrance to the site of the super-secret Coachella Valley planning summit was secured and patrolled by armed guards and helicopters.
Five Bucks a Gallon
The Freedom to Die with Dignity
You may have missed it amid all this fuss about Catholics and contraception. The Church’s pushback over routine birth control methods stemmed in large part from an important edict the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued in 2009, which remains poorly understood and could have a major impact on you and your loved ones.
The Lineup: Week of March 5-11, 2012
Jim Cason says that Washington’s new reliance on drone warfare is too dangerous.
No Nuclear Nirvana on the Horizon
When the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently approved two new nuclear reactors near Augusta, Georgia, the first such decision in 32 years, there was plenty of hoopla.
Washington’s Dangerous New Military Strategy
The Iraq War was a disaster, so the U.S. needs a new foreign policy. Instead of invading foreign countries with tens of thousands of troops and trying to occupy and control the political process, President Barack Obama has embraced a new foreign military policy relying on “unmanned” drones and limited counterinsurgency forces.
Congress Must Pass a Farm Bill in 2012
There’s a nasty fight brewing in Washington over the budget that could determine whether a farm bill is enacted in 2012. Given the gridlock that has afflicted Congress since before this election year even got underway, some lawmakers say it should wait until 2013. I couldn’t disagree more. Our farm and food system is broken, and it’s wrecking the lives of family farmers here in the United States and across the globe.
Libya’s Lessons
Libya is commonly counted as a success story among the ongoing Arab uprisings. NATO bombing, the story goes, saved thousands of lives and allowed Libyans to overthrow the absurd and murderous Muammar Gaddafi. The intervention proves that the West has aligned its interests in the Arab world with its values — and may even be a measure of redemption for the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the deeper colonial past.
Iraq Takes It Personally
Iraq is a gift that keeps on giving. We kicked out their murderous dictator for them, helped them institute democracy, poured hundreds of millions into their recovery, and tried our best to interrupt their civil war. Then we left — or at least our combat troops did.
Treating Sick Rich Folks
In these trying times of health care austerity, it reaffirms one’s faith in humanity to learn that many hospitals are now going the extra mile to provide top quality care for all.
