Nobel laureate in economics @JosephEStiglitz makes clear that the neoliberal nightmare, a.k.a. Obama, paved the way for Trump via his bank-friendly economic policies.
The link goes to this column:
The Obama administration made a crucial mistake in 2009 in not pursuing a larger, longer, better-structured and more flexible fiscal stimulus. Had it done so, the economy’s rebound would have been stronger and there would have been no talk of secular stagnation. As it was, only those in the top 1% saw their incomes grow during the first three years of the so-called recovery.
Some of us warned at the time that the downturn was likely to be deep and long, and that what was needed was stronger and different from what Obama proposed. I suspect that the main obstacle was the belief that the economy had just experienced a little “bump” from which it would quickly recover. Put the banks in the hospital, give them loving care - in other words, hold none of the bankers accountable or even scold them but rather boost their morale by inviting them to consult on the way forward - and, most important, shower them with money and soon all would be well.
But the economy’s travails were deeper than this diagnosis suggested. The fallout from the financial crisis was more severe and massive redistribution of income and wealth toward the top had weakened aggregate demand. The economy was experiencing a transition from manufacturing to services and market economies don’t manage such transitions well on their own.
To which I say, thanks, jerk. Barack's been out of office for almost two years and now your candy ass is calling him out? Where the hell were you and your sometime writing partner Linda when we could have used you?
I'm just not in the mood. Even now, with Barack out of office, he still can't talk as strong as he could against Bully Boy Bush.
This is C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot" for Thursday:
'Every day we stare at the door, waiting for him to come back.'
Wether their son, husband or sister is #Missing, for 1, 10 or 30 years, wherever in #Iraq, they share the same unspeakable grief & don't know who to turn to.
Their voices need to be heard.
#DayoftheDisappeared
The "disappeared" were not created in Iraq in 2003. People were "disappeared" under Saddam Hussein. But the Iraq War was supposed to 'liberate' Iraq. And the puppets the US installed continued to 'disappear' Iraqis. Former prime minister and forever thug Nouri al-Maliki disappeared people throughout his first term but then-US President Barack Obama still gave him a second term (even after the Iraqi voters rejected a second term for Nouri). That second term saw even more Iraqis disappeared and that was one of the issues that led to the rise of ISIS.
Though Nouri wanted a third term, the havoc he brought to Iraq was such that Barack said no. Instead, Hayder al-Abadi was installed. The disappearances have continued under Hayder and one debate on social media is whether they are higher, lower or the same as Nouri's disappearances? The corporate media has not been too interested in the topic to begin with and, during Hayder's term as prime minister, they've ignored the topic and spent their time insisting that Hayder was a strong representative for Iraq and that he had what was needed for a leader -- you know, the same lies that they spent years spreading about thug Nouri.
Future generations of Americans will have to answer for the disappeared, for the fact that their government installed despots and tyrants who abused the Iraqi people.
"Your country said you wanted to bring liberation? Why would you impose someone who runs secret prisons?"
Questions like that will need to be answered.
The Iraq War continues. Year after year. Even when those who started it, like John McCain, die off, the illegal war still drags on.
this fawning obituary of McCain by @hrw is an embarrassment. No mention of warmongering. No mention of his lockstep support for Israeli & Saudi war crimes. No mention of the 500K-1M deaths he helped cause in Iraq. Couldve been written by the US State Dept.
Imagine that, Human Rights Watches blows kisses to John McCain. Hmm. Where did HRW stand on the human rights of the Iraqi people when the US was going to declare war on them?
There is no mention of Iraq, which is unsurprising given that HRW itself did not oppose the invasion of Iraq:
HRW did nothing to oppose the illegal war. And now they celebrate John McCain?
McCain was a racist and a war monger. He was also no friend of veterans.
he also voted against the post-9/11 gi bill, against a bill requiring mandatory downtime for troops between deployments and against pulling ground forces out of iraq. the Disabled American Veterans scored mccain a 20/100 going into 2008 elections.
The press lies. It celebrates a John McCain and ignores the people. That's how the press works. All over the world. The Iraqi people have been clear throughout the Iraq War on one point: US troops out. But their politicians are always tempted by gifts and bribes. And they betray the Iraqi people. (US politicians betray the American people. Politicians are not known for integrity -- throughout the world.)
Iraq's political circles are divided over the recent #US-led coalition's announcement that its military forces will remain in #Iraq indefinitely @TheIraqPulse
One reason Moqtada al-Sadr is so popular in Iraq is that he has called out occupying forces. (Press reports since the May 12th election have includes claims that Moqtada is okay with US troops on Iraqi soil as 'trainers.') Moqtada is the Shi'ite cleric and movement leader whose bloc came in first in the Iraqi elections.
In Iraqi election news, main election winner Sadr calls for million person demonstration/million person united prayers tomorrow, the weekend before first meeting of new Iraqi Parliament which is expected to announce Iraq's new ruling coalition.
wataniq.com/news?ID=32936
Hamza Mustafa (ASHARQ AL-AWSAT) adds:
Dozens of Iraqis protested near the entrance to the green zone in Baghdad over what they say are US plans to keep Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in his post for a second term.
They said Brett McGurk, the US special envoy for the coalition against ISIS, has been ‘interfering” in the negotiations aimed at forming the biggest parliamentary bloc.
“No to America,” the protesters chanted as they pledged not to remain silent to the US embassy’s “interference” in the Iraqi government formation process.
Addressing his followers in a statement, Sadr urged them to hold a million man march against the corrupt.
“Say no to sectarianism, no to corruption, no to division of shares, no to terrorism and no to occupation,” he said.
“Iraq needs a peaceful day of rage to set the stage for building a new Iraq away from corruption and oppression,” Sadr added.
Protests have been taking place in Iraq since the start of July. They kicked off in Basra where there are so many issues -- including the lack of safe drinking water.
Today salinity index (EC) was measured in Shat al Arab river #Basra by Dr al Hassan. Salt concentration ranges between 33.5 mS/cm - 34.0 mS/cm. Seven years ago it was 7.7 mS/cm. The recommended levels should not exceed 1.5 mS/cm! #Save_Basra #Iraq Source:facebook.com/drshukri.alhas…
Basra health crisis: 17,000 admitted to hospitals for water poisoning
Watch @AhmadMullaTalal ask Basra Governor @hyaasaadaledan if he showers with the same water he delivers to residents of #Basra or if he uses filtered bottle water. Governor Asaad al-Edani pretended to not hear the question, but managed to hear everything else. #البصرة_تستغيث
Press sources: Dozens of demonstrators have gathered in (Garma Ali) area north of Basra, to protest against the deterioration of services.
Main Shatt-al-Arab water station was closed today following the discovery of toxic algae, leaving 150 thousand people in #Basra without water, relying completely on polluted RO water—purchase price: $12-14 per 264 gallons and require 3 days wait time. #IraqProtests #البصرة_تستغيث
Exactly when does CBS, PBS, et al plan to cover the issue in Basra with regards to the water?
Ever?
The following community sites -- plus Cindy Sheehan and PACIFICA EVENING NEWS -- updated:
That racist John McCain
7 hours ago
New music
7 hours ago
CNN continues to embarrass itself
7 hours ago
A lousy summer for movies
8 hours ago
Voters should pay close attention
8 hours ago
MOTHER JONES gets called out
8 hours ago
screw kpfa
14 hours ago
