Tag Archives: USA
Notes from the US
American public life seems at times to be built on a series of facts – none of which is true! Take Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann’s recently announced candidacy for the Republican 2012 presidential nomination. Not only did she commit several gaffes on television in the days before her much-heralded announcement, misstating historical facts (for example, [...]
Notes from the US
Many Americans – and most of the mainstream propaganda outlets – continue to shriek and whoop at the extrajudicial murder by US navy terrorists of Osama bin Laden last month. Many suggest it’s a stunt. Others point out the implied complicity of the Pakistan state; the Guardian even has evidence, apparently, that the US and [...]
Notes from the US
Some encouraging developments on the labour front this time: Republican Governor Scott Walker was elected last November with a substantial dollop of support from the infamous Koch brothers and the right wing Tea Party. Almost immediately he crafted a bill to cut the pay and benefits of most public sector workers as well as to [...]
Notes from the US
The economy continues to dominate news during March, although the new Congress’ promised plan of environmental destruction is disturbing. Indeed, 14 people (including the 76-year-old writer and farmer Wendell Berry) spent a weekend in late February locked inside the Kentucky governors’ office demanding an end to mountaintop removal coal mining.
Notes from the US
As usual at this time of a new year, it’s useful to look at the state of the United States. This year, three or four major areas can be discerned: first and best, resistance to the State and its elite; then efforts by the State to keep control in its commercial and military wings.
Georgia Prisoners, Standing Up By Sitting Down!
USA prison system in a state of collapse as inmates get organised As we went to press with the previous issue, news was breaking of a historic strike by U.S. prisoners in at least ten Georgia prisons, including Baldwin, Hancock, Hays, Macon, Smith and Telfair State Prisons. The strike, which was initially meant to be [...]
Notes from the US
♦ The new rave is the ‘Tea Party’, a right wing, ‘back-to-basics’ bunch who seem to know no bounds: Ilario Pantano, a candidate in North Carolina, said he has no regrets about shooting dead two unarmed Iraqis at point blank range after detaining them near Fallujah in April 2004. Violence is important to them: a [...]
Notes from the US
♦ Military officials in the US are aggressively pushing for a delayed withdrawal from Afghanistan. Although the target date is July 2011, David Petraeus is now calling “a rapid withdrawal unwise.” He was reported as saying in mid August, “While we’ve been in Afghanistan for nine years, only in the past twelve months or so [...]
Notes from the United States
The founder of the world’s largest and most controversial mercenary army, Xe Services (previously known as Blackwater), has been accused of committing murder. Last month two whistle-blowers, one a former member of Xe’s management team, alleged Erik Prince may have murdered or facilitated the murder of individuals who were co-operating with federal authorities investigating the [...]
Notes from the United States
The number of Bush’s measures retained, enhanced or adapted by Obama is continuing to grow. The controversial 287(g) programme is a law passed in 1996 under former president Bill Clinton. It allows local law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements with ICE, the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Under 287(g) police [...]
