Bullshit

Yes, you've long suspected it to be so and now it has finaly been confirmed.

Poll: Bullshit Is Most Important Issue For 2008 Voters

The Final Insult

One more brick-bat is in order for the recently departed clown prince of conservatism, William F. Buckley Jr. and it's a treasure from the Way-Back Machine. The following is Robert Sherrill's review of John Judis's William F. Buckley Jr.: Patron Saint of the Conservatives as it appeared in the Nation magazine back in 1988. This comes courtesy of Barry Crimmins who received it himself via e-mail from Dennis Perrin. Did you get all that? Enjoy.

Willam F. Buckley Jr. 1925-2008

Conservatives lost their most gifted showman today when William F. Buckley Jr. was found dead in his residence by an assistant. Buckley would be the man credited with wresting conservatism from the John Birch Society fringes and bringing it to respectability on the American political scene. He did this primarily through two vehicles, the first of which were his influential essays in his magazine National Review and his television interview program "Firing Line". Let's sit back and enjoy the spectacle of Buckley getting his ass kicked on his own show back in 1969 by Noam Chomsky.

Pssst! Can you spare a dime?

Isn't it refreshing to know that the eagle eyes over at the Wall Street Journal, in fact, the US financial media in general is looking out for those of us who rely on our banking system? The collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market and its attendant ill effects have negatively impacted US banks to such an extent that they were recently forced to secretly borrow money from the Fed, as much as 50 billion dollars to date. That's Fed as in taxpayer. This disturbing fact was a "secret" because it wasn't published in the US. Unless you were a subscriber to the London Financial Times you missed it.

With Choices Like These...

Howard Zinn manages, as usual, to put his finger on what ails America in this (and every) political season. An exerpt:

"Today, we can be sure that the Democratic Party, unless it faces a popular upsurge, will not move off center. The two leading Presidential candidates have made it clear that if elected, they will not bring an immediate end to the Iraq War, or institute a system of free health care for all.

They offer no radical change from the status quo."

The rest.

Reflections on Terror

I'm remiss to have not formally introduced to those few who visit this space the source that first inspired my efforts and nom de plume. I speak of Coldtype.net which offers, free of charge, the writing of progressive thinkers the world over. What follows is but a sample of their outstanding offerings to those of the left persuasion, in this instance the latest from Edward S. Herman & David Peterson on America's so-called "war on terror". You'll find the link to this incredible site on my blogroll to your right ["My Inspiration"]. This Herman & Peterson essay is lengthy but I think you'll find it well worth your time. Read on.

Yes We Can!

You guessed it, the Obama faithful are at it again and they've recently released this slick video tribute to their hero. After you catch your breath, check out the proper response to this crapola over at A Tiny Revolution.

Dean Baker and Loans Made for Walking

Economist Dean Baker made some rather interesting points the other day regarding the sub-prime crisis as well as the related mess in the upscale prime market in an essay which appeared on Truth Out. No matter how hard I try, however, I can't seem to work up any tears over the looming prospect of banks left holding the bag.

John McCain and Our Likely Future

This courtesy of Barry Crimmins:

Happy Anniversary!

It's been five years since Colin Powell's bruva performance before the UN Security Council in his role as Team Bush's most credible official. Sitting before the Security Council, his props carefully organized beside him, Powell passionately spun the Iraqi/WMD lies that bamboozled the nation into supporting a war of aggression. Jon Schwarz lays it all out in devastating detail.

Saying Our Final Goodbyes to John Edwards

Of all the mainstream candidates for the Democratic Party nomination, John Edwards at least gave serious lip-service to progressive issues. His insistent focus on the rampant poverty afflicting America's majority under-class was the bane of elite opinion in the corporate media universe, and made it clear almost from the start that his campaign was doomed. You see Edwards failed to grasp that public opinion and public policy in this country do not align. So while his positions were (at least superficially) in accord with public opinion on issues such as the need for single-payer universal health-care, ending the criminal occupation of Iraq, reigning in the so-called "free-trade" agreements, and reforming tax policies which further enriched the wealthy, these positions were anathema to the elite class who actually implement and influence US foreign and domestic policy. Thus he never had a prayer, despite the fact that he polled better than every Democratic challenger against the Republicans currently in the race.

For more on Edward's demise, I found this gem from Weldon Berger over at BTC News, though I must add that his advice to "vote Obama" is clearly absurd.

Our Kind of Guy

For those of you who missed news about the passing of Indonesian mass-murderer General Suharto a few days back, I leave you this from Dennis Perrin and this from John Pilger.