Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category
Google: don’t be holier-than-thou
Google has been applauded for its anti-censorship stand against China. But it’s not the role of companies to take moral or political stands, and we shouldn’t praise them when they do In January Google announced that it would no longer self-censor its search engine in China, referencing attacks from hackers to access Chinese political activists’ emails. This past […]
After health law, Washington is still disconnected from the people
There is something incongruous about the celebrations among President Obama, his cabinet members, and other Democratic leaders the past few days, to mark the passing of the healthcare bill. Yesterday’s ceremony at the White House in which President Obama signed the bill into law was described as “raucous”, with the Democrats in attendance “jubilant and […]
Rapid decline of the US empire?
In this video, David Murrin, Chief Investment Officer of the hedge fund Emergent Asset Management, says the US will decline sooner than expected, and China will emerge as the superpower to fill the vacuum. This is the thesis of Murrin’s book, Breaking the Code of History, in which he argues that America’s decline is actually the […]
New law doesn’t make health coverage a right
Today at the White House, President Obama signed into law the healthcare reform bill. Towards the end of his speech to mark the occasion, Obama said: “We have now just enshrined, as soon as I sign this bill, the core principle that everybody should have some basic security when it comes to their healthcare.” Commentators […]
Healthcare bill: this is not History with a capital H
The health reforms in the US are neither historic nor disastrous. They simply show what ‘Change’ means under Obama: tinkering on the edges. Read my spiked article in full here.
Health reform victory for Obama: the pundits over-react again
A healthcare reform bill has finally passed, just barely. After a last-minute deal to secure the anti-abortion Democrats, the House passed the health bill by just three votes more than necessary. Just a day or so ago, many pundits presented Obama’s presidency as on the rocks. He is not only redeemed by the Democrats’ victory, but now some […]
To US critics of China’s currency: get your own house in order
The noise coming from the US about China’s supposed “manipulation” of its currency, the yuan (also referred to as the renminbi), has become noticeably louder this past week. Since July 2008, China has pegged its currency at about 6.83 yuan to one dollar. American critics assert that China’s policy effectively keeps its currency artificially low, […]
“Jihad Jane” and the politics of fear
Far from “keeping America safe”, the elite’s depiction of the US as fragile and at-risk makes even lonely weirdos seem like a deadly threat. Read my spiked article in full here.
Did I mention that JihadJane is from the suburbs?
You’ve probably heard of JihadJane, the internet name of Colleen R. LaRose. JihadJane is an American woman who is accused of joining with Islamic militants overseas and plotting to kill the Swedish cartoonist who drew Mohammed’s head on the body of a dog. Her arrest by federal prosecutors sent ripple waves across the country, as it now seemed […]
Iraq: no self-determination, no democracy
Earlier this week, American commentators from across the political spectrum praised the Iraqi parliamentary elections. Some 60 to 65 percent turned out to vote, in some cases in defiance of bombs. The official results have yet to be announced. The Iraqi people should be commended for their determination to make the best of a bad situation. But we cannot let stand […]