US: You Say You Want a (Political) Revolution?

Published on Dissident Voice, by Bruce Lerro, March 25, 2016.

Is there political life outside of electoral politics?

Is it possible to be “political” in the United States and not get involved in electoral politics? For most of human history there have been “high politics” of kings and aristocrats and “low politics” of peasants, artisans and proletarians. Yet before roughly the 20th century, staging elections was not part of the political process. The root meaning of politics is “policy” which means setting a course or direction. Continuer la lecture de « US: You Say You Want a (Political) Revolution? »

Ex-US Army Iraqi interpreter seeks refuge in Greece after US rejected entry – report

Published on RT, March 25, 2016 (see also this video: Abandoned Afghan interpreter refused UK asylum shot by Taliban, 2.53 min, on RT, April 13, 2015 (my comment: I guess these guys knew too much, elites have no trouble to sacrify a peasant – Heidi).

A former Iraqi US Army interpreter is languishing in a troubled refugee hotspot of Idomeni after numerous failed attempts to obtain an American visa. To get it, he required – but reportedly never received – a mere acknowledgement of working for the US troops. Continuer la lecture de « Ex-US Army Iraqi interpreter seeks refuge in Greece after US rejected entry – report »

New Zealand: The case for a universal basic income

Video, 4.15 min, on NewsHub, Auckland, by Dan Satherley, March 23, 2016;

Up until now, the relentless forward march of technology has arguably created as many jobs as it has destroyed – if not more.

But there are growing concerns this balance is about to end. Researchers have suggested in the next two decades, nearly half of all existing jobs will be lost to automation. Continuer la lecture de « New Zealand: The case for a universal basic income »

Brazil: Overthrowing Dilma Rousseff

Published on The Bullet, Socialist Project’s E-Bulletin No. 1237, by Alfredo Saad Filho, March 23, 2016.

Every so often, the bourgeois political system runs into crisis. The machinery of the state jams; the veils of consent are torn asunder and the tools of power appear disturbingly naked. Brazil is living through one of those moments: it is dreamland for social scientists; a nightmare for everyone else. Continuer la lecture de « Brazil: Overthrowing Dilma Rousseff »

Fury and the AfD: Inside the Revolt against Angela Merkel

Published on Spiegel Online International, by Melanie Amann, Matthias Bartsch, Sven Becker, Markus Feldenkirchen, Jan Fleischhauer, Ralf Neukirch, René Pfister, Josef Saller and Katja Thimm, March 21, 2016 (Photo Gallery).

The success of the right-wing populist party AfD in recent state elections has shaken Germany. It is the expression of growing hatred of the elite among an expanding share of the population. Much of their anger is directed at Angela Merkel … // Continuer la lecture de « Fury and the AfD: Inside the Revolt against Angela Merkel »