The ruling class — dominated by billionaires like Donald Trump and the vested interests that prop him up — have played the same name-calling game for decades. Legislate tax cuts for the wealthy, turn a blind eye to polluters, shut down tax audits on the rich, abandon antitrust laws, put corporate lobbyists in charge of the regulatory agencies and then attack anyone who calls foul a „radical.“
Daily Archives: 30. Juni 2019
Satisfaction With the United States
In general, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time?
2019 May 1-12
Satisfied: 36 %
Dissatisfied: 63 %
No opinion: 1 %
Public Trust in Government: 1958-2019
(11.04.2019)
Public trust in the government remains near historic lows. Only 17% of Americans today say they can trust the government in Washington to do what is right “just about always” (3%) or “most of the time” (14%).
My skeptics often accuse me of being boring, of hammering the same themes. They’re probably right. It‘s never made sense to me that a few people have incredible wealth and power while most have none. Should we ever achieve justice, I promise I’ll write some new speeches.
I look at each issue on its own merit. Partisan politics don‘t matter. It only matters whether something is good for the American people or not. That’s why many have a hard time figuring me out. I don’t play their games. I don’t fit in their boxes.
Gotta love the modern fascists… It doesn’t get anymore Orwellian than this, the fascists call themselves ANTIFA & assault any divergent opinion.
First skirmish I’ve seen. Didn’t see how this started, but @MrAndyNgo got roughed up.
Did Andy Ngo get what he deserved? The left blames the victim
‘What’s the matter with Portland?’ Andy Ngo asked in Spectator USA last November, after being insulted and intimidated while he tried to cover an earlier Antifa demo. ‘Why did I, a Vietnamese-American gay journalist, receive this reaction from a self-described anti-racist social justice movement?’
Journalist Andy Ngo Attacked At Portland Rally. He’s Reportedly Sustaining Injuries
Masked individuals attacked Ngo at a rally in Oregon, throwing what appeared to be milkshakes at him and punching him, according to footage of the attack.
Ngo is an editor for Quillette who describes himself as “hated by [A]ntifa” on his Twitter profile. He recorded the aftermath of the day’s events on social media. The video showed Ngo with scars on his face in addition to what appeared to be swelling.
2020 ELECTIONS: Harris Surges After First Democratic Debates
12% of primary voters pick California senator as first choice for president, up 6 points from before debate
EU summit: Centre-left Timmermans tipped for top post
EU leaders will gather in Brussels shortly for talks to decide who should get the EU‘s top jobs, including a new Commission president.
Reports say the current favourite to head it is Dutch centre-left politician Frans Timmermans. He is a Commission first vice-president.
EU-Tobjobs: Timmermans gilt als Favorit für Juncker-Nachfolge
Wird Timmermans neuer Kommissionschef, könnte EVP-Spitzenkandidat Manfred Weber Präsident des EU-Parlamentes werden. Timmermans und Weber seien jedenfalls „Teil der Lösung“, ließ die deutsche Kanzlerin Angela Merkel wissen.
Gipfel zu EU-Topjobs beginnt – Merkel: „Wird nicht einfach“
Die 28 EU-Staats- und Regierungschefs, darunter Bundeskanzlerin Brigitte Bierlein, sind am Abend in Brüssel zusammengekommen, um über den Kommissions- und den Ratspräsidenten sowie den Außenbeauftragten zu entscheiden
Video: Moon, Trump, Kim an der innerkoreanischen Grenze
In der deutschen Presse… nun, sagen wir, in der Presse über Deutschland wird natürlich auch über den historischen Gipfel der Staats- und Parteichefs von Südkorea, den Vereinigten Staaten und Nordkorea jede Menge Müll geschrieben werden.
Schaut Euch lieber die Aufzeichnung von Arirang News an.
Question: will sanctions stay on? Trump: „they’re staying on. I’m looking forward to taking them off. ..i don’t like sanctions being on this country. „
Moon Jae-in: „I‘d like to pay tribute to bold and creative approach that President Trump has created.“
With South Korean Pres Moon at his side, Pres Trump announces that he and Kim Jong Un agreed to form diplomatic teams to pursue substantive diplomatic progress.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has returned to his country. Presidents Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump accompanied him to the border where they said goodbye.
Also not taking part in the Trump-Kim meeting and seen waiting outside: @stevenmnuchin1, @IvankaTrump and Jared Kushner. Talks approaching 50 minute mark at this point.
30 minutes and counting, Trump and Kim are still in a meeting room at the DMZ. This is turning into an impromptu 3rd summit
Interesting. Acting WH Chief of Staff @MickMulvaneyOMB seen walking around outside and not taking part in @POTUS meeting with Kim Jong Un.
Pres Trump and Kim Jong Un coming up on half an hour meeting so far. Appears to be more than just „hello and a handshake.“
„I‘ll invite him right now to the White House,“ US President Trump says after stepping into North Korea with Kim Jong Un
Tucker Carlson? Yes it is! Fox News‘ @TuckerCarlson spotted at historic meeting between US President Trump, North Korea‘s Kim Jong Un and South Korea‘s Moon. #trump #northkorea #dprk #southkorea #korea #Panmunjom
President Trump, with Kim Jong Un, becomes first US president to step into North Korea
Moon-Trump -Kim!
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un & President Trump now holding brief press Conference in South Korea. President Moon also shakes hands with Kim Jong Un.
Incredible images live on @abcnews right now of President Trump meeting Kim Jong Un and being invited to step into North Korea
LIVE: [S.Korea-U.S. Summit] Presidents Moon and Trump visit DMZ
▪ Presidents Moon and Trump visit DMZ
▪ DMZ being transformed into a symbol of peace
▪ History of U.S. presidents visiting DMZ and their messages
Pakistan PM Imran Khan likely to visit US next month
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to visit the US early next month, which will be his first trip to Washington after he assumed office last August, according to diplomatic sources.
The IMF and the WORLD BANK: Puppets of the Neoliberal Onslaught
(Sept./Oct. 2000)
John Gershman and Alec Irwin state in “Dying for growth”:
„100 countries have undergone grave economic decline over the past three decades. Per capita income in these 100 countries is now lower than it was 10, 15, 20 or in some cases even 30 years ago. In Africa, the average household consumes 20 percent less today than it did 25 years ago. Worldwide, more than 1 billion people saw their real incomes fall during the period 1980-1993. Meanwhile, according to the United Nations Development Program’s 1998 Human Development Report, the 15 richest people in the world enjoy combined assets that exceed the total annual gross domestic product of sub-Saharan Africa. At the end of the 1990’s, the wealth of the three richest individuals on earth surpassed the combined annual GDP of the 48 least developed countries.“
The Thistle won’t waste ink on how the wealthy have fared since the mainstream corporate press does a very commendable job in this respect.
Pakistan requests 13th IMF loan, amid US-China tensions
(04.04.2019)
The focus of the IMF programs was never institutional improvement but structural adjustments, which only protected the interests of a small elite, as these neoliberal policies worked well for them and not the general people.
Pakistan signs $375 million syndicated loan with UAE banks
Emirates NBD Capital Limited was global coordinator. The transaction was anchored and arranged by Commercial Bank of Dubai, Emirates NBD Bank, Noor Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, Mashreqbank and Sharjah Islamic Bank.
World Bank approves $722 million loan for Pakistan
The World Bank has approved $722 million loan for Pakistan that will largely be used for improving civic and public transport facilities in Karachi – the largest metropolis that needs nearly $10 billion additional investment to make it liveable.
Why Pakistan‘s economy is sinking
For decades, the Pakistani authorities have been unable to establish effective tax collection practices. Currently, only one percent of Pakistanis pay their taxes and the country has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the world.
Successive governments have avoided imposing stricter controls because they have been staffed by members of the same elites that are actively evading taxes. They are able to do so not only because of government inaction but also because of widespread corruption. In fact, it is cheaper for them to bribe than to pay their dues.
Abe, Putin make little progress on territorial dispute
Their failure to find common ground means the signing of a formal peace treaty more than 70 years after World War II is still not in sight,
What you need to know about the anniversary of Hong Kong‘s return to China
After the Opium Wars of the 1800s, Britain took control of Hong Kong island and the neighboring peninsula of Kowloon. Shortly afterward, the British Empire also took over an additional area known as the New Territories in a 99-year lease that would expire in 1997.
Huge turnout expected for Hong Kong democracy rally amid security lockdown at flag-raising venue
Police have erected large water-filled barriers around access points to Wan Chai’s Golden Bauhinia Square ahead of the city’s Establishment Day flag-raising ceremony on Monday.
In the early hours of Saturday, nearby roads were closed as police – some with riot shields – stood on redirected traffic.
The festivities marking 22 years since the city’s 1997 Handover will take place on the waterfront outside the Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Who needs the G20? Question gets louder in Osaka
The bloc, which expanded out of the original G7 rich-country club, has faced criticism over the years for lacking a charter, a clear mandate, or enforcement power, and holding hugely expensive yet inconclusive summits while excluding most of the developing world.
But while pressure on the bloc previously came from anti-globalisation protesters, this weekend‘s summit in Osaka showed that the greatest challenges to its legitimacy may come from within.
S. Korea-U.S. summit to focus on DMZ meet-up with N. Korea‘s Kim Jong-un
Although nothing has been confirmed, the presidential office said it‘s ready for all possibilties. That could mean the two-way summit Trump mentioned on Twitter… or a Moon-Kim-Trump summit. There is also the possibility that President Moon might join his American counterpart at the DMZ after their summit meeting this morning. So we might actually see the two leaders strolling the heavily fortified border together today something that was once tried two years ago, but did not happen because of the weather.
Trump says DMZ meeting with Kim will be very short
He said he was told that Kim „would like to meet“ him and it seems that, „They are in the final stages of working out a very quick meeting.“