Blogs

By David Swanson In Andrea Miller Virginia's fourth Congressional district has the opportunity to replace a Cheney Republican with a real progressive, and the first African American our state would ever have chosen to represent us in Congress. Here's a race that can make a difference not just in the head-count for the two increasingly indistinguishable parties, but in what actually happens in Washington. read more

Phyllis Bennis writes from the West BankThe End of History: With a Period, Not a Question Mark Letter from Abu Dis, Occupied West BankBy Phyllis BennisThe Nation - July 22, 2008http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080804/bennis

Facing Economic Troubles.. Bill Moyers interviews William GreiderBill Moyers Journal July 18, 2008http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07182008/transcript2.htmlBILL MOYERS: With me now is one of America's leading chroniclers of money, power, and politics, who says what's happening is the disgrace of Wall Street, its excesses paid for by people like those in Cleveland and millions like them around the country. [...]

Obama's Global Victory Lap Has McCain DesperateBy John NicholsThe Nation blog - July 22, 2008http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/338141What was John McCain thinking?Did the Republican who would be president really think that by goading Democrat Barack Obama into visiting Afghanistan and Iraq -- countries the senator from Illinois was going to have to visit as part of an image-building international tour -- he would somehow trip-up his November rival? [...]

Key evidence in Rosenberg trial to remain secretBy Edith HonanReuters - Tues July 22, 2008 5:54pm EDThttp://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2232850020080722?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNewsNEW YORK (Reuters) - Testimony that could help clear executed American communist Ethel Rosenberg of charges she helped pass atomic secrets to the Soviet Union in the 1950s will remain secret, a judge ruled on Tuesday. [...]

Under The Hood: An Anti-War GI Coffeehouse in TexasThe Rag Blog - July 22, 2008The Under the Hood cafe offers an oasis for members of the military to gather and talk of issues of importance.I welcome the opportunity to meet fellow military in an atmosphere of peace and justice.Ann Wright, U.S. Army colonel (retired); Official of the U.S. State Department (retired) [...]

By David Swanson The Fifth District of Virginia, and anyone nearby who can lend a hand, should do everything possible to elect Tom Perriello to Congress this year. The most important reason to do so is to replace Virgil Goode. Back in April I interviewed Perriello for an hour on his campaign platform. You can listen to the interview here: http://thepeoplespeakradio.net/audio/2008/#april

Nine Reasons to Investigate War Crimes Now By Jeremy Brecher & Brendan SmithJuly 18, 2008The Nation http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080804/brecher_smithRetired General Antonio Taguba, the officer who led the Army's investigation into Abu Ghraib, recently wrote in the preface to the new report, Broken laws, Broken Lives:"There is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes. The only question that remains to be answered is whether those who ordered the use of torture will be held to account." [...]

COINTELPRO Comes to My Town: My First-Hand Experience With Government Spiesby Dave Zirinhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-zirin/cointelpro-comes-to-my-to_b_113930.html Distributed by Common Dreams http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/21/10496/Finally, at long last, I have something in common with Muhammad Ali.

Union-busting by Any Other Name. . . . by David L. Wilson MRzinehttp://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/wilson200708.htmlThe huge meatpacking plant had been cited by government agencies for numerous violations of environmental and labor laws and for "acts of inhumane slaughter" of animals. New inquiries were under way into allegations of wage violations and the illegal employment of minors. A large national union was trying to organize the factory's 970 workers. But all this was put on hold the morning of May 12, 2008. [...]

Three short articles1. Jailed Black Panther demands retrial 2. Re: Where Obamaism Seems to be Going 3. Lina Newhouser, CommonDreams.org Co-Founder, 1951-2008 === 1. Jailed Black Panther demands retrialAFP Jul 21, 2008WASHINGTONhttp://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080721/pl_afp/usjusticerights;_ylt=ArkM.bzl7co._cYvFcXApGKs0NUEBlack Panther-turned human rights campaigner Mumia Abu- Jamal has requested a retrial on his conviction of murdering a police officer, after his death sentence was overturned in March, his lawyer said Sunday. [...]

The Shortage Isn't Food, It's DemocracyProgress on food security issues will only come when we begin to ask the right question and challenge the myths that trap us. by Frances Moore LappeSojourners Magazine July 2008 http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.article&mode=printer_friendly&issue=soj0807&article=080712

By David Swanson read more

Izzy Stone, Patron Saint of Bloggers By Jeff Cohen Consortium News June 17, 2008 http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/061708a.htmlEditor's Note: In the days before the Internet, one of the great voices of independent journalism was I.F. Stone, whose simple newsletter challenged the conventional thinking of the day.In this guest essay, media critic Jeff Cohen recalls Stone's contributions to the cause of journalism: [...]

The Next Kind of Integration By EMILY BAZELON New York Times Magazine Published: July 20, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/magazine/20integration-t.html?th&emc=th

MoveOn at Ten By Christopher Hayes The Nation July 16,2008 http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080804/hayes

(1) South Africa Unions Protest Over Prices, Mbeki Policies (Reuters) (2) Workers Urged To Boycott Zimbabwe Bound Goods (SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe News)(1) South Africa Unions Protest Over Prices, Mbeki Policies By Wendell Roelf Reuters July 9, 2008 10:10am BST http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKL0924395920080709?sp=trueCAPE TOWN, July 9 (Reuters) - Thousands of unionised South African workers downed tools on Wednesday to protest against a sharp jump in food and fuel prices, threatening to slow output at key ports and refineries and rattle jittery investors. [...]

They Work Here, They Live Here, They Stay Here! French Immigrants Strike For The Right To Work-And Win By Marie Kennedy and Chris Tilly Dollars and Sense July 20, 2008 http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2008/0708kennedytilly.html

Activists Help Condo Owner Fight EvictionRescue Of Fannie, Freddie is No Aid to Roxbury WomanBy Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff The Boston Globe July 16, 2008[View video: http://tinyurl.com/62sc7r]http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/07/16/activists_help_condo_owner_fight_eviction/The Bush administration is moving to rescue embattled mortgage backers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but that doesn't help Roxbury native Paula Taylor, not one bit. [...]

Politics Has Dissidents Talking to AFL-CIOBy Steven Greenhouse New York Times July 19, 2008http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/us/19labor.html?scp=1&sq=Politics%20Has%20Dissidents&st=cseThe presidents of several labor unions that quit the A.F.L.-C.I.O. three years ago have been quietly meeting with union presidents in the federation to coordinate their political operations and message for the fall election, a move that labor leaders say could lead to several of the unions rejoining the federation. [...]