It’s true that Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have many political differences. But they also agree on many essential policies; enough to make the next four years easily predictable, no matter who wins. Here are five predictions based on the most important shared beliefs of the two candidates:
Tag Archives: Shamus Cooke
Portland, Oregon Prepares for Pre-Election Anti-Austerity Protest
Shamus Cooke
On November 3rd Portland community and labor groups will declare “enough is enough” by organizing a first for the U.S. — a large demonstration against government austerity cuts.
Western Powers Double Down on Syria’s Destruction
Shamus Cooke
The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those, who in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. Dante The world watches as a nation is torn, slow motion, at the seams. Money and geopolitics has caused a feeding frenzy of western nations biting and tearing at Syria, all hoping to profit from the regime’s destruction. [...]
The Job Crisis, the “Unemployable,” and the Fiscal Cliff
Shamus Cooke
With the November elections right around the corner, the millions of unemployed and under-employed have little reason to care. Aside from some sparse rhetoric, neither Democrats nor Republicans have offered a solution to job creation. Most politicians seem purposefully myopic about the jobs crisis, as if a healthy dose of denial might get them through the [...]
Obama’s Vision versus Economic Reality
Shamus Cooke
It took less than 24 hours for Obama’s “inspiring” convention speech to be smothered by the reality of the job crisis. The August national jobs report showed that the U.S. economy failed to create enough new jobs to keep up with population growth. More importantly, in August 368,000 Americans completely dropped out of the labor [...]
All Eyes on Chicago’s Teachers
Shamus Cooke
It’s impossible to exaggerate the national importance of the teachers’ struggle in Chicago. If the Chicago teachers’ union — 26,000 members strong — goes on strike, many critical yet ignored political issues will go into the national spotlight, exposing nastiness that many politicians and labor leaders would like ignored until after the presidential elections.
Tax the Rich or Privatize the State?
Shamus Cooke
The Great Recession and its possible continuance has brought the issue of privatization to the forefront of American politics. But most Americans aren’t even aware that this debate is happening, because the media and politicians aren’t using the word “privatization;” instead less threatening substitutes are used to ram through a corporate agenda that aims to massively [...]
How President Obama Created Paul Ryan
Shamus Cooke
Paul Ryan is suddenly a household name after becoming Mitt Romney’s vice presidential running mate. Before that, Ryan had only become right-wing leadership material in the last year, based on his proposed national budget that hacks away at the core of many national social programs, including Medicare.
Will 2012 be the Final Election of Lesser Evilism?
Shamus Cooke
Just when the Obama campaign couldn’t appear any less inspiring, Paul Ryan was put forth as the Republican vice presidential candidate. Suddenly team Obama was supplied with enough political munitions to scare every last American over the possible Ryan destruction of Medicare, Medicaid, cuts to Social Security and the various other evils inherent in his proposed [...]
Il futuro “libero” della Siria: pulizia etnico-religiosa e genocidio
Translations
Di Shamus Cooke Italian translation of Syria’s “Liberated” Future: Ethnic-Religious Cleansing and Genocide 7 agosto 2012 Un cambiamento affascinante è avvenuto nei mezzi di informazione tradizionali degli Stati Uniti: dopo un anno di propaganda e di bugie contro la guerra in Siria, dei barlumi di verità si stanno facendo strada nell’opinione pubblica. Potrebbe essere troppo [...]
Syria’s “Liberated” Future: Ethnic-Religious Cleansing and Genocide
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke A fascinating shift has happened in the U.S. mainstream media: After a year of anti-Syria war propaganda and lies, glimmers of truth are making their way into the public’s view. This may be too little too late: [...]
Die nächste Phase der Zerstörung Syriens
Translations
Shamus Cooke German translation of The Next Phase in the Destruction of Syria 31. Juli 2012 Die US-Medien haben ihre Absichten klar gemacht: die Syriens Regierung angreifenden „Rebellen“ müssen mehr Unterstützung haben, um die „Revolution“ in Syrien voranzutreiben. Dies war das Resultat des sehr aufgebauschten Vorrückens der syrischen Rebellen in die zwei größten Städte des [...]
The Next Stage in the Destruction of Syria
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke The U.S. media has made its intentions clear: the “rebels” attacking Syria’s government must have more support to advance Syria’s “revolution.” This was the result of the much-hyped advance of Syria’s rebels into the country’s two largest cities, which [...]
Il cambiamento del clima e la prossima rivoluzione degli Stati Uniti
Translations
di Shamus Cooke Italian translation of Climate Change and the Next U.S. Revolution 26 luglio 2012 L’ondata di caldo negli Stati Uniti sta lentamente scuotendo le fondamenta della politica americana. Probabilmente ci vorranno anni perché il profondo rimbombo diventi un terremoto di superficie che farà a pezzi le istituzioni, ma la società degli Stati Uniti è [...]
Climate Change and the Next U.S. Revolution
Shamus Cooke
The U.S. heat wave is slowly shaking the foundations of American politics. It may take years for the deep rumble to evolve into an above ground, institution-shattering earthquake, but U.S. society has changed for good.
Occupy the Economy by Richard Wolff: Book Review
Shamus Cooke
Reviewed by Shamus Cooke Any book with “Occupy” in the title should be read with great skepticism. Richard Wolff is prepared to attack such suspicion in his book “Occupy the Economy, Challenging Capitalism.”
Job Crisis Denial
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke Before any problem can be fixed it must first be acknowledged. The jobs crisis stays in the shadows, out of mind, and consequently unaddressed.
A Victory for Obamacare, A Defeat for the Left
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke The political victory for President Obama in the Supreme Court has created an interesting shift in American politics. More important than the blow against his Republican opponent has been the re-energizing of Obama’s base, a loose coalition of liberals, labor, and leftists.
The Devastating Consequences of a Corporate Health Care Bill
Workers.Action
Introduction by Shamus Cooke, June 28, 2012 Workers Action is re-posting the following health care articles that were written as “Obamacare” was coming into existence. These article show that since day-one, nothing pro-worker was going to emerge out of the Democratic controlled congress. The interests of the health care corporations were placed ahead of everyone else’s interests, [...]
How Obama’s Health Care “Reform” Kills Health Care
Shamus Cooke
Introduction by Shamus Cooke, June 28, 2012 Workers Action is re-posting the following health care articles that were written as “Obamacare” was coming into existence. These articles show that since day-one, nothing pro-worker was going to emerge out of the Democratic controlled congress. The interests of the health care corporations were placed ahead of everyone else’s interests, [...]
Fighting for the Soul of the Carpenter’s Union
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke All working people should pay attention to the egregious assault on union democracy happening in the Carpenters Union’s Pacific North West Regional Council, which covers all the Carpenter’s Locals in Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Wyoming, and Montana.
Il secondo colpo di stato di Obama in America Latina
Translations
di Shamus Cooke Italian translation of Paraguay: Obama’s Second Latin American Coup Il recente colpo di stato contro il presidente del Paraguay che è stato eletto democraticamente, non è soltanto uno schiaffo alla democrazia, ma anche un attacco contro la popolazione povera di lavoratori che ha sostenuto ed eletto il Presidente Fernando Lugo, che essi considerano [...]
Paraguay: Obama’s Second Latin American Coup
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke The recent coup against Paraguay’s democratically elected president is not only a blow to democracy, but an attack against the working and poor population that supported and elected President Fernando Lugo, whom they see as a bulwark against the wealthy elite who’ve dominated the country for decades.
Paraguay: Segundo Golpe de Estado Latinoamericano para Obama
Workers Action en Español
Shamus Cooke El reciente golpe de Estado contra el Presidente democráticamente electo de Paraguay no es solo un golpe a la democracia, pero un ataque contra la población trabajadora y pobre que apoyó y eligió al Presidente Fernando Lugo, a quien ellos ven como el baluarte contra la elite adinerada, quienes han dominado el País [...]
How to Complete Egypt’s Revolution
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke The Egyptian revolution’s fight for life has reached a critical stage. The massive energy that toppled Egypt’s hated dictator seems to have hit a wall after Egypt’s Supreme Court dissolved parliament in what many are calling a “coup.” The military then took further action to consolidate itself, putting a halt to their fake steps [...]
كيفية استكمال الثورة في مصر
Translations
شاموس كوك وصل نضال الثورة المصرية من أجل الحياة إلى مرحلة حرجة. فيبدو إن الطاقة الهائلة التى أطاحت بالدكتاتور الذى يكرهه الجميع اصطدمت بعرض الحائط، وذلك بعد أن أصدرت المحكمة الدستورية العليا قرارها بحل البرلمان فى ما يسميه الكثيرون “الثورة المضادة” أو “الانقلاب على الثورة”. فقد اتخذ الجيش مزيدا من الإجراءات لترسيخ نفسه، واضعا بذلك [...]
The U.S. Labor Movement at the Crossroads, in the Crosshairs
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke The labor movement had better do some deep soul searching, and fast. Although the defeat in Wisconsin is the horrible end to a local drama, the corporate winners hope to turn their victory into the beginning chapter of a national novel.
Unraveling Chris Hedges’ Inconsistencies
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke Sometimes reading a Chris Hedges’ article is like drinking a fine glass of wine; one that spills midway and ends in a nasty stain.
Imagining the Post-Occupy Social Movement
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke If one were to honestly assess Occupy’s current strengths and weaknesses as a movement, confusion must be the inevitable result. This is because Occupy is not one movement, but an umbrella term that encompasses several different groups that have varied aims, organizational structures, and gaping theoretical differences.
Egitto: controrivoluzione mascherata da democrazia
Translations
Shamus Cooke In un paese in cui le braci della rivoluzione sono ancora accese, si presumerebbe che un’elezione presidenziale produca un governo dall’apparenza rivoluzionario. Non così in Egitto. I rivoluzionari che hanno rovesciato l’odiato dittatore Mubarak non avranno alcuna rappresentanza nell’imminente ballottaggio per l’elezione del presidente. Quelli che si sono opposti alla rivoluzione sono, tuttavia, [...]
Counter Revolution Disguised as Democracy in Egypt
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke In a country where the embers of revolution are still glowing, you would assume that a presidential election would produce a revolutionary-appearing government. Not so in Egypt. The revolutionaries who toppled the hated dictator Mubarak will have zero representation in the upcoming runoff election for president.
Capitalismo d’azzardo. Obama è in grado di fermarlo?
Translations
Shamus Cooke Il recente scandalo della J.P.Morgan in cui miliardi di dollari sono andati persi in scommesse rischiose ha riattivato il movimento in direzione di un appropriato ordinamento del sistema bancario USA. Tra quelli che chiedono nuove regole, c’è Robert Reich, ex segretario al lavoro di Bill Clinton. Recentemente Reich ha presentato una specie di [...]
Can Obama Stop Casino Capitalism?
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke The recent JPMorgan scandal where billions of dollars were lost in risky bets has re-ignited the move to properly regulate the U.S. banking system. Among those asking for new regulations is Robert Reich, former labor secretary to Bill Clinton. Recently Reich made a plea of sorts to President Obama, whom he wishes would [...]
The First Domino Falls in Greece
Shamus Cooke
Shamus Cooke After the last Greek elections rejected austerity and caused a global uproar, early polling indicates that the next Greek elections — scheduled for June 17 — will do the same, albeit with more fury. Greece’s situation is not an isolated event, but a bellwether for the industrial world and beyond. The fallout from [...]
Perchè i politici USA tacciono sul crollo dell’Europa
Translations
Shamus Cooke Dopo che le elezioni greche hanno scatenato la paura nei cuori dei banchieri delinquenti, le ricadute restano incerte. Se le prossime elezioni greche produrranno un governo contrario all’austerità, la Grcia quasi certamente opererà una rapida uscita dall’euro. Se ciò accadrà – e ciò sembra sempre più inevitabile – le conseguenze per l’economia globale [...]
Articles of Interest
Richard Trumka: The 'grand bargain' is a dead end
On the Impotence of the Progressive Movement
Inside the Latest Jobs Report: Delusions of Economic Recovery by Paul Craig Roberts
Revealed: how the FBI coordinated the crackdown on Occupy
Bradley Manning is off limits at SF Gay Pride parade, but corporate sleaze is embraced
Cutting Social Security–More than a Bad Idea
The Forgotten Radical History of the March on Washington- Hong Kong Dockworkers Strike Attracts Huge Solidarity
Understanding the Venezuelan Presidential Election Outcome
Is Venezuela on the brink of civil war?
