PEJ News- Shamus Cooke, U.S. Editor- Even the most optimistic Obama supporter should cringe in response to the White House’s recent “bi-partisan immigration talks.”   What could Democrats and Republicans possibly have in common over immigration? Quite a lot it turns out.  

An enormous sell-out is being prepared for the U.S. immigrant population and Latinos especially — who came out in record numbers in many swing states to vote for Obama last year.  Attached to these votes are huge expectations. 

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Iran's Coming Revolution: For Civil Rights or Beyond?

PEJ News- Shamus Cooke, U.S. Editor- Simplifying the events in Iran as yet another attempt at a U.S. financed “color revolution” is shortsighted, to say the least. But this is the shallow position many on the left are taking.  Fortunately, millions of people partaking in mass demonstrations cannot be reduced to “mere puppets” of Uncle Sam — they have aspirations of their own and ways to achieve them. 

It is possible that the U.S. played a role in the events leading up to the massive protests in Iran, since the U.S.-sponsored color revolution formula is well known: a pro-western opposition candidate creates political instability — usually around election time — and uses the demonstrators who support them, who are funneled money through the C.I.A., to help topple the existing regime. 

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The Best President Money Could Buy

PEJ News- Richard Skaff- Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines capitalism as “an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market (1).”

Despite the appearance of completeness, this definition is missing one thing; an unregulated capitalist society run by corrupt men would eventually collapse like a house of cards. Our brand of capitalism relies on prolific consumerism as a means to globalization, where needs are created and where everything and everyone is for sale. We tend to sell the public various goods, services, people, politicians, Presidents, and even God for the right price. Everything and everyone becomes a commodity to be purchased and sold. From this consumerism, we develop an addiction to consumption that renders us as needy infants desperate to suckle their mother’s breast.

www.globalresearch.ca

Who Will Pay for Healthcare in the U.S.?

PEJ News - Shamus Cooke, U.S. Editor - There’s a jumbled, increasingly hysterical tone to the health care debate going on in Washington. On each side of the uproar lie powerful and opposing interests: on one side the giant corporations who make billions of dollars via the status quo; and on the other, the majority of working people who suffer immensely from it.

Creating a health care “compromise” between these two interests is of course impossible, but seeing the politicians in Congress attempt one is at least good entertainment.

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Wall Street Ends Hope For Homeowners Via Congress

PEJ News - Shamus Cooke, U.S. Editor - As if the bank bailouts weren’t proof enough that Wall Street owned Congress. History will likely show that these bailouts involved the largest transfer of wealth ever — from the working class to that small group of billionaires who own the corporations.

This fact is recognized by most people now and is such common knowledge that even the mainstream media feels comfortable discussing it…matter-of-factly.

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Lenin called parliament, in our case the House and Senate, a talking shop given to distract us from the real process of government that goes on behind closed doors. His timely words should be remembered now in the United States’ continual War on Terrorism. The Senate is like a shock absorber that effectively neutralizes any grievances from the broad mass of the people that happen to make it through absorber number one, the House of Representatives. Recently the Senate voted 90-6 in favor of denying President Barack Obama the funds need to close the odious Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba.

www.workerscompass.org