On “CIA director issues a warning to Congress”
Leon Panetta was once my US representative in Congress. As a veteran of the Air Force during the Vietnam War, which was wrong to begin with, I am “shocked” by his words of moving on and not ensuring that the deeds of the previous administration and now this administration are reviewed. We do indeed, it appears, have a government within the government that the people of the United States pay with their lives and financial assets!
KH
4 August 2009
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Perhaps Mr. Panetta fears that operatives might defend themselves by pointing the finger at the real criminals?
Pam C
Colorado, USA 5 August 2009
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Thanks Bill! Nobody gets it like you and writes it too. We’d be in the dark without your light of truth.
Kim
4 August 2009
On “US health care lobby pumps millions into Obama’s ‘reform’ effort”
Your article suggests senators are being bribed by the pharmaceutical lobbyists. Surely, if this is the case, the senators and lobbyists should be prosecuted?
Barry W
United Kingdom
5 August 2009
On “Obama touts economic ‘recovery’ “
This comments on the recovery. It was in the diary of the shootist near Pittsburgh:
“April 24, 2009:
“Early last month, we had our second general layoff. I survived. First one was in November. When I began 10 years ago, that used to be a nice place to work. I understand the need to reduce staff when times sour, but this is out of proportion to the economic problems at this time. The economy is shrinking by about 4-5%. They decided not to pay Christmas bonus—for staff that amounts to about 8% of yearly pay. Well, OK. Plus no yearly “merit” raise, another 3.5%. That totals to about 11% cut. Plus two layoffs of 5% staff in each case. Do the math. I know this firm is using this downturn as an excuse to take advantage of a bad situation and kill jobs UNNECESSARILY. The second layoff people who actually did work were let go. We all need to pick up the slack so the company can cut beyond what is necessary. Wasn’t going to mention it, because of all this shit, it is K&L Gates, the large law firm headquartered here in Pittsburgh. Just call it K&L Gates Corporation. Most people there are OK and I would never have a shoot ’em up there. They paid me for 10 years, so far!
“I predict I won’t survive the next layoff. That is when there is no point to continue. Right now, life is bearable and I can get by indefinitely. Something bad must happen. The paycheck is all I have left. The future holds nothing for me. Twenty five years of nothing fun. I never even spent one weekend with a girl in my life, even at my own place. Also unlikely to find another similar job. I guess then is when I take care of things. I don’t have kids, close friends or anything. Just me here. If you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.”
Edward P 5 August 2009
On “Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, 1933-2009”
Thanks for the excellent two-part article on Aquino. I found the part dealing with the Communist Party of the Philippines and its betrayal of the Filipino working class and peasantry particularly edifying, as it relates to the situation in my country, South Africa.
The South African Communist Party shares in this type of political and theoretical bankruptcy, as exemplified by this quote taken from one of their publications:
“... in general, it remains true that our National Democratic Revolution expresses the broad objective interests not only of the working class but also of most of the other classes within the nationally-dominated majority, including the black petit-bourgeoisie and significant strata of the emergent black bourgeoisie. This reality provides the foundation for a struggle which aims to mobilise to its side all the oppressed classes and strata as participants in the national liberation alliance.
“We believe that the working class is both an indispensable part and the leading force of such a liberation alliance. But its relations with other classes and strata cannot be conditional on the acceptance by them of socialist aims.”
In essence, this type of thinking guarantees the domination of all political processes by the national bourgeoisie, a process all too evident in South Africa.
Eric G
South Africa
5 August 2009
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The opening remarks of the article highlight the common hypocrisy of praising a dead person however strongly he or she was condemned while living. Truth gets suppressed or distorted in this vain attempt.
Prabhakar
India
4 August 2009
On “Sri Lankan government stalls on release of Tamil detainees”
Such a great article about the Sri Lankan government’s real face. Thank you for writing and bringing this real understanding to the world. I don’t know when this world is going to understand the truth and bring peace to Ceylon.
Thank you very much for you article.
Barington B.
Canada
5 August 2009
On “Unemployment rises sharply across Europe”
The world should not believe the unemployment numbers that the USA publishes. It represents only 45 percent of the real number of unemployed in the USA. Our real number of people without work or jobs stands at an average of 21.5 percent, and that number may be a low number. And yet the number of people losing their jobs every week continues to rise.
Paul W
5 August 2009
On “Indonesian president’s re-election disputed”
This is the same case in India. Elections for Parliament of India had been held in May 2009. As the results were announced, the major opposition party, Bharthiya Janatha Party, claimed that the voting machines were pre-programmed for a ruling Congress victory and electoral officers and party members were paid with huge sums of money. Similar concerns were also expressed by regional parties from Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
However, people are fully disappointed with democratic electoral systems in India. Moreover, the upcoming by-elections in Tamilnadu, the southern state of India, were also boycotted by major opponent party AIADMK. This shows the real state of the electoral system in India.
Vijay
4 August 2009