Senate Votes for Retroactive Immunity

The Senate voted today on the Dodd/Feingold amendment, which would have struck provisions providing immunity from civil liability to members of the telecom industry that participate in the government’s warrantless wiretapping program.
Despite the best efforts of Senator Chris Dodd, the Senate voted 67-31 against the bill; Hillary Clinton and Lindsey Graham did not vote. Dodd [...]

Death of a Dictator: Indonesia’s Suharto

Indonesia’s former president, General Suharto, has fallen ill and is not expected to survive. So I suppose now would be as good a time as any to reflect on the devastating effects of his more than 30 years of iron rule over the country of Indonesia.

SuhartoIndonesia

Indonesia is a country that should not be poor; it [...]

Senate Postpones Domestic Spying Bill

Thanks to the efforts of Senator Chris Dodd, the Senate has postponed a vote that could have permanently expanded the government’s ability to carry out domestic surveillance. The FISA bill would have given immunity to telecommunication companies that have assisted in the government’s illegal spying program. This ‘retroactive immunity’ caused Senator Dodd to threaten [...]

The Ford Pinto and the Price of Life

Back in the 1960’s, the Ford Motor Company faced strong competition in America’s small-car market. To fight the competition of Volkswagen and Japanese manufacturers, Ford rushed the development of its newest small car, the Ford Pinto.

During production, Ford engineers discovered a major flaw in the car’s design. In rear-end crash tests, [...]

Mid-week Roundup 12/12

Losing our minds over Illegal Immigration
NAFTA has the power to trump state laws!
The Historical Truth of Our Relations with Iran
Report shows Bush manipulated climate science, suppressed scientists.
Nigeria battles Pfizer in court for conducting an illegal, unauthorized drug trial on Nigerian children.
Bad News for Prescription Drugs: pharmaceutical sales reps may be given licenses.
Murdoch Ready to Makeover [...]

Blackwater Worldwide

The private security firm Blackwater is attempting to reconstruct its image, re-branding themselves Blackwater Worldwide this October. The US State Department’s largest security contractor had its operating license revoked by the Iraqi government this September after its involvement in the killing of 17 Iraqi civilians. Yet they continue to operate there and are expanding [...]

Halliburton/KBR Gang Rape Victim

From ABC News:
A Houston woman says she was gang-raped by Halliburton/KBR coworkers in Baghdad, and the company and the US government are covering up the incident.
Jamie Leigh Jones, now 22, says that after she was raped by multiple men at a KBR camp in the Green Zone, the company put her under guard in a [...]

Mid-week Roundup 12/5

Here are some headlines rounded up from this week:
Is “Save Darfur” a PR Scam?
Drug giant Pfizer will boost outsourcing to Asia; also their Celebrex expert testifies in court without a license.
Private Contractors look to profit from domestic spying.
Hillary is quite tied up with Big Oil and defense contractors.
Guiliani’s ties to a terror shiek
Virginia primaries will [...]

Health Care for All

One of the most critical issues for the vast majority of Americans is the rising cost of health care coverage in our country. Forty-seven million Americans have no health care coverage at all.
For those fortunate enough to receive coverage, many have inadequate, bare-bones policies that fail to cover them when they need it most. [...]

Bolivia: Bechtel and the fight for public water

Back in 1999, the private construction contractor Bechtel took over control of the public water system in Bolivia’s third largest city, Cochabamba. The corporation then held a monopoly over this very basic human necessity and proceeded to raise rates by as much as 200 percent, far beyond what families could afford. The law even said [...]