Political Ideas

By David Swanson

Bruce Fein concludes his new book, “American Empire: Before the Fall,” by demolishing the worldview of Henry Kissinger as expressed in a Washington Post column last year. Of course it’s also the worldview of the Washington Post and most of its readers. We must continue wars to save face. We must imagine we can win wars because facing defeat is too painful. We read more

A group of local political activists, citing what they say is a widespread feeling of disenfranchisement with Benton County government, are holding a public meeting at the library this Friday to discuss ways to make it more responsive.

“We’re not prescribing anything,” said peace activist Leah Bolger, one of the meeting organizers. “We just want to have a civil discussion where people can throw out their ideas on how to improve county government.”

Bolger said read more

By David Swanson

When I think about secession, my first thought is of the Conch Republic (motto: “We Seceded Where Others Failed”), the briefly lived independent nation of Key West, Florida, now reduced to a joke and a tourist attraction. But would it necessarily be a joke to have an independent nation with some conchs, if you know what I mean, holding BP to higher standards than BO is willing to?

Or I think of Jesus Land and the United States of Canada, the division of the United States read more

By David Swanson

The “supplemental spending bill” in the House has peace groups against it because it funds the escalation of a war in Afghanistan that a majority of Americans oppose, makes us less safe, and kills human beings. It also has environmentalists against it because it subsidizes nuclear power, the industry that cannot compete in a free market except in the arena of catastrophes, where it may out-do BP some read more

Today, for Five Dollar Friday I just donated $5 to the Freedom From Religion Foundation in appreciation of its successful effort to end the “National Day of Prayer.” Specifically, I donated to their Legal Fund, so as to avoid the insanity of helping them fund an advertisement in the New York Times, an institution for which I think we should invent Unsubscription Saturdays.

By David Swanson

With the Senate So-Called Homeland So-Called Security Committee subpoenaing documents from the Justice Department and the Pentagon, has the power of subpoena been restored? I’m not so sure. And most people had no idea it was gone.

During 2007 and 2008 dozens of government officials were subpoenaed, right on up to the Vice President, who simply showed Congress their middle fingers and went on their merry way. During 2009 and thus far in 2010, as far as we know, and with a read more

By David Swanson

Here’s a popular “Letter to America” and a new reply from America below.

You didn’t get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.

You didn’t get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy.

You didn’t get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.

You didn’t get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.

You didn’t get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no read more