Category Archives: Banana republic

Don Quijones: It Gets Ugly in Catalonia

Madrid’s crackdown is increasing support for independence in Catalonia among those who previously had little interest in such an outcome.

Catalonia’s Defiance of Spanish Authority Turns into Rebellion

Catalonia and the Spanish government are in a power struggle, with Madrid moving to strip Catalonia of its autonomy. What are the stakes?

Climate Change Enabling US Military to Play Greatly Enlarged Domestic Role

Why climate change is great for the Pentagon’s budget and bad for Americans’ freedom.

CalPERS Illegally Trying to Hide Its Scheming to Hand Over Private Equity to BlackRock

oard candidate Margaret Brown objects to CalPERS’ illegal secret discussions, most importantly, of outsourcing private equity to BlackRock.

California Has a System That Punishes the Poor Through Traffic Violations—Civil Rights Groups Are Starting to Change That

Law enforcement for profit in California

Who Is Behind FDA-Weakening Bill Based on False Premise That It Restricts Access to Experimental Drugs for the Terminally Ill?

A look at some of the forces out to undermine the FDA.

CalPERS Runs Unconstitutional, Tamper-Friendly Election With Non-Secret Ballots

CalPERS’ new board election procedures make a mockery of the California Constitution’s requirement that voting be secret.

North Korea: Are Sanctions Working?

Experts have said a military response North Korea’s belligerence is not viable. Is the current economic approach likely to succeed?

How US Regulators Created the Equifax Mess

How regulators made credit bureaus like Equifax powerful, and why banks could live without them if they needed to.

Thomas Frank: Corporate Democrats Have a Vested Interest in Not Listening to Workers

Discusses how Democratic Party serves the professional class and the top 10% and no longer cares about the poor or working class.

High Tech Pork: The Pentagon’s New Wonder Weapons for World Dominion

On the Pentagon’s costly, misguided love affair with futuristic tech.

Federal Judge Strikes Down Overtime Rule, Leaving Trump Labor Dept to Decide What Follows

Judge strikes down overtime rule, leaving it to Trump’s Labor Department to decide how to revise overtime regs and thresholds set in 2004.