Category Archives: Banana republic

Why It’s So Hard for Most Countries to be Economically Independent from the West

Western countries insist both on “free trade” with poor countries and farm subsidies for themselves.

Toxic Philanthropy? The Spirit of Giving While Taking

Why to be leery of philanthropy, particularly when practiced by squillionaires.

Senators Press for Expanded Probe of FEMA Hurricane Maria Puerto Rico Relief Efforts

Senators Warren, Sanders, Blumenthal, and Durbin, has asked the DHS IG to expand an investigation into misallocation of funds budgeted for repair of hurricane-damaged homes and profit-skimming in Puerto Rico

Criticizing the “Free Trade Delusion”: Havana Charter’s Progressive Trade Vision Subverted

UNCTAD’s latest World Development Report criticises the free trade delusion. This short post considers the trade alternative put forward seventy years ago in the Havana Charter — one that was neither nationalist nor neoliberal.

As Global Climate Talks Proceed, Trump EPA Opts to Weaken Coal Emissions Standards

While parties to the 2015 Paris Accord conduct negotiations in Katowice, Poland, the EPA has opted to weaken coal emission standards promulgated during the administration of Trump’s predecessor.

Jane Sanders: Climate Crisis Critical Issue in 2020 Elections

In this Real News Network interview, Jane Sanders discusses the climate crisis and tells Paul Jay that voters shouldn’t support candidates who claim to be progressive, but don’t prioritize the fight against fossil fuel interests.

Bill Black: Who Said This? A Bank Fraud Quiz

Testing your knowledge of which top Federal officials have been tough and lax on bank fraud.

How Did Public Land Drilling Rights Become Cheaper Than a Cup of Coffee?

A great public land giveaway is in process….and where has the press been?

Decades of Denial and Stalling Have Created a Climate Crunch

Two-week UN climate change summit kicks off in Poland, to flesh out details of the 2015 Paris Accord. Politicians have dithered about what action to take, in part diverted by the disinformation spread by fossil fuel companies.

Amazon Wins!!!

Tallying how much Amazon extracted from taxpayers with its second headquarters bake off.

CalPERS PR Messaging on Private Equity Backfiring as Lack of Justification, Flailing About, Become Obvious

CalPERS looks not just reckless but also foolish as it keeps rejiggering a dubious private equity scheme that it presented as ready to go months ago.

Can Zuckerberg Survive Facebook’s Stock Selloff?

To think it was not all that long ago that Zuckerberg was contemplating a presidential bid…

Corporate PACs Plot Counterstrategy to Thwart Campaign Finance Reform

The National Association of Business Political Action Committees (NABPAC), which lobbies on behalf of PACs, believes the problem with America’s system of campaign finance is there’s not enough money in politics.