82 years later: posthumous exoneration of the Scottsboro Boys.
4.20.2013
4.17.2013
"The Spreadsheet That Killed The Economy"
One more example of the daily indispensability of Sam Seder: this interview with Mike Koncal, who's broken the story of how the report used to promote government austerity has now been exposed for its sloppy methodology.
Konczal's reporting here is on the details of Reinhart and Rogoff's questionable use of data. Seder's interview goes to the access the two were given: a meeting with forty senators in need of either frightening about where the economy was heading, or justification for policies they were set to pursue. As Konczal notes, the Reinhart-Rogoff work was never peer-reviewed—but it certainly was propelled into channels more important to establishing conventional wisdom.
Seder also makes the point that the selling of these policies works the same as the selling of Iraq did: by a process of political access being determined by a "credentialism" that can also serve as the rationale for choosing atrocious policies. Konczal's reply: "elite self-policing broke down."
Konczal's reporting here is on the details of Reinhart and Rogoff's questionable use of data. Seder's interview goes to the access the two were given: a meeting with forty senators in need of either frightening about where the economy was heading, or justification for policies they were set to pursue. As Konczal notes, the Reinhart-Rogoff work was never peer-reviewed—but it certainly was propelled into channels more important to establishing conventional wisdom.
Seder also makes the point that the selling of these policies works the same as the selling of Iraq did: by a process of political access being determined by a "credentialism" that can also serve as the rationale for choosing atrocious policies. Konczal's reply: "elite self-policing broke down."
Commonwealth
Yesterday Charles Pierce noted a 50th anniversary date: first publication of Martin Luther King Jr's "Letter From Birmingham Jail."
Much has changed—as Pierce suggests, with his link to a Birmingham News column commemorating the anniversary. Yet at the highest levels, we have this.
Disenfranchisement is one of the very best tools for destroying government in any sort of public interest. Absence of government oversight is very likely responsible for tanother bloody event this week.
In the aftermath of the devastation in Boston, Pierce writes of Massachusetts as—defiantly—a "Commonwealth"—
Much has changed—as Pierce suggests, with his link to a Birmingham News column commemorating the anniversary. Yet at the highest levels, we have this.
Disenfranchisement is one of the very best tools for destroying government in any sort of public interest. Absence of government oversight is very likely responsible for tanother bloody event this week.
In the aftermath of the devastation in Boston, Pierce writes of Massachusetts as—defiantly—a "Commonwealth"—
...there are limits to grief and there are limits to mourning. We will go back to being what we were before. We will return to our good public schools and our decent public parks. We will walk again for free in the woods and along the sea. We will place ourselves in the care of our decent health-care system. (Thanks again, Mitt!) We will pay again for our public servants and our first-responders, and some of them will game our systems, and we'll raise a great howl, and mock the suckers who got caught, but we will not be conned by the grifters who are trying to make a Mississippi of us all.
4.16.2013
Boston: The Day After
In a sad irony that's to the benefit of the quality of real world reporting, Bostonian Charles Pierce was on the scene here, and following day.
Via Digby, is the powerful eyewitness account of Pierce's appearance on Chris Hayes' MSNBC show.
It's no surprise that while this is going on, Pierce has continued writing on other topics: putting in perspective events in other parts of the world, as well as bringing up our continued culpability.
Via Digby, is the powerful eyewitness account of Pierce's appearance on Chris Hayes' MSNBC show.
It's no surprise that while this is going on, Pierce has continued writing on other topics: putting in perspective events in other parts of the world, as well as bringing up our continued culpability.
4.14.2013
Tasteless?
"Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead": No. 2 on the British pop charts.
Too personal, perhaps. But it is a reaction to someone who so personified an ideology it was named for her.
David Ehrenstein makes the interesting connection: lyricist Yip Harburg, who wrote "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" years before doing "The Wizard of Oz," would go on to write a number of Broadway shows with something to say.
And would be blacklisted for his Yankee-Doodly-dum.
Too personal, perhaps. But it is a reaction to someone who so personified an ideology it was named for her.
David Ehrenstein makes the interesting connection: lyricist Yip Harburg, who wrote "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" years before doing "The Wizard of Oz," would go on to write a number of Broadway shows with something to say.
And would be blacklisted for his Yankee-Doodly-dum.
4.08.2013
Reviews Are In
Nice that Nelson Mandela has outlived her.
Tengrain, on the breaking news—
And, yes: the two had so much in common besides ideology. Greer's piece details "the long process by which the millionaire's decorative wife with the fake, cut-glass accent was made over into the no-nonsense grocer's daughter"; her support of corrupt cronies; her deal-making to benefit party donors, as well as her son.
From BagNews: 1970s images of Thatcher's success in "co-opting the female role."
As a commenter somewhere said, she was "the muse of punk music"; songs she inspired have been much noted, as in this compendium, and by Digby here.
Via Water Tiger, is this little image.
Like Reagan, Thatcher left the political scene long before departing the planet. But they went on winning—and continue to, from the graves. No wonder the management need wait only for everyone with any memory to check out, for the history re-write to have no naysayers.
Before that happens, David Ehrenstein, on a bricklayer's daughter: "before she signs off — this triumph," as she remembers the point when social vices were turned into "virtues."
Tengrain, on the breaking news—
Pinochet, Reagan, and Thatcher walk into a bar... Hell got a little bit brighter as Satan's favorite daughter came home.Though Tengrain also offered condolences to
... the fascist son Mark (who, to avoid international crimes prosecution relating to his coup attempt in Equitorial Guinea was forced from his home in South Africa, to his home in Texas, to his mother's home in the UK, and now to an undisclosed location in the euro zone), and his racist twin sister, the failed reality star Carole.Via Adrastos is Germaine Greer's 2004 look at Thatcher's career. Adrastos writes that, aside from making no pretense of "geniality," Thatcher was pretty much "Ronald Reagan in a frock."
And, yes: the two had so much in common besides ideology. Greer's piece details "the long process by which the millionaire's decorative wife with the fake, cut-glass accent was made over into the no-nonsense grocer's daughter"; her support of corrupt cronies; her deal-making to benefit party donors, as well as her son.
From BagNews: 1970s images of Thatcher's success in "co-opting the female role."
As a commenter somewhere said, she was "the muse of punk music"; songs she inspired have been much noted, as in this compendium, and by Digby here.
Via Water Tiger, is this little image.
Like Reagan, Thatcher left the political scene long before departing the planet. But they went on winning—and continue to, from the graves. No wonder the management need wait only for everyone with any memory to check out, for the history re-write to have no naysayers.
Before that happens, David Ehrenstein, on a bricklayer's daughter: "before she signs off — this triumph," as she remembers the point when social vices were turned into "virtues."
4.01.2013
A + B =
From various recent posts by Digby:
If "A" equals the influence exerted over politicians by Pete Peterson, et al.
And "B" equals a compliant academic/political/media establishment at the ready to push same.
What follows "=" is akin to "regulatory capture"; in this case, capture of a once conventionally liberal establishment.
And so, we get stuff like erstwhile slasher of Social Security receiving award named for a key figure in Social Security history, and architect of Medicare. The latter program having been established with the expectation that it would evolve into universal health care.
Well, it's not really algebra: the formula yields lots of results, but all are predictable and advance the plan.
No one can know what makes Obama tick, but I agree with those who think what motivates him here is the "legacy" angle, of being determined to get the kind of establishment approbation Clinton gets for "welfare reform."
Via Digby again: these charts, with telling captions in between graphics—
4/2 update: just back from a break today is Sam Seder, discussing all of the above with Digby. Depressing as it is, it's some of the only public discussion of whether Democrats will ever wake up to how Republicans are salivating over the "Democrats slashed Social Security and Medicare" theme they anticipate using for their campaigns. Or whether Democrats simply are willing to do the dirty work because, in Sam's words, "the media will never punish Democrats for making government less responsive to the people, in fact, they will reward a Democrat for making government less responsive to the people."
If "A" equals the influence exerted over politicians by Pete Peterson, et al.
And "B" equals a compliant academic/political/media establishment at the ready to push same.
What follows "=" is akin to "regulatory capture"; in this case, capture of a once conventionally liberal establishment.
And so, we get stuff like erstwhile slasher of Social Security receiving award named for a key figure in Social Security history, and architect of Medicare. The latter program having been established with the expectation that it would evolve into universal health care.
Well, it's not really algebra: the formula yields lots of results, but all are predictable and advance the plan.
No one can know what makes Obama tick, but I agree with those who think what motivates him here is the "legacy" angle, of being determined to get the kind of establishment approbation Clinton gets for "welfare reform."
Via Digby again: these charts, with telling captions in between graphics—
In each of the charts below look for the year 1981, when Reagan took office.Again, we can thank Saint Ron. Among so many other deeds, he slayed the health care threat.
Conservative policies transformed the United States from the largest creditor nation to the largest debtor nation in just a few years, and it has only gotten worse since then...
Working people's share of the benefits from increased productivity took a sudden turn down...
This resulted in intense concentration of wealth at the top...
Which forced working people to go into debt...
4/2 update: just back from a break today is Sam Seder, discussing all of the above with Digby. Depressing as it is, it's some of the only public discussion of whether Democrats will ever wake up to how Republicans are salivating over the "Democrats slashed Social Security and Medicare" theme they anticipate using for their campaigns. Or whether Democrats simply are willing to do the dirty work because, in Sam's words, "the media will never punish Democrats for making government less responsive to the people, in fact, they will reward a Democrat for making government less responsive to the people."
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