contributions

A regional councillor, adviser on employment and social policy to the United Left group of Euro-MPs, and member of the radical left Socialist Party of the Netherlands, this weekend addressed a conference of Germany’s new Left Party (Linkspartei/PDS). This is an edited version of his speech, which covered the experiences of his own highly successful party, the common struggle against the EU’s drive to neo-liberalism, and the role of the trade unions.
The debate on the social model of Europe (…)

PFAW will wage massive national effort to defeat nominee who would dramatically shift balance of Court WASHINGTON - October 31 - President Bush put the demands of his far-right political base above Americans’ constitutional rights and legal protections by nominating federal appeals court Judge Samuel Alito to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, said People For the American Way President Ralph G. Neas. “Right-wing leaders vetoed Miers because she failed their (…)

06/12/05 "The Times" - - MINISTERS were warned in July 2002 that Britain was committed to taking part in an American-led invasion of Iraq and they had no choice but to find a way of making it legal.
The warning, in a leaked Cabinet Office briefing paper, said Tony Blair had already agreed to back military action to get rid of Saddam Hussein at a summit at the Texas ranch of President George W Bush three months earlier.
The briefing paper, for participants at a meeting of Blair’s inner (…)

15 September 2002: A SECRET blueprint for US global domination reveals that President Bush and his cabinet were planning a premeditated attack on Iraq to secure ’regime change’ even before he took power in January 2001. The blueprint, uncovered by the Sunday Herald, for the creation of a ’global Pax Americana’ was drawn up for Dick Cheney (now vice- president), Donald Rumsfeld (defence secretary), Paul Wolfowitz (Rumsfeld’s deputy), George W Bush’s younger brother Jeb and Lewis Libby (…)

By Diana Lee
October 31, 2005
George W. Bush With his job-approval ratings drastically dropping for handling domestic woes and the increasingly unpopular Iraq war, President Bush nevertheless persists on “staying the course” - disconnected from reality. Mr. Bush’s display of inconsistencies, indifference, and denial to the deteriorating circumstances of America - domestically and internationally - raises serious questions about his mental state and his abilities to continue as a (…)

By Yuki Noguchi
America Online Inc. hired Mary Cheney, the 36-year-old daughter of Vice President Cheney, to offer advice on building up Web site businesses, a company spokesman said yesterday.
Cheney starts the job later this year and will work primarily with longtime AOL executive Ted Leonsis, who as president of AOL’s Audience Business focuses on increasing viewership of its Web sites, said Nicholas Graham, a spokesman for the Dulles-based company. He declined to disclose additional (…)

Former Iraqi deputy prime minister Tareq Aziz has denied telling investigators that a maverick British lawmaker personally profited from the United Nations’ oil-for-food program for Iraq.
By Reuters
US congressional investigators said this week they had evidence that George Galloway had profited from the defunct UN program created to protect Iraqis from the harsh effects of sanctions against their Government.
The report said Mr Aziz, under questioning by the subcommittee, said he had (…)

By John Hanchette
OLEAN — Last week’s column warned of imminent federal legislation that would toss powerful pharmaceutical companies billions of dollars and complete protection from liability suits in case untested and experimental bird flu vaccines damage American recipients. It drew heavy response.
The bill (S. 1873) — a big congressional wet kiss to the drug industry — is dressed up in a noble-sounding title: "Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act."
In essence, (…)

Tricky one... So where do you stand morally? This test only has one question, but it’s a very important one. By giving an honest answer, you will discover where you stand morally. The test features an unlikely, completely fictional situation in which you will have to make a decision.
Remember that your answer needs to be honest, yet spontaneous. Please scroll down slowly and give due consideration to each line. THE SITUATION You are in New Orleans to be specific. There is chaos all (…)

By Diana Lee
With his job-approval ratings drastically dropping for handling domestic woes and the increasingly unpopular Iraq war, President Bush nevertheless persists on “staying the course” - disconnected from reality. Mr. Bush’s display of inconsistencies, indifference, and denial to the deteriorating circumstances of America - domestically and internationally - raises serious questions about his mental state and his abilities to continue as a leader of a nation.
According to his (…)