Inside the Belly of the Beltway Beast

By Tom Engelhardt and Frida Berrigan In the week that oil prices once again crested above $100 a barrel and more Americans than at any time since the Great Depression owed more on their homes than the homes were worth; in the year that the subprime market crashed, global markets shuddered, the previously unnoticed credit-default swap market threatened to go into the tank, stagflation returned, unemployment rose, the "R" word (for recession) hit the headlines (while the "D" word lurked), within weeks of the fifth anniversary of his invasion of Iraq, the President of the United States officially discovered the war economy. George W. Bush and Laura Bush were being interviewed by NBC's Ann Curry when the subject turned to the war in Iraq. Curry reminded the President that his wife had once said, "No one suffers more than their president. I hope they know the burden of worry that's on his shoulders every single day for our troops." The conversation cont...

By Allison Kilkenny February 24, 2008 The Democrats like to cast blame for why they continually lose elections. Karl Rove's dream of a permanent Republican majority, while eventually thwarted because of Bush fatigue, was only possible because the Democrats failed to form a compelling ideology for a globalized economy. Definition through negation works in some preliminary stump speeches, but eventually voters want answers. It's not enough to be Not-Republicans. How, exactly, are Democrats different than Republicans? Spouting tired rhetoric about the New Deal and social welfare worked for a country teetering on the brink of Socialism during FDR's reign, but what now? How are the Fat Cats in the Democratic party different than the Fat Cats in the Republican wing? And Universal health care hardly seems like revolutionary thinking when the very insurance companies who have been exploiting sick Americans are invited to the negotiation table. Well, to be fair, they paid for their ...

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The headline are two topics puzzling me right now. I am in love, although I don't say it very often. However, it is Valentine's Day so I thought I would honor that fact. I even signed my e-mail to that person with the L word today, but not expecting it in return. I know, I know I thought I wouldn't go into this again. But it is where I am. Perhaps it's OK to love someone and not have the same kind of love returned. However, he loves me as a friend. Maybe that's enough for me at this point, and most of the time that feels fine to me, as we see each other very often. For my one class, I have to do a prototype for a digital archives. Yes, no small task. I am just wondering how flashy does the professor really want us to make our prototype? He realizes that just about all of us in his class are Web design novices. Anyhow, I will be spending my Valentine's Day and tomorrow working on this and trying to have fun while I do it. That's the best way to approach a pro...

Although clearly not my top choice, there's something to be said by what is happening. I am pleased to see reactionary Hillary Clinton getting beat! Despite all of this, I continue to believe that true hope for change lies with the people, not through electing so-called leaders. By GLENN ADAMS Associated Press Writer AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Barack Obama defeated Hillary Rodham Clinton in Maine presidential caucuses Sunday, grabbing a majority of delegates as the state's Democrats overlooked the snowy weather and turned out in heavy numbers for municipal gatherings. Democrats in 420 Maine towns and cities were deciding how the state's 24 delegates will be allotted at the party's national convention in August. Despite the weather, turnout was "incredible," party executive director Arden Manning said. With 79 percent of the participating precincts reporting, Obama led in state delegates elected over Clinton, 1,817 to 1,263, with 17 uncommitted.. The voting came a d...

A few days ago the local ABC News had a story about how popular tasers have become. Part sales piece, part horror story was how I would define this report. They are are becoming widely popular in the marketplace, and although they are banned here in D.C. that will do little from stemming the tide of their being brought onto our streets. A U.N. report stated that using a taser on a human being results in intense pain that is in fact a form of torture. That's where the moral high ground of our great society is now; just about anyone can torture! Now these marketplace tasers are being marketed to women to replace pepper spray, I guess. They come in all sorts of trendy colors including a leopard skin print. However, of the civilian sales only 60% of them are being purchased by women, so I am guessing a fairly good portion of the other 40% could be used to commit all sorts of crimes by men against women. This could of course be used to commit rape. Here in Virginia, there was also a rec...

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." ~Mahatma Gandhi "Many ask: What is the sense of our small effort? They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time." ~Dorothy Day This year, 2008, brings us all to a crossroads where decisions need to be made and responsibilities borne by the people who care about a peaceful world built with justice. However, this crossroads is not about the electoral choices of this election year. We are about to pass from five years of war and occupation into our sixth year of the illegal Iraq War. We have worked long and hard to end this crime against peace. We have written, faxed, e-mailed and lobbied, we have marched and demonstrated, signed petitions and held vigils, and yet this illegal military occupation of Iraq continues. Recent public opinion polls have shown about 70 percent of our fellow citizens want the war and occupation to end. However Congress continues to fund it! Our elected repre...