So, what is proposed? "Practically speaking", the authors write, "government might do well to maintain a more vigorous counter-disinformation establishment."

They recommend that government officials respond "to more rather than fewer conspiracy theories [which] has a kind of synergy benefit: it reduces the legitimating effect of responding to any one of them, because it dilutes the contrast with unrebutted theories."  Read more »

Microsoft executive Craig Mundie calls for web ID system that would outstrip Communist Chinese style net censorship.

Time Magazine has enthusiastically jumped on the bandwagon to back Microsoft executive Craig Mundie’s call for Internet licensing, as authorities push for a system even more stifling than in Communist China, where only people with government permission would be allowed to express free speech.  Read more »

Just a few cynics doubted the magnificent procession of then Senator Barack Obama to the highest office in the land. He was the redemption of our past sins, the proof that we were a better nation than we had been.

After all, race has been at the center of American politics since Bacon’s Rebellion was crushed in 1667 but we were moving beyond that. And we did. Race was set aside for most of those who voted.  Read more »

President Obama won’t tell us in his State of the Union address. The deficit hawks won’t crow about it. Don’t expect the Tea Party or Rush and Beck to highlight our generosity either.

But the sad fact is this: During the worst year since the Great Depression, with 30 million people out of work or forced into part-time jobs, Wall Street is awarding itself $150 billion in bonus money…..and it comes from us!  Read more »

The US Supreme Court has just ruled that in the interest of freedom of speech, corporations ought to be allowed to make unlimited donations to political campaigns.

The Court also ruled that corporations should not be prohibited from directly sponsoring political advertisements.  Read more »

This is no joke. A private company is offering to take the law in its own hand and find and if needed shoot looters or demonstrators.

We saw this type of Iraq-style disaster profiteering in New Orleans and you can expect to see a lot more of this in Haiti over the coming days, weeks and months.  Read more »

The Executive Branch of our federal government has become a 500 pound tick that’s being fed by a 50 pound dog (the American people) due to presidential Executive Orders (EOs).

EOs – not to be confused with Eos, the supernaturally beautiful goddess of Greek mythology – have become an ugly fact of American life, ever since our terrible conflagration known as the American Civil War.  Read more »