Casual Observation

17 Comments

1. 

   MNPundit on February 21, 2015 at 10:14 am

   I read a Reuters story about Obama beginning his latest effort to shill for TPP. The IP provisions alone are enough that the legislation should be burned and buried but its so much worse than that.

   At least the public is on our side for whatever its worth.

   • 

     seabe on February 21, 2015 at 10:21 am

     Do we even know what IP provisions are there?

     • 

       MNPundit on February 21, 2015 at 10:23 am
     • 

       MNPundit on February 21, 2015 at 10:24 am

       Only the leaked stuff since the content is locked up tight. Thanks Obama.

       • 

         IL JimP on February 24, 2015 at 6:35 pm

         What international agreement is ever negotiated in public?

     • 

       yastreblyansky on February 21, 2015 at 2:11 pm

       Here’s Wikipedia’s rundown of the leaked drafts. I have to admit I don’t understand the issues well enough to see why I should get upset, so far.

     • 

       yastreblyansky on February 21, 2015 at 2:31 pm

       It’s US proposals for the treaty, and obnoxious provisions will not make it into final document since only US (plus Japan and/or Australia in some cases) wants them; i.e. it’s a hard-ass pro-Disney, pro-Pharma position to negotiate from; the treaty itself will have to be acceptable to Canada/Singapore/Malaysia/Chile and other countries that disagree. Krugman continues to believe it’s not such a big deal, though the bad character of proponents (US Chamber of Commerce is the worst) makes him understandably suspicious.

2. 

   Marie2 on February 21, 2015 at 11:41 am

   Isn’t a “politburo” a necessary component for a ruling elite to maintain power for years, decades, and centuries?

3. 

   Errol on February 21, 2015 at 1:04 pm

   finding nothing for your second link.
   what is a politburo?
   btw, my main question today: when is Obama getting glasses so he can look intelligent like those republican guys?
   http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/jeb-bush-obama-motives-giuliani

   • 

     Errol on February 21, 2015 at 1:22 pm

     n/t

   • 

     Marie2 on February 21, 2015 at 1:35 pm

     This is rich:

     “Governor Bush doesn’t question President Obama’s motives. He does question President Obama’s disastrous policies,” Bush spokeswoman Kristy Campbell wrote to TPM in an email on Friday.

     Little bro of big bro that squandered $4 trillion on his excellent Iraq adventure has some chootspah labeling Obama’s policies as “disastrous.”  No Jebbie, Shrub’s policies were disastrous — Obama’s merely fall way short of what’s required to correct the legacy of disastrous policies he inherited from Reagan-Bush-Clinton-Bush.

   • 

     yastreblyansky on February 21, 2015 at 2:39 pm

     Here’s the Guardian version of the missing story, pretty disgusting. Shorter: 91-year-old Mugabe won.

     • 

       Errol on February 21, 2015 at 2:54 pm

       wow, horrifying. I followed his destruction of the ag economy for a while, then couldn’t stand it any more
       feasting on endangered species after destroying his citizens
       http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=sable+antelope&view=detailv2&&&id=C8CBBB9DD52142
       98B109CCF86657D46F33CA3F04&selectedIndex=49&ccid=15BOVuwT&simid=608050920145358665&t
       hid=HN.608050920145358665

4. 

   Marie2 on February 21, 2015 at 1:29 pm

   The Great Famine: Ethnic Cleansing or Market Correction by Emmet is a dKos diary worth reading.  It hits on many of the lessons that should have been learned from that horror.  However, it doesn’t delve into the population dynamics intertwined with the original import of western hemisphere potatoes over the prior three hundred years that made the potato blight so devastating.  Or the role of the Catholic Church before-during-after the famine.  Bad government, economics, religion, and agricultural practices all played a role — and all of those components live on today in similar forms.  

   • 

     The Voice In The Wilderness on February 21, 2015 at 2:42 pm

     The British established soup kitchens from March to September 1847.  These fed three million people in July 1847.  But they closed them, again out of fear that they would make the Irish too dependent and/or damage commerce

     Sounds familiar.

     • 

       Marie2 on February 21, 2015 at 2:59 pm

       One of the many echoes that diary highlights or touches on.  A reason why IMHO it merited my recommendation.  To be fully honest, I’ve thought for some time that the story of Ireland 1600-1900 and Easter Island are like canaries in the coal mines for the world today.  

       • 

         The Voice In The Wilderness on February 21, 2015 at 7:54 pm

         When you look at what the people who left Ireland gave to their newly adopted lands, one sees how racism hurts the racists as much as their target.