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Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – September 1 2024

by Tony Wikrent

Strategic Political Economy

John Kiriakou: The Slide Into Authoritarianism

John Kiriakou [Consortium News, via Naked Capitalism 08-28-2024]

The Social Recession Is Accelerating 

Charles Hugh Smith [via Naked Capitalism 08-25-2024]

Look at that mess. That’s not some blog post written by me after a few drinks at 2 in the morning. It’s the NY Times! For reasons that are obscure they, and much of the mainstream media, is engaged in insane gymnastics trying to keep from accurately describing Donald Trump’s disintegration. It’s profound and it’s alarming. Media critic Margaret Sullivan has a newsletter aptly called American Crisis in which she addresses the problem. She names former Timesman James Risen as one of the journalists she most respects (I agree!) and relays a communication she received from him this week: “At first, I thought this was a parody,” Risen told me. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. Even more unfortunately, the lack of judgment it displays is all too common in the Times and throughout Big Journalism as mainstream media covers Donald Trump’s campaign for president. “Harris and Trump Have Housing Ideas. Economists Have Doubts,” is the headline of the story he was angered by.

Moms for Liberty gets “a bit carried away” When Donald Trump is not campaigning in a string of sundown towns, he’s rubbing elbows with Moms for Liberty. * The New York Times has the full story: The Moms For Liberty can get a bit carried away — one of their local chapters once accidentally quoted Adolf Hitler (“He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future”) and then issued an apology disavowing the Führer (“We should not have quoted him in our newsletter”) — but still, their summit on Friday made for a good case study. It was packed with the sort of voters Mr. Trump hopes can help him win in November: fired-up suburban women. How in the world does this get past editors? [image or embed] — Sarah Posner (@sarahposner.bsky.social) Sep 1, 2024 at 9:56 AM Don’t get mad and don’t get complacent. It ain’t over until all the votes are counted. Do something! * Okay, there are so many sundown towns in swing states (and blue states) that it’s almost hard not to end up campaigning in one, but still.

A supermarket chain deletes evidence, fossil fuels score their own justice, and more from The Lever this week.

So is Trump going to be able to pivot to pro-choice in the run-up to the election? I mean: he’s trying. But will it work? And will his pro-life base accept it, because he’s Trump? I hope no pro-choice voters are fooled. I hope they hold him responsible for overturning Roe. It’s beyond obvious they […]

Vance and AI “He’s really thought this through and he is an incredibly twisted man,” Sam Seder tweeted in response to the JD Vance clip below. As if the prospect of this man being one heartbeat away from the presidency isn’t warped enough, our technology-fetishizing overlords want to put the electronic brains behind driverless cars in charge of defining reality for us. You’ve noticed it too: “Google has rolled out generative AI to users of its search engine on at least four continents, placing AI-written responses above the usual list of links; as many as 1 billion people may encounter this feature by the end of the year.” I already don’t trust them: Yet AI chatbots and assistants, no matter how wonderfully they appear to answer even complex queries, are prone to confidently spouting falsehoods—and the problem is likely more pernicious than many people realize.

Trying to save money? Our research suggests it is better to pay in cash – while you still can Lachlan Schomburgk, Alex Belli and Arvid…

Chinese electric vehicles are transforming Australia’s car market. Are we getting a good deal? Sanjoy Paul and Priyabrata Chowdhury China’s electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers are…

When it comes to power, solar is about to leave nuclear and everything else in the shade Peter Martin The federal opposition leader might have…

Small modular reactors have promise But we found they’re unlikely to help Australia hit net zero by 2050 Ian Lowe and Kylie Walker Australia’s clean…

An alternative alternative economics How socially engaged Buddhism compares with established heterodox schools Nick Johnson This post compares 4 prominent nonmainstream, or heterodox, schools of…

“Economics”, our master narrative manufacturing our demise Richard Parker If economists could manage to get themselves thought of as humble, competent people on a level…

Universal public services: the power of decommodifying survival Jason Hickel One of the central insights emerging from research on degrowth and climate mitigation is that…

In a free market, drugs are cheap Government-granted patent monopolies make them expensive Dean Baker This simple point was left out of a Washington Post…

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Raise your glass to the hard-working peopleLet’s drink to the uncounted headsLet’s think of the wavering millionswho need leaders but get gamblers instead -“Salt of the Earth”, by Mick Jagger & Keith Richard (from the album Beggar’s Banquet) “It is about a search, too, for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash, for astonishment rather than torpor; in short, for a sort of life rather than a Monday through Friday sort of dying. Perhaps immortality, too, is part of the quest. To be remembered was the wish, spoken and unspoken, of the heroes and heroines of this book.” ― Studs Terkel, from his book Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do (Shame mode) Full disclosure. It had been so long since I had contemplated the true meaning of Labor Day, I had to refresh myself with a web search.

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A BUMPER run of Bunnings Barbeques and the combined efforts of local Rotary clubs will support the Men’s Health Rural Education Van known as MHERV. The Rotary Clubs of Coffs Harbour, Coffs Harbour Daybreak, Coffs Harbour City, Dorrigo, Sawtell and Woolgoolga spent last weekend sizzling their way through two successful barbecues in a joint fundraising...

The post Rotary BBQs sizzle for men’s health appeared first on News Of The Area.

FORTY-TWO candidates will be listed on the ballot paper for the City of Coffs Harbour council election on Saturday, 14 September, with all running as members of a group. Six groups are Independent or unaffiliated while Labor and The Greens are fielding one group each. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it...

The post Full list of candidates for Coffs Harbour and Bellingen councils appeared first on News Of The Area.

FORESTRY Corporation staff have found a rare Coastal Emu nest containing nine eggs, giving hope to the future of the endangered population. Lead Forestry Officer Kurt Holzhauser, discovered the nest in a state forest near Grafton during a broad area habitat search for threatened and endangered species. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s...

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THE Coffs Coast Community Drug Action Team says Saturday’s International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is part of a year-round effort to minimise harm caused by alcohol and other drugs. Now in its 24th year, IOAD is also an opportunity to remember without stigma those who have died, and to acknowledge the grief of their family...

The post Coffs Coast Community Drug Action Team advocates to end overdoses appeared first on News Of The Area.

CATHERINE’S Black Garlic Paste, grown in Coramba, has won gold at Sydney’s Royal Fine Food Show. With a score of 92.17 out of 100, the paste was the clear winner of its category. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email...

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