MB Civic » History

While many of us are working to ensure that the Occupy movement will have a lasting impact, it’s worthwhile to consider other countries where masses of people succeeded in nonviolently bringing about a high degree of democracy and economic justice. Sweden and Norway, for example, both experienced a major power shift in the 1930s after prolonged nonviolent struggle. They “fired” the top 1 percent of people who set the direction for society and created the basis for something different. Both countries had a history of horrendous poverty. When the 1 percent was in charge, hundreds of thousands of people emigrated to avoid starvation. Under the leadership of the working class, however, both countries built robust and successful economies that nearly eliminated poverty, expanded free university education, abolished slums, provided excellent health care available to all as a matter of right and created a system of full employment

Up For Debate: German Court Bars “Mein Kampf” Again

Ian Alterman — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:38:21 +0000

The court is "concerned whether modern Germany can cope with the work that sowed the seeds for the Holocaust," because "This week, the government released the results of a two-year-long study showing that one in five Germans still harbored anti-Semitic beliefs." Is the court's decision a legitimate corrective? Or is it "paternalist" overreach and/or a form of censorship?

Reagan’s Hand in Guatemala’s Genocide

Michael Butler — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:24:48 +0000

http://www.printfriendly.com/print/new?url=http://consortiumnews.com/2012/01/23/reagans-hand-in-guatemalas-genocide/#

NYT Editorial, Op-Eds, Letters (11)

Ian Alterman — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:59:19 +0000

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/the-money-traps-in-us-health-care.html?ref=opinion

The Money Traps in U.S. Health Care

“Americans continue to spend more on health care than patients anywhere else.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/do-drones-undermine-democracy.html?ref=opinion

Do Drones Undermine Democracy?, by Peter W. Singer

“With robots doing the fighting, Congress no longer plays a role in authorizing war.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/friedman-american-voters-still-up-for-grabs.html?ref=opinion

American Voters: Still Up For Grabs, by Thomas L. Friedman

“Here’s a sure path to presidential victory.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/nocera-in-porgy-and-bess-variations-on-an-explosive-theme.html?ref=opinion

Variations on An Explosive Theme, by Joe Nocera

“In the 60s, black singers found it distasteful to perform in ‘Porgy and Bess.’ [Now], ‘Porgy’ supplies a prism through which African-Americans…view their own history.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/saudi-women-break-a-barrier-the-right-to-sell-lingerie.html?ref=opinion

Saudi Women Shatter the Lingerie Ceiling, by Thomas W. Lippman

“No longer will men be allowed to sell a bra to a woman clothed head-to-toe in an abaya.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/dowd-showtime-at-the-apollo.html?ref=opinion

Showtime At the Apollo, by Maureen Dowd

“The victims’ brigade, striving to be lonely at the top.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/douthat-a-good-candidate-is-hard-to-find.html?ref=opinion

A Good Candidate Is Hard to Find, by Ross Douthat

“In both parties, a long tradition of underwhelming nominees.”

—

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/21/what-we-give-up-for-health-care/?ref=opinion

What We Give Up for Health Care, by Ezekiel J. Emanuel

“To protect education and workers’ pay, liberals must start to care about costs.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/bruni-paula-deens-revelation.html?ref=opinion

Of Mouselike Bityes and Marathons, by Frank Bruni

“Paula Deen linked food and consequences in a manner often ignored.”

—

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/21/needed-more-political-dimensions/?ref=opinion

Needed: More Political Dimensions, by John Perry

“One dimension — left to right — doesn’t suffice to deal with today’s political reality.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/sunday-dialogue-state-laws-on-unions.html?ref=opinion

Sunday Dialogue: State Laws on Unions

NYT (6): National News

Ian Alterman — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:34:06 +0000

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/us/politics/south-carolina-republican-primary.html

Gingrich Wins South Carolina Primary, Upending G.O.P. Race

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/business/in-antipiracy-debate-media-worlds-and-generations-clash.html?scp=9&sq=chozick&st=cse

A Clash of Media Worlds (and Generations)

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/magazine/adam-davidson-mobile-class.html?scp=7&sq=stuck&st=cse

A Mess on the Ladder of Success

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/us/politics/obama-to-draw-an-economic-line-in-state-of-union.html?scp=10&sq=union&st=cse

Obama to Draw an Economic Line in State of the Union

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/books/review/the-age-of-austerity-how-scarcity-will-remake-american-politics-by-thomas-byrne-edsall-book-review.html?scp=1&sq=austerity&st=cse

The Age of Austerity: How Scarcity Will Remake American Politics, by Thomas Byrne Edsall

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/books/review/justice-and-the-enemy-nuremberg-9-11-and-the-trial-of-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-by-william-shawcross-book-review.html?scp=1&sq=enemy&st=cse

Justice and the Enemy: Nuremberg, 9/11, and the Trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, by William Shawcross

Repeal the Farce of ‘Corporate Personhood’

Michael Butler — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:38:51 +0000

http://www.readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/9525-repeal-the-farce-of-corporate-personhood?tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=

Corporate Rule Is Not Inevitable by Sarah van Gelder — YES! Magazine

Michael Butler — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:24:37 +0000

http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/sarah-van-gelder/corporate-rule-is-not-inevitable?utm_source=wkly20120120&utm_medium=yesemail&utm_campaign=mrGelder

Alan Greenspan’s Ship of Fools

Michael Butler — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:45:53 +0000

http://www.truth-out.org/print/11653

The Triggers of Economic Inequality – Bill Moyers

Michael Butler — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:32:19 +0000

http://billmoyers.com/content/the-triggers-of-economic-inequality/

NYT Op-Eds (3)

Ian Alterman — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:13:49 +0000

http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/for-god-so-loved-the-1-percent/?ref=opinion

For God So Loved The 1 Percent…, by Kevin M. Kruse

“How 1930s tycoons used religion to fight class warfare.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/opinion/dowd-hunting-dear-sir-delighted.html?ref=opinion

Hunting, Dear Sir? Delighted!, by Maureen Dowd

“Poppy and Mitt, a set of Protean patricians.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/opinion/trust-but-verify.html?ref=opinion

Trust, But Verify, by Thomas L. Friedman

“Some recent news out of Egypt shows how tough diplomacy is going to be.”

NYT Op-Eds (6)

Ian Alterman — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:14:29 +0000

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/opinion/krugman-how-fares-the-dream.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

How Fares the Dream?, by Paul Krugman

“Goodbye Jim Crow, hello class system.”

—

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/the-fraud-of-the-tea-party/

The Fraud of the Tea Party, by Timothy Egan

“It’s obvious that governing was never the point.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/opinion/king-of-all-nations.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

King of All Nations, by Stephen Tuck

“How the world used and misused the civil rights leader’s legacy.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/opinion/bankings-got-a-new-critic.html?ref=opinion

Keep It Simple, by Joe Nocera

“An influential critic says banking regulations are too complex.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/opinion/embracing-the-pretzel.html?ref=opinion

Embracing the Pretzel, by Frank Bruni

“Jon Huntsman’s high road deposits him at Mitt Romney’s side.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/opinion/south-carolina-diarist.html?ref=opinion

South Carolina Diarist, by David Brooks

“Thoughts on the primary scene.”

We’re All Guilty of Dehumanizing the Enemy

Michael Butler — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:44:36 +0000

http://www.readersupportednews.org/opinion2/268-35/9430-were-all-guilty-of-dehumanizing-the-enemy?tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=

NYT (11): Editorials, Op-Eds, Letters

Ian Alterman — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:33:24 +0000

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/opinion/sunday/what-they-dont-want-to-talk-about.html?ref=opinion

What They Don’t Want to Talk About

“Mitt Romney and his party fear the issue of income inequality.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/opinion/sunday/rights-in-the-workplace.html?ref=opinion

Rights in the Workplace

“A sound ruling from the National Labor Relations Board, and more challenges to come.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/sunday-review/gop-history-vs-the-tea-party.html?ref=opinion

History vs. the Tea Party, by Sam Tanenhaus

“Republican insurgencies tend to be top-down. This one isn’t.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/opinion/sunday/bruni-at-election-time-running-from-millions.html?ref=opinion

Running From Millions, by Frank Bruni

“The presidency is largely a rich man’s game. Come with money. Act like you haven’t.”

—

http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/whats-race-got-to-do-with-it/?ref=opinion

What’s Race Got to Do With It?, by Lee Siegel

“Mitt Romney is ahead because he is the whitest white man to run for president in years.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/opinion/sunday/douthat-the-benefits-of-bain-capitalism.html?ref=opinion

The Benefits of Bain Capitalism, by Ross Douthat

“Appreciating Romney’s revolution while acknowledging its human costs.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/opinion/sunday/dowd-mitts-big-love.html?ref=opinion

Mitt’s Big Love, by Maureen Dowd

“In fashion next fall: enigmatic, elusive, analytical Harvard grads.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/sunday-review/in-moscow-echoes-of-the-91-communist-overthrow.html?ref=opinion

In Russia, Echoes of Revolution, by Scott Shane

“Young people are voicing sentiments from the ’91 Communist overthrow.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/opinion/sunday/friedman-getting-to-know-you.html?ref=opinion

Getting to Know You, by Thomas L. Friedman

“Egyptians are finding their voices again and rediscovering their neighbors.”

—

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/its-still-the-age-of-anxiety-or-is-it/?ref=opinion

It’s Still the Age of Anxiety. Or Is It?, by Daniel Smith

“Medieval Europe had famine and plague. We have 46 million people on Xanax.”

—

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/opinion/sunday/sunday-dialogue-mobility-and-inequality-in-todays-america.html?ref=opinion

Sunday Dialogue: Mobility and Inequality in Today’s America

“Readers discuss how to reinvigorate the American promise that anyone can rise to success.”