Dropping Like Flies – Danny Schechter

They seem to be dropping like flies, as the old saying goes. Now, New Jersey Senator Lautenberg has been diagnosed with Cancer. Earlier in the week, Senator Bayh said Sayonara to the Senate and, a week ago, Jack Murtha of Pennslvania died somewhat mysteriously on the operating table with the Navy now investigating.

Grounds for Hope and Despair – Paul Craig Roberts

My February 16 column, A Country of Serfs Ruled By Oligarchs, received confirmation from high places on the very day it appeared. Popular Indiana Democratic U.S. Senator Evan Bayh announced that he was quitting the Senate. Yahoo News gave this account:
“In an interview on MSNBC this morning, newly retiring Sen. Evan Bayh declared the American political system ‘dysfunctional,’ riddled with ‘brain-dead partisanship’ and permanent campaigning. Flatly denying any possibility that he’d seek the presidency or any other higher office, Bayh argued that the American people needed to deliver a ‘shock’ to Congress by voting incumbents out in mass and replacing them with people interested in reforming the process and governing for the good of the people, rather than deep-pocketed special-interest groups.”

US Hides Behind Iran Sanctions Threat

Whereas United States President Barack Obama promised in his new year message to Iran that he was committed to a new diplomacy that “will not be advanced by threats”, a month later this is precisely what is happening. This is in light of new White House-backed legislation in the US Congress that aims to impose “crippling sanctions” on Iran by targeting its energy imports.