More true than you know; China wins big if TPP passes (source) by Gaius PubliusWhat we anticipated has occurred. Fast Track, the necessary precursor to the TPP (next-NAFTA) "trade" agreement, has been introduced into the Senate and the House. They're calling it the Hatch-Wyden-Ryan bill, and well they should. ("Ryan" is Paul Ryan, by the way.)Bottom lines first:
What both parties will soon be filling your brain with (source)by Gaius PubliusThe increasing likelihood that Hillary Clinton may achieve the Democratic nomination for president without a serious challenge from the left has progressive discussion groups abuzz. There are, of course, a variety of opinions on whether this is good or bad.
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran ...by Gaius Publius... and the kicker: "Obama Indicates He'll Sign It." There's much to notice here, and some about which to wait and see. First the news, via the New York Times (my emphasis):
World governments trying to decide who should fix the climate firstby Gaius Publius It's been obvious for a while that the only real action to reduce carbon emissions — which are the byproduct of a drive for profit, don't forget, and nothing else — is going to come from force. In the current world, that force is coming on three fronts:
That much water gets you half a glass of oil (image source)by Gaius PubliusAs regular readers know, I've been on about California water lately — in particular, the drought, the rationing and the so-called
Harry Reid (left, in red) surrenders control of Senate Democraticcaucus to Chuck Schumer (right, back to the camera)by Gaius PubliusThis is what happens when "party unity" or "caucus unity" trumps policy. We get Chuck "Wall Street" Schumer as the next Minority Leader — because Harry "But I promoted Elizabeth Warren" Reid helped put him there. So did "progressive" Patty Murray. And according to reports, so did nearly every other Democratic senator.
by Gaius PubliusI was going to write about the collapse of the Democratic Party in the Senate (thanks, Harry Reid; you too, Patty Murray), but I think I'll save that. The other news is this — the battle over water in California. This isn't a drought story.
How "The Mouse" Sees TPP (source)by Gaius PubliusA what-to-expect note on TPP. There will be several battles; the first is coming in the Senate Finance Committee, likely in April, with a vote on "Fast Track" enabling legislation. ("Enabling" legislation means Fast Track enables TPP by disabling Congress's ability to debate and amend it.) If Fast Track passes out of committee, it will go to the Senate floor.
"Akira Kurosawa — Composing Movement" (h/t Batocchio at Vagabond Scholar)by Gaius PubliusAkira Kurosawa is a master director in the same sense that Shakespeare is a master writer and Beethoven a master composer — every part in place, complex in ways that can defy reason, yet accessible and popular to the point of being, almost, a cliché. Immensely popular, yet undeniably in the top rank of the top rank. Who said great art can't delight masses of people?
