James Petras Column

The Obama Regime’s Fabricated “Terror Conspiracy” in Defense of the Police State

A Failed Regime Pursuing Losing Wars in which the Masters of Defeat Can Now Only Rely on the Masters of Deceit
Representative democracies and autocratic dictatorships respond to profound internal crises in very distinctive ways: the former attempts to reason with citizens, explaining the causes, consequences and alternatives; dictatorships attempt to terrorize, intimidate and distract the public by evoking bogus external threats, to perpetuate and justify rule by police state methods and avoid facing up to the self-inflicted crises.

Wall Street Take-Off: 2012 – 2013

The Bi-Polar World of Rich Bankers in the North Racking Up Record Profits
On July 16, 2013, Goldman Sachs, the fifth largest US bank by assets announced its second quarter profits doubled the previous year to $1.93 billion. J. P. Morgan, the largest bank made $6.1 billion in the second quarter up 32% over the year before and expects to make $25 billion in profits in 2013.
Wells Fargo, the fourth largest bank, reaped $5.27 billion up 20%. Citigroup’s profits topped $4.18 billion, up 42% over the previous year.

Brazil: Extractive Capitalism and the Great Leap Backward

“The point of confrontation is the street – not the workplace.”
Introduction: Brazil has witnessed one of the world’s most striking socio-economic reversals in modern history: from a dynamic nationalist industrializing to a primary export economy. Between the mid 1930’s to the mid 1980’s, Brazil averaged nearly 10% growth in its manufacturing sector largely based on state interventionist policies, subsidizing, protecting and regulating the growth of national public and private enterprises.