US: Campaign financing: Corporations can now spend unlimited amounts

22 January, 2010

Yesterday, the Supreme Court announced a disastrous rollback of campaign finance laws. Their 5-4 decision gives corporations free rein to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections.

It’s a horrible decision. But we can undo some of the damage if Congress passes public financing of elections, which would give progressives and populists who don’t have industry backing the ability to compete.

You can sign the petition urging Congress to pass public financing of elections quickly below:

http://pol.moveon.org/fairelectionsnow/?r_by=-9290531-c60iRex&rc=paste


A Haiti Disaster Relief Scenario Was Envisaged by the US Military One Day Before the Earthquake by Michel Chossudovsky

21 January, 2010 — Global Research

A Haiti disaster relief scenario had been envisaged at the headquarters of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in Miami one day prior to the earthquake.

The holding of pre-disaster simulations pertained to the impacts of a hurricane in Haiti. They were held on January 11. (Bob Brewin,  Defense launches online system to coordinate Haiti relief efforts (1/15/10) — GovExec.com, complete text of article is contained in Annex)

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), which is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense (DoD), was involved in organizing these scenarios on behalf of US Southern Command.(SOUTHCOM).

Defined as a “Combat Support Agency”, DISA has a mandate to provide IT and telecommunications, systems, logistics services in support of the US military. (See DISA website: Defense Information Systems Agency).

On the day prior to the earthquake, “on Monday [January 11, 2010], Jean Demay, DISA’s technical manager for the agency’s Transnational Information Sharing Cooperation project, happened to be at the headquarters of the U.S. Southern Command in Miami preparing for a test of the system in a scenario that involved providing relief to Haiti in the wake of a hurricane.” (Bob Brewin, op cit, emphasis added)

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Haiti Newslinks 21-22 January, 2010

22 January, 2010

Analysis: Rachel Cohen and Alan Maass
THE SIEGE OF HAITI
A ring of U.S. warships on patrol off Haiti’s coast to stop desperate people from trying to flee is a stark symbol of Washington’s attitude toward refugees.
socialistworker.org/2010/01/22/siege-of-haiti

Comment: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
THE MEDIA’S SCAPEGOATING REFLEX
The earthquake that rocked Haiti has brought back hard memories of the racist atmosphere whipped up after the Katrina disaster in New Orleans.
socialistworker.org/2010/01/22/media-scapegoating-reflex

Comment: Sasha Kramer
HAITI’S HOPE AMID THE SUFFERING
An activist describes how Haitians are enduring in dire circumstances—in contrast to the media reports of violence.
socialistworker.org/2010/01/21/hope-amid-the-suffering

US rejects Latin American claim it is ‘occupying’ Haiti
AFP
Her comments came after Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua — all three led by anti-US governments — claimed Washington was using the international relief …
www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hxPFjXRHzg1A1D9UuUAKhbd7j98A

Morales deplores US ‘occupation’ of Haiti
Carlos Valdez, Associated Press
LA PAZ, Bolivia — President Evo Morales said Wednesday that Bolivia would seek U.N. condemnation of what he called the U.S. military occupation of earthquake-stricken Haiti. “The United States cannot use a natural disaster to militarily occupy Haiti,” he told reporters at the presidential palace. “Haiti doesn’t need more blood,” Morales added, implying that the militarized U.S. humanitarian mission could lead to bloodshed.
feedblitz.com/r.asp?l=43924886&f=157895&u=3170875&c=0

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