US Politics
US Medicare, Medicaid cuts threaten health care
By Kate Randall, July 7, 2009
The Obama administration plans to slash $317 billion through Medicare and Medicaid “efficiencies.
The “left” and the US military offensive in Afghanistan
By Joe Kishore, July 6, 2009
As the Obama administration carries out a massive military offensive in Afghanistan’s southern region, the US “left” has fallen in line.
US states’ budget crises threaten social disaster
By Joe Kishore, July 3, 2009
The budget crises of state governments in the US constitute a major front in an attack on social programs throughout the country that is being coordinated by the Obama administration.
After recount and court suit
Democrat Al Franken wins Minnesota Senate seat
By Patrick Martin, July 3, 2009
A unanimous Minnesota Supreme Court decision Tuesday ended a protracted legal battle over the outcome of last November’s election and awarded the Senate seat from that state to Democrat Al Franken.
US Supreme Court declines to hear case of 9/11 families
By Joe Kishore, June 30, 2009
The high court decision lets stand a appellate court ruling that members of the Saudi royal family cannot be sued in a US court for alleged ties to 9/11. The Obama administration intervened to support...
Following in Bush’s footsteps
Obama administration preparing order for indefinite detentions
By Tom Eley, June 29, 2009
Several senior Obama aides have told the Washington Post that an administration task force is drafting an executive order that would allow for the indefinite detention, without charge or trial, of tho...
US Supreme Court rules school strip search unconstitutional
By Patrick Martin, June 26, 2009
By an 8-1 majority, the US Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the strip search of a 13-year-old girl ordered by officials of an Arizona middle school was a violation of her constitutional rights.
Rejection of California budget sets stage for even larger spending cuts
By Kevin Martinez and Joe Kishore, June 25, 2009
The California legislature failed to pass an austerity budget on Wednesday that includes $11 billion in cuts, setting the stage for even more draconian measures.
US Supreme Court issues first ruling to limit Voting Rights Act
By Patrick Martin, June 24, 2009
The 8-1 ruling by the US Supreme Court Monday on the Voting Rights Act has opened the door to gutting the most fundamental US civil rights law, whose passage in 1965 marked a watershed in the struggle...
The Nation’s man in Tehran: Who is Robert Dreyfuss?
By Bill Van Auken, June 22, 2009
The line of the Nation magazine on the events in Iran is indistinguishable from that of the American political establishment. The background of its principal correspondent on the Iranian events, Rober...
US Supreme Court promotes wrongful imprisonment and age discrimination
Decisions on prisoner DNA testing and older workers’ right to sue
By John Andrews, June 22, 2009
Last Thursday, the US Supreme Court issued two highly reactionary rulings, holding in one case that convicted prisoners have no constitutional right to test DNA evidence that could establish their inn...
US Congress approves another $80 billion for Iraq, Afghanistan wars
By Patrick Martin, June 20, 2009
The latest supplemental appropriation bill to fund US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan received final passage by the House of Representatives on Tuesday and by the Senate on Thursday.
