challenging conventional thought, exploring conspiracy theories,
analyzing institutions, and promoting discussion

April 28, 2011

Idiocracy

Here's the opening scene from a lesser-known dystopian movie on American stupidity and corporate influence:




And a glimpse at Fox News in the 26th century:

April 26, 2011

Ralph Nader: An Unreasonable Man

Here's a look at the life of activist and third party candidate Ralph Nader, as well as the decline of democracy over the last thirty years.

Part one:

April 23, 2011

The War on Democracy

Synopsis (from Wikipedia):
Set both in Latin America and the United States, the film explores the historic and current relationship of Washington with countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Chile. Pilger says that the film "...tells a universal story... analysing and revealing, through vivid testimony, the story of great power behind its venerable myths. It allows us to understand the true nature of the so-called "war on terror". According to Pilger, the film’s message is that the greed and power of empire is not invincible and that people power is always the "seed beneath the snow".

"The Public Overwhelmingly Wants It: Why Is Taxing the Rich So Hard?"

When even the New York Times, the supposed bleeding heart of the liberal media, is asking whether it’s more “perilous politically” to accept tax increases for 3 percent of households or benefit cuts for everyone, you’d assume that even Americans who aren’t rich are are opposed to raising taxes on those who are. But you’d be wrong: nearly three-quarters of Americans support raising taxes on the wealthy. So why is raising taxes on the wealthy so hard—or why do we think it is?

The obvious answer is that rich people have political clout—but can it really be so simple? A growing mound of evidence suggests that while wealthy people’s preferences may not be the only factor in political decision-making, it’s a worrisomely important one. In a recent study, Princeton political scientist Larry Bartels found that senators outright ignored the views of their least advantaged constituents while catering to the preferences of the wealthy. Princeton’s Martin Gilens has also found that policy changes reflect the preferences of the most affluent, while the preferences of poor and middle-income Americans have almost no bearing.  

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