One Step Closer To The Totalitarian State: Chris Hedges On The National Defense Authorization Act

Although I have a somewhat jaundiced view of the intellectual capacity of many Americans, one who I consistently hold in high esteem is Chris Hedges. Please watch the following video in which he offers his objections to Obama's enthusiasm for the National Defense Authorization Act, a law that allows for the indefinite detention, without charge or trial, of anyone suspected of terrorism. As has become the pattern for this so-called progressive President, Obama, who initially threatened to veto the bill, in that great spirit of illusory compromise, suddenly found it quite acceptable.






For accompanying text, please click here.

Brand Obama

While I do not usually wade into American politics on this blog, I am going to make a rare exception tonight. The posting will be brief, as the link I will provide says things much better than I could.

Almost two years ago, my wife and I attended a talk by Chris Hedges, who was promoting his book, Empire of Illusion. Deeply pessimistic about the future of the United States, Hedges saw little hope for change with Obama as President. Dismissively, he referred to him as "Brand Obama," asserting that he was no different from other brands such as "Brand Bush, pere et fils."

At the time, I was deeply offended and thought Hedges extraordinarily cynical. Time, of course, has demonstrated his prescience.

And with that thought in mind, please follow my link to an essay by Robert Redford entitled, Is the Obama Administration Putting Corporate Profits Above Public Health?, in which the actor offers his thoughts on Obama turning his back on promised environmental legislation that would have saved about 12,000 lives per year in the United States.