as a running mate. I'm looking forward to the bumper sticker:

Sanders
Nuts
For America

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/01/terror-factory-fbi-trevor-aa...

"Nafis is one of more than 150 men since 9/11 who have been caught in FBI terrorism stings, some of whom have received 25 years or more in prison. In these cases, the FBI uses one of its more than 15,000 registered informants—many of them criminals, others trying to stay in the country following immigration violations—to identify potential terrorists. It then provides the means necessary for these would-be terrorists to move forward with a plot—in some cases even planting specific ideas for attacks. The FBI now spends $3 billion on counterterrorism annually, the largest portion of its budget. Our nation's top law enforcement agency, traditionally focused on investigating crimes after they occur, now operates more as an intelligence organization that tries to preempt crimes before they occur. But how many of these would-be terrorists would have acted were it not for an FBI agent provocateur helping them? Is it possible that the FBI is creating the very enemy we fear?"

I'd say he's an absolute imperialist. He wants the U.S. to have the biggest, strongest military on the planet, so big that
no one will even think about challenging the U.S. He wants to make the U.S. the richest nation on the planet. You don't do
that within capitalism without imperialism.
Trump speaks with forked tongue and people aren't really listening, they're catching the sound bites and watching
for when the applause sign blinks on.

Oh, I like this theme!
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AinIiR3E0Bc]

And the there's this:
Why Liberals Separate Race from Class

While centrist liberals like Presidents Clinton and Obama have encouraged conversations about race and have been willing to concede that racism can undercut the life chances of blacks and Latinos, they are more likely to trace poverty and inequality to the habits, attitudes, and culture of the poor than to the disastrous effects of labor or trade policies or even the health of a particular sector of the economy.

Sanders is thus more likely to draw attention to the linkages between racism and class exploitation than the sitting Democratic president or other presidential contenders, not because he is a liberal — like centrist liberals Carter, the Clintons, or Obama — but because he is, by today’s narrow standards, a leftist.

in Utah like Planned Parenthood. They want their winger governor to put a sock in it.

How long can Saudi Arabia hold on?

Economists are predicting a budget deficit of as much as 20 percent of gross domestic product and the International Monetary Fund forecasts a first Saudi current-account deficit in more than a decade. Reserves at the central bank tumbled 10 percent from a year ago, or by more than $70 billion.
As a result, bets on the devaluation of the riyal are surging. The Tadawul All Share Index lost 18 percent in the past three months and dragged stocks down across the Gulf region.

Lots of the rivals and allies are also hurting.

Venezuela: Hugo Chávez’s popularity, his “21st-century socialism” and his mismanagement of the country’s economy were made possible by one factor: a prolonged oil boom. His successor has inherited a bankrupt country that will not be able to service its debts. Oil makes up 96 percent of Venezuela’s exports. Its economy is estimated to shrink by 7 percent this year, having already contracted by 4 percent last year.

Russia: As with Chávez, Vladimir Putin’s popularity coincided perfectly with a steep rise in oil prices, which meant higher Russian GDP, government revenue and, thus, subsidies to the people. All that is reversing course. Russia’s economy is projected to shrink by 3.4 percent this year. Oil and gas revenue make up half the government’s income. Crucially, revenue for Gazprom, the national gas giant, is estimated to fall by almost 30 percent this year.

Iraq: Oil makes up about 90 percent of the Baghdad government’s revenue, and despite the fact that it is pumping out as much as possible, it faces a massive drop in available funds.

Iran: Despite the initial windfall that Tehran will get from the relaxation of international sanctions, it is, like most petro-states, dysfunctional. In fact, the International Monetary Fund estimates that it needs prices to be almost $100 a barrel to balance its budget.

The financial news is full of stories about how much more efficient the frackers have become. Nothing to see here.
I'm skeptical. If the frackers could have been so much more efficient, then why did they wait until now?

While the Washington Wankers still think they're going to vote on the Multilateral agreement with Iran — which will mean something something... — the rest of the world is already in Iran setting up and doing business. Today:

Britain Reopens Embassy in Tehran in Significant Step for Iran Relations

TEHRAN, Iran — Britain reopened its embassy in Tehran on Sunday in a low-key ceremony — nearly four years after an angry pro-regime mob stormed the outpost, stealing hard drives and forcing staff to evacuate.

British foreign secretary Philip Hammond was on hand to mark the occasion, which represents a further thawing of relations after last month's nuclear deal was agreed to. The Iranian embassy in London was also reopened.

The reopening in Tehran, though a significant step forward in relations for both countries, was received with little fanfare. A small group of journalists waited outside amid a sizable police presence, while inside Hammond said a few words and hoisted the Union Jack.

"Today's ceremony marks the end of one long journey, and the start of a new, and, I believe, exciting one," Hammond said, adding that reopening the embassy was the "logical next step to build confidence and trust between two great nations" after last month's nuclear agreement.

I do find it amusing that the US has not yet told the American people that their Unipolar global rule is over. US sanctions are meaningless now. China's CIPS has replaced the hegemonic SWIFT international payment system, so Iran can do business with anyone it wants to, using their own currency. It is already doing so. But the US has to go through all this silly DC kabuki, while some members of Congress get to pretend to be Israel-Firsters and maybe wangle themselves another lavish free trip to Jerusalem. AIPAC is spending approximately $123 million to lobby this utterly pointless vote that goes nowhere. Congress gets richer.

The world couldn't care less what the moribund US Congress does. Iran is a done deal. Now Iran can pretend it is not doing what it already was not doing — making a big bad bomb.

If the planet was a eye, it would be rolling.

link

The Shanghai Composite Index sank 8.4 percent to 3,213.76 at 10:14 a.m. local time, erasing its gain for the year and dropping below the key 3,500 level that has previously spurred state buying. The Hang Seng China Enterprises lost 5.1 percent to its lowest level since May. Taiwan’s Taiex index slid 7.4 percent in its biggest drop since 1990.
The Shanghai gauge dropped 12 percent last week after data showed the nation’s economic slowdown is deepening. While China said over the weekend it will allow pension funds to buy shares for the first time, a speculated cut in reserve ratios failed to materialize.

The real question is how will Europe react. If they crash then it will be an ugly day on Wall Street. If they only drop a modest amount then NY will probably avoid the worst.