Economic Murder: How and Why Austerity Kills

Austerity has caused more than 10,000 suicides (including the married couple pictured above) and as many as 1 million additional cases of depression across Europe and the United States, economist David Stuckler and physician Sanjay Basu estimate. Those findings are discussed in their new book, “The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills.”

Posted on May 21, 2013 READ MORE  | 927 READS

‘Left, Right & Center’: The White House Scandal Trifecta

Truthdig Editor-in-Chief Robert Scheer and the other “Left, Right & Center” panelists ask whether the Obama administration will be distracted and ineffective from here on out. The head of the IRS apologizes and claims there was no political motivation behind its treatment of conservative groups. Is it a benign symbol of an unwieldy, too-big government, or a terrifying reminder of the Nixon years?

Posted on May 18, 2013 READ MORE  | 1139 READS

Save Our Democracy: Buy the L.A. Times for $660 Million

The Other 98%, a group loosely associated with Occupy Wall Street, is trying to raise enough cash to outbid Rupert Murdoch and the Koch brothers in their efforts to buy the Tribune Company, owner of the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and The Baltimore Sun, among other newspapers.

Posted on May 17, 2013 READ MORE  | 1391 READS

‘The Daily Show’: Stewart Slams Hypocrites Cheney and Rumsfeld

Jon Stewart tells the former Bush administration officials that no, after the atrocities they committed while in office, they don’t get to question anyone’s credibility or weigh in about President Obama’s handling of the fatal Benghazi, Libya, attacks.

Posted on May 16, 2013 READ MORE  | 5894 READS

Video Allegedly Shows Police Beating David Silva to Death

After allegedly beating 33-year-old David Sal Silva to death last week, Kern County, Calif., officers reportedly confiscated cellphones from multiple witnesses containing videos of the incident. One piece of footage they apparently weren’t able to take away, however, is a grainy black and white surveillance video that shows parts of the encounter.

Posted on May 15, 2013 READ MORE  | 4622 READS

This Is Water: Fishy Advice From David Foster Wallace

By Alexander Reed Kelly

A viral video adaptation of a commencement speech given in 2005 by the hugely influential late American author reaches for a healing vision of a common humanity amid the relentless crushings of a capitalized and corporatized society.

Posted on May 15, 2013 READ MORE  | 7606 READS

Chris Hedges: The ‘Terrifying’ State Assault on Press Freedom

“We are now in the last moments of an effort to, in essence, effectively extinguish press freedom,” the Truthdig columnist told “Democracy Now!” in a conversation Wednesday about revelations of the Justice Department’s seizure of work, home and cellphone records of up to 100 reporters and editors at The Associated Press.

Posted on May 15, 2013 READ MORE  | 8705 READS

Watch: Newt Gingrich ‘Really Puzzled’ About Smartphones

“Here at Gingrich Productions, we’ve spent weeks figuring out what do you call this,” a completely serious Gingrich says holding up a smartphone. Now he’s asking for your help to name something that already has a name.

Posted on May 13, 2013 READ MORE  | 1538 READS

Former Drone Pilot Talks Candidly About Attacks

A veteran Air Force drone pilot has opened up about his unsettling experiences killing alleged militants and probable civilians from an air-conditioned trailer in the American West.

Posted on May 11, 2013 READ MORE  | 4874 READS

Greenwald vs. Maher on the ‘Unique’ Nastiness of Muslims

Friday night on Bill Maher’s “Real Time,” Guardian columnist and former civil rights litigator Glenn Greenwald attacked the view that Islam is a “uniquely” threatening force in the world and that Muslims should be deprived of the benefits of the classical liberal values that many groups in the West have struggled to make into policy since the 18th-century Enlightenment.

Posted on May 11, 2013 READ MORE  | 7745 READS

What’s Going on With Obama and Drug Policy?

This week on Truthdig Radio in association with KPFK: With marijuana, alone, the administration has adopted multiple, contrary positions. Also: The past and future FCC, why we don’t execute terrorists, and baby books for kids.

Posted on May 10, 2013 READ MORE  | 2868 READS

‘Left, Right & Center’: Benghazi, Immigration and the Summer of Debt

Truthdig Editor-in-Chief Robert Scheer and the other “Left, Right & Center” panelists examine the Benghazi attack. Was it terrorism? If so, did the administration try to cover it up, as Republicans say? Also, the immigration debate zeroes in on border security and a legalization process.

Posted on May 10, 2013 READ MORE  | 637 READS

Students as Important as Big Banks, Elizabeth Warren Says in Bill Introduction

The senator’s first piece of stand-alone legislation is aimed at giving students who take out federally subsidized loans the same interest rate the big banks get when they borrow from the government. Student loans rates are set to go up to 6.8 percent July 1. Meantime, the big banks responsible for plunging the economy into a recession a few short years ago pay just 0.75 percent

Posted on May 8, 2013 READ MORE  | 2108 READS

Listen: Chris Hedges Interviews Julian Assange

In these audio excerpts from their extended conversation in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, Chris Hedges asks Julian Assange about legal strategy and the WikiLeaks founder’s thoughts on Pfc. Bradley Manning.

Posted on May 5, 2013 READ MORE  | 15152 READS

Romney’s Advice to College Grads: Get Married, Have Babies

The wealthy failed GOP presidential candidate doesn’t want them worrying about getting a job and making money, because who needs those things to support a family?

Posted on May 5, 2013 READ MORE  | 2755 READS