News

Gentlemen, Sharpen Your Spears

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Jun 20, 2012 Those who prize civility over frank talk or success in politics may be disheartened to learn that attack ads of the type President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have begun to fling at each other are as old as the republic itself, and as New York magazine columnist Frank Rich says, they’re absolutely essential for effective politics. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Julian Assange Requests Asylum in Equador

Peter Z. Scheer / Truthdig Jun 20, 2012 The WikiLeaks publisher who has been a thorn in the side of many governments now seeks the protection of one. The Ecuadorian Embassy in London is sheltering Assange while Quito reviews his request for asylum. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Ticks Are Taking Over

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Jun 19, 2012 Lyme disease, a debilitating disorder that can wreck the human nervous system, is expected to have a big summer in the American Northeast. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Doubling Down on Disaster

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Jun 19, 2012 Thomas Frank, one of the country’s leading elegists of American representative democracy and a columnist for Harper’s Magazine, has spent his career chronicling the nation’s descent into plutocracy. This week he sang against the forces of free-market dominion on Bill Moyers’ television show. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Beyond the Politics of the Big Lie

By Henry A. Giroux, Truthout Jun 19, 2012 The American public is suffering from an education deficit; a growing dearth of critical thinking which generates the ideology of the big lie -- the myth that the free-market system is the only mechanism available to safeguard democracy and ensure human freedom. Dig deeper ( 26 Min. Read )

Obama Administration’s Drone Death Figures Don’t Add Up

Staff / Truthdig Jun 19, 2012 Last month, a "senior administration official" said the number of civilians killed in drone strikes in Pakistan under President Obama is in the "single digits." But last year "U.S. officials" said drones in Pakistan killed about 30 civilians in just a yearlong stretch under Obama. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Obama’s Leadership on Immigration Leaves Romney at a Loss for Words

Eugene Robinson / Truthdig Jun 19, 2012 If taking action on the immigration issue is good politics for Obama and the Democrats, then Republicans have only themselves to blame. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Microsoft’s New Tablets Have Keyboards and Kickstands

Peter Z. Scheer / Truthdig Jun 19, 2012 Microsoft unveiled two new tablets, called Surface, in Los Angeles on Monday. They are more than iPad competitors; they are flagships for the beleaguered software company's Windows 8 operating system, and proof that Microsoft wants to delight consumers as much as it does corporate drones. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Romney Predicts Wisconsin Victory, GOP Birthers Mock Obama and More

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Jun 19, 2012 A look at the day's political happenings, including Mitt Romney's latest campaign stop, Rick Santorum on whether he wants to serve in a Romney administration and a lawmaker performing in the "The Vagina Monologues." Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Google Reports ‘Alarming Rise’ in Censorship Requests

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Jun 18, 2012 Internet censorship by governments is on the rise, according to a troubling new report on transparency from Google. Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the report is that it is Western democracies typically not associated with censorship that are among the countries asking the search engine to remove content for political reasons. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Arizona Sheriff Arpaio’s Office Arrests 6-Year-Old

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Jun 18, 2012 A 6-year-old girl suspected of being in the U.S. illegally was arrested by the office of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Arizona on Friday. Ironically, the arrest came just after President Obama announced he would make it easier for the children of undocumented immigrants to stay in this country. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Winners Scramble to Form Greek Government

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Jun 18, 2012 New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras faces a daunting task after his pro-euro party won the Greek elections over the weekends: form a coalition government in three days, and do it without the help of the party that finished second in the vote. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )