Bill Puts Brakes on Mexican Trucks

Staff / Truthdig Mar 11, 2009 President Obama's $410 billion spending bill may paradoxically end funding for a cross-border trucking program between Mexico and the U.S. Critics of the program cite safety issues around Mexican trucks, while Mexican officials decry protectionism as policies surrounding the NAFTA trade agreement continue to fall apart. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Obama Takes Another Crack at Commerce

Staff / Truthdig Feb 24, 2009 Fourth time's the charm? Barack Obama's two official picks to serve as commerce secretary both had to drop out. Another candidate withdrew her name before it was ever announced. Now the president is reported to have offered the job to former Washington Gov. Gary Locke. So who is he? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Israel Opens Gaza Border … for Flowers

Staff / Truthdig Feb 13, 2009 In probably the least appropriate metaphor for relations between Israel and Palestine, Israel has allowed, for the first time in a year, Gazan flower companies to export 25,000 carnations to Europe in time for Valentine's Day, though the volume pales in comparison to previous annual exports of 60 million flowers. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

WTO Chief: ‘Peace in Danger’

Staff / Truthdig Feb 9, 2009 The global economic meltdown reminds World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy of the 1930s, but, he says, "The crisis today is spreading even faster and affects more countries at the same time" That could lead to political unrest of the scale that produces world wars. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Andrew Nagorski on the Bolsheviks’ Crimes

BLANK Jan 2, 2009 There was a time when Russia was an economic power on the rise. Sean McMeekin's new book, “History’s Greatest Heist: The Looting of Russia by the Bolsheviks,” explains what nipped that growth in the bud. Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

Our Cuba Policy: A Failure at 50

Eugene Robinson / Truthdig Jan 2, 2009 President-elect Obama will have more urgent matters to deal with after he takes the oath of office. But somewhere on his long to-do list, he should make a note to finally bring five decades of counterproductive American policy toward Cuba to a definitive end. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Our Dear Leader

David Sirota / Truthdig Nov 28, 2008 Judging by the proliferation of capital letters in the e-mail correspondence I receive, many seem worried that Barack Obama may not deliver the promised "change we can believe in." Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Will Obama Wave Bayh-Bye to the White House?

David Sirota / Truthdig Aug 15, 2008 If you believe the chatter, Barack Obama is desperately seeking a white guy -- any white guy -- to be his running mate. Hopefully, he doesn't choose Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, whose only major accomplishment is helping to bend his party to the will of corporations. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Second Wind for WTO Talks?

Staff / Truthdig Jul 25, 2008 While supporters of the much troubled Doha Round of the World Trade Organization believe talks may have found their second wind, only the world's largest economies seem to be breathing. The form of capitalism supported by these countries is resisted by poorer nations, which rightly fear WTO deregulations would disproportionately benefit the wealthy. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Withholds Loans in Water-Starved Haiti

Staff / Truthdig Jun 25, 2008 The US is under heavy criticism by human rights groups for withholding funds for clean water projects in Haiti as leverage for U-led political reform in the country A total of $54 million in loans to Haitians -- 70 percent of whom already lack daily access to potable water -- is being delayed. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Countering Race With Class

David Sirota / Truthdig Jun 20, 2008 In our us-versus-them culture, every political campaign is a battle to define who exactly the "us" and "them" are. At their most effective, Democrats parry by defining the "us" as the majority of working people, and the "them" as the tiny group of plutocrats who control the country. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Democratic Voters Agree: Bail Us Out

Staff / Truthdig Apr 17, 2008 According to a new L.A. Times/Bloomberg poll, the vast majority of Democratic voters in the next three primary battlegrounds want the government to bail out struggling homeowners. Most don't seem to care that the Fed rescued Bear Stearns; they just want the same treatment. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )