Sanders Tries (Again) to End Slaughter in Yemen
Friedman vs. Khashoggi on Saudis ; Trump's Budget Deficit Not So Conservative ...and More Picks
An American and an Arab Journalist Walk Into a Saudi Consulate (Russ)
The author writes, “Why do the Saudis love the New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman and invite him to Mohammed bin Salman’s palace in Riyadh to tickle his Orientalist fantasies, but, if persistent reports by Turkish authorities turn out to be true, they sent a hit team of 15 assassins to beat, torture, murder, and cut to pieces the Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi? No, this cannot be part of the rivalries between our two papers of record. Let us search for a more plausible reason.”
The Great Recession Was Awful. And We Don’t Have a Plan to Stop the Next One. (Jimmy)
The author writes, “There’s nothing inevitable about how things played out in 2008. Australia hasn’t had a recession in 30 years, and in theory equally skillful governments of bigger countries could produce the same result. The goal of macroeconomic stabilization is to make sure that recessions are rare, shallow, and short. And 15 years ago, policymakers were convinced that they had it all figured out.
Last Assange Interview Before the Blackout Uncovered (Dan)
Watch the last interview Julian Assange gave before his internet access at the Ecuadorian embassy in London was cut off.
Trump’s First Annual Budget Deficit Will Be the Widest Since 2012 (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “The US budget deficit expanded to an estimated $782 billion in Donald Trump’s first full fiscal year as president, which would be the widest fiscal gap since 2012 when the country was still emerging from the Great Recession.”
Trump Hangs ‘Tacky’ Fantasy Painting of Himself With GOP Presidents in White House (Reader Luke)
The author writes, “President Trump’s latest addition to White House decor is a kitschy fantasy painting that shows him relaxing with Republican presidents of the past — an update to a best-selling image commonly found in tourist gift shops and online galleries.”
US Appeals Court Expresses Concern About Sting Operations That Overwhelmingly Target Blacks and Latinos (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “A federal appeals court made it easier Monday for people snagged in ‘reverse sting’ operations to seek evidence that the government targeted blacks and Latinos. The 2-1 decision by the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals portrayed a troubling effort by federal law enforcement to lure blacks and Latinos to participate in purported robberies of fictitious stash houses.”
