From NOEBIE.net
From Doug Mataconis:
“Last night’s State of the Union Address was about what everyone expected it would be. The President set a broad, ambitious agenda that Congress will promptly ignore, Republicans put out another sacrificial lamb to tackle the worst job in America, and, after reading through the speech, it became clear that my instinct to skip the speech altogether was the right idea after all.”
via An ‘Ambitious’ Yet Pointless State Of The Union, And An Utterly Pointless Response.
On January 20, 2015 Socialist Alternative member and Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant gave a Socialist’s response to President Obama’s 2015 State of the Union Address.
Read the transcript: Kshama Sawant Gives #SocialistResponse to Obama’s State of the Union Address | Socialist Alternative.
Do these words from last night’s State of the Union Address ring true to you?
“America, for all that we’ve endured; for all the grit and hard work required to come back; for all the tasks that lie ahead, know this: The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the Union is strong.”
Read the speech: President Obama’s State of the Union Address — Remarks As Prepared for Delivery — Medium.
From Patrick Martin:
“Aside from the delusional character of the speech, perhaps the most distinctive characteristic of Obama’s remarks was the fact that, for the vast majority of the population, it was a non-event. Obama stands at the head of a state apparatus that, increasingly, is talking to itself.”
Read the full article: Delusion and deception in Obama’s State of Union – WSWS.
The Coalition of the Radical Left, or SYRIZA, is favored to win parliamentary elections on January 25, giving it a strong chance to form a new government that could confront the catastrophic austerity agenda that has plunged Greece into severe economic and social crisis. Lee Sustar answers your questions about the rise of SYRIZA and what a victory for it on January 25 would mean.
Read it: Why the whole world is watching Greece | SocialistWorker.org.
Alexis Tsipras, the person who looks destined to be the next Greek prime minister, speaks about history and prospects.
“While the mainstream parties led people on — rather brazenly, I might add — we were vehement that austerity would have severe negative consequences and lead to recession; these policies simply weren’t sustainable. We supported grassroots initiatives, including major demonstrations and the social solidarity movement. Lastly, our political emphasis has been on uniting the Left. This was critical — and it really resonated with people.”
Read the interview: A Historic Opportunity | Jacobin.
Professor Noam Chomsky explains why Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated.
From the Atlanta Blackstar.
On a windblown, gray Chicago day 100 years ago, January 17, 1915, Ralph Chaplin left his home on the South Side for a raucous, poor person’s rally at the city’s famous women’s center, Hull House. He asked a visiting friend he’d met organizing coal miners with Mother Jones to listen to the lyrics of a new tune he had been working on. Here’s the story behind one of the most beloved Labor Hymns.
Read the article: ‘Solidarity Forever’ Written 100 Years Ago, Today | Labor Notes.
From Shaun King at Daily KOS:
“In 2014, Florida recorded at least 346 deaths inside of their prison system, an all-time high for the state in spite of the fact that its overall prison population has hovered around 100,000 people for the five previous years. Hundreds of these deaths from 2014 and from previous years are now under investigation by the DOJ because of the almost unimaginable role law enforcement officers are playing in them.”
Be prepared for anger and sorrow if you read this.
Here’s the article: Record 346 inmates die, dozens of guards fired in Florida prisons.
I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.
– The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Born On This Day in 1929