The Ponzi scheme that’s more than 100x the size of Bernie Madoff

"Credit-rating agency Moody’s estimates state, federal and local government pensions are $7 trillion short in funding. And corporate pension funds are underfunded by $375 billion. One of the big drivers behind this is that investment returns are way too low. Today with government bonds yielding 3% or less (and in some cases bond yields are NEGATIVE), they aren’t achieving their targets. One or two years with sub-optimal investment returns is not catastrophic. But it’s been like this now for a decade. And that’s just problem #1. Problem #2 is that the ratio between workers and retirees is moving in the wrong direction."

Continue ReadingThe Ponzi scheme that’s more than 100x the size of Bernie Madoff

Is Government Really The Price Of Civilization?

"The infrastructure-building, law-codifying, biopolitical states of antiquity are not the starting points of universal history for Scott, as they were for both Marx and liberal historians. They are instead a kind of usurpation of a longer and quite possibly richer human practice of mobility and freedom."

Continue ReadingIs Government Really The Price Of Civilization?

Lawsuit Seeks To Eliminate Warrantless Border Electronics Searches

"The EFF and ACLU are among the civil liberties groups that believe CBP and ICE are overstepping their powers through their electronic device searches. The groups recently filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of several U.S. citizens whose devices were searched and/or detained. The EFF/ACLU lawsuit regularly references the disconnect between these border searches and any evidence of a violation of immigration or customs laws."

Continue ReadingLawsuit Seeks To Eliminate Warrantless Border Electronics Searches

When Unpaid Student Loan Bills Mean Being Banned From Working

"Blocking licenses is a more aggressive weapon, and states are using it on behalf of themselves and the federal government. Proponents of the little-known state licensing laws say they are in taxpayers’ interest. But critics from both parties say the laws shove some borrowers off a financial cliff."

Continue ReadingWhen Unpaid Student Loan Bills Mean Being Banned From Working

US aiding Saudi ‘war crimes’ in Yemen: Congressman

"Thousands of people have been killed in the conflict and the Saudi-led coalition has bombed key infrastructure and imposed a strict blockade on the country. Yemen is facing a dire humanitarian crisis and millions of people will die in what could be the worst famine in decades if the blockade is not lifted, the United Nations recently warned. The US has assisted Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in 'conducting aerial bombings in Yemen' and provided 'midair refueling services' to their warplanes, according to the resolution, which was overwhelmingly adopted by a vote of 366-30.'"

Continue ReadingUS aiding Saudi ‘war crimes’ in Yemen: Congressman