The year 2012 was an important one for the United States as it faced a presidential election, issues of war or peace, and the choice of extreme right-wing economic theories or greater political pragmatism. Here is a selection of stories from Consortiumnews.com.
“Turning America Into Pottersville” by Robert Parry, projecting how the Right’s policies would work out for the average person, Jan. 14, 2012
“Getting Rid of ‘Anti-Israel’ Presidents” by Robert Parry, recalling the trouble U.S. presidents can encounter when they cross Israel, Jan. 21, 2012
“US/Israel: Iran NOT Building Nukes” by Ray McGovern, revealing that U.S. and Israeli intelligence agree that Iran has not decided to build a bomb, Jan. 24, 2012
“Selling the Supply-Side Myth” by Robert Parry, exploring how Ronald Reagan’s “supply-side” economics hurt the American middle class, Jan. 27, 2012
“Reagan’s Road to Climate Perdition” by Sam Parry, tracing America’s lost way on alternative energy to Ronald Reagan’s mistakes, Jan. 29, 2012
“The Almost Vanunu” by Marshall Wilson, tracing Israel’s global pursuit of a rogue intelligence officer, Feb. 1, 2012
“Theocracy Comes to Virginia” by Sam Parry, exposing the extremism of the state’s anti-abortion legislation, Feb. 18, 2012
“Americans Abandon International Law” by Nat Parry, observing a continuing drift away from universal principles of behavior, Feb. 22, 2012
“Madison: Father of the Commerce Clause” by Robert Parry, disputing the Right’s odd reinvention of James Madison, Feb. 24, 2012
“The ‘Winners’ Take Everything” by James DiEugenio, explaining why the American middle class keeps shrinking, Feb. 29, 2012
“LBJ’s ‘X-File’ on Nixon’s ‘Treason” by Robert Parry, a look-back on what Lyndon Johnson knew about Richard Nixon’s sabotage of the Vietnam peace talks, March 3, 2012.
“Romney’s Made-Up History on Iran” by Robert Parry, piercing the mythology around Ronald Reagan and Iran, March 6, 2012.
“How the Right’s Smear Machine Started” by Robert Parry, tracing the pattern back to Nixon, March 8, 2012.
“Israel’s Tragedy of ‘Victories,’” by Morgan Strong, observing how Israeli attacks on its neighbors have left it more insecure, March 10, 2012.
“The Surge Myths Deadly Results” by Robert Parry, examining how Iraq’s “successful” surge lead to a similar approach toward Afghanistan. March 17, 2012.
“The 1%’s Doctrine for the 99%” by Mark Ames, exploring the history of the rich treating average Americans as chattel, March 21, 2012.
“GOP Justices Clown Over Health Care” by Robert Parry, pointing out the constitutional absurdity of questions from Republican justices, March 27, 2012.
“Bin Laden’s Personal Debt to Bush” by Robert Parry, reflecting on how the terrorist leader enjoyed his final decade., April 4, 2012
“Render to Caesar, Extraordinarily” by Ray McGovern, objecting to the hypocrisy of Christians celebrating Easter and tolerating torture, April 6, 2012
“America’s Founding Pragmatism” by Robert Parry, looking back at the true founding principles of the United States, April 15, 2012
“The 1%’s Hand in the Afghan Murders” by Mark Ames, tracing Sgt. Bales’s rampage to his family’s struggles at the hand of unscrupulous banks, April 16, 2012
“How Obama Recycled a Lie About Iran” by Elizabeth Murray, tracing how a big lie ended up in a key presidential speech., April 25, 2012
“The US Press Sell-Out on Iraq War” by Coleen Rowley, recalling the American media’s failure to stand by whistleblowers, April 26, 2012
“Not Explaining the Why of Terrorism” by Ray McGovern, noting how the Obama administration still ducks this tough question. May 2, 2012.
“How US Hubris Baited Afghan Trap” by Robert Parry, explaining the real mistake of U.S. policy toward Afghanistan. May 3, 2012.
“Hiding the True Jesus” by Rev. Howard Bess, peeling back the layers of deception around this historical figure. May 8, 2012.
“The Enduring Secrets of Watergate” by Robert Parry, shedding light on some of the continuing mysteries of the 40-year-old burglary. May 22, 2012.
“The Moral Challenge of ‘Kill Lists’” by Ray McGovern, reflecting on morals and the war on “terrorists.” May 30, 2012.
“Showing that Hostage-Taking Works” by Robert Parry, reflecting on the GOP success in making the U.S. economy “scream,” June 1, 2012.
“Jesus, the Radical Economist” by Rev. Howard Bess, learning from the economic teachings of Jesus, June 11, 2012.
“The Dark Continuum of Watergate” by Robert Parry, defining the lasting footprint of Richard Nixon’s politics, June 12, 2012.
“Sorting Out the Facts About Iran” by Ray McGovern, puzzling over the neocon persistence in exaggerating the Iranian threat, June 5, 2012.
“The Almost Scoop on Nixon’s ‘Treason’” by Robert Parry, recalling how an investigative story in 1968 nearly changed history, June 7, 2012.
“Madness of Late-Stage Capitalism” by Phil Rockstroh, comparing today’s economy with an aged Howard Hughes, June 11, 2012.
“Why Jesus Died” by Rev. Howard Bess, describing recent historical findings that give context to Jesus’s execution, June 26, 2012.
“Roberts Embraces Right’s Fake History” by Robert Parry, noting that Justice Roberts’s support for health reform came with a concession to the Right, June 29, 2012
“How Scalia Distorts the Framers” by Robert Parry, challenging how a right-wing justice depicts the Commerce Clause, July 4, 2012
“Did Reagan Know about Baby Thefts?” by Robert Parry, questioning how much President Reagan knew about his Argentine “death squad” allies, July 6, 2012
“Bohemian Grove and Reagan’s ‘Treason’” by Robert Parry, recalling a strange Republican alibi involving the rich man’s retreat, July 13, 2012
“Harassing the Whistleblowers” by Ray McGovern, explaining the importance of honest scientists at the Food and Drug Administration, July 17, 2012
“America: A Nation of Wildebeest” by Robert Parry, commenting on how gun violence continues to cull the national herd, July 22, 2012
“Caro’s Flawed Tale of LBJ’s Rise” by Jim DiEugenio, critiquing a much-touted account of President Johnson’s ascension to the White House, July 28, 2012
“Why Romney Insulted the Palestinians” by Robert Parry, explaining the neocon meme about cultural inferiority. Aug. 1, 2012
“Israel’s ‘Bomb Iran’ Timetable” by Ray McGovern, gauging Israeli thinking about Iran’s nuclear program and the U.S. election. Aug. 12, 2012
“Romney-Ryan Bet on Greedy Geezers” by Robert Parry, dissecting the cynicism of the GOP delay in implementing Medicare changes. Aug. 13, 2012
“Atomized America of Late Capitalism” by Phil Rockstroh, reflecting on the human vacuum at the heart of a decaying empire. Aug. 15, 2012
“Forgetting the Why of the New Deal” by Lawrence Davidson, explaining the role of government in stopping abuses of capitalism. Aug. 20, 2012
“Ryan’s Clash with Catholic Teachings” by Daniel C. Maguire, describing Paul Ryan’s disdain for the poor. Aug. 22, 2012
“Still Praising Ryan as ‘Fiscal Hawk’” by Robert Parry, challenging media boilerplate that Paul Ryan is a deficit fighter. Aug. 22, 2012
“The Human Cost of War on Iran” by Elizabeth Murray, assessing the death and destruction from bombing Iran’s nuclear reactors. Aug. 23, 2012
“Is Mitt Romney a Racist?” by Robert Parry, questioning the GOP nominee’s troubling remarks that appeal to bigotry. Aug. 25, 2012
“Selling War as ‘Smart Power’” by Coleen Rowley, exploring the new rationale for U.S. interventionism. Aug. 28, 2012
“Romney World’s Freedom from Facts” by Robert Parry, marveling at what the GOP convention did with reality. Aug. 31, 2012
“Romney’s New Global Warming Joke” by Robert Parry, noting how the GOP presidential nominee finds climate change amusing, Sept. 3, 2012
“Mushroom Cloud Sales Pitch Is Back” by Peter Dyer, comparing the hysteria over Iran to past hysteria over Iraq, Sept. 8, 2012
“The Neocons and 9/11” by Robert Parry, explaining how the neoconservatives contributed to the catastrophic intelligence failure and then profited, Sept. 11, 2012
“Romney’s Jaw-Dropping Incoherence” by Robert Parry, cataloguing how the GOP nominee shifts positions and jumps the gun, Sept. 13, 2012
“The Constitution’s Unhappy Birthday” by Beverly Bandler, worrying about growing threats to the founding principles, Sept. 17, 2012
“Why the Mideast Exploded, Really” by Ray McGovern, looking at the whys of Muslim resentment rather than the whos and hows, Sept. 17, 2012
“The Delusional Mr. Romney” by Robert Parry, observing how the GOP nominee sees himself as disadvantaged, Sept. 18, 2012
“Dismantling FDR’s Legacy” by Beverly Bandler, warning what another extremist Republican victory might mean, Sept. 20, 2012
“Netanyahu Backs Off on Iran” by Ray McGovern, interpreting the Israeli prime minister’s strange speech to the UN., Sept. 28, 2012
“The Burden of Pentagon Spending” by Melvin A. Goodman, contesting the need for a giant military budget. Oct. 1, 2012
“The Silence of the Drones” by Ray McGovern, questioning the practicality and morality of the U.S. drone attacks. Oct. 1, 2012
“Ryan’s Distortion of America’s Founding” by Jada Thacker, disputing Paul Ryan’s reference to the Founders. Oct. 6, 2012
“Mitt Romney Lies to the World” by Robert Parry, dissecting the deceptions in Mitt Romney’s foreign policy address. Oct. 9, 2012
“How to Save the Middle Class” by Beverly Bandler, explaining what an economic turnaround really requires. Oct. 13, 2012
“Warnings from the Cuban Missile Crisis” by Don North, a first-hand account of when the world faced extinction. Oct. 14, 2012
“The Real Blame for Deaths in Libya” by Ray McGovern, pointing the finger at violent U.S. interventions. Oct. 15, 2012
“The October Surprise Mysteries” by Robert Parry, recounting GOP treachery in the 1968 and 1980 elections. Oct. 22, 2012
“Romney’s Shape-Shifting Foreign Policy” by Melvin A. Goodman, noting the GOP candidate’s troubling inconsistencies. Oct. 23, 2012
“’Moderate Mitt’: Neocon Trojan Horse” by Robert Parry, detecting subterfuge behind Romney’s shift to the foreign policy center. Oct. 24, 2012
“Telling Truths about Israel/Palestine” by Lawrence Davidson, reporting on the admissions of aging Israeli military veterans. Oct. 28, 2012
“Iran War on the Ballot” by Robert Parry, explaining how a Romney victory would disrupt Obama’s negotiations. Oct. 28, 2012
“The Source of Romney’s Lying” by Robert Parry, tracing Mitt Romney’s strained relationship with the truth to Mormonism. Nov. 1, 2012
“The Why Behind the Benghazi Attack” by Melvin A. Goodman, disclosing the CIA operation based in Benghazi, Libya. Nov. 4, 2012
“A Great Night for US Democracy” by Robert Parry, noting the failure of right-wing strategies for suppressing and confusing voters. Nov. 7, 2012
“Behind Petraeus’s Resignation” by Robert Parry, reporting on the strains between the celebrated general and the White House. Nov. 10, 2012
“Pundit Tears for Petraeus’s Fall” by Ray McGovern, mopping up the many tears shed by Washington pundits for their beloved general. Nov. 10, 2012
“The Neocons’ Waterloo” by Robert Parry, assessing the recent losses for Washington’s neocons from Romney to Petraeus. Nov. 14, 2012
“Separating War from the Vets” by Matthew Hoh, warning that nostalgia for veterans can help perpetuate unnecessary wars. Nov. 15, 2012
“Likening Palestinians to Blades of Grass” by Elizabeth Murray, criticizing the Israeli dehumanization of the Palestinian people. Nov. 16, 2012
“The Death Toll of Watergate” by Robert Parry, linking the political scandal to its origins in Vietnam War deceptions. Nov. 17, 2012
“Ron Paul’s Appalling World View” by Robert Parry, dissecting the quirky congressman’s neo-Confederate philosophy. Nov. 27, 2012
“The Humiliation of Bradley Manning” by Ray McGovern, reporting on the strange trial of a brave whistle-blower. Nov. 28, 2012
“Walmart’s Tears for a Tragedy” by Barbara Koeppel, questioning the sincerity of Walmart’s concerns for dead garment workers. Nov. 29, 2012
“How the World Was Saved” by Jim DiEugenio, reviewing the secrets of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Nov. 30, 2012
“How the GOP Promoted Gun Madness” by Robert Parry, naming names in the long march toward gun madness, Dec. 16, 2012
“The Right’s Second Amendment Lies” by Robert Parry, explaining what the Framers were really trying to do. Dec. 21, 2012
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