Links to Recent Articles of Interest
By Richard Kreitner and Rick Perlstein, NYR [New York Review of Books' Daily, posted July 27
On the long history of “outside agitators” in the US, from slavery days to today's Black Lives Matter protests. Richard Kreitner writes for The Nation and has a forthcoming history of secessionist movements in the US. Rick Perlstein has written several books on American conservatism including The Invisible Bridge: the Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan (Simon & Schuster, 2014).
By Stephen M. Walt, Foreign Policy, posted July 23
A cogent analysis of self-inflicted wounds for the US since the mid-1990s, “a train wreck of recurring blunders that has accelerated and worsened under Donald Trump,” most spectacularly during the pandemic.The author teaches international affairs at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government..
By Paul Schor, Washington Post, posted July 23
The author teaches US history at the Universite de Paris and is the author of Counting Americans: How the U.S. Census Classified the Nation (Oxford U. Press, 2017).
By Stuart Schrader, The New Republic, posted July 21
“The authoritarian tactics we've exported around the world in the name of national security are now being deployed in Portland.” The author teaches sociology at Johns Hopkins University and is the author of Badges Without Borders: How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing (U. of Caiifornia Press, 2019).
By Jim Loewen, History News Network, posted July 21
A short, very readable essay on the nearly simultaneous Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg on the eve of Independence Day, 1863, and how they are remembered. The author has written several best-selling books on history and American race relations.
By Erika Lee, Washington Post, posted July 8
Historical background on US immigration policies based on fear of immigrants bringing contagious diseases. The author is director of the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota and author of America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States (Basic Books, 2019).
By Alan MacLean, FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting), posted July 3
Critiques the mainstream press reporting of unverified claims about Russian bounties paid to the Taliban. The author is the author of Propaganda in the Information Age (Routledge, 2019).
Thanks to Rusti Eisenberg and an anonymous reader for flagging some of the above articles. Suggestions can be sent to jimobrien48@gmail.com.
Congressional Update: Roll Calls on the Military Budget
Here are links to the roll call votes on key bills in Congress dealing with the country's huge military budget (from Carolyn “Rusti” Eisenberg and Prasannan Parthasarathi, H-PAD Legislative Coordinators).
House of Representatives:
1. On the Lee-Pocan Amendment to cut 10% of military authorization and redirect it to low-income communities (defeated 324-93):
2. On the entire FY 2021 $740 billion National Defense Authorization Bill (approved 295-125)
Senate:
1. On the Sanders Amendment to cut 10% aof military authorization and redirect it to low-income communities (defeated 23-77):
2. On the entire National Defense Authorization Bill (approved 86-14):
Taking Action: There will be more upcoming votes on the Defense budget at a time when funds are urgently needed for domestic purposes. CALL your Senators and elected officials and give feedback on recent votes. Keep in mind that their staff keep a count of calls. Capital Switchboard 202-224-3121