Michael Parenti: Z-Net Commentaries

Written from late 2005 to to late 2006 and published in Z-Net, these commentaries address the urgent issues of our time.

PART ONE

HOW THE FREE MARKET KILLED NEW ORLEANS and
RIGHT WING JUDICIAL ACTIVISM

How the Free Market Killed New Orleans
Parenti explains how the free market system was instrumental in the destruction of New Orleans and the deaths of so many residents – and ultimately in the total mismanagement of the rescue operations.

Right Wing Judicial Activism
In his commentary on Right Wing Judicial Activism Parenti proves how right-wing judicial activists – from the Civil War to now – have stretched the constitution in matters of slavery, segregation, child labor, the first amendment, and the awarding of the presidency to George W. Bush.

PART TWO
GOVERNMENT BY GIVEAWAY and
GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN VENEZUELA

Government by Giveaway
Parenti’s commentary on Government by Giveaway was written in response to the cuts by the Bush administration of $42 billion from the human services budget. Parenti assembles a long list of government handouts to Corporate America, including tax cuts for corporations and the superrich, hidden and not so hidden subsidies to transnational corporations, allowing big business to exploit the nation’s oil, coal and mineral reserves on public land for a pittance, tariff protections and trade supports, loopholes for agribusiness and much more. In the end it becomes obvious that, compared to corporate America, ordinary working Americans get the least support while carrying the heaviest financial burden.

Good Things are Happening in Venezuela
Parenti returned from Venezuela with an inspiring and long list of “good things” that are happening there – from education, health care, indigenous rights, worker and farming cooperatives, and resistance to neo-liberal plans for privatization of the oil industry.
For a broadcast quality mp3 version of Part ONE click HERE
For a broadcast quality mp3 version of Part TWO click HERE
Code MP040CD  To order a one hour CD click here: $10.00

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