The first thing to talk about is the tremendous excitement and engagement of people in this election. Voter turnout is breaking records. People went to vote in the primaries almost as if it were the general election.

The City Council of Atlanta voted Monday, February 4, 2008, 10-5 to override Mayor Shirley Franklin’s veto of a resolution that asks the Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA) to consider putting on hold the demolition of Bankhead Courts, Bowen Homes, and Hollywood Courts.

The eternal flames that erupt from the rocks in the Caspian region give an eerie backdrop to Dilip Hiro's book on oil.

Long-term unemployment in the US is steadily worsening. In 2007, according to analysis by the labor-backed Economic Policy Institute, 1.2 million people were unsuccessfully seeking jobs for more than six months, the federal time limit on unemployment compensation benefits.

As this article is being written, expectations are that the US Federal reserve would cut interest rates by a quarter to half a percentage on top of an unscheduled and unprecedented 0.75 percent cut it announced recently.

The global stock market meltdown occurred in the wake of the U.S. sub-prime mortgage meltdown that begun last summer, followed by the U.S. real economy gradually entering a recessionary stage since late last year.

First, we need to offer publicly funded incentives for real innovation, research, and development. Second, we must put public funds to work to improve, expand, and repair Amtrak infrastructure and equipment. Third, through public disclosure of the issues involved, we can promote the fair settlement of labor contracts for Amtrak workers.

On the heels of Bush's state of the union speech Jan. 28 in which he offered no serious new proposals for economic recovery or a change of course in Iraq, Senate Democrats are planning a huge confrontation with Bush on these issues.

Sam Webb talks about the question of democracy and the 2008 elections. What does the Communist Party USA say about democracy? What is the CPUSA's opinion of the 2008 elections? What difference will the 2008 elections make?

In his final state of the union address, which his handlers touted as his last big effort to reclaim his legacy, George W. Bush repeated the same tired phrases and hackneyed platitudes he has often advanced as deep thinking and serious policy in the past.

Economic turbulence largely due to credit market turmoil and rising oil prices could spur an increase in global unemployment by an estimated 5 million persons in 2008.

The U.S. national debt is currently $9.13 trillion, expanding at a rate of 1.4 billion dollars a day (one million dollars a minute). Five trillion dollars have been added to the national debt since G. W. Bush took office, sharply cutting the tax rates for the wealthy and launching his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bill Gates is giving (by now gave) a speech at Davos in which he is calling upon the capitalists of the world to be kinder and to help the poor. But only if they can make a buck.

California Agriculture Secretary Arthur Kawamura, confirmed here on Monday that he is visiting Cuba on an exploratory mission to promote the sale of products from this state in the western United States.

The Australian federal government has shown itself to be powerless to control the big banks and corporations. These huge institutions have thumbed their noses at the timid words of the Federal Treasurer.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez proposed Wednesday the establishment of a regional integration mechanism to meet food consumption needs of Latin America.

The year 2008 began with utter market chaos in which New York crude oil futures hit a record high and stock prices in the United States and Japan plunged partly due to the soaring oil prices.

Thus far in the campaign for the Presidential nomination, the media has, as usual, been focusing on the personalities of the various candidates, their hairstyles and their “experience” or lack of it, and of course any bickering they can foment between the candidates.

According to the neo-conservatives of the United States, the new American dream seemed a reality. Money would lose its value. What was important would be credit. "Yours with no money down," "Buy a car and your home appliances now, and pay for them in five years."

First, let us turn to the current state of the Canadian economy which, according to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and most Bay Street analysts and sycophants, is humming along just fine.