Stuart Jeanne Bramhall's Blog: The Most Revolutionary Act , page 1133

Women’s Health: The Rise and Fall of the Male Expert

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Free PDF:For Her Own Good

For Her Own good is a sociological study of the historical trend of male experts claiming the right to dictate what is best for women. Ehrenreich and English attribute this loss of female autonomy to the sudden and total disruption of centuries-old social roles that accompanied the rise of capitalism.

Elimination of Women’s Traditional Economic Roles

Under pre-capitalist patriarchy, women were totally subject to their fathers and husbands but still derived considerable prestige from the basic survival functions they performed in the home (ie tending gardens, chickens and dairy cows, as well as making butter, cheese, soap and candles and carding, spinning, weaving, and making clothes). With the rise of capitalism, all these functions were shifted into factories, and the household was limited to performing personal biological functions, such as eating, sleeping, sex, birth, dying and care of children and the elderly.

Even the traditionally female role of healing was transformed into a commodity to be sold in the market place. Prior to the advent of capitalism, except for the very rich (who could afford a doctor), healing was the exclusive domain of women.

Women had great difficulty finding a new role for themselves under capitalism, which led to a virtual epidemic of of depression and “neurasthenia,”* especially among upper middle class women.

Medical Care Becomes a Commodity

The book traces the rise of “heroic” medical interventions that arose when medical care became a commodity (doctors had to engage in active and visible treatment to demand a fee). Most of these interventions (especially blood letting, leech therapy, mercury salts) made patients worse, if not killing them. In the 1830s, the US working class rebelled against doctors as members of a parasitic elitist class. A popular health movement, run mainly by women, stressed the importance of fresh air, bathing, herbs, raw foods and daily exercise as a healthier alternative than the quack treatments employed by doctors.

In the 20th century, the rise of the Rockefeller and Carnegie foundations, which enabled the rise of “science based” medical training in medical schools, gradually forced lay midwives and other non-medical healers out of business.

The Myth of Science-Based Medicine

The authors spend the last third of the book delineating how so-called “science-based” medicine was based as much in myth, misogyny and superstition – at least when it came to women – as so called pre-scientific medicine. This is especially clear from the section on childrearing – where expert opinion seems to have reversed itself every few decades.

In the early 20th century, doctors and child guidance specialists insisted a mother’s role was to regiment a child to insure it behaved like a machine. Mother were strongly cautioned against playing with babies, picking them up except for feeding, hugging, kissing or cuddling them.

Follow the 1929 financial crash, experts reversed themselves and told mothers they had to be permissive and allow children to follow their own impulses in decided when to eat, sleep and play.

Child experts reversed themselves a third time when the US fell behind the Russians in the space race in the 1950s. At this point child experts dumped on mothers for not stimulating children enough or setting firm enough limits.

*Neurasthenia is a condition characterized by physical and mental exhaustion of unknown cause.

The Public Bank Option – Safer, Local and Half the Cost

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Phil Murphy, a former banker with a double-digit lead in New Jersey’s race for governor, has made a state-owned bank a centerpiece of his platform. If he wins on November 7, the nation’s second state-owned bank in a century could follow.

WEB OF DEBT BLOG

Phil Murphy, a former banker with a double-digit lead in New Jersey’s race for governor, has made a state-owned bank a centerpiece of his platform. If he wins on November 7, the nation’s second state-owned bank in a century could follow.   

A UK study published on October 27, 2017 reported that the majority of politicians do not know where money comes from. According to City A.M. (London) :

More than three-quarters of the MPs surveyed incorrectly believed that only the government has the ability to create new money. . . .

The Bank of England has previously intervened to point out that most money in the UK begins as a bank loan. In a 2014 article the Bank pointed out that “whenever a bank makes a loan, it simultaneously creates a matching deposit in the borrower’s bank account, thereby creating new money.”

The Bank of England researchers said that…

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California’s Deadly Outbreak Grows Worse, Disease Spreads As Neighbor State Claims Two

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Since March, California health officials have documented more than 500 hepatitis A cases in California. 19 people have died from the disease, almost all of them homeless. The state has been forced to scramble for solutions (ie public toilet and hygiene facilities). American homeless advocates have been campaigning for public toilet/shower facilities for over 20 years. What a pity no one listened to them.

Nwo Report

Source: Legal Insurrection

California has been overwhelmed with a massive and deadly outbreak of Hepatitis A. The disease is largely being spread by the homeless population in cities such as San Diego. Now, a long-standing fear that the outbreak would spread has been realized. Two cases have been treated in Colorado that have been linked to California.

Hepatitis A attacks the liver and in some cases can be fatal. It is spread easily through person-to-person contact or consumption of food and water contaminated by fecal matter. Due to the interactions of the homeless population, their lack of hygiene, and use of the street at toilets, the disease has spread quickly.

The two cases in Colorado were homeless people as well. They spurred the Colorado Department of Health and Environment to begin working with shelters and health clinics. The groups are attempting to vaccinate people and warn them about the dangers…

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U.S: Lawmakers give big gift to big banks, credit card companies

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“In the aftermath of massive financial wrongdoings like Wells Fargo’s nearly 1.4 million fraudulent accounts scandal or Equifax’s massive data breach, financial companies will continue to be free to bury binding arbitration clauses in their terms. These ‘rip-off clauses’ are designed to prevent consumers from having their day in court or joining together to form a class action lawsuit after they are harmed.”

Journal of People

by MARK GRUENBERG




People’s World | October 31, 2017

AP

WASHINGTON—The Republican-run Congress, by the narrowest of margins, has given a big multi-billion-dollar legislative gift to big banks and credit card companies, while shafting consumers at the same time. The labor movement, combat veteran who’s also a U.S. senator and veterans’ groups are urging Republican President Donald Trump to veto it.

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Former DNC Vice-Chair Tulsi Gabbard Weighs-In on 2016 Democrat Primary “Rigging”

Representative Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) was a former vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee who resigned her position in 2016 amid the primary race when it became obvious the DNC was “rigging” the election for Hillary Clinton. Against the latest admissions by DNC interim Chair Donna Brazile, showing Ms. Gabbard’s concerns in 2016 were accurate […]

via Former DNC Vice-Chair Tulsi Gabbard Weighs-In on 2016 Democrat Primary “Rigging”… — The Last Refuge

BULLSHIT ALERT: NBCNEWS Iran/Al Qaeda “Link”

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No mention of Pakistan, which was protecting bin Laden ON THEIR TERRITORY for a decade! No mention of Saudi Arabia, which supports Al Qaeda with arms and money to this day!

Political Film Blog

So convenient to spin reality when you execute your star witness.

Newly Released Bin Laden Document Describes Iran, Al Qaeda Link

Well there you have it. Shi’ite Iran, which has been at war with the Sunni Al Qaeda for decades, are the real culprits!

No mention of Pakistan, which was protecting bin Laden ON THEIR TERRITORY for a decade!

No mention of Saudi Arabia, which supports Al Qaeda with arms and money to this day!

But Iran is implicated. Sure. Orwell smiles from the grave.

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How Neoliberalism Gave Us Brexit and Trump

Revenge of the Rich: The Neoliberal Revolution in Britain and New Zealand

by Austin Mitchell

Canterbury University Press (2017)

Book Review

Revenge of the Rich, by British economist Austin Mitchell, describes how the neoliberal revolutions of Margaret Thatcher and New Zealand finance minister Roger Douglas virtually gutted the economies of the UK and New Zealand. The result has been years of declining or negative growth rates, virtual destruction of manufacturing, massive job loss, wage stagnation and higher deficits and overseas borrowing.*

As an article of faith, neoliberals maintain that mass layoffs of public service workers will reduce government deficits. The reality, as Mitchell ably demonstrates, is the exact opposite. When you lay off 400,000 public servants (as David Cameron did between 2010 and 2016), they quit paying taxes and increase government costs by claiming unemployment and other benefits.

Britain’s EU Membership: Setting the Stage

According to Mitchell, Britain’s decision to join the EU in 1973 set the stage for the neoliberal revolution that subsequently occurred in both countries. EU membership forced Britain to end their special trading relationship with New Zealand (an other Commonwealth countries), resulting in significant economic decline in both countries. Neoliberal trade liberalization was meant to stem these losses. Instead the loss of tariff and other import protections quickly destroyed manufacturing in both countries.

New Zealand, which was fortunate in having agricultural exports to fall back on, succeeded in developing alternative trade relationships with Australia, China and other Asian countries. Nonetheless, thanks to their 1980s neoliberal experiment, New Zealand has one of the highest levels of foreign ownership (of land, homes and companies) in the developed world. It also has the highest house prices, the second highest prison population and extremely high child poverty levels (1/3 of Kiwi children grow up in poverty). Meanwhile it’s failure to provide jobs for young adults means a sizeable proportion leave New Zealand permanently for other developed countries.

Brexit and Trump: The People Rebel

Mitchell describes the rise of left and right wing extremist groups in Europe, the Brexit vote and the election of Donald Trump as a direct popular reaction to the immense human misery caused by neoliberal policies. In New Zealand the 1996 citizens referendum adopting proportional representation was a direct reaction against both major parties (Labour and National) advancing neoliberal policies.

At this point, the traditionally pro-corporate International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have both come out against austerity and similar “deflationary” neoliberal policies. Instead they argue strongly for increased stimulus (public) spending to stabilize the world’s developed economies.

*Similar effects under American neoliberals Reagan, Bush Sr and Jr, Clinton and Obama inflicted similar damage on the US.

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Other Rojavas: Echoes of the Free Commune of Barbacha–Chronicling an Autonomous Uprising in North Africa

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In north Africa, in the region of Kabylia, an ethnic minority oppressed by racism and state oppression has initiated in a series of revolts comparable to what the Kurds have accomplished in Rojava and the Zapatistas in Chiapas. Direct democracy is not only possible – it’s already happening.

CrimethInc.

The autonomous region of Rojava has gained international visibility as a beacon of struggle against the Islamic State and other forms of autocratic power, an experiment in which many anarchists are currently participating. Yet Rojava is not the only region in which a struggle for self-determination has expanded to open a path towards total liberation. In north Africa, in the region of Kabylia, an ethnic minority oppressed by racism and state oppression has initiated in a series of revolts comparable to what the Kurds have accomplished in Rojava and the Zapatistas in Chiapas. Throughout decades of struggle, they have established zones of autonomy and built bridges to others in revolt, in hopes of bringing about “a genuine emancipatory social revolution.” Read on to learn about this underreported struggle.

Demonstration in Kabylia, April 20, 2014, commemorating the Amazigh Springs of 1980 and 2001.

Translators Introduction

By Michael Desnivic and…

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America Losing Afghanistan by Every Metric that Matters

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While the corporate media focuses on North Korea and Russia, Taliban control of Afghanistan is increasing, despite the billions spent on US military intervention.

Astute News

A new report by a Congressionally mandated watchdog group paints a grim picture of the progress (or lack thereof) in Afghanistan.

The national conversation has been focused on North Korea and Russia lately, while talk about counterinsurgency tactics has centered on fighting the Islamic State in Iraq, Syria, and northern Africa. Meanwhile, you hardly hear anything about the centerpiece of the counterinsurgency strategy that kicked off this Global War on Terror: Afghanistan.

The news out of there is grim. A report released today by a watchdog U.S. government agency details what’s been happening in Afghanistan as the United States’ attention has been fixated elsewhere: The coalition is losing Afghanistan by every metric that matters.

The report comes from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR. This is the Congressionally empowered group formed to watch over the $121 billion the U.S. has spent since 2001 to rebuild Afghanistan…

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ROJAVA: A Utopia in the Heart of Syria’s Chaos

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Democracy from the ground up – Kurdish Rojava activists are opposed to an independent Kurdistan. Instead they want a democratic federation for everyone.

The Free

    from KDN  with thanksWhile battling the Islamic state, Kurds and other ethnic groups in Northern Syria are trying to install a political project. They call it the “Democratic Federation of Northern Syria”.

This project is at opposite to the religious project of part of the Syrian opposition, but also to the Arab nationalist project of the Syrian government. And it’s also opposed to an independent Kurdistan.”

We don’t want a Kurdistan for Kurds, but a democratic federation for everybody,” they say. From Qamishli to Kobane, from Membij to Raqqa, this story describes the difficult implementation of a new political experience in Syria, despite the obstacles of a the war and a suffocating embargo.

A written version of this report can be found in the September 2017 issue of Le Monde Diplomatique: “Une utopie au coeur du chaos Syrian” and “Experiment in self-rule in Rojava” in their English-language version

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