| William Rivers Pitt | Planting a Seed for 2015 William Rivers Pitt, Truthout: "This is the time for New Year's resolutions, and I have a request of you: plant the seeds of goodness wherever you find fertile soil. Be that better person. Help to gentle the cold brutality of this hard world within reach of your arm." Read the Article Democracy and Its Discontents Thomas J. Scott, Truthout: Globalization and rising inequality are contributing to the growing lack of confidence in democratic institutions in the United States and other Western democracies. Read the Article California: Waking Up Is Hard to Do Craig Collins PhD, Truthout: Today, California is part of a profit-driven global system that must plunder and pollute the planet on an ever-grander scale to survive. Major sectors of the economy like agribusiness, tourism and construction depend on cheap labor drawn from outside the state. Read the Article Ten Ways Human Rights and Democracy Won in 2014 Sarah van Gelder, YES! Magazine: In 2014, we saw a lot of brutality. It was a violent year, but no worse than other years. What was different was the emergence of new movements of resistance - and with them new possibilities for change. Read the Article A View on Cuba's Opening From the De Facto US Colony of Puerto Rico Ed Morales, North American Congress on Latin America: If Cuba were to take a deep breath and look at what's happened to an island it has shared such a deep history with, and if Cuba were to see Puerto Rico as the beginning of the free-trade economic era we're living in now, it would have to ask itself, is it the end game? Read the Article Renaming Afghan War, Renaming Murder David Swanson, War Is a Crime: The US-led NATO war on Afghanistan has lasted so long they've decided to rename it, declare the old war over, and announce a brand new war they're just sure you're going to love. Read the Article The Democrats' Last Defense: Obama's Pen Kevin Mathews, Care2: With a Republican majority taking over the Senate in addition to the House this January, right-wing ideology is sure to dominate Congressional votes for the next two years. Nevertheless, hope is not entirely lost for the left. Read the Article What's Luck Got to Do With It? Everything, if You Are a Banking Whistleblower Kate Kenny, The Conversation: Think whistleblowing is a matter of telling the truth? Think again. "Successful" whistleblowing, where the protagonist actually manages to make themselves heard in the media and get the support of the public, is a matter of luck. Read the Article Paul Krugman | Vladimir Putin's Unraveling Russia Paul Krugman, Krugman & Co.: It's impressive just how quickly and convincingly the wheels have come off the Russian economy. Obviously the plunge in oil prices is the big driver, but the ruble has actually fallen more than Brent crude - oil is down 40 percent since the start of the year, but the ruble is down by half. Read the Article | 
