The Weekend Reader

On the Sabotage of Democracy
by Bill Moyers
"At least let’s name this for what it is, sabotage of the democratic process. Secession by another means. And let’s be clear about where such reckless ambition leads."

Are Utility Companies Out to Destroy Solar’s ‘Rooftop Revolution’?
by Jon Queally
"What environmentalists and solar energy advocates see is the utility companies putting barriers up to a decentralized system they will not no longer be able to control or profit from."

Dear WWII Vets, Forget About the Monument, They Are Gunning for Your Social Security
by Mary Bottari
"As the government shutdown marches on and the dangerously real deadline of the federal debt limit approaches, it is increasingly clear that the fight over ‘Obamacare’ is merely an opening salvo."

Over 865,200 Gallons of Fracked Oil Spill in ND, Public in Dark for Days Due to Government Shutdown
by Steve Horn
"Over 20,600 barrels of oil fracked from the Bakken Shale has spilled from a Tesoro Logistics pipeline in Tioga, North Dakota in one of the biggest onshore oil spills in recent U.S. history."

At the UN, a Latin American Rebellion
by Laura Carlsen
"Without a doubt, the 68th UN General Assembly will be remembered as a watershed. What failed to make the headlines, however, could have the longest-term significance of all: the Latin American rebellion."

Libyan Captive Faces Interrogation Aboard Floating US ‘Black Site’
by Sarah Lazare
"The detention and interrogation of a Libyan captive and suspected al Qaeda operative aboard a Navy warship in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea is prompting concerns about an Obama administration policy of using floating ‘black sites’ to deny legal rights."

A Rationality Shutdown
by Robert C. Koehler
"In an agony of stupidity, the government shuts down.  Only some of it shuts down, of course. The part that stays open is the part that’s at war."

Supreme Court Hears Case That Could ‘Empower Super-Rich to Buy Elections’
by Andrea Germanos
"The outcome of a case dubbed the next Citizens United could bring ‘a rise in corruption both as the public understands the term – meaning the entire political system will shift still more to favor the super-rich – and as the Supreme Court defines it – meaning quid pro quo corruption,’ said Robert Weissman."

Their Real Goal: To Make Us All So Cynical About Government, We Give Up
by Robert Reich
"As average Americans give up on government, they pay less attention to what government does or fails to do — thereby making it easier for the moneyed interests to get whatever they want."

Poll: Government Shutdown A ‘Jaw-Dropping’ Disaster For GOP

by Henry Decker, The National Memo
The government shutdown has been a “jaw-dropping” disaster for the Republican Party, leaving it with historically low levels of support, according to a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll.

When Republicans Supported U.S. Debt Unconditionally

by Eric Foner, The National Memo
Award-winning historian Eric Foner explains how the 14th Amendment came to be — and how it could hold the answer to the debt ceiling crisis.   

"Last Hours" is the first in a series of short films that explore the perils of climate change and the solutions to avert climate disaster.