The rapid decline of the ITT for profit-college may represent a pivotal moment in modern history, as seen in rising challenges to predatory capitalism. ITT is in deep trouble, subject to numerous lawsuits, from the Securities and Exchange Commission and Consumer Finance and Protection Bureau (CFPB) for defrauding students. The con that is for-profit education is finally being exposed, and these “higher learning” institutions are increasingly recognized for their rapacious treatment of students. Within this context, the Wall Street Journal seeks to reframe the attack on ITT as the work of the big, bad government, which is committed to stifling the liberties inherent in private enterprise. Contrary to the paper’s propaganda, however, the narrative of for-profit colleges as a beleaguered David facing the onslaught of a brutal government Goliath bears little resemblance to reality. More
Congressional Black Caucus: Deep in the Israel Lobby’s Pocket
This article is not about Debbie Wasserman Schultz but of the influence of who and what she represented as chair of the Democratic National Committee until taken down by Julian Assange, and still represents, in Congress, the interests of Israel, and the power of its domestic supporters over the Black American political establishment as represented by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).
To be sure, the CBC’s subjugation by what is generally referred to as the pro-Israel Lobby is not unique. Thanks largely to American Jews having long been the Democratic Party’s major source of funds, estimated by reliable sources to be at least 60% in every election cycle, the Israel Lobby has been not only able to shape the party’s’ Middle East agenda but, of equal importance, determine who will be the chairs and the ranking members on the Congressional committees and subcommittees that have an impact on US-Israel relations. (The same thing can be said about the Republicans but there we see more variety among the donors.) More
Hillary Clinton is Shameless
Never has a candidate for President been so solicitous—and transparent about it—of major wealth, what the New York Times (stepping out of character) admits is her appeal to the Ultrarich. In Chozick and Martin’s, “Where Has Hillary Clinton Been? Ask the Ultrarich,” Sept. 3, we find the most lopsided appeal to wealth—at the expense of normal campaigning—in US electoral history: estate after estate, party after party, closed doors, the pampered and selfish, coming out of the woodwork, to bask in the love of one who gravitates to them like moths to a light. More
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Exclusively in the New Print Issue of CounterPunch
The Criminalization of Black Life
Yvette Carnell on the murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile; Lawrence Reichard tells the story of the wrongful conviction of Gary Tyler; and Christopher Ketcham on the unfettered power of prosecutors. Work and Suicide in France: Sarah Waters explores the economic forces driving the rise of workplace suicides in France; Dan Glazebrook on the neo-colonialism of offshore tax havens; David Macaray on the inglorious history of the Secret Service and Andrew Smolski dissects the biases of the New York Times’ coverage of Mexico. PLUS: Jeffrey St. Clair’s epitaph for the Sanders Revolution; Mike Whitney on the low interest con-job; Chris Floyd on the consequences of a permanent State of Emergency; Daniel Raventos and Julie Wark on Brexit and the Spanish elections; Lee Ballinger on the zealots of recycling and Kim Nicolini on the surrealist films of Yorgos Lanthimos.
