American elections are a curious phenomenon, and they tend to mystify non-Americans. The interesting thing about American elections is how many assumptions are taken as “given” by most Americans, even though some of those assumptions are contestable. The theme that “explains” this critical lack of self-awareness is American exceptionalism. The New York Times ran a great op-ed examining this critical theme.
We’re beginning to get more information about the Greek Party, Golden Dawn. Right wing movements often start during periods of economic turmoil, and the rise of this party has been nothing short of meteoric. What is also interesting is that the party leading in polls in Greece right now is the hard left party, Syriza. The polarization of politics is not confined to just the US.
The New York Times reported that the US had agreed “in principle” to have bilateral talks with Iran over its nuclear program. If true, and the report was immediately denied by the Obama Administration, it would mark a significant breakthrough in US-Iranian relations. Despite the denials, it seems unlikely that the Times would have published such a blockbuster report unless it was absolutely certain of its sources. We’ll see how this unfolds.
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