READING FOR THE WEEKEND (Feb. 19, 2016)

Nicolaus Copernicus, the famed astronomer who proved the earth wasn't the center
of the universe, was born in Poland 543 years ago today (February 19, 1473).

In case you missed it (while you were home safe) President Obama took out the ringleaders behind the ISIS Paris attack (Daily News Bin).

7 kinds of government subsidies those angry ranchers get that you don't (Grist).

This chart reveals the inhumanity of U.S. drug prices compared to other countries (U.S. Uncut).

Dirty little secret: Insurers actually are making a mint on Obamacare (LA Times).


THE DECLINE OF PAX AMERICANA IS REAL
The rise of Donald Trump is a terrifying moment in American politics (Vox).

"Intelligent people know that the empire is on the downhill": A veteran CIA agent spills the goods on the Deep State and our foreign policy nightmares (Salon).


SPEAKING OF AMERICA'S DECLINE ... THESE PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS
Kansas GOP senator, Mary Pilcher-Cook wants to criminalize "harmful" books (Forward Progressive).

The Bundy brigade's delusional last stand: What the failed wing-nut revolt really tells us (Salon).

The simple truth about Creationists: They're too stupid to understand science (Forward Progressive).

Donald Trumps wants to blow up ISIS bank that President Obama already blew up last month (Daily News Bin).

WHY AMERICAN'S ARE FEELING THE BERN
Tim Geithner just showed why so many people are feeling the Bern these days (Vox).

"F*ck you!": Indiana workers react with outrage after being told their jobs are moving to Mexico (Raw Story).

In fact, argue experts, Sanders' Medicare-for-All numbers "do add up" (Common Dreams).

So much for Adam Smith's dream of capitalism catering to consumers ... Virgin America chooses empty seats over $41 Dallas-NYC fares (Bloomberg Business).

Crime doesn't pay ... unless you're a corporation (Ora).

Under Sanders, income and jobs would soar, economist says (CNN Money).


MILITARISM RUN AMOK IN AMERICA?
How this shitty jet could provide 23 years of free college for everyone (U.S. Uncut).

Cost of military jet could house every homeless person in U.S. with $600,000 home (Huffington Post).

The U.S. military suffers from affluenza: Showering the Pentagon with money and praise (Truth Out).


MARKET STUFF
Former Central Banker William White on the failure of QE, danger of negative interest rates (Naked Capitalism).

New York Times' bank-boosting, neoliberal-excusing story of the global debt hangover (Naked Capitalism).

How to really make America great again: Get rid of 'the dumbest idea in the world - shareholder value theory (Daily Kos).

JUST INTERESTING (kind of funny too)
French restaurant owner bans bankers after being denied loans (The Telegraph).

Wife crashes her own funeral, horrifying her husband, who had paid to have her killed (Washington Post).


MISCELLANEOUS
IRS allows post-Citizens Karl Rove group to continue concealing source of donors (Truth Out).

Democracy in peril: Twenty years of media consolidation under the Telecommunications Act (Truth Out).

Epic fail: Tennessee Republicans silent as welfare drug tests come up empty (Occupy Democrats).

How one man laid the groundwork for today's crisis in the Middle East (The Nation).

David Daleiden's sleaze factory: His latest court defeat exposes how slimy the Center for Medical Progress is (Salon).

- Mark