GRITtv: November 11, 2009

on Blackwater. It can be hard to tell where the conspiracy theories begin and the truth ends. Our guests today talk about shady global conspiracies, corporate overlords, and the military-industrial complex, and what we can do about any of it. John Perkins is the author of Hoodwinked and Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, and has written about how corporations push politicians around and even threaten them with violence. Russ Baker, meanwhile, is the author of Family of Secrets: The Bush Dynasty, the Powerful Forces That Put It in the White House, and What Their Influence Means for America and has written extensively about the military-industrial complex. They argue the only weapon we have is public opinion and public pressure--and we need to bring it to bear not just on the government, but on the corporations. In the new film Collapse, filmmaker Chris Smith follows Michael Ruppert, a former Los Angeles police officer who publishes a newsletter where, among other things, he predicted the economic crisis. But his theories often range into the apocalyptic. Smith joined Laura in the studio to discuss his film and whether or not he believes Ruppert. Is he a genius, or just paranoid? Today is Veterans Day, and we are supposed to honor those who have served in the military. This video from New America Media takes a look at the struggles of veterans to readjust to civilian life, and asks what more we could be doing to truly honor them. With all the depressing news about corporations and the government today, we thought we'd add some of the brighter side of capitalism. Social Capital Markets aims to help save the world--and still make a profit. The Earth Island Institute created the annual Brower Youth Awards to honor six young people for their outstanding activism and achievements in the fields of environmental and social justice advocacy, and we take a look at another of their winners, a food justice activist in Texas who is redefining environmentalism.show less...