oligarchy

Austerity vs. Growth: A False Choice

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The headlines coming out of Europe all tell us the same thing: the voters are fed up with austerity; they want growth. Is that really what these elections were all about? Nicolas Sarkozy was defeated by Francois Hollande, a Socialist party candidate, in a near-rout. In Greece, the two centrist parties which form the current government polled less than half the votes they received in the last election. It is unclear if they can even form a coalition government. If so, they will have to draw on either the far left party or the neo-fascists on the right to get a majority vote in parliament.

These two elections were as much about Germany as they were about domestic issues, as serious as those were (unemployment in France is 10%, and 20% in Greece). Germany is the instigator for austerity imposed on the periphery countries, and now imposed as well on its core partners such as France. Germany wants more cutbacks in social spending, it wants higher taxes on the average citizen, and it wants friendlier policies for corporations, but only in places like Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, which are considered chronic over-spenders. It also wants you to ignore the fact that Germany was one of the first countries to violate the 3% debt/GDP rule that it insisted upon when the euro was founded. Germany wants everyone to see the world the way Germans see the world: Germans are thrifty, efficient, makers of excellent export products, and prudent about the use of debt. Most everyone else, especially in southern Europe and on the periphery, are spendthrifts, indolent, unproductive, and living off government welfare.

The Wisdom of the People - the Populist Rationale

The citizens of the United States have excellent judgment. They have shown it consistently over time. When that judgment shifts briefly allowing a failed policy, it is a result of the vilest forms of propaganda by a small clique of liars. (Image: PS-OV-ART)
 
The people were right about the invasion of Iraq
 
We know that the plan to invade Iraq began just days after Inauguration Day, 2001. The opportunity to launch the most disastrous and costly military effort in our history came on 9/11. The destruction of the World Trade Center towers and attack on the Pentagon became the pretext for war. The manipulators launched their fraudulent storyline in earnest with confidence that they would get their war.
 
But in December of 2002, the public wasn't buying it. The people didn't have access to all of the information. They knew one thing for sure -- the invasion was a very bad idea unless Iraq posed an imminent threat to the country with weapons of mass destruction.  An in depth Los Angeles Times public opinion poll asked this question:
 

The Money Party - The Essence of our Political Troubles

Michael Collins
Originally published in "Scoop” Independent News
on September 30, 2007

The Money Party is a small group of enterprises and individuals who have most of the money in this country. They use that money to make more money. Controlling who gets elected to public office is the key to more money for them and less for us. As 2008 approaches, The Money Party is working hard to maintain its perfect record.

It is not about Republicans versus Democrats. Right now, the Republicans do a better job taking money than the Democrats. But The Money Party is an equal opportunity employer. They have no permanent friends or enemies, just permanent interests. Democrats are as welcome as Republicans to this party. It’s all good when you’re on the take and the take is legal.

The Earth's Axis Shifts as City of London peers into Hell

On the day that a new American President was inaugurated, the Lords of the City of London decided to quietly announce in their newspaper of record, the Financial Times, that there are about to be major shifts in policies and practices.

On Monday the UK government declared total war on the economic crisis, and not a moment too soon. A long phony war ended abruptly with the financial system’s near-meltdown in October. Now, in the next phase of the crisis, the government is thankfully using a full arsenal of ammunition.