All Hell is Breaking Loose in Europe
By louisehartmann
The streets of Madrid resembled a war zone on Tuesday, as thousands of demonstrators surrounded the Spanish Parliament demanding the government resign. There were several arrests and injuries as riot police clashed with the demonstrators.
Spain is under immense pressure from banksters to slash government spending and pay down its deficit, but those most affected by this sort of austerity like public sector workers aren’t having it. And already, Spain has the highest unemployment rate in the Eurozone, which will only get worse with more austerity.
Demonstrators called for a national referendum to let the Spanish people – and not technocrats – decide their own fate when it comes to paying the nation’s debts. To make matters worse, the Catalonia region of Spain called for an early election at the end of November – which could be a vote for independence from Spain altogether as the region runs into its own financial problems.
Meanwhile on the other side of Europe, workers in Greece are on strike today to protests another round of spending cuts under consideration by the Greek government. Public employees, teachers, medics, lawyers, and even bankers walked off their jobs and took to the streets to protest salary and pension cuts.
It’s the first such strike since the new Conservative government took power in June. Organizers of the strike were expecting upwards of a million people in the streets of Athens. Austerity is literally ripping nations apart in Europe – and it’ll do the same thing here in the United States if Republicans win big in November.
Comments
#2
We will fight as hard or Harder if the "New Right of Paul Weyrich" gets in as POTUS!! There is no average republican that is willing to give up Democracy for Romney's Party ideology of Theocracy/Oligarchy! The New Right is part/parcel of the Bilderberg Group which is what the European's are fighting - the Austerity Agenda!! 99% of us WILL be revolting should Romney find a way to rig the Election through the Diebold touch screen machines - you can take that bet to Vegas and win!!
#3
Yes, it could happen here. On the other hand, our GDP and flexbility are far greater than any country in the EU. And on the other hand, deep austerity to balance budgets, particularly in the US, is a very bad idea and will not work here (has never worked here or anywhere for that matter). No doubt the Bilderburgers, the IMF'ers, the Oligarchic members of every dominant $ group everywhere, all revolt in spirit when someone says countries need more flexibility and less theocracy in financial arrangements. However, when any system nakedly allows financial manipulation, control of the media, control of public safety (here I mention the FDA, EPA, NRC, etc.) and unlimited manipulation in favor of war, killing, disease, and death, it is simply time for change in favor of human kind.
Cooperation + Tolerance+peace
#4
We have been set-up for a religious-like (faith-based) tribal war. I don't like it; but it's been developing for decades - The sleezy Politics of Division.
How ordinary people can be so diametrically opposed (assuming each other idiots) is distressing. Emotions are high in some camps. I can see isolated confrontations getting out-of-hand. One solution would be an overwhelming victory this November (one party OR the other) -- where for most "the people will have spoken -- Deal with it" -- leaving only the most radical to fuss and fume.
I'm not saying both parties are equal (certainly not, even though both are being bought out). However, If the majority of folks want Corporate rule, sobeit; things just "gotta get worse before better," unless that's too late.
For now, we just gotta keep doing the best we can, and a bit more if possible. I think more and more in the middle are finally "gettin-it." We'll see.
#5
Unfortunately, I don't think so. The majority of people are simply too complacent, and basically afraid of their government. In many other countries, the opposite is true. Despite the great teachings of MLK, remember that the civil rights struggle was as successful as it was largely due to the threat of violence and turmoil. People were literally willing to put their lives on the line for their freedom.
Not so today. Too many just want to click the remote to the next NFL game, NASCAR race, or reality TV farce.
#6
The same thing will happen here if the Republicans take the White House and Congress by spreading the same lies over and over until the public believes the lies are actually the truth. Are you living on the same planet as the rest of us are? The Republicans are controlled by the millionaires and billionaires that want to slash all social programs and they want a nice big fat tax cut for themselves! Where has austerity worked so far? It certainly has not helped Spain, Ireland or Greece. Their economies are falling deeper and deeper into a state of recession and a state of economic depression is the next stop. Since England has instituted austerity measures, their economy has shrunk. No jobs mean no tax revenue for the government because the people have lost their ability to move the economy forward and spend to create new jobs. The only winners in the austerity game plan are the big Banksters and Wall Street. The same groups, who have created this mess through their clever schemes to defraud people and governments with their bogus derivative schemes, are the same and only people who will benefit from austerity. Have you read or watched any credible news showing how Wall Street backed by the Bankster Gangsters flew around the World selling their bogus debt swap derivatives and mortgage backed derivatives in the first place. They were helped by the Republicans in the White House (Mr. Bush and his lap dog Cheney) and Congress when Wall St. and the banks were deregulated, giving them the opportunity to rob the World with no consequences for their illegal actions! If the billionaires and millionaires get their huge tax breaks and the Republicans are given the opportunity to destroy the social safety nets and destroy our commons (school system, police, fire departments and jobs all over our nation through austerity measures) for the benefit of the 2 percent on top, you will see blood run in the American streets and cities across our nation. When you take away the hope of the American people and openly state you’re not going to represent the 47 percent of the nation you consider worthless and beggars, riots in the streets will be the end product of their actions. We have witnessed what has happened when the wealthy in our country receive tax breaks, nothing. They have not created jobs here as promised; instead they have invested in the labor forces of poor countries with low wages around the World and pushed for free trade agreements that produce more wealth for the wealthier Americans and no jobs for the middle class of America. Everyone has suffered under the free trade agreements, except for the Multinational Corporations and the Wealthy. Austerity will fatten the wallets of the rich on Wall St. (Banksters) and destroy the lives of the rest of Americans who have to pay the bill for the banks corruption and illegal acts around the World and here in America. The World has not seen the whole devastation and destruction that will occur if America is put under the heels of austerity and tax cuts for the wealthy that control our politicians. Blood will run in the streets if Americans are pushed into a corner with no way out. The wealthy have more to worry about then what they presently perceive. Long live Democracy and long live the Republic.
#7
Spain and Greece only have austertity because no one will lend them any more money. Austerity is a condition of there new loan, no austerity no money. This can happen in the US when they are at risk of not paying back the loan to the lender, China and even China is running out of money.
I don't understand government. It is so easy to balance a budget, tax more or spend less. What kind of idiots can't get that right.
webpm has it right.
#8
There are some people saying that only a return to the gold standard will save us. bad investments and deficits give rise to red flags for everyone but NO ONE gives us any idea of what the actual real solution would be. How would we live on a gold standard? How would we bring down the deficit if everyone gets a tax cut? How do we get a return on our investments when our currency is not worth anything? Many people are also telling everyone to plan for the worst, stock up on food, buy a solar cooker, sell all your 'paper' investments, install water catchments around your house and on and on. I do believe that effeciency and effectivness in our lives helps everyone to have a better life but how much of a good thing is possible? Where is the reality in all of these competing perspectives? How can we know who to believe? I say believe in yourself. Learn how to do everything yourself. If gas goes higher and you cannot afford to buy gas find a way NOW to get transportation. You know the old saying 'Proper planning prevents poor performance'.
#9
If people believe we are safe and freedom of speech without penalty is the American right, why do people hide their faces? Are you afraid that if you speak your thoughts the man will come and take you away or your face will be recorded in a data bank for future prosecution? I do not understand the reason to hide one's identity......
#10
If society gets to the point that we have to store food and fuel due to the breakdown of society, then it is too late for us all...and storing those commodities will be fruitless in the stark fact of reality.
#11
I think the crisis in the United States will become ugly no matter who wins the presidental election. Obama would need to do something other than appoint the banksters to his administration if we expect him to make any changes and even that most likely wont help. We share food with the hungry and it is clear we are in free fall yet this is not even part of the national conversation in the election.
We really need to get out in the streets, organize a general strike and start building alternative organizations and projects focused on survival like a massive Food Not Lawns organic gardening movement, Homes Not Jails occupations of the millions of empty homes and Food Not Bombs actions. You may have other ideas around energy, community healthcare and water sanitation projects. Lets face it we can't expect the corporate political parties to transition to a post capitalist system. We are going to have to do this ourselves.
#12
We're seeing our future right before our eyes...
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Sure the same thing could happen here. Why do you think conservatives are trying to stop Obama from taking us down the same path as Greece and Spain?
Republicans winning in November will be a step towards the same thing NOT happening here.....