Austerity

Greek Parliament Approves Bailout Causing a Rebellion In SYRIZA

August 16, 2015 Sharmini Peries, www.therealnews.com Educate! Alexis Tsipras, Austerity, Bailout, Greece, Syriza

By Sharmini Peries for the Real News - It has been I think a dramatic 48 hours, even by the standards of the Greek crisis. As the, within hours--perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration. A day or two of the bailout negotiations having been announced as concluded, the parliament, the Greek government tabled a 400-page bill which basically gave to the parliamentarians less than 24 hours to digest and debate. Just before the debate began, 11 members of Syriza, the Left Platform of Syriza led by Panayiotis Lafazanis, the former energy minister and I think the putative leader of the Left Platform, issued a letter in which they called for the formation of a national anti-bailout movement, and asked for a nationwide mobilization at every level of the political organization of the Left Platform to oppose the bailout.

Alexis Tsipras: “Austerity Is A Dead End”

August 10, 2015 Kostas Arvanitis, www.transform-network.net Educate! Alexis Tsipras, Austerity, Finance and the Economy, Greece, Syriza

By Kostas Arvanitis for Transform Network - We have to be objective in our conclusions. These have been six months of great tensions and emotions, and self-flagellation helps no one. Feelings of joy, pride, dynamism, determination, and sadness have surfaced. But I think that at the end of the day, if we try to look at this process objectively, we can only be proud to have led this fight. Under adverse conditions and with a difficult balance of forces within Europe and the world, we tried to assert the point of view of a people and the possibility of an alternative path. Ultimately, even if the powerful were able to impose their will, what remains is the absolute confirmation on the international level that austerity is a dead end. This process has established a completely new landscape in Europe.

Bruce Rauner Is Using A Manufactured Crisis To Bust Unions

August 6, 2015 Jennifer Ritter and Jacob Swenson-Lengyel, www.inthesetimes.com Organize! Austerity, Conservative, Illinois, Politics

By Jennifer Ritter and Jacob Swenson-Lengyel for In These Times - If you like Scott Walker, you’ll love Bruce Rauner. In February, Rauner issued an executive order blocking public employee unions from collecting “fair share” fees, or payments from non-union members who nonetheless benefit from collective bargaining done on their behalf. The order is intended to decimate public employee unions, not just in Illinois, but across the nation. As unions rightfully fight the executive order, Rauner hopes the case will make it to the Supreme Court, where following last years Harris v. Quinn ruling, many experts believe conservative justices may be poised to strike down fair share fees nation wide. That was just an opening foray. Now Rauner is using the budget crisis to blackmail legislators into supporting his anti-worker policies. He refuses to raise revenue unless the state legislature, Cook County and municipalities across the state bow to his anti-union, destabilizing “turnaround agenda.”

Social Democracy Or Revolutionary Democracy: Syriza & Us

August 6, 2015 Michael A. Lebowitz, www.socialistproject.ca Strategize! Austerity, Colonialism, Greece

By Michael A. Lebowitz in Socialist Project - 1. For several years, Syriza has been the hope of the working-class in Greece, Europe and in every country suffering from neoliberalism and austerity. It was sending a message that a better opposition was possible; and as such it was an inspiration to similar anti-austerity struggles (in particular, that of Podemos in Spain). 2. European and Greek capital was determined to kill that messenger. Accordingly, it was and is relentless in its determination to send a quite different message: TINA, there is no alternative to neoliberalism and austerity. 3. Despite its programme as a party, the platform on which it was elected to govern and a strong popular vote endorsing its rejection of the demands of European capital, the Syriza government totally capitulated and accepted a colonial status for Greece. 4. It is never too late (or too soon) to unleash the creative power of the masses.

Hedge Funds Helped Destroy Puerto Rico’s Economy, Poor Pay Price

August 3, 2015 Alice Ollstein, www.thinkprogress.org Educate! Austerity, Debt, IMF, Puerto Rico, usa

By Alice Ollstein in Think Progress - Angry graffiti scrawled across the brightly colored buildings of San Juan tells the creditors of the world exactly where they can stick their plan to extract roughly $73 billion in debt from the struggling U.S. territory. “Puerto Rico comes first. To hell with the debt,” reads one wall. “Don’t play around with my retirement,” says the side of a major freeway. Down by the University of Puerto Rico, the walls and sidewalk are filled with laments — “Look into my unemployed face” — and calls to action: “Study and fight!” Depending who you ask in Puerto Rico, the debt crisis was caused by neo-colonial and imperialist policies from the U.S., the Puerto Rican government’s wasteful overspending and corruption, or the cadre of hedge funds that are currently profiting from the island’s woes.

The Ghost Of Democracy Haunts Europe

August 3, 2015 John Weeks, www.opendemocracy.net Educate! Austerity, Democracy, Europe, Greece

By John Weeks in Open Democracy - Due to naivety and/or the triumph of hope over experience, I never entertained the possibility that the Syriza government would capitulate to the Troika. The capitulation arrived all the more unanticipated because the Syriza government surrendered to EU demands more draconian and more of an insult to national sovereignty than those rejected by 61% of Greek voters in the referendum on 5 July. This post-referendum package accepted by the Greek government does not result in a Third Bailout. On the contrary, by accepting it all the Greek government has gained (if that is the operative word) is a concession by its euro overlords to begin negotiations for a Third Bailout.

Hedge Funds Demand Austerity In Puerto Rico

August 2, 2015 Rupert Neate, www.theguardian.com Educate! Austerity, Education, Finance and the Economy, Puerto Rico

By Rupert Neate for the Guardian -- Billionaire hedge fund managers have called on Puerto Rico to lay off teachers and close schools so that the island can pay them back the billions it owes. The hedge funds called for Puerto Rico to avoid financial default – and repay its debts – by collecting more taxes, selling $4bn worth of public buildings and drastically cutting public spending, particularly on education. The group of 34 hedge funds hired former International Monetary Fund (IMF) economists to come up with a solution to Puerto Rico’s debt crisis after the island’s governor declared its $72bn debt “unpayable” – paving the way for bankruptcy. The funds are “distressed debt” specialists, also known as vulture funds, and several have also sought to make money out of crises in Greece and Argentina, the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the near collapse of Co-op Bank in the UK. The report, entitled For Puerto Rico, There is a Better Way, said Puerto Rico could save itself from default if it improves tax collection and drastically cuts back on public spending.

We Are All Greece

August 1, 2015 Helena Norberg-Hodge, www.localfutures.org Educate! Austerity, Debt, Europe, Finance and the Economy, Greece

By Helena Norberg-Hodge in Local Futures - The European Union is an extension of the Bretton Woods institutions – The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) – founded at the end of World War II. Their stated purpose was global economic integration in order to avoid another depression and to avert war. But the result was a form of economic development – based on debt, global trade and consumerism – that systematically favored corporate interests while hollowing out local economies worldwide. Sadly, many people still idealistically embrace the Bretton Woods institutions, as well as the European Union. Neither the media nor academia has focused on the role of transnational banks and corporations in promoting this economic path. Instead they continue to reinforce the notion that European “economic integration” is about peaceful coexistence among countries that would otherwise be at war with each other.

Lessons In Greek For Leftists

July 30, 2015 Steven Jonas, www.greanvillepost.com Educate! Austerity, Capitalism, Europe, Greece, Syriza

By Steven Jonas in Greanville Post - Well, Greek lesson 1: what has happened to Syriza and Tsipras shows, once again that that is not possible. The ruling class is the ruling class, and short of revolution, as Lenin so rightly noted, it will always rule, one way or another. Greek lesson 2: The Greek ruling class seems to be coming out of the mess in very good shape. They managed to make sure that the worst of the “austerity” measures, imposed by their brethren in the European Union, were carried out under the nominal governmental control of a “leftist” government rather than its “center-right” predecessor. Greek lesson 3: The international capitalist ruling class (of which the Greek ruling class is of course a part) is absolutely intent on showing the people of Italy and Spain what would await them if they were to elect a left-wing government that would attempt something along the lines of what Syriza originally intended to door seemed to.

Hedge Funds Want Education Slashed In Puerto Rico

July 30, 2015 Mark Karlin, www.truth-out.org Educate! Austerity, Banking, Colonialism, Education, Puerto Rico

By Mark Karlin in Truth Out - According to a July 28 article in the Guardian, the financial vultures of the US are circling over Puerto Rico's skyrocketing debt, which totals more than $70 billion dollars. It is an austerity-driven death watch that by now is common practice among predatory "debt distress" consolidators: Billionaire hedge fund managers have called on Puerto Rico to lay off teachers and close schools so that the island can pay them back the billions it owes. The hedge funds called for Puerto Rico to avoid financial default - and repay its debts - by collecting more taxes, selling $4bn worth of public buildings and drastically cutting public spending, particularly on education. The group of 34 hedge funds hired former International Monetary Fund (IMF) economists to come up with a solution to Puerto Rico’s debt crisis after the island’s governor declared its $72bn debt "unpayable" - paving the way for bankruptcy.

Can The Movement For Free, Quality Public Education Win In Chile?

July 24, 2015 Javier Gárate, www.wagingnonviolence.org Create! Austerity, Chile, Education, Privatization, Student Activism

By Javier Gárate in Waging Nonviolence - The next few months are of critical importance to Chile’s long-running education movement. President Michelle Bachelet has said she plans to implement comprehensive education reform this year, which will guarantee quality education for everyone. To ensure this happens, the movement has increased pressure on the government with huge protests by teachers and students last month, including an indefinite strike by the National Teachers Union that began June 1. Over the years, the movement has learned to temper its expectations. In 2011 — when protests were last at a peak — many thought change was imminent, only to suffer frustration and loss of momentum in the years that followed.

Challenging Germany, Leading Italian Politician Calls For Euro Exit

July 24, 2015 Stephanie Kirchgaessner, www.theguardian.com Resist! Austerity, Europe, Germany, Italy

By Stephanie Kirchgaessner in The Guardian - The populist leader of Italy’s second largest political party has called for the nationalisation of Italian banks and exit from the euro, and said the country should prepare to use its “enormous debt” as a weapon against Germany. Former comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo, who transformed Italian politicswhen he launched his anti-establishment Five Star Movement in 2009, has long been a bombastic critic of the euro. But his stance hardened significantly in ablogpost on Thursday in which he compared the Greek bailout negotiations to “explicit nazism”. Grillo constructed what he called a “Plan B” for Italy, which he said needed to heed the lessons ofGreece so that it was ready “when the debtors come round”. His plan called for Italy to adopt a clear anti-euro stance and to shake off its belief that – if forced to accept tough austerity – other “peripheral” countries would come to its aid.

Europe’s Vindictive Privatization Plan For Greece

July 23, 2015 Yanis Varoufakis, www.socialeurope.eu Create! Austerity, Europe, Germany, Greece, Imperialism, Politics

By Yanis Varoufakis in Social Europe - On July 12, the summit of eurozone leaders dictated its terms of surrender to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who, terrified by the alternatives, accepted all of them. One of those terms concerned the disposition of Greece’s remaining public assets. Eurozone leaders demanded that Greek public assets be transferred to a Treuhand-like fund – a fire-sale vehicle similar to the one used after the fall of the Berlin Wall to privatize quickly, at great financial loss, and with devastating effects on employment all of the vanishing East German state’s public property. This Greek Treuhand would be based in – wait for it – Luxembourg, and would be run by an outfit overseen by Germany’s finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, the author of the scheme. It would complete the fire sales within three years. But, whereas the work of the original Treuhand was accompanied by massive West German investment in infrastructure and large-scale social transfers to the East German population, the people of Greece would receive no corresponding benefit of any sort.

Newsletter – Culture Of Deception

July 18, 2015 Margaret Fowers and Kevin Zeese, www.popularresistance.org Newsletter Austerity, Black Lives Matter (BLM), Climate Change, FERC, Greece, Indigenous Rights, Propaganda, Puerto Rico, TISA, TPP, TTIP

By Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese. A recent report by the Union of Concerned Scientists, "The Climate Deception Dossiers," proves that the corporations which profit from the burning of fossil fuels knew about global warming decades ago, knew their industries contributed to it and responded by funding propaganda to deny global warming and pushing policies that increased their profits at the expense of a livable future. In "We are all Greeks Now," Chris Hedges connects corporate capitalism to the many crises we face. He writes, "Corporate profit is God. It does not matter who suffers." When profit is worshiped, truth is sacrificed and all manner of deception is justified."

Germans Protest In 14 Cities Against Merkel’s Stance On Greece

July 18, 2015 Gregory Pappas, www.pappaspost.com Resist! Austerity, Europe, Germnay, Greece

By Gregory Pappas in Pappas Post - Germans, angry at their government’s handling of Greek debt negotiations and what they perceive to be unfair treatment against Greece, have organized demonstrations in 14 German cities, including a large one outside the German finance ministry in Berlin— seat of Dr. Wolgang Schauble. Protesters have vowed to continue demonstrations, with protests set to take place outside the German Parliament and again at the finance ministry in Berlin every Wednesday, aiming to share their opposition to their government’s treatment of Greece. “I’m furious with these criminals,” a Greek teacher who has lived in Germany all her life told the Guardian. “I don’t want my taxes supporting this criminal coup.” Hannah Eberle, spokeswoman for the movement organizing the protests in Germany, told Newsweek in an interviewthat Merkel’s government’s behavior has been undemocratic and aggressive.

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