Rocky Road

"The shallow veneer of democracy has been lifted in Greece and the reality of elite rule in a Neoliberal, globalised economy is exposed in all it’s brutality. The same is true in Italy where the EU has effectively installed a non-elected technocrat to control the economy in the interests of global capital; A non-violent, bureaucratic coup, but a coup nonetheless. It seems to be widely accepted by the elites in Europe and the U.S. that it is now the job of the government’s of Italy and Greece to defend the interests of worldwide capitalism at all costs. There is no longer any reference to even basic notions of democratic legitimacy; even the Western parliamentary system of elected oligarchy has had to be abandoned; brute power is simply being asserted violently by the State, using the police & the army, in the interests of global capital. And no one in the mainstream media, including the BBC, is seriously challenging any of this. In the mainstream media I have never heard or read anyone describe what is happening in Greece and Italy as the destruction of democracy in the interests of capital, let alone question if these installed governments have any democratic legitimacy. In the 1930′s many Leftist commentators perceived Fascism as the inevitable and ultimate expression of Capitalism; with the State working hand in glove with big-business in the interests of an industrialised, totalitarian notion of National, ethnic supremacy. Yet after 60 years of Western Cold War rhetoric where free-markets were portrayed as a necessary pre-condition for free societies, the totalitarian tendencies of Capitalism seem to have been entirely forgotten – despite the evidence staring us in the face in Italy & Greece. I pose this question – How would the U.S. and the E.U. react if a popular revolution in Greece threw out the current puppets of Brussels and installed a progressive Socialist government that nationalised the means of production, reinstated the welfare state, cancelled the countries debts and left the Euro? Even if such a government were demonstrably supported by the mass of the population, the interests of global capital represented by the E.U., the U.S., the World Bank, the IMF, The G 7, NATO, even the United Nations simply could not let it succeed. At the very least we would see economic sanctions and a trade war (see Cuba), but more likely I think we would see troops on the street to ‘liberate’ these wayward countries from the evil communists, possibly in the form of military coups led by the General’s of the Italian and Greek armies. And of course in Greece there is a very recent precedent for this in the Military Junta of ‘The Colonels” from 1967-74 – covertly supported by the U.S. in order to depose a Centre Left President with popular support. On the Guardian website, the video I’ve posted above is preceded by advertisements for consumer goods. Which illustrates neatly why no mainstream media can seriously question whether the interests of global capitalism coincide with the interests of ordinary citizens, or whether the interests of global capital can/do undermine democracy. There is a direct historical link between the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the world-wide depression of the 1930′s, the growth of Fascism in Europe and thus to WWII. In Greece and Italy non-democratic regimes have already been installed. If the mass of the population refuse to accept the toxic medicine they are told they must take to protect the interests of the wealthy, then history tells us to be wary of what is to come and I fear for the people of both countries because the current masters of the universe, like those who have gone before, will stop at nothing to maintain their power and privilege." http://notnumber.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/this-is-not-suicide-it-is-financial-murder/

No I wasn't alive in 73. I understand he seems like a doomer trying to make a buck, but his free videos are interesting, he certainly makes sense. And first and foremost he is an activist trying to raise awareness.

I mean it is starting to happen, it is in the early stages. Have you ever listened to Chris Martenson?? He details the problem quite well. http://www.chrismartenson.com - See his Crash Course. http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2010/3/10/496474-126822825808315-Ron-Hera.jpg

Hyperinflation is going to happen to the US dollar, its already happening.

I agree diversifying will only benefit troubled economies.

It is like a "black hole".

I agree, they are doomed either way, dropping the Euro or stayin on and borrowing to finance their debt obligations. Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Italy are also in trouble.

"false economic booms" That is exactly what they are, false. It is like we our status quo has become consuming vastly beyond our means. That video shows a sliver of the frustration, he was being polite. I am certain that things will get increasingly violent this summer.

Its like a heroin addict that keeps wanting more, The dependence on debt is truly insane, Europe & the US especially. We are spending our children's inheritance and leaving them with the tab, once the economy is collapsed then it will be near impossible to pay back, just like what Greece is going through - the man who committed suicide called for violence on the "occupation government" which is to say - the heist of their country and the death of their sovereignty.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303816504577319743650637600.html?mod=googlenews_wsj "Canada Beats America And we don't mean in hockey. Try taxes, spending and energy. " - Wall Street Journal

http://www.adbusters.org/blogs/adbusters-blog/general-strike.html Spanish workers staged a 24-hour general strike to protest against the governments labour reforms. Spain has one of the highest levels of unemployment in the eurozone, with the number of jobless reaching 5 million in January http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2012/mar/29/spanish-general-strike-in-pictures#/?picture88040345&index=2

http://player.vimeo.com/video/39156085 Athens teachers union striking.

http://player.vimeo.com/video/39156085 Athens Teachers Union striking.

Agreed! Anyone with any semblance of sanity is gagging at the world we live in and the hegemony that keeps business as usual.

It is weird now that NetFlix has offered unlimited viewing without ads for 8$ a month while cable runs 30-40 per month and is FULL of advertising. Wonder how many people are switching to NetFlix on the appeal of having no ads.

lol, Advertising is getting more brash every day, for a dose of counterculture stop by http://www.adbusters.org

Even McDonalds has an ad where an older man with a beard tells the younger man to buy 20 chicken nuggets to impress a young woman he finds attractive, its disgusting.

http://www.crisisofcivilization.com - Local economies and scaled down living.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/what-obama-is-reading/ Picture of Obama reading "The Post American World"

'US next Greece if debt is not dealt with'

'US next Greece if debt is not dealt with'

The younger generations will never have it as "good" as the Boomers. There simply isn't enough to go around.

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.ca/2012/03/violence-firebombings-erupt-as-spain.html Violence, Firebombings Erupt as Spain Announces €27 Billion Deficit-Cutting Plan; Spanish Economy Will Implode; Spain Headed for Bond Revolt and Bailouts

Ocean acidity increasing at unprecedented rate not seen in last 300 million years In a new study marine scientists have warn that the rate of ocean acidification presently occurring is unprecedented in the last 300 million years. This is due to dissolving carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, much of which human activity has contributed over the last 200 years through the use of fossil fuels. The extent and rate of acidification enhances the prospect for a mass marine extinction event this century. Research in paleoclimatology and oceanography has revealed that anthropogenic climate change is driving Ocean Acidification threatening marine ecosystems. Ocean acidification has been called the 'evil twin' of climate change with marine scientists warning climate negotiators in Durban of the necessity for climate mitigation action in December 2011, along with a statement on the IUCN website urging action to cut carbon emissions. New research in November 2011 from Australia's Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre showed the Southern ocean is warming and freshening. Marine scientists warn ocean acidification is already impacting marine food webs which will lead to substantial changes in commercial fish stocks, threatening protein supply and food security for millions of people. The Northwest Oyster Die-off from 2006-2008 in the USA highlights the growing impact on commercial fisheries. The United Nations Environment Program estimates that 3 billion people use fish protein in their diet, with one billion people dependent on subsistence fishing as a primary food source.

see chris martenson at chrismartenson.com on this subject. he is an activist trying to raise awareness.