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The West’s drift off course, hounded by the markets, must stop immediately.
The front page of the Sept. 3, 2011 “El País” announced that “the ghost of recession in the U.S. and the EU once again prompts drops in the markets” in those States such as Spain which, in order to safeguard them, have been obliged to introduce urgent changes, even in the Constitution, essential for intra-European unity but at quite a price in authority and prestige for the politicians subjected to the mandates of the global “great domain”.
On the 4th, the European Central Bank warned Berlusconi that he needs to make further adjustments… and former president José María Aznar, always so positive and opportune (!), declared that “Italy and Spain must admit that they have been saved”. It’s bewildering to think that the former president and current advisor to Murdoch may once again be able to influence national politics.
On the 5th the headline was “Fear of recession collapses the markets”. And on the 7th, to really prompt speculative attacks, the president of the World Monetary Fund, such a bearer of good news, warned of an “imminent global recession”.
Antonio Machado declared that “only fools confuse value and price”. Many government leaders were very foolish when they agreed to replace the values of democracy and justice with the laws of the market.
These articles, with their references to the sad public images of government leaders, hounded by biased stock market fluctuations that require adopting measures to reestablish the ethical principles that good governance requires, are accompanied by alarming photographs of the leaders of Europe and their associates dividing up the skin of the Libyan bear even before it has been captured, often with the percentages already calculated and with the sinister horizon of Sharia law, instead of a widely proclaimed democracy.
“The Italian ENI prepares for its return to Libya”… “The multinationals are once again fighting for a piece of the Libyan energy industry pie” (ABC, Aug. 29, 2011). “China is afraid of being excluded when the Libyan loot is divvied up” (“Público”, Aug. 31, 2011). “The struggle for oil sullies the Libya Summit in Paris” (“Público”, Sept. 2, 2011)…
…And “The UN agrees to release frozen Libyan assets”.
The United Nations sought to save the lives of the Libyan rebels. Through NATO this “protection” has grown into to an overt and decisive participation in the struggle. The Sept. 2 “El País” announced that “The world gives its blessings to the new Libya…”. “The world” means the countries convened by President Sarkozy… and among them, the Secretary General of the UN. Contrary to what would be desirable, it isn’t Sarkozy in the UN but rather the UN in Sarkozy!
More democracy and less “marketocracy”, in the clever but also correct reference to the ever-increasing impact of “the markets”. It is clear that the unemployment rates won’t drop in the U.S., Europe and Spain (especially due to the enormous real estate bubble, prompted by “the greed and irresponsibility of a few”, in the words of President Obama) because all of the cuts work against the creation of employment (not to mention the excessive delocalization of production).
How can they “stimulate consumption” with budget cuts, privatization and decreases in public investment?
How can we regain confidence, if the markets only allow us to continually reduce margins and possibilities for citizen initiatives?
How can the WMF demand greater stability when its predictions immediately prompt instability?
But of course, the wealthy take advantage of these fluctuations to buy low and sell high when the markets have logically recovered from their losses…
It is essential – not one more day!- to make an about-face:
1) In the EU:
i) autonomy in security matters and an urgent reduction in military spending; allies of the U.S., yes, but not subjects of the U.S. through NATO.
ii) economic and fiscal federation, creation of a European rating agency, issue of Eurobonds and outright elimination of tax havens;
iii) agreement on major plans for renewable energies and regulation of oil consumption and prices;
iv) joint international cooperation projects to contribute to providing all human beings with access to food, water and sanitation and health services;
v) moderation of the delocalization of production, with strict control of working conditions and respect for human rights in the manufacturing countries;
vi) coordination of human and technical resources to address natural and manmade catastrophes at the regional level;
vii) proclamation of the democratic principles that should guide political action, promoting participation and listening to the people, particularly through virtual communications media (cyberspace), ensuring not only unrestricted freedom of expression, but also access to accurate information for all citizens, regulating the standardizing excesses of the huge media powers…
2) In the U.S.
i) In the bitter decline of hegemonic claims, promote alliances, particularly with regional associations, and share experience and knowledge to guarantee world governance through an urgently-reinforced United Nations.
ii) Urgently lead nuclear disarmament, to facilitate a future free of atomic threats, and rapidly reduce arms sales, especially of those intended for past conflicts, developing new security technology that reflects present needs.
iii) Fully integrated within the new United Nations System, endow the WMF, WB and WTO with the necessary authority to put an end to speculative attacks on the dollar zone, euro zone and the yuan zone, promoting a world economy based on sustainable development, so that those who still cling to the idea of maintaining the “great domain” will be convinced of the inexorable need to contribute, now, to the commencement of a new era…
3) At the global level
i) As I have already often had the occasion to underscore, we can no longer delay an emergency meeting of all countries to re-found the United Nations, to make it capable, with the authority conferred upon it by the support of the great majority of nations, of efficiently addressing the great challenges that arise at any time: Libya, Syria, Yemen… the Israel /Palestine conflict… terrorism, supranational trafficking in arms, drugs, people…
ii) With the United Nations at the helm, “a new beginning” would commence, characterized by agreements and alliances. China, India, Latin America, Africa… must play a role that will brighten the horizons of our future generations.
This is our greatest commitment.
Not one more day.
The front page of the Sept. 3, 2011 “El País” announced that “the ghost of recession in the U.S. and the EU once again prompts drops in the markets” in those States such as Spain which, in order to safeguard them, have been obliged to introduce urgent changes, even in the Constitution, essential for intra-European unity but at quite a price in authority and prestige for the politicians subjected to the mandates of the global “great domain”.
On the 4th, the European Central Bank warned Berlusconi that he needs to make further adjustments… and former president José María Aznar, always so positive and opportune (!), declared that “Italy and Spain must admit that they have been saved”. It’s bewildering to think that the former president and current advisor to Murdoch may once again be able to influence national politics.
On the 5th the headline was “Fear of recession collapses the markets”. And on the 7th, to really prompt speculative attacks, the president of the World Monetary Fund, such a bearer of good news, warned of an “imminent global recession”.
Antonio Machado declared that “only fools confuse value and price”. Many government leaders were very foolish when they agreed to replace the values of democracy and justice with the laws of the market.
These articles, with their references to the sad public images of government leaders, hounded by biased stock market fluctuations that require adopting measures to reestablish the ethical principles that good governance requires, are accompanied by alarming photographs of the leaders of Europe and their associates dividing up the skin of the Libyan bear even before it has been captured, often with the percentages already calculated and with the sinister horizon of Sharia law, instead of a widely proclaimed democracy.
“The Italian ENI prepares for its return to Libya”… “The multinationals are once again fighting for a piece of the Libyan energy industry pie” (ABC, Aug. 29, 2011). “China is afraid of being excluded when the Libyan loot is divvied up” (“Público”, Aug. 31, 2011). “The struggle for oil sullies the Libya Summit in Paris” (“Público”, Sept. 2, 2011)…
…And “The UN agrees to release frozen Libyan assets”.
The United Nations sought to save the lives of the Libyan rebels. Through NATO this “protection” has grown into to an overt and decisive participation in the struggle. The Sept. 2 “El País” announced that “The world gives its blessings to the new Libya…”. “The world” means the countries convened by President Sarkozy… and among them, the Secretary General of the UN. Contrary to what would be desirable, it isn’t Sarkozy in the UN but rather the UN in Sarkozy!
More democracy and less “marketocracy”, in the clever but also correct reference to the ever-increasing impact of “the markets”. It is clear that the unemployment rates won’t drop in the U.S., Europe and Spain (especially due to the enormous real estate bubble, prompted by “the greed and irresponsibility of a few”, in the words of President Obama) because all of the cuts work against the creation of employment (not to mention the excessive delocalization of production).
How can they “stimulate consumption” with budget cuts, privatization and decreases in public investment?
How can we regain confidence, if the markets only allow us to continually reduce margins and possibilities for citizen initiatives?
How can the WMF demand greater stability when its predictions immediately prompt instability?
But of course, the wealthy take advantage of these fluctuations to buy low and sell high when the markets have logically recovered from their losses…
It is essential – not one more day!- to make an about-face:
1) In the EU:
i) autonomy in security matters and an urgent reduction in military spending; allies of the U.S., yes, but not subjects of the U.S. through NATO.
ii) economic and fiscal federation, creation of a European rating agency, issue of Eurobonds and outright elimination of tax havens;
iii) agreement on major plans for renewable energies and regulation of oil consumption and prices;
iv) joint international cooperation projects to contribute to providing all human beings with access to food, water and sanitation and health services;
v) moderation of the delocalization of production, with strict control of working conditions and respect for human rights in the manufacturing countries;
vi) coordination of human and technical resources to address natural and manmade catastrophes at the regional level;
vii) proclamation of the democratic principles that should guide political action, promoting participation and listening to the people, particularly through virtual communications media (cyberspace), ensuring not only unrestricted freedom of expression, but also access to accurate information for all citizens, regulating the standardizing excesses of the huge media powers…
2) In the U.S.
i) In the bitter decline of hegemonic claims, promote alliances, particularly with regional associations, and share experience and knowledge to guarantee world governance through an urgently-reinforced United Nations.
ii) Urgently lead nuclear disarmament, to facilitate a future free of atomic threats, and rapidly reduce arms sales, especially of those intended for past conflicts, developing new security technology that reflects present needs.
iii) Fully integrated within the new United Nations System, endow the WMF, WB and WTO with the necessary authority to put an end to speculative attacks on the dollar zone, euro zone and the yuan zone, promoting a world economy based on sustainable development, so that those who still cling to the idea of maintaining the “great domain” will be convinced of the inexorable need to contribute, now, to the commencement of a new era…
3) At the global level
i) As I have already often had the occasion to underscore, we can no longer delay an emergency meeting of all countries to re-found the United Nations, to make it capable, with the authority conferred upon it by the support of the great majority of nations, of efficiently addressing the great challenges that arise at any time: Libya, Syria, Yemen… the Israel /Palestine conflict… terrorism, supranational trafficking in arms, drugs, people…
ii) With the United Nations at the helm, “a new beginning” would commence, characterized by agreements and alliances. China, India, Latin America, Africa… must play a role that will brighten the horizons of our future generations.
This is our greatest commitment.
Not one more day.
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