STATS OF THE WEEK
More Blacks under criminal supervision in the US now than slaves on the eve of the Civil War http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/13120-the-artificial-felon-british-petroleum-bp-the-earth-and-american-justice
Britain has invaded all but 22 countries in the world in its long and colourful history, new research has found. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/9653497/British-have-invaded-nine-out-of-ten-countries-so-look-out-Luxembourg.html
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“They said Marat is dead. No. Marat is not dead. Put him in the Pantheon or throw him in the sewer; it doesn’t matter—he’s back the next day. He’s reborn in the man who has no job, in the woman who has no bread, in the girl who has to sell her body, in the child who hasn’t learned to read; he’s reborn in the garrets of Rouen; he’s reborn in the basements of Lille; he’s reborn in the unheated tenement, in the wretched mattress without blankets, in the unemployed, in the proletariat, in the brothel, in the jailhouse, in your laws that show no pity, in your schools that give no future… Oh, beware, human society: you cannot kill Marat until you have killed the misery of poverty.” – Victor Hugo
"We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools." – Martin Luther King Jr.
“Economic inequality begets political inequality and vice versa. Then the very vision that makes America special — upward mobility and opportunity for all — is undermined. One person, one vote becomes one dollar, one vote. That is not democracy. That is political decay.”
Joseph Stiglitz, The price of inequality, Christian Science Monitor, October 17, 2012
FEATURES
The Left in Government – A Strategic Project – Latin America and Europe Compared by Asbjørn Wahl – To Be in Office, But Not in Power http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/740.php
Noam Chomsky: Europe is pretty much following US Policy, no matter what http://www.social-europe.eu/2012/12/europe-is-pretty-much-following-us-policy-no-matter-what/
The Rise and Fall of the Welfare State: In an age of government imposed austerity, and after 30 years of neoliberal restructuring, the future of the welfare state looks increasingly uncertain. Asbjørn Wahl offers an accessible analysis of the situation across Europe, identifies the most important challenges and presents practical proposals for combating the assault on welfare. http://www.socialistproject.ca/leftstreamed/ls154.php
UNITE THE UNION, About Trade Unions by Jamie-Max Caldwell
Ban calls for end to violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=43741&Cr=homophobia&Cr1#.UMkqNoPql8E
WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS
Banks versus the People: The Underside of a Rigged Game! (Part 1) – 2007-2012: Six years that shook the banking world http://cadtm.org/2007-2012-Six-years-that-shook-the
How Could Greece and Argentina – The New ‘Debt Colonies’ – Be Set Free? By Ha-Joon Chang http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/nov/25/greece-debt-crisis-didnt-need-to-be-this-bad
Protesters wear chains in a protest against Greece’s austerity measures. The burden of debt falls mostly on the weaker members of society
Apples, robots and robber barons – A discussion has broken out among mainstream economists about the long-term future of US capitalism – namely is there any future for manufacturing in the US? http://thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2012/12/12/apples-robots-and-robber-barons/
LAND, LABOUR AND THE ENVIRONMENT
"Incredibly Disappointed": Civil Groups Decry Weak COP18 Deal amid Deadly Proof of Climate Change http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/10/incredibly_disappointed_civil_groups_decry_weak
John Bellamy Foster and Brett Clark: The planetary emergency, capitalism’s ultimate crisis http://links.org.au/node/3137
Bolivian delegation to UNCCC – Analysis of the State of Climate Change Negotiations in 2012: Challenges and Tasks for the Coming Years http://boliviarising.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/bolivian-delegation-to-unccc-analysis.html
"The Most Obdurate Bully in the Room": U.S. Widely Criticized for Role at Climate Talks http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/7/the_most_obdurate_bully_in_the
Small farmers, Indigenous peoples condemn Doha climate talks: ‘Governments produce blank pages for planet’s future’ http://links.org.au/node/3131
The economic cost of U.S. food monopolies http://climateandcapitalism.com/2012/12/05/the-economic-cost-of-u-s-food-monopolies/
CULTURAL DISSENT
Robin Fior and Graphic Design of the Left – Richard Hollis looks at the influential work of revolutionary graphic designer Robin Fior, who passed away in October. http://www.redwedgemagazine.com/8/post/2012/12/robin-fior-and-graphic-design-of-the-left.html
For England, James? Joe Macaré looks at how the James Bond franchise manages to stagger on even as the agent’s empire disintegrates around him. http://www.redwedgemagazine.com/5/post/2012/12/for-england-james.html
Book Review: The Global Offensive – The Difference the PLO Made http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/12/07/the-difference-the-plo-made/
AFGHANISTAN
Taliban popular where US fought biggest battle http://news.yahoo.com/taliban-popular-where-us-fought-biggest-battle-161235459.html
AUSTRALIA
Prof Jake Lynch’s exchange with The Australian’s journalist Christian Kerr re his article on the academic boycott of Israel http://www.australiansforpalestine.net/72514
Just a cartoonist with a moral duty to speak http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/just-a-cartoonist-with-a-moral-duty-to-speak-20121210-2b5hi.html#ixzz2EmMFNpq3
The War of the Sexes: blaming biology http://www.counterfire.org/index.php/articles/book-reviews/16187-the-war-of-the-sexes-how-conflict-and-cooperation-have-shaped-men-and-women-from-prehistory-to-the-present
BAHRAIN
Bahrain regime strips citizenship from opponents as repression continues http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zGGNoOW9zuE
BOLIVIA
Bolivia’s address to UN climate talks: Our climate is not for sale http://boliviarising.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/bolivias-address-to-un-climate-talks.html
Bolivian delegation in Doha: “this is a COP of climate change not a COP of carbon trade” http://boliviarising.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/bolivian-delegation-in-doha-this-is-cop.html
First were forests, now they want the oceans and agriculture in the carbon market http://boliviarising.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/first-were-forests-now-they-want-oceans.html
BRAZIL
Cuba Recalls Niemeyer as a Revolutionary http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=83335
CANADA
Pipeline politics — Can popular protest stop the tar sands leviathan? http://lifeonleft.blogspot.ca/2012/12/pipeline-politics-can-popular-protest.html
Pickton inquiry accused of failing marginalized women http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/11/19/bc-missing-women-report-bccla.html
Kill Bill 115: Where is the Ontario Labour Movement Going? By Doug Nesbitt http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/742.php
Hundreds rally against Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline – First Nation, opponents shut down main street in Prince Rupert, B.C. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/02/04/bc-enbridge-prince-rupert-rally.html
Attawapiskat chief begins first day of hunger strike with sacred fire, sweetgrass, tobacco http://aptn.ca/pages/news/2012/12/11/attawapiskat-chief-begins-first-day-of-hunger-strike-with-sacred-fire-sweetgrass-tobacco/
CHINA
Protecting workers’ representatives: A key issue in the development of collective bargaining in China http://www.clb.org.hk/en/node/110179
CUBA
Why is Cuba’s health-care system the best model for poor countries? http://links.org.au/node/3136
EGYPT
In Cairo, Egyptian Protesters Continue Revolution’s Legacy in Challenging Morsi’s Referendum http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/12/in_cairo_egyptian_protesters_continue_revolutions
Street Fights Rock Cairo as Supporters and Foes of Morsi Clash over Constitution http://www.thenation.com/article/171637/street-fights-rock-cairo-supporters-and-foes-morsi-clash-over-constitution
After Deadly Clashes in Cairo, Egypt Faces One of Its Largest Political Crises Since Revolution Began http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/6/after_deadly_clashes_in_cairo_egypt_faces
Supporters and opponents of President Morsi clash
Protesters in Egyptian industrial capital eject city boss, announce independence – reports http://rt.com/news/egypt-protesters-announce-independence-572/
"Protest Here is Vigorous": Unrest, Polarization Before Egypt’s Referendum http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/11/protest_here_is_vigorous_sharif_abdel
GERMANY
Refugees turn up the political heat as Berlin drops below zero http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/52976
HAITI
End Haiti’s Killer Cholera Epidemic — UN Action Now! Sign the petition http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/End_Haitis_Cholera_Epidemic_with_UN_Action_Now_1/
More pressure needed to get clean water http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/12/2012121263738325821.html
IRAN
Sanctions Are Destroying Iranian Society By Mehrnaz Shahabi http://www.countercurrents.org/shahabi111212.htm
ITALY
Austerity Italian Style
PALESTINE
UK’s Observer adds “kill Jews” to Hamas leader Khaled Meshal’s Gaza speech when he did not say it http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/uks-observer-adds-kill-jews-hamas-leader-khaled-meshals-gaza-speech-when-he-did
The Month in Pictures: November 2012 http://electronicintifada.net/content/month-pictures-november-2012/11974
A Different War in Gaza, and the War Ahead http://palestinechronicle.com/a-different-war-in-gaza-and-the-war-ahead/
Israeli occupation forces ransack offices of Addameer, other Palestinian rights groups in heart of PA’s Ramallah http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israeli-occupation-forces-ransack-offices-addameer-other-palestinian-rights
PHILIPPINES
New Zealander recounts ‘Pablo’ experience ComVal http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2012/12/06/new-zealander-recounts-pablo-experience-comval/
SYRIA
Robert Fisk on Syria’s Chemical Weapons – Despite political rhetoric warning Syria against using its chemical weapons stockpile, veteran journalist Robert Fisk says the threat is overrated. http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/Day+6/ID/2313709303/
Former Powell adviser ‘skeptical’ of ‘politicized’ US intelligence on Syria http://rt.com/news/syria-chemical-weapons-us-intelligence-574/
Wider Chaos Feared as Syrian Rebels Clash With Kurds http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/07/world/middleeast/wider-chaos-feared-as-syrian-rebels-and-kurds-clash.html?hp&_r=0
Charles Glass on Syria’s Mutual Destruction and the Unconvincing Fears of Assad’s Chemical Weapons http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/11/charles_glass_on_syrias_mutual_destruction
TUNISIA
Tunisia: Armed forces clash with striking workers and youth http://www.marxist.com/tunisia-armed-forces-clash-with-striking-workers-and-youth.htm
UK
‘This is as bad as a world war’: Bank of England boss’s grim view of financial crisis which has left a debt ‘that will be paid by our grandchildren’ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2242421/Andrew-Haldane-Bank-bosss-view-financial-crisis-left-debt-paid-grandchildren.html
A Living Wage: The price of hearing ‘have a nice day’ – and believing it http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/a-living-wage-the-price-of-hearing-have-a-nice-day–and-believing-it-8351924.html
USA
WE’RE NOT BROKE tells the story of U.S. corporations dodging billions of dollars in income tax, and how seven fed-up Americans take their frustration to the streets…and vow to make the corporations pay their fair share. http://werenotbrokemovie.com/
BDS Flash Mob: Boycott Israeli Apartheid in Palestine!
The Recession’s Toll: How Middle Class Wealth Collapsed to a 40-Year Low http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/12/the-recessions-toll-how-middle-class-wealth-collapsed-to-a-40-year-low/265743/
Limits on Unions Pass in Michigan, Once a Mainstay http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/12/us/protesters-rally-over-michigan-union-limits-plan.html?_r=0
Thousands Protest Michigan’s Anti-Union Law, But Deep Pockets of Right-Wing Backers Prevail http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/12/thousands_protest_michigans_anti_union_law
VENEZUELA
Venezuela’s Chavez’s Cancer Returns, Leaves Vice-President in Charge http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/7532
Campaigns for hard-fought regional polls heating up http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/52978
Profiting From Pollution: Top Venezuelan Negotiator on the Economic Motives Behind the Climate Talks http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/7/profiting_from_pollution_top_venezuelan_negotiator
Venezuelan Opposition Fails to Make Counterproposal by Javier Biardeau http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/741.php
GPJA 