Lesley Rankin is a researcher at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). She wrote the following article (Open Democracy 28 July 2021), and argues that the failure to do enough to tackle the climate crisis is a failure of political leadership and the to involve the population as active participants. This means that dealing with the environmental challenge and preparing for future shocks are inseparable from the battle for justice.
In this article Robert Reich ( 27 June) puts forward his view on the impact on the economy of the growing wealth gap in the United Sates, between the few at the top and everyone else. This gap, he says, is reminiscent of what happened before the Wall Street crash in 1929 and Great depression. The risk of another similar meltdown is possible. It will also make the United states vulnerable to the next demagogue.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been toppled by a coalition of opponents. Most of the world has welcomed the change. Netanyahu presided over a long list of human rights violations against Palestinians. The new government may not change this. The following (Days of Palestine 12 June 2021) is about 500 journalists in the United States, who have signed an open letter demanding American media reports on the realities of the Israeli occupation and its policies in Palestine.
Scott Morrison goes to London and the G7 summit in Cornwall. Australia is not a member of the group and there because of an invitation from the United Sates to be an observer. The Australian Prime Minister was going to shine at a private meeting with United States President Joe Biden. But the presence of British Prime Minister put an end to this. In diplomatic terms, this is a snub. Continue reading The G7 gathering re-affirms business as usual produces nothing of substance→
Jessica Corbett covers the coming U.S. tour by Julian Assange’s father John Shipton and brother Gabriel Shipton (Common Dreams28 May 2021). Starting on 6 June, the tour plans to meet up with activists, journalists and policy makers, to lift support o the call for Julian’s freedom and against attacks on a free press. Julian Assange is the founder of WikiLeaks and hunted by Washington for revealing inconvenient truths.
The first notes for this article were penned last week, when the bombardment of Gaza and other atrocities against the Palestinian population showed no sign of slowing down, and the Australian government remained silent. The ceasefire was then brokered. The Australian government remains silent. Continue reading Israel forced to call ceasefire but Palestinians still under occupation→
The following fromRichard D. Wolff and published by Economy for All (23 April 2021). Economy for All is associated with the (Independent Media Institute) in the United States. This article is about the state of capitalism in the United Sates. Many of the features of decline described, This could just as easily be referring to Australia. The difference is that Wolf’s country has been a global empire, while ours a small economy largely integrated into the American one. Wolff describes the ongoing decline of the global empire, the inability of those at the top to turn the tide. He also talks about the widening social divide and responses to the decline. which is likebeing on a moving train on track to hit a stone wall.
