–Paying a fair price for cotton is still an issue around the world that has gotten little attention. This must change if we are going to be serious about promoting fair trade rules.

–Unintended consequences of the economic downturn. The problem is that with the current neo-liberal policies still in-place around the world, there is little government money for “green” investment.

–Neo-liberalism is to blame.

–“Jayati Ghosh considers the implications for India” of the economic crisis. Neo-liberalism is to blame.

Iceland has, for the past decade at least, been a premier example for economics-departments and policy makers; it is repeatedly hoisted as an example of a backwater country that has done very well for itself by following the neoliberal agenda. Steingrímur J. Sigfússon, the chairperson of Iceland’s Left Green Movement writes about what the financial mess means for Icelanders.

Also have a listen to Doug Henwood’s interview with Ögmundur Jónasson (chairperson of the Left Green Movement’s Parliamentary Group).

–Tony Benn writes about the current crisis and what we need to do to respond.

Buzz Hargrove, the outspoken former national president of the Canadian Auto Workers, will speak at a public lecture in Fredericton on Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at the Wu Conference Centre, University of New Brunswick at 4 p.m..

In “Looking Back, Looking Ahead”, the New Brunswick-born Hargrove will talk about his life as a trade unionist and why Canadian democracy needs a strong labour movement to survive. Mr. Hargrove’s speech is sponsored by the New Brunswick Labour History Project at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton. A public reception hosted by the Office of the Vice-President of Research Services, UNB, will follow. Everyone is most welcome to attend.

For further information contact Carol Ferguson, Project Officer, New Brunswick Labour History Project at 506-453-4599 or cferguso@unb.ca.

Buzz Hargrove prononcera une conférence publique à la UNB

Buzz Hargrove, ce syndicaliste au franc-parler et ancien président national des Travailleurs canadiens de l’automobile, prononcera une conférence publique au Wu Conference Centre de la University of New Brunswick à Fredericton, le mercredi 22 octobre 2008 à 16 h.

Dans sa présentation intitulée « Lookink Back, Looking Ahead», Hargrove, un natif du Nouveau-Brunswick, parlera de sa vie de syndicaliste et démontrera que la démocratie canadienne a besoin d’un mouvement ouvrier fort pour survivre.

La conférence de Monsieur Hargrove est parrainée par le Projet d’histoire du travail au Nouveau-Brunswick (Fredericton). Une réception, offerte par le Bureau du vice-recteur à la recherche de la UNB, suivra. Bienvenue à toutes et à tous.

Pour plus de renseignements, veuillez contacter la chargée de projet Carol Ferguson, Projet d’histoire du travail au Nouveau-Brunswick, au 506-453-4599 ou par courriel : cferguso@unb.ca .

Last week, the Monthly Review group stated: “At Monthly Review we therefore should take as a primary task the job of driving the stake into the heart of what should be mortally wounded neoliberalism … Let us ruthlessly ridicule all the years of the dishonest jargon of “economic freedom” and “reform” spewed upon the public by economists and journalists serving as the bankers’ whores. Let us help clear the ground for a global return to the socialist path, the only hope for the majority of humankind — the propertyless.”

William K. Tabb’s article is a brilliant contribution to this objective.

–Nonsense. Everyone who has half a brain when it comes to economics knows that you need an infusion into social programmes during a down-turn in the economy to make sure that there is a safety net for those that are going to lose their jobs. The lose of jobs during a down turn has nothing to do with the workers’ ability to work and everything to do with the system. It is immoral to talk of tax cuts for the rich during an economic crisis that leads to job losses in all industries.

“Thursday’s move means that Iceland’s top three banks are now effectively nationalized.”

–A statement on the current economic realities in Canada from the people who know.

“There is a very real danger, fellow citizens, that the Icelandic economy, in the worst case, could be sucked with the banks into the whirlpool and the result could be national bankruptcy.” Prime Minister Geir Haarde said in an address to the nation late Monday.

–Where the Monthly Review group stands in its analysis of the current capitalist crisis. Worth reading if, for no other reason, than to know how to articulate a socialist response.

–Panitch (of Socialist Register fame, among other things) tells us that the bailout was obvious, necessary, the only thing that a state could do, and the wrong direction. We should not be shocked by the bailout, but we should understand that it is the citizens’ responsibility to elect a government and demand a socialist alternative to capitalism if we want to stop these kinds of crises and bailouts.

–The only openly socialist senator in the US, Bernie Sanders speaks out about the bailout through proposing a great amendment to the 700 Billion dollar bailout of the rich. Scroll to the bottom of the page to watch him address the Senate. You are an inspiration, Bernie!

–Some more analysis of what is currently going on to bailout the US rich and their banks.

–Panitch and Gindin weigh in on the current financial crisis with some proper analysis.

–What amazes me is that if you read the mainstream, corporate media you get the sense that Latin America is in a massive economic and political crisis with non-stop strikes of farmers, dictators taking over, and massive economic crises to rival the US’. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

–We must put pressure on our local governments to address the root causes for the current food crisis. The “Green Revolutions” that have caused the current crisis and this model cannot be applied to find the solution. Only through management and local investment for local consumption will we be able to develop agriculture that can sustain all people living on the planet.

–If working people are going to protect themselves from the current financial mess we are going to have to start organizing unions and grassroots political organizations. The government is giving money to those that do not need it by taking it from people who do not have it to give. It is a classic redistribution of wealth from the poor to the rich. The ITUC has put forward that the time for change in the global market system has come, in fact, it is clear that it came a long time ago. Fundamental change and clear alternatives are available, we just need to develop the democratic mechanisms to implement them.

–Some words of concern about some proposals and the process that the current international organizations have for developing policy for international development from the ITUC.

–Michael Moore puts some ideas forward for socializing aspects of the economy and undoing some of the super finance capital monopolies that were created during the deregulation of wall street mergers.