In the lull of the aftermath of the European revolutionary anti-austerity protests of September and October; the workers of Ireland, France, UK, Greece, Spain, Iceland and elsewhere were protesting by hitting the streets in mass protests by the millions. Here, at the end of the year, we ponder all that has transpired during this global Great Recession continuing into 2011 with it's curious mantra of "austerity".
Workers are fighting "austerity" on the backs of wage workers around the globe. Zombie Banksters, Prime Ministers, parliaments, congresses and Presidents openly and brazenly roll back social programs for the masses while transferring public resources and cutting taxes to the super-rich all over the world in the name of "Jobs". It's a revolution in Spanish, French, English, Italian,Greek and 100's of other languages.
Austerity is not limited to the U.S. and it is not orchestrated solely by America's President. In fact, Austerity is discussed almost universally at dinner tables around the world.
It is a global concern for the workers of the world. Incidently, we are not the only ones who are angry or mad as hell.
The Uber-rich are super-angry too!
The millionaires and Billionaires are furious that the teeming masses of the planet have fingered them as the culprits. Like a dark force from a Stars Wars film: The Zombie Empire strikes back!--they will raise your taxes, they will steal your investments and houses. They will rob your Social security and jack your interest rates. They will hoard trillions of dollars and block unemployment benefits. The corporations they control will not create jobs.
And there is nowhere to run and there is nothing you can do!
Corporate America is snarling ...rather than laughing... all the way to the bank. The Wall Street banksters who set off this global crisis with their derivative gambling are swimming in money again. On Wall Street, the top three dozen publicly held banks, hedge funds and investment firms plan to pay $144 billion in compensation and benefits this year, according to the Wall Street Journal's survey--the second-straight record-setting year in a row.
In the first nine months of the year, the big six banks in the U.S.--Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley cleared $35 billion in profits!
A lot of that will be siphoned off in year-end bonuses for executives. That's how bankers pay themselves and all the while acting like they are the persecuted ones. It's their money and they earned it gambling. They call the shots now because they own everything and like a privatized prison, you follow the rules or you will be written up and go to the hole like a common criminal. Obviously they hold powerful and immense sway over governments around the world.
"They" are the Zombie elite-Minions of the Apocalypse.
Oh lordy lord... I love the hyperbole.
As we head into the holidays, we are mindful of the millions of Americans who will struggle for presents for their kids, struggle paying their bank notes and 29% interest on credit cards while Lobster Thermidor and Champagne flow in the Hamptons.
Corporate American Business profits as an overall dollar amount hit a new record in the third quarter also.
Calculated as a percentage of the gross domestic product--the total production of goods and services in the economy--profits reached 11.2 percent, close to the high point of the 2000s boom. In other words, for every $9 produced in the U.S. economy today, the ruling class is pocketing $1.
Here in Colorado at Casa Brahman, we are going to continue OUR version of austerity measures as our ongoing protest against the Zombies enters it's third year. We shop in the Barrio at Avanza and at independent Asian markets. We buy our clothes at Savers and Goodwill. I have completely refurnished my house from used furniture off Craigslist and I expand my vegetable garden every year.
Shop local small businesses and avoid the Corporate Zombiemarts.
I attack my debt with laser precision. It is never too late to fight the system as best as you can while enjoying the richness and beauty of life.
For Christmas I am making the classic French Beef Bourgiugnon with a $5.00 roast in the freezer from El Azteca, salad and sweet potato souffle. With a sugar free Mocha cheesecake. All homemade from scratch.
No presents. No tree. No over the top celebration. Quiet, peaceful, elegant and simple. It will be just another atypical American Christmas.
May the farce pass you by.
Power to the poor and to the workers of the world.
Solidarity.