At least across the Atlantic. I just had to drop you all a quick line about how wonderful this is
Greece has voted no on the bank bailout package which even its creditors admitted would cause higher unemployment and reduce its ability to pay its debts. This package- further gutting pensions and services as a condition for more funds- was a nightmare, and a Greek exit from the Eurozone now looks likely. This is probably the least bad option for Greece, because now (assuming it is forced to abandon the Euro) it can use a full suite of currency manipulation tools to help restabilize its economy. It also may (if it goes so far as to exit the EU) be able to rebuild its export portfolio- since joining the EU, Greece has had to compete with western European manufacturers which can outperform it via economies of scale, which has been particularly crippling to the Greek trade in Olive products. Now between currency adjustments and not having to service German or French manufacturers, Greece can make its own olive oil profitably again. The road ahead will be difficult, and every capitalist government will try to make Greece suffer for failing to defy the Washington consensus, but this is the only way they can safeguard their social contract and workers' rights. Worst case scenario, negotiations resume. Tsipras is turning out to be a proper badass, bouyed by the strength of his party and the unity of the Greek proletariat.
There's also the matter of Jeremy Corbyn, my preferred candidate for the Labour Party leadership (UK) snagging about 6 major endorsements in the last week, including that of UNITE, Britain's largest union. It seems Burnham is bleeding labour support to Corbyn, as unions are beginning to see that while Burnham is better than Kendall, Corbyn is the only candidate who will actually change the conversation around austerity and move labour back towards its Socialist roots. He's also leading handily in the only poll I've found of the candidates If Corbyn pulls this off, the next 5 years' Prime Minister's Questions are going to be very interesting, and the conversation will have to include things like rapprochment with Latin America, restoration of the promise of the NHS, immigrant rights, nuclear disarmament, the list goes on and on. Needless to say, Corbyn's Britain will not be endorsing any more American wars!
Of course, I was excited when Ed Miliband won too, and we're nowhere closer to seeing renewed British justice, but he did help steer the debate on addressing climate change if nothing else. Corbyn will keep that ball rolling, and 3 or 4 more than Labour has pretty much abandoned in recent years.
On a sadder note, Secretary La Follette underwent needed back surgery earlier this week, and I'm hoping he recovers quickly. He's a true gift to Wisconsin democracy who (I hope) will play something of a role in the upcoming primary, especially as Madison is mobilizing relatively early for Sanders, but more than any of that, he's an outstanding personal friend and mentor, and I wish him well. Anyone who wants to send get-well messages to Wisconsin's best environmentalist public servant should write to sosdoug@hotmail.com.
Solidarität
Elise
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