Sufferin Swedish succotash! European government after European government has been shifting to center-right conservative leadership, and the Swedes are the latest to go! Most stories coming out of Europe high-lite the social components of this conservative swing?like anti-immigration (possible anti-Islamic) attitudes that are prevailing. The Avenger wants you to consider the more important economic aspects of this swing, which will have much more lasting implications. Bottom line: The economic shift to center-right across Europe?and now even in socialist Sweden? is indicative of a major move across all the western world towards smaller government and conservative economic/fiscal policy. A shift that even the mighty Americans are likely to embrace very soon?.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is facing adamant opposition to his plans to raise the retirement age in his country from 60 to 62?and the Frenchies are furious and taking to the streets! However, this move is symptomatic of a much larger trend going on all across Europe (and perhaps all of the ?rich? Western counties): that trend is towards austerity! With record budget deficits, bloated bureaucracies, and over-extended social benefit programs, there is a seismic shift towards changing the size and role of government in the western capitalist democracies of France, Germany, the UK aa well as the PIGS?.and this shift will even be affecting future politics and policies in the good ol? U S of A! Get awakened to the age of austerity my plaid friends!
Synopsis: On April 12th and 13th, US President Barack Obama hosted the first-ever ‘Nuclear Security Summit’ which was attended by leaders from 47 states plus a handful of international organizations. This summit mostly focused on getting a handle on loose nuclear material around the world in order to eliminate the threat of possible ‘nuclear terrorism.’ However, in the bigger picture this move is just a warm-up to a revamping of the all important NPT, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which is coming up soon. In Part 2 of this plaidcast, the Avenger does a roll call of important cats at the convention (as well as those not invited), and what the hell they actually agreed on to limit those loose nukes.
Keywords: US, Obama, Russia, Medvedev, Sarkozy, Hu, Gordon Brown, P5, P5 +1, Merkel, Germany, Singh, India, Netanyahu, Israel, Calderon, Lula, Harper, Kirchner, Zuma, Erdogan, Yakunovich, Hatoyama, Lee Myung-Bak, Ban Ki Moon, UN, Yukio Amano, IAEA, Iran, North Korea
Synopsis: Greece is broke, and in debt up to their Ouzo-sipping eyeballs….which is seriously pissing off Germany. Say what? Why would that be? The Avenger explains how these countries (and 14 others) are now tied together economically via their common currency of the Euro, and how this is currently impacting both the Eurozone and the entire world as Greece looks likely to completely default on their debts. Germany’s solution to bring in the IMF (International Monetary Fund) has also rankled many other EU leaders as well, and ‘austerity measures’ in Greece have people rioting on the streets! All that and more is in store for the internationally intrigued viewer who watches this plaid-cast! Party on!
Synopsis: There is talk in France of a nation-wide ban on the wearing of the Islamic full-body covering burka…a proposition supported by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Many have viewed this move as anti-Islamic or Islam-o-phobic, but hold on! This ban, along with a Swiss ban on minarets and anti-immigrant violence in Italy, is indicative of a major shift underway across all of Europe: a move to the conservative right, both socially and politically. The Avenger discusses these issues and the reasons why they have arisen….and what you can expect in European politics and cultural frictions of the future.
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