Tens of thousands march in Brussels over austerity
reuters.com
excerpt:
Tens of thousands of people marched through Brussels on Wednesday on a day of protests across Europe against government austerity measures, which unions say will slow economic recovery and punish the poor.
Trade unions said they had called rallies in 13 capitals from Lisbon to Helsinki, while Spanish unions held a general strike to oppose measures such as spending cuts and pension and labor market reforms intended to stave off economic crisis.
"The main feeling of the people is that for the banking system there are millions and billions of euros, but the social payments are being cut. That's not right," said Ralf Kutkowski, a German coal miner protesting in the Belgian capital.
Marchers in Brussels, heading for the EU's headquarters, waved union flags and carried banners saying "No to austerity" and "Priority to jobs and growth." The 50 unions represented included German coal miners, Romanian gas workers and Polish shipbuilders.
[...]
"We don't want to take it on our backs," said Philipp Jacks, a German trade unionist marching in Brussels.
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People are so obedient and self-restrained these days. Marching and shouting and the stamping of feet accomplishes nothing.
Iceland and Greece threw their little tantrums, and now they are obediently back to work, accepting austerity. Do you think that frightens the politicians and the bankers? They are laughing at them!
When we finally see 100,000 people with pitchforks, rocks, and clubs breaking down the doors and windows of the banks and government buildings in dozens of cities, pouring in like angry ants, and emerging with the battered, dead carcasses of the thieves and criminals, then we will finally feel the winds of political change.
We're not there yet for one simple reason; the citizens are still well fed and entertained.
Until that changes, it's business as usual. European and American workers had better adjust to austerity and "get over it" as Warren Buffett piously quipped last week, and savers had better stop "moaning and complaining" and start "spending their savings", as the Bank of England official, Charles Bean, demanded! -ng- |
