1. Rafael Correa in Ecuador : Hand in glove neoliberal Bolivarian
2. 10 Years of the World Social Forum: time of concrete is it finally here?
3. The corporate revolution in the United States: how a Supreme Court decision has killed democracy quietly
ECUADOR: neoliberal model
Rafael Correa begins his 4th year as president of Ecuador facing the same groups and movements that led to power
While his country in the wake of the global crisis, experiencing a depression of its economy and chronic electricity outages
The roots of the current confrontation are deeper
The alliance of the country which brought him to power in 2007 still waiting for Correa to meet its promise to redo the constitution to give power to the people
And to launch reforms that Ecuador rid of widespread corruption among political elites and financial
As neoliberal economic policies that wreaked havoc in 20 years
Early in his mandate it had engaged in programs of social spending that drew some of its revenues from oil sales
A multinational meeting was set up to rewrite the constitution to expand the space in public institutions, economic and social development
Reelected president April 26, 2009 under the new constitution adopted in September 2008
Since then, his actions and his relations with social movements were on the note of confrontation, far from participatory socialism promised before
Correa seems to favor a model state development classic that does not leave place of true public participation
So his actions are in violation of the new constitution
workers, teachers, environmentalists and indigenous organizations are excluded from this government
would expect, therefore, movements mobilization and unity of the left against the government
The central struggle between Correa and the social movements is to control the economy
particularly mineral resources, and its oil
The conflict has intensified a year ago while a new mining law was passed
Written by neo-liberal, which means encouraging foreign investment on social and environmental concerns
Placing the extraction of minerals on the rights of communities
In and allows for surface mining and the destruction of biodiversity
Includes unlimited use of water resources for mining operations
It goes without saying that this new law, passed quickly and without national debate is very unpopular
All this, when Canadian mining companies got the green light to explore possible deposits of gold and copper
Tensions also have escalated last September with the Government's proposal for a new law on water
Opponents argue that the law violates the constitution which decreed absolute control of public and community water sources on
The law would allow the privatization of water and limit community participation in its management, rather prioritizing access by industrial users
Federation Shuar had enough: passing a resolution calling for the removal of presidential term Correa
And proclaiming that if the government tries to exploit non-renewable resources in their territory ...
He will defend it ... stay tuned!
10 YEARS OF WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
Since the World Social Forum was launched in June 2000 at the Social Summit in Geneva alternative
At the same time as the United Nations General Assembly on social development, Ten years have passed
And the world has changed dramatically during this period
The context in which the WSF World Social Forum has emerged today is different
The WSF was born with the desire to be a meeting point for social movements that opposed neoliberal globalization
And to express an alternative to Dikta World Economic Forum in Davos: the annual meeting of the cream of world politicians and businessmen
On several fronts, the WSF has met its goals ...
The events have attracted more and more participants
Culminating 130 000 at the most recent meeting in Belem, Brazil at the same time last year
It is true, cons, the political and media impact of the WSF has diminished over the years
But another success of the WSF was to decentralize the event held every two years in various southern continents
The Forum has the potential, as we saw last year in Belem, respond effectively to major issues Day
As the collective response to the systemic crisis that capitalism has experienced and still
Initially the meeting place for global justice, a movement dominated by those who wanted to change the world without taking power
debates and strategies for achieving change leading to another possible world have been modified
Now, the Future of the WSF will go in the direction of the new relationship between social movements and political parties and anti-capitalist socialist
With the crisis of capitalism, it added to the unprecedented crisis of climate and food
challenges for participants in the FSM are more important and urgent than ever
Perhaps the time has come, as stated by the world renowned Indian activist Arundhaty Roy, conduct real fighting that inflict real damage to the power structures that lead us straight to disaster?
CORPORATE DEMOCRACY IN THE UNITED STATES
On January 21 will be known by historians as a dark day for American democracy and its decline
is the day when the Supreme Court ruled that the government could not prevent companies from directly spending in the countryside Election
A decision that will profoundly affect government policy in all its spheres of action
The decision will allow big companies to invade even the U.S. political system
The decision of the court, 5 against 4, reverses a century of trying to control decisions corporate contributions to federal campaigns
Now corporate managers can buy direct elections, no longer need to proceed by indirect means complex
The Court has given further more power to the tiny minority that already dominates the economy
All this was possible because of a court decision that capital in 1886, stated that these collective entities now had the same legal rights that a person of flesh and bone
Over the following years, the rights of companies have grown even larger, including the pseudo free trade agreements
Since the 19th century, small groups men own the means of production is eventually became the owners of government, as
The decision of 21 January raises significant new barriers to deal with major problems of American society, such as reform of the health system, or even more serious crises in energy and climate change
The gap between public opinion - what people want - and what will be decided by politicians and implement benefit will grow
damage to American democracy can hardly be overestimated
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