Opinion: (Jürgen Ligi, Estonian Minister of Finance, from rus.err.ee): “Rigidity is one of the main problems of the European job market, thinks the Minister of Finance Jürgen Ligi.

“‘In general, labor laws are the greatest hindrance to European competitiveness…’

“‘But rigidity is observed in something else as well (apart from legislation). For example, very destructive unions can provoke a way harsher situation than the laws themselves.’

“According to Ligi, Europe must implement a number of reforms, including in labor-management relations and refrain from printing money, the strategy chosen by the US.

“‘Inflation should not be used to come out of the debt crisis.'”
[57726]

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In the News (from the UN Radio): “Growing unemployment, resulting from the 2008 global economic crisis, is threatening to cause social unrest in a number of countries around the world.

“That’s the warning issued by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on Monday.

“In a new report, the ILO says that globally over 200 million people are without jobs as the slowdown in economic recovery continues.

“If the current trends continue, it adds, it will take at least five years to return employment in advanced economies to the pre-crisis levels.

“Raymond Torres is the Director of the ILO International Institute for Labour Studies: ‘The slowdown is happening in a very fragile social context. We estimate that 40 per cent of the countries for which we have information are facing the risk of increased social unrest.’

“The ILO’s ‘World of Work 2011’ report has been issued on the eve of a summit of the world’s major economies, known as the G20 to be held in Cannes, France later this week.”

My Comment: The world unemployment rate is expected to rise constantly. Nature will force us to come to a society of reasonable consumption, when we produce and consume only what is reasonably necessary.

We will discover that with existing and emerging technology, it is enough for each grown up resident of the Earth to work 1-3 hours a day, and the rest of the time the entire population of the Earth, regardless of age, should constantly study how to live in a new integral society. For this work and studies a person will receive everything necessary for existence. Moreover, studying is mandatory for everyone.
[59469]

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Opinion: (John Kornblum, Senior Counselor, Noerr Stiefenhofer Lutz, Berlin and Former US Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany): “For the fathers of the euro, the end of the Cold War in 1990 was a time for worry as well as celebration. As they looked to the future, they were also obsessed with the continent’s bloody past. Would a new Europe, and especially a reunified Germany, reawaken old nationalist sentiments and lead again to the danger of war?

“Germany’s Helmut Kohl and France’s Francois Mitterrand—and just about every European leader since—saw a common currency as essentially a political project, meant to cement European unity and remove that danger. For them, a world without the euro would have been a world increasingly threatened by conflict and perhaps even war.

“Because of these fears, the euro project was rushed through without key agreement on the common political institutions that would have turned Europe into a truly unified economic zone. As a result, each country follows its own economic policy; Greece spends, while Germany saves. And markets have been quick to focus on the weakest links, threatening the entire euro by nearly driving countries such as Greece and Portugal to bankruptcy.

“Instead of acting decisively, … European governments feel limited by their commitment to ‘Europe’ to taking small steps that will not endanger the balance within the E.U. This overwhelming fear of internal conflict is the real legacy of World War II, one that has burdened the European Union since its birth in 1957. European politicians may not be experts on finance, but they do know their voters. Doing nothing is better than risking hard-won stability.

“Because in the end, such decisions are still about the war.”

My Comment: In any case, until people become aware of their total mutual dependence, the fear of war will not disappear from their consciousness. Only mutual guarantee will save the world from the fear of war and raise us to the sensation of eternity.
[59347]

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Opinion (David Galland, Casey Research): “Lost in all the noise, however, is any recognition that the US monetary system – and by extension, that of much of the developed world – may very well be on the verge of collapse. Falling back on metaphor, while the world’s many financial experts and economists sit around arguing about the direction of the ship of state, most are missing the point that the ship has already hit an iceberg and is taking on water fast.

“Honestly describing the current monetary system of the United States in just a few words, you could do far worse than stating that it is ‘money from nothing, cash ex nihilo.’

“That’s because for the last 40 years – since Nixon canceled the dollar’s gold convertibility in 1971 – the global monetary system has been based on nothing more tangible than politicians’ promises not to print too much.

“Unconstrained, the politicians used the gift of being able to create money out of nothing to launch a parade of politically popular programs, each employing fresh brigades of bureaucrats, with no regard to affordability…

“Given the role the US dollar plays as the world’s de facto reserve currency – with all major commodities priced in dollars, and dollars forming the bulk of reserves held by foreign central banks – the dismal shape of the US monetary system spells trouble for the global monetary system.

“It is worth noting that the dire condition of the United States now leaves it in the same muddy wallow as Europe’s desperate PIIGS.

“Desperate, debt-laden governments around the globe – the bulk of their reserves composed of fiat US dollars and euros at risk of going up in smoke – turn to the only thing they know, printing more money and issuing yet more debt. The global monetary system cracks and heads toward failure with no workable alternative on the horizon.

“Governments, corporations and investors alike are caught unprepared in the downward spiral of failing fiat currencies and are wiped out by a combination of frantic currency debasements, higher taxation, exchange controls and worse. Social unrest spreads, with the public paradoxically demanding that governments do more, not less.

“That’s because all the world’s major currencies are at risk, simultaneously, as the issuers engage in a dangerous race to the bottom. As the monetary system moves inexorably toward terminal debasement and collapse, the results will be catastrophic for the unprepared.

“Importantly, while the list of historical attempts to re-jigger the US monetary system have, to this point, more or less succeeded in kicking the can a bit further down the road, the sheer scale of today’s government obligations has driven us into a box canyon, with no way out. As the government’s debt and spending obligations are mathematically impossible to resolve, it is now a certainty that a lot of people are going to wake up one morning to the reality that they are a lot poorer than they thought.

“Fortunately for those now paying attention, the collapse of a monetary system doesn’t happen in a flash. It is a progression, like the spiral of water down a drain. Thus, while no one can predict exactly when the downward spiral will accelerate out of control, there is still time to prepare.”
[59013]

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Opinion (Francois Fillon, French Prime Minister, from itar-tass.com): “The summit in Brussels led to a compromise. The ultimate rejection of the possibility to exclude any country from the euro zone is among its achievements. But the acceptance of an anti-crisis plan is a step towards the unity of the EU, the first convergence of French and German economies.”
[59152]

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Question: A few days ago we held a wonderful dissemination action of giving out newspapers. People immediately started reading them with great interest, which made us extremely happy. How can we retain that happiness and bring it to the December convention?

Answer: We are living in a big world which is rushing toward a new state. People are starting to understand that something has gone awry even though they’re not exactly sure what that is. Every person is yelling about his own concerns, and that is natural. That is how we are built: From the youngest age, we do not even suspect what we are really crying about. People are sounding calls for equality and social justice; the only problem is that everyone has their own idea of justice.

However, the pressure will continue growing and expanding. We will see how the relationships between nations and civilizations will add fuel to the fire and it will get even hotter.

For us, this is a completely clear sign that we have to start acting. With time, people won’t simply wait for new materials from us. They will feel that Light is flowing here, that this is where life lingers. Right now they are inspired by the lively, warm, smart words that are helping them figure out what is happening and to gain at least a slight understanding of what they want, what they are yelling about. By reading about it, they are making an order of things inside of them. A person felt bad, and now he understands exactly what the problem is, what he should aspire to, and what he should be watchful of.

In essence, we are “formatting” or building people from within. But this is only good for a start. Back in your day you were also brought to Kabbalah by a certain inexplicable desire. But then comes a period when the Light has to appear. It is what will bring the changes. We cannot drag this out for too long because otherwise the Light will become revealed in the opposite form, as disasters, epidemics, and other catastrophes on a global scale. A long time ago, the prophets wrote about how dangerous this path is.

Therefore, we have to take care of the Light that reforms. This Light only comes from unity, which does not exist in our world. After all, we are animals, but if we unite the points in our hearts, not our bodies, but precisely these particles of the Creator, our spiritual aspirations, if we try to weld them into one, then we evoke the Light that reforms. It is contained or concealed inside of this unity.

Once this Light appears, it will unite us. Then our dissemination will shift to a new level. It will no longer be newspapers and websites, but we will become revealed in people from within. Without understanding why, they will start asking questions about mutual guarantee and Kabbalah, and will start to look for us under the guiding influence of the Light. You came to the group accidentally, as it were, and likewise, they too will turn around, not exactly in our direction, but in the right direction nevertheless.

The world is moving forward more and more swiftly. And that is a huge mass of people. On one hand, they are feeling worse and worse, and on the other, a good solution is starting to take shape before them. Therefore, the upcoming convention will have to unite our points and reveal the Light which will pour out of us like a spring of living water and fill the whole world. That is exactly what we must achieve.

We have to prepare in such a way that the convention will become a flash of Light, a breakthrough of the spiritual force which will aim the world toward goodness with one blow. Then we will immediately feel how the world is changing, right during the days of the convention and onward.
[59314]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/31/11, “The Love for the Creator and Love for the Created Beings”

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Opinion: (Barack Obama, the US President [my comments are in brackets]): “When leaders of the largest economies meet next week in France, our citizens will be watching for the same sense of common purpose that allowed us to rescue the global economy two years ago from a financial crisis that was sparked by years of irresponsibility.

“Because of the co-ordinated action the Group of 20 took then, the global economy began to grow again. [The crisis was not overcome, it was only concealed. It continues to develop only to flare up even stronger.]

“Still, progress has not come fast enough and today the global recovery remains fragile. [It is not recovering, but falling apart—if we dare to face the truth.]

“Our challenge is clear. [It is not clear, judging by what the President says next.] We must stay focused on the strong, sustainable, and balanced growth that boosts global demand and creates jobs and opportunity for our people. [This can never happen; the bubbles have burst, and excess production will need to be stopped.] This requires action in several areas.

“First, as the world’s largest economy, the US will continue to lead. The single most effective thing we can do to get the global economy growing faster is to get the US economy growing faster. That’s why my highest priority is putting Americans back to work. It’s why I’ve proposed the American Jobs Act [a plan to increase the number of jobs]… It’s why I signed landmark trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama….

“At the same time, we’re building on the nearly $1,000bn in spending cuts agreed this summer.

“Second, the crisis in Europe must be resolved as quickly as possible. This week, our European allies made important progress on a strategy to restore confidence in European financial markets, laying a critical foundation on which to build.

“Given the scope of the challenge and the threat to the global economy, it is important for all of us that this strategy be implemented successfully – including building a credible firewall that prevents the crisis from spreading, strengthening European banks, charting a sustainable path for Greece and tackling the structural issues at the heart of the current crisis.

“Third, each nation must do its part to ensure that global growth is balanced and sustainable so we avoid slipping into old imbalances. For some countries, this means confronting their own fiscal challenges. For countries with large surpluses, it means taking additional steps to support growth. For export-oriented economies, it means working to boost domestic demand.

“Avoiding old imbalances also means moving ahead with financial reforms that can help prevent another financial crisis. In the US, we’re implementing the strongest reforms since the Great Depression. Across the G20, we need to make sure banks maintain the capital they need to withstand shocks, and there needs to be greater oversight and transparency to avoid excessive risks, especially with regard to derivatives.

“Finally, the G20 nations must deepen co-operation on the range of global challenges that affect our shared prosperity. We need to move ahead with our commitment to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels and transition to 21st-century clean-energy economies.” [It’s an old-fashioned approach that does not take into consideration the new integrated world and the fact that we can’t increase excessive and unnecessary production. It shows a lack of understanding of the need to study the new integrated, interconnected world and to restructure our life to suit its laws.]
[59155]

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Opinion: (Alexei Kudrin, Russia’s Finance Minister): “The world economy faces a lost decade of low growth even though it is still possible to stave off another global recession, Russia’s finance minister was quoted as saying on Saturday. ‘We are probably faced with a lost decade. It is already obvious that growth rates are going to be low,’ Alexei Kudrin told Russian reporters on the sidelines of the G20 finance ministers meeting in Washington. ‘The fight with a fading of growth is going to take many years, most likely 5-10 years,’ added Kudrin.”

My Comment: If there are no extraordinary events, wars, or disasters, the economy will never grow again, and the world will gradually realize that man was created not for unrestrained pursuit of elusive happiness in wealth, power, and fame, but for reasonably limited consumption and unlimited spiritual growth.

In the name of what should we hope for the continuing growth? The rich get richer, the poor get poorer! The crisis is not financial, but of the world we have created. Either the Finance Minister does not understand it, or he is stretching the truth….
[59027]

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In the News (from Euronews): “The rebound of the world’s markets as this week began is far from reassuring, experts warn. Across the Atlantic, the US and EU each say the other should hurry up and pull itself together, or else. In a tit-for-tat fear game, there are elections involved.

“To quote Obama: ‘So they’re going through a financial crisis that is scaring the world and they’re trying to take responsible actions, but those actions haven’t been quite as quick as they need to be.’

“Barack Obama is already re-election-campaigning, and several European countries are heating up for elections, for instance Spain, France, Germany and Italy. Admitting a share of responsibility for the debt crisis is not anyone’s idea of campaign-winning. In all these countries mentioned, public surveys are not looking good for the governments currently ruling the roost.

“Another thing the Americans and Europeans have in common is that their public debts are out on a ledge without a safety net — internationally exposed — each with portions of public debt held by foreign banks.

“No wonder each side wants the other to put its houses in order, and why EU countries of varying good-house-keeping skills want each other to prove their mettle.

“Nobel economics laureate Paul Krugman said: ‘If you actually look at actual actions, as opposed to rhetoric, there’s not so much difference between the United States and Europe: and so in terms of the actual policy, this convergence is unfortunately a convergence on the wrong things: fiscal austerity, hard money… but the result will be disastrous on both sides of the Atlantic.’”

My Comment: Same problems, same solutions. But everyone is trying to shift the blame onto the other. Everyone understands that there is no solution. We will wait until they turn to Kabbalah.
[59030]

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Opinion: (Immanuel Wallerstein, sociologist, historical social scientist, and world-systems analyst): “In Stage one – the first few days – the movement was a handful of audacious, mostly young, persons who were trying to demonstrate. The press ignored them totally. Then some stupid police captains thought that a bit of brutality would end the demonstrations. They were caught on film, and the film went viral on YouTube.

“That brought us to Stage two – publicity. The press could no longer ignore the demonstrators entirely. So the press tried condescension. What did these foolish, ignorant youth (and a few elderly women) know about the economy? Did they have any positive program? Were they ‘disciplined’? The demonstrations, we were told, would soon fizzle. What the press and the powers that be didn’t count on (they never seem to learn) is that the theme of the protest resonated widely and quickly caught on. In city after city, similar ‘occupations’ began. Unemployed 50-year-olds started to join in. So did celebrities. So did trade-unions, including none less than the president of the AFL-CIO. The press outside the United States now began to follow the events. Asked what they wanted, the demonstrators replied ‘justice.’ This began to seem like a meaningful answer to more and more people.

“This brought us to Stage three – legitimacy. Academics of a certain repute began to suggest that the attack on ‘Wall Street’ had some justification. All of a sudden, the main voice of centrist respectability The New York Times, ran an editorial on October 8 in which they said that the protestors did indeed have ‘a clear message and specific policy prescriptions’ and that the movement was ‘more than a youth uprising.’

“The movement had become respectable. And with respectability came danger – Stage four. A major protest movement that has caught on usually faces two major threats. One is the organization of a significant right-wing counterdemonstration in the streets. …The Occupy Wall Street movement needs to be prepared for this and think through how it intends to handle or contain it.

“But the second and bigger threat comes from the very success of the movement. As it attracts more support, it increases the diversity of views among the active protestors. The problem here is, as it always is, how to avoid the Scylla of being a tight cult that would lose because it is too narrowly based, and the Charybdis of no longer having a political coherence because it is too broad. There is no simple formula of how to manage avoiding going to either extreme. It is difficult.

“As to the future, it could be that the movement goes from strength to strength. It might be able to do two things: force short-term restructuring of what the government will actually do to minimize the pain that people are obviously feeling acutely; and bring about long-term transformation of how large segments of the American population think about the realities of the structural crisis of capitalism and the major geopolitical transformations that are occurring because we are now living in a multipolar world.”
[59020]

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