b. traven
With oil leading the way, the drop in world commodity prices has had a a politically destabilizing effect, particularly strongly on South America’s most politically progressive regimes, including Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Uruguay, and Ecuador. Although oil is the most prominent of these commodities, falling mineral and agricultural products prices, like soybeans native to South America, have accentuated the economic stress.
Throughout the West fiscal austerity measures, either self-imposed by right wing government policies or imposed externally by the IMF, have served to dampen consumer spending and reduce manufacturing growth. While China’s falling exports resulting from the weak Western demand has had a strong effect on reducing oil consumption and hence prices, it is likely that Saudi Arabia and the Gulf State oil kingdoms have refused to cut production in order to hurt Iran and to undermine the US shale oil boom.
These are big-time economic headaches for not only countries but also for a little guy who blew the whistle on many government’s lies and secret plans. Julian Assange, of Wikileaks fame, has sat in a small room in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for almost four years and the announcement below, brought on by this mega commodity meltdown, signals that his days under Ecuadorian protection may be numbered:
Rafael Correa (President of Ecuador) will not compete for re-election, in the context of an uncertain economic outlook for his country. (From an article by Raul Zibechi, Upside Down World)
When a new, right wing government, or, indeed, any new president who wants to make nice with the U.S., comes to power, Assange will be unceremoniously kicked out or the Ecuadorian embassy into the hands of the US CIA.
Besides the drama around Assange, another side effect of the depression in oil and commodity prices involves Venezuela and its relations with Cuba. Already the popular revolution under Chavez is in trouble because of the economic problems brought on by the 50% collapse in oil prices. Cuba has been a beneficiary of favorable price treatment on Venezuelan oil which could be reversed with the end of Madura’s presidency and replacement with a right wing government. He has already lost the parliament to the opposition in the recent election.
Change is coming and it doesn’t look good.
The Contrary Perspective 
I have seen speculation recently (sorry, name of source has slipped my mind–the hazards of the Internet!) that our beloved “allies” the Saudis are not at all concerned with damaging the US fracking industry. That is just “collateral damage” of their efforts to undermine Russia and Iran, in cahoots with their bosses in Washington, D.C. is the reasoning. And of course the United States government waged a relentless economic “cold war” against Hugo Chavez, and now his successor bears the brunt of this. The global economy continues to weaken and our own country never emerged from the collapse of 2007-2008. The much-vaunted “Recovery” was and is all smoke and mirrors. When giant corporations like McDonald’s, Caterpillar and Wal-mart are struggling to rake in profits, you know the situation is grim. But don’t worry, a savior approacheth…I’m sure the Financial Wizard Donald Trump will cure all that ails us!! Though he may have to resort to shooting some folks with bullets dipped in pig’s blood!!
Reblogged this on The Secular Jurist and commented:
A fascinating read which links the collapse of oil and other commodity prices to slowing consumer demand worldwide, neoliberal economic policies, regional politics, and geopolitical intrigue. Highly recommended.
I tied the laces on my shoes this morning and took a couple of steps. It felt like something was sticking to the soles, and I thought maybe I stepped in some mud when I got out of the car last evening. I dragged my right foot over the scraper just outside the front door, and my OPTIMISM came off and landed on the ground next to it. Before I could stop myself, I did the same with my other shoe. HOPE fell on the pile, too.
Einstein said (I am paraphrasing, sorry!) that he thought that two things are infinite, the space and human stupidity, but, he added, he was not sure about the space because he himself was a human.
This article shows better than anything, the characteristic human stupidity. First Assange’s problem shouldn’t exist in a world that suffered the consequences of the BIG WAR. Apparently we did not learn anything. And in the case of the USA, the error is even deeper, because we had an intelligent plan designed by our Founding Fathers. Probably if we had followed it we could be in a less problematic situation.
The conference in Paris about climate change, something that is happening whether we want to believe it or not, according to scientific studies caused by human activity, also whether we believe or not, leaves all of us with a choice, prevent further climate deterioration.
If you are confronting a pandemic and you have any symptoms are you going to wait to be near death to try to take some action?
Why our government has not done anything to prepare/train the people that is currently working in power generation and distribution to go from fossil fuel to clean energy resources? The option is simple, whatever we use as a resource we still will need to generate it, to conserve it and to distribute it. We, the people, are mostly like a heard, do shepherd us in the right direction! Ty It is only a transition, not a radical human re adaptation, this last unnecessary if we decided to effectively act today.
I have a gut feeling that those who profit from war are doing their best to create the required chaos to enjoy some more beneficial gains for themselves. Whatever way they can. And this beyond the Middle East that did not work as they expected. But where they still are profiting through their contractors. And the sale of weapons, ammo and equipment. Whenever I watch a documental about those events I ask myself, how much pollution are they producing? How much are they increasing our carbon print?
All those called whistleblowers are patriots that should be thanked. But I already said it before.
Today justice is just a word without any factual meaning. And the lack of Justice is at the root of all the problems we confront because Justice main function is to give us laws that rule for the good and punish the bad. And many among us have lost sight of our human values and are leaves in the wind without objectives of any value to society.
The justice nowadays is written by money. We are again 2000 + years ago where we started. The church and the state are fighting for the power but now the church is desperate because the state does not need the church anymore to control. The state now has pocket gadgets that do not require faith but brain wash as much as the church with less individual effort and with lots of sensual benefits. You can communicate without talking. You do not even need to know how to write, you just assume how to spell.
How did I get here? I started thinking about Assange and his problem with a change of government in Ecuador and kept on going climbing branches in a tree that extends to the history of humanity. Yes, Assange is in trouble. But he is an intelligent man, at some point he might have thought in the possibility of that outcome. Maybe Snowden was more intelligent when he went to Russia, to the other power in the game. And by passing through China.
Life is a dimension that everyday is becoming more flat, it lacks perspective because no matter what we do or how we do it we all end up in the same place where we started. Maybe that is the reason man creates gods. Not to be alone.
I reread the prior paragraph and I disagree with myself. I have never been happier and with more perspective than when every weekend I visited my beloved Andes. At 5,000 meters above the sea level, you are ALONE. Neither other vehicle nor other human being, just big cats, silence and the mountains. And the sky. I know, I should have added, not to be alone in a society that is failing.
I think most folks don’t understand that scientists have been aware of the threat of impact of human activities on the global climate for over half a century. (You’ll find references in Robert Ardrey’s [he a non-scientist, BTW] book, “The Hunting Hypothesis,” speculations on human cultural evolution, published 1976–that’s four decades ago, which I got around to reading within past two years. Also, Rachel Carson was greatly concerned with such issues, and that was 1960 or earlier.) And there have been whistleblowers punished in this area of knowledge (suppression thereof), as well. But guess what hasn’t changed since c. 1960, when voices of concern were raised? The stranglehold over government policy wielded by the energy corporations, which are of course among the very most gigantic business operations. Presidents, Senators and Members of the House of Representatives come and go, but the corporatocracy remains in control. And just to add the maximum of cruel irony, the US military that is mobilized to protect the interests of the energy industry (these are euphemistically called “our vital national interests”) is among the greatest consumers of energy/polluters of the planet of all time. This insanity cries out for real action to be taken. And where are the leaders who will do this? Madame Clinton? Fat chance! Bernie? Not really. Trump? Ha!!
“The option is simple, whatever we use as a resource we still will need to generate it, to conserve it and to distribute it”.
True – BUT the problem here is the “we” part.
Factually, there are far too many of “we” – surplus to requirements and especially so with the collapse of the “consumption-without-limit” model, following the collapse of the food chain. Soon enough on us.
The National Security State is not just reparing for societal breakdown; they are initiating it.
For one principle purpose and one principle purpose alone.