Obama in Oz

While Barack Obama visits Australia, this is what the NYPD does to peaceful demonstrators carrying court orders affirming their right to go to Liberty Square.

There is a cop filming the incident. My question is: will the footage be used to investigate what looks like an assault against civilians, or to persecute the demonstrators?

Democracy? My ass.

Unilateral Trade, Tax and Circus

"Fortescue, Labor Trade Blows on Mining Tax" is how the ABC's The World Today entitled its report on the hearing into the mining tax in Canberra, today. (See here)

As far as trades go, I'd say the "terms of trade" were quite "favourable" to the Labor MP: he gave little and received a lot. Something like a "unilateral trade": it reminded me of an inverse "shitty deal" US Senate hearing. (See here)

A little background information for overseas readers: after deposing former Labor PM Kevin Rudd last year due to the big mining corporations' opposition to the Resources Super Profit Tax (RSPT, for short), the Federal Government (headed by Labor PM Julia Gillard) is now trying to resurrect the RSPT (rebranded Mining Resource Rent Tax), with the same opposition from the miners and their conservative political minders in the Australian Liberal Party. (Don't ask: this is the antipodes and things here are upside down).

Anyway, beyond the niceties (or lack thereof) in the exchange, the most interesting part of the "dialogue" between Julian Tapp (believe it or not, head of Government Relations, Fortescue Metal Group Ltd) and Labor MP Andrew Leigh is this:

"JULIAN TAPP: We're also paying circa $450 to $500 million a year on current production levels in WA state royalties. So I do not agree that Fortescue does not contribute its fair share.
"ANDREW LEIGH: But in terms of corporate tax paid it wouldn't be correct to describe Mr Forrest as a tax payer, would it?
"JULIAN TAPP: Mr Forrest isn't a company. Fortescue Metals Group is the company.
"ANDREW LEIGH: But as things currently stand, it wouldn't be correct to describe it...
"JULIAN TAPP: We have not cut a corporate tax cheque today, no." (Emphasis added)

In case the readers missed the detail, Stephen Dziedzic, ABC reporter, made it clear:

"Dr Leigh also pushed Fortescue to say how much tax it's paying at the moment. The company admits it has not yet paid company tax but says it will pay up to $800 million this financial year". (Emphasis added).

Or, according to Senator Chris Evans (Government Senate leader):

" 'They [Fortescue Metal Group, that is] have never paid a dollar in company tax to date and they want to resist having to pay the Mining Resource Rent Tax,' Senator Evans said." (Emphasis added. See here)

But if the situation were not absurd enough, the timing of its release is insuperable. Just today, former Liberal Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, published an op-ed in the SMH, stating:

"Australia has a decisive advantage in mining. It is carrying the Australian economy, but the old taxes such as company tax and royalties are not enough. The government thinks we need new taxes as well." (See here)

So, there you have it: Peter Costello warning about taxes strangling mining corporations... that don't pay corporate taxes.

To close in an appropriate note:

Note: this march is named "Entrance of the Gladiators" and was composed by Julius Fucík (between the C and the K there is an I!!!).

The Eurozone Crisis in 22 Words

Paul Mason summarises the facts about the current state of the Eurozone crisis in 22 words and a chart:

The Eurozone Crisis: Who Can do What

A few days ago a picture of German chancellor, Frau Merkel, seemed to summarise the global economic outlook in one image:

Merkel Calls for European Unity at End of Tumultuous Week

I have only one thing to add: capitalism sucks.

Berlin, March 15, 1939.

Hácha (second from the left), Hitler, Goering and other officials [1]

Less than 6 months after the Munich Agreement was signed (30-09-1938), what remained of the former Czechoslovakia was in crisis, again.

Abandoned by their French and British allies, the Czech government was forced to give the Sudetenland to Nazi Germany, plus other territories ceded to Poland and Hungary; while Slovak nationalists, instigated by the Nazis, were pressing for the independence of Slovakia.

Emil Hácha [2]

Edvard Beneš, who presided over the Czech government during this earlier crisis, self exiled to London out of fears for his life, leaving the 66-year-old conservative Emil Hácha as president of Czechoslovakia (appointed in November 30, 1938).

In reply to his own request for a face-to-face meeting, president Hácha was summoned to Berlin by the German chancellor, Adolf Hitler.

Hácha and his Foreign Affairs Minister (one M. Chvalkovsky, according to reports by the French Embassy), arrived in Berlin on March 14, 1939.

Summoned to the Chancellery in that evening, the two Czech ministers were kept waiting until 01:15/01:30 am, when they were taken to the Fuehrer's study.

After hearing Hácha's pleads on his shrinking country's behalf, it is said Hitler went into a rage, finally giving Hácha a document prepared earlier, by means of which the Czech government requested Nazi protection.

If Hácha signed the document, the "entry of German troops would take place in a tolerable manner" and it would "permit Czechoslovakia a generous life of her own, autonomy and a degree of national freedom...", otherwise "...resistance would be broken by force of arms, using all means", starting with a massive aerial bombardment of Prague next morning. (See here)

As Hácha and Chvalkovsky were still reluctant to sign, Hitler left his visitors in the company of Hermann Goering (head of the Luftwaffe) and Joachim von Ribbentrop (Foreign Affairs minister).

Under relentless pressure, Hácha, who had a weak heart, collapsed to the floor, apparently due to a heart attack. Hitler's personal physician, Dr. Theodor Morell, who was standing by for any eventuality, rushed in and assisted Hácha.

At 3:55 am, Wednesday the 15th, a badly shaken Hácha signed the document.

Czechoslovakia ceased to exist as an independent nation until the end of WW2.

DISCLAIMER:

Any similarity between this historical incident and the sudden change of mind of Greek prime minister George Papandreou on the matter of the referendum, after meeting last Tuesday 2nd with French president Nicolas Sarkosy and German chancellor Angela Merkel in Cannes, is surely mere coincidence (right?):

"Merkel, Sarkozy Read Riot Act to Greece". ABC. November 3, 2011.
"Greek PM Papandreou 'Ready to Drop' Bailout Referendum". BBC. November 3, 2011.

Photo Credits:
[1] Hitler and Hácha at the Chancellery. Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F051623-0206 / CC-BY-SA. Wikipedia
[2] Emil Hácha. Wikipedia.

Further Information:
Nazis Take Czechoslovakia. The History Place.
The French Yellow Book. No. 77. The Avalon Project. Yale Law School.

UPDATE:

05-11-2011: Paul Mason asks Nicolas Sarkozy: "It's evident that you and Mme Merkel (...) are trying to change the governments of Italy and Greece. How is that just? And once it's started, where does it stop?"