G20: Is this what "democracy" looks like?

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P.S. Pass this onto a friend! -a

Many are calling for a financial transaction tax that would slow down hot money and raise new money for social programs and climate change. Others are calling for steep taxes on polluters that would underwrite the cost of dealing with the effects of climate change and moving away from fossil fuels. And ending losing wars is always a good cost-saver. - Naomi Klein

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Sticking the public with the bill for the bankers’ crisis
How else can we interpret the G20 communiqué that includes not even a measly tax on financial transactions?

by
Naomi Klein

My city feels like a crime scene and the criminals are all melting into the night, fleeing the scene. No, I’m not talking about the kids in black who smashed windows and burned cop cars on Saturday.

I’m talking about the heads of state who, on Sunday night, smashed social safety nets and burned good jobs in the middle of a recession. Faced with the effects of a crisis created by the world’s wealthiest and most privileged strata, they decided to stick the poorest and most vulnerable people in their countries with the bill.

How else can we interpret the G20’s final communiqué, which includes not even a measly tax on banks or financial transactions, yet instructs governments to slash their deficits in half by 2013. This is a huge and shocking cut, and we should be very clear who will pay the price: students who will see their public educations further deteriorate as their fees go up; pensioners who will lose hard-earned benefits; public-sector workers whose jobs will be eliminated. And the list goes on. These types of cuts have already begun in many G20 countries including Canada, and they are about to get a lot worse.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/g8-g20/opinion/sticking-the-pu...

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Not-to-miss speakers – Wow!

On June 25, an incredible line-up of speakers assembled at Massey Hall, Toronto, all critiquing the G8/20. Vandana Shiva spoke about the nuclear deal with India.

Naomi Klein, Vandana Shiva, John Hilary, Pablo Solon, Maude Barlow, Clayton-Thomas Muller, Amy Goodman…

Rabble.tv posted them all – catch them here:
http://www.livestream.com/rabbletv/video?clipId=flv_b3f2fd15-3e4e-463d-b...

Also, catch Naomi Klein in a 15 min. video interview with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now: http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/28/naomi_klein_the_real_crime_scene

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Billion $$ Bullies
In case you were wondering why the cops allowed cars to be burned and windows broken:
"Prime Minister Stephen Harper deplored the actions of a "few thugs" and suggested the violence justified the controversial cost. "I think it goes a long way to explaining why we have the kind of security costs around these summits that we do," he said."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/27/g-20-protests-police-arrests_n_...

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EXPOSED! - G20 Police in Black Bloc Anarchist Gear @ 0:45 - Toronto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeG_t9abaSU

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Conditions at G20 Dentention Centre are illegal, immoral and dangerous
Detainees forced in cages with little food and water for up to 35 hours

http://www.thelinknewspaper.ca/articles/2698

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G20 Torontanimo

So this is what fascism looks like.

Check out these pics of Queen and Spadina on Sun. afternoon:
- http://twitpic.com/20kbgx
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonasnaimark/4739841273/

And check out these short vids:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Heb9BXjYcII
- http://www.thestar.com/videozone/829371--police-fire-muzzle-blast-at-pro...
- http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I...
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mL46t8H4oU
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http://democracynow.org/shows/2010/6/25

And these excellent articles:
- http://toronto.mediacoop.ca/story/erosion-rights-quick-descent/3886
- http://www.nowtoronto.com/guides/g20/2010/story.cfm?content=175686

For all your G8/20 indy media news/tweets/vids, go to the TO. Media Coop: http://2010.mediacoop.ca/
And the Toronto Community Mobilization Network: http://g20.torontomobilize.org/
And Rabble: http://rabble.ca/

Toronto citizens are demanding a full public inquiry and Bill Blair's resignation.

May you all be safe and free. And may the G8/20 go down in flames!