“84 million bucks? Naaah…” said Barack Obama

Barack Obama has decided to refuse 84 million dollars funds that the US Government would have granted to his campaign: this happens for the first time since 1976, when public funding for the US presidential campaigns were brought into use.
“Yes HE can”, because Obama’s campaign relies on a strong social network – let’s say, a sort of Myspace or Facebook – that collects funds from private citizens and supportive groups: it seems Barack Obama is supported by 8000 local self-financed organized groups and by more than 750000 small financers (5 to 20 bucks each). Ehm… and also a few of the old Wall Street fellas who can definitely afford more than 20 bucks.

By the way, Obama’s network raised more than 300 million dollars: not bad, ain’t it?

The question is: will he be conditioned by his financers/network’s interest? Or he’d only have been “hands free” if he had accepted the public funds? Please, Senator Obama, will you struggle to stay independent? You’re Ignoreland’s fave candidate, don’t let us down…

International Trade Union Confederation

Visit the International Trade Union Confederation’s website

www.ituc-csi.org
 

European Union vanishes as the crow flies…

Ireland said “no way!” to the EU: for God’s sake, what happened?

Been longtime one of the poorest nations in Europe, today the “Celtic Tiger” is among the healthiest members in the EU club but give shoulders to the Lisbon treaty. 

Two aspects are quite sad, I’d say:
first, it seems the Irish believe that the astonishing economical results were obtained without any help/influence from being part of the EU;
second, Ireland acts exactly as “for centuries loved-hated buddy-enemy” Great Britain, looking for a golden isolation that sounds like a tin whistle out of tune.

The EU is sitting on itself, facing a vital decision: it’s time to go on anyway, and build a modern Pangea able to sit at the same table with such big blokes as Cindia, US, Russia? Or it’s time to start over again, trying to make every member “happy” by lowering the requirements and commitments necessary to enter the game?

Time will tell.