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I don't think we care whether someone calls themselves an atheist or an agnostic as long as they don't think that there is some supernatural entity that interferes in human affairs, do we?  That's why it's best to say what we are for, e.g that we are materialists, realists or whatever who accept that the only world is the world we can experience.

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At the moment this is just a general proposal for the people of Switzerland to vote on in a referendum. Because they've got the 100,000 signatures there will be a vote but I think the Swiss Parliament fixes what the exact wording will be. I doubt if it will be as precise or as far-reaching as the proposers want. But, as Bill has pointed out, even if it gets the required majority it wouldn't work as intended but would be a subsidy to employers paid out of general taxation. In fact it would be a confirmation of the limits of democratic decision-making under capitalism where the people may propose but it's capitalism that disposes.Interesting thought: in Switzerland, when the number of socialists reaches 100,000 we'll be able to force a referendum on socialism. That would be good publicity for the idea, getting everybody to discuss it (which may be the real intention behind those who forced a referendum on a guaranteed basic income).

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I wonder what this suppressed report says:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2573535/Effect-immigration-unemployment-smaller-previously-claimed-Theresa-May.htmlIt might puncture the claims not only of UKIP but also of Bob Crow's No2EU and the Scargill Labour Party. It is certainly true that immigration does not cause unemployment. Capitalism does.

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Interesting article in today's Daily Telegraph as to why the West won't go to war or do much else over  this:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/jeremy-warner/10674022/Vladimir-Putin-will-get-away-with-it-again-sanctions-would-harm-us-more-than-them.htmlAfter all, what do they care if the Crimea reverts to Russia as long as they can get the rest of the Ukraine to move into their sphere of interest?Mind you, as another article in the same issue explains, the price of bread could go up:

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Fears over Russian and Ukraine grain supplies sent prices for wheat surging on international markets. Most of Ukraine's wheat and corn is shipped from Odessa on the Black Sea, or Sevastapol in Crimea. Disruption due to the current stand–off would put pressure on supplies from the US, Canada and Australia to make up for any shortfall.Wheat futures for July quoted by the Chicago Board of Trade gained 28 cents to $6.30 yesterday and are up 5pc since 2013.Agricultural production is of vital importance to Ukraine, accounting for 24pc of the country's total exports and bringing in more than 5pc of gross domestic product annually."Concerns of a disruption to planting which begins this month could begin to escalate if the current clampdown on the Crimean peninsula extends northwards," said Deutsche Bank in a research note yesterday. "For the time being, attention is on the possible disruption of grain exports from Ukraine's Black Sea ports."

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Another item, from yesterday's Times, to put in the folder:http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article4021157.eceSee also:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/10332505/Viscount-Cowdrays-home-under-threat-from-fracking.htmlLord Nimby paying Greenpeace to oppose fracking.

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Translation by Stefan of an anti-war declaration published on a Russian anarchist site here and signed by others.

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War on War! Declaration of Internationalists in Connection with the Threat of War in UkraineWar on war! Not a single drop of blood for ‘the nation’!The struggle for power among the oligarchic clans of Ukraine threatens to escalate into an international military conflict. Russian capitalism intends to take advantage of the redivision of Ukrainian state power in order to achieve its long-established imperial and expansionist ambitions in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, where it has solid economic, financial, and political interests.On the threshold of the next phase of the economic crisis in Russia, the ruling regime is inciting Russian nationalism in an attempt to divert the attention of working people away from growing socioeconomic problems, their miserable wages and pensions, and the dismantling of affordable healthcare, education, and other social services. Amid the din of nationalist and bellicose rhetoric it is easier to complete the formation of a corporate authoritarian state based on reactionary values and repressive policies.In Ukraine an extremely acute economic and political crisis led to an intensification of the struggle between ‘old’ and ‘new’ oligarchic clans. The ‘old’ clans used various forces, including paramilitary ultra-rightist and ultra-nationalist formations, to carry out a coup d’état in Kiev. The political elite of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine do not intend to share their power and property with the latest rulers in Kiev and are seeking assistance from the Russian state. Both sides are resorting to unrestrained nationalist hysteria—Ukrainian and Russian, respectively. Armed clashes are taking place. Blood is being shed. The Western powers have their own interests and ambitions; their intervention in the conflict may lead to World War Three.As usual, the warring cliques of our masters force us—ordinary people, whether wage workers, unemployed, students or pensioners—to fight for their interests. Intoxicating us with the narcotic drug of nationalism, they set us against one another and make us forget our real needs and interests. Their ‘nations’ are no business of ours. We have much more vital and pressing problems to deal with—how to make ends meet under the system that they have established in order to enslave and exploit us.Don’t get carried away by the nationalist hysteria! To hell with their states and ‘nations’ with their flags and anthems! This is not our war, and we should not take part in it and pay with our blood for their palaces, bank accounts and state offices. And if our masters in Moscow, Kiev, Lvov, Kharkov, Donetsk and Simferopol start it, our duty is to resist by all available means!Down with war between peoples! Down with peace between classes!Signed by:Russian Section of the International Workers’ AssociationInternationalists of Ukraine, Russia, Moldova, Israel, Lithuania, Romania and PolandFederation of Anarchists of MoldovaFraction of Revolutionary Socialism (Ukraine)The declaration is open to new signatories.

 

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A final decision has also been taken to contest the Wales Region where we will be presenting a full list of 4 candidates (all from Wales), the main aim being to get a Party Election Broadcast on television there. The campaign there is being run by our Swansea Branch.

Looks as if we'll be up against the Scargill Labour Party, at least in Wales:http://www.socialist-labour-party.org.uk/eurocampaign.htmlI don't think there's much danger of confusion as, while we will be emphasising the world-wide nature of socialism, they have jumped on the anti-immigration bandwagon:

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we have seen the uncontrollable economic migration between EU member states lead to a stagnation of the minimum wage here.

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The list of 10 candidates has now been adopted (all bar one living in the Region). So as to make our position clear in what threatens  to be an xenophobic campaign, as well as our full name the description "WORLD SOCIALIST MOVEMENT" will appear on the ballot paper.We have also decided to have more than twice as many election leaflets distributed free by Royal Mail than originally envisaged. So in addition to Southampton, Brighton, Reading, Oxford, Canterbury and Maidstone, we are looking at covering other towns such as Portsmouth, Dover, Hastings, Crawley, Slough and Milton Keynes.Other areas such as Basingstoke, Guildford and parts of Surrey and Sussex will be covered by door-to-door distribution by members and sympathisers. In fact any member or sympathiser living in the area outside the towns we intend to cover by the free postal distribution is welcome to ask for leaflets to hand out where they live.There are 4 million royal mail "delivery points" in the area. We plan to cover over 700,000 or about 18 percent.The South East Region is the biggest in the country and is in fact bigger than many EU member states (for example Ireland, let alone the Baltic States, Cyprus, Malta, etc).A final decision has also been taken to contest the Wales Region where we will be presenting a full list of 4 candidates (all from Wales), the main aim being to get a Party Election Broadcast on television there. The campaign there is being run by our Swansea Branch.

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According to this report, Kolomoisky mentioned as an "Orange" oligarch in the article in this month's Socialist Standard has just been appointed a Governor of one of Ukraine's regions. Other oligarchs have been appointed to other government posts:http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/world/europe/ukraine-turns-to-its-oligarchs-for-political-help.html?_r=0Looks more like oligarchy than "democracy" but then that's what it's like in the West too except that the oligarchs here call themselves business leaders and don't feel the need to get involved in running the government themselves. They prefer to leave this to middle management as represented by elected professional politicians, who they can rely on to look after their interests without even having to pay them.

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I think that since then they've decided to bring forward the referendum to 30 March:http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-crimea-referendum-date-20140301,0,2305350.story#axzz2ustVGtSE

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Brian wrote:

We get a mention in SPEW's review of his book:  http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/17458

This was already picked up at the time:http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/forum/general-discussion/millie-and-underconsumptionismThe Kliman interview was due to appear in this month's Socialist Standard but was held over by articles on current events (anniversary of Miners Strike, Ukraine, Davos). It's due to appear now in the April issue.

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See here.

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Interesting article here from Der Spiegel explaining how the two oligarchs mentioned in the article in this month's Socialist Standard as supporting the "blues" dropped President Yanukovych and got their paid MPs to vote for the new regime:http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/how-oligarchs-in-ukraine-prepared-for-the-fall-of-yanukovych-a-955328.html

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Latest news:http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/forum/events-and-announcements/left-unityorg-peoples-assembly?page=29#comment-11958The variants on their name that they have registered and can use on the ballot paper are:

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50% Mansion Tax Abolish the monarchy Abolish all public schools Double dole, double pension, double benefits Affordable housing for all

I thought they might be able to do better than that but then, unlike the Trotskyists who also propose to big increases in pensions, etc, they are not being serious.

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