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The July 2012 Report by an independent parliamentary panel on the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster and prime minister Naoto Kan's testimony
05/28/2012
The report calls the disaster "a profoundly man-made event," and "a disaster 'Made in Japan,' " citing cultural factors that contributed to the accident. It is sharply critical of TEPCO and the Japanese government's response. Both the report and the testimony of the prime minister at the time of the accident, Naoto Kan, refer to the 'nuclear bloc' or 'nuclear village' in Japan that promotes nuclear energy. Some of its actions are dangerous to safety, such as locating the nuclear safety agency NISA inside the same ministry that promotes nuclear power, a critical flaw. Ironically Germany made the decision to make a gradual shift out of nuclear power after looking at the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster and near collapse in Japan, while Japan is reactivating its nuclear plants to meet energy needs without having obtained public confidence in the system of nuclear energy including the essential safety actions. The result is a profound credibility gap about the nuclear plant industry, and public opposition in Japan.
Linked Articles
Report blasts Japan’s preparation for, response to Fukushima disaster - The Washington Post
Washington Post 07/06/2012
Japan's Ex-Premier, Naoto Kan, Condemns Nuclear PowerNew York Times 05/28/2012
Obama and election advisor Plouffe- responsible governance, Simpson-Bowles and an election imprint on "everything"
05/26/2012
A White House aide says election advisor David Plouffe's influence affected "everything" in the Obama White House. Tom Friedman points to the influence of campaign consultants on the White House as overreaching and pervasive, going so far a to describe the campaign being developed in test tube fashion. Karl Rove pointed to president Obama keeping an eye on reelection 18 months before Nov. 6, 2012, as not a positive development. Friedman specifically mentions president Obama's failure to endorse the Simpson-Bowles commssion on deficit reductions as part of the imprint of election advisors because reducing tax expenditures or deductions might prove politically unpopular. Yet this was part of responsible governance to take on unpopular positions- something other presidents, including Democratic president Truman, did not fail to do choosing instead to educate pubic opiion on difficult steps needing to be taken. Truman took the decisions head on such as confronting the soviets in Greece and other parts of Europe and in Korea after the fall of the Iron Curtain, so soon after a major war when the public was weary of conflict.
Linked Articles
Obama Adviser's Strategy Is High Risk, High Reward
Wall Street Journal 10/31/2012
President Obama Should Seize the High GroundNew York Times 05/26/2012
The $436 million payment by Greece to holdout bondholder Dart Management and the $1.5 billion demanded by holdout bondholder Elliott Management leading to Argentine default in 2014
05/15/2012
Greece made the payment to Dart Management at a time of 20% unemployment and daily protests on Athens streets, a month before elections in June 2012. Greece only did this as a last resort for release of EU funds that were being held up to make pament of interest on debt. This exacerabated discontent inside Greece as pensions were being cut and layoffs taking place, including increase in electricity bills. The Syriza party made gains in that election and the two main parties lost ground to other parties, including a violent anti-immigrant party. Argentina's Christina Kirchner faces a difficult time with the unions and centrist parties in Buenos Aires province, with a shortage of cash and sovereign wealth fund down to $29 billion in May 2014. Stevenson points out the payment to Elliott Management could lead to a situation where Argentina owed $15-$27 billion to all holdout and exchange investors in its bonds.
Linked Articles
Argentina Finds Relentless Foe in Paul Singer's Hedge Fund
New York Times 07/30/2014
Bet on Greek Bonds Paid Off for a Vulture FundNew York Times 05/15/2012
Spain's effort to fix regional finances, austerity measures and risks of high unemployment
04/27/2012
Efforts to fix regional finances with spending cuts have pushed unemployment to about 27% in one of Spain's largest regions, Castilla-La Mancha. As banks consolidate and reduce lending this depresses small and medium sized businesses, the public sector layoff increase unemployment, part time unemployment and the growing underground economy depress tax revenues, creating risks of a downward spiral.
Linked Articles
A Spanish Leader Emerges as a Crusader for Austerity
Wall Street Journal 06/25/2012
Spain, Pursuing Austerity, Still Waits for the PayoffNew York Times 04/27/2012
Sberbank and Poland's banking sector
04/13/2012
Linked Articles
Sberbank Looks to Buy Banks in Eastern Europe
New York Times 04/13/2012
Poland Trying to Build Banks' DefensesNew York Times 04/13/2012
Parts of the healthcare law popular with insurers and the public that are likely to be retained if the Supreme Court overturns it
03/23/2012
Linked Articles
Largest health insurer to keep key parts of law regardless of court ruling - The Washington Post
Washington Post 06/11/2012
- The Washington PostWashington Post 03/23/2012
The likelihood of greater public contribution towards Greece's debt and changes to the IMF program after May 2012 elections in Greece and France
02/13/2012
France's Socialist presidential candidate Hollande considers the EU-IMF programs a failure of governance in Europe. He predicts larger public contributions to Greece's debt after the elections in Greece and France.
Linked Articles
Watch Athens, Not Paris, This Weekend
Wall Street Journal 05/04/2012
French Candidate Hollande Assails European Policy on GreeceNew York Times 02/13/2012
"Hiroshima" 1945 and the Siege of Leningrad 1941-1942 - What a post war Russian, American and Japanese generation could understand and what is lacking in the Middle East
01/27/2012
Noonan asks the question about what a post war generation of Americans, Russians and Japanese could understand about the horrors of nuclear war and of the Second World War, and how this is lacking in the Middle East as each nation strives for nuclear weapons from Iran to Saudi Arabia. Separately in another link Kaname Harada asks a different question- has a new generation in Japan born after 1945, both leaders and the public, forgotten about that period including "Hiroshima."
Linked Articles
Vladimir Putin Describes Loss of a Brother at Ceremony
New York Times 01/27/2012
Misplaying America’s Hand With IranWall Street Journal 04/04/2015
Delving into the causes of higher income inequality and finding solutions
12/06/2011
As the OECD report shows income inequality is a global trend over the last three decades. This is further exacerabated by austerity policies. Causes of this range from education to favored treatment of economic sectors with greater influence on government.
Linked Articles
Angry about inequality? Don’t blame the rich. - The Washington Post
Washington Post 01/28/2012
OECD report cites rising income inequality - The Washington PostWashington Post 12/06/2011
Slowing growth, high inflation and lack of foreign investment limit India's growth potential in 2012-2013
11/25/2011
A combination of higher inflation, muddled political leadership that is limiting foreign investment in retail and other sectors, and high energy costs is limiting economic growth in India to annual GDP growth of 7% in 2012-2013
Linked Articles
Stress on Economy Prompts India to Revive Controversial Plans
Wall Street Journal 12/01/2011
With Economy Slowing, the Indian Rupee TumblesNew York Times 11/25/2011
Efforts by Poland to maintain control of its banking sector as Western European banks withdraw from Eastern Europe
11/14/2011
Linked Articles
Poland Trying to Build Banks' Defenses
New York Times 04/13/2012
Polish Bank Chief Builds DefensesWall Street Journal 11/14/2011
Mexico's war on drug gangs, rising crime and problems of public safety for middle class families- the situation in Cuernavaca, Mexico
10/15/2011
Linked Articles
For Mexico’s middle class, drug war deepens trust deficit - The Washington Post
Washington Post 06/02/2012
Calderon Defends Militarized Response to Mexico's Drug WarNew York Times 10/15/2011
Mexico's failures in introducing competition in the economy and addressing problems in education that restrict its growth potential 2011-2015
08/27/2011
The need for competition and other private sector involvement in sectors such as oil, telecom, airlines and other sectors, and the reform of labor laws that reduce GDP growth by an estimated 2.5%. The Mexican educational system suffers from a lack of trained teachers and change is blocked by a powerful union leading to poorly educated workers from the public educational system.
Linked Articles
Mexico’s economy: Making the desert bloom
Economist 08/27/2011
Mexico’s failing schools spell defeat for ruling party - The Washington PostWashington Post 06/09/2012
The Reagan memo with advice by George Shultz and other advisors and the Romney plan for economic recovery in 2012
05/26/2012
Similiarities in the approach of relying on the private sector for investment and job creation, with the Presidents job being to set the tone and put the right policies in place for the long term.
Linked Articles
Gramm and Hubbard: What a Romney Recovery Might Look Like
Wall Street Journal 06/06/2012
The Reagan MemoWall Street Journal 05/26/2012
Hollande, Ayrault, and "the strong signal to Germany"
05/15/2012
French president Hollande's appointment of Ayrault, a professor of German studies as premier, is seen as "a strong signal to Germany." So is the appointment of a former minister of European Affairs, Muscovici, as finance minster. This sets the tone and groundwork for a closer fiscal and political union in Europe, to provide the foundation for the euro as a common currency in the eurozone. Germany and France now have two leaders whose mentors were strong proponents of European Union, former German chancellor Kohl and former European Commission president Jacques Delours.
Linked Articles
Logic Pushing Europe Toward Greater Integration
New York Times 06/07/2012
Ayrault Named French PremierWall Street Journal 05/15/2012
A consensus in Germany and France for improving France's competitiveness
05/01/2012
A consensus between Germany and France for slightly higher inflation in Germany, increase in German worker's wages, and wage restraint by unions in France in return for avoiding layoffs. This is a way to restore competitiveness of France after the balance was upset when German workers exercized wage restraint during the last decade, leading to France becoming less competitive with higher wages relative to Germany. Hourly wages in France estimated at 34 euros are 14% higher than in Germany.
Linked Articles
Europe Moving Toward Small Steps to Promote Growth
New York Times 05/10/2012
France Moves to Make Labor More FlexibleWall Street Journal 05/01/2012
The growth compact for Europe: union-government cooperation to build competitiveness in France
04/17/2012
Unions and major parties in France are in agreement on wage restraint and accepting lower wages to preserve jobs, similiar to the effort in Germany during its period of high unemployment.
Linked Articles
France Moves to Make Labor More Flexible
Wall Street Journal 05/01/2012
French Presidential Election Stokes Investor ConcernNew York Times 04/17/2012
Public opinion polls in June 2012 on the Obama U.S. health care law and the expected ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court
03/29/2012
Linked Articles
44 Percent of Americans Approve of Supreme Court in New Poll
New York Times 06/07/2012
Justices Question Extent of Federal PowerWall Street Journal 03/29/2012
President Obama's position on Iran and Israeli public opinion in 2012
03/05/2012
Linked Articles
Obama Challenges Republicans on Iran
New York Times 03/06/2012
Israelis Embrace Washington's View Regarding Unilateral Military StrikeWall Street Journal 03/05/2012
Mario Monti and the future of the European Union
02/10/2012
Monti on more democracy in the European Union with more power for the European Parliament, and the enduring quality of the EU becaus it is in the interests of Germany.
Linked Articles
Italyâs Leader Is Optimistic About Greece and Euro
New York Times 02/10/2012
Italy's Leader Warns EU Needs Better DemocracyWall Street Journal 02/16/2012
Britain, the eurozone crisis and a mood shifting towards Britain's exit from the European Union
12/07/2011
A British mood moving away from the positive engagement its economy needs with its largest trading partner, the other nations of the European Union. A Opinion/Observer poll in Nov. 2012 shows a majority of people in Britain would vote yes on a referendum to leave the European Union.
Linked Articles
New York Times 11/22/2012
Britain Suffers as a Bystander to Europe's CrisisNew York Times 12/07/2011
Tax evasion in Italy and Greece and Germany's insistence on good governance and financial practices for a sound euro currency
11/25/2011
One estimate of tax evasion in Italy cited by Faiola in the Post is $340 billon a year. Greece has a similiar problem. This is one area in which the culture and practices of individual countries have to converge to acceptable norms to make a common currrency viable, something the founders of the euro currency did not take as seriously as needed and account for in a disciplined framework. The political enthusiasm for a union of European countries of EU founders led to ignoring the dangers of not having controls and convergence in place.
Linked Articles
New York Times 12/01/2011
Amid crisis, Italy confronts a culture of tax evasion - The Washington PostWashington Post 11/25/2011
The Christian Democratic Union, the 2011 CDU convention in Leipzig, and the shifting German view on strict austerity policies
11/15/2011
A faction of the CDU favors a strict interpretation of austerity policies for the eurozone. As CDU leader, Angela Merkel shifts policies to accomodate growing weariness in the rest of Europe with strict austerity policies to accomodate growth, Merkel faces dissent in the CDU. This is evident in the conflicting statements from the EU trade commissioner Mr Gucht, and its economic affairs commissioner Mr. Rehn, on Greece continuing in the eurozone, after Merkel's stated willingness to compromise at the Camp David G-8 summit.
Linked Articles
Greek Stimulus Is an Option, Merkel Says
New York Times 05/16/2012
Merkel Party Seeks Euro Exit PolicyWall Street Journal 11/15/2011
The new government of Mario Monti, former EU commissioner, in Italy
11/13/2011
A government of technocrats formed from respected figures in academia, business and the civil service in Italy. It replaces the government of Silvio Berlusconi which had lost credibility inside Italy and with leaders of the European Union.
Linked Articles
Mario Monti, Italyâs New Leader, Faces Uphill Fight
New York Times 11/13/2011
Italyâs Monti Forms New GovernmentNew York Times 11/16/2011
Reagan-Bush and Obama on immigrants- A Reality Check
09/29/2011
A Better Way. The question of who was more humane in their response is one for the public in a nation of immigrants. Bush and Reagan stood up for the state paying for illegal immigrant children getting schooling in the straightforward honest way to a difficult question in the primary debates years ago. There is no empty rhetoric when Bush says he does not want 6-8 year old children to live in fear and deprived of an education thinking they were living outside the law. And Reagan points out that rather than talk of putting up a fence lets work out our mutual problems with Mexico. The elder Bush goes further and stands up for immigrants in a way that the country has not seen for a long, long time. "They are good, strong people," he says, and "part of my family is Mexican."
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 09/29/2011
More Deportations Follow Minor Crimes, Records ShowNew York Times 04/06/2014
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