I say we crack down on the hippies, bleh!

I think alot of them showed up just for the free showers.

Apparently, the big theme for the meetings is Debt Reduction. Whaddya think?

What do you think the G8/G20 leaders should be focusing on? How would you go about solving the world's problems?

I think the Debt Reduction part of it is crazy stupid. I'm glad the US delegation is arguing for more fiscal stimulus, though I'm sad to say we seem to be the only ones.

What should they be focusing on? Fiscal stimulus, environmental regulation, and making the Chinese stop manipulating their currency.

Human rights would be nice too, but they're an economic group, they don't do the human rights thing. That's the UN's impotent jurisdiction.

How do you see the protests that have been taking place? Is violence ever justified? Pics.

Do the minority of the protesters who vandalize and attack security folks have just cause? Are they ruining it for the peaceful demonstrators? Do they only serve to tarnish the many causes of other protesters and groups?

I think the protests are totally ineffective. The G20 members don't give a shit, and regular joes don't ever hear what they have to say. Hell, even political junkies like me would be hard pressed to say who's doing the protesting, beyond the anarchists who seem to only exist to protest G8/G20 meetings.

There's no point in violence committed against security forces at the G20. People who do it tarnish the reputation of the protesters, and give any jackbooted statists (real or imagined) good propaganda to use to dismiss the protests.

I think the debt reduction is valid for some members. Canada didn't get hit nearly as hard as Americans or Icelanders did, so from our PM's perspective, debt reduction makes sense (I have political disagreements with the guy, but Canadians are generally proud of our Governments' fiscal responsibility - fake lake notwithstanding).

However, you guys could definitely use some more stimulus (and not to the banks). I hear Krugman warning against a relapse into recession and maybe even depression, and that is the last thing America needs right now (imagine what the Republicans would do with that?)

Environmental regulation would be nice - but Harper is a Calgary Tory, which means he eats crude oil for breakfast. Remember, he was the one who called Kyoto a Socialist Scheme to re-distribute wealth. I was frankly surprised Obama didn't go after him a little bit on that, but I have been hearing that the Americans are reluctant to criticize Canada too much on the oil sands fearing we may just say 'fuck it' and export to China instead. Even the European countries didn't really mention it too much - I figured Germany or France would at least bring it up.

Some would say that violent protest is the only way to make them notice - that they don't listen the other 900 days between G8/G20 meetings, and this is an opportunity to get their attention. After Montebello, I think it's safe to assume the cops wanted to bump some heads, and as agents of state authority who are funded by my tax dollars, it's our duty to oblige.

It does water down the message a bit - it is hard to discern their purpose or motivations sometimes. I think the purpose it does serve is reminding people that they are not alone in their disgust with 'The Man'. It's like what they say about France being the last place where Governments are still afraid of the people. >> ^NetRunner:

Apparently, the big theme for the meetings is Debt Reduction. Whaddya think?
What do you think the G8/G20 leaders should be focusing on? How would you go about solving the world's problems?
I think the Debt Reduction part of it is crazy stupid. I'm glad the US delegation is arguing for more fiscal stimulus, though I'm sad to say we seem to be the only ones.
What should they be focusing on? Fiscal stimulus, environmental regulation, and making the Chinese stop manipulating their currency.
Human rights would be nice too, but they're an economic group, they don't do the human rights thing. That's the UN's impotent jurisdiction.
How do you see the protests that have been taking place? Is violence ever justified? Pics.
Do the minority of the protesters who vandalize and attack security folks have just cause? Are they ruining it for the peaceful demonstrators? Do they only serve to tarnish the many causes of other protesters and groups?
I think the protests are totally ineffective. The G20 members don't give a shit, and regular joes don't ever hear what they have to say. Hell, even political junkies like me would be hard pressed to say who's doing the protesting, beyond the anarchists who seem to only exist to protest G8/G20 meetings.
There's no point in violence committed against security forces at the G20. People who do it tarnish the reputation of the protesters, and give any jackbooted statists (real or imagined) good propaganda to use to dismiss the protests.

>> ^Throbbin:

I hear Krugman warning against a relapse into recession and maybe even depression, and that is the last thing America needs right now (imagine what the Republicans would do with that?)

I think the real problem with the austerity decision is that the EU really needs to either put up or shut up about its existence. Either it needs to let member nations ditch the euro, or it needs to have the low-debt nations bail out the high-debt nations.

Keeping people on the euro, tightening monetary policy on the euro, and demanding austerity everywhere is going to give them a Great Depression that will make our economic troubles look like a walk in the park.

As for us, we seem to be good (but not great) shape on monetary policy, and have the right idea on fiscal policy, but we're being stymied on fiscal policy by domestic extremists. <godwin>You know, the Nazis used the Great Depression to come to power, apparently the Republicans want to create one so they can come to power!</godwin>

This old guy has an opinion on the riots...
http://videosift.com/video/Greatest-City-On-Earth

g8/g20 summits are fucking sham/show. the real decisions have already been made else were. waste of money as far as i'm concerned and an ironic one at that seeing as how the stated purpose of this summit was deficit reduction.

i'm all for black blocs and the destruction of property, but there are standards. you don't cause physical harm to anyone, and you don't destroy personal property (there's a difference between private property and personal property... like, it's great to throw bricks at banks but you don't spray paint an innocent civilians house).

i am totally unconcerned with the "destructive minority" "ruining it" for "peaceful protesters". you're "right" to protest is bullshit, "you can say whatever you like as long as you don't disrupt business as usual", if you don't disrupt business as usual then what is the point??? there is a time for direct action and i'm pretty sure now is as urgent a time as any.

as far as agent provocateur's are concerned, SOAR and infoshop are saying no evidence of agent provocateur's this time around as far as they see.
here is the statement from SOAR.
there's more articles about it from the anarchists but i'm too lazy and hurty right now, you can find some on infoshop.org if you care to search.

oh i'd like to see the g8/g20 focus on fucking itself.

i'd go about solving the worlds problems by eliminating the "state" and posing an alternative to rampant capitalism and rejecting authoritarianism and oppression in all forms.

also why is it these meetings, and WTO summits are always happening in places where anarchists are known to run rampant and there is lots of shit to destroy? they might as well have it in eugene next. or greece. shit.

like, if they had it in like kansas or something the "security risk" would be reduced by half.

oh and i linked the wrong article, here is one from the toronto media coop debunking the agent provocateur theroy
http://toronto.mediacoop.ca/blog/oshipeya/3966

though i admit, i'm slightly unconvinced actually. but i wasn't there.

All I know is British Columbia picked Canada Day to institute the Bix New Added Tax "HST"

That's 12% added tax to every Goods and Service in BC
So much for our economy!

"Consumers will now have to pay 12% HST on all goods and services on which they previously paid 5% GST"
Thank You Mr. Campbell - You Bastard!

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/raises+prices+Ontario/3224864/story.html