My understanding (and I’m no economist) is that (a) some of the productivity metrics are weird, because they compare with the US which counts their idiotic for-profit healthcare sector in productivity, (b) part of the low investment is caused exactly because our capital is tied in real estate, and (c ) low investment is also a result of our god-damned oligopolies in so many key sectors of the economy. High taxes is not the only tool of course. What we need is a very aggressive policy against the wealthy. That can take the form of taxes, of improving social mobility via the welfare state, and of breaking up their cartels, i.e., their stranglehold on the economy.

Let’s tax wealth to fund quality universal basic services first. Healthcare, childcare, education, transportation, social security, elder care. Social non-market housing, public utilities for electricity, water, telecommunications/Internet. None of these are increasing inflation, because they are not part of the market.

The idea of “nest egg” is only important as a privatised form of elder care. I couldn’t care less about the value of my house if I had a publicly guaranteed quality of life as a pensioner. I wouldn’t even care to own a house if I had strong renter protections in non-market housing (basically if renting was not equivalent to someone holding power over my life decisions).

And of course, of course, the capture of capital in unproductive real estate is beyond stupid. Instead of feeding a real estate bubble, it should be ingested in productive sectors of the economy, like building up renewables and the green transition.

A social democracy is just common sense.

I was being cheeky with the “complacent” bit. Of course we need class solidarity. The reason I went out the way to self identity is because I am finally one of those fucks that I’ve always been told the system works for, a respectable taxpayer. And as a respectable taxpayer I demand high taxes and a welfare state.

Complacent middle class here. I would gladly get taxed more if that meant improved health and education and welfare. Not super keen on keeping up the subsidies of oil and gas, and of spending 5% of GDP on American weapons. And yes, we need a wealth tax.

Withdraw to your 1967 borders. Then we talk.

It’s restricting access to nationality by emergency decree. Ask any European with a memory of the 20th century why that’s as classic fascist as it gets.

Whether Italy has or doesn’t have “too loose” laws, should not be something an emergency decree should decide. It’s something that should be debated democratically, with public consultation and input from all those concerned, including of course the Diaspora because, guess what, they’re citizens. Then there should be an actual vote in parliament and the senate and if it touches on constitutional rights, it should pass the threshold of constitutional reform.

That’s what democracies do. Fascists pass emergency decrees.

However, a law introduced on March 28 last year by emergency decree states that …

That’s where the discussion should have ended. Fascists love passing consequential laws by decree don’t they?

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In the meantime China invests in the electric future. Turns out stupidity is not an American monopoly.

Enjoy your quagmire.

If you knew about it already you would know that the judge is Canadian.

They don’t have a pro-russia stance.

Also, one must distinguish between soft and hard euroscepticism. Being against the fiscal-conservative monstrosity that the EU has become is not the same as being against the idea of Europe per se.

I would use the word “indignant” rather than “angry” to signal constructive anger, that is not about venting steam but about changing structures.

We need more tech unions and tech coops.

They will rehire for less. The AI hype is just a wage suppression scheme.

Are you suggesting that the official political position of the palestinian leadership is not to ethnically cleanse palestine?

YES.

The PLO/Palestinian Authority accepted the two state solution in 1988 and signed the Oslo accords in 1993. Hamas accepted the 1967 borders in its 2017 charter.

That’s the official position of both entities that can lay claim to the word “Palestinian leadership”.

So what the actual fuck are you talking about?

PS. The Knesset voted in 2024 to formally oppose any Palestinian state. So there’s your formal positions of your “both sides”. Not politics and rhetoric, OFFICIAL POSITIONS.

The Palestinian state famously in existence in the last 100+ years and famously expelling and persecuting their Jewish population.

Using light sabres and expeliarmus spells, while lead by the Dovahkiin Nazgûl, Indiana Jones and Drizzt.

When you both-sides genocide, at least get your fucking facts straight.

Meh, disappointing.

As of like a week ago, members of congress apparently have the right to conduct unannounced oversight visits to federal immigration detention facilities.

Americans: call your Democratic member of congress and demand that they visit facilities such as this every single fucking day until conditions improve.

I don’t pretend to know anything about international finance. I’m repeating what I’ve heard.