Tag Archives: Illegal Migration

Oct 31 2017

EU Support Madrid Refuses to Acknowledge Catalonia


Armstrong Economics Blog/European Union

Re-Posted Oct 31, 2017 by Martin Armstrong

 

Madrid has seized Catalonia by force and the EU, of course, backs Madrid saying they do not recognize Catalonia as a free state. This is demonstrating that human rights in Europe mean nothing when it comes to protecting the jobs of those in Brussels. This is clearly sending a statement to the rest of Europe – shut up or you are next. That statement should surprise nobody since the rising separatist movements in Europe are against the power of Brussels.

Meanwhile, Spain is proposing to change the President of Catalonia with treason. They threatened him before that he would end up like the last attempt to break away – dead. The Catalan regional president, Carles Puigdemont, who has been deposed by the central government in Madrid, has called on the population to “democratically resist” the seizure by Madrid. In a televised address on Saturday, Puigdemont said he would continue to work to build a “free country”.

Puigdemont’s speech was also published in writing. This version was signed with “Carles Puigdemont, President of the Generalitat (Government) of Catalonia”. It was the first time since his dismissal following the Catalan Declaration of Independence on Friday that the politician voiced his opinion.

Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría took control of Catalonia’s administration on the weekend. The Catalan police chief Josep Lluis Trapero was also terminated.

Oct 30 2017

Catalonia (Catalunya) – Legal or not Legal


Armstrong Economics Blog/SPAIN

Re-Posted Oct 30, 2017 by Martin Armstrong
There are many who write in from Spain supporting Madrid against Catalonia. The core of their argument is that the call this movement an independent “socialistic movement” and they argue it is not at all but democratic.
“There’s indeed a strong independence feel in Catalunya, they have been like this for centuries although they never really were able to achieve a country status. … But one cannot claim to be democratic if you plan to force a secession with an election attended by less than half the people who can vote. Most people agreed on the national court’s decision that the referendum was illegal and supported the court rule by no attending to vote, they were 58 percent of the registered voters, those who were against the decision were able to vote anyway.”

Catalonia is an autonomous region in north-east Spain with a distinct history dating back almost 1,000 years. It is a wealthy region that has its own language, parliament, flag and national anthem. It also has its own police force and controls some of its public services.

Maximum of Barcelona

Historically, during the 12th century, Catalonia was taken under the same royal rule as the neighboring kingdom of Aragon. Catalonia has been part of Spain since its genesis in the 15th century when King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile married and united their realms. Nevertheless, the history of Barcelonia extends back into ancient time. It was Maximum of Barcelona (409-411AD) who rose up to be independent of the collapsing Roman Empire.

This idea that Catalonia somehow belongs to Madrid in perpetuity is rather strange. Spain itself did not exist as a country until the marriage of Ferdinand & Isabella during the 15th century. There are coins issued in Barcelona which predate Spain. Back in the 11th century, the Iberian peninsula was divided into three kingdoms; (1) Caliphate of Córdoba in Taifa, (2) The kingdoms of Leon, (3) and The Kingdom of Pamplona and the County of Barcelona. Historically, Barcelona was not conquered by the Arabs who dominated most of Spain during the 11th century. From that period onward, Barcelona has always harbored a sense of independence from the rest of the Iberian peninsula.

So why such intensity against Catalonia? On October 27th, 2017, the Catalan parliament declared independence, in a 70-10 vote. That seems to be a clear majority vote. Granted, this came after an independence referendum on October 1st, 2017, in which just under 90% of Catalan voters backed independence, however, turnout was only 43%. That was, in part, because Madrid sent in troops to try to prevent the vote. Now Madrid has called for a new vote after dismissing the Parliament and thus appears to be setting the stage for a rigged election no different than Russia taking Crimea. The West sanctions Russia for such tactics but not Madrid?

The Supreme Court decision is used by Madrid to claim there is no right for Catalonia to separate. That is clearly a violation of human rights and it is the very same argument the King of Britain made against America so I suppose the United States is a totally illegal entity as well. Someone should serve notice to Trump to hand power back to London and surrender.

Oct 28 2017

Spain Demonstrates to the World Democracy Means Nothing


Armstrong Economics Blog/SPAIN

Re-Posted Oct 28, 2017 by Martin Armstrong

 

The Madrid government sacked Catalonia’s president and dismissed its parliament on Friday, hours after the region declared itself an independent nation in Spain’s gravest political crisis since the return of democracy four decades ago. The Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who seems to think he has the power of Franco, called for new elections and fired the Catalan police chief. The crisis in Spain is a reflection of the crisis in the EU as a whole. This unprecedented dictatorial array of measures to seize control of the administration in Barcelona is so undemocratic, it is guaranteed to send warning signals to many other regions of the EU especially Italy.

Oct 26 2017

The Way to the Future – Cryptos Move Over


Armstrong Economics Blog/Technology

Re-Posted Oct 26, 2017 by Martin Armstrong

The Maldives has introduced what may become the next innovation. Maldives Immigration has introduced a new type of ID card that replaces your credit card, passport, drivers license and healthcare insurance card all wrapped up in one. The next step will be to put this on a biochip and insert it into your skin so a thief would have to cut your arm off to steal it. Guess we are getting closer to the Minority Report. Hm

Oct 23 2017

Catalonia is not Just About Spain – it is About Brussels!!


Armstrong Economics Blog/European Union

Re-Posted Oct 23, 2017 by Martin Armstrong

There are of course those in Spain who side against Catalonia. Others write who are in Catalonia yet disagree with the separatists. Let me make this very clear. It is the government of Rajoy who has acted abusively, and this is all about protecting Brussels and federalizing Europe behind everyone’s back.

Rajoy should have allowed a fair referendum and then negotiate if they won. Canada allowed two refferendums in Quebec and Britain allowed the Scottish referendum. This nonsense that the Constitution does not allow any democratic process is pure TYRANNY. That was the same argument in America by England and in France that led to revolution.

Had Rajoy NOT played the hardline tactics, allowed the referendum to take place, then many who voted for independence may have not done so.  This is about political power – not the dignity, right, or freedom of the people. This is basically stating the people mean nothing and you will obey or else.

This is a political power play that centers around the EU not just Spain.

If Texas or California want a referendum to separate from the USA, it is a human right to take such a vote. There can be no exceptions!!!!!

Oct 23 2017

Trump to Release Secret Files on JFK?


Armstrong Economics Blog/Politics

Re-Posted Oct 23, 2017 by Martin Armstrong

I have often been called the Forest Gump of finance. I have tended to meet so many people surrounding so many events it is often funny. I actually met President John F. Kennedy and shook his hand as a kid in Willingboro, New Jersey on Oct. 16, 1960. (I did not want to become president like Bill Clinton). Then years later, I bought a house on the beach in Loveladies, New Jersey. To the north of my beach house in Loveladies, is where Richard M. Nixon vacationed as well as Billy Joel. Nixon had rented in Loveladies a 5,000 square foot home designed by Malcolm Wells and built in 1970.  Due to its large base tapered upward to a triangular roofline, it was known simply as the Pyramid House.  It was torn down in 2009 to make room for the next generation of modern homes. To the south of me, was the house owned by none other than Senator Arlen Specter (1930–2012).

It was Arlen Specter who was a staffer (later a United States Senator from Pennsylvania), on the Warren Commission who is credited for coming up with the single bullet theory (magic bullet theory) known as “Warren Commission Exhibit 399”, that caused all the wounds to the governor and the non-fatal wounds to the president. Even his son would stop by my house. He would never admit to me personally that the theory was just an excuse.

Now US President Donald Trump wants to release the long-hidden secrets of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Trump announced his intention to disclose the more than 3000 documents on the presidential murder on Twitter. The concern deals with the assassination of November 22nd, 1963. There are some tens of thousands of other documents which have never been published. Trump wants to release them when the legal secrecy expires on October 26th, this week! The CIA is urging that Trump should not release the documents claiming they will endanger the survivors or informants of CIA and the FBI. That seems to be a real BS excuse if I ever heard one. What they may really incriminate is other people.

The official investigation came to the conclusion that JFK was shot by the (magic bullet) single-killer Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, who in turn was then killed two days later by the nightclub owner Jack Ruby. Then Ruby dies and nobody ever concludes just how was Oswald assassinated in the middle of the police station in front of policemen, security forces, FBI, CIA and journalists with TV cameras no less.

The official version of the assassination of Kennedy was repeatedly questioned around the world and it has never been believed in so many circles. The main “conspiracy theory” has been that it was an internal coup by the CIA. If there is no “conspiracy theory” then release the files once and for all. The argument to keep them hidden is what keeps these accusations alive.

Oct 22 2017

Rajoy Continues to Act in the Spirit of Franco Warning Spain Cannot be Trusted?


Armstrong Economics Blog/European Union

Re-Posted Oct 22, 2017 by Martin Armstrong

Spain is showing that it truly remains a fascist state in the spirit of Franco and Rajoy plans to just seize Catalonia. Meanwhile, the Catalan citizens’ movement, Assemblea Nacional, is calling on all Catalans to withdraw all their money as much as possible from one of the five largest Spanish banks to increase pressure on Madrid, These include Caixa Bank, Bankia, Sabadell, BBVA and Santander. Americans supporting Catalonia are also urged to withdraw all funds from Santander in the USA.

Behind closed doors, many are becoming very disturbed by the action of Madrid. They fear this is spilling over as a contagion within Europe for populist movements. The election in the Czech Republic with the overwhelming vote against the EU many fear will be repeated next year in Italy and much of the finger-pointing behind the closed doors our sources are calling Rajoy a “f**king idiot” to directly quote some political sources.

Oct 22 2017

Macron’s Call to Federalize Europe


Armstrong Economics Blog/European Union

Re-Posted Oct 22, 2017 by Martin Armstrong

France’s President Emmanuel Macron is calling for a radical restructuring of the whole EU. Macron has presented his map for the EU into 2024. He is proposing that the Eurozone budget must include a joint force for military operations. Macron intends to finance this new budget with its tax – the “EU tax” he calls it.

Macron has looked at the numbers and see that France will go the way of Greece if something is not changed and soon. Macron hopes just to throw all the rotten eggs into one basket and hope nobody will notice. It’s the Three Musketeers – All for one; One for All just times 28.

Germany is still dominated by its misunderstanding of the Hyperinflation. Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis supports Macron’s federalist proposals on the euro single currency but believes only a real threat could make Germany budge on the issue. It has been Germany that opposed the consolidation of the debts to form the Euro. They are trying to remain isolated in their austerity posture refusing to budge on the debt consolidation, while at the same time they want the single currency to facilitate German exports eliminating foreign exchange risk among other members. They just cannot have it both ways.

The extent of Macron’s plan goes beyond just an EU Tax.  He also says that Europe is moving at “different speeds” and that those states which fall behind should not stand in the way of his proposals. He is calling for a European defense budget and a standard minimum rate for company taxes.

Macron has noted the high cost of taxing the rich. The Socialist agenda under Hollande imposed a wealth tax which drove 10,000 people with about 35 billion euros to flee the country. And that is just what they admit publicly. The tax was imposed on personal assets of more than 1.3 million euros is part of Macron’s reform, but the socialists are demanding they be taxes even more until they all leave one must assume.  As promised by President Emmanuel Macron in the election campaign, the tax will now only apply to real estate, meaning other forms of wealth such as shareholdings in companies will be exempted. Macron realizes that the French share market has one of the worst performance in Europe next to Greece. While the world is worried about bubble markets, Macron is concerned that new lows will unfold on the next crisis.

“When someone leaves the country because of the wealth tax… collectively all French lose.” But the Socialists just refuse to stop their hatred of the rich. Macron has abolished the wealth tax and the socialists are calling him the “President of the rich” and remain oblivious to reality.
More than fifty years ago, back in 1965, it was the French President Charles de Gaulle who withdrew his ministers from the Council of the EU, thereby constituting a de facto veto over all decisions, which became known as the “Empty Chair Crisis.” There were several issues regarding European political integration led to The Empty Chair Crisis. There was a push at that time to create the quasi-federalization of Europe. De Gaulle believed that national governments should move towards integration, but he did not agree with the Commission’s attempt to create some new super central state or a federalized Europe, extending powers of the EU beyond national borders as we have today, which Margaret Thatcher also opposed.
President Charles de Gaulle has proposed the Fouchet Plan was a plan back in 1961 to create a new grand design for Europe. Charles de Gaulle wanted to develop a three-power directorate, consisting of France, Britain and the United States. The idea was to form a new ‘Union of States’, as an alternative to the European Communities (EC). De Gaulle feared a loss of French national influence in the EC as there was a drive to federalize Europe back then.
After the failure of the Fouchet Plan and De Gaulle’s veto of the United Kingdom’s application for EC membership, the Commission attempted to move towards integration by proposing an idea that would combine the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the European Parliament, and Commission. De Gaulle supported the creation of the CAP and favored its enactment. However, he disagreed with the Parliament’s new role, the Commission’s strength, the shift towards federalization and a super central state, and the budget proposals for financing the CAP. De Gaulle made it a condition that majority voting with a right to veto must exist if France was to participate in the EC. When de Gaulle was denied a more intergovernmental Commission or voting and veto rights, the French representative left the Council of Ministers thereby creating the Empty Chair Crisis.
The Luxembourg Accord was an agreement reached in January 1966 to resolve the “Empty Chair Crisis” which had caused a stalemate within European Economic Community. Then on June 21, 1966, de Gaulle withdrew France in a shocking move taking its troops from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This decision led by French president Charles de Gaulle complicated relations between the U.S. and Europe amidst clashing American and Communist spheres of influence. Though France remained politically in NATO, its actions cast doubt on the organization’s future as a counter to Soviet military power and control back then.
Disagreement within the EU is by no means something new. We may yet see a political breakdown as the economy continues to spiral lower and the ECB bond-buying program has been transformed from an economic stimulus to simply life-support for government debts to try to keep interest rates from exploding and no bid for government debt.

Apart from the new EU tax, Macron did not make any funding proposals for his very far-reaching program. The FT reported his “wish list” and presented the most desired demands of Macron:

  • EU intervention group and budget by 2020
  • a European Intelligence Academy to train spies
  • a European civil protection group for responding to disasters
  • a European prosecutor for terrorism and organized crime
  • a European asylum seeker for the joint processing of claims, common procedures
  • a European border police
  • a carbon dioxide tax levied on imports into the EU
  • a European innovation agency for the investigation of artificial intelligence
  • EU subsidies to support the development of electric vehicles
  • Taxation of US tech companies with a tax on sales, rather than on profits
  • a larger EU budget to finance investments and dampen economic shocks
  • Review of agricultural policy and the new EU Food Authority
  • accelerated harmonization of corporation tax bases
  • gradual harmonization of corporation tax rates and social security contributions
  • a guaranteed minimum wage for each country
  • all young Europeans will be able to spend six months as a student or trainee in another EU country
  • Creation of European universities on the basis of networks of institutions
  • six-month series of national and local conventions to discuss the future of Europe
  • half of MEPs to EU Parliament is to come from EU-wide lists until 2024
  • a much smaller European commission, only 15 commissioners
  • a Europe of different speeds, to which Great Britain could also return
  • a new European prosecutor ensures that the competitors comply with the EU rules
  • a Franco-German cooperation agreement focusing on the harmonization of company regulation
Oct 21 2017

450,000 March in Spain After Government Announces Dissolution of Catalonia Regional Government…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on October 21, 2017 by

Hundreds of thousands of Spaniards took to the streets of Barcelona after the Spanish government announced they would dissolve the Catalonia Regional Government and hold new elections through an Article 155 declaration.

Article 155 allows Madrid to dissolve the Catalan regional government and force new elections, which Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says will take place within six months. The PM insisted the move would not result in a loss of autonomy for Catalonia, but hundreds of thousands of pro-independence Catalans have taken to the streets in Barcelona in protest.

(Via UK Express) Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s Cabinet in Spain met this morning to agree to roll out hardline rules to penalise the breakaway region and impose direct rule.

Elections could be held in just six months as the government seeks to oust all those involved in the “illegal” referendum – including Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont who could even face jail for his role in the crisis.

But now Catalonia has hit back over his stinging rant, as calls for immediate independence erupt among fierce secessionists.  Supporters of independence had already called a demonstration in Barcelona this afternoon to protest the arrests of two Catalan activists accused of sedition.

However, the event has now changed its focus and is directing its anger at Madrid for triggering of Article 155.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets with cries of “independence” or “TV3 will always be ours” after the government took control of the Catalan broadcasting company – akin to Britain’s BBC.  (read more)

Broad Generalization Alert – The issue(s) are all internal to the specifics of Spain and the current conflict traces it’s past back to the time of General Francisco Franco and promises made thereafter.  The Catalonia secessionists are, generally speaking, left-leaning socialists and occupy an ideological space similar to the governing philosophy of the far-left-wing in California.

Simply for comparative purposes: If far-left Californians were to advance their current anti-Trump cause celéb and succeed from the U.S., the blends of secessionists and non-secessionists would break down similar to Catalonians -vs- Spaniards.

The larger Spanish electorate, the generally silent majority, is, well, silent; however, it’s generally accepted that most Spaniards want Catalonia to stay and not break-away into a fully antonymous region. (although some parts of Spain are reported to have previously held rallies in support of the region’s right to hold a referendum).

Democracy is challenged in this construct because the democrat majority of “all Spaniards” probably would not support secession; however, the democrat majority of just “Catalonians” likely support secession.  Which democractic group does the Spanish Prime Minister adhere to?

Therein lies the dilemma.

Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, a 62-year-old from northern Galicia who studied law and has been in politics since his 20s, has vowed he will do everything in his power to stop Catalonia from seceding, but was previously vague on the details. Rajoy’s center-right Partido Popular has governed since 2011, when it won a landslide victory in the middle of the European debt crisis.

The current status reflects the more Prime Minister Rajoy pushes back against the secessionists, the more sympathy is generated toward their cause.

Oct 21 2017

Has the OECD Been Told to Put Out Fake Opinions?


Armstrong Economics Blog/BRITAIN

Re-Posted Oct 21, 2017 by Martin Armstrong

 

They just don’t give up. Now the OECD is coming out telling Britain to have a new referendum and stay in the EU. They claim, without any evidence to back up one work, that they “believe” it will have a positive impact on the British economy. One really has to wonder if they have not turned the charts on GDP upside down.

 

Categories: BRITAIN, European Union