In Europe: In whose interest is the government run?

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Europe Protests, America Sleeps

Last week, thousands of GM workers protested in the suburb of Ruesselsheim outside of Frankfurt. Demonstrations were also held at GM factories in Austria, Belgium, France, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and Britain. European workers are not only protesting the financial crisis and the bank bailouts but nearly three decades of neo-liberal reform and free market fundamentalism. The question now is whether the left and labor can recover after years of acquiescing to the strategies of the right.
John R. MacArthur of Harper's, Newsweek's Senior Editor Rana Foroohar, and Tony Benn, a former Labour MP and Cabinet Minister discuss the protests in Europe and whether similar actions can be expected on this side of the Atlantic. Also, an interview with Sally-Anne Kinahan, the Assistant General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on recent protests in Dublin.
There is also concern that if the left does not step up to the challenge, economic unrest will fuel xenophobia and policies that continue to target illegal immigrants. In Arizona, several thousand people marched on Saturday to protest Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement Program’s (ICE) sweeping crackdown on illegal immigrants. Roberto Lovato, a contributing Associate Editor at New America Media, Aarti Shahani, co-founder of Families for Freedom, and Salvador Reza an immigrant rights activist and one of the organizers of the protest on whether a change in policy can be expected from the Obama administration.
Thanks to the Coen Brothers and thisisreality, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, and Jeremy Levine for video in tonight’s show.