cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/27089765

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/27088732

Generated Summary below:

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Video Description:

On today's episode, Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss Trump's demands that European countries double their military spending, and the new German government has embraced the open remilitarization of Germany--a major shift in policy for Germany since the defeat of Hitler and Nazism in 1945.

Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.

#BreakThroughNews

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Generated Summary:

Main Topic: The resurgence of German militarism and its implications for Europe and the world, particularly concerning the shift in the post-World War II power dynamic and its impact on social welfare programs.

Key Points:

• Post-WWII Deal: After WWII, the US provided military protection for European countries, allowing them to focus on social programs. This deal was mutually beneficial: the US boosted its military-industrial complex, while Europe enjoyed social welfare advancements.
• Deal's Dissolution: The US's declining global power and economic strain have led to the unraveling of this post-war deal. The US can no longer afford to solely shoulder the burden of European defense.
• European Remilitarization: European nations, particularly Germany, are increasing military spending, driven by pressure from the US and their own perceived need for self-defense. This is a significant shift in policy since the end of WWII.
• Social Welfare Cuts: Increased military spending will necessitate cuts to social programs in Europe, impacting areas like healthcare, education, and paid leave. This is presented as a direct trade-off between military spending and social welfare.
• Historical Context: The discussion heavily emphasizes the historical context of post-war Europe, the Cold War, and the role of the US in shaping European politics and social structures. The rise of communism and the US's response are central to understanding the current situation.
• Nationalism vs. Cooperation: The video argues that the current situation highlights the limitations of European nationalism and its inability to foster cooperation, leading to a potential return to a fragmented and conflict-prone continent.

Highlights:

• The video uses the example of potential cuts to generous social programs in countries like France (five weeks of paid vacation) and the broader implications for social welfare across Europe.
• The discussion contrasts the social programs of the Soviet Union with those of capitalist Europe, highlighting the significant differences and the potential loss of European social advancements.
• The analysis emphasizes the hypocrisy of the US demanding increased European military spending, given the historical context of the post-WWII deal and the US's own declining global influence.
• The video concludes with a somewhat pessimistic outlook on the future of Europe, predicting a return to internal squabbling and a decline in social welfare, while also acknowledging the historical significance of this shift.

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About Channel:

At BreakThrough News we tell the untold stories of resistance from poor and working-class communities. At present, five corporations dominate the media landscape, including 90% of what we read, watch, listen to, and depend on for information about the world. Nowhere among the headlines do we hear the perspectives of working people and movements for social justice. Our mission is to break through the static, disinformation and fluff.

BreakThrough / BT Media Inc. is a nonprofit media and educational organization dedicated to independent, fact-based reporting and commentary on a diverse range of issues affecting the global movements for social justice. We are a recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in the United States. To remain free of bias and preserve our editorial independence, we accept no corporate donations or state funding. Our funding derives from our viewers and readers, and foundations that support our mission.

In the USA most of us have never mastered anything but English. You may be taught other languages in school but if you are never immersed in them for any period of time you never feel comfortable reading, writing, or speaking a foreign language. My unscientific observation is that most Germans are fluent in both German and English. In Germany is English taught in all schools? How do people become fluent in both German and English? If you are truly bi lingual, what language do you "think" in?

Crosspost: https://derp.foo/post/553669

There is a discussion on Hacker News, but feel free to comment here as well.

BERLIN, June 25 (Reuters) - A far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) candidate won a vote on Sunday to become a district leader in Europe's biggest economy for the first time, a breakthrough for the party which has hit record highs in national polls.

The 10-year old AfD, with which Germany's mainstream parties officially refuse to cooperate due to its radical views, won a run-off vote in the Sonneberg district in the eastern state of Thuringia with its candidate garnering 52.8% of the vote.

It is the latest success for the party which is riding a wave of popular discontent with Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholz's awkward coalition with the Greens and Free Democrats (FDP) which is dogged by infighting over policy and the budget.

Polling at 19%-20%, behind the opposition conservatives, the AfD is tapping into voter fears about recession, migration and the green transition, say analysts. It even plans to nominate a chancellor candidate in the 2025 federal election.

While far-right parties have gained ground around Europe, the strength of the AfD is particularly sensitive in Germany due to the country's Nazi past.

The President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, expressed deep shock.

"This is a watershed that this country's democratic political forces cannot simply accept," he told RND media.

Particularly strong in the former Communist East, polls suggest the party may win three eastern state votes next year.

A clear victory for the AfD's Robert Sesselmann in the district, which has a population of only around 56,000 people, sends a signal to Berlin, say analysts, especially as all other parties in Sonneberg joined forces in a front against him.

Sesselmann was forced into a run-off against a conservative candidate after a vote two weeks ago. The conservative candidate won 47.2% on Sunday.

The party opposes economic sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine war and disputes that human activity is a cause of climate change.

The domestic intelligence agency said this month that far-right extremism posed the biggest threat to democracy in Germany and warned voters about backing the AfD.

Formed a decade ago as an anti-euro party, its popularity surged after the 2015 migrant crisis and it entered parliament in 2017, becoming the official opposition. Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama