The Cedar Lounge Revolution

Actually, I’m not writing about a new government in the traditional sense of that word, but about the make up of the new European Commission, which was finalised today. (The portfolios have not yet been sorted, though.)

Three European-level political have seats in the new Commission: the EPP (of which Fine Gael is a member), ALDE (of which, more recently, Fianna Fáil has become a member) and the renamed S&D, of which Labour is a member.

The distribution of seats is not good for the Left. Although S&D won twice as many seats as the ALDE in the European Parliament elections last June (184 for S&D to 84 for ALDE), they have fewer seats in the new Commission: 6 out of the 27 for the S&D against 8 for the ALDE.

With only a third of the members coming from the S&D, the next Commission is not going to be good for those of us on the Left.

The list is here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8378401.stm)

Booking form below:

Booking form

Thanks to Eugene at the CPI for forwarding this…

You’ll find Brian Hanley’s thoughts here (or if you’re Proposition Joe you’ve already found them – kudos to that man, seriously). It’s probably not a surprise that I’d broadly agree with them.

The Irish Association for Industrial Relations

Twenty-Third Countess Markievicz Memorial Lecture

on

The Route to a Sustainable Future

to be presented by

Jack O’Connor

President of ICTU and General President of SIPTU

on Monday 23rd November 2009

in the Connolly Room, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1

Reception at 5.15pm

Lecture at 6 pm

Nice to see that at least one Irish Sunday paper continues to prosper without losing quality. Now this may seem odd coming from a left wing blog, but for my money the SBP is probably the best Sunday paper in the Irish market, actually strike that, it’s probably the best paper in the Irish market at the current point in time. And however much one might take issue with its editorial position or some of the articles therein (and a big hi to Ed Walsh on that score), it is at least true to itself and has a good review section and despite limited enough resources manages to turn out good journalism week after week.

I know that cross posting from other blogs is not usually the done thing. But, I saw an interesting point made over on Crooked Timber on the occasion of the 91st anniversary of the ending of WWI, and I will stick my neck out and break that protocol this once:

The cataclysm of the Great War brought forth monsters like Hitler and Stalin, who killed millions. But the War itself, with the millions and tens of millions of lives it took, directly and indirectly, was loosed on the world by political leaders more notable for mediocrity than for monstrous greatness.

The names of Asquith,  Bethmann-Hollweg, Berchtold and Poincare are barely remembered, yet on any reasonable accounting they belong among the great criminals of history. Not only did they create the conditions for war, and rush (eagerly in most cases) into it, they carried on even as the death toll mounted into the hundreds of thousands and beyond. Even as the original grounds for war became utterly irrelevant, they continued to intrigue for trivial postwar benefits, carving up imagined conquests among themselves. Eventually, most were displaced by leaders who were marginally less mediocre, and more determined to win at all costs (Lloyd George, Clemenceau, Ludendorff, Hindenburg and others).

How could such ordinary, seemingly decent, men pursue such an evil and self-destructive course, and yet, in most cases, attract and retain the support of their people? I find it hard to understand.

Balladeer; Citizen of the World; Internationalist & Socialist

Comrade John McDermott

of Clydebank & Partick, Glasgow, Scotland

17th April 1944 – 9th November 2009

A TRIBUTE

We regret to inform comrades and friends of the death of Comrade John
McDermott of Partick, Glasgow, Scotland who died on Monday 9th November 2009. Born in Clydebank, Scotland, John was a committed Socialist, an Internationalist and a valued member of the Workers’ Party of Ireland for almost five decades.

A comrade of integrity and loyalty John was part of the development of the
party from a narrow nationalist movement to a class conscious party of the
working class. Whether under attack from narrow sectarian bigots or under
threat from opportunists one always knew that John McDermott could be relied upon to defend the party. Always very clear as to his political allegiance John took great pride in recalling the words of another famous
Irish/Scottish revolutionary James Connolly who stated “It is not the extent
of your march but the direction in which you are marching which ultimately
matters”.

John recognised, as did James Connolly and the great Scottish revolutionary
John McLean, that the working class struggle to win freedom and justice
would be long and difficult. Despite setbacks and betrayals John McDermott
never lost his optimism and confidence that the working class of the world
would achieve this victory. Over the past decade John worked along side
many wonderful comrades whom he admired greatly as they in turn admired him, comrades such as Liam McMillan, Malachy McGurran , Jim “Solo” Sullivan, Peter Kane and Cathal Goulding.

Through his music and songs, most particularly with the Laggan Folk Group,
John McDermott brought great pleasure and enjoyment to many thousands of people throughout the world. He was part of that great international
movement of solidarity in the 1960s with the people of South Africa fighting
the repressive Apartheid regime, in support of the Vietnamese people against US imperialism and always, up to the day he died, he was a firm and
steadfast supporter of the Cuban people and party in the struggle against
the reactionaries in the United States who sought to defeat the Cuban
revolution.

Whether the struggle was in Scotland, Ireland, Africa, Asia or Latin
America, wherever reaction and repression raised its head, John McDermott
was on the side of the oppressed and for Justice and Freedom. His password was that of the French Revolution, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. He
held these principles and ideals to be constant and until they were realised
the struggle would continue.

His death leaves a large gap in our ranks. For us, his comrades and
friends, we owe it to his memory and his lifelong struggle to intensify our
activities in every area of life, to win new members and supporters so that
we fill John’s place in our ranks with hundreds of new comrades who will
make the aims and principles of John McDermott’s life a reality in our time.

A fierce opponent of sectarianism which had been fostered and promoted for generations in Scotland and Ireland by the ruling class of church and State, John McDermott recognised that the unity of the working class of all
countries was the most important weapon in our struggle.

John was one of the founders of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights
Association in Scotland. He saw the potential of NICRA to mobilise and
unite people around the Civil Rights Programme and he played a major role in building a strong support organisation in Scotland for Civil Rights in
Northern Ireland.

We convey our deepest sympathy to his partner Meg who was his devoted
companion, friend and comrade for many, many years.

Among many of John’s interests in life politics, music, love of the
Highlands ranked near the top. He took every opportunity to be in and part
of the highlands. For instance, on the Saturday two days before he died he
left his hospital bed to travel with his partner and friend Meg for one
last time, as he well knew, to his beloved Glencoe. Here he met old friends
and spent the day with them enjoying their company and the great beautiful
tranquil setting of Glencoe.

The past few weeks have been very difficult ones, for John realised that it
was too late to defeat the illness that had come upon him. He was not
afraid to die and he was surrounded by a loving family, loyal and generous
friends and comrades. He will be long remembered for his kindness, his
sharp wit and humour, and his concern for so many others with whom he had lived and worked with over many years. Knowing him as we did over a
lifetime he would not want any of us – family, friends and comrades to be
mournful or sad at his passing. We will grieve for him but let us celebrate
his life as a very worthwhile contribution to the continued development of
humanity in the long struggle for emancipation. The famous Wobblie song
tells us how we should honour John McDermott.

Mourn not the dead that in the cool earth lie

Dust unto dust

The calm sweet earth that mothers all who die

As all men must;

But rather mourn the apathetic throng -

The cowed and the meek -

Who see the world’s great anguish and its wrong

And dare not speak!

- Workers’ Party Ard Comhairle

- We will be organising a memorial evening in December

- for our friend and comrade John McDermott

Thanks to the WP for forwarding this…