How you can have your caffè latte or avocado toast and support BRAVE NEW EUROPE too
During every fundraiser you inevitably receive the message: If you consume one less caffè latte or avocado toast a month, you can use that money to support project X. BRAVE NEW EUROPE has always opposed this vehemently. You have already sacraficed enough now that you have ceased flying and got rid of your SUV, using instead public transport and/or bicycle. Asking you to give up a caffè latte or avocado toast each month as well is simply to much sacrafice to be asking. Still, you want to keep BRAVE NEW EUROPE up and running. What to do? We have the answer.
Let us start with the economics of the whole thing. If you donate one cent/pence per day for the use of our website – and what can buy these days for that price? - that would be 3.65 GBP/€/$ per year. Some of you may scoff at 1 pence/cent as just too cheap for the high quality of information you find daily on BRAVE NEW EUROPE and insist it is worth at least worth 10 pence//cents per day – can you buy anything for that amount today either?. We are now at a dizzying sum of 36.50 GBP/€/$ per year! But don’t worry, here is how you can turn your daily caffè latte or avocado toast into a cash machine to donate and save BRAVE NEW EUROPE and still enjoy them.
When you order your caffè latte at your cafe or reataurant of choice, just tell the person serving you that you are donating to our website (you might wish to explain to them the importance of doing so) and that they should put one teaspoon of milk or non-dairy milk product less in your caffè latte and reduce the price by 1 pence/cent and Hey Presto, you will have saved 3.65 GBP/€/$ in the course of the year! You will not even taste the difference.
Now for those of you who enjoy a daily avocado toast - and there are plenty of avocados grown in Europe so that they need not be shipped from Peru or South Africa – you can employ the same strategy. Just say you would like quarter of a slice of avodaco less and a 10 pence/cent reduction on the price for you avocado toast, which you will donate to our website. That would be a savings of 36.50 GBP/€/$ in the course of the year. The cook probably will support your decision and out of solidarity not only give you the full portion, but even some extra avocado on top!
Of course there are many variations on this depending on your eating habits. But if you can understand the economics articles on our website, you should be able to figure out a reasonable proposal when ordering whatever drink or dish you consume daily.
Then all you have to do is go HERE and donate.
What could democracy look like after liberal-democracy has completely discredited itself
Recently I was trying to email Richard Murphy whose blogs we often cross-post on our website. I received no answer. My first thought was covid, but he just had that. Then it occurred to me that Richard is incredibly active in debunking Britain’s current austerity fiscal policy and budget. He is pumping out one blog, article, interview, and tweet thread after the other. Very impressive.
As there is effectively no political opposition among the UK parties, Richard is filling in as the people’s opposition. We saw the same thing with the leader of the UK Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers (RMT), Mike Lynch, as he was enlightening millions as to why his union was striking and had no choice but to strike. On an international level Greta Thunberg has taken a similar role, as have a number of climate scientists.These are citizens speaking to citizens. Not a professional for-profit political class preaching their lies, hypocrisy, and moral posturing to us.
With few exceptions there is no real opposition political parties in Europe, just many with meaningless names jostling to get there snout’s in the trough. Really, who still takes a politician seriously (as I wrote above, there are some exceptions)? Thus the prevalent resignation in Europe that politically there is no alternative. And for the few exceptions there is the repressive bulwark of EU institutions ready to quash them.
What we are seeing – maybe not noticing – is that we are leaving the realm of neo-liberal TINA liberal democracy and moving to a democracy where in this vacuum the citizen has a voice again. As the political class loses its authority and credibility we are discovering there are citizens who have both and we are prepared more than ever to listen to them. These are not populists seeking power and wealth, but people like you or me concerned about our societies, the climate, peace, and justice.
What you are probably correctly asking yourself is despite winning the arguments, how do we change policy. The political class has a monopoly and are loath to give it up. I am not sure. Whatever it is, it will be a long and arduous journey.
This may be a shot in the dark. We shall have to see. And yes, Richard finally got back to me.
Talks in our series "The New International Order "
Talks in 2023
Branko Milanovic´ - January 2023
Clare Daly - Monday, 6 February 2023 at 8pm CET live in Berlin
Wolfgang Streeck - Thurday, 2 March 2023 at 8pm CET live in Berlin
These talks are organised in cooperation with the Helle Panke Foundation and the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.
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It is now in your hands if we close down BRAVE NEW EUROPE
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