Jacques Riverain

15 Nov 2025

1. This platform is full ofposts (primarily from U.S. citizens) about wanting 'healthcare paid for with taxes'. The desire is good and just, but the claimed mechanism is false. It simply plays into neoliberal narratives. How so? See below:

rfi.frBrésil: Flavio Bolsonaro a fui vers les États-Unis, Washington annonce qu'un visa va lui être accordéLe sénateur brésilien Flavio Bolsonaro, battu dimanche 25 octobre lors de l'élection présidentielle par Lula da Silva, a fui le Brésil pour les États-Unis, ont rapporté mardi 27 octobre CNN et le New…

« Le Brésil, c'est sa seconde patrie. La première, c'est de lécher les bottes des États-Unis. » www.rfi.fr/fr/am%C3%A9r...

youtube.comObama Finally Tells the Truth About Israel. So Why Did He Arm It?YouTube video by Owen Jones

The truth is harsh, but it's the truth. Every US president has been an Israel bagman. www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWHd...

15h

Here's why the Israeli elections are trivial: "Eisenkot takes a broadly similar position to Netanyahu on Gaza, and has pledged to end Hamas rule in the territory within 18 months, through a US-led peace plan or, if necessary, military means."

No they're not!

bbc.co.ukThree things we've learnt about the UK economy from the IMFThe influential economics body has upgraded its UK growth forecast for this year, but risks remain.

I don't know what this rather short BBC article is meant to be (orthodox economic propaganda goes without saying), but if anyone reads what the former deputy governor of the BoE says and thinks its fine, they're a simpleton. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.ukFridges in French supermarkets hit by cyber attackHundreds of stores were targeted by the overnight hack, which spoiled fresh and frozen food estimated to be worth millions of euros.

Maybe a clue that running everything on software connected to the internet isn't a good idea if you don't want to suffer a hacking attack? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Interesting how the Green Party centrists - who looked radical before an actual radical came along - quickly start pressing the 'resign' button for Polanski. And over a motion which stated the truth.

nltimes.nlNetherlands joins Germany in EU budget overhaul demandsThe Netherlands and four other countries have joined Germany’s demand that the European Union cut “hundreds of billions” in planned spending, or they will not support the bloc’s next seven-year budget...

EU neoliberals doing what they do.. "Specifically, the countries want to spend more on defence and innovative businesses, and less on subsidising farmers and poorer regions, the Financial Times reported." nltimes.nl/2026/09/29/n...

bbc.co.ukBest thing we can offer young people is a job, not benefits, says chancellorJohn Healey's speech comes ahead of next month's Budget, as he faces pressure to bring down government borrowing costs.

Just initiate a job guarantee you neoliberal numpty. 'Matching' people to employers is just a silly idea paying employers to take on employees. Do a JG and they'll soon be competing for employees, as the economy develops. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Jacques Riverain reposted

Massimo (mirror)

@rainmaker1973-m.bsky.social

This man brushing a crow suddenly stops, but the bird gives the brush back as it wants more. Original post

bbc.co.ukUK warned over ballooning debt costs and slower growth ahead of BudgetHigher energy prices due to the conflict in the Middle East and climate change could hit growth.

More of the BBC's daily economics lies. If Burnham and co listen to this rubbish from the IMF (they will) then they're fools (they are). Do the IMF say the same to Japan? Not much, because Japan has proven their ideology wrong. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.ukUnexpected UK borrowing surge adds to pre-Budget pressure on chancellorBorrowing was higher than expected in August as inflation piles pressure on the government ahead of the Budget.

22 Sept

No BBC, the "difference between tax receipts and govt spending" is not 'borrowing'. Stop spreading this uneducated lie. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

21 Sept

Smash the Nazis.

19 Sept

How is it that I can't remember my own mobile phone number at times, but can still rattle off my parents' and grandparents' old landline numbers from 47 years ago?

bbc.co.ukBurnham pressed on economy at first PMQs as borrowing costs surgeThe PM said his government would be "grounded in fiscal responsibility" as he faced Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister's Questions for the first time.

2 Sept

The Westminster thickos meets the BBC 'economics' thickos to produce this misinformation. Imagining govUK 'borrows' its spending source. In reality treasury/BoE has the power to drive down bond yields... See next post: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

2 Sept

Bond markets only operate under conditions set by govt. This is a govt allowing markets to set yields. No competent CB will allow yields to be driven to unmanageable levels. In any case the framing that this means govt is doomed to taking out costly loans is fictional. GovUK is not funded like that.

20 Aug

Even conservative Winston Churchill understood that 'money cost' is nonsense. From his 1929 book: 'The World's Crisis: The Aftermath: "A requisition, for instance, for a half-million houses would not have seemed more difficult to comply with than those we were already in process of executing...

20 Aug

for 100,000 airplanes, or 20,000 guns, or 2,000,000 tons of projectiles. But a new set of conditions began to rule from 11 o’clock onwards [November 1918 when the first world war officially ended]. The money cost, which had never been considered by us to be a factor capable of limiting the supply...

20 Aug

...of the armies, asserted a claim to priority from the moment the fighting stopped." Or in other words, there seems always to be money for waging war, yet almost never for waging national prosperity in peacetime. Even though the mechanism is exactly the same.

14 Aug

Prosecutor on Mangione case says: ""There can be no celebrity in assassination.." ..."Thompson's family "has been grieving for two years". "We live in a civilised society. We do not commit murder.” But is denying care for profit, to millions who pay insurance premiums, 'civilised'?

bbc.co.ukLucy Davis: The Office actress says she has 'incurable' cancerDavis, who played receptionist Dawn in the UK sitcom, says the cancer has spread and it's "too late for chemo".

11 Aug

Sad News: "As of now, I'm trying to live out whatever might be left of my life in as fun a way as I possibly can.... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.ukTrump signs order to limit childhood vaccines and split MMR shotsThe American Academy of Pediatrics calls the recommendation on measles, mumps and rubella shots "dangerous".

11 Aug

These two brainless simpletons are a danger to child health. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

theguardian.comGreenland issues ‘strong warning’ as Trump-linked oil firm prepares to drillIsland’s government says no approval given after Greenland Energy brings kit ashore for exploratory drilling

9 Aug

Imperialism driven by threats (and lies). www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

3 Aug

An AI walks into a bar and says to the bartender, "I'll have what everyone's having."The bartender looks around at the empty bar and says, "You sure? Because that would be nothing."The AI replies: ...

3 Aug

..."Perfect, I've been trying to understand the concept of nothingness. How much do I owe you?" The bartender, amused, says: "For nothing? That'll be zero dollars." The AI promptly says, "Excellent, now I understand both nothingness and human generosity."

bbc.co.ukCan you work out which word fits into each group? - BBC BitesizeTest your ability to spot the links between words with this BBC Bitesize challenge.

2 Aug

See if you can solve these word patterns. www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/art...

1 Aug

Then there are women who can't help but to comment on something by telling us all about the infinitely greater sacrifices made by women. Give it a rest.

31 July

The 50,000 who arrived in Ceuta yesterday, which is really north Africa, have mostly left. Spain moans that 'it was ours in the 16thC..' Yes, because the Portuguese (45,000 invaders) took it from Berbers and later united with Spain under Phillip II. Colonialism. You know, like Gibraltar.

bbc.co.ukAndy Burnham to give regional mayors share of income taxThe prime minister says the move will give power to "every postcode" but critics say the plans lack detail.

30 July

Uneducated people who think the government spends 'income taxes'. And it will applauded, because the majority of the country also think this is what happens. Blind leading the blind. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Jacques Riverain reposted

George Monbiot

@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

Just loving how John Cleese, now reduced to one of his own caricatures, rages about immigrants coming to the UK and failing to accept "our" culture, from his home in ... (checks notes) ... Nevis in the Caribbean.

Burnham thinks youth unemployment is solved by 'training'. It's Thatcher talk. Vocational training is a good thing, the university route expansion has failed, but the article (below) itself throws up clues. With firms complaining about not being able to offer a tiny minimum wage to young workers...

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long-term unemployment and slow recovery. Which is the actual generational loss. By all means train the youth to do useful jobs, but if you send them into a NAIRU economy it's a waste of time & investment. Govt should first be operating a job guarantee to both reform the economy and immediately...

bbc.co.ukSchools to offer technical subjects to pupils from age 14, Burnham saysThe government wants pupils to take courses like AI and manufacturing which are linked to local jobs.

take-up wasted capacity for socially useful employment. Which also increases household spending power in an anti-inflationary manner, putting a price floor on wages, and eliminating much 'welfare' spending. That is the sort of economy to send a workforce into. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Burnham's policy is Thatcher-lite because it too assumes the only way to reduce any unemployment is to bend policy to demands of the private sector. On the assumption that it alone determines and invests in actual employment. A system where in fact government ends up subsidising low wages...

..with working tax credits, which is also 'welfare'. Thatcherism/Austrian nonsense assumes aggregate demand collapses are solved by cutting business taxes hoping they take on employees to recover production. While govt restricts spending. It has never worked, it never will. It leads to drawn-out...

27 July

A bird defalcated on my almost-dry washing. Right on the sleeve of a t-shirt. I should have hung them o the line instead of the drying rack!

25 July

Yeah...I bought another packet of biscuits where they're cracked all the way down. For shit's sake!

bbc.co.ukEx-Southern Water boss charged over alleged plan to manipulate water testsMatthew Wright is accused alongside three others of trying to save the firm millions in penalties.

22 July

This is what happens when profit-making entities are put in charge of vital public services: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

nos.nlDe Nederlandsche Bank: grote investeringen nodig voor bouw huurwoningenVolgens DNB moet het investeringsklimaat flink worden verbeterd om de bouw van huurwoningen aan te zwengelen.

22 July

DNB denk 'internationaal investeerders' de oplossing zijn voor huurwoningen. Jaren 80 1,8% bbp in de woningbouw, nu maar 0,1%. Wat is er gebeurd tussen toen en nu? Oh ja, de euro en ingebouwde begrotingsregel. Waanidee dat private sector investeert in sociale voorzieningen. nos.nl/artikel/2623...

nos.nlWisselende reacties op EU-klimaatplannen: van 'zwarte dag' tot 'realistischer'In het bedrijfsleven overheerst voorzichtig optimisme, terwijl milieuorganisaties vernietigend zijn over Hoekstra's hervorming van het klimaatbeleid.

17 July

De EU richt zich op markten en reageert op wat het bedrijfsleven wilt. 'Nudge theory' om het bedrijfsleven ertoe aan te zetten 'beter te investeren' en 'groener te worden'. Het uiteindelijke doel van het kapitalisme is winst, en alles wat dat in de weg staat is ongewenst. nos.nl/artikel/2623...

en.wikipedia.orgFuggerei - Wikipedia

17 July

Fuggerei in Germany. Conceived in 1516 to house the poor (under moral conditions). The rent hasn't altered in 500 years. It costs 1 Rhenish guilder (€0.08) per year! It's about 9 times more expensive to visit the museum there. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuggerei

Jacques Riverain reposted

Robert/Tony/c

@robert111.bsky.social

5 July

Trump’s “Board of Peace” and US administration: No place for UNRWA in the “New Gaza” www.thecanary.co/global/2026/...

thecanary.coTrump's "Board of Peace" and US administration: No place for UNRWA in the "New Gaza"The US and Israeli backed 'Board of Peace' pushes to sideline UNRWA and reshape the future of Palestinian refugees

2 July

My cat: 'Ah, I'll drink some water..' Me: I'll refresh your bowl since you're actually drinking for a change.' My cat: 'Nah, don't want it now.' Every single time.

bbc.co.ukRachel Reeves backs Andy Burnham for prime ministerThe chancellor throws her support behind the MP for Makerfield despite reports he could demote her if he becomes PM.

25 June

"Reeves backs Burnham to become next prime minister" Another poison chalice. And this: "Reeves emphasised the importance of the next leader sticking to her fiscal rules...the public must be left in no doubt about the party's commitment to fiscal discipline." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

24 June

Thermometer here just hit 40°C (with 51% humidity). I have no A/C, but use of sun canopies and blinds has my house at a comparably cooler 26°C.

22 June

Streeting says he 'backs' Burnham. Poison chalice that one. Brnham will have the right-wing of the party 'rallying round' making sure he sticks to the main script. Probably won't be that much of a struggle.

11 June

nos.nlFilipijnen: tijdelijke stop op au pairs naar NederlandDe Filipijnse overheid doet onderzoek naar "gemelde problemen" rond Filipijnse au pairs in Nederland. Totdat dat onderzoek is afgerond, worden visumaanvragen van Filipijnse au pairs niet in behandelin...

28 May

Semi-slavernij en uitbuiting door rijkerds. nos.nl/nieuwsuur/ar...

bbc.co.ukLabour has 'no coherent plan' for country, says former PM BlairThe ex-Labour PM says Sir Keir Starmer's government is in the "wrong position" ahead of the next election.

27 May

Sir 1990s neoliberal cretin is back with an 'essay' about how Labour isn#t being neoliberal enough. Not rolling out the red carpet for 'business'. Raising minimum wages. This economic dunce is most of the reason why the party is where it is now. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...