Comments on: A not so great G8 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/07/07/a-not-so-great-g8/ hopping along the corridors of power Sat, 10 Jan 2009 03:40:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Sam Buchanan http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/07/07/a-not-so-great-g8/#comment-48833 Sam Buchanan Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:51:08 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/07/07/a-not-so-great-g8/#comment-48833 "there’s nothing wrong with a group of democratic leaders of powerful governments coming together and devising a strategy on working together for common goals. " Well there is actually, even apart from the fact that nobody in their right mind would describe Russia as 'democratic' and Berlusconi's Italy is definitely pushing the boundaries of the term. Powerful governments are inherently problematic. The leaders have no mandate to take positions at the G8 and there's no process for giving citizens a chance to aprove or reject decisions made at the G8. “there’s nothing wrong with a group of democratic leaders of powerful governments coming together and devising a strategy on working together for common goals. ”

Well there is actually, even apart from the fact that nobody in their right mind would describe Russia as ‘democratic’ and Berlusconi’s Italy is definitely pushing the boundaries of the term.

Powerful governments are inherently problematic. The leaders have no mandate to take positions at the G8 and there’s no process for giving citizens a chance to aprove or reject decisions made at the G8.

]]> By: StephenR http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/07/07/a-not-so-great-g8/#comment-48831 StephenR Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:35:41 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/07/07/a-not-so-great-g8/#comment-48831 Cool pic BP, but idontgeddit. Cool pic BP, but idontgeddit.

]]> By: BluePeter http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/07/07/a-not-so-great-g8/#comment-48800 BluePeter Mon, 07 Jul 2008 05:25:16 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/07/07/a-not-so-great-g8/#comment-48800 Offtopic-ish, but thought you might like this one Frog: pixs.media.mit.edu/picture/image/11757/worth_enough_2500.jpg Offtopic-ish, but thought you might like this one Frog:

pixs.media.mit.edu/picture/image/11757/worth_enough_2500.jpg

]]> By: frog http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/07/07/a-not-so-great-g8/#comment-48798 frog Mon, 07 Jul 2008 05:00:28 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2008/07/07/a-not-so-great-g8/#comment-48798 Oh and this from <a href=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23978188-2703,00.html rel="nofollow">the Australian</a> - G8 plus 5 equals power shift: <blockquote>THE largest, most expensive gathering of world leaders under the G8 banner convenes today confronted by an awesome array of problems, from runaway oil prices and scarce food to flaring inflation and global warming, but with little prospect of real breakthroughs on any front. Failure this year could call seriously into question the viability of the Group of Eight industrialised nations, a 33-year-old gathering originally of the top Western powers, struggling now for relevance against huge shifts in the world's political and economic geography.</blockquote> Oh and this from the Australian - G8 plus 5 equals power shift:

THE largest, most expensive gathering of world leaders under the G8 banner convenes today confronted by an awesome array of problems, from runaway oil prices and scarce food to flaring inflation and global warming, but with little prospect of real breakthroughs on any front.

Failure this year could call seriously into question the viability of the Group of Eight industrialised nations, a 33-year-old gathering originally of the top Western powers, struggling now for relevance against huge shifts in the world’s political and economic geography.

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