The World Today - Left Unity in Portugal

Tariq Ali talks to Catarina Principe, and activist from Left Bloc in Portugal, about the the potential future government which may consist of an alliance between the Socialist Party, the Left Bloc, the Portuguese Communist Party and the Greens. teleSUR multimedia.tele...

[@sshrdlu]

All of the videos on this channel are mixed too low. I can barely hear what's being said, even with my computer's volume turned up to full. The introductory music is fine, but the dialogue is almost inaudible. Please do something about it! I love this channel, and I watch every episode. I sometimes watch Tariq Ali's interviews several times. But I really struggle to hear what's said, and I know I'm not alone.

[@adamsmith4416]

+Spencer Greenwood Agreed. I have the same problem with RT. Someone needs to have a word with with engineers about broadcast compliant levels. I have my Internet comp in the kitchen, so as it is, whenever I do the washing up or turn on the microwave I can't hear a damn thing. I work in music production, so my present workaround is to route the audio through Izotope Ozone to bring the level up. Really, I shouldn't need to do this.

[@Yourismouter]

as of right now what is the current situation in Portugal? and great interview once more conducted by the brilliant historian and journalist Tariq Ali. if people are interested check out a 5 part interview of caterina on The Real News Network's Reality Asserts itself interview series. and glad Left Bloc is threatening a Lexit on the EU. they seem to have more balls in that regard then Syriza, Dir Linke, and Podemos and the Socialist Party of Ireland.

[@Tusiriakest]

Quite good frankly. The government had some difficulties regarding the summer fires and some smaller themes, but on an overall review, people are quite pleased with the government and with the president (which is right wing, but has kept this government with all his efforts). Economically everything is going very well to. Everythings on track.

[@Yourismouter]

has the worst of austerity stopped then?

[@Tusiriakest]

Well, sort of. When you have such a deficit and debt, it's kind of logical that you have to cut expenditures. And there is no problem in that in terms of acceptance of austerity by the people. Everyone knows that cuts are needed, and that it's going to be difficult to do them. The problem with portuguese austerity was one of ideologic choices only, for two main reasons: 1) Using the crisis as an escape goat to implement liberal reforms, like selling State owned assets and cutting down on wages and public services, and at the same time, promoting private own replacements; and 2) use "lack of money" as an excuse to cut all stated above, but on the other hand, bailing out banks and distributing unevenly the effort to cut down on debt and deficit, specially in tax and pensions cuts. So, austerity, under the right wing government, had cut public services, sold public assets, taxed the middle class and the poor unevenly and opened ground for losses in social and work-related rights. Now, austerity under the left government, has been able to even the payload fairly by rich and middle class, has guaranteed social and work-related rights, and has gradually reestablishing wages and public services budgets. So there is still a sort of austerity, there are cuts being made. The difference is that they're fair and pointted towards those that can pay them and/or don't suffer as much without what they're "losing" for the common effort. This difference, along with world wide economic growth, has helped the left government to be favored by a majority of the population. It's more of a matter of legitimal power then less financial cuts. Hoped that this as helped clarify things. (sorry for the bad english)