The eurozone crisis has dramatically intensified during the last week. It has blown away the optimism of the Eurpoean ruling class in recent months that they had resolved the crisis. Once again, the continuation of the eurozone, as currently constituted, is seriously threatened. The Cyprus crisis could also dramatically pose the viability of the euro.

Millions of working people will see their income and jobs hit and important government services will be cut as ‘sequester cuts’ start to go into effect. This reckless event, which could have been stopped by a simple majority vote, should be a wake-up call about how little the two dominant parties in Washington care about the needs and lives of working people.

Dear Gov. Patrick, My CEO suggested I write you a “thank you” letter for my 23 cent raise. And I really needed it! You’re going to raise fees and the gas tax for the privilege of driving my car to work, my credit card is almost maxed out, and my car’s radiator just went out on my way to work last week.

For working-class women worldwide, 2012 marked a year of vicious attacks. Ongoing austerity and budget cuts mean women are paying for the economic crisis more than ever. There have been a number of slanderous and outrageous accusations from right-wing politicians, pundits, and even a Supreme Court judge that, in “legitimate” cases of rape, a woman can control her body into not conceiving. Even though there is increased awareness around the issue of domestic violence, it has not slowed the violence that is forced on women every day.

In December, Occupy Homes MN – in coordination with Socialist Alternative and other community organizations – launched the Foreclosure and Eviction Free Zone. The FEFZ encompasses the Powderhorn Park and Central neighborhoods, among the communities most ravaged by the foreclosure crisis.

Despite the “official” New Orleans unemployment rate climbing to 9.5%, and close to 30% of New Orleanians falling below the poverty line, the Democratic-controlled city council still rammed through a Sewage & Water Board rate increase initiative from the city’s corporate mayor, Mitch Landreau.

Public confidence in capitalism’s institutions has disintegrated - the combined product of unbelievable wealth inequality, chronic unemployment, sky-high costs of health care and education, racist policing, crackdowns on protesters, endless wars, and systematic environmental destruction. The cherry on top is the incredible record of banking-sector scandals, crises, and failures since the start of the Great Recession.

An interview with Paris Makrides, Xekinima (Greek CWI)

When Congress passed a budget in 2011 and raised the debt ceiling, they ducked the issue of what programs to cut until after the elections. This was a way for both parties to avoid responsibility for unpopular budget cuts. Now, unless Congress agrees otherwise, massive automatic across-the-board cuts are set to take place over the next ten years in both defense and non-defense spending, to take effect on December 31. These cuts will total an estimated $109 billion in 2013. Also, the Bush-era tax cuts are set to expire.

Over the period of a month last summer, 37 peaceful community activists and Occupy Homes MN supporters were arrested for defending the Cruz family home from foreclosure in Minneapolis MN. Now the mayor and city attorney have placed severe, trumped up charges on these community activists to try and intimidate homeowners and neighbors from fighting back against the banks.

Thousands of workers and young people took part in the GREBA OROKORRA, General Strike on September 26th in the Basque Country called by the majority Basque unions, LAB and ELA. The strike was called in response to the vicious cuts being imposed by the right wing PP government in Madrid and the never ending austerity measures which are destroying the health service, education and social welfare in Spain’s autonomous regions.

Spain is now entering a decisive phase. A continuation of the EU/Banks/PP/ PSOE policy will mean economic chaos and a dismantling of the public services and reforms gained over the last 30 years of ’democracy.’ The deepening crisis is also opening up national contradictions in Catalonia and Euskadi. The struggle is on to build a united movement with a genuine socialist and fighting leadership.

15 September was an historic day in the Portuguese class struggle. Almost 1 million people took to the streets in over 40 cities to say, we have had enough! Out with the Troika and the government! The demo, although supported by the trade unions and left parties, was organised by a broad “platform”, and popularized through social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, on the basis of the slogan “Screw the Troika! We want our lives back!”. The same evening, tens of thousands surrounded parliament demanding the fall of the government. This sudden explosion of revolt, just when the Portuguese ruling class thought it had the situation under control, sets the stage for a rapid escalation of the class struggle in the next days and weeks.

Mario Draghi’s announcement that the European Central Bank will embark on the unlimited buying of eurozone bonds to support debtor governments like Spain and Italy aroused a new wave of europhoria. There was also relief that Germany’s constitutional court rejected a move to block Germany’s participation in the European Stability Mechanism, the permanent bailout fund. In reality, however, the ECB’s intervention is another temporary fix that will, at best, buy some more time. The problems of the eurozone, rooted in the clash of national interests and the rivalries of capitalist leaders, remain as intractable as ever.

A quality college educa­tion, increasingly necessary for many jobs, is financially inac­cessible for more and more stu­dents. Tuition rates at universi­ties and community colleges have soared while government investment has decreased, leav­ing the burden of paying – or rather borrowing – for higher education on the shoulders of students and their families. Both corporate parties call for reforming public education by turning it over to private cor­porations and treating students as consumers.