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Solidarité et Progrès Conference in Paris

A Transatlantic Fist-Punch
Against Financial Oligarchy

November 2010


Jacques Cheminade

On November 17th, “A transatlantic fist-punch against financial oligarchy” conference gathered 150 people in Paris around French presidential candidate Jacques Cheminade, Lyndon LaRouche spokesman and Schiller Institute Board Member Harley Schlanger and Italian engineer and author of Transaqua project for Lake Chad Marcello Vichi.

Jacques Cheminade's opening speech clearly defined the issue of our time: either we win with a Global Glass- Steagall or the world will go down in a Global Weimar Hyperinflation. He was particularly harsh with the transatlantic leaders who are now imposing killing austerity on the people since they refused to stand against the City of London and Wall Street interests and are continuing bailing them out. He nailed Michel Pebereau, BNP Paribas head, as being the real president of France, behind Sarkozy's pro-British economic policy and denounced the Trusts offshore system used to finance criminal operations. After Greece's shock therapy, Ireland is under the fire of IMF, ECB and EU, and Portugal, Spain and Italy stand next if nothing is done to reverse the present course of events, that is, a bankruptcy reorganization of this criminal financial empire. Stating that the "future defines the present", he introduced Harley Schlanger and Marcello Vichi as "realistic prophets" bringing NAWAPA and Transaqua vision for the future.

Harley Schlanger made a powerful speech on the moment of tragedy we face and the American population is facing. With simplicity and depth, he created a real dialogue with the audience, asking constantly "Why we are in this mess?", "Why you didn't fight before? What are you doing now?" He developed LaRouche's concept of platform economy, showing the true reason for building up infrastructure is the respect for the creative human mind which can not develop without. He invited the people to think today from the standpoint of great tragedians, understanding the past and living freely for the future as great leaders always do, overcoming their fear of death.

Marcello Vichi's intervention incarnated 30 years of struggle to make the Transaqua project a reality. He went through all the aspects of the projects, which in the end is wider than a mere water transfer project. Today's versions of Transaqua discussed among state leaders are way off, he said, the original Transaqua is a continental agro-industrial development scheme. He also denounced all the phony environmental talks: today, millions are spent on environmental studies about Lake Chad's birds and trees, but nothing is done for the 30 millions humans whose life is threatened in the short term. These ecologist are heavily propagandizing against large infrastructure project whereas not a penny was ever spent for studying the feasibility of the the real Transaqua. With today's technological capacities, it would be very easy to do it and tell if Transaqua is feasible or not. He called for an immediate feasibility study to be launch in order to trigger a move for the whole African continent development.

Despite some very "pragmatic" questions in the beginning of the Q&A period, the attendance responded to this quality of interventions. All people were inspired by the profound commitment for mankind of the three speakers. For example, Marcello Vichi expressed irritation about a question of environnmental impact of the Transaqua project. "I am an ecologist! Yes! But we mustn't be too rigorist on that. We can sacrifice biodiversity if it is in the benefit of mankind. Environmental questions are important, but Human Beings first!" He was highly applauded. We had questions also around the candidacy of Jacques. The answers were often received by the attendance like a plebiscite for his candidacy. At some point, a woman presented herself as an envoy of another presidential candidate: she asked what would be Jacques' first action if he were to be elected. Jacques was blunt, showing what real leadership is by offering vision for the future and guts to fight the British Empire ; but he called on the audience to fight right now, not waiting 2012 for a change.


Left to right: Harley Schlanger, Jacques Cheminade, Marcello Vichi

To conclude, Cheminade called people to stop destroying themselves and to come to their senses to embody the Republic. To give you bravery: listen again to Beethoven's Fidelio, where in the final scene he invited you to join others characters to celebrate the real liberty!, he concluded.

As a youth contact said at the end of the conference, there "were France, USA, Italia...We feel a global cohesion.. which is rare in a political conference". More: It is the unity of effect created in the mind of attendance. The three speakers created enthusiasm and a springboard towards political action. Harley told the audience about the opportunity of Cheminade's leadership for France and Europe: he reported that leading economists and politicians he met during his trip were all saying “You are right on analysis and remedies but who can lead the fight?” and that he answered “Cheminade!” triggering a sane anxiety inside them. He challenged the audience to say the truth whatever the cost is and to uplift their conscience at the level of the historical momentum we're in.

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