This is an article written for the internet, posted at AlterNet.
Every sentence stands by itself making it impossible to excerpt more than 4 sentences and not violate the fair use bit, so my post is merely to bring it to your attention and to encourage you to go there and read it. If you are struck by it, as I was, comment and discuss here.
The central import is clearly laid out in the title: austerity policies (which I consider tantamount to a car-jacking of our lives and future) are driving more and more people over the edge and they are contemplating and attempting suicide.
Some excerpts over the fleur-du-Kos
In a study released in May, Professors David Stuckler and Sanjay Basu of Oxford University in England found that suicide rates in both the U.S. and U.K. increase when working class wages and wealth decline.
The study calculates, for example, that there were 4,750 “excess” suicides during the recession period in the U.S., compared with suicide rates before the recession.
Stuckler and Basu conclude their report by saying that, “what we’ve learned is that the real danger to public health is not recession per se, but austerity.”
That’s right. The very same austerity policies that Republicans in Washington are constantly pushing on us are the same policies that are driving Americans to kill themselves.
The article goes on to highlight a 'soaring' suicide rate in Greece following the imposition of austerity there. It was cited as having the lowest suicide rate prior to it.
It also highlights the case of Iceland which didn't 'bail out' the banks, didn't force austerity on people and didn't whack the safety net, all of which are being done to America right now.
This article supports my contention that republican policies and austerity are designed to cause increased misery and deaths.