A fellow travellerDenny at "Where

A fellow traveller

Denny at "Where We're Bound" thinks a lot like I do. And he seems as concerned about the upcoming takeover/merger of Corporate America and the United Police States of America as I am.

Scale of Democracy

"Of course there are times when it's pretty obvious that we're not living in a democracy, or even a democratic republic. If we want a democratic society we will have make fundamental, radical shifts to the many layers of our lives. It's not just about government. We need to examine the purpose and practice of our "educational" systems. What about the influence of corporations, which are private tyrannies, over public policy?"

People just aren't considering the repercussions of dismantling the government. As Lambert said on Eschaton in commenting on a Washington Post interview with Grover Norquist:

Student loans? "Wiped clean." Unemployment insurance? "Wiped clean"? School lunch for your kids? "Wiped clean." National parks? "Wiped clean." Your Mom's Medicare? "Wiped clean." Your Dad's Medicaid? "Wiped clean." And so on. Well, it is certainly "bold" and "audacious."

Forget the Prescription Drug farce now underway. (And why are we not talking about universal health insurance?) Since the tax cuts have gutted the ability to pay for the program long term, it's just a cynical ploy for 2004. It too will be "wiped clean" when the time comes -- especially if it does anything like lowering prices instead of being in essence a transfer payment to Big Pharma.

Even more vomitous is this, also from Eschaton but by Leah:

But the House of Representatives has voted by 253 to 170 to thwart the vast majority of class action suits in state courthouses, limiting all but the smallest claims to federal courts, where the big companies, say citizens' groups, find it easier to delay the progress of suits and 'shop' for courts more favourable to their interests.

'It's the biggest thing for years,' said a jubilant Lawrence Fineran, vice-president at the Association of Manufacturers. 'Just about every industry group is on this bandwagon, because every industry is affected.'

With government too emaciated to protect you from the massive power of Corporate America pursuing its interests without regard for yours (it's not active hostility, it's benign neglect sans the benign part), with what remains of government actually protecting the interest of Corporate America above yours, there won't even be the pretense of a kiss before we're fucked.

Have you noticed? Lay off a bunch of people and your stock price goes up. Export a bunch of jobs and your stick price goes up. Calculate whether it will cost more to retool the factory or to pay the (settlement capped) lawsuits. Get incentives that cost more than the salaries you'll pay, much less the taxes those "lucky duckies" will have extracted while owners get tax-free dividend income with no need for the corporation to even show a profit first. And when the corporation goes belly-up, who pays to restore the order? (Hint: see S&L Crisis).

posted by Prometheus 6 at 6/18/2003 07:15:38 PM |

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Posted by Prometheus 6 on June 18, 2003 - 7:15pm :: Old Site Archive
 
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