Screw me twice, shame on me. There can be little doubt those that control and dominate the American and world economy have had it pretty easy. Any time they get into trouble they simply cry 'too big to fail'and their puppet politicians simply take money from what was once a middle class and bail them out. The most recent being around $800 billion. And, while these 'too big to fail' companies make usurious profits and pay absurd bonuses for failure, they create no new jobs under the protection of the 'consumers aren't buying' mantra. Could it be because they have all of our money? But there has been so much said and written on this topic it is not worth repeating the list of corporate atrocities committed upon the consumers of the world. The bail out was the first, or rather the most recent and obvious, screwing. Shame on them.
These same corporate entities are now trying to screw us again, and if they are successful, shame on us. Hopefully, you all know that mid-term Congressional elections are coming up in November. The current mantra of these forces tends, on the surface, to sound appealing. Sound bites "cut the size of government, reduce government spending, keep tax cuts, fire the teachers, we can't afford to address climate change, reduce regulations, etc.," does have some appeal in a troubled economy. But what is really behind these corporate funded attacks? Of course they want the size of government reduced. If there a fewer food inspectors, environmental regulators, health and safety employees, they get more free rein to do as they please. Reducing government spending allows them to make more profit as they will be taxed less. Keep tax cuts helps the rich to stay rich. The poor don't pay many taxes anyway so it's not like tax breaks are very useful for the increasing numbers of people falling into poverty. They are not there because of taxes but because they have lost their jobs and banks are taking their homes.
Did you notice that just when people began to take climate change seriously that we had an economic crisis? How many times do we have to listen to the idea that increasing mpg will raise the price of cars and no one could afford them? Hell, we can't afford the cars they are making now. But we know that the technology exists for non-polluting/high mpg cars. But that means less money for the oil cartels. Spending money of safe and environmentally oil exploration would decrease the corporate bottom line. Corporations claim that such regulations cost jobs and raise the cost of energy so we can;t do that. How many people want to listen to 'save the environment' when they have a hard time putting food on the table?
Reducing the size of government, firing teachers to save money and massive public employee layoffs will not help the economy. If no jobs are being created, where will these people work? If we go on a benefit cutting spree, then how would all of these people live? Is there room for reform and efficiency improvement? Of course, but a wanton and reckless loss of government jobs will do nothing to help the economy. Although, it will allow the banks to take more homes away. Clearly, right-winged financed political campaigns against everything means that they are for themselves, not for us. Look at the resistance to the extension of unemployment benefits; efforts to take away Social Security benefits; the lack of interest in feeding hungry people; the unwillingness to help us get affordable health care and the basic disdain to human suffering and ask how these actions could benefit you.
There is no question that we need improved efficiencies and abuse of programs needs to end. But the demonetization of government workers, the poor, the middle class and efforts to create a sustainable and peaceful world serves only the interests of those that have a lot and not the interests of the majority of people. If you buy into the corporate financed propaganda, shame on you!
