The billionaires and other wealthy ideologues who fund right wing think tanks, Carl Rove, the Tea Party etc; seem to be experimenting, curious as to how far they can push their agenda before encountering real opposition. Not so long ago I would have ventured that they would envy dictators their free hand. There might be a little nervousness these days in U.S. country clubs, given Egyptian developments, though it may be reasoned that, what with owning the media where the majority of people get their information, and funding (owning) most politicians of both parties there seems little reason for alarm. Even if all else fails they’ve still got the police and military, right? The governor of Wisconsin has threatened to call out the National Guard to quell resistance to his anti-worker policies. Perhaps he should consider the Egyptian military response to similar demands and also the fact that most national guard troops are themselves workers.
Greed is said to explain why billionaires want more money and the same can probably be said for why capitalists pretty much running and owning everything attempt to cut back on what little workers have managed to garner. But I suppose it’s a long-term project. When the capitalist class saw, to its dismay, that it couldn’t completely stop workers from successfully organizing in the early twentieth century, it attempted to undermine the movement by negotiating with more “moderate” unions, buying them off, inviting the leadership to the golf course etc; all the while biding its time until a counter attack could be launched. Reagan’s ascendancy marked that moment and it has been downhill for workers ever since but greed may yet unravel that victory as the people of Wisconsin stand up in a very tardy but hopeful opposition.
I believe that "The Economy" is now totally dysfunctional. Maybe it always was. Basically it now only serves the billionaires. A functional economy would work to hook qualified people to the things that need doing. And boy do we have a lot of "Things that Need Doing", but "The Economy" can not fund these things. Stupid!
ReplyDeleteAmerica is entering it's Post Empire" stage. It's just a question of whether it does it gracefully; like Britain that settled for teaching Cricket to the Commonwealth; or Nazi Germany with war, atrocities and complete defeat.
I'm not sure if you and I have much say in the choice. :(
Anti-worker? These unions are anti-taxpayer and anti-middle class. While the middle class worker has been asked to sacrifice more in terms of pay and benefits, the unions share of public funds has increased forcing increased taxation. Wisconsin does have good schools but their budgets have shot up well beyond student performance. In Milwaukee where Scott Walker was a county commissioner, many teachers pull six figures with gold-plated health and retirement benefits while the district's graudation rate hovers around 50%. Go Scott Walker! Don't back down! Let's hope this is just the beginning of rolling back public sector union's clout. Even the sainted FDR advised against them because of the inherent conflict of interest between unions and their Democrat legislator "bosses." It's a deal with the devil whose time has come.
ReplyDeleteIf you cut someone's benefits and salary that's equivalent to raising their taxes.Interesting that this comment is so enthusiastic about "raising taxes for workers" but has all kinds of rationalizations ready to defend tax CUTS for the wealthy. Sort of like the house servant defending the master.
ReplyDeleteoh, and "gold-plated" health and retirement benefits. but the commenter doesn't get excited, apparently at CEO multi-million dollar bonuses... i suppose they "work hard for that money and shouldn't be penalized for being successsful" etc; I like Gore Vidal's quote: "To get people to continuously vote against their own interests is manipulation of the highest order."
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