 |
The world has moved on…… Roland of Gilead ~ The Dark Tower Series ~ Stephen King It is has become such a different world in the last eight years, largely due to Clinton being a President that worked with all of the other countries we share this ball of dust with instead of against them. The problem is that the Repubs are too blinded by their own rabid hate to clearly see the world they now inhabit. They’re living in some kind of insular Baccarat Bubble that has somehow slipped into a time warp where all things are as they were in 1990. But the real world, where the majority of the inhabitants of this planet live and work, has moved on. Terrorism and physical force are no way to help a country faced with civil rights abuses end oppression. Truly damaging wars are no longer fought with bombs and guns; they're fought with various investments, economic sanctions, and boycotts. Case in point - Russia.... We gave them McDonalds & Estee Lauder, they got an opportunity to see 'democratic capitalism' in action and what happened? No more CCCP. It is going to take some time for them to get it right, but they are on the way nonetheless. The same is on the verge of happening in China, you don't need to bully someone into a better way of living - just show them how it works. Oh yeah, pissing off China is a REALLY great idea. That’s right, I forgot, if we actually opened them up as the biggest trade potential that we have, that might actually HELP the economy and CREATE jobs – we can’t have that! That was a CLINTONIAN thing, and we know that Clintonian things are baaaaad. Yeah, like LESS arsenic in water, and limits on CO2. Help me. Instead Twig has to create some imaginary enemy so he can pour obscene amounts of cash into defense and arms sales, starting with his deal to Taiwan. Too bad the hot dog Chinese pilot sent to ‘escort’ our spy plane gift decided to play Air Show. Oops. It was clearly a setup. If they weren’t already en route to China they would have flown to Vietnam. The media should be screaming foul in all of this, but instead they praise Smirk's false diplomacy, when it was Powell who issued the ‘apology’. Unfortunately, all we are showing the world now is how to pull off a blood-free coup, repay all the big money campaign contributors, and give the impression that Americans are an ugly, selfish, greedy people whose collective bottom line is to put more cash in the hands of the super rich, while blindly believing their government controlled media. “As long as I can live in my comfy little universe…” So what if we trash the world making our 1% richer? Add to that the bad light it puts on Democracy itself because the spotlight has been so highly focused on it's fragility..... Silly Republicans - they ditched the most important economics class of the last century and somehow believe if 1% of the citizenry get 46% of the money, the economy will ‘recover’. Recover? It was in great shape until Weak & Stupid started talking it down, the population doubted his mandate and lost confidence in the Market. The Dot.Com downturn (readjustment - the internet isn't going away) is only a tiny part of the big picture. The problem is that Trickle Down is a myth and doesn’t work. The Super Rich don’t spend money like the Middle Class. The median income families of this country have always been the largest consumers, pouring a higher percentage of their money into the economy trying to make a better life for themselves and their families, while the Super Rich put the majority of their cash into offshore tax shelters and bank accounts. However, over the last several years corporate greed has taken over the economy. CEOs are making record incomes while their employees who make them their huge profits in the first place, are not seeing wage increases that match the cost of living. And in many cases have taken pay and benefit cuts– or have taken on larger workloads without an increase in salary to match so they won’t lose their jobs. The Middle Class no longer have the expendable income to put back into the economy. They have slowed down their consuming to make ends meet, and with the looming tax gift to the rich on the horizon, may even stop altogether. The long range result? Let’s see….. Large companies with huge inventories of product with no one to buy them….. Some of the Super Rich CEOs cut bait altogether and close up shop, so they can keep their obscene nest eggs they’ve accumulated and go live on the 9th hole at Pebble Beach, while their laid off employees apply for unemployment and spend their retirement accounts trying to remain off the street. While other CEOs cut back on personnel and invest their own money to keep the business afloat. Either scenario doesn’t put the money back into the hands of the main consumers. What happened to getting honest pay for an honest day’s work? Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner is one of the obscene earners while his employees are some of the lowest paid in the industry. Top that off with having trouble at first staffing the opening of the new theme park California Adventure, but still laying off over 4000 employees. Disney was the last studio to offer their employees Domestic Partner insurance and only then because they were forced by staff turnover. Why stay when you can get a better salary and benefits at Dreamworks? Oh, yeah….. it’s the Glory of working for Disney! Sorry, but glory won’t pay my rent. How much money does Michael Eisner, Bill Gates, and for that matter Smirk’s entire cabinet need? How did so many members of our society become sociopaths without any feelings regarding the welfare of their fellow man? Especially with a pResident who claims Jesus Christ is his favorite philosopher? Has he ever even read the Bible? What a joke Smirk’ Easter Message was, “that, in the end, even death itself will be defeated.'' Whaaaaat????? Er, uhm, as I recall, Christ died for man’s sins, and was resurrected because he was THE LORD. Whatshu talkin’ bout W? Do you think YOU can defeat death? Who do you really think you are…? Even Robin Hood’s economic plan had its heart in the right place. But then, I am sure Smirk has never read Robin Hood. It’s a book. |
|
|