And our nightmare began!
If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading Naomi Klein's book, The Shock Doctrine. If you are like me, I have read a lot of history; however, there was a thread of cohesion lacking that explained the financing of history. Who pays and who gains from disaster? Naomi answers these questions for the history beginning in the 1960s through today. I just finished the book and am left with this question:
Are we the latest victims of Shock? Are we facing private highways? Bridges? Police? Firemen? Military? If so, we need to know the histories of Chile, Argentina, El Salvador, Poland, Russia, South Africa, New Orleans, and Iraq which is the poster child for privatization gone wrong. Here, in Naomi's own words:
Are we the next victims of Milt Friedman's economic policies that first destroy a country and then use the shock to enrich those who are standing ready as all of our services are privatized?
Will your grandchildren be able to afford to live in gated communities fortified and protected by private security and militia like other countries require? Most won't. To avoid this potential world in America, we need to reverse the policies that have hollowed out our government and given the job to protect and operate our country to private corporations.
We really need Obama to reject the economic policies of his Friedman followers, Larry Summers and Bob Rubin. The new mantra to reduce the deficit will most likely mean a great reduction of our social safety nets if the histories of the countries above are followed.
Here is Naomi on the Bailout:
To date, billions still flow to the Masters of the Universe instead of to the people. Are we to be assuaged by the few crumbs we have received?
The new conversation about taxing health insurance benefits is not a good indicator that PROGRESSIVES are calling the shots in Washington.
Obama's declaration that 'private companies' will be given the Stimulus Infrastructure projects is another Friedman declaration.
Tim Geithner reported to Congress that Treasury had hired private firms to audit the Bailout Banks.
There are 3 private contractors for every soldier in Iraq. And they are paid for with OUR DEBT/TAX DOLLARS. Lot's of people getting rich on this war, and it ain't you and it ain't me.
Bush, Cheney, and especially Rumsfeld hollowed out our government and privatized everything they could. A private company was given millions to manage the Katrina reconstruction. We all see how well that is going.
We need to help Obama do the right thing for the people, us, and America. We know what needs to be done. Reinstate dedicated public servants into our government and end the privatization of America.
America has this golden opportunity to lead the world to a more just and wholesome direction. We can't let the corporatists win or the world will become a more hateful and unjust world for the majority of its people, including our children and grandchildren.
We must live by the goldlen rule:
Do Unto Others as We Would Have Them Do Unto Us
If you can, read Klein's book. I found a copy at a Kroger affiliate grocery store at a great discount.
Learn how we have been living by this not-so-golden rule:
The Man With the Gold Makes the Rules