From mid-August 1973 there had been rumblings of a coup brewing in Chile - the economy was suffering due to the withdrawal of foreign investment in the democratically-elected state. At 4am on 11 September, a date that is now synonymous with strikes against democracy, military units stationed throughout Chile reported for action to the leaders of the coup, led by Augusto Pinochet.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/...
The point of this diary isn't to rehash Chile, where the Free Market, Neo-Liberal/Conservative, Chicago School economic principles where launched and called The Brick. No. We all know this already. Heck, we are now living them.
Allende was punished by the multi-nationals because he was a Marxist and they couldn't have that: so they withdrew. Is the US being punished by the multi-nationals? Have they withdrawn from the US, too?
And, if so, how do we cobble together our new American world that no longer has their support in the form of factories, good wages, and a semblance of job security?
I don't have the answers; however, the questions haunt me.
When I hear of good, hardworking Americans living in trailers and Trickle Down Towns (tent cities) my heart all but explodes. How can anyone not think "Hey, that could happen to me, too."
Rather than argue about what I call the "what is", I think we need to begin finding solutions. As a matter of fact, I hear of some great ideas in play already, like veggie gardens in the middle of cities.
I live in a neighborhood with lawns. I hear some people have planted veggies in their front yards. I love this idea, both practically and esthetically.
We each need just a few things to survive: Food, water, clothing, and shelter
But we haven't reached the bottom of the barrel like the Chileans did because 36% of them voted for the Marxist.
We are told only 10% are unemployed. That's not so bad, well unless you are one of them.
We are told that only 8,000,000 homes were foreclosed. Could be worse, unless you lost your home.
But could we see a larger percentage of us suffering, through no fault of our own?
I think so and so do the economists who choose not to march in lock step with Washington, DC.
My new favorite diary is telling the true story. If you haven't, do read it and learn.
Why the economy isn't recovering
by gjohnsit
Mon Jul 19, 2010
http://www.dailykos.com/...
I hope jhonsit's diary stays on the rec list for days until everyone gets a chance to read it. It's hugely informative.
We need publicly funded elections with laws so tight that no corporation can ever take advantage again, ever....NEVER. And no more politic/corporate/lobbying revolving doors.
We need to reinforce community experience in our country. I know some have this, but many areas are populated by people who don't know each other hardly at all.
We don't need to take back our country, we need to resume being our country.
End of disjointed blither and ad for gjohnsit's MUST READ diary.
Not to sound CT, btw, but you have to admit it is huge coincidence that Cheney and Rumsfeld were in the White House circle for both September 11s and are both now extraordinarily wealthy. Truth is stranger than fiction.