Privatization and Neo-feudalism

[OneBlueSky]

by Bill Willers
San Francisco Bay View
July 24, 2003

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0724-07.htm

(snip)

Paul Krugman, in a May 27 article in the New York Times titled “Stating the Obvious,” wrote that “the gimmicks used to make an $800-billion-plus tax cut carry an official price tag of only $320 billion are a joke, yet the cost without the gimmicks is so large that the nation can’t possibly afford it while keeping its other promises; ... The people now running America aren’t conservatives: they’re radicals who want to do away with the social and economic system we have, and the fiscal crisis they are concocting may give them the excuse they need.”

Two days later, Peronet Despeignes, reporting in the Financial Times of London, wrote, “The Bush administration has shelved a report commissioned by the Treasury that shows the US currently faces a future of chronic federal budget deficits totaling at least $44,200 trillion (the deficit is currently at about $6 trillion) in current US dollars.”

(snip)

Corporate America has spent billions lobbying for deregulation of its activities and for privatization of everything from the health system to education to national parks and forests to Social Security - a situation that would lead to ownership and control by the corporate sector and a tiny handful of the super rich of virtually every aspect of society.

With no cash in the federal till - due to massive tax cuts along with huge deficits, and ultimate inability of the government to borrow further - there would no longer be much to argue about. The corporate sector would win by default, so that everything needed by the masses would have to be obtained through them at any price they would want to charge.

- more . . .

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0724-07.htm

[merh]

1. Which is exactly what they intend to happen with the monies

set aside for Katrina recovery - we have to be vigilant and make sure the money goes to the needs of the citizens and the communities and not to their cronies.

The money misspent by FEMA is making corporations and their subcontractors rich while citizens sleep in tents.

[sweetheart]

2. Eminent domain

Then the public can buy out the monopolists for 1 dollar, a fair price
for the cheap logic that drives their motives. These monopolists are 1
eminent domain-patent decision away from losing their shirts... and my
do they walk with hubris. Humility would be better advised to the
corporate schills and their bush operatives... but ahhh... 1 dollar, a
fair price for most public companies.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Ah yes I have been trreating some of this in fiction

the words of Senator Dana Mallancamp (fictional, but fully based on Bird aply)

"we failed to stand in the defense of liberty in its hour of need. We deserve the dark night that is quickly decending upon us."

Writings of Senator Dana Mallencamp and the death of the Tashkeni Republic

[havocmom]

4. 'Neo-feudalism' sums it up perfectly!

The corporatists want to do away with ALL states and laws. They want to be the only power and use all people and resources without restrictions.

And it's not just an American problem. But America is has the most ammunition, so our children will be the shock troops used by the corporations for the battle against nation states which do not allow for fraudulent elections to overturn democracy world wide.

[rogerashton]

5. Expropriate the expropriators!

eom

[hansberrym]

6. The 6 trillion current debt you mention is only a drop in the bucket

of the actual liability of the federal government.

When all the liabilities (federal government pensions, Social security, etc) are taken into account, the 44 trillion Krugman states may not be for off. Back in the earley 90's Ross Perot, Pete Peterson, and others estimated the total liability of the federal government to be in the low 20 trillions, so Krugman's estimate may be right.

[xchrom]

7. back this commentary up against this one

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5685665

and one BEGINS to get a clearer picture of the blueprint laid out by characters like leo straus or frank luntz or a handful of ceos' or board of director types that americans never read about in the newspapers.

[izzie]

8. So it was the plan we all knew about.

I am not sure with no money in the pot Bush can hand out any more Billions to churches so guess we will have to pick up the bill at the states or just let people died on the streets. I never saw a 'beggar' when I was growing up but I sure see them all over Portland Maine, Anchorages, Alaska in the last two cities I spent time in. I read about it in Portsmouth NH. I hate to even think what it is like in NYC. Good job Bush and Co.