Allan Scharf writes:
The only problem with crime is that it is not in your self-interest. Not
many criminals are rich until they die of old age, enjoy respect and
self-esteem, get elected as president of the local service club, and can
stay in bed all night. When crime is in one's self interest, such as in the
case of certain U.S. Presidents, they go right ahead and sometimes receive
all of the above benefits.
There is not much that we do except when it is in our self interest.
Helping
an old blind man across the street, or giving back a found wallet, makes
many people feel good--something that we all desire.
Thomas Lunde
I guess you and I have a different idea of crime. In my small world, I
acknowledge two types of criminals. One, the guy or gal who breaks the law
and gets five or 10 years deduction of their life in prison for the
conditions created by governments and business in creating poverty, social
dysfunction, relationship breakdown, etc. at infinitum.
The second type of criminal is the corporate body, ably assisted by our
democratic government in fleecing the taxpayer, the consumer and the poor
for their profit. We have institutionalized criminals who graduate with
their MBA's which is the clean way to learn how to fleece the public and
create conditions of pollution, resource depletion, energy waste through
the device of advertising. I would suggest Alan that you read the post of
Michael Chossudovsky on FW to get a more in-depth view of this type of
crime. The criminal warlords of this method are the ultra rich, the
corporate elite, the government retiree who translates their knowledge of
government to helping business take advantage of the government for their
own ends. I can think of an ex prime minister and an ex president who
tried to use their influence with the Indonesian government when it looked
like they had found the largest gold deposit in the world. However, I will
bet that they got well paid for their efforts while the investors - of
which they probably didn't belong, suffered mega losses. Now, the
corporate sharks, lawyers will spend the next 10 years fleecing
stockholders while the government spends mega dollars on court time and
public defenders.
Well, I have to go grocery shopping so I will leave this depressing area
for awhile.
Respectfully
Thomas Lunde
