Hi Craig & John & all, I am not sure I want to get into all this on the MoQ forum, because it's kind of tangential to discussing the MoQ, so apologies in advance; but...
> [Mary] > > We have no power over rapacious corporations. > > > Quite the opposite. Corporations are entirely dependent > upon their customers. Corporations that pollute, are energy > inefficient, cause trade imbalance, etc. rely on our > ignorance/tolerance. > Craig Here's the thing, Craig. Corporations can get away with whatever they want as long as they satisfy their customers and shareholders. Probably most of the customers of America's biggest retailer, Wal-Mart, are Republican, America-First, nationalistic people - who yet go to Wal-Mart every week and collectively buy billions of dollars in Chinese made goods. They do this because Chinese goods are cheaper, and they need things to be cheaper because corporations have systematically reduced the number of jobs available in the country and consistently driven wages down in a competitive race for the bottom. Corporations will argue that this is necessary to stay in business and fund research and development, but what they really mean is that this is necessary to maintain the high level of profit they require to make their stock more valuable in the market. The American economy can be likened to a huge funnel complete with suction apparatus on the end; designed to siphon as much money as possible from the bottom of society toward the top. Republican administrations are always in collusion with this, and pass bills and erase regulations in order to ensure that the rich can continue to get richer. The inequity of wealth in America is at its highest point of any time in prior history. John proposed a solution, and I would propose another; but, first I would like to ask a question. What is the benefit to society for a few at the top to control the vast majority of national wealth? This does not improve the society nor does it improve the general human condition. The reality of America is that the huge mass of us who count ourselves as employees are leading double lives. Yes, we have freedom of religion, assembly, to vote, etc., but not during the workday. In fact, any employee foolish enough to speak his mind in opposition to his boss is sooner or later no longer an employee. Yes, we have laws to protect the rights of workers, but they are window dressing. Here's a homily to live by. You have only as much justice as you can afford. American Corporations are outsourcing jobs faster than they are being created, and are currently engaged in a competitive race to the bottom chasing cost containment (code for wage and headcount reduction). Those of us lucky enough to have jobs are being asked - no expected - to work longer and harder month after month, absorb health insurance premium increases, and forego pay raises "for the good of the company". Who speaks for us? I have enough for an extremely long essay to say about this, but I'll spare you all and stop here. :) Mary - The most important thing you will ever make is a realization. Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
