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People Made this Country Great; Pay-to-Play Politics Is Destroying It

BajaWind

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Last year, after poisoned dairy products killed six children, the chairwoman of Sanlu, the most notable producer, was sentenced to life in prison. Two suppliers were condemned to death. Feb. 19, 2009 The Economist

I am guessing Chinese food producers will be more careful in the future. In contrast, there is not a single CEO on Wall Street (or in Detroit) that did not see this (or the last) crash coming, and were counting (banking) on government aid--that they would not be allowed to fail. That's what millions of dollars in political contributions buys you. Protection.

The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza has put the Palestinian toll at more than 1,400 killed and 5,500 wounded. One of Gaza's leading human rights groups, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, says nearly 70 percent of the deaths were civilian. Overall, thirty-four health facilities-eight hospitals and twenty-six clinics-were damaged or destroyed in the Israeli attack. Democracy Now, January 23, 2009

How did Israel get the green light to slaughter hundreds of innocent men, women and children in Gaza--I would dearly love to know who was paid off for that one. The blood of those innocents is on the hands of American politicians (the president?) who could have prevented Israel's assault on Gaza. Judas Obama's bleating about about Israel's right to defend itself is sounding pretty lame.

It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder. Albert Einstein

If people at the top are not held to account--openly accepting vast sums of cash for political favors--what are the rest of us to think. For starters we the people have no rights, between swat teams murdering US citizens to the arming of Mexico; justified as a drug war (payoffs from the arms and drug companies) but nothing more than a subsidy to the weapons and drug manufacturers, and an excuse to arrest or harass pretty much anyone the rich and politically connected find annoying. The best justice money can buy.

In news from Mexico, the number of drug-related killings more than doubled in 2008. The country's top prosecutor said more than 5,300 people died last year in drug-related attacks. Over 1,600 people died in the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez alone"-a fivefold increase over 2007. Democracy Now January 05, 2009

More than 5,000 people murdered, a direct result of the United States providing us$1.5 billion in arms to wage war on the drug transportation business in Mexico--no money, purely weapons of war.

Meanwhile the demand for drugs continues unabated thanks to the misery of millions of people thrown out of work and homes, the aftermath of the housing bubble--Alan Greenspan's legacy, after years of standing before congress receiving accolades for his fine work.

And when exactly did it become acceptable to kill hundreds of innocent men, women and children in the name of war? Oh, they are Muslims or Mexicans, not Christians or Jews. Glad I am a Caucasian-although, that isn't enough to protect me from being tortured by the CIA, ICE or DEA. That's right, it's long been okay to torture your own citizens. Other countries are understandably pissed that we have exported this sort of treatment overseas.

As the US moves to shut down Guantanamo Bay, another detention facility at Afghanistan's Bagram airbase is being expanded amid fears that Washington is likely to press ahead with off-shore detention of "enemy combatants". Al Jazeera February 2009. 

What is it going to take to reverse this trend toward the complete disregard for the living? How many civilians are going to die in the worsening poverty and desperation before a bottom up stimulus package is enacted that will help those that need it most. The people without jobs, beds, food or hope.

Any homeless person can tell you exactly what they need to survive and thrive in their communities: a secure room with a bed, storage and access to a washroom, health care, phone, food. It's not asking for much. How many million homes are sitting empty?

People are our most precious asset, though you would never know it by listening to the immigration debate, the size of the prison population or the state of the education system. There are voices of reason and hope out there, like Ron Paul for example.

The one silver lining to this economic fiasco is that when enough middle class voters join the ranks of the poor (and stop paying taxes) we might actually achieve political change. The days of pay-for-play politics are numbered, as are the days of the middle class. Now on with those war crimes tribunals.

Author's Website: http://gordonparnell.googlepages.com/boldconversations

Author's Bio: A fascinating experiment in living, Gordon has enjoyed a life of wandering, invention and transformation. Finding people everywhere much nicer and more helpful in person than they appear on television set him on a quest to create a world that works for everyone-after many angry years of not belonging. Projects include: Making the experience of sailing available to everyone, including the elderly, amputees and even the blind: and creating massive people's orchestras so everyone can experience the magic of making music-the experience of cooperation and abundance. A bright, compassionate guy with a fascinating background.

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