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Sarwood is right about semantics
I think the average conservative is not able enough to even follow these arguments. I know saying that sounds prejudicial and cruel, but Bush is stongly supported by the working classes who view informed arguments as "elitist liberal" lies. What is happening today is nothing new; labor has always been exploited . What is new is that the propaganda mills have convinced labor that unionization is communist, that education is deceiving, that religion (confused with morality) should dictate state issues. This kind of support enables corporate players to take full advantage. Having taught community college the past 10 years, I have seen a frightening trend: each academic year, students come to the college less skilled, less educated, and unable to understand the necessary relationship between proof and position. We need to address people at this level.
posted by
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
on September 19, 2004 at 11:40 PM
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Cheap Labor
The reason American liberal values and the "welfare state" were attacked to heavily was that in order to move into a world economy that relied on cheap labor, we had to have our own supply of cheap labor -- or so the people in charge of corporations thought. That seemed "easier" than bringing the rest of the world into an understanding about fair labor and workers rights. Hence there are no clauses at the World Trade Organization having to do with fair labor or even the right to organize, although there are many and specific clauses on intellectual property rights. So it could have been done, had we but had the will.
Our country and our world is being set up to pit shareholders against workers. If it is allowed to "go down that way," it will lead to eventual revolution.
As a matter of fact, those who study trends as consultants have come to believe that our world is headed for a "one world" civilization controlled by one corporation. National governments are becoming irrelevant. America is controlled by the corporate lobby now. And congress doesn't even have the will to require corporations to pay taxes for the protections and court systems, etc. that keep them going. So soldiers who haves can barely pay their bills are riding shotgun for corporate truck drivers in Iraq who make $70,000 a year and pay no taxes. And the companies themselves move to the Bahamas and such to avoid taxes altogether continued unabated. These "offshore" companies can even get government contracts -- paid for by your tax dollars.
But, well, your average conservative can't be bothered with all that It's too "nuanced" and doesn't fit into a sound bite. He's been convinced he has to bash gays and keep women in line or his children will grow up to think for themselves - or maybe even give the president a blow job in the oval office, which everyone knows would be far worse than destroying democracy even as we kill people to "save it." But I know that's too complex, and I apologize for bringing it up.
posted by
sarwood
on September 19, 2004 at 6:06 AM
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And don't you find it almost amusing to note
that when talking about the rest of the world, we are bringing American "liberalism" to conservative totalitarian governments? If you read the book, "Reading Lolita in Tehran," about the Iranian revolution, the liberals are the good guys. It's quite a lesson in semantics -- and in reality.
posted by
sarwood
on September 19, 2004 at 5:55 AM
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