A Sobering but Necessary Read

This is a sobering article but necessary read. The youth MUST understand the stakes and stay/get involved or it will not be OK.

It's Not Going to Be OK

By Chris Hedges, Truthdig. Posted February 4, 2009.

LINK = http://www.alternet.org/workplace/125192

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Personal Note: As I commented to a friend, the ripple effect of corporate priorities will be felt for decades to come. Buzzword: Irrelevance.

This society is a short-sighted one...only looking at the immediate instead of long term effects, etc. It's not rocket science, strictly a matter of common sense and natural law. The system as is was not sustainable...a house of cards...But if efforts are all about trying to save a system that's not sustainable instead of investing in long term sustainable solutions (education, completely different economic structure), I'm afraid the result will be exactly what this article states.

We've (academia) been talking about this "economic crisis" for years (but not "doing" anything about it because as the article argues, many universities & academics have sold out in many ways too - discussion for another time...lol).

The Bailout Mess

Bamboozled. Hoodwinked. The Corporate Raid of the Treasury...refer back to "Fall of Empire" and "Privatizing Profits, Socializing Losses" posts, but this video speaks to the point as well:




Naomi Klein, bestselling author of The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, appeared on Tavis Smiley's show on June 27, 2008.









Part two gives some hope to what can happen with the Obama administration and an engaged electorate.

In the Meantime....

Ok, consider this a "catch up" post. here are a number of articles and videos that you should definitely peep! And leave comments ;-)

Playahata.com has a new and improved layout and is always a good source for information.

Daveyd.com is also a very good source of information and his MySpace blog is a great place for dialogue.

On it right now are a few important posts, including:

1. It'll Take More Than a T-Shirt for Obama to Win-It's On You
By Davey D

2. This is Your Nation on White Privilege
By Tim Wise

3. How a Texas Senator Ruined Our Economy (And Can Ruin it Some More)
by James Moore


There's a new in depth study about the effect of racism on the election:

Poll: Racial views steer some white Dems away from Obama

And a funny Bill Maher video about the same topic:




On a related note, my initial analysis of the Palin pick three weeks ago seems correct. It was obviously political but probably will backfire in the end..for some of the reasons discussed here:






And finally, on the economic nightmare unfolding:

Economists see financial bailout as necessary

Home foreclosures reach record high

World's richest got even richer last year: report


And finally, a very important article and study regarding the better economic plan:

Would Obama’s Plan Be Faster, Fairer, Stronger?

By ALAN S. BLINDER

Published: August 30, 2008

"Privatizing Profits, Socializing Losses"

Given the "biggest federal intervention" since the great depression, I have to share some thoughts. Not only not surprised but saw it coming...and have said so to my classes for the past few years.

I even made a comment during my interview in August for my new job at LASC that might have seemed a bit off the cuff. I had to do a brief presentation on "Sociological perspectives on the global economy" and after i completed my presentation I added a comment that the irony of the overreaching of the Bush administration and corporate capitalism these last few years is it may have ushered in socialism....lol...right now we have part one...the socialized bailout..we'll see what happens this election..will voters get mad enough and demand universal health care and better wages and distribution of wealth? Or will they let this government use their taxes to bail out corporate elites and leave them suffering? Time will tell.

I've heard many commentators make reference to socializing losses after private industry made record profits as a travesty... No doubt. But I also have heard many say the bailout was necessary, and the sad part is that's probably true too. The parts of the economy are so interdependent that if a market crash occured, the results for all would be devastating...millions hurt by job, housing and 401k losses. The global economy would be affected as well. So unless people stand up and DEMAND better, wall street will get away with taking the world economy to the brink of collapse and getting off scott-free to exploit the labor market again. Hopefully people will finally wake up and recognize that free market neoliberals are only for small government and no regulation when they are raping everyday people, but as soon as they need a bailout, government is their ally. Bamboozled again.