[Peace-discuss] Fw: CLNews: Why No Outrage Indeed

Fri Feb 6 06:00:52 CST 2009

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tony Budak" <TonyBudak at CLNews.org>
To: ",,,CLNews Members" <clnews at lists.clnews.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 11:16 PM
Subject: CLNews: Why No Outrage Indeed


>
> Richard Mellor has just posted under the title of Why No Outrage Indeed.
>
> This thread is located at
> http://www.clnews.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15028
>
> Here is the message that has just been posted:
> ***************
> Richard Mellor
> AFSCME Local 444, retired
> 2-5-09
> http://weknowwhatsup.blogspot.com
> http://www.myspace.com/unionguy510
> http://laborsmilitantvoice.org
> http://clnews.org
>
>
> The capitalist class is intensifying its offensive against workers,
> youth and the middle class as public services and wages are being
> savaged and layoffs mount. There have been mass protests, general
> strikes and other actions against the effects of the global economic
> crisis that first manifested itself in the collapse of the US subprime
> mortgage market.
> The crisis is spreading and commercial property and higher end mortgages
> are likely the next wave.
>
> A general strike of an estimated two million took place in France.
> Lithuania, Greece, Russia, have all seen major protests and strikes in
> recent weeks that led to clashes with the authorities.  In the US we
> have also seen a stirring as unemployment reaches its highest level
> since 1982 and home foreclosures mount. We can't really say that people
> are losing their homes because the homes were never "theirs" to begin
> with.  They are owned by moneylenders whose parasitic existence is
> maintained by interest payments from hard working people in need of
> shelter.
>
> The Wall Street Journal asked in a recent article, "Why No Outrage?" The
> answer to this question is fairly obvious.  There is tremendous outrage,
> but it has to have organizational expression. The response to this
> savage attack by the capitalist class on working people is somewhat
> muted and delayed due to the cowardly role played by worker's leaders.
> I would go even further; the increasing incidents of suicide and family
> annihilation are likely the consequence of individuals who have done
> everything right by the propaganda of the free market yet seeing their
> world collapse and seeing no way out or explanation of the process that
> is unfolding before them, they completely break down. This mental
> collapse is exacerbated by the ideology of the capitalist class that
> explains that we are all in control of our destiny; if we work hard we
> will succeed.  Consequently, when we fail we blame ourselves with
> devastating consequences.
>
> Union leaders in the US are the most fervent defenders of the market
> that is destroying people's lives daily.  Despite being in control of an
> apparatus whose membership still has the potential to bring the mighty
> US economy to its knees, they cooperate in every attempt by the
> capitalists to save the system from itself including the recent
> bailouts. Their role in all of this is criminal.
>
> It is frustrating and maddening to witness this.  In my local paper
> today there are two articles about the cuts in social services and
> education. One explains that the City Council just approved a new
> contract with its workers.  "In concession to the economic climate, the
> Union did not ask for any salary increase and negotiations went quickly
> the report announces" "The city is appreciative that the employees
> recognize the budget situation we are in right now and were willing to
> forego any salary increase at this time"  the article adds. (San
> LeandroTimes).
>
> Well let's all sing Kum Ba Yah!
>
> The "economic times" excuse again.  The economic times are never right.
> Even during the 1990's tech boom when profits reached a 40-year high,
> the Union leaders did nothing.  In the most favorable economic climate
> in years they did nothing.  There were gains made in that period,
> especially at the bottom end of the wage ladder but this was due more to
> market forces, the tight Labor market, than anything the Union leaders
> did.
> The so-called Labor friendly members of the City Council all voted for a
> contract with no wage increases and I assume offered no plan other than
> capitulation to the economic hard times excuse.
>
> Even worse, the local school board met last week to discuss the cuts in
> education. The board was very happy that the hundreds of people in
> attendance broke down in to little groups to figure out how to make
> students, teachers and public education in general pay for the Wall
> Street banker's crisis; a crisis of the market.  Naturally, with no
> other alternative than this on the table, people complied and tried to
> figure out how cuts could be made or revenues increased by cutting our
> own throats.
>
> Many of these board members are liberals, some of them are Union members
> who were elected with Union support and who ran for office pledging to
> fight for public education and pledging to stand up for our kids.  The
> people that voted for them didn't vote for them to savage education; at
> the very least they expected them to defend it.
>
> But with no alternative to the market they all fall in to line and their
> promises to represent working people fall by the wayside as they carry
> out the policies of the corporations and Wall Street.  The idea that
> there is no money is preposterous.  We have just witnessed a two
> trillion dollar bailout of Wall Street; a promise of some $8 trillion in
> all according to Bloomberg News.
>
> The first $350 billion of the initial $700 billion was not even used for
> what it was promised; it disappeared down a black whole as banks bought
> other banks with it or invested it in secure less risky ventures like US
> treasuries or gold; and Democrats and Republicans alike do nothing.
> Well that's not quite true; they give them more money.  Where is our
> money? We don't have to look further than the big business press to see
> where the money is: "Banks are not lending but are hoarding capital in
> readiness to absorb losses from existing bad loans and securities" the
> Financial Times informs its readers. Now they want those, "toxic
> assets", their bad bets, to be taken over by the taxpayer. They are
> lying to us about money.  The politicians in both the capitalist parties
> are mired in corruption.  We are expected to believe that people with
> economics degrees from Ivy League colleges forget to pay their taxes.
> And we only find this out when they are about to get a promotion that
> will increase their ability to get their snouts in the public trough; it
> is the tip of the iceberg.
>
> When this crisis hit, the bankers and their political friends got
> together in little groups as well.  They got together to develop a
> strategy for making us pay for what one commentator called a "sumptuous
> feast".  And now local politicians who asked for the vote of working
> people are doing the same.  We are being asked to cut our own throats as
> the cuts are "inevitable". What is inevitable is we'll continue to go
> backwards with this method, and by relying on Democrats. We need a party
> of our own, a mass worker's party that could be a vehicle for us to
> effect political and economic change.
>
> There will be increased struggles against these excesses of the market
> and people will have learned much from the recent failures of a system
> that was supposed to have all the answers. These process will be slower
> than it need be and involve a great deal of confusion and unnecessary
> suffering and defeats due to the role played by the Labor leadership,
> but within this process there will also be a strong tendency towards
> class unity leading to the formation of a new militant movement with
> different tactics that will begin to drive back this offensive of
> capital.  George Schultz, a prominent representative of capital had some
> advice for  his class when he said:
>
> "Negotiations are a euphemism for capitulation if the shadow of power
> is not cast across the bargaining table."
>
> We can learn from our own traditions and from our adversaries. We need
> to bring some power to the table.
> ***************
>
>
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