War: We All Know What It's Good For...
Profits for a select - and who cares how freakin' hard-working they are?! - few.
All that hard work is focused on development of technology that is only intended to make it easier for people to kill others of our own species. If these people are such great businessfolk, and such models of human productivity and ingenuity, then they will also thrive in industry which doesn't result in and require the deaths of thousands.
It's a fundamental morality of Life issue. One which is given lip-service by the current Administration, but which is refuted by almost every action they and a large percentage of our Congress folk actually produce.
From the Seattlepi.
The authors start off the essay with a little pop-quiz; the answer to which you may also find less than surprising.
Check it out.
All that hard work is focused on development of technology that is only intended to make it easier for people to kill others of our own species. If these people are such great businessfolk, and such models of human productivity and ingenuity, then they will also thrive in industry which doesn't result in and require the deaths of thousands.
It's a fundamental morality of Life issue. One which is given lip-service by the current Administration, but which is refuted by almost every action they and a large percentage of our Congress folk actually produce.
From the Seattlepi.
(emphasis mine)Pentagon contractors' congressional allies routinely defeat or bury in committee initiatives that could curtail war profiteering. This June, for example, all 55 Senate Republicans voted to kill an amendment strengthening laws governing waste, fraud and abuse in defense (43 of 45 Democrats voted for it).
In his farewell address, (President) Eisenhower called for "an alert and knowledgeable citizenry" to stand up to the military industrial complex. Isn't it time to heed his call and demand that our representatives rein in the war profiteers?
The authors start off the essay with a little pop-quiz; the answer to which you may also find less than surprising.
Check it out.
Do you honestly expect anything differnt from a group of folks who give themselves their own pay raises?
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of speculation that keeping the Military-Industrial Complex in business was the main reason for VietNam. Have you lost a war if your profits are in the billions? It's even part of one of the JFK assasination theories (see Col. L. Fletcher Prouty) There's a good video out called "Why We Fight". You can rent it, or even watch it online on this page:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.oldamericancentury.org/video_arch.htm
Ideally yes, AG. But it's not something that's gonna happen on its own, of course.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is the power and influence available to ONLY those with A LOT of money. Nothin' wrong with money. Not until its use becomes the Main Thing motivating Legislation.
I actually think that Congress folk should be paid at least in the low millions, AND that PACs should be outlawed and campaign spending capped at inflation adjusted levels.
If capitalism is supposed to reward good work, THAT's the only way we'll get more competent individuals motivated to run for public service positions.
Thanks for the link, Blueberry! I've heard of the site before, but this is the first I've been there. I'll definitely be doin' some viewin' from their archives.
You'd think with the kazillions we spend on military, we would have a superior chance of taking care of any problem we decide to attack. Not true, as we can see. Diplomacy doesn't make a big CEO grin and go kaching and peace doesn't either. That's the only reason we study war and go to war, to keep the big daddy warbucks happy. I agree, we need a powerful military to "encourage" people to come to the peace table, but not as the solution to the problems.
ReplyDeleteIf capitalism is supposed to reward good work
ReplyDeletebut capitalism only rewards capital. hence the quagledymireledy in american politics
Cyndi Lauper even knows, "Money changes everything"
ReplyDeleteMon-nae chan-ges eve-ry-thing - Oh, mon-nae!
we need a powerful military to "encourage" people to come to the peace table, but not as the solution to the problems.
ReplyDeleteRAmen! Very very very well said, Mary.
AIF, ahhhh... You've cut to the quick, my good man. I was describing the apologist's rationale. I tend to think of myself as one of those, because the Market really does make a ton o' sense in many venues. As folk like D Gergen and others have reiterated though, it is NOT the most efficacious means of resolving ALL our societal needs.
WOW Tonya! I just came up from a smoke, where one of my co-workers was twilin' about singin' "girls just wanna have fun..."! I love the rationally irrelevant synchronicity of your comment, mostly because I think Lauper is a great role-model for the kind of person I am: bizarrely different, but still too normal in my desires for my own happiness.
I'm workin' on it! I'm workin' on it...
Thanks for a happy li'l coincidence, m'lady!
Dismal to the emotions.
ReplyDelete