Mainstream ideas
“The world economy today is a huge casino.” So spoke Fidel Castro in remarks to the International Conference of Financing for Development just held in Mexico. But, in order to accomodate President Bush’s imperial sensibilities, Castro had to leave the conference as soon as he finished his address, so as to assure there would be no situational discomfort in Bush’s entourage.
Fidel remarked that “The prestige of the international financial institutions rates less than zero,” hardly a controversial observation. Even many conferees were reportedly in agreement, given that many of their economies have been ravaged by the policies harshly imposed by these same institutions.
Capitalist economists insist there is no alternative to this “system of plundering and exploitation like no other in history,” as Castro described it. Thus, he went on, “the peoples believe less and less in statements and promises” emanating from those quarters.
In fact, Castro concluded, the failures of global capitalism to address, much less ameliorate, the poverty, despair and chaos endemic to most of the post-Cold War world requires a total “reconsideration” of the global economic order.
“The belief that a social and economic order that has proven to be unsustainable can by forcibly imposed is really senseless,” the socialist leader observed.
Yet, this is exactly what the U.S. is trying to do, now labeling opponents as “terrorists”, the term “communist” no longer being a useful epithet when Castro’s clear critique of our current condition sounds so mainstream, so self-evident.
Cord MacGuireBoulder, CO
PWW needs more readers
I’ve read the paper for too many decades to admit! I don’t mind saying that it’s a great paper but what worries me is how are we going to get more papers into the hands of people who’d probably enjoy it as much as I do.
I’m thinking we should all commit to ordering a bundle of 10 and bringing it to a local Starbucks or a laundromat. Free papers are always there. Why not our great paper?
A ReaderNew York City
No Nukes
At first when the Los Angeles Times leaked the Pentagon memo about the Bushies’ grand plans to use nuclear weapons it got a lot of play in the media. Now it’s like it never happened.
But as sure as we’re sitting here reading the PWW they are planning, scheming and trying to figure out how to bribe Congresspeople “Enron-style” to pass the explosive invcrease in the military budget while working-class homeowners like myself are defaulting on mortages in record numbers because we just can’t make enough money to get by.
It’s an outrage and we have got to tell our elected representitives that using our tax dollars for new nuclear weapons is wrong. And we aren’t going to sit back and take it.
We’ve got to talk to our neighbors and put some pressure on to shift gears in the priorities of the government. Instead of nuclear annilahation we want a priority on decent lives for our families.
Is that somehow turning away from the real issue of terrorism? I don’t think so. I think it’s saying to the Bushies and our elected people that our government’s priority is to use policing effortrs, Interpol and other international cooperation, not general bombinng to stop the terrorism we all fear. And then we can have the money spent on programs that help working families.
Joyce BissetteSouth Dakota
No yellow ribbons
I recently attended a “Home Security” meeting. Unable to raise a question about what concerns me as a member of the working class I wrote the following letter to my congressman who was also a speaker at the meeting.
Dear Congressman Lobiondo:
No yellow ribbons for the working class! The AFL-CIO website tells me that the working class suffered more then 5.7 million casualties in the year 2000. The State of New Jersey ranks third for fatalities.
Our struggle against Enron-type people for a “Living Wage” is an uphill battle. It never ceases. Day in and day out we are constantly on the front line. There is never a kind word from the press. The courts are always eager to slap a stiff fine on us. All we get from Bush is just another kick in the ass.
The working class deserves a safe place to work. This should all be a part of the “Homeland Security.”
Richard D. NeillNew Jersey
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