Posted by farid from customer-148-233-78-77.uninet.net.mx (148.233.78.77) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 at 11:23AM :
In Reply to: Inspired... posted by Jeff from d14-69-62-196.try.wideopenwest.com (69.14.196.62) on Monday, June 23, 2003 at 10:07PM :
Thatīs the political system we have. You can take your choice...to some of us the Repubs are the bad cops...the Dems are the good ones...to otherīs itīs the other way around. One of them "scares" us...the other looks cozy and familiar...at least promises some shelter in the storm...but they work together, part of the same overall system. And weīre kept shuffling back and forth between them.
Our parties could give a damn that the majority of the electorate is turned off and donīt come out to vote...in fact the Repubs prefer it that way and have stood in the way of every effort to make voting easier...and of course the other cop, the Dems have worked "for" the idea...till youīd think either of them really gave a shit. What they want is a victory...it doesnīt matter to either of them that the country is falling all over itself.
If ten percent less people vote...who cares? Someone is still going to win the election. But replace votes with bucks...with market share...and all of a sudden a 10% drop in DOLLARS matters a lot...it could mean the difference between loss and profit...just that small amount lost could lead to disaster.
You have to play by rules that suit the Game. Right now whether you vote...or write your Congressman, is of no importance. But by dropping the guise of politician/statesmen and just coming out as the shoddy little businessmen they are...our representatives are signaling us that its time to make new rules. In a country where profit is King...it will be the fear of a loss of profit, be it ever so minor, that will get their attention. If this were a true Democracy there would be outrage at the ennui among the voters...that would be a clear sign that something was terribly wrong. Not only is that NOT the case...but recently weīve seen the idea of democracy take such a hit in this country...that itīs obvious no oneīs really interested in the principle...
But which of them has had a falling off in Greed? Not Ken Lay...not Cheney or Bush...and certainly not Ms Stewrat. In fact, money rules more and more...look at TV.
No corporation can stand an even five per cent reduction in revenues...thatīs the pure profit part...after they pay all their bills, which have to come first. The easiest and fastest way to test the idea is to hit them at Christmas...and besides, itīs somehow fitting to do it then. Thatīs supposed to be the financial bonanza for so many companies.
The idea is rough and raw...but it smacks of a silent revolution...certainly a peaceful one. Theyīll tell you youīre just hurting your neighbor...that any slowdown means jobs must be cut. Hooey...not in this scenario...if the companies want to remain viable theyīre going to NEED their employess because this isnīt a turn down in the market...itīs a deliberate act done even in times when there would be plenty of demand for products...if only corporations will become responsible citizens and use their influence for good...and that canīt be hard to define...this isnīt philosophy class...reduced emissions are a Good! Not using child slave labor is a Good! Whereīs the problem?
And oh yeah...the argument that the savings are being passed on to "you"...the darling of their lives...is pure bunk. Any savings becomes PROFIT. Thatīs the way the game is played. Prices never go down...they go UP! If they do drop, still a greater portion of the cost gets siphoned off to profits...so either way...we get screwed.
The vote isnīt as powerful as the buck.
-- farid
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