I'm sure it's a good thing that President Bush stopped saying how great our economy is doing; sooner or later people would actually begin to realize how out of touch with planet Earth (and America in particular) he really is. If this is the beginning of the end, it's happening a lot faster than I expected. Now, that's not to say that we're heading towards a depression or full economic collapse, but I think it could easily go in that direction.
The title of this article from the Independent UK doesn't help me sleep any better at night: USA 2008: The Great Depression. According to the article, "Food stamps are the symbol of poverty in the US. In the era of the credit crunch, a record 28 million Americans are now relying on them to survive - a sure sign the world's richest country faces economic crisis."
What has really struck me as an ominous sign is the abrupt end of two of the United States' major airlines and a charter airline. Champion Air, with about 550 employees, announced on Monday, March 31, 2008 that they will cease operations effective May 31, 2008. Also on Monday, Aloha Airlines went out of business laying off about 1,900 workers. And today, Thursday, April 3, 2008, ATA Airlines went out of business laying off about 2,200 workers while it was reported that workers in the banking sector will see 200,000 of their co-workers, if not themselves, laid off in the next 12 to 18 months. The article on commercial banks cutting their workforce, found here, compares these record cuts to the record cuts made just last year when 153,000 employees were let go as well as Citigroup's firing of 20,000 people "with at least 2,000 more to come."
According to the White House web page on the economy here, "The U.S. economy is structurally strong, but we are experiencing a period of economic challenge." What exactly do they mean when they say "structurally strong?" What exact "structure" are they talking about? The workers aren't strong, they're getting laid off in record numbers. The businesses aren't strong, they're going out of business one after the other. How this administration is still in office is one question I really wish I could answer.
In an interview with Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food?, here, he talks about how he came to value a more balanced interaction with nature and human farming efforts. Pollan also discusses his opinions on why we eat food (not just for nutrition), what goes into our food, and how mom's good advice on what to eat has gone the way of the rotary phone. Here's a sample:
The more you process the food, the more profitable it is. If I go to the supermarket, I can buy a pound of organic oats for 79 cents. Now that's a lot of oats, and no body's making much money. But if you turn it into Cheerios, suddenly you have a brand. You've got your little doughnut shape, you've got an ad campaign, and suddenly you're charging four bucks for a few ounces of oats.
Then you come up with a Honey Nut Cheerio Cereal Bar with a layer of artificial milk in the middle. Now you've got a convenience food that's very much your own, because you've got this special formula to make your fake milk. And kids can eat them in the car or on the way to school. Now you're charging $10 or $20 for a few penny's worth of oats. That's the gist of the food industry. That's the economic imperative.
If you don't think the United States is an empire or even if you know we are, this video animation by Howard Zinn is a great watch. It's simple, effective, and tells you what you weren't taught in school.
2 comments:
I've been in such a funk lately, bad mood; pissed...it's really hard for me to put a finger or even a label on it. What do you do? What are you doing? Do you work? Do you have time to protest? I’ve read your entries; I understand that you feel you are doing your part to make the world a better place by making statements and pointing out the obvious to those that might not get it…but if you do get it, then what? I understand there is no way that you can answer this question, I might as well of asked you if you believe in the Tooth Fairy. I feel overwhelmed and I'm dissapointed in myself for seeing the world through such negative eyes when there has got to be a better way.
Without knowing anything about you, and having already given you much information about me, it will be sufficient to say that I do indeed work, have time to protest (and write this blog), as well as enjoy many other activities and hobbies that I have.
You said that part of the purpose of my blog is to make "statements and pointing out the obvious..." I feel exactly the opposite on that latter part. What I point out is not obvious to most people. They're being lied to (as we all are). Lied to by the media and lied to by the government. I point out what I think should be on the nightly news; what should be deeply investigated by journalists and regular citizens alike.
Only when we know what the problems are, can we fix them. If you are seeing the world through negative eyes, that is of your own doing. Every human has in them the capability to know answers to their questions.
Your question right now seems to be one of "what do I do now?" And I think I kind of already answered this with you before. Simply put: Be The Change You Seek In The World.
Are you recycling everything you can? Do you buy all organic and natural foods? Do you support local businesses and bypass Wal-Mart and other big-box and corporate stores? Do you write to or call your elected representatives and tell them your opinions on current policy and the state of affairs? Do you talk with your neighbors and friends and family about these issues? Do you volunteer?
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