I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but having just read Michael Moore's book "Downsize This", I'd like to mention it again. And no, he doesn't bring this up in the book, so I'm not sure if he's noticed it. What I'm talking about is the right wing agenda. It's not hidden either, so all one has to do is put together the pieces. That agenda? To make the entire planet a Third World world. "No," you're saying, "surely not Canada, the U.S., or any other western nation?" Yes, damn it, yes!
Look at how many corporations today have moved their operations to countries without environmental regulations and where they can pay their labour $2.00 a day. That's over there though, there's no way they can get away with that here. Think again, bubs.
In the United States, the Bush regime has been systematically disassembling environmental regulations ever since they took office. But conservatives want those regulations done away with altogether. Let free enterprise work, the market will determine if we need those regulations. Nice idea in theory. If people are concerned, they'll take their business elsewhere. This would work if they didn't spend so much energy convincing people that it's "junk science" the "environmental alarmists" are relying on, that it's "tree-hugging hippies" who are clucking that the sky was falling, and my favourite, that these regulations cost jobs. When profitable companies lay off workers by the thousands and conservatives rejoice because their stock increases in value, you know damned well they don't care about the jobs.
Then there is the minimum wage. Again, they talk about how it costs jobs. This is a favourite mantra. Regulations cost jobs. The minimum wage costs jobs. Taxes cost jobs. High profits cost jobs too, but they never mention that. But back to the minimum wage. Not only does it cost jobs, but it costs self-respect. By working at a job that pays more than what it's worth, it costs self-respect. Seriously, they are saying this. Google it someday. Luckily they're having a tough time convincing the average worker of this, because they have managed to convince people that welfare is evil.
Welfare. Thinking about it brings up images of welfare mothers lazing around with their 8 or 9 fatherless kids. It shouldn't, but conservatives have managed to convince us that this is the case. Welfare is evil, and it only encourages the lazy and shiftless to suckle on the taxpayer's teat! Damn their lazy hides! So welfare programs are being scrapped all over the place.
So think about it. No welfare, no minimum wage. And we're supposed to then trust companies to pay what's fair. The same companies that go to poor countries so they can pay $2.00 a day to the people who make their products. If they can pay that here, imagine the costs they'll save on transportation of their goods!
If you don't believe this can happen, or if this isn't their goal, you aren't paying attention to the world around you. They want to bust unions, decrease benefits, change the definition of full-time so they don't have to pay any benefits... I'm not a conspiracy theorist. Oswald killed JFK by himself. Armstrong walked on the moon. Fluoride in the water is there to help keep our teeth healthy. But this right wing agenda? Welcome to the Third World world.
posted
by Tabby at 5/16/2004 11:39:00 a.m.
