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Sept. 23, 2001
Isn't it strange that on September 10, 2001 Federal protection of the airlines would have been socialism, and interference with our freedom, but after the 11th it was good government. America should check out more than the Taliban. We out to check out a capitalistic system that is totally out of control and motivated by a combination of greed, bigness, carnivorous competition, excess profits, and complete social indifference.
Deregulation of the Airlines was a stupid idea. Almost the entire infrastructure of the industry is publicly owned and maintained. America and the rest of the World took a real wallop on September 11th., because of monopolistic greed and Republican complicity in their vulgar art. Big business is totally devoted to "humungousity" and paranoia when it comes to the social obligation of our government to its citizens and their friends. Much of this selfish obsession with wealth and bigness in the airlines goes right back to Ronald Reagan and the Presidents of these now shrinking Airlines. Reagan treated the controllers like crap and that became the foundation for an ever-eroding moral of the employees.
Too many of their underpaid and overworked employees just do not give a damn any more.
President Bush rose to the occasion, but he may not have risen to the right height. He should admit that the oral savagery and economic indecency of his party brought America to a moment that may exceed several lifetimes to correct. There was nothing rotten enough for the present leadership of the Republican party to say about any and all who disagreed with them. They should bare some responsibility for the misery that befell America on September 11th., but they have jumped too quickly to bail out a collection of greedy, selfish, managerial incompetents without a business plan that will work. It's too easy to shaft the little stockholders.
That, which will take as much time to solve and complete as the President says shouldn't be started without commensurate consideration. The unfairness of America throughout the entire World has the same smell as a squishy swamp at low tide. Our foreign aid and plunder of natural resources have always been a boon for capitalism and the dictators of the countries who receive it.
Don't forget Archer Daniels Midland's cut. If there were ever a global monopoly that preyed on the poor this big Texas fraud takes the cake. Grain for Bangladesh that went to Citation went to thieving merchants, while the poor swept up a few kernels along the railroad tracks in dirty little frayed clothes that were later used to bind their sores.
There are no fences around those dusty hills in Afghanistan. No negotiations to bring some of those poor folks and their bony horses to West Texas, instead vengeful oil partners ride the range on fat horses. There are mirrors on every wall in the house of conscience. Now is a good time for America to look and see if she didn't help to bloody her own face.
President Mubarak of Egypt made a plea. Please don't let it fall on deaf ears. Let your Senators and Representatives know that our heralded bigness and claims to greatness are equal to a new morality that can offset monopolistic greed and unfairness that causes too much suffering to those who least deserve it.
Carl Johnson, Jr.
Copyright © 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, American Politics Journal Publications, Inc.
