"The [neoliberal] goal has been the 'Third Worldization' of the United States:
- an increasingly underemployed, lower-wage work-force;
- a small but growing moneyed class that pays almost no taxes;
- the privatization or elimination of human services;
- the elimination of public education for low-income people;
- the easing of restrictions against child labor;
- the exporting of industries and jobs to low-wage, free-trade countries;
- the breaking of labor unions;
- and the elimination of occupational safety and environmental controls and regulations."
Michael Parenti, Land of Idols, 1993
Michael Parenti wrote that quote above during the Clinton Administration in the 1990's. And it seems to accurately describe the neo-liberal agenda of the Wall Street Democrats.
The extension of their economic neo-liberalism around the globe, under the standard of the dollar, in order to enable the universal peace of a new American Century, brought them into a very powerful combination with the traditionally Republican neo-conservatives, who had a predilection for the use of 'diplomacy by other means' as a very early, if not first choice, policy initiative.
Empire by any other name, or under any other rationale, still involves the imposition of the will to power upon others. They make a desert and call it peace.
There was a short intraday commentary here about the very large offtake of physical gold bullion from the Shanghai Gold Exchange in November.
It will be curious to see how Trump handles this. I had some strong inkling of how Lady Clinton would have done it based on how she and her minions are accepting their defeat.
What we are seeing now with this campaign emanating from the Clinton branch of the Democratic Party, and passed along by their courtiers and minions, is almost shockingly over the line into sheer propaganda.
As you know I do not care for Donald Trump as President, not even a little, and did not vote for him (or her). And looking ahead with an open mind, some of his cabinet appointments and statements are cringeworthy and highly discouraging to say the least.
But on the other hand, I find myself being thankful, in a new way almost every day, that Hillary and her ilk are not coming back into that most powerful of positions.
Their particular brand of perfidy, although much more sophisticated and subtle, is every bit as noxious and vile but all the more damaging, because it is cloaked in false virtue and more cleverly done, with very broad support in a professional class that has persuaded itself of its natural imperative to rule all others. And that makes that particular brand of narcissistic corruption the slightly worse of the two evils.
So all in all, it is a lousy situation and a dilemma for most of us. And it would certainly be easy to despair without some greater perspective based in history and a higher moral order.
Our parents and grandparents certainly faced worse scenarios and greater threats to their liberties, and came out all right in the end, probably because of their moral fiber and determination. I would imagine that we can do the same thing for our children and grandchildren as well.
But at the end of the day, the worst tragedy is to lose your self, your very soul, in giving yourself over to evil, and not to be found, imperfectly, wobbly, and a bit bowed perhaps, but still standing among the saints.
Let's see what happens.
Have a pleasant evening.
