The Empire Strikes Back

The oligarchy is worried, as they should be. They are losing the middle class.

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The Class Struggle And The Cauldron

To me, the issue isn't whether or not the barrier between the people and the Olympic flame is made out of chain link or Plexiglas. The issue is, if you are a VIP, there is no barrier to access, whereas if you are a citizen of the country whose tax dollars paid for the Olympics, there is. The message VANOC is sending is clear. There are two classes of spectators at these Olympics and the fence makes it clear which is the preferred class. I can think of no better symbol of the modern Olympic movement.

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Who Says The Oligarchy Has No Sense Of Humor?

They are laughing in the face of Parliament, every day.

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Quote Of The Day

From Nobel Award Winning economist, Paul Krugman, talking about Wall Street's relationship with America:

Neither the administration, nor our political system in general, is ready to face up to the fact that we’ve become a society in which the big bucks go to bad actors, a society that lavishly rewards those who make us poorer.

I would say the same about Canada, but add that we are however, a society that is willing to attack working people with sick benefits. Aren't we brave?

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The Oligarchy Speaks

In the form of Angelo Persichilli:

Having said that, let me elaborate on some of the myths that some still believe are the essence of the union movement.

First, unions do not represent the entire working world. They are only interested in defending the wages and benefits of their members, most of the time at the expense of other, non-unionized, workers.

Second, even though they may claim to support the interests of children, students or patients, in reality there always is a demand for better wages or benefits behind almost every dispute.

Third, they live in isolation. Most of the time, their demands are made with no consideration for the conditions of other workers in the same country, not to mention the reality in other parts of the world.

Unfortunately for them, globalization has exposed their idyllic oasis and they refuse to realize that the emperor is naked. That's why they keep asking for benefits like the sick days Miller has just confirmed for them: pay them because they are not sick!

This suggests that Mr. Persichilli believes that unions are bad because they fight for the interests of their members and are not willing to accept the wages and conditions of their Chinese counterparts. This is no surprise to me. The Oligarchs and their mouthpieces have argued for years that we treat the working class too well and them too harshly. Thank God the unions are around so public anger can be redirected away from things like executive compensation reform (which isn't even on the radar in Canada). Otherwise, people might start asking uncomfortable questions, like, why is it that the gap between rich and poor is getting larger, in spite of those evil unions?

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Thought Of The Day

It's funny, as I watch the American debate over healthcare, that the same forces who put down electoral reform is this country, the comfortable, the powerful and their corporate press minions, have American counterparts who are determined to deny Americans their human right to decent healthcare for all. The Oligarchy doesn't like change that challenges its economic or political stranglehold. No, it does not.

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Things Are Looking Up For The Investor Class Oligarchy

The recession is dead. Long live the recession. Note to the oligarchy and its minions in the corporate press. Call me when unemployment in Ontario goes down to 5%.

Saturday Update: Of course, it could all be a scam, in which insiders are playing small investors for chumps.

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