The vast problems of the U.S. economy are the end result of the capitalist greed economics of the Bush gang: decline of the dollar, the stock market, the collapse of the housing market, unending stock market corruption, the total control of mass media, both political parties and candidates, by these same crooks prevents any discussion of any alternative
The U.S. labor movement has been in steady decline and is unable to organize against growing abandonment of working people by U.S. capital. Thus employers cut wages, benefits, conditions, etc. and the labor bureaucracy becomes a “business partner to U.S. capitalism”.
4. What are the new ways of U.S. capitalism to make a fast and big buck?
U.S. capitalism, unable to competer against China, has transformed itself and it’s strategies to make money.(not prioritized)
a. globalization: some 40% of the profit of U.S. companies are now made overseas.
b. abandonment of U.S. : move to China. Halliburton moves it’s corporate offices to Dubai to escape taxes.
c. slashing taxes: Every dollar given up by capital in the form of taxes is a dollar less profit. Huge tax cuts for the wealthies, cutting funding for essential social services essential to the well-being of the vast majority of working people.
d. Milititarism. The Military Industrial Complex is the great immediate money beneficiary to unending wars of the PNAC agenda. Vast sums are disappeared and unaccountable. Unworkable “defense” systems.
3. Privatization: Privatization turns a government function created for the universal common good in to a money making business. Even the functions of the government are being privatized. Privatized armed forces (Blackwater) are established. Thousands of private companies are carrying out the PNAC agenda in Iraq. Over half the functions of the CIA are now “outsourced” (privatized), making one immeately wonder the value of such (self-serving?) intelligence.
4. Treaties such as NAFTA, CAFTA, “free trade” treaties are being rammed down the throats of weak and impoverished countries. The effects of these treaties are to privatize the few efforts of (often corrupt) governments to comply with these treaties. (Thus massive immigration into U.S. from Mexico and Central America).
5. The effect of unregulated, unchecked gangster capitalism is having it’s effect world wide.
GLOBAL WARMING: Bush has said that he would do nothing to stop profitable but polluting industry. Global warming is destroying the planet
and these people don’t give a damn, seek to make profit from it.
FOOD CRISES: commodities futures trading is driving the cost of food beyond the ability of millions.
(I could go on about multiple crises)
THE FINAL POINT;
THERE IS ONLY ONE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE MULTIPLE CRISES HUMANITY FACES (not just the Iraq war!
To end the Iraq war we must take the profit out of war, end corporate wars for profit.
To end Global Warming we must put polluters out of business and transition to a ecologically sustainable economy.
ETC.ETC.ETC.

TO IN ANY WAY DEAL WITH THE MULTIPLE CRISES FACING HAMANITY WE MUST END U.S. AND GLOBAL CAPITALISM.

Read the World Socialist Web Site daily for critical, fact based analysis of current affairs from a socialist perspective. http://www.wsws.org

To

It would be hard to talk of US Imperialism without talking about the Spanish-American war and the Phillipines, or even further back into ‘manifest destiny’ and the ethnic cleansing of the native tribes. So yes, US Imperialism exists before 1948.

The bullshit used to con Americans into supporting paying for imperialism with their blood and treasure (to the benefit of the wealthy exploiters) is what changes from time to time. The policy itself has remained rather constant for quite some time.

I’d say what’s new is opposition to this in the US, but that would be wrong too. Reading Mark Twain (the less promoted works) and learning about say the anti-war resisters during WWI help cure that misconception.

The post above mine makes a great point. I’d paraphrase it as always think for yourself, and always question what you are told. Try to learn from as many different people and sources as you can.

So your son is a Captain in the USMC? Okay, you admit to having failed as a parent. Well, nobody’s perfect.

However you keep making statements which can arise only out of A) ignorance indulged in to the pt of irresponsibility, or B) a bias in favor of Zionism caused by a personal tendency to identify with anything “Jewish”.

Who is it that claims Imperialism didn’t exist before 1948? Certainly not myself or any of the sources I’ve cited on DV, like Jeff Blankfort, Dr Petras, Lenni Brenner, Glen Ford et al. If you examine the DV archives, you will note that I’ve many times railed about US expansionism, neocolonialism — Didn’t I coin the mot “Globalization the Highest Stage of Imperialism”?

But you give yourself away when you describe US Imperialism as a “policy”. Anybody but a dumbass knows a policy is something that a government can change, but US Imperialism is embedded in the structure of the society itself. Embedded especially in the State Apparatus, political/financial/ideological — but also in the folkways of much, probably most, of the civilian population. Especially amongst those who see nothing shameful about having a son who is a Captain in the Marines.

So nothing wrong with exposing history of US Imperialism, which actually predates the US Constitution, except that the term in its modern/post-Ulanov meaning is inapplicable to the pre-Industrial period.
Matter of fact, I myself first consciously joined in what was known then as the “anti-Imperialist Movement” in the early sixties, tailing along after various then-Maoists & “Marxist-Leninists” like John Ross & Bob Scheer, even non-Leninist Doug Dowd. In the seventies Oil Shock I spent a lot of time/effort trying to understand Big Oil, the Seven Sisters, reading Ida Tarbell, corresponding with Barry Weisberg who was maybe the most knowledgeable writer then on Petro-related matters.

So if you are opposed to US Imperialism, we are on the same page; same page that is until you start trying to use the phrase “imperialism” or “capitalism” to divert attention from the actual state of affairs right now today, when the Imperialist State Apparatus has been taken over lock stock & Bomb Tehran Now by the Zionist Power Configuration, who want you to think Big Oil brought about the invasion/occupation of Iraq when Big Jewry has been planning same since Reagan Admn if not before.
We are urged to engage in Civilly Disobedient Direct Action at Chevron HQ, but if we so much as mention the Walt/Mearsheimer study, writings of Jeff Blankfort (cf. Leftcurve 2003, “A War For Israel”), Jas Petras, Kathy Christison, Gilad Atzmon, Lenni Brenner, Hatem Bazian, why then were a bunch of “dumbasses”.
The fact is, “Max”, that all this stuff is on record. Your arguments are old, tired, been refuted dozens of times if not hundreds. But may still have some appeal for newbies just emerging from MSM brainwashing, so herewith a pull of the coat to any such folks: you need to look beyond this diversionary nonsense “Max” is peddling, and do your own homework. Don’t accept any one version of reality no matter how impressed you are. Don’t buy any of the “standard” analyses, until you’ve checked out all you can find, understood them on their own terms, & compared them with each other and your own experience.

Assume Nothing, cause it ain’t that simple:)

Additional, this bad faith argument about the “left” this and the “left” that and I’m above all that because I was born dirt poor but by son is a capitain in the marines and I have a phd but live in the middle of a crime riddled neighborhood that you dumbasses couldn’t begin to understand what it’s all about ’cause you aint lived until you’ve walked a mile in my high-heels (which I can’t afford to by, even with my PHD in hand). Can you dig? IS BORING!! (hint hint)

BTW, anyone who has watched the DVD of the U of SF debate between Zunes, Jeff Blankfort & Hatem Bazian will realize that Zunes is intellectually a clown, who abandoned all effort to argue the question which was the basis of the debate, and resorted to rambling about what a good guy he’d been on various issues in the past. Alas, Khalil Bendib who was moderating let him get away with it, but Joe Anderson didn’t.

One telltale inclusion in A. Smith’s rap was the praise for Miltary Families Speak Out. My experience “coalitioning” with MSFO has taught me to regard the outfit as the DOD’s nose in the tent, people who see nothing wrong with US Militarism, Expansionism, Colonialism in general but oppose US policy re Iraq because they’re worried about a Loved One.
I’ve tended to be supportive of ANSWER vs UFPJ et al, but it’s worth noting that ANSWER core outfits like PSL/people like Becker Bros uphold the same War For Oil version of reality as Chompsky, Zunes, Plitnick & the rest of the “Progressive Zionists”. (how’s that for an oxymoron?)

I was generally in agreement with you until this line. More personality cult. Petras’ recent article in DV, on which I commented was full of holes, obfuscations, distortions, fabrications. None of you on the left like the FACTS, wherever they may land. If it conflicts with your pet theory (or what you’re told by the big cheese on top) ignore it, or twist it around.

though i generally agree w/ u wrt zionism, israel, etc. they’re being stupid and haven’t learnt anything from history, re backlash, etc. (not that I approve of anything that happened to them anymore than I approve of what they’re doing to others, including us).

bozhidar asserts that the power and influence of Zionism is “unclear” without any basis or evidence to support his claim. His main argument is because the U.S. has a history of warfare that the current war in Iraq is just part of the “continuum”. This is the argument that being touted by Chomsky and Ms. Smith. This line of argument is being spun today solely to obfuscate Zionism’s influence in U.S. imperialism today.

What bozhidar is doing is essentially giving RACISM as pass. By not confronting Zionism the respondent is clearly unwilling to challenge imperialism. The reason why the anti-war movement demobilized was because there were voices in the movement who were willing to bring up the root cause of U.S. Imperialism today — Zionism .

The absurdity of this line of argument would be like telling Blacks they are wasting their time fighting racism when they should have been fighting “imperialism”. This illustrates the “obfuscatory” and esoteric aspect of such a stance. The issue and FEAR illustrated by bozhidar is the response of the ruling class RATHER than clarity for the masses of the current epoch to get them into ACTION.

I would suggest that bozhidar start reading James Petras, Jeff Blankfort, and others who have address this topic rather than reading and listening to Noam Chomsky.

YOUR life is in imminent danger. If you do not win the war at home the Iraq war will go on forever.

Fight them. Fight them on the beaches. Fight them in the fields. Fight them in the streets. Fight them in the schools. Fight them in county commissions. Fight them in the Congress. Fight them any way we can.

We spend to much time trying to argue what’s the best strategy. Get out and start fighting. Stage a protest. Organize a movement. If you got a chance to make a statement, make it. If you got a chance to land a blow, land it.

Don’t spend so much time trying to decide if making a statement at this time is the proper strategy. Stop holding meetings to determine the best antiwar strategy.

If you got an idea, try it. If it works, try it again. If you see someone else doing something that seems to work, copy it. If you got a chance to do something, do it. Just stop talking about it. Go do it. See what works. Keep doing what works. Stop doing something that doesn’t work.

(Note: I’m a believer in non-violence, who believes violent acts always make things worse. So, above when I say ‘fight’, I’m paraphrasing Churchill’s famous speech and speaking figuratively. I’m not recommending any violent acts. But that’s just my own opinion of what works and what doesn’t.)

Ishmael, counterpunch, nor Obama are my heroes. If you look at “sk”’s link Back to the Future - Obama is nothing more than putting a brown face on the Clinton/Bush dynasty.

Although I do agree black fathers need to take responsibility - but then that would cut into the progressive victim of oppression industry aka “It Ain’t Yo Fault Yoo Ignant & Dem Babies Dont Need No Daddies”. Gotta keep makin’ babies for the massah’s plantation prisons.

Is this your hero?

“It’s obvious by now that Barack Obama is treating black Americans like one treats a demented uncle, brought out from his room to be ridiculed and scolded before company from time to time, the old Clinton Sistah Souljah strategy borrowed from Clinton’s first presidential campaign when he traveled the country criticizing the personal morality of blacks and wooing white voters by objecting to what he considered anti -white lyrics sung by rapper Sistah Souljah.

As in Clinton’s case, Obama’s June 14th finger wagging at black men was a case of pandering to white conservative voters….”

Article’s opening lines in http://www.counterpunch.org titled,

Obama Scolds Black Fathers, Gets Bounce in Polls

By ISHMAEL REED

Little to crow about?

Military contributions for Q2
Ron Paul 26.23%
Barack Obama 24.02%
John McCain 18.31%
Hillary Clinton 11.08%
Bill Richardson 5.59%
Mitt Romney 4.05%
John Edwards 2.63%
Rudy Giuliani 2.44%
Mike Huckabee 1.84%
Tom Tancredo 1.63%
Duncan Hunter 1.05%
Joe Biden 0.84%
Mike Gravel 0.16%
Sam Brownback 0.07%
Dennis Kucinich 0.05%
Tommy Thompson 0%
Chris Dodd 0%
Jim Gilmore 0%
John Cox 0%
Source: Finance Reports for the 2007 July Quarterly and compiled by Phreadom. Visit phreadom.blogspot.com for more detail.