info
Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
free trade, the road to serfdom. government itself is privatized. There is no longer any point in legislatures, presidents, prime ministers, judges. Corporate tribunals decide law and court rulings
26 views
Skip to first unread message
nickname unavailable
Nov 10, 2015, 12:56:28 PM11/10/15
to
free trade, the road to serfdom. government itself is privatized. There is no longer any point in legislatures, presidents, prime ministers, judges. Corporate tribunals decide law and court rulings.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
By Paul Craig Roberts
November 09, 2015 "Information Clearing House" - The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels. One about which I have been writing for more than a decade comes from the offshoring of jobs. Americans, for example, have a shrinking participation in the production of the goods and services that are marketed to them.
On another level we are experiencing the financialization of the Western economy about which Michael Hudson is the leading expert (Killing The Host). Financialization is the process of removing any public presence in the economy and converting the economic surplus into interest payments to the financial sector.
These two developments deprive people of economic prospects. A third development deprives them of political rights. The Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Partnerships eliminate political sovereignty and turn governance over to global corporations.
These so called "trade partnerships" have nothing to do with trade. These agreements negotiated in secrecy grant immunity to corporations from the laws of the countries in which they do business. This is achieved by declaring any interference by existing and prospective laws and regulations on corporate profits as restraints on trade for which corporations can sue and fine "sovereign" governments. For example, the ban in France and other counries on GMO products would be negated by the Trans-Atlantic Partnership. Democracy is simply replaced by corporate rule.
I have been meaning to write about this at length. However, others, such as Chris Hedges, are doing a good job of explaining the power grab that eliminates representative government.
The corporations are buying power cheaply. They bought the entire US House of Representatives for just under $200 million. This is what the the corporations paid Congress to go along with "Fast Track," which permits the corporations' agent, the US Trade Representative, to negotiate in secret without congressional input or oversight.
In other words, a US corporate agent deals with corporate agents in the countries that will comprise the "partnership," and this handful of well-bribed people draw up an agreement that supplants law with the interests of corporations. No one negotiating the partnership represents the peoples' or public's interests. The governments of the partnership countries get to vote the deal up or down, and they will be well paid to vote for the agreement.
Once these partnerships are in effect, government itself is privatized. There is no longer any point in legislatures, presidents, prime ministers, judges. Corporate tribunals decide law and court rulings.
It is likely that these "partnerships" will have unintended consequences. For example, Russia and China are not part of the arrangements, and neither are Iran, Brazil, India, and South Africa, although seperately the Indian government appears to have been purchased by American agribusiness and is in the process of destroying its self-sufficient food production system. These countries will be the repositories for national sovereignty and public control while freedom and democracy are extinguished in the West and the West's Asian vassals.
Violent revolution throughout the West and the complete elimination of the One Percent is another possible outcome. Once, for example, the French people discover that they have lost all control over their diet to Monsanto and American agribusiness, the members of the French government that delivered France into dietary bondage to toxic foods are likely to be killed in the streets.
Events of this sort are possible throughout the West as peoples discover that they have lost all control over every aspect of their lives and that their only choice is revolution or death.
Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Neoconservative Threat To International Order: Washington's Perilous War For Hegemony, The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West and How America Was Lost.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
By Paul Craig Roberts
November 09, 2015 "Information Clearing House" - The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels. One about which I have been writing for more than a decade comes from the offshoring of jobs. Americans, for example, have a shrinking participation in the production of the goods and services that are marketed to them.
On another level we are experiencing the financialization of the Western economy about which Michael Hudson is the leading expert (Killing The Host). Financialization is the process of removing any public presence in the economy and converting the economic surplus into interest payments to the financial sector.
These two developments deprive people of economic prospects. A third development deprives them of political rights. The Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Partnerships eliminate political sovereignty and turn governance over to global corporations.
These so called "trade partnerships" have nothing to do with trade. These agreements negotiated in secrecy grant immunity to corporations from the laws of the countries in which they do business. This is achieved by declaring any interference by existing and prospective laws and regulations on corporate profits as restraints on trade for which corporations can sue and fine "sovereign" governments. For example, the ban in France and other counries on GMO products would be negated by the Trans-Atlantic Partnership. Democracy is simply replaced by corporate rule.
I have been meaning to write about this at length. However, others, such as Chris Hedges, are doing a good job of explaining the power grab that eliminates representative government.
The corporations are buying power cheaply. They bought the entire US House of Representatives for just under $200 million. This is what the the corporations paid Congress to go along with "Fast Track," which permits the corporations' agent, the US Trade Representative, to negotiate in secret without congressional input or oversight.
In other words, a US corporate agent deals with corporate agents in the countries that will comprise the "partnership," and this handful of well-bribed people draw up an agreement that supplants law with the interests of corporations. No one negotiating the partnership represents the peoples' or public's interests. The governments of the partnership countries get to vote the deal up or down, and they will be well paid to vote for the agreement.
Once these partnerships are in effect, government itself is privatized. There is no longer any point in legislatures, presidents, prime ministers, judges. Corporate tribunals decide law and court rulings.
It is likely that these "partnerships" will have unintended consequences. For example, Russia and China are not part of the arrangements, and neither are Iran, Brazil, India, and South Africa, although seperately the Indian government appears to have been purchased by American agribusiness and is in the process of destroying its self-sufficient food production system. These countries will be the repositories for national sovereignty and public control while freedom and democracy are extinguished in the West and the West's Asian vassals.
Violent revolution throughout the West and the complete elimination of the One Percent is another possible outcome. Once, for example, the French people discover that they have lost all control over their diet to Monsanto and American agribusiness, the members of the French government that delivered France into dietary bondage to toxic foods are likely to be killed in the streets.
Events of this sort are possible throughout the West as peoples discover that they have lost all control over every aspect of their lives and that their only choice is revolution or death.
Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Neoconservative Threat To International Order: Washington's Perilous War For Hegemony, The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West and How America Was Lost.
Bret Cahill
Nov 10, 2015, 3:32:22 PM11/10/15
to
> free trade, the road to serfdom. government itself is privatized. There is no longer any point in legislatures, presidents, prime ministers, judges. Corporate tribunals decide law and court rulings.
>
>
> http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
> The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
> By Paul Craig Roberts
> November 09, 2015 "Information Clearing House" - The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels. One about which I have been writing for more than a decade comes from the offshoring of jobs. Americans, for example, have a shrinking participation in the production of the goods and services that are marketed to them.
> On another level we are experiencing the financialization of the Western economy about which Michael Hudson is the leading expert (Killing The Host). Financialization is the process of removing any public presence in the economy and converting the economic surplus into interest payments to the financial sector.
> These two developments deprive people of economic prospects.
Hardly surprising as the people are ignorant of a critical precondition of economic participation:
>
>
> http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
> The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
> By Paul Craig Roberts
> November 09, 2015 "Information Clearing House" - The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels. One about which I have been writing for more than a decade comes from the offshoring of jobs. Americans, for example, have a shrinking participation in the production of the goods and services that are marketed to them.
> On another level we are experiencing the financialization of the Western economy about which Michael Hudson is the leading expert (Killing The Host). Financialization is the process of removing any public presence in the economy and converting the economic surplus into interest payments to the financial sector.
> These two developments deprive people of economic prospects.
Free speech on economic issues.
And apparently no one is interested in telling them either.
This ain't rocket science.
> A third development deprives them of political rights.
For Anderson Cooper there can be no overlap whatsoever.
That's the source of the problem.
If Sanders does not address the economic issue preclusion problem at the debates it'll be President Clinton until 2025.
Attacking Hillary will not solve the problem.
Bret Cahill
dav...@agent.com
Nov 11, 2015, 1:49:19 AM11/11/15
to
nickname unavailable <video61a...@gmail.com> wrote:
>http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
>The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
>By Paul Craig Roberts
>http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
>The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
>By Paul Craig Roberts
> The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
>[...]
Want Less Corruption? Free the Markets
by Nicole Gelinas, New York Post, Nov 8, 2015
Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver could go to prison for decades
on corruption charges — which you’d think puts a damper on his
political prospects.
But if he lives a long life, he can take heart. Last week, the good
people of Bridgeport, Conn., re-elected a mayor who served seven years
in prison for bribes he secured the last time he was mayor. It would
be nice to spin it as a story of forgiveness. But the truth may be
darker: Voters respect power — and high-level corruption is evidence
of power. The remedy for concentrated power is free markets — which is
why powerful politicians don’t like them.
At Silver’s federal criminal trial, prosecutors spent last week
establishing the obvious: He was an important man. Robert Taub, the
Columbia cancer doctor who referred patients to Silver’s law firm in
exchange for state research funding, said so five years ago. He did
business with Silver, he wrote in a 2010 e-mail, because “he is the
most powerful man in New York State.”
Silver, along with the governor and the Senate leader, was one of the
three men in charge — and, through obfuscation and deal-making, could
award millions in grant money without anyone noticing.
Or did people notice? Silver’s alleged corruption was an open secret —
and a politician who can amass power for himself can amass power for
them.
To wit: Silver’s voters care desperately about rent regulation,
especially after wealthier people started moving to the Lower East
Side. Silver controlled the state’s rent regulation. He also used his
power to secure “affordable” housing where voters wanted it — and to
make sure it wasn’t built where they didn’t want it.
Same for Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim. Why put him back in office after
he stole from voters? Well, they said, he was just better at providing
jobs and housing.
It’s no coincidence that during his first mayoral gig, Ganim was a big
fan of eminent domain for economic development: taking property from a
few owners, and trying to spread the supposed benefits of
government-created jobs to more than a few other people.
If you’re powerful enough to take someone’s home, it stands to reason
that you’re powerful enough to reap some benefits on the side. But if
you’re desperate for a retail job at a new government-subsidized mall,
so what?
That’s also why powerful business forces don’t serve as a check on
powerful politicians. Real-estate interests in New York state likely
could have turned Silver and his state Senate counterpart, Dean
Skelos, in to prosecutors years ago. Silver used his power allegedly
to shake down a huge apartment-rental company. Skelos is going on
trial soon for allegedly doing the same with commercial real-estate
interests.
But many of the city’s real-estate interests don’t prefer honest
politics. They’re happy to have someone who will do favors.
You see the same thing at play with the guy who’s trying to become a
powerful politician: Mayor de Blasio. As a New York Times report
detailed last week, developers are showering hundreds of thousands of
dollars on his shadow “non-political” action committee.
But because de Blasio’s dirty-dealings power base is fragile — he
couldn’t even get the horses banned — the developers control de
Blasio, rather than the other way around.
The mayor hasn’t garnered the voters’ respect, because they can see
who works for whom. Why do you think the city hasn’t used its rezoning
power to limit the super-tall towers whose shadows increasingly darken
Central Park?
What’s the remedy for systemic political corruption?
Free markets. New York could sure use a free market in housing and
office buildings, not just with rent regulations, but with any special
favor, from tax breaks to the right to do noisy work after hours. Such
“exceptions” to the rules — which are the rule here — beget
corruption.
But don’t expect such a change. The people in charge like things the
way they are. We just live here (or work here).
Werner
Nov 11, 2015, 9:59:21 AM11/11/15
to
On Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at 12:56:28 PM UTC-5, nickname unavailable wrote:
> free trade, the road to serfdom. government itself is privatized. There is no longer any point in legislatures, presidents, prime ministers, judges. Corporate tribunals decide law and court rulings.
>
>
Government trade agreements are the antithesis of free trade. Free trade is defined by the absence of government control.
> free trade, the road to serfdom. government itself is privatized. There is no longer any point in legislatures, presidents, prime ministers, judges. Corporate tribunals decide law and court rulings.
>
>
So what you are doing is redefining words to fit your delusions. You misrepresent reality. You lie. Worse.You lie to yourself.
Bret Cahill
Nov 11, 2015, 11:35:53 AM11/11/15
to
> >http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
> >The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
> >By Paul Craig Roberts
> > The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
> >[...]
>
> Want Less Corruption? Free the Markets
Before you can have free markets you _must_ support the _precondition_ of free marketry: free speech on all economic issues.
> >The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
> >By Paul Craig Roberts
> > The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
> >[...]
>
> Want Less Corruption? Free the Markets
Here's proof the self proclaimed "free marketeers" are the corrupt frauds:
You will now be popped with The Question:
"Does free speech precede each and every free trade?"
And you will dodge that question proving me correct.
Anyone who claims to support free marketry and then dodges The Question is a complete fraud.
<CIA> crickets in advance
dav...@agent.com
Nov 11, 2015, 2:29:26 PM11/11/15
to
Bret Cahill <bretc...@aol.com> wrote:
>> >http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
>> >The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
>> >By Paul Craig Roberts
>> > The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
>> >[...]
>>
>> Want Less Corruption? Free the Markets
>
>Before you can have free markets you _must_ support the _precondition_
>of free marketry: free speech on all economic issues.
>> >http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
>> >The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
>> >By Paul Craig Roberts
>> > The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
>> >[...]
>>
>> Want Less Corruption? Free the Markets
>
>Before you can have free markets you _must_ support the _precondition_
>of free marketry: free speech on all economic issues.
>"Does free speech precede each and every free trade?"
Nobody has any idea of what you're talking about here.
Would you care to explain?
dav...@agent.com
Nov 12, 2015, 5:22:54 PM11/12/15
to
Bret Cahill <bretc...@aol.com> wrote:
>> >http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
>> >The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
>> >By Paul Craig Roberts
>> > The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
>> >[...]
>>
>> Want Less Corruption? Free the Markets
>
>Before you can have free markets you _must_ support the _precondition_ of free marketry: free speech on all economic issues.
>
>Here's proof the self proclaimed "free marketeers" are the corrupt frauds:
>
>You will now be popped with The Question:
>
>"Does free speech precede each and every free trade?"
Does the same action precede each and every type
>> >http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
>> >The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
>> >By Paul Craig Roberts
>> > The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
>> >[...]
>>
>> Want Less Corruption? Free the Markets
>
>Before you can have free markets you _must_ support the _precondition_ of free marketry: free speech on all economic issues.
>
>Here's proof the self proclaimed "free marketeers" are the corrupt frauds:
>
>You will now be popped with The Question:
>
>"Does free speech precede each and every free trade?"
of human activity? I don't think it precedes ANY
kind of activity, and NEVER WILL!
Bret Cahill
Nov 12, 2015, 7:53:00 PM11/12/15
to
> >> >http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
> >> >The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
> >> >By Paul Craig Roberts
> >> > The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
> >> >[...]
> >>
> >> Want Less Corruption? Free the Markets
> >
> >Before you can have free markets you _must_ support the _precondition_
> >of free marketry: free speech on all economic issues.
> >"Does free speech precede each and every free trade?"
>
> Nobody has any idea of what you're talking about here.
If you are too stoopid to figger out a simple logic question, just admit it.
> >> >The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
> >> >By Paul Craig Roberts
> >> > The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
> >> >[...]
> >>
> >> Want Less Corruption? Free the Markets
> >
> >Before you can have free markets you _must_ support the _precondition_
> >of free marketry: free speech on all economic issues.
> >"Does free speech precede each and every free trade?"
>
> Nobody has any idea of what you're talking about here.
Dodge noted.
> Would you care to explain?
"Free speech" has the usual legal definition, i.e., it includes Ebay text and signs on vending machines.
<CA> crickets again
dav...@agent.com
Nov 12, 2015, 11:09:46 PM11/12/15
to
Bret Cahill <bretc...@aol.com> wrote:
>> >> >http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
>> >> >The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
>> >> >By Paul Craig Roberts
>> >> > The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
>> >> >[...]
>> >>
>> >> Want Less Corruption? Free the Markets
>> >
>> >Before you can have free markets you _must_ support the _precondition_
>> >of free marketry: free speech on all economic issues.
>> >"Does free speech precede each and every free trade?"
>>
>> Nobody has any idea of what you're talking about here.
>> >> >http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43370.htm
>> >> >The Re-enserfment of Western Peoples
>> >> >By Paul Craig Roberts
>> >> > The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
>> >> >[...]
>> >>
>> >> Want Less Corruption? Free the Markets
>> >
>> >Before you can have free markets you _must_ support the _precondition_
>> >of free marketry: free speech on all economic issues.
>> >"Does free speech precede each and every free trade?"
>>
>> Nobody has any idea of what you're talking about here.
>> Would you care to explain?
>
>Can you post an example of a free market free trade that was _not_ preceded by free speech?
No, I can't. YOU do it.
>
>Can you post an example of a free market free trade that was _not_ preceded by free speech?
Bret Cahill
Nov 13, 2015, 12:03:19 AM11/13/15
to
> >Can you post an example of a free market free trade that was _not_ preceded by free speech?
>
> No, I can't.
Ever consider why not?
>
> No, I can't.
dav...@agent.com
Nov 13, 2015, 3:19:19 AM11/13/15
to
Bret Cahill
Nov 13, 2015, 10:34:43 AM11/13/15
to
> >> >Can you post an example of a free market free trade that was _not_ preceded by free speech?
> >>
> >> No, I can't.
> >
> >Ever consider why not?
>
> Nope.
As Jerry Falwell pointed out, fundytarians "don't ask questions."
> >>
> >> No, I can't.
> >
> >Ever consider why not?
>
> Nope.
dav...@agent.com
Nov 13, 2015, 3:47:12 PM11/13/15
to
dav...@agent.com
Nov 14, 2015, 12:06:44 PM11/14/15
to
0 new messages