Friday, June 29, 2007

Random Events

For most people, politics is a series of unrelated random events with an underlying subtext of corruption as a normative function. Lobbying, bribery, extortion, blackmail, money-laundering -- all part of the quintessential cesspool associated with representative government. For the few who follow the money, though, the events orchestrated by the associations benefitting from the apparent chaos are anything but random. C-3s, C-4s, PACs, and offshore funds, all offer clues to those diligent enough to track them.

Perhaps personifying the culmination of the culture of corruption represented in the United States government, Richard B. Cheney has dutifully, over the course of his career, never waivered from his commitment to criminal enterprise as exemplified by the Wise Use Movement. Indeed, this cabal of the timber, mining, energy, and development industries continues to benefit from the Vice President's regular and criminal interference in subverting the laws, rules, and regulations of our country.

But, as usual, this state of affairs did not happen overnight--nor by accident; over the last two decades in particular, the power of industry to act with impunity toward the citizenry of the US was aided not only by the amorality of lobbyists and politicians, but was actively abetted by the immorality of the unindicted co-conspirators who viewed both public treasuries and public resources as fair game when no one was watching. With the consolidated control of both under the Cheney gang, the big question is whether the Department of Justice and the federal judiciary have enough honest individuals left to take them on.

Monday, June 11, 2007

A Fighting Chance

We recently read about some righteous sustainable community development in the Fourth World that is helping to strengthen the tribes involved through access to education, economic adaptation, communications, and technological training. It is good to see this happening.

At the same time, we--and they--are all too aware of the threats to their success: multinational corporations, paramilitaries, missionaries, and so on. Still, with the enhanced ability for them to self-organize a united front, they now have a fighting chance.

Meanwhile, the overt war of ideas and the covert war of intelligence and counterintelligence goes on.