blind adherence to friedman, the dow's measurement, our shock doctrine, and actual crime...

the other day I was perusing a column, and for the life of me I cannot remember the bonehead that wrote the thing. while it could easily have fallen into another of the countless examples of talking heads that got a finance or econ degree and therefore thought they knew something (although had they ever bothered to take a simple western history class they would have clearly seen everything they were taught as gospel was a repeated historical failure), it jumped out at me as the prime example for the inherent lack of logical analysis from anyone with an MBA. the first section repeated the "I'm the last guy to want to the government to take a role in the economy...so if I say it might need to be done, even briefly, then you should listen." at the same time, it was yet another ode to the free market and the brilliance of friedman. and then...the author described how he felt we got into this mess where the unthinkable might have to be done. except his main target of wrath and blame were regulators that did not do their job of regulating. from that point on I waited for evidence of the simple epiphany that the writer apparently missed...if we got into a big mess because the government did not take an active role and do its part then maybe taking the government completely out of the equation is a bad idea to begin with. but no...never got there. still adhered to the free market mantra of those idiots that think friedman was a genius and not just the latest regurgitator of crap from the dumpster of history. see, there is a simple problem with the "free" market - it is called human beings. we are scum. we will fuck it up.

which brings me to another point. meet the press last week had a panel discussion on the economy and recovery and bla bla bla (side note - david gregory has been a pleasant surprise in one on one interviews...but when it is a panel he is an utter disaster). so gregory asked a question about the president's policies with a false premise - mainly that the people don't believe in them because the DOW continues to fall. ford had a perfect opportunity to score huge points...and hinted at it, but did not go all the way, instead arguing as if the DOW measured what you and I think of things. it doesn't, it never did. the DOW measures what the richest assholes that have been bleeding us dry for centuries think about things. and yes, they are scared because the era of their bullshit stolen wealth may be finally ending (again). when was the last time your investment decisions had any impact on the market? now when was the last time the stock market was outrageously and falsely high yet your income was completely stuck and your bills were rising? it is a crock of shit, this "ownership" society they tried to sell to you. you didn't own shit, they owned you. it was an excuse to take your hard earned money and siphon more and more of it up to them. but the market was high so they told you not to worry...and bill clinton convinced you he wasn't the most effective republican president of your lifetime.

as things collapse the stimulus bill and other actions being taken by the white house seem to be full of things of questionable stimuli. but for the most part, they are all damn good ideas that we should have implemented decades ago (or just not dismantled decades ago). and whether or not they end up stimulating the economy (which, let's face it, is next to impossible when the only thing you "make" anymore is bullshit ideas that failed), I say cram it down our throats. give them a taste of their own medicine...its like klein's shock doctrine for lefties. and if it is either this or forcing me to privatize everything that is public...I'm all for going this way while we burn.

the ICC indicted hassan al-bashir, the first time a sitting head of state has been the subject of an ICC warrant for war crimes. (of course you may not know because your morning news show carried a year old 911 call from octomom or some crazy lady that didn't get her mcnuggets). somewhere, tennyson is smiling...

For I dipt into the Future, far as human eye could see,

Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be;



Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies of magic sails,

Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping down with costly bales;



Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rain'd a ghastly dew

From the nations' airy navies grappling in the central blue;



Far along the world-wide whisper of the south-wind rushing warm,

With the standards of the peoples plunging thro' the thunder-storm;



Till the war-drum throbb'd no longer, and the battle-flags were furl'd

In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world.



There the common sense of most shall hold a fretful realm in awe,

And the kindly earth shall slumber, lapt in universal law.