[Marxism] Mumia Abu-Jamal: "The Fear Bomb -- Again!"

[Walter Lippmann]

This evening I put myself through the entire PBS News
Hour, and before that the business show. The theme of
greatest important to the reporters and commentators
was CONFIDENCE, the need to win back the confidence 
of the people of the United States, in the ability of
the system, such as it is, to find a solution to the
crisis which is rocking the entire world. Among the
strongest points made were advice to individuals NOT
to take their money out of existing investments, and
so on. The problem the ruling class seems to be having
is a mixture of two things, I think. First, the right-
wing ideologues have been saying for so long that all
solutions to all the worlds problems can only come via
the free functioning of the "free market", and it seems
some of them continue to believe such religious gospel.

At the same time, people can see that while the crooks
in Wall street are getting bailed out, people who are
losing their homes are getting nothing but foreclosure
and eviction notices. That's why the public protests
organized by trade unions and local groups pressing 
for a moratorium on foreclosure are getting at least
some good publicity.

The situation in the United States, and as the panic
in the voices of foreign governments also reflects, 
around the world, are making for a situation which is
at once fluid and very volatile. At the same time, 
the government may not be able to cobble together an
arrangement which will befuddle enough people to gain
passage, despite the best laid plans of mice, of men,
of Obama and of McCain, all of who are presenting their
faces as "responsible politicians".

Mumia explains these things very, very well, in language
anyone can reasonably understand. That is why he came to
be called "The voice of the voiceless" so long ago.


Walter Lippmann
Los Angeles, California
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The Fear Bomb -- Again!
[col. writ. 9/23/08] 
(c) '08 Mumia Abu-Jamal

If Congress has shown us anything, it is that when they are
scared, they'll do anything.

Seven years ago, in the twilight after 9/11 and in the wake
of the anthrax attacks, Congress passed sweeping
authorizations to the White House for war on a whim, and
signed the so-called Patriot Act in record time.

Some members admitted that they didn't even read the bill
before voting "aye."

One man, a prominent and even legendary congressman
admitted, "We were afraid; they told us we had to pass the
Patriot Act -- so we did it."

Fear.

That same dank, semi-sweet smell is radiating through the
halls of Congress, thicker than the clouds of cigar smoke.

This time it's financial fear. Politicians are once again
dancing to the tune of others, to the Masters of the
Universe on Wall Street, who need another bailout, bringing
it to nearly a trillion bucks ($1,000,000,000,000!) in less
than a month!

And just like last time, Congress is being suckered into
coughing up the public's money--quickly--or else!

The Iraq War was a shell game that exploded into a debacle.

Remember how the media initially tried to link anthrax
attacks to Al Qaeda? When the source is nailed to an
apparently mad American scientist (question: was he really
mad, or a scientist following government orders?), it's too
late. The damage is done. The bills are passed. Powers are
transferred. Hundreds of billions are spent and wasted?
Right?

Congress has defied the common knowledge that we learn from
our mistakes; because here we go again.

The administration yells, "Boo!", and Congress answers,
"How much do you want?"

This is not to suggest (to paraphrase former U.S. President
Franklin D. Roosevelt) that the only thing to be feared is
fear.

There really is a disaster looming in the financial world.

And Congress knew about it years ago (or certainly should
have). Why else would they've passed the amended Bankruptcy
Act several years ago? Why would they pass a bill making it
harder to file bankruptcies--unless they saw a tidal wave
of it coming down the river?

They knew it was coming, as certainly as autumn follows
summer.

Congress is poised to, once again, transfer public wealth
to private businesses, in a mad dash to re-wrap bad loans
as new instruments, so that these securities could be
peddled to new buyers.

Who'll buy? Will Wall Street? Don't bet on it. Will you?
Probably not.

Perhaps China will buy up these new instruments --but don't
hold your breath!

-(c) '08 maj


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     WALTER LIPPMANN
     Los Angeles, California
     Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
     "Cuba - Un Paraíso bajo el bloqueo"
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