Money Talks

[Oscar]

LETTER: Kurtenbach - Money Talks - March 31, 2010

To the Editor,

"Free" markets in the present North American [N.A.] economy means maximum monopolistic control by global corporations with a minimum of competition.

How does individualistic greed become corporate greed?

In the late 1980's, the USA suffered what became known as the Saving and Loans Scandal. It involved many people, including the family of George Bush, Sr. and his three sons, George, Jeb and Neil. The latter were facing prison sentences for their involvement in a scheme that did eventually cost American taxpayers about one trillion dollars. However, the elder Bush came to the rescue by declaring war - Freedom Iraq - in 1990. This took American's mind off that sordid Saving and Loans Scandal.

What is totally incomprehensible is that President Bush's decision to go to war received the support of 93% of the American people! This was a war that cost the lives of hundreds of young American soldiers, and the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians.

Perhaps such actions can be best be explained by a recent gobbledygook statement by the US Secretary of Defence, Robert Gates who said, "Some people are so opposed to war, that they are an impediment to peace."

The dilemma facing the American government is caused by the wealth and power of corporations. Approximately 75% of the 541 members of the House of Representatives and the 100 members of the Senate get themselves elected with the help of generous funds from wealth-laden corporations.

In the last two decades, corporations and their lobbyists have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in their endeavor to prevent any government legislation that would curtail corporate profits.

Numerous corporations, including the pharmaceutical industry, are involved.

But first prize probably goes to the dozen or so global oil corporations, commonly known as Big Oil. They are highly influential as they jointly work through the American Petroleum Institute and the American Chamber of Commerce.

In the interests of brevity, here are only two examples of how this works.

The 2000 US election was the most expensive one ever for the gas and oil companies. The main recipients of corporate funds were George Bush and Dick Cheney; these exceeded all previous recorded campaign contributions.

In 2004 Shell paid a fine of $40 million dollars to settle charges regarding the manipulation of energy resources. Paying fines does not seem to be a problem for Big Oil.

Why should Canadians be concerned about what takes place in the US?

Simply because Canada's economy is closely tied to the economy in the US.

And now Canada's military and armaments production industry is involved in US foreign wars.

Canada's democracy and sovereignty are in jeopardy.

Leo Kurtenbach,
Box 268, Cudworth, Sask., S0K 1B0
Phone (306) 256 3638