From: "Matthew Asher Levy" <mattlevy-AT-mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: 9/11/01
Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2001 13:03:41 -0500


I agree with this, but something in your tone suggests that you are
uncovering a conspiracy.  I think this is all on the surface.  Unconcealed.
Perhaps the only difference between the Left and the Right is that the Left
is embarrassed at what we are doing (while participating no less).

> In the long run, constructive loan policies towards Third World nations
> could give them a high degree of self-sufficiency, reduce poverty, and add
> to world prosperity by creating additional customers and consumers.
>
> But many would argue that the U.S. should alleviate its own poverty, drug
> addiction, crime and homelessness as a first priority.

I especially agree here.  And would add that this is a false choice.
Obviously neither of these sets of concerns are our first priorities.
Creating markets seems to be the overriding motivation (domestic and
otherwise), which is again not a new observation but a fact by which very
few are embarrassed.

mal

----- Original Message -----
From: hbone <hbone-AT-optonline.net>
To: <lyotard-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2001 8:24 AM
Subject: Re: 9/11/01


> Matthew Levy wrote:,
>
> > I have been thinking about Battaille's idea of general economy.  Isn't
it
> > interesting that a few days ago we were having a budget emergency and
now
> no
> > dollar figure is too inconceivable to spend?  People are so generous now
> > with their money and with their blood.  I am not scoffing or sneering at
> > people who want to help.  Far from it.  I am just thinking that we could
> > have afforded to be more generous last month to our "enemies."  When
> people
> > are desperate we do desperate things.  The trillion the west will be
> > spending on cleanup, compensation, revenge and military buildup would
have
> > been better spent on a new Marshall Plan-type operation.  We
purposefully
> > put Japan and Europe in a position to compete with us financially.  We
> could
> > do that with other countries as well.  As long as our policies make use
of
> > other people's poverty, the world is going to be resentful.
> > mal
>
> Let me suggest that our "true" religion is money, that Washington D.C. is
a
> Kabuki performance.  That politicians and the media have persuaded "we the
> people",
> that our collective salvation lies in transferring tax monies to the
> wealthy, and that anything goes in international trade.  That control of
the
> U.S. two-party system and the mega-media assures the serial  incumbency of
> lawmakers who  legislate higher subsidies and lower taxes for those who
own
> and manage the nation's wealth.  That U.S. democracy is defeated by
> discouraging half the citizens of voting age from participating. .
>
> As to the Marshall Plan and postwar Japan:  Post-WWII, young Germans
admired
> democracy because it "won wars".  Afterwards they benefited from the
> presence of U.S. troops and a de-militarized economy, as well as
benefiting
> from  the Marshall Plan and its counterpart in Japan.  Iin Germany today,
> workers who put in around 1400 hours per year get wages and benefits
> approximating those of U.S. workers who expend more than 1900 hours
> annually.
>
> The plight of post-war Europe or Japan was far different from that of
Third
> World countries today.  Europe and Japan had lost buildings and
> infrastructure, but their citizens had the education, training and a
> tradition
> of industrial accomplishment.  Even so, it took many years to return to
> normal.
>
> In contrast, enormous populations in many Third World countries are rural,
> and depend on agriculture. They can learn to make shoes and clothing
> quickly, but it will take many years for them to develop the institutions
> and infrastructure sufficient for an acceptable level of  national
economic
> independence.  To do so, they would need long term loans at low rates of
> interest, the investment device that made it possible for people of
moderate
> income to own their own homes in the U.S. of the 1950's..
>
> Meanwhile, the Transnational Agencies,  IMF, WTO etc. whose original
purpose
> was stablization and protection of international trade, seem to have
become
> instruments of exploitation.  They have allegedly assisted foreign
investors
> in Third World countries in destroying the value of currencies in those
> countries, permitting foreigners to acquire their valuable resources at
> ridculously low prices.
>
> In the long run, constructive loan policies towards Third World nations
> could give them a high degree of self-sufficiency, reduce poverty, and add
> to world prosperity by creating additional customers and consumers.
>
> But many would argue that the U.S. should alleviate its own poverty, drug
> addiction, crime and homelessness as a first priority.
>
> Both possibilties seem unlikely today, 9/16/01 as the newest War is
> launched. New bills, transferring $billions to the wealthy, will soon be
> signed
> into law.
>
> regards,
> Hugh
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>