Let's Talk ECONOMY - Part III: Did you ever consider that the illegal immigrants don't wanna be here??

It's time for the average American to become the Educated American. If you realize that the extra snacks in the grocery store aren't the culprit in your dwindling disposal income, it's time to start learning what is.

If you fall into the category of "Average American," you feel the pinch of our unstable economy. Rising prices for necessities, unbelievable housing costs, and pocket-lint  for a disposable income reveal the promise of a recession if things don't turn around.

Corporate greed (including government bedfellows self-absorbed, self-serving, money-loving, cash toting bots  who could care less about the middle class or the value of human life) once loomed in the distance as an enemy we deemed "avoidable." So long as our retirement funds weren't getting raped (re: Enron-ized), corporate greed remained an aggressive monster in the safe distance.

I hate to announce that the monster grew to massive proportions while we looked the other way. And he's breathing his hot breath in your backyard flowerbed.

Many of us could already smell the stench called "conflict of interest" between the very rich and the political candidates living in their padded pockets. But who really knows the ultimate depth of the rabbit hole?

I recently enjoyed a piece by Bob King of GraphicTruth. King describes how human value is woefully absent from business. And worse, those suffering under the greedy hands of large corporations ultimately lose the ability to consume products and no longer want to serve as the tools [read: human capital] for dirty operations.

Bob begins his piece about the greed behind globalization with this simple reality:

Although you never hear it mentioned in debates on the issue, you might start with this reality: Most Mexican people really would prefer to live in their own country. Can we all say, duh? Pedro Martin, who has seen most of the young men and women in his small village depart for El Norte, put it this way: "Up north, even though they pay more, you're not necessarily living as well. You feel out of place. Here you can walk around the whole town, and it's comfortable. Life is easier." [emphasis mine]

This reminds me of an old song, "You're so Vain." We thought the U.S. was such a darned-tootin' great place to live that folks run here because they like it. Rarely do we consider the possibility that survival against deeply oppressive practices - and not personal pleasure for achieving the American Dream - beats at the heart of the alleged illegal immigration crisis.

I deeply appreciate Bob King's illuminating definition of capitalism - at least how the term is used to conceal wrongdoing in the U.S. Here, King explains the effect of large corporations (e.g. Walmart) raping the Mexican economy, along with the imposition of NAFTA:

"Wrong" would imply a widespread, honest confusion about the reality of supply and demand; the impact of restricting access to markets and using the power of government and vertically integrated economies to gain control over entire market sectors, with the ability to dictate wages and prices.

A better term would be - if one is willing to be charitable - a self-deceptive masturbatory fantasy for those who's idea of "winning" dictates that there be "losers."

That's not capitalism, it's theft. In any truly capitalistic exchange, in any truly free market exchange, every party walks away with a profit defined in terms they most value. [emphasis mine]

Now, a little fraud and graft is tolerable - but not when it's the dominant form of business and governance. Society, business, culture and indeed, the public peace all depend upon people being confident that their investment of power and tax money will bring an adequate and just return for them and a better life for their children.

I encourage you to read King's entire post. You don't have to agree with the entire position to learn from it.

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Next time:
Snippets from an "unpopular" book on my current reading list.

Comments

[Bob King]

In all fairness, I need to add that the first quote is not mine:

It's by Jim Hightower, Hightower Lowdown, reposted at Alternet.

But the rest is mine, and I very much appreciate your kind words.

[hawa]

Bob, in plain language - Your Blog Rocks. Whether people agree or disagree with your positions (1) the views are fresh and (2) you highlight issues and opinions that the Main Stream Media simply won't ever venture to communicate.

In summary, you're an example of why the blogosphere is rich with opportunity to learn beyond traditional limits.

[ama]

I identify very much with what I read in that piece. As a former immigrant in the USA for 14 years, it resonates deeply with me.
Though I came to the US to broaden my horizons, the reality was that in my little West African country of birth, the was very little opportunity for a young person.
I enjoyed living in the US, but after a while I just could not ignore the pull back home. For those I left behind in my country, they could not understand why I would throw an opportunity to live in the US away. But for those like myself who had been living in economic exile, they understood exactly why I wanted to go home!

Fact is, most people would rather live in a place where they have a sense of belonging. It is usually econmic considerations that make most immigrants seek a livelihood elsewhere.

[hawa]

ama:

I thank you for sharing that. What else but vanity would make US citizens overlook that immigrants might rather be at home with family and friends than feeling like an outsider in the United States?

I would love to hear more about your experience...