RUN THAT BY ME AGAIN? (Did I hear that right?)

85 comments

Posted on 18th November 2012 by Colma Rising in Economy |Politics |Social Issues

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I am going to go out on a limb and state that there are several pieces of rhetoric that, should their folly be ignored, will do little other than to lead to the destruction of credibility and in a broad and metaphorical sense, serve as nothing but a distraction which will capture the gaze of humankind as they march happily content with an empty image of beauty, head-long into an abyss.


“STOP BARKING, TOTO, I SEE SOMETHING SHINY UP THERE!!!”

It is no far cry to state that the majority of the readers of this site lean politically Libertarian, economically Austrian and bicker and banter about issues as these philosophies are inherently independent. I will insist, however, that many readers are not “purists” in the sense of these philosophies… with good reason. As much as many would like to believe, they are not decidedly Libertarian, Austrian, Republican, Conservative or any other socio-political and economic brand would have them. That is a good thing, as this allows for adjustment to real-life situations without a dogmatic view interfering with decision making that may have extremely bad effects on outcome given the environment we find ourselves living in…. the modern world. As much as many would cite these so-called “right leaning” (another misnomer) modes of thought in the rhetorical battle against “left-leaning” jargon, there are simply no all-encompassing flags any regular would rally under.


OH, I FORGOT…. SOME AROUND HERE STILL RALLY UNDER SOME ASSIPHANT

Alas, if one were to acknowledge that social science, as wishy-washy as it inherently must be, is still an attempt at rational thought and though “soft”, still a science, we have unwittingly arrived at a situation brought about long ago… perhaps even when the terms “economics” and “moral philosophy” were one and the same. That situation is best described when the theories that many like to cling to are in the process of transformation. The concepts of paradigms, their shift, theories and the assertion that often different modes of thinking cause folks to speak in effectively different languages, may cause them to wonder why they aren’t “getting through” to each other. In light of this phenomenon, it is no wonder many find different opinions to be idiocy.

LIKE TALKING EINSTEIN AT LAKE TARDICACA

For a good synopsis of the avenue I’m writing with in mind, have a look at: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rationality-historicist/

From which I will take some key ideas regarding Kuhn’s paradigms, quoted in italics, and proceed to pummel over-used rhetorical phrases, discarding them in the proverbial trash as a bully would a nerd in the school-yard.

“According to Kuhn, scientific practice is divided into two phases, called normal science and revolutionary science. During normal science, the dominant paradigm is neither questioned nor seriously tested.”

Does this bring anything to mind? If it doesn’t, I ask the reader how often they find themselves adhering to the common and dominant paradigm of discourse…. That is the “Right wing versus the Left Wing”…. “The Liberal versus Conservative”…. “The Democrat versus the Republican”….. “The Capitalist versus the Socialist”

Get the picture? These are the phrases of the dominant paradigm of thinking as espoused by Political Science and, I insist, are so mired in redefinition, newspeak and serious flaw that I will have no remorse for shattering the rhetoric of otherwise very intelligent and respected commentators. It needs to be done. I don’t think I’m alone in saying that the world and the mood of the Country is at a crossroad where the decisions made now cannot be mired in the mud of those past. Before proceeding, reflection is due and the unraveled edifice of what many cling to for a guide will not serve to anchor the heart as it has before.


I WOULDN’T COUNT ON RUNNING WITH THOSE SPECIOUS THEORIES THERE BUDDY, WHADDAYA THINK?

“During a period of revolutionary science, the scientific community actively debates the underlying principles of the dominant paradigm and its rivals. Thus, the business- as-usual of routine problem solving is suspended until a new paradigm (or perhaps the old one) establishes dominance.”

So what exactly will establish dominance? I think it is safe to say that during the time of obvious transformation we live in…. whether one believes in linear history or cyclical generational history…. We are enduring a transmutation of ideas which, as time progresses, will engender a response from those who have arrived at the point of conclusion regarding socio-political and economic fundamentals which will reflect a sad clinging to old paradigm and further, fervent fighting for those bedrock ideals thought to be in danger. The result of this fight will result in dominant thinking, but at the same time, will yield a whole new way of approaching problems not necessarily reflected in the previous paradigm:

“The supposed result of these features is that the proponents of different paradigms will often be unable to communicate with each other, and that, even when they can communicate, their standards of assessment will always favor their own paradigms. Thus, there is no rational basis for choosing between paradigms: the switch from one worldview to another is not so much a reasoned matter as the scientific equivalent of a perceptual gestalt shift. On this view, the transition between paradigms is best explained sociologically, in terms of institutional might, polemics and perhaps generational replacement.”

If you doubt my forecast, as broad and general as it may be, by all means feel free to do so, but history and the ticking clock, I assume, will not be on your side.

Now enough of the beating around the bush, time to sink the pink into the silk purse: Following are some of the tired, dated misnomers that are full of shit, folly and deserve discarding:

“DARWINISM=SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST”

Oh, folks just love that one. It sounds great and creates visions of the great frontier where the lion is king of the jungle and all the rest of the animals line up to pay homage…. Further, built on this premise, people equate this bastardization as some sort of divine justification of the natural world regarding their wealth and societal status…. That somehow people are poor because they are dumb and these ever-growing masses will feel the cull while the wealthy, who are “smart” will ride into the sunset on the wave of the laws of nature.
Rubbish!!!

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
-Charles Darwin

That changes things a little. “Survival of the Adaptable” begins to take on a more somber tone and frankly means that only by being most able to respond to changing conditions will one prevail in the short and long term. That changes the rhetoric, and frankly that’s a good thing. Clinging to fallacy to fulfill some sort of fantasy will, in time, prove superfluous. For those who insist that this convenient change to the phrase regarding natural selection applies to the rugged individual carving his share of the spoils of life, I will leave the following truth in nature for you to mull over:

“In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.”
-Charles Darwin


THAT KINDA CHANGES THE WHOLE CONVERSATION, DOESN’T IT?

CAPITALISM and SOCIALISM

We’re just about at the point where these phrases should be all but tossed. People don’t even agree on their meaning and ascribe such differing definitions that mentioning “Capitalism” or “Socialism” are as vague as could be imagined. The only anchors to solidify these definitions are the terms “private property” and “Public Property”… with the terms “public” and “private” carrying even more definitions.
If you wish to be more accurate, the surplus between any income, minus expenditure put to the use of acquiring more income could be said to be “Capital”, but this situation has existed for millennia before the idea of “Capitalism”. Often, any sort of government run or implemented program of any sort is referred to as “Socialism”, but this situation too has existed for millennia.
Layer upon layer upon layer of idea and fervent emotional reaction has been ascribed to these terms, born of half-truth and obfuscation that I really see no viable option but to toss the phrases. Perhaps I can give some examples, mixed with the rhetorical nimrod-ery, so common that even I find myself guilty of their use:

1) “Liberals”
This is the biggest piece of newspeak rhetoric that ever became accepted amongst otherwise thinking people. Every time I hear “Liberal” I shudder to think that I hear nothing but a mid-1990’s talk-jock parrot…. And I’m correct. I know, as I’ve listened to talk radio for a very, very long time on the job and have the wherewithal and thankfully, the blessing of being wont to not study up on lines I’m being fed. Look further into this phrase and often one will find the user is full of shit and interest-driven.


LUDWIG VON MISES: A BIG GOVERNMENT LIBERAL

2) “Free Market Capitalism”

Rare indeed. There is a difference in economics between markets and that difference is blurred with ignorant impunity by so many that perhaps a review of survey-level economics is in order.
There are PERFECTLY COMPETITIVE MARKETS that generally exist in that never-land that actual communism does, meaning that it is a naïve and oversimplified situation and get this, in the long run, the firm will make only normal profit (zero economic profit). Be my guest and read up on it. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_competition#Basic_structural_characteristics )
There are MONOPOLISTIC ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_competition#Basic_structural_characteristics ) , MONOPOLISTICALLY COMPETITIVE ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopolistic_competition#Major_characteristics ) and OLIGOPOLISTIC ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligopoly#Characteristics ) markets that are closer to reality and frankly, offer manipulation, inefficiency and dead-weight loss born by producer or consumer depending on the elasticity of the demand for the product.

So tell me, what is “Free Market” capitalism again?

“DUH MOTHERFUCKER ITS LIKE THAT SUPPLY AND DEMAND. FUGGIN MORANS.”

3) CORPORATION

A corporation is a proxy entity created for the purpose of distributing decision and the liability associated with it. It is a framework chartered by government, for government purposes and for some reason people confuse a corporate entity with individualism and private property. Somehow, along the way, people forget that the modern government is an incorporated structure itself, placed in the seat of ruler-ship, with its constitution being its charter wherein the rules for its directorship… or ownership if you will…. Are set forth and interpreted. To argue against this is beyond ignorant.

A “privately held” corporation is the incorporated manifestation of those who, according to the directive set in the corporate charter constituting the legal basis for the incorporation of the entity, carries out said objective while providing a shield from liability associated with the activities. There are privately held corporations and publicly traded corporations. There are corporations based on capital accumulation for its shareholders and corporations based on labor (unions). Hence the rhetoric behind the term being cloudy. Corporations versus unions. Corporations versus government. Corporations versus people.

Can we acknowledge that corporate structure itself is the antithesis of individualism? Can the rhetoric of the ideals of “Capitalism” calling upon “personal responsibility” really pass on people’s ears in the same sentence with a nod? I guess so, but don’t tell me the notion isn’t deceiving in all honesty. Perhaps the argument can be sliced and diced as to the voluntary and involuntary participation of ownership and clientele…. But I would again invite a read-up on market structures and an answer to just when is this participation voluntary? Really…. That in itself is a great paradigm to speak in tongues to each other in.

“IT WILL MAKE A FINE KING, AN ASTUTE BUSINESSMAN, AND FATHER TO MY CHILDREN!”

4) SOCIALISM

Socialism is the ownership of product producing corporations by those corporations chartered to govern. When and why this happens is open to good debates. Some say that the Government should be a small corporation and we should be governed by big private corporations via monopolies and oligopolies. These are the people the droolers and bird-watching agitators wearing Che shirts call “Free Market Capitalists”. Mussolini called them by another name, and he of all persons knew the meaning quite well as he basically invented it: Fascism. He was quite honest in the assertion that the State was the new Royalty and that the Corporate business interests were the new nobility. The people were the peons to the new Royalty, used for labor and warfare.

Some say that the corporation for government ought to provide for education, the eradication of pestilence, infrastructure, defense, courts, weight and measure, post offices, law enforcement and even the registration of vessels. Hell, even those areas of public interest that could not be carried out with sufficient profit to warrant a private corporation risking its capital (but not its owners liability) are called upon by some to be carried out by a government corporation. EVEN TAXATION!!!


ADAM SMITH, DYED IN THE WOOL SOCIALIST

5) Unintended Consequence

Yeah, I’m going there. It’s a law, right? That actions create not only desired outcomes but undesirable ones… lucky ones…. Unlucky ones. Welcome to cause and effect, folks. Sorry, but the people who use this term seem to forget that unintended consequences arise from not only government action (which I contend is corporate action) but from all action. Often, one may hear the old “doing nothing at all is the same as doing something” out of the other side of the mouths of the purveyor of “The Law”.

So which is it?

It’s both, and that’s life. Take action and there is reaction. Take no action and there is still action reacting about your decision (or lack of). It simply becomes a question of activity or passivity. Until one can boast omniscience, no decision lacks unintended consequences. When spouted by the anarchistic, I laugh heartily. Rarely does one understand the consequence of a lack of orderly society…. Or of governance. Sorry folks, you may not be a cretin with the foresight of a mole, but that doesn’t mean that a lack of collective action on your part won’t result in that very same cretin rolling a pile of shit on your head and the heads of those around you.

I understand that this may be blasphemy to the anarcho-capitalist and the purveyor of the theory that things sort themselves out, however, what are the unintended consequences of being passive?


“I DON’T KNOW, MARTHA…. WHAT ABOUT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES?!”

So you see, that it is with great perplexity that the modern political and economic forum is awash in newspeak and confusion. Truly, I am often at a loss for words at the belligerent use of such confused paradigm and theory…. Not only in others but certainly, first and foremost, in myself. By what admission or challenge can be set forth that at the very least, people can be conceptually honest and explore different rhetorical terms without sounding like a gibbering sod, drooling about in a world of phantasm and dishonest discourse, all the while bearing the plastic badge of honor among their peers of similar disposition?


“YEAH!!! PUSH IT!!!!”

Riddle me that, and perhaps we can ride the shift in language, in understanding, definition and ultimately the mode of thought that the future will inevitably thrust on us all.

After all, if the only certainty in the universe is its transitory nature, isn’t the greatest of sentient folly that of remaining content in the fleeting moment that “having it all figured out” truly is?


SO WHO’S ASS DO I HAVE TO PUMMEL FIRST?

CAN ANY “ISM” WORK IN THE LONG RUN?

21 comments

Posted on 8th September 2012 by Administrator in Economy |Politics |Social Issues

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Socialism has failed. Communism has failed. Fascism has failed. Our form of Capitalism is failing. Can any economic system created by man work or are we doomed to failure because human nature will always destroy whatever system is created?

“Private capital tends to become concentrated in few hands, partly because of competition among the capitalists, and partly because technological development and the increasing division of labor encourage the formation of larger units of production at the expense of smaller ones.

The result of these developments is an oligarchy of private capital the enormous power of which cannot be effectively checked even by a democratically organized political society. This is true since the members of legislative bodies are selected by political parties, largely financed or otherwise influenced by private capitalists who, for all practical purposes, separate the electorate from the legislature.

The consequence is that the representatives of the people do not in fact sufficiently protect the interests of the underprivileged sections of the population. Moreover, under existing conditions, private capitalists inevitably control, directly or indirectly, the main sources of information (press, radio, education).

It is thus extremely difficult, and indeed in most cases quite impossible, for the individual citizen to come to objective conclusions and to make intelligent use of his political rights.

Albert Einstein, Why Socialism? 1949

DROUGHT RELIEF

5 comments

Posted on 4th August 2012 by Administrator in Economy |Politics |Social Issues

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LONDON CALLING

11 comments

Posted on 26th March 2011 by Administrator in Economy |Politics |Social Issues

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Free shit armies across the globe are mobilizing. Close to 300,000 people are gathered in London to protest the cuts in their free shit. On the one hand I can understand their anger. Their government leaders have chosen to save their bankers, but throw the people under the bus. The social benefits promised over decades could never be delivered. It was just a matter of time. Allowing the bankers who destroyed the world financial system to continue enriching themselves while calling for tremendous sacrifice by the common man goes beyond the pale. If our leaders had put the mega-banks into bankruptcy, we would have had a bad Depression. But, everyone would have been hurt. Today, only the middle class has been hurt. The ultra-rich bankers are still partying.

The people of London are pissed off, but they should remember the words of their former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher:

“The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.”

 

Follow London’s Biggest Demonstration In A Decade As 300,000 Protest Austerity And Public Sector Cuts

Tyler Durden's picture

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/26/2011 10:08 -0400

After leading to the collapse of the Portuguese government, anti-austerity anger is now ramping up at the very heart of the old continent, where the biggest demonstration in over a decade has struck in London. Per the Guardian: “More than a quarter of a million protesters against public sector cuts are expected to flood central London today in the biggest political demonstration for nearly a decade. Police sources, normally cautious about estimating numbers, said last night they were braced for up to 300,000 people to join the march – far higher than previous forecasts from TUC organisers. More than 800 coaches and at least 10 trains have been chartered to bring people to the capital from as far afield as Cornwall and Inverness. The Metropolitan police, under fire for their use of kettling in previous protests, said “a small but significant minority” plan to hijack the march to stage violent attacks. Organisers, however, insist it will be a peaceful family event. Union members are expected be joined by a broad coalition, from pensioners to doctors, families and first-time protesters to football supporters and anarchists. Ed Miliband said the government was dragging the country back to the “rotten” 1980s. Labour is calling today’s event the “march of the mainstream”.” Some of the protesters, already pigeonholed as “anarchists”, have already become unruly as a splinter group has formed on the iconic Oxford street where it is engaged in altercations with the Police, including throwing smoke bombs, lightbulbs filled ammonia.

The protest can be followed in real time on Sky News below.

The Guardian also has a live blog of the protest that can be followe here:

Some of the most recent entries:

1.44pm: Richard Evans has been talking to PA News about his 166 miles trek from Cardiff to join the march.

Evans, a PCS union rep who was interviewed by the Guardian about his protest earlier this week, said the walk was worth it although his feet were “very sore”.

“I wanted to encourage people to get on a bus. I think the best way to do that is to go a step further.

“The whole point of this is the government looks again at the cuts. I’m hoping there is enough people here to make them realise when you’re in the position you’re in – in the coalition government – you need to think again. With this number of people, the government have to take notice. “

1.39pm: Paul Lewis has just tweeted about police penning in protesters outside Downing Street.

1.39pm: Paul Lewis has just tweeted about police penning in protesters outside Downing Street.

Reports of “light kettle” at Downing Street and rolling shop occupations at Picadilly #march26 #26marchless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Paul Lewis
paul__lewis

 

 

1.31pm: Activists from Ukuncut, the peaceful direct action group that has closed down more than 100 high street stores accused of tax avoidance, are moving into position on Oxford Street. They are planning 14 different occupations of high street stores accused of tax avoidance, Matthew Taylor writes.

A spokesman just said there were about 200 people moving towards their various targets with more expected to join in the next half an hour.

Meanwhile the main march just gets bigger. People are still streaming across bridges to join from south London while others are making their way from the north.

Bernard Goyder, a veteran of last year’s student protests, said he had been “blown away” by today’s turnout.

“This couldn’t be any better. I have never seen such a wide diverse group of people together. It dwarves anything I have seen before. It is much much bigger than any of us were expecting”

1.15pm: Tom Wills, a student journalist based in Brighton, has posted a set of photos from the march on Flickr, which give a sense of the mass turnout.

1.10pm: EastLondonLines, a news website run by the journalism department of Goldsmiths, has posted this Twitpic, which shows the protesters marching past police lines near Parliament.

Paul Lewis Paul Lewis Photograph: Sarah Lee

1.04pm: Paul Lewis has sent through an update, describing the wide range of groups who have joined today’s protest.

“Standing here watching hundreds of thousands of people stream past, you get a real sense of the broad coalition against the government. I noted down every banner that past through over a couple of minutes.

“Somerset Teachers Association, Vulnerable Chinese Migrants Association, Society of Radiographers, Prison Officers Association, Don’t Cut Out The Disabled, Southend On Sea Unison Branch, Ipswich Labour Party, Cut Trident, Nurses Uncut, Met Police Group PCS Union, Calderdale Division of the NUT, Chelsea Anti Cuts Alliance, Colchester NHS SOS, South Ribble Children, The Bohemian Storm is Rising, Parents Alliance of Community Schools, Isle of Wight Uncut.”

Matthew Taylor

1.02pm: Matthew Taylor says thousands of people are still joining the march, with the total number estimated at around 400,000.

“I am now on a footbridge overlooking the Embankment and people have been streaming underneath us for about an hour. People are queuing as far back as I a can see and tens of thousands more are still arriving from side streets. Organisers are suggesting there could be as many as 400,000 here today. That is impossible to verify at this stage. But it is clear that this is a very big demo.”

1.00pm: While this photo from Mary shows crowds gathering at Embankment.

12.58pm: This photo by Mary Hamilton pokes fun at undercover police officers – whose activities have recently been investigated by the Guardian.

Undercover police assembly point on the anti-cuts march in London Undercover police assembly point on the anti-cuts march in London. Photograph: newsmary/twitpic

 

12.45pm: Journalist Mary Hamilton – aka newsmary – has been posting photos of the march on Twitpic.

12.35pm: The Public and Commercial Services Union has set up its own live blog of the march.

12.30pm: Here’s a map of the march route


View March for the Alternative Route in a larger map

…

9.15am: Good morning and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the mass protest in London against the coalition government’s public sector cuts.

Around 300,000 people are expected to join the March for the Alternative organised by the TUC, the biggest union-organised event for over 20 years and the largest in the country since the protest against the Iraq war in 2003. More than 800 coaches and 10 trains have been chartered to bring people to the capital from as far afield as Cornwall and Inverness.

Union members are expected to be joined by a broad coalition, from pensioners to doctors, families and first-time protesters, to football supporters and anarchists. My colleague Matthew Taylor has written a guide to all the organisations – both official and unofficial – who will be taking part.

The Metropolitan Police believe a small minority will try to hijack the anti-cuts march to stage violent attacks on property and the police. The TUC organisers of the event say they have organised a family-friendly demonstration with brass, jazz and Bollywood bands. But there are concerns that unofficial feeder marches, sit-down protests and a takeover of Trafalgar Square could turn from peaceful civil disobedience into stand-offs with the police.

The march assembles on the Embankment from 11am but it will still be leaving at 2pm and possibly even later. The TUC has drawn up a set of tips for those planning to join the march. The protest will culminate in a rally in Hyde Park. Guardian reporters Matthew Taylor and Paul Lewis will be out on the streets covering the protest as it happens.

If you’re at the demo and want to send me any comments – or share any pictures, audio clips and videos – you can contact me either on david.batty@guardian.co.uk or on Twitter – @David_Batty

GERMANS THINK WE’RE INSANE?

20 comments

Posted on 27th December 2010 by Administrator in Economy |Politics |Social Issues |Technology

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No this is not an Onion fake article. I’ve written plenty of America in decline articles, but I’ve never come to the conclusion that the solution is to expand our entitlement state. The Germans are appalled at how we treat our unemployed. Only 99 weeks of unemployment. How cruel. In Germany you can get permanent unemployment. Sounds great. Where do I sign up? Could they pick anyone less sympathetic than a moronic woman who somehow made $80,000 as a secretary on Wall Street and believed she deserved to live in a six bedroom McMansion. The tears are flowing freely as I read about her eating out of trash cans. I wonder what her plight would have been if she had lived in a three bedroom modest house and had saved the difference in a rainy day fund. How silly am I to state such a thing?

The Germans think we are cruel and insane for not expanding our social net. Have they noticed what is happening in Greece, Ireland, France, UK, Spain and Portugal? Their socialist fantasy is imploding. It hasn’t reached Germany yet, but one look at this chart will tell you all you need to know. The Germans should worry about their own plight. 

America in Decline: Why Germans Think We’re Insane

By Democrats Ramshield, AlterNet
Posted on December 26, 2010, Printed on December 27, 2010

http://www.alternet.org/story/149324/

As an American expat living in the European Union, I’ve started to see America from a different perspective. 

The European Union has a larger economy and more people than America does. Though it spends less — right around 9 percent of GNP on medical, whereas we in the U.S. spend close to between 15 to 16 percent of GNP on medical — the EU pretty much insures 100 percent of its population. 

The U.S. has 59 million people medically uninsured; 132 million without dental insurance; 60 million without paid sick leave; 40 million on food stamps. Everybody in the European Union has cradle-to-grave access to universal medical and a dental plan by law. The law also requires paid sick leave; paid annual leave; paid maternity leave. When you realize all of that, it becomes easy to understand why many Europeans think America has gone insane. 

Der Spiegel has run an interesting feature called “A Superpower in Decline,” which attempts to explain to a German audience such odd phenomena as the rise of the Tea Party, without the hedging or attempts at “balance” found in mainstream U.S. media. On the Tea Parties: 

Full of Hatred: “The Tea Party, that group of white, older voters who claim that they want their country back, is angry. Fox News host Glenn Beck, a recovering alcoholic who likens Obama to Adolf Hitler, is angry. Beck doesn’t quite know what he wants to be — maybe a politician, maybe president, maybe a preacher — and he doesn’t know what he wants to do, either, or least he hasn’t come up with any specific ideas or plans. But he is full of hatred.” 

The piece continues with the sobering assessment that America’s actual unemployment rate isn’t really 10 percent, but close to 20 percent when we factor in the number of people who have stopped looking for work. 

Some social scientists think that making sure large-scale crime or fascism never takes root in Europe again requires a taxpayer investment in a strong social safety net. Can we learn from Europe? Isn’t it better to invest in a social safety net than in a large criminal justice system? (In America over 2 million people are incarcerated.) 

Jobless Benefits That Never Run Out 

Unlike here, in Germany jobless benefits never run out. Not only that — as part of their social safety net, all job seekers continue to be medically insured, as are their families. 

In the German jobless benefit system, when “jobless benefit 1″ runs out, “jobless benefit 2,” also known as HartzIV, kicks in. That one never gets cut off. The jobless also have contributions made for their pensions. They receive other types of insurance coverage from the state. As you can imagine, the estimated 2 million unemployed Americans who almost had no benefits this Christmas seems a particular horror show to Europeans, made worse by the fact that the U.S. government does not provide any medical insurance to American unemployment recipients. Europeans routinely recoil at that in disbelief and disgust. 

In another piece the Spiegel magazine steps away from statistics and tells the story of Pam Brown, who personifies what is coming to be known as the Nouveau American poor. Pam Brown was a former executive assistant on Wall Street, and her shocking decline has become part of the American story: 

 American society is breaking apart. Millions of people have lost their jobs and fallen into poverty. Among them, for the first time, are many middle-class families. Meet Pam Brown from New York, whose life changed overnight.  The crisis caught her unprepared. “It was horrible,” Pam Brown remembers. “Overnight I found myself on the wrong side of the fence. It never occurred to me that something like this could happen to me. I got very depressed.”  Brown sits in a cheap diner on West 14th Street in Manhattan, stirring her $1.35 coffee. That’s all she orders — it’s too late for breakfast and too early for lunch.  She also needs to save money. Until early 2009, Brown worked as an executive assistant on Wall Street, earning more than $80,000 a year, living in a six-bedroom house with her three sons. Today, she’s long-term unemployed and has to make do with a tiny one-bedroom in the Bronx. 

It’s important to note that no country in the European Union uses food stamps in order to humiliate its disadvantaged citizens in the grocery checkout line. Even worse is the fact that even the humbling food stamp allotment may not provide enough food for America’s jobless families. So it is on a reoccurring basis that some of these families report eating out of garbage cans to the European media.  

 For Pam Brown, last winter was the worst. One day she ran out of food completely and had to go through trash cans. She fell into a deep depression … For many, like Brown, the downfall is a Kafkaesque odyssey, a humiliation hard to comprehend. Help is not in sight: their government and their society have abandoned them. 

Pam Brown and her children were disturbingly, indeed incomprehensibly, allowed to fall straight to the bottom. The richest country in the world becomes morally bankrupt when someone like Pam Brown and her children have to pick through trash to eat, abandoned with a callous disregard by the American government. People like Brown have found themselves dispossessed due to the robber baron actions of the Wall Street elite. 

Hunger in the Land of the Big Mac 

A shocking headline from a Swiss newspaper reads (Berner Zeitung) “Hunger in the Land of the Big Mac.” Though the article is in German, the pictures are worth 1,000 words and need no translation. Given the fact that the Swiss virtually eliminated hunger, how do we as Americans think they will view these pictures, to which the American population has apparently been desensitized. 

 

This appears to be a picture of two mothers collecting food boxes from the charity Feed the Children. 

Perhaps the only way for us to remember what we really look like in America is to see ourselves through the eyes of others. While it is true that we can all be proud Americans, surely we don’t have to be proud of the broken American social safety net. Surely we can do better than that. Can a European-style social safety net rescue the American working and middle classes from GOP and Tea Party warfare?

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