all care but no responsibility the Enlightenment is out

.. maximising ...

  .. shareholder value ...

    .. = reducing our quality of life

Thesis/Subtitle: neoliberalism and economic rationalism

Concomitant: transfers wealth from the 99%+ to <1%

Corollary: rationalism being deployed *against* us

-=*=-
 
 [update, 13Sep'12]

-=*=-

Musing:

Either they know what they are doing,

which means they are deliberately criminal

 - or they don't,

which means that they are criminally negligent.

When so-called 'representatives' implement policies inimical/inequitable to us, we the people, they offend against the democratic covenant. Law-breakers are by definition criminals.

To the foreman of the jury:

"How do you find?"

Response:

"Guilty, m'lud!"

-=*=-

Leitmotiv:

Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell published in England on 17 August 1945.
  «"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
...
The novel addresses not only the corruption of the revolution by its leaders but also how wickedness, indifference, ignorance, greed and myopia corrupt the revolution. It portrays corrupt leadership as the flaw in revolution, rather than the act of revolution itself. It also shows how potential ignorance and indifference to problems within a revolution could allow horrors to happen if a smooth transition to a people's government is not achieved.» 
[wiki/Animal_Farm]

Comment: How close, Orwell's allegory?

-=*=-

Trigger article:

Labor decries 'curtain raiser' to Abbott cuts
By chief political correspondent Simon Cullen
Posted September 11, 2012 15:53:28 | Updated September 11, 2012 18:05:01
  «Federal Labor has seized on the tough budget cuts announced by conservative state governments, declaring they are just a "curtain raiser" to what Tony Abbott has in store.
The Queensland Government has announced that 14,000 public service jobs will be cut as part of a plan to return the budget to surplus.
The state's Health Department will be the hardest hit, losing 4,140 staff.
...
Mr Abbott has promised to appoint an audit commission to slash duplication and waste in the federal bureaucracy if the Coalition wins the next election.» 
[AusBC/'news']

Comment 1: How close, Labor's prognostication?

Comment 2: Although a theme in the article is typical Lab vs. Lib, and Libs certainly implement neoliberalism in savage ways, Lab is not far behind (on the economy, but especially on (illegal!) wars-for-spoil.) Recall bipartisan = un- & anti-democratic.

Comment 3: On a different track, some mining-magnates are 'misbehaving,' claiming royalties, taxes and high costs (mainly wages) are crippling their livelihoods. Haw. Disproving this is risibly simple; in two words: "Gina Rinehart." In four words: 'The world's richest woman.'

-=*=-

Argument (brief; time-stress (may be revised)):

(Thatcher's) TINA.

"According to TINA, economic liberalism is the only valid remaining ideology."

Me; bullshit: Yes, neoliberalism is an ideology - but an erring one.

“There is no such thing as society” (only individuals.)

Hints at Social Darwinism + every wo/man for her/himself.

Note: "Conflict between groups in society leads to social progress as superior groups outcompete inferior ones" specifically refers to groups = *cooperation* = possibly socialism but *not* necessarily communism.

The unbridled (= un- or de-regulated) exploitation, ignoring or off-loading any/all 'externalities' wherever possible.

The 'harvesting' of natural resources (animal, vegetable or mineral) at minimum cost, maximum profit = often beyond sustainability + super-profit = economic rent = ripping-off the sovereign owners = usually us, we the people.

End result = resource depletion + horrendous pollution -> XS-CO2-CCC = excess CO2 climate-change catastrophe (cf. Arctic ice-melt).

Also applies to labour; down-sizing, lean&mean-ing, out-sourcing, sub-contracting and off-shoring.

Increasing productivity = race to the bottom.

Idiotic pursuit of govt. surplus.

Done mainly by employment and/or service cuts + reductions in wages and conditions.

Tax cuts (mainly off the rich).

Privatisation of public services (originally govt., since private enterprise originally eschewed the 'opportunity,' i.e. water, elec., sewage systems etc.). Public services were often *egalitarian* in both deployment and costing; very much *not* so after being privatised. See elec., exploding prices and reduced to no possibility of govt. control, due to "shareholder value" demands.

Since service cuts are much harder than tax cuts, govt. budgets go quickly into deficit = borrowing; when from private sources = leaky-bucket, govt. income then lost paying % to creditors.

That's where we are = idiotic so-called 'leadership' = traitors.

Worse (see EU debt crisis, say), the attempted cure (austerity = even more of the same spiral-down) may well be worse that the disease.

Two items of proof:

1. US economy; *true* unemployment possibly ~25%; even for those with jobs (especially low-skilled, now many more than before), miserable wages and conditions.

2. Medicine for profit. Aus is relatively lucky; Whitlam's Medibank has endured even if somewhat reduced (for the latter, thanks, but "No, thanks!" mainly to Liberals). Anywhere unbridled medicine for profit exists, one will tend to get profit before good health 'outcomes.' Check it yourself; Drs who do 'fee for service' tend to over-service - for the fun & profit of it; it illustrates their 'need for greed' and off-loading responsibility: "Honestly, I did all that I could (= prescribed many expensive tests and drugs) - but sadly, the patient passed away." But how could we possibly know if sincere, since they jealously guard their diagnostic methods? See exploding health-costs, especially in US plus sycophant-regimes.

-=*=-

Fazit: Neoliberalism = an erring ideology was 'smuggled' in under false pretences. The MSM+PFBCs helped - by telling us - politely - fibs (omission/commission). That politicians, press and academia cooperate against us, we the people convicts them all, see the M/I/C/$4a†-plex. Especially the academics, supposed intellectuals, who really should know - and do - better, are an enormous disappointment - filthy sell-outs, the lot. Only those in *active* opposition to criminality may hold any high moral ground, and ditto only just law may earn respect.

Since it appears that representatives are corruptible - and indeed many actually are corrupt, IF we can't remove the corruption THEN we have to dump the representative-concept. Direct democracy - CIRs = citizen initiated referendums are now (internet) more than possible; "It's time!" - for true democracy (of, by, for the people etc.).

From my title: All care? (Our so-called 'representatives' seem not to care for us) - but no responsibility (our ditto-representatives seem totally *irresponsible* towards us); the Enlightenment certainly is out = been abandoned by those representatives, along with their humanity. Did anyone say "Tumbrels?"

-=*end*=--=*end*=-

^ Update, 13Sep'12; PS

Super-profit = economic-rent exists; two examples:

1. iPhone 5 Could Benefit The United States’ GDP, Says JPM Analyst
12 September 2012
  «This total does not include sales of previous-generation iPhones, such as last year’s iPhone 4S. Feroli’s calculations redound to a $400 trade margin per iPhone unit sold applied to the U.S. GDP – in simple math, this would be a retail price of $600 per unsubsidized handset minus the cost of $200 per phone for parts manufactured outside of the United States.
Feroli stated that the GDP in the fourth quarter of 2012 could increase by $3.2 billion, which could translate to $12.8 billion pro-rated on a yearly basis – this would translate to an increase of about 0.33 percent.» 
[easternmorningherald.com/]

Comment 1: So even if the $200 figure is correct, the projected sale price includes a $400 mark-up = 200%. That's super-profit = economic-rent.

Comment 2: Due to off-shoring, the 'competitivity' target for 'Western' wages and conditions is the lowest off-shoring, out-sourcing companies can find; this could mean as low as $2 per day, presumably with no medical, leave or pension. Just saying (makes so-called 'economic-rational' sense), but it should give any thoughtful the shudders.

2. Then, it's estimated that 'digging' oil up in Iraq costs ~$1 per barrel.

At a 'market' price of ~$100 per barrel, that's a mark-up of 9900%.

It is estimated that Iraq has in (wild?) excess of some 143 billion barrels. Royalties paid by producers on free-for-all PSAs (suggested by Bremer's Coalition Provisional Authority) may be ~5% = reducing the possible mark-up to 'just' 9400% - poor, mainly US oil companies (in their (oily = wet) dreams). Not so much BTW, it is considered to be a war crime, for victors (here illegal invaders = Nuremberg-class war criminals) to force things (i.e. laws) onto defeated countries, and anyway, only just law may earn respect.

Now you might see why some people 'suspect' the US of "Shock'n whoring" Iraq to force 'free' US access to Iraqi oil.

[«back»]

-=*=-

Ref(s):

[1] inequitable  adj. unfair, unjust. [POD]

[2] crime  n. 1 a offence punishable by law. b illegal acts (resorted to crime). 2 evil act (crime against humanity). 3 colloq. shameful act. [Latin crimen] [ibid.]

Abbreviations:

ELO/Os = hapless erstwhile legal owner/occupiers

I/J/Z-plex; illegitimate IL squats on genocidally ethnically-cleansed = improperly alienated, mainly Palestinian ELO/Os' land/property = IL is an un-remedied crime-scene and *all* I/J/Z-plex (except any actively opposing) are guilty; sole remedy = reparations = revest where possible, adequate = acceptable recompense where not + *sincere* apology

M/I/C/$4a†-plex = military, industrial, Congress (US-speak for parliament); $ = banksters, 4 = 4th estate = MSM+PFBCs, 'a' = academia incl. think-tanks, † = the churches.

MSM = mainstream media (print and broadcast), aka 'corrupt&venal'

neoliberalism = 'economic rationalism,' 'supply-side,' (wicked) privatisations, 'small govt.' = minimised to no égalité etc. + globalisation = wage arbitration etc. = <1% rips off 99%+

PFBCs = publicly-financed broadcasters, like the AusBC

ppp-dd'd = pushed propaganda paradigm dumbed-down

PRopaganda = PR + propaganda, usual qualifier: 'lying'

SQSHsO = snivelling quisling sycophantic hangers-on

the Enlightenment well summarised by liberté, égalité, fraternité

US-MMH = Media (aka press, radio + TV), Madison Ave., Hollywood

US&/Zs = the US of A and/or Zionists; sometimes indistinguishable

XS-CO2-CCC = excess CO2 climate-change catastrophe