What a country

I just started reading "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins...yet another reason to be thrilled with the current state of our world. Years ago, I was in a distinctly anti-corporate mood; I didn't want to work in the corporate world, I didn't want to help the rich get richer, and I suspected that many major corporations wanted nothing more than to expand and perpetuate their dominance, regardless of what effect that had on the rest of the world. Then, eventually, I thought, "Maybe I've been too harsh. Maybe that was just some hipster-ish, angry young man pose I assumed to 'rebel' against my comfortable middle-class upbringing."

But as I learn more, I realized that nope, it wasn't a pose. The semi-permanent global government known as the "corporatocracy" has its tentacles all over just about every human endeavor, and with more sinister aims than I ever could have imagined.

I am encouraged, though, by the degree of opposition to the current state of the global economy, such as Latin American nations voting for leaders who oppose the typical World Bank-International Monetary Fund strategies that have bankrupted their countries and left virtually no money to take care of basic human services (which would be deemed as "meddling social programs" by many of our "leaders"). Hell, even Oprah Winfrey had a program addressing poverty in this country, and discussed the utter futility of trying to live on minimum wage. True, Wal-Mart is a major sponsor, and that's one heck of an asterisk, but she even had Morgan Spurlock ("Supersize Me!") on the show, which is something I would not have expected.

Meanwhile, I'm curious as to what it will actually take to throw Bush and Cheney out on their asses. So they authorized the leak of Valerie Plame-- just another day in Washington. And the Demos think that Russ Feingold is way out in left field for proposing censure? Time to get a spine, fellas, or else step down...please!