238) Day 6 -- Reason #6 to revolt against Predatory Capitalism
So there's a lot talk in Canadian and American politics these days about "cutting regulations". Why? Because it makes it easier to "do business", it "increases investment" and it "grows the economy".
Which are true, sort of.
BUT what is hidden in this discussion is:
- the "economic growth" goes to the top, not to most Canadians and Americans
- the increased ease of "doing business" is at the EXPENSE (that is, harm), of workers, public health, and the environment, thereby literally poisoning all of us
- the "investment" is mostly in key industries that DO NOT COMPETE ON THE FREE MARKET, but are subsidized by the government (i.e., your tax dollars), to fast-track development projects (google Highway 413 in Ontario), and to prop up industries that the global economy is shifting away from (google "stranded assets in the oil industry")
In other words, the predominant message being given to Canadians and Americans about "cutting regulations" is, quite simply, bullshit. It is a lie. But it's great for serving the DONOR$ who give tons of $$$$ to political parties and to politicians privately, and on whose boards politicians go and sit after their political career is over, raking in even more $$.
And what happens to the public, like you, and me? We get fucked. And they walk away, wealthier than you or I will ever be, no matter how hard we work or how smart we are. Unless, of course, we also sell ourselves unethically to promote these industries and become a CEO ourselves....
"Cutting regulations" brings us closer to the Republican playbook of the United States. It brings utterly absurd amounts of money to the already-wealthy, and leaves complete and utter disasters for the public to suffer from, like you can read about here.
I mean, ever wonder what happens to the polluted sites left by fossil fuel and other resource extraction companies? Do you think they get rehabilitated into nice, healthy ecosystems? Or, do they remain a cancer on the land, and give us, literally, cancer?
It all depends on how strict REGULATIONS are, and whether we enforce them.
This is a KEY issue in the next Canadian election, and is a literal CRISIS in America under Trump's *cough cough* -- leadership. And historically, ALL parties have sucked at it. Although some, of course, are the worst....
Anyway, learning about the abandoned oil wells in the US absolutely blew my mind. It's worth a few minutes of your time.