Put yourself in the position of a government leader, such as Clinton. You have essentially two choices:

1) Warn the populice of the impending disaster.

2) Say nothing.

If you choose the first option, you definitely run the risk of triggering a panic, leading to a bank run, which in all likelihood will precepitate a recession / depression. All this prior to 1/1/2000. Heck, maybe nothing would have happened anyway, but the world will forever brand you as the cause of the world's greatest economic disaster. Talk about legacy building!

If you choose option two and the worst happens, well, hey, it wasn't your fault. It was the fault of all those programmers hired during the Reagan / Bush administrations.

The policy they have adopted is based strictly on minimizing the political downside of Y2K. Shamefully, it has absolutely nothing to do with being a leader or preparing a populace for hardship and deprivation.

Don't expect any warnings from this administration until they are forced to by events.

-- HAWTHORNE (99@00.COM), May 26, 1999

Answers

You've got it right in my opinion. The last administration (Bush) held a fiasco, costing billions to protect family oil interests in Oman and Kuait, now the present administration will do nothing on the Y2K issue because we must protect the military/industrial complex at all costs. The public be damned. Indeed we truly have the "...best government money can buy." After all what's more important, Wall Street or public well being? Check around and find out how many Senators and Representatives have financial interests in China. Feinstein's husband is a big player in China...and the list goes on and on.

-- Richard Westerlind (Astral-Acres@webtv.net), May 26, 1999.

Watch out Clinton may be saving y2k as his ace in the hole to get him out of this China mess. Can't you see it? Press conference in the war room "Mr. President, what did you know about China stealing our national secrets and when did you know it?" " Now Sam before we get into that I want to tell the people about NEW problem that has come to my attention. Its y2k people, and its gonna be rough but I'm gonna getcha through it....."

-- Johnny (JLJTM@BELLSOUTH.NET), May 26, 1999.

Hawthorne .... There may (IS) ONE MORE solution which Klinton dearly LOVES . AND , they NOW have it in motion !!1 Have you noticed how Ko-skin-um and the other lackeys have change the name of the song to " Big government has NO PROBLEMS ; it's all the small cities. towns and counties ". NOW , it's "Organize local groups , communities , etc. " . THAT WAY , IF WE GO UNDER , IT WAS THE FAULT OF THE LOCAL GROUPS ; NOT BIG GOVERNMENT !!! We gave them the ball ... THEY DROPPED IT !!! I was asked to join my local town group . I turned them down in an instant , for the reason stated above ,AND, it's too late . Thanks for posting the thought , as it gave me a chance to get this into the main stream. THINK about it . It fits their situation perfectly !!! " The road to Hell is paved with GOOD intentions ". Eagle

-- Hal Walker (e999eagle@freewwweb.com), May 26, 1999.

Folks, when the hammer falls, when we have been throughly Klintonized, all other problems will pale by comparision. Our lives are soon to be altered beyond your imagination and who will answer the question, 'How could this happen?'

-- Barry Jaynes (bchbear@earthlink.com), May 26, 1999.

Easy, Barry. Immoral government and increasingly ignorant/apathetic electorate. Santayana called it right... Read Sorokin to find out what we are facing based on historical parallels; Y2K can usefully be thought of as famine accompanied by widespread civil disorder, possibly with the equivalent of military raids if significant terrorism occurs. Y2K is not at all unique if looked at from that perspective, and the past offers many instructive times.

personal Y2K website: www.y2ksafeminnesota.com OR http://y2ksafeminnesota.hypermart.net

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), May 26, 1999.

In the article, "Y2K Progress: Reality Check" by E.L.Core http://y2ktimebomb.com/Media/lcore9921.htm Mr. Core talks about all the dynamics of self-serving interests that have come to play in the "spin" from various sources on y2k status. I believe that my interest in good information and adequate preparation in response may not be the interest of others.

One of my work functions is as a strategist. Although the politicos and corporate "players" are not necessarily my adversaries, I realize that only I can represent my interests in jockying for a sustainable position when the chips are down. I cannot rely on anyone else to protect my family and must consider the interests/motives of the sources that dispense information in interpreting the "facts."

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), May 27, 1999.