For all you pro-695ers who believe the ideology which says that privatization of basic services will be good for "the little guy", a little oldie but goodie from the P-I letter column of 9-25-99:

Life will be more efficient when corporations run the world

What is all this fuss about the World Trade Organization? Americans are always complaining about the size and cost of our government. Here is our chance to get rid of it. Just imagine the lower taxes: No messy legislators to pay for. No judges' salaries. Who needs a chief executive when you have a competent CEOs to decide what is profitable and, therefore, good for society? And consider the lower prices when corporations rule the world and write the laws: We won't have to pay for their campaign contributions and lobbyists. We won't have to pay the costs of those pesky labor and environmental laws.

Here is a sample of what the WTO has accomplished so far:

It has forced the U.S. to modify the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Air Act, overturned American restrictions on toxic pesticides, forced the province of Ontario to dismantle a successful single-payer insurance system, forced Canada to omport ineffective but dangerous fuel additives and unilaterally imposed punitive sanctions on European imports in blatant support of American-based corporate giants.

I say cut out the expensive middleman and let bankers and corporations run things directly.

Peter Hodges Seattle

I, believing that multinational corporations are truly the friend of the little guy (as well as believing that the most important freedom we as Americans have is the Freedom to Drive), am in complete agreement with this truly patriotic and un-ironic manifesto.

Yes on Me-Me-Me-695! Privatize Metro Now!

-- Darth Chomsky (chez@u.washington.edu), October 11, 1999

Answers

Hopefully, Jeff, you've actually started the process to file for a refund on your classes, since privatization has been shown, time and time again, to be far more effective then many government programs.

I fear for my school if your conclusions are a result of the instruction you've received there, as opposed to say, the result of a head injury. Pity that you attempt to extrapolate someone elses conclusions intop a situation that has nothing to do with his message, but desperation can do that to a guy. I would have hoped that by now, being an honor student and all, that the possibility for an original thought would have reared it's ugly head... but, as you've shown time and time again, it is sadly not to be.

Westin

"I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future." Vice President Al Gore

-- Westin (86se4sp@my-deja.com), October 11, 1999.

Jeffey, I seldom agree with anything you have to say but this time it is slightly different.

I agree whole-heartedly with you on the problems that the WTO is creating and will continue to create.

But I have to point out one specific thing about the WTO. It is not a business. It is the 'governing body' of a global union. It has NOTHING to do with 'free-trade'. It is TOTALLY about controlling commerce globally. It is the ULTIMATE in communist/socialist economics..

-- maddjak (maddjak@hotmail.com), October 11, 1999.

Westin, you ignorant slut,

How long must you meddle in affairs which are beyond your comprehension, little man?

"Washington State has a $3 billion surplus"

Do you really think that the Mighty Ming will tolerate your little charade for much longer before he CRUSHES you with his AWESOME COSMIC POWER?!?

"...and yet you both drive cars..."

Argueing with you is like preparing a scrumptious feast of Endangered Species Salmon: Just drive a Ryder truck full of your favorite "secret toy surprise" to your nearest spawning habitat (preferably in the Cedar River Watershed where you can take out a few commies too while you're at it) set the timer, head for cover & watch them poor fishies blow! Serve with a subtle yet abstruse Chardunay and let the tree-huggers bitch & whine.

"privatization has been shown, time and time again, to be far more effective then (sic) many government programs."

Seriously Westin, with your track record for credibility (which I've alluded to above), you've given me even more faith in my conclusion that absolute privatization will be a far worse deal for "the little guy" than increasing the size and scope of government by, of & for the people, paid for with, yes, taxes cause there ain't no free lunch.

If you don't like it, Westin, then go home and cry to your mommy.

"No, Jimmy, that answer is wrong. That word is spelled P-O-T-A-T-O-E!" -- Then-Vice President Al Gore

Sometimes, Westin, in a strange old way, "You Light Up My Life"! Es Decir, you velly funny guy! Without even trying.

P.S. My dad can beat up your dad!

-- Noam Dangerfield (chez@u.washington.edu), October 12, 1999.

maddjak,

It is a pleasant surprise to find out you're hip to the WTO and the threat they pose most un-ironically to "the little guy". And I hope that, through whatever organization, you're helping to Fight that Power.

Nonetheless, with that last sentence, you've got it all backwards (& please take this as contructive criticism this time cause a hell of a lot more is at stake than DOT projects wherever the WTO is makin' it's midnight creep!) -- the WTO represent the logical conclusion of unrestricted capitalism: the Fat Cats exploiting everything under the sun, motivated by pure profit with no regard for the livelihoods of workers, small farmers/fishermen/ranchers etc., this time on a global scale, where no "little guy" can hide for long.

What you've got to understand that in this post-Cold War era, the idea of Democracy vs. Communism just doesn't jibe anymore. The reality today is that CAPITALISM is now the ENEMY of DEMOCRACY, and the WTO is the present manifestation of this.

If you're still thinking I'm a "commie" based on my opposition to I-695 (which, yes I know, the WTO has nothing apparently to do with, but since we're on this very important subject...), it's time to put that aside. For me, the very worst part of the WTO's existence is the threat it poses to democracy (whether it be direct democracy or representative). I hope we can agree on this much, and both focus our collective vitriol on that MF between Nov 3 & Nov 30.

Es decir, if I see you in the crowd in Downtown Seattle on Nov 30, maddjak, I just might buy youse a beer, OK?

now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

-- I and Ollie Remember Nothing Oxen Free! (chez@u.washington.edu), October 12, 1999.

Jeff, Whatever face you want to put on the WTO, It's a mechanism to control EVERYTHING and it's the ONE thing that's gathering opponents who would never agree on anything else... Oh Yeah I'm gonna be showing my face during the 'visitation' in November..

Now let's get back to fighting about 695...

-- maddjak (maddjak@hotmail.com), October 12, 1999.