Writing in The Nation, Johann Hari spells out this fantasy:
Imagine a parallel universe where the Great Crash of 2008 was followed by a Tea Party of a very different kind. Enraged citizens gather in every city, week after week—to demand the government finally regulate the behavior of corporations and the superrich, and force them to start paying taxes. The protesters shut down the shops and offices of the companies that have most aggressively ripped off the country. The swelling movement is made up of everyone from teenagers to pensioners. They surround branches of the banks that caused this crash and force them to close, with banners saying, You Caused This Crisis. Now YOU Pay.
And he goes on to point out that it has happened:
This may sound like a fantasy—but it has all happened. The name of this parallel universe is Britain. As recently as this past fall, people here were asking the same questions liberal Americans have been glumly contemplating: Why is everyone being so passive? Why are we letting ourselves be ripped off? Why are people staying in their homes watching their flat-screens while our politicians strip away services so they can fatten the superrich even more?
And so a dozen British citizens decided to start protesting against Vodaphone, which had managed to to gull the government into forgiving £5 billion in taxes:
That first protest grabbed a little media attention—and then the next day, in a different city, three other Vodafone stores were shut down in the northern city of Leeds, by unconnected protests. UK Uncut realized this could be replicated across the country. So the group set up a Twitter account and a website, where members announced there would be a national day of protest the following Saturday. They urged anybody who wanted to organize a protest to e-mail them so it could be added to a Google map. Britain’s most prominent tweeters, such as actor Stephen Fry, joined in.
Could this happen in the USofA?
These big companies think they can do whatever they want. They forgot that without customers, they don't have money. If they anger customers/consumers, NO money for them. Vodaphone got what has been coming to them. They chose to abuse the people, instead of serving them so here's what they got ... CLOSED SHOPS.
ReplyDeleteIts not just the rip off. The system used, tax havens and the judicial secrecy that surrounds them facilitate many of the worst forms of international criminal activity, illegal trades in arms, drugs, people smuggling et al. all depend and thrive as a result of this shadow market in money.
ReplyDeleteOne former chairman of the U.K conservative party heads one of the largest banks working in this system. even Obama has called for its imediate closure in the past. The major funder of the party is also up to his neck in similar activity.
The U.K conservative party prides itself on being tough on crime.