Re: Terrorism and Layoffs

["stephen block" <stephenb@xxxxxxxx>]

Henry,

You would also have noticed that he cautioned against a real stimulus
package and suggested that aid ought to go to the supply side. (What else is
new?) Funny how it is only Republicans who even remember what the term
'stimulus package' means. And unfortunately, they only use it when they are
expressing skepticism toward its necessity.

Henry Liu wrote:


>Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neil called for the "socialization" of the
>cost of safety on the Lehrer News Hour tonight.  He added that safety
>should not be compromised merely because it costs too much.  It is an
>official admission of the failure of the privatization of safety and a
>rejection of the theroy of marginal utlility as applied to fundamental
>needs.  Would this logic now be extended to full employment, education,
>health.  The difference in the destruction lives by terrorist attacks
>and by unemployment, or lack money to education children or treating
>curable diseases is merely death by other means.
>
>Amid of the noble outpouring of patriotism and spirit of pulling
>together, one cannot help but notice that corporate mangement is
>announcing layoffs in the tens of thousands while demanding government
>bailout, when banks are flushed with easy credit and interest rate is at
>an all time low.  Could not corporate American live up to its share of
>patriotism and delay layoff for 18 months?  Its not enough that innocent
>people get killed, the survivers have to lose their
>jobs also so that mangement can use the terrorist attack as a pretext to
>improve earnings at the expense of employees?
>
>On a related issue, lets hope that the war, campaign or assault on
>terrorism does not degenerate into an assault on civil liberty.
>The wrost scenario would be for the US to apply the errors of its
>foreign policy domestically.
>
>Henry C.K. Liu
>
>
>zz