114 - Someone's Problem, Someone's Profit (Cheney, Halliburton, Enron and other nasties)

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Episode #114 - Someone's Problem, Someone's Profit (Cheney, Halliburton, Enron and other nasties)

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⌚ Sat 11 May 2002  ☻Pratap Chatterjee, Sarah Vance, Smithy

Download Hour1 Download Hour2The system of neoliberal economics, advocates a market-based, profit-making approach to universally necessary resources and services. This system, which now increasingly dominates global economic activity, is celebrated by its advocates as more efficient and productive than public or non-profit ownership. One might ask the question, for whom is this system efficient and productive? The career of Vice-President Dick Cheney, who many consider to be the de facto president, is an example of how the system works. in the first hour we'll take a look at Cheney and his connection to the Halliburton corporation. In the second hour we hear Wizards of Money on how Social Security is really funded.

Telephone users have seen their phone bills go nowhere but up since deregulation, and energy ratepayers in California were fleeced like sheep by energy companies like Enron. We in New York State face a similar threat this winter.

In our first hour, Pratap Chatterjee discusses the relevance of Afghanistan to US geopolitical ambitions. Then we hear an interview with Sarah Vance of OCAP.

The so-called free marketers have also set their sights on the social security system, and have advocated turning it over to Wall Street. In the second hour of our program, the Wizards of Money explains how the social security system is funded and how US Imperial priorities threaten the retirement benefits of future workers, and vice versa.

Whereas government programs are not based on profit and at are at least nominally operated for the benefit of society, the privatization of many of these functions creates an incentive for the perpetuation of social problems since one person's problem is another person's profit.
Music: David Rovics
Thanks to Wizards of Money
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