Blackwater, outsoucing and greed
Oct. 6th, 2007 09:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dirtylibrarianI've been just lousy about keeping up with news lately. I found this Salon article to be very useful for understanding the Blackwater situation: The Dark Truth About Blackwater.
What is it with Americans? Why are scandals more interesting if they have the word water in them? I wouldn't be surprised if that is what it takes to get people's attention anymore. Can't get publicity for your cause? Find something related ending with -water.
Seriously though, the issue of outsource government has been something that has troubled me deeply for a long time. Libraries have begun doing this, too, with the idea on the surface that you are saving money for the community, but I believe there are always hidden costs that the public can't imagine, and by the time people figure it out, it is often too late to fix.
I'm sick of the attitude that "big government" needs to be ended, but that it is ok to turn around and give the money "saved" to companies that screw over the environment, treat their employees like shit, and make huge profits doing it.
Why does no one ever talk about the benefits of good government jobs on a community? That well run libraries, police forces, fire departments, etc, not only are a good investment for any community, but also create hundreds of jobs that pay a living wage, have medical benefits, and create invested participants in neighborhoods.
Not that I think this really applies to Iraq. Though the article does imply the military personnel are doing a better job of community building. But I think the whole mess has been profit motivated from the start, and has nothing to do with creating peace, freedom, or much anything good at all.
What is it with Americans? Why are scandals more interesting if they have the word water in them? I wouldn't be surprised if that is what it takes to get people's attention anymore. Can't get publicity for your cause? Find something related ending with -water.
Seriously though, the issue of outsource government has been something that has troubled me deeply for a long time. Libraries have begun doing this, too, with the idea on the surface that you are saving money for the community, but I believe there are always hidden costs that the public can't imagine, and by the time people figure it out, it is often too late to fix.
I'm sick of the attitude that "big government" needs to be ended, but that it is ok to turn around and give the money "saved" to companies that screw over the environment, treat their employees like shit, and make huge profits doing it.
Why does no one ever talk about the benefits of good government jobs on a community? That well run libraries, police forces, fire departments, etc, not only are a good investment for any community, but also create hundreds of jobs that pay a living wage, have medical benefits, and create invested participants in neighborhoods.
Not that I think this really applies to Iraq. Though the article does imply the military personnel are doing a better job of community building. But I think the whole mess has been profit motivated from the start, and has nothing to do with creating peace, freedom, or much anything good at all.
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no subject
Date: 2007-10-06 07:05 pm (UTC)Jobs like that would support the middle class, but we can't have that.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-06 10:10 pm (UTC)Bonus question: why should saving money be more important than making someplace where people are taken care of, a place that lasts? Why the fuck is this capitalist junk viewed as "normal"?!
AND ANOTHER THING
Date: 2007-10-06 10:12 pm (UTC)