Press Action ::: Turning the Impossible into Possible

Friday, July 23, 2004

Turning the Impossible into Possible

By Jordy Cummings

Ah to be a Canadian who loves America. Not like those Oilmen in Alberta, but as someone who spent much of the nineties traveling throughout continental America, after mythologizing it as a Beat-reading youth. This morning I was reading Alexander Cockburn’s recent Counterpunch column regarding what issues need to come to the forefront, after reading similar “issues” lists and symposiums in The Nation and, featuring Ralph Nader and Eric Foner, Harper’s. There is ferment in the air, and radicals should not let liberals put the cork in the jar. Mark Hand of Press Action put together this list of core issues from Alexander’s column—following each one is my own immediate speculation, subject to change. My aim in writing this is to provoke further discussion.

Role of the Federal Reserve - I am not well aware of federal reserve policy, except that it often engages in what could best be referred to as socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor. The very notion of “bank” as we know it should be abolished, as noted by Gary Indiana, and replaced with an Islamic/Turkish style banking structure, which abolishes the notion of interest. I have seen some convincing pieces that would advise returning to a gold standard. What about looking at what “capital” really is today, and creating a petroleum standard? With more and more relatively progressive countries attempting to control their own petrol, and American life for the time being revolving around it, perhaps the national currency should be pegged along with oil prices. This along with a consumer’s price—far higher—at the pump, would in and of itself provide a more equitable flow of capital. Along with this, the United States should attempt to deal with democracies such as Venezuela and Bolivia for its oil needs, not petrocracies like Saudi Arabia. Whether or not we agree with all the Saudi Bashing that has existed lately (I do)—it is an issue in the public imagination. Surely Chavez looks better to the masses than Bandar.

Trade Policy - I think this issue is more complex than many economic nationalists, and others purport. Marx himself was in favor of unrestrained free trade. I think that if we are to assume that we can defeat bourgeois rule within half a century or so, we should allow capitalism to take its course—and allow the WTO to be used by the Global South against the North. Though it is a controversial proposition, I truly believe that “Empire” in Hardt and Negri’s understanding, and explicated in more readable detail by Doug Henwood, is as much of an improvement over bourgeois national capitalism as bourgeois revolution was over feudalism. Instead of being “antiglobalization,” we should be anticapitalist. Instead of calling for protectionism and complaining about outsourcing (which as proven is far less than many say it is)—we should be talking about the U.S.’s own protectionism, in regards to goods from the South, East and other areas. Asking an anti-labor country like the United States to peg its trade policy to labor standards seems specious.

Economic Redistribution - Within the capitalist context, there should not be anything wrong with returning to a Keynesian pump-and-push economic pattern, redistributing purchasing power as well as capital.

Role and Budget of the CIA and Other Intelligence Agencies - Everything done by Intel should be cleared by congress. While it is expected that there are areas of information that have to be remain classified, who the people allow to stand for them in this area is crucial. Therefore, perhaps the Intelligence committee—committees in general—should be opened up to public debate and election. There should also be legislation barring “company men” to sit on any of these caucuses.

Allocation of Military Procurement - I don’t even think the most vigorous of pacifists would oppose either UN led peacekeeping teams actually making a difference right now in Sudan, or 10 years ago in Rwanda. As well, I think that the entire world has a responsibility to rebuild Afghanistan at the very least—in a manner that Afghans want, using the progressive community that has thus far been locked out from Kabul’s political process. Thus, if the U.S. is going to have a foreign policy, it must be only to participate, not in a leadership role, though not losing its unique military culture, in a UN-dominated rapid reaction force. Thus, instead of buying tons of useless material, the concentration should be infrastructure for ports and naval operations, special operations gear and helicopters.

Reduction of the Military Budget - Like the above-mentioned point, there should be an incredible reduction of the military budget, replaced with a peace dividend to be spent on social programs, infrastructure, national health care, community investment, public works and tax abolition for those below the poverty line.

Roles and Polices of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Kindred Multilateral Agencies - See my initial point about abolition of interest, pegging to petrol.

Crime, Punishment and the Prison Explosion - All privatized prisons should be bought back or expropriated by the government. Prison human rights must be an issue. Liberals will rally around this one, having watched Oz over the years.

War on Drugs - Marijuana and hashish (soft drugs) should be legalized and dealt with like alcohol. There should also be no regulation as to the already existing private marketplace. Psychedelics should be allowed to be distributed by proper authorities and experts to those with the wherewithal to use them, but should be kept off of the open market. Hard drugs should not be explicitly legalized, like some suggest, rather a harm-reduction program—such as in Vancouver or Switzerland—will greatly reduce the harm caused by junk. As shown in Canada informally, and Europe formally, if better quality soft drugs are freely available then users will not lean towards hard stuff.

Corporate Welfare - This is a tough one. If a state is faced with capital flight if it doesn’t keep doling out the pork, then I can understand corporate welfare. Whatever the case may be, if corporate welfare has to take place, perhaps it can be a stepping stone in nationalizing large corporations.

Energy Policy - Alluded to an earlier points, this should be the key. Americans should not be asked—as they are by some such Malthusians—to reduce their consumption of energy, necessarily. They should just be made to pay for it, and buy petrol from more progressive states.

Forest Policy - There should be—as suggested by Walter Cronkite—a complete State Department-type government department separate from the EPA, to specifically deal with forest policy. Representatives from loggers unions and environmental movements should be appointed. Industry as a rule should be avoided.

Destruction of Small Farmers and Ranchers - There should be reform of corporate abuse of eminent domain. Farmers must be able to show deed to their property. States can and should keep out corporate and factory farms. Part of this is just as much an issue as to how to market this idea to the public as well as the government. People should be encouraged to pay a premium for high-quality farmers produce and ranchers’ meat.

Israel - I know many people think that the two-state solution is dead, for many reasons. But the U.S. cannot immediately demand a binational state. With Geneva and the Nussebeih Ayalon plan popular among the Jewish community and among Palestinians with a sense of realpolitik, including within the PA, this should be the very minimum. Talks should proceed at the beginning of a Kerry administration. Before threatening to divest, America should openly start talking to opposition figures and the peace movement, which is strong in dissident but highly skilled areas of the IDF. Like Pervez Musharaff, perhaps a liberal pro-peace coup would be the least worst option here, as in other states.

Jordy Cummings, editor of Pure Polemics, lives in Toronto and can be reached at yorgos33ca@yahoo.ca.

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