The Tribune Online, Page 12

Corporations and Unchecked Capitalism, cont'd

I continue this subject from the previous article entitled "Unchecked Capitalism" as it involved IBM with greater detail http://theroanoketribune.com/rich_text_5.html and the role that politicians played in allowing it to happen. President Obama has been insulted with a host of titles by the raging right wing conservatives from anti-capitalist, to socialist, to marxist, and with governmental policies aligned with communist dictators. I can think of no better way to illustrate the absurdity of the right wing conservatives than to show how in fact  the Republican politicians while under the Clinton Administration allowed the free run of capitalism at the peril of losing our lead in technology to the People's Republic of China.

I don't blame China for taking advantage of this opportunity handed to them on a silver platter by American corporations, but I do blame the politicians in Washington for not better overseeing our security in not only technology, but the possible use of that technology in making us a less capable nation.

As indicated in the previous article, pertinent to my employ with IBM, I tried desperately to sound an alarm of what some possible consequences of IBM's control of the Federal computer contracts could create via their Federal Systems Division and here's some proof.

Letter received from Senator Richard Shelby, Republican Senator of Alabama, October 27, 1992:

Dear Mr. Buck:

Thank you for your inquiries about certain IBM government contracts.

I have contacted the United States Department of Justice to inquire about any action being taken by the Administration against IBM. According to the Justice Department, it is not permitted to release information concerning an ongoing investigation. It is my understanding that the Justice Department is currently investigating the allegations of fraud.

I believe anyone who tries to defraud the government should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law regardless of who they are. The United States taxpayers have already been hit with a $500 billion bill to clean up the largest white collar crime in history--the savings and loan scandal--and we cannot permit this kind of crime to continue. White collar crime is as cruel and vicious as many violent crimes that we punish with much more severity. White collar crime puts people out of work, ruins families and destroys honest businesses. Therefore, I believe white collar criminals should be pursued and prosecuted wtih the same amount of zeal that we pursue violent criminals.

Should this matter come before the Senate for consideration in the future, I will keep your thoughts and concerns foremost in mind. Thank you again for contacting me.

Sincerely,
Richard Shelby

Unfortunately, the good Senator along with a number of politicians I have mentioned from the previous article never really did anything in monitoring the activities of IBM, which eventually sold its Federal Systems Division to Loral, which then sold China the information to improve China's satelite capability relative to military defense.

The diagram below shows how this may have transpired with Big Blue at the epicenter. Nevertheless, nothing per se was done about unchecked capitalism until the recent economic destruction that has put us into more than a trillion dollar debt to the People's Republic.

Again, I don't blame China for taking advantage of this situation, but certainly there is some blame due from the Reagan Administration, whereby America became a major debtor nation, and a continuation of  unchecked capitalism under the Clinton Administration fostered by both Democratic and Republican politicians.

Oakland Riots...Just an Excuse

The recent riots that took place in Oakland, CA over the outcome of the trial, that took place in Los Angeles should be judged for what they were...an excuse to loot and to get something for nothing, under the guise of seeking justice. These rioters are no more than street criminals that should be vigorously sought, prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and accorded the stiffest sentences, if convicted.

At one time there was both civil and criminal injustice in the communities occupied by minorities, primarily blacks and/or Hispanics. However, that old paradigm just doesn't fly, today. It also means that there is a legal means to seek justice within the system, and it does not include looting businesses in the process, just to come away with no more than few pairs of "blood sneakers."

Freedom's not free!! 

This is often opined today, but do we really appreciate the empathy of which it is expressed? Based on the unwillingness of the overall populous to participate in the democratic process by simply going to the nearest poll to mark a ballot, pull a lever, or press a key with confidence, clearly says we don't appreciate the freedom many have sacrificed their lives and limbs to protect. Yes, that's right!! Freedom is not only not free but has to be continuosly guarded for the salvation of this nation.

During the days of slavery, a slave who attempted to seek freedom, risked being whipped if caught, handicapped by amputation, or lynched to set an example. As a matter of fact, short of the Nazi holocaust, (which took a world war to end) slavery came as close to the epitome of "unfettered capitalism" in supposedly a "free society," not that "communist totalitarianism" was any better...humanly speaking.

Today, in America, we are in a society that is pretty much humanly free, yet we complain (I issue this opinion from a black perspective born and raised in Alabama that witnessed racial injustice from fire hoses to lynchings.) about our not being more free to control our destiny, as if it's everybody's fault from "the man" to the President of the United States. This is as if we are shackled with no options to take control of our destiny for the future of our offspring.

Let's bring the reality of this issue home. If we continue to sit on our lazy asses and not vote when this great and significant gesture of a "price" (forget reparations, we wouldn't know what to do with money if we got it) paid by our forebearers is made available...African-Americans will continue to be second class (quite possibly third class), modern day slaves of ignorance and stupidity. That goes for all the jack leg preachers and civil rights' con artists that can't seem to make this crucial enough for the survival of the black communities across America, with no real effort to raise the consciousness of a failure to Vote!!