or on image above to download ColdType magazine

64 Pages·2011·3.45 MB·English

DaviD swanson | the torturer’s tale
trevor grunDy | Britain’s torturous imperial past
chris heDges | america’s disappeared
T
Cold ype
august 2011

writing worth reading ISSUE 58
Do not
speak.
Do not
resist
Why Julian Assange won top journalism award
cover art:
madartists/dreamscape.com

(FoRMeRlY The ColdTYPe ReAdeR)
AuGuST 2011 / ISSue 58
Editor’s NotE 3. business as usual for british media John Pilger
Cover story is Jonathan
5. the smell of murdoch in the morning William Rivers Pitt
Cook’s article about Israeli
government actions that are
9. lights and tunnels John Kozy
stripping away freedoms of
expression from its increasing- 12. the torturer’s tale David Swanson
ly-polarised citizens. You won’t
want to miss Trevor Grundy’s 15. the enemy within John W. Whitehead
account of four elderly Ke-
nyans who are causing severe 19. three little words David Edwards
embarrassment to the British
government with their allega- 23. why the need for regime change? Ismael Hossein-Zadeh
tions of torture, including cas-
29. Jellyfish rule George Monbiot
tration, during the Mau Mau
rebellion against British rule in
31. america’s disappeared Chris Hedges
their country during the 1950s.
We’ve also got a couple of
34. coVer story: do not speak. do not resist Jonathan Cook
essays, by John Pilger and
William Rivers Pitt, on the 36. giant suckers Joshua Holland
crisis facing Rupert Murdoch’s
media empire after revelations 38. conVersation with an eco-warrior Joni Praded
of phone-tapping at his big-
gest-selling British newspaper; 41. a seVere case of palinosis David Michael Green
plus the story of an invasion of
jellyfish that is threatening fish 46. truth, lies and america Stuart Littlewood
stocks – and nuclear power
51. Valiant prince harry Felicity Arbuthnot
plants, an interview with an
eco-warrior; what, we hope,
53. britain face torturous imperial past Trevor Grundy
are the final words on Sarah
Palin, and much more – tony 59. unending american hostility William Blum
sutton, editor
[email protected] 62. the blue eyes of terror Danny Schechter
2 ColdType | August 2011
MEdIA WoES / 1
It’s business as usual
for the British media
Fleet Street hacks and men from Westminster are now scrambling
to rewrite the history of the phone-hacking fiasco. But the pact between
Britain’s press and parliament remains the same, writes John Pilger
In Scoop, Evelyn Waugh’s brilliant satire comed his devotion to the “free market”.
on the press, there is the moment when He may be more extreme in his methods, Britain’s system
Lord Copper, owner of the Daily Beast, but he is no different in kind from many of of elite monopoly
meets his new special war correspon- those now lining up to condemn him who control of the
dent, William Boot, in truth an authority on have been his beneficiaries, mimics, collab- media rests not on
wild flowers and birdsong. A confused Boot orators, apologists. news international
is ushered into his lordship’s presence by As former prime minister Gordon Brown alone, but on
Mr Salter, the Beast’s foreign editor. turns on his former master, accusing him of the Mail and the
“Is Mr Boot all set for his trip?” running a “criminal-media nexus”, watch Guardian and the
“Up to a point, Lord Copper.” the palpable discomfort in the new parlia- BBc, perhaps the
Copper briefs Boot as follows: “A few mentary-media consensus. “We must not be most influential
sharp victories, some conspicuous acts of backward-looking,” said a Labour MP. Those of all
personal bravery on the Patriot side and a parliamentarians caught two years ago with
colourful entry into the capital. That is the both hands in the Westminster till, who did
Beast policy for the war . . . We shall expect nothing to stop the killing of hundreds of
the first victory about the middle of July.” thousands of people in Iraq, and stood and
Rupert Murdoch is a 21st-century Lord cheered the war criminal responsible, are
Copper. The amusing gentility is missing; now “united” behind the “calm” figure of
the absur dity of his power is the same. The Ed Miliband. There is an acrid smell of busi-
Daily Beast wanted victories; it got them. ness as usual.
The Sun wanted dead Argies; gotcha! Of the Certainly, there is no “revolution”, as
bloodbath in Iraq, Murdoch said: “There is reported in the Guardian, which compared
going to be collateral damage, and if you the fall of Murdoch with that of the tyrant
really want to be brutal about it, better we Nicolae Ceausescu in Romania in 1989. The
get it done now . . .” The Times, the Sunday overexcitement is understandable; Nick Da-
Times, Fox got it done. vies’s scoop is a great one. Yet the truth is,
Britain’s system of elite monopoly control of
corporate monoculture the media rests not on News International
alone, but on the Mail and the Guardian and
Long before it was possible to hack phones, the BBC, perhaps the most influential of all.
Murdoch was waging a war on journalism, All share a corporate monoculture that sets
truth, humanity, and he succeeded because the agenda of the “news”, defines accept-
he knew how to exploit a system that wel- able politics by maintaining the fiction of
August 2011 | ColdType 3
MEdIA WoES / 1
distinctive parties, normalises unpopular liberal press as a “witty” tabloid genius who
tony Blair, soaked wars and guards the limits of “free speech”. “understands the ordinary punter”. Such
in the blood of an This will be strengthened by the illusion vicarious middle-class flirtation with Wap-
entire society, was that a “bad apple” has been “rooted out”. ping-life is matched by admiration for the
once regarded When the Financial Times complained successful Murdoch “marketing model”.
almost mystically last September that the BSkyB takeover In Andrew Neil’s 470-page book Full Disclo-
at the Guardian would give Murdoch dominance in Britain, sure, the former editor of Murdoch’sIdevotes
and Observer as the media commentator Roy Greenslade fewer than 30 words to the scurrilous and
the prime minister came to his rescue. “Surely,” he wrote, “Brit- destructive smear campaign that he and his
who, wrote hugo ain’s leading business newspaper should Wapping colleagues conducted against the
young, “wants to be applauding an entrepreneur who has broadcasters who made the 1988 Thames
create a world achieved so much from unpromising be- Television programme Death on the Rock.
none of us have ginnings?” Murdoch’s political control was This landmark, fully vindicated investiga-
known [where] a myth spread by “naive commentators”. tion lifted the veil on the British secret state
the mind might Noting his own “idealism” about journal- and exposed its ruthlessness under Mar-
range in search ism, Greenslade made no mention of his garet Thatcher, a confidante of Murdoch’s.
of a better history on the Sun, or as Robert Maxwell’s Thereafter, Thames Television was doomed.
Britain . . .” Daily Mirror editor responsible for the Yet Neil has his own BBC programme and
shameful smear that the miners’ leader Ar- his views are sought after across the liberal
thur Scargill was corrupt. (To his credit, he media.
apologised in 2002.) The Guardian of 13 July editorialised
Greenslade is now a professor of journal- about “the kowtowing of the political class
ism at City University, London. In his Guard- to the Murdochs”. This is all too true. Kow-
ian blog of 17 July, he caught the breeze and towing is an ancient ritual, often performed
proposed that Murdoch explain “the cli- by those whose pacts with power may not
mate you created”. be immediately obvious, but are no less sul-
How many of the political and media phuric. Tony Blair, soaked in the blood of
chorus now calling for Murdoch’s head re- an entire society, was once regarded almost
mained silent over the years as his papers mystically at the Guardian and Observer
repeatedly attacked the most vulnerable in as the prime minister who, wrote Hugo
society? Impoverished single mothers have Young, “wants to create a world none of us
been a favourite target of tax-avoiding News have known [where] the mind might range
International. Who in the so-called media in search of a better Britain . . .” He was in
village demanded the sacking of Kelvin perfect harmony with the chorus over at
MacKenzie as Sun editor following his at- Wapping. “Mr Blair,” said the Sun, “has vi-
tacks on the dead and dying in the Hillsbor- sion, he has purpose and he speaks our lan-
ough stadium tragedy of 1989? guage on morality and family life.” Plus ça
change. ct
the kowtowing class
John Pilger’s latest film, “The War You
This was an episode as debased as the hack- Don’t See”, is now available on
ing of Milly Dowler’s phone, yet MacKenzie DVD at Amazon.co.uk. His web site is
is frequently feted on the BBC and in the www.johnpilger.com
read the best of frontline magazine at
http://coldtype.net/frontline.html
4 ColdType | August 2011
MEdIA WoES / 2
I love the smell of
Murdoch in the morning
William Rivers Pitt watches Fox TV – just to see the owner squirm
The sun rose on Tuesday, July 19, to dal. Some protesters pop up in the room
shine upon a fascinating spectacle: and are removed, and the questioners are here is himself
Rupert Murdoch and his son James, struggling to get answers from Rupert, as himself, mr.
who rule the News Corp. media em- James keeps jumping in to take the bullet. rupert murdoch,
pire, were slated to sit before a British par- 10:04 a.m. – “We felt ashamed at what facing questions
liamentary committee to answer questions had happened,” says Rupert, in response from British
on the phone-hacking scandal that has to a question about why News of the World parliament with
blown up like a volcano in recent weeks. was closed down. When asked about other a look on his face
Ten arrests, including News Corp executive forms of surveillance – computer hacking like he’s sucking
Rebekah Brooks, top British police resigna- specifically – he pleads ignorance. on a dead perch
tions, and the sudden, unexplained death 10:10 a.m. – Sonny-boy jumps in again
of the fellow who first blew the whistle on to blame the whole scandal on “the acts of
the whole sordid mess...no, it has not been a few reporters.” He is lathering himself and
dull. his father with seeming regret, and says the
The hearings were broadcast by ev- bid to buy BSkyB was dumped deliberately
ery major news channel in America, but to maintain the level of integrity News Corp.
for something like this, only one network aspires to. “What happened at News of the
would do: Fox. World was wrong,” he says, “and we have
– – – – – apologized profusely.” He swears up and
9:40 a.m. – Great day in the morning! I down that News Corp. is cooperating fully
flip on Fox News for the first time, and here with the police investigation.
is Himself himself, Mr. Rupert Murdoch, fac- 10:13 a.m. – “Are you responsible for
ing questions from British Parliament with this?” Rupert is asked. “No,” he replies. “Did
a look on his face like he’s sucking on a dead you know about the payoffs?” Rupert is
perch. I’m astonished the network is actu- asked. “I don’t know anything about that,”
ally showing this public shaming, but there he replies. Of course.
he is, being very politely pressed on payoffs 10:16 a.m. – Fox has stapled a banner
and cover-ups involved in the phone-hack- to the bottom of the screen that reads, at
ing scandal. Next to him, dressed very nat- turns, “Rupert Murdoch: We Have Cooper-
tily, is his son and heir, James Murdoch. ated 100% With Police,” “Rupert Murdoch:
9:50 a.m. – Rupert thumps the table a few Company Acted As Swiftly As Possible,”
times, describes this as “the most humble “James Murdoch: Company Acted As Swift-
day of my life,” and proceeds to deny any ly As Possible,” and “James Murdoch: Our
knowledge of the details behind this scan- Company’s Priority Is To Restore Trust.”
August 2011 | ColdType 5
MEdIA WoES / 2
You know, in case you weren’t sure what Rupert comes to his rescue with, “We were
whether or not they’ve been up to. never guilty of that.”
the “war on 10:22 a.m. – James plays off the millions 10:43 a.m. – Rupert is asked how his
terror” buzz News Corp. has spent to pay off people who “hands-off” management style works, how
phrase gets official have been violated by their nefarious and often he speaks to his editors. “Seldom...
use, the tacit illegal practices with the line, “It’s less ex- hardly at all...never...I’m hardly ever in
assumption of war pensive than litigation.” touch,” is the sum and substance of his re-
without end is now 10:25 a.m. – Fox has shown this hearing ply, but to say he’s hands-off is wrong. He
the old normal, for almost a half-hour straight now without “works very hard” running his media em-
again renewed breaking away, not even for a commercial. pire, does Rupert, while apparently having
in the wake of Yes, I’m surprised. nothing to do with his media empire. It’s
osama bin laden’s 10:26 a.m. – The question: “Will this getting pretty thick in here.
death scandal make you think again about what 10:45 a.m. – “In your conversations with
your headlines say in the future?” Ru- the News of the World editor, it never came
pert Murdoch: “We were not aware of any up that the paper was paying people six
transgressions.” James Murdoch: “We need hundred thousand or a million pounds?”
to think more forcefully and thoughtfully “No,” says Rupert. “Then what did you dis-
about our journalistic ethics.” He’s talking cuss?” At this point, Rupert’s accent gets
about establishing an independent ethics very deep, and his reply sounds something
board. Yeah, right, that’ll happen. I’m gig- like, “Bluggle farg we never mwumple gr-
gling like a titmouse right now. rrr argle bargle never snuh.” Thanks Rupert,
10:33 a.m. – The bottom-screen scroll, very clear.
because it’s Fox News: “IRAN SAYS IT’S 10:52 a.m. – Philip Davies is a hound on
INSTALLING NEW AND EFFICIENT CEN- a scent, and has James tap-dancing all over
TRIFUGES AIMED AT SPEEDING UP ITS the hearing room with questions about the
NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT . . . IRAN HAS payouts, the guilty pleas, and the fact that
BEEN PRODUCING LOW-ENRICHED URA- News International paid the legal fees for an
NIUM FOR YEARS AND BEGAN HIGHER employee who was guilty of gross miscon-
ENRICHMENT IN FEB 2010.” Ready for an- duct. “I have no specific knowledge of this,”
other war, y’all? replies James. “It is customary to sometimes
10:35 a.m. – Another scroller goes by make contributions to defendants, I have
yelling about A HOMICIDE BOMBER IN A no direct knowledge, but we can follow up
WHEELCHAIR while James Murdoch an- with you on that.” I’m holding my breath.
swers another question about payoffs and 10:55 a.m. – James Murdoch is “very sur-
settlements with, “I I I I don’t know, don’t prised” about the paying of those legal fees,
remember, but I I we I we can find out.” and does not know who signed off on those
10:38 a.m. – James is being pressed on payments. Management of various News
the egregious size of various settlements Corp. papers just got thrown under the bus.
paid by News Corp. for invasions of privacy, It’s getting crowded down there.
in comparison with the standard amounts 11:01 a.m. – Davies: “The News of the
found in British law. News Corp. paid out World seems like it was sacrificed to save
more by orders of magnitude than the stan- Rebekah Brooks. Do you now regret that
dard settlement rate on several occasions. decision?” Rupert: “The two decisions were
Why? Answer unclear, ask again later. totally unrelated.” James keeps leaning on
10:40 a.m. – Question: “Are you familiar the idea that all these terrible things hap-
with the term ‘Willful blindness’? It is a legal pened “years ago,” and that just about ev-
term we heard after Enron.” James Murdoch eryone involved with News Corp. and News
is doing his frog-on-a-hotplate routine, and International are “totally blameless.” That’s
6 ColdType | August 2011
MEdIA WoES / 2
probably why there have been so many ar- plies, “Well, and I think and I think and I
rests, and why so much hush money has think after the, I think after the, uh, par- the woman asking
been paid. ticularly in light of the successful prosecu- these questions, by
11:05 a.m. – James is continuing to be tions and convictions of the individuals, ah, the way, is married
“surprised and shocked” that the company involved in 2007, you know, could not be, to the manager
has been paying the legal fees for employ- you know, taken more seriously, and if new for metallica. i’m
ees who are now convicted felons thanks evidence emerges, as it has it has in cases, banging my head
to this scandal. “I’m not a lawyer,” he says, the company acts on it very quickly.” That’s as we speak
and blames the paying of those fees on the a fair representation of his style of speaking
company’s legal counsel. More people un- during this entire hearing.
der the bus. 11:53 a.m. – Bedlam. Someone just hit
11:15 a.m. – Still no commercial breaks. I Rupert Murdoch in the face with a pie plate
think this is a Fox News record. filled with shaving cream, and his wife went
11:23 a.m. – James has spent the last sev- Batman and smacked the guy on the head.
eral minutes displaying an epic talent for The hearing is suspended, and the camera is
misdirection and avoidance. Virtually every now aimed at a far wall. Fox has cut to cov-
question asked of him has been met with erage by Sky News. They have footage of the
“I don’t know...can’t recall...not sure...let me pie-chucker covered with shaving cream.
get back to you.” Reagan would be proud. 11:57 a.m. – Gad zooks. The pie guy is ap-
11:30 a.m. – Rupert appears to be run- parently some British comedian, and a cop
ning out of steam. He looked to be asleep for is wiping the crap off his face while he’s still
the last few minutes of his son’s testimony, cuffed. The Brits crack me up.
and just summoned enough energy to say 12:03 p.m. – The Sky News people are
Les Hinton’s behavior was unacceptable. channeling their Fox brethren across the
He keeps banging on the table, perhaps to pond, saying it’s obvious Rupert Murdoch
wake himself up, while his answers remain had nothing to do with any naughty busi-
a barely-intelligible growling monotone. ness in this scandal. Of course. Rupert said
11:34 a.m. – “Nobody kept me in the it, poor guy, so it must be true. They just
dark,” snarls a suddenly animated Murdoch announced that when the committee re-
when asked about the doings of his compa- convenes, there will be no press or public
ny. James suddenly flings himself into the allowed in the room, and they’re not sure if
conversation to explain that management cameras will be allowed in.
is delegated in such a large company. This 12:08 p.m. – They’re back, committee
hardly jibes with their earlier testimony members are profusely apologizing to Ru-
about making multiple phone calls to vari- pert, who now sits jacketless before the
ous editors throughout the empire to keep committee. The cameras appear to be stay-
tabs on what’s going on. “Certain things ing. James resumes his tap-dance around
were not known,” says James, and the com- the issue of settlements for violated parties.
pany acted right when the found out. “Act- 12:15 p.m. – Questioner Louise Mensch
ing right” apparently means millions in brings up the allegation by actor Jude Law
payoffs and settlements, along with giving that his phone was hacked on American
misleading testimony to Parliament. soil, and presses the Murdochs on the hack-
11:44 a.m. – “We welcome” the upcom- ing of 9/11 victims phones. James finds it
ing judicial inquiry, says James. “Breaking “appalling” that anyone would do such
the law is a very, very serious matter, and a thing, and they will “eagerly” cooperate
lawbreakers should be held to account.” with any investigations...oh, and of course,
When pressed that News Corp.’s behavior they know nothing about it. The woman
has been totally unacceptable, James re- asking these questions, by the way, is mar-
August 2011 | ColdType 7
MEdIA WoES / 2
ried to the manager for Metallica. I’m bang- Corp. and was then arrested. News Corp.
fox talking head ing my head as we speak. shares went up 5% during the testimony,
just admitted 12:20 p.m. – The pie attacker is named says the talking head with a very Bushian
that most of their Jonnie Marbles, and he Tweeted before the smirk, and at last, a commercial break.
viewers don’t attack, “It is a far better thing I do now than 12:37 p.m. – Fox talking head just ad-
know what they’re I have ever done before. #splat” Meanwhile, mitted that most of their viewers don’t
watching, if the Mensch is trying to let James and Rupert off know what they’re watching, if the mes-
messages they’re the hook by blaming the whole scandal on sages they’re getting in are any clue. Um,
getting in are any the general ethics of the British tabloid in- the phone-hacking scandal hearings, folks.
clue dustry. Mensch closes by thanking Rupert Gives you a good idea of how much (little)
for his “immense courage” in facing the Fox has covered this story before today. But
bowl of shaving cream. She’s a member of the only story they’re really covering is the
the Conservative party. Try to contain your pie attack, and how Murdoch’s wife flew
shock. through the air to save the day.
12:26 p.m. – Rupert is finally allowed – – – – –
to read his written statement. He’s sorry, Well, that was mind-numbing. Mr. Murdoch
so sorry, my company has 52,000 employ- has been in hot water before, and has played
ees and I’ve made mistakes before. He is the same sad-man so-sorry hand to get out
sickened about the hacking of voicemails from under. He always has, and it remains to
of murder victims, angry at compounding be seen whether or not that ploy will work
their distress, and is grateful for the chance this time. The question of phone-hacking
to apologize in person. He’s sorry, so sorry, on American soil, particularly involving
very sorry, please know the depth of his re- victims of 9/11, has yet to be resolved, and
gret. “Invading people’s privacy is wrong. the FBI is reportedly investigating. In the
Paying off police is wrong. Saying sorry is meantime, today was about half-answers,
not enough. No excuses.” Right...except for mumbling, and sidestepping responsibility.
all the excuses my son and I sprayed every- In other words, business as usual. The pie
where today. attack was a nice change of pace, but on bal-
12:30 p.m. – The Murdoch portion of the ance, I get the definite sense that cardboard
show is now concluded, and we’re back to cut-outs of Rupert and James would have
Fox News. All they can talk about is the pie would have served just as well to fill those
attack, and how forthcoming James and Ru- witness chairs.. ct
pert were in the hearing. They’re warming
up the seat in the hearing room for Rebekah William Rivers Pitt is editor of Truthout.net,
Brooks, who recently resigned from News where this essay first appeared.
Find Great
Photojournalism at
ColdType.net
www.coldtype.net/photo.html
8 ColdType | August 2011
ThE EConoMY
Lights and tunnels
John Kozy discusses the disintegration of America’s
economy in the wake of the crash of 2008
The word ‘recover’ always has the the Vietnamese War may remember that
connotation of “getting back.” But whenever General Westmoreland was asked those of you
who is going to get back what when how the war was going, he usually replied old enough to
the economy “recovers”? Few at that there was “light at the end of the tun- remember the
most. So what does an economic recovery nel” Vietnamese war
look like? No one knows. The word ‘recov- Of course there was; there is light at both may remember
ery’ can not be applied to objects willy-nilly. ends of every tunnel. But no one ever knew that whenever
A sick person goes into the hospital to re- which end he was talking about or if we were general
cover; a broken automobile is taken to a getting any closer to the end that would get westmorland was
shop to be repaired. Automobiles do not re- us out. We all now know, of course, that we asked how the
cover. Neither do economies; they can only were not. Telling us that there was light at war was going, he
get better or worse, and specific information the end of the tunnel told us nothing at all; usually replied that
is needed to determine which. Few people yet many were led to believe that “there is there was “light
realize just how close to the edge of disinte- light at the end of the tunnel” was synony- at the end of the
gration America is. The Congress meets for mous with “we were getting closer to vic- tunnel”
one purpose and one purpose alone – to get tory” even though there is absolutely no
reelected. The political posturing begins the logical relationship between these two as-
day after each election, while the nation’s sertions. Why did Westmorland always an-
problems go unaddressed, and our media swer this way? The only reasonable answer
aid and abet the posturing. Such is America is to avoid telling the truth.
today. This recession/depression will never Likewise, President Obama is addicted to
“recover.” Neither will America. vapid metaphors: the US still has a “big hole
That successful, inveterate liars consis- to fill,” “Headwinds” from the first half of
tently use a specific group of practices has 2011 are holding back the recovery,” “There
been known for ages. They, for instance, are going to be bumps in the road,” and “on
give long winded answers to questions to the right track”
distract and confuse the questioner, make The hole that needs to be filled is the lack
assertions that can’t be easily refuted, and of specificality in his speeches, but let’s just
keep from saying very much that is specific, consider the ubiquitous “on the right track.”
making it difficult to confirm or refute de- It’s very similar to “light at the end of the
tails. One prevalent way of doing this is to tunnel.” A train, for instance, can be on the
speak metaphorically. right track but be going nowhere or perhaps
Those of you old enough to remember even going backwards. When a train is on a
August 2011 | ColdType 9
ThE EConoMY
siding, isn’t it on the right track? What does used to describe anything real or concrete. It
what if the dow this metaphor tell anyone? What kind of is used to pull the wool over people’s eyes, to
goes to 50,000 evidence could be cited to refute it? It’s one get them to believe what the speaker wants
but the average of those perfectly safe, empty claims that them to believe. If he wanted to tell you the
wage is only $4 people trying to hoodwink others make all truth, he’d use more specific words, such
and people are the time. as, “a few more people are employed today
starving? will that But what has all of this to do with “recov- than a month ago.” “The Dow is somewhat
be a recovery? ery”? Well, just take a look at how the word higher today than it was last quarter.” “The
is ordinarily used. average wage is $5 less today than it was last
“My neighbor has recovered from pneu- year.” If anyone ignores the last of these, he
monia” usually means his previously im- could say the economy is recovering. But
paired lungs are now working normally. could he say that if he takes the third into
They have gotten their normal functional- consideration?
ity back. The word ‘recovery’ cannot be applied to
”The police have recovered my friend’s objects willy-nilly. A sick person goes into
stolen property” usually means that his the hospital to recover; a broken automobile
property has been returned to him. He has is taken to a shop to be repaired. Automo-
gotten his property back. biles do not recover. A diseased tree can be
“The speculator recovered the money treated and recover; a broken stone cannot.
he lost” means that he got the amount of An erroneous calculation can be corrected;
money he lost back. it cannot recover. Neither can economies;
The word ‘recover’ always has the con- they can only get better or worse, and spe-
notation of “getting back.” cific information is needed to determine
But who is going to get back what when which.
the economy “recovers”? Are the people When people don’t want you to know
who lost their homes going to get them the truth or even what, if anything, they’re
back? No. Are the people who lost their jobs talking about, they use abstract words and
going to get them back? Not likely. Are the metaphors. Looking carefully at the words
people who lost their savings for retirement people use is a sure way of identifying
going to get them back? Some may; most scoundrels. I am no oracle; I don’t have the
will not. slightest idea of what the President is up to.
So what does an economic recovery look But I do know he’s not being honest with
like? No one knows. the American people. Neither are the mem-
If the employed population rises to 94%, bers of his Cabinet or even the Congress.
will the economy have recovered? What if Few people seem to realize just how
the workers’ total compensation is only half close to the edge of disintegration America
of what it was before the recession/depres- is. Engineers have been warning us for de-
sion? Will it still be a recovery? cades about our collapsing infrastructure.
What if GNP exceeds the GNP before the This year’s floods have demonstrated just
downturn but employment only rises to how fragile our earthen dikes are. We have
85%? Will that be a recovery? chosen the inefficient automobile as our ba-
What if the Dow goes to 50,000 but the sic means of transportation, but we lack the
average wage is only $4 and people are money to maintain our highways.
starving? Will that be a recovery? Mr. Obama has recently spoken of build-
You see, the word ‘recovery’ when used ing bullet trains while even our present rail-
in relation to the economy is just another way system is slow and unsafe as two fatal
vapid metaphor. It means nothing. It means accidents in a recent week alone show.
whatever anyone wants it to mean. It is not The war on drugs has been a monumen-
10 ColdType | August 2011