So many thoughts, so little time

After seeing the film "Slumdog Millionaire" (which I reviewed over at Robert Parry's Consortium News site), it struck me how much more we need to be invested in raising up the poor around the world, if for no other reason than to improve our position at home. I've had to be on the phone with call centers of late, and so many of them are in India now. Why? Because they work for less than Americans do.

We have only two choices, realistically, in this matter. Either Americans would have to work for less, or we need to help others around the world work for more money. Because so long as someone is available to be exploited, there will continue to be a race to the bottom in terms of wages and labor conditions.

For many years, the establishment supported right wing dictators who kept wages low in other countries, allowing international corporations to exploit the least advantaged among us. I can't help but think the chickens from our greed have come home to roost in this latest financial crisis.

I just bought a book about the history of money, and will surely share what I'm learning, as I have a feeling there are a lot of parallels to our current issues, and I'm not just talking about the Great Depression.

I also want to comment on Obama's administration choices, and why they remind me of some of John Kennedy's mistakes. More on that soon, I hope. Meanwhile, I hope you continue to enjoy this holiday weekend.