WEEKLY WARNING WORDS
December 3, 2003 - WEEK 11 - Hail to the Chief!
BY DR. BRUNO J. KEITH
Before his secret flight to our new colony, our good President had given himself a hail of Thanksgiving blessings. Tricky new arithmetic helped to create our ecstasy of good news with fantastic side effects of Rose Garden Futurism. His ever cooperating masters of high and higher mathematics transferred the holiday consumerism into an all-consuming shopping spree which can only be enhanced, increased and multiplied into a record shopping adventure of the richest and poorest alike.
The first quarter of year 2003 looked grim; the second was hardly improved. Likewise the first calculations for July, August and September. Yet, high expectations revamped lively statistics mid-October. Economic wizards were eager to accommodate their President's hopes. Good results turned into the best by the end of that month. A little late the economists of the Fortune 500 managed to enhance the 3rd quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to a whopping increase of 8.4%, and it was already climbing to hitherto unknown heights. Consumer confidence in this new economy was fast approaching the 100% limit.
Jingling bells of cash registers began announcing paradisical consequences. Good times are here again. Thousands of new jobs were recreated, even if wages were low and often only for part-time occupations. There were fewer unemployed jobseekers. Nothing but assured reelection is already the certainty of creative advertizers and creationistic business leadership: Brokers, realtors, manufacturers, insurers and the giants of health-giving industries sing the same tunes.
Actually, the chief contributors to Republican abundance and prosperity had already spent their huge tax savings abroad on hitherto unknown luxuries. They keep laughing off our $200 billion negative trade balance which may well approach the $300 billion by their huge purchases in Paris, London, Rome and elsewhere. They can afford all while they still export the best-paid U.S. jobs to foreign shores - with government rewards for helping other nations (of low wages).
Imitating the happy buyers of houses and homes, home furniture and modern equipment, automobiles and what-nots, even the less privileged, with the poor and poorest in their wake, are exploiting their multiple credit cards and easy buying conditions for delayed payment by clever but irresponsible store keepers; our entire world of merry holidayers buys on credit all they cannot afford.
Meanwhile they rekindle all nearly dead sparks of life and lively hoods while manufacturers of this happiness replant their enterprises in low-wage neighborhoods or beyond the sea. As our huge investment of tax dollars which will never be collected multiplies, it strengthens the power of the military - industrial complex; it also blesses all insiders with billions of borrowed funds, in spite of depending entirely on helpful purses from abroad. Not only friendly foreigners but all our rich foes will buy our government bonds, especially if inflationary pressures force bond interest up and ever higher.
The Bushies don't wish to hear and see that our infrastructure is crumbling, that we breathe polluted air, drink foul water and let education itself fall through the cracks. Can we live through a killing summer heat and drought, dozens of men-set wildfires and the rapid multiplication of savage enemies of our supposed democracy?
Other unforeseeable deadly events could shake up the Bush house of cards, largely built on consumer confidence and adoration of a loveable President. Could it be that which the holiday spirit imagines is nothing but smoke and mirrors plus intentional prevarication of criminal politicians, conservative stock-exchange gamblers, oil princes and un-health providers?
By autumn 2004, all presumed rich conservatives may search for a friendly judge of a bankruptcy court who will forgive most of their frivolously made indebtedness while the lesser breed gets choked by its debts. No chapter 11 for the poor individual! In that case, November 2004 could be a true judgment day.
Week 12 - A Turkey Trot