‘OUCH’
PASS IT ON

By Ulli Diemer


“OUCH”
PASS IT ON

You know those ads you've been seeing in the paper? The ones from the people calling themselves the “Citizens’ Coalition?”

The “Citizens’ Coalition” is for the little guy. Or so they say.

Just plain folks, they call themselves. Ordinary people, like you and me, worried about rising prices, big government, and big unions.

Especially unions.

You’ll notice they never have anything critical to say about big business.

Coincidence?

Maybe not.

The last time we added it up, the advisory board of the “Citizens’ Coalition” included corporate executives who between them represent 39 corporations with combined assets of 52 BILLION, 46 million, 582 thousand, dollars.

Some citizens. Some coalition.

The founder of this corporate coalition is one Colin Brown, a wealthy insurance executive who describes himself as a “very far right winger”. He thinks the Conservative party is socialistic. There are so many socialists in Canada, says Mr. Brown, that “the real revolutionaries are us right wingers”.

Crackpots?

Maybe.

The difference between a crackpot and a despot is power.

These folks have plenty of power already.

Let’s make sure they don’t get any more.

And maybe we should start thinking about taking away the power they already have.

It’s our country.

Or is it?

Sponsored by: Citizens Against Garbage, 91 St. George St., Toronto.


“OUCH”
PASS IT ON

Greed is “out”.

It’s at the root of the psychology of inflation, they tell us.

Of course, that doesn’t apply to profits, because the desire to make a healthy profit is the basis of our economy.

And it doesn’t apply to prices, because if you didn’t keep on raising your prices, your profits would go down.

And it doesn’t mean a redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor, because that would destroy incentive.

And people need incentive.

Unless they’re people who work for wages or salaries. If they need incentive, that’s greed.

Sponsored by: Citizens Against Garbage, 91 St. George St., Toronto.



“OUCH”
PASS IT ON

If you listen to the radio, watch TV, or read the papers, you may have picked up the newest bit of wisdom.

That strikes are obsolete. Out-moded. Ill-suited to our complex society. Contrary to the public interest.

Who says so? Why, all sorts of people. Like the Chamber of Commerce. The Canadian Manufacturers Association. Government officials. Corporations. The media.

It’s funny. These same people have been telling us strikes are contrary to the public interest ever since strikes were invented. Just like they said pensions were against the public interest. And anti-child labour laws. And health and safety legislation. And unemployment insurance. And unions.

They’ve got a philosophy, these fine, public-spirited people. It goes like this:

Anything that increases profits is good. Anything that hampers the ability to maximize profits is bad.

Anything that gives management more power over the work situation is good. Anything that gives workers more power over their work situation is bad.

Anything that increases corporate or government power is in the public interest. Anything that increases working-class power is in contrary to the public interest.

Lovely.

Somebody should tell them just who the public is. And just who and what is obsolete.

The trouble is, they never listen when anybody tells them anything. In fact, since they control most of the media, it’s hard to get a hearing for any views except theirs.

Which is why strikes aren’t obsolete.

Because strikes are a way of getting a message across about the distribution of wealth and power in this society. A message with results.

No, strikes aren’t obsolete. What is obsolete is a society based on exploitation and coercion, and economy based on profit, growth, and power rather than on human needs.

Capitalism.



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2018 Ulli Diemer.