Give Them Cake....

At first blush this sounds like a winning idea... "Aid May Grow for Laid-Off Workers." (WaPo)

But upon reflection, the legislation to significantly expand federal aid to victims of the "global economy".... workers whose jobs move offshore or are lost to foreign imports.... is treating the symptoms of the economic squeeze on the middle class, not the root causes.

Where is the legislation rescinding the tax breaks for corporations who move offshore? What remedies are being proposed to keep manufacturing, and jobs, in the country? Or, better yet, to recapture and restore vital manufacturing capabilities.

What about the flood of illegal alien workers who are taking jobs and depressing wages? Where is the border and port immigration enforcement? The crackdown on illegally-employing businesses?

The retraining program that in the legislation.... what are the formerly employed being retrained to do? Will these workers end up being underemployed or on extended welfare as our country continues its slide toward third-world status?

And, last but far from least, how can we pay for this program as our tax base continues to shrink and our deficit balloons?

This legislation.... while undoubtedly beneficial and needed by the many victims of the ruling elite's globalization of trade.... is more pap for the campaign season.

It doesn't address the root cause of unemployment, underemployment, or those just left in the dust.... the corporatization of government.

Regardless of how this Bush-administration-enabled vile corporate takeover is packaged, make no mistake.... the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer.