The kids are alright.
While I can't say that I understand the motivation of each and every person protesting the G-20 meetings in Toronto, I heartily endorse their rude, obnoxious and dangerous behavior. Following a series of bank bailouts, the assembled wise men in Toronto have pledged to reduce deficits by half in three short years. Unless you're convinced that the United States will slash its bloated military budget or extricate itself from Afghanistan, there is only one way to get the serious bang for the buck required to produce that type of reduction. Yes, Social Security and Medicare, I'm talking about YOU! Between Pete Peterson's organization and President Obama's deficit reduction commission - with the odious ex-Senator Simpson at the wheel - you can already see where this is headed. Articles and columns spring up daily in the ever compliant media, all espousing the same tired litany - we simply MUST scale back these entitlement programs or we're gonna go broke. Taxes can't be raised (political suicide) and we certainly must continue to enrich our military profiteers, regardless of which party is in power. But Grandma and Grandpa, who paid so much for so long into Social Security, well, they're the "lesser people," as Senator Simpson so gently put it ... no million dollar PACs, no K Street lobbyists (and spare me any reference to the impotent AARP). So, vulnerable as they are, it's easy to screw with them.
The oligarchy that effectively rules us all would never let their compatriots in the financial industry suffer their just losses for bad bets and criminal behavior. No, the same people that they lied to and stole from must finance their high risk escapades. And their bought and paid for legislators - and yes, presidents - pass some blue smoke and mirrors nonsense under the guise of regulation, knowing full well that the next time Goldman or AIG fails because some program trade runs amok, those same people will be called upon once again to lend (make that "give") them a helping hand.
In the interim, the financial wizards of the G-20 can share cocktails before sitting down to lavish dinners, make some bold proclamations about deficit reduction, pose for photo ops, and then get back to their respective capitals to get about the work of gutting every social program designed to assist the vast majority of people. The wars will continue, the profits will churn without regard to civilian body counts, and the million dollar Wall Street cadre will have the money for next year's house in the Hamptons.
I congratulate every kid that tossed a brick in Toronto this week. No more business as usual.