The following is a selection of recent letters sent to the World Socialist Web Site.
On “An exchange with the Australian Greens on their complicity in Howard’s anti-terror laws”
I am a former member of the Greens, who resigned in October 2005 over their lack of action on the attacks on Industrial Relations laws, and other reformist policies. I was appalled by the events of the 3rd of November 2005, and told them that if I didn’t resign then, then I would have left the Greens after the third. I have always wondered if there was some kind of a deal struck with Howard beforehand, because by itself, this abstention only hurts the Greens, and allows the Government to rightly say that the bill went through unopposed, a useful propaganda tool against any opposition. In any case, the 3rd November remains a day of shame for the Greens.
MS
Queanbeyan, Australia
7 November 2007
On “Deepening political crisis in Pakistan”
Excellent article. You know, the only humor, albeit black humor, in this entire situation is that Bush called Musharraf and unselfconsciously warned him: “You can’t be the president and the head of the military at the same time.” I only wish Bush had the brains to understand the ironic humor of his statement.
AM
Sanford, Maine, USA
9 November 2007
On “US film and television writers launch their struggle”
The WSWS coverage of the writers’ strike based on interviews with striking writers has been first-class. It is indeed inspiring to Marxists who reject the corporate elite media and academia’s mythology concerning highly skilled and educated “white collar” workers as ‘bought off’ and satisfied captives of the capitalist establishment. The reactions of these “intellectual workers,” just as those of “blue collar” skilled and semi-skilled auto workers recently given expression in the WSWS, show that these struggles merge with an increasing opportunity for a break with the Democrats and formation of a new party uniting the working class on a socialist program.
DF
New York, New York
6 November 2007
On “US auto workers denounce UAW betrayal at Ford”
Thanks for the reporting on the UAW betrayal. It’s “interesting” (and I use that term very loosely) to read the WSWS reports in the morning, then compare them to the “news” that is reported in the Detroit papers and the local and national news regarding this historic pillage. Seven hundred dollars in annual dues for this type of representation, huh? As if this historic economic rape wasn’t enough, the salt in the open wound has to be the irony of paying dues to belong to a management-controlled union that has completely sold its members out. Is secession an option at this point?
DA
6 November 2007
On “Citigroup ousts CEO, warns of billions more in subprime losses”
I am struggling to come to terms with the massive annual paychecks made to these “captains of industry.” After producing appalling results and recording massive losses due to bad decisions and corporate greed, they are paid a further retirement check. Is this how the system works? Do a lousy job, and then simply walk away with such rewards for bad behavior. Are these the values we are teaching young up-and-coming execs? The public, shareholders, investors and customers seem helpless, as well as all the laid-off staff, in doing anything to stem the flow of such arrogant renegade CEOs.
DC
Meldorf, Germany
6 November 2007
On “Near-panic atmosphere as US Federal Reserve chairman testifies before Congress”
Thanks for another great and timely article. Near-panic was the order of the day, but programmed trading helped quell all the fears—well, at least for today and at least in the Dow and S&P and Nasdaq 100. The Nasdaq 100 has entered into bear market as well. The only remaining sector is the utilities.
Like you say, it has been financial manipulation for the great profit of a few and a false sense of wealth for the middle and upper classes, while the working poor of the world struggle just to keep their wits and feed themselves. I’ve prepared another article and took the liberty to reference your article. I hope you aren’t offended by the reference to gold; the truth is that those who are invested in it will have some measure of protection from the coming disasters.
Please keep up the good work; I know it takes a lot of time to do the articles. WSWS is fortunate to have your talented writing.
RG
9 November 2007
On “Abortion rights under attack in Britain”
I found your article interesting and informative. However, it seems that your opinion is that the abortion time limit should never be changed, even if there were scientific findings that many fetuses could survive at 24 weeks—which the evidence at the moment clearly shows the vast majority do not. Were the report to be in favour of reducing a time limit, one could hope that this would be based on real scientific data and not religious pressure. The two conservative MPs’ report is a joke, repeatedly calling foetuses and embryos at even the earliest stages of gestation “babies.”
TO
7 November 2007
On “Obesity: a curable epidemic”
You are so right on with this article. I have lived for half a century and have seen the gradual and progressive decline in the American diet along with the massive decline in everything else in American society. I attribute most of these problems to capitalism and the fact that there is more money for corporations by creating disaster, chaos and total despair in the social mechanisms. Rather than it being lucrative to bring social and economic progression to the forefront, corporations are getting rich off exploiting humanity from every which way—e.g., medicine, advertising, education. Many of my friends feel we are living in a social nightmare, where everything around us is collapsing, and because we are at an economic disadvantage there is not much to do to stop these growing problems.
MW
Providence, Rhode Island, USA
9 November 2007