Responsibility and Obligation

Going back to Obama's speech at the National Chamber of Commerce we see that his appeal is to their ethical sense. "Business has a responsibility to America" he claims in a sincere sounding plea that they free up some of that investment cash. But to what economic theory does he refer? Goinf back to the Grand Bargain I wrote about last week, that historical example teaches us exactly that Business has (and feels) no such "responsibility". He knows it, they know it. All Kubuki made for our consumption.

Can the same be said of AFL-CIO head Richard Trumpka? He sounds convinced when he tells those executives "You have an obligation" on Laura Flanders' show this morning. He says we need to get back to "net exports" (haven't seen that in twenty years!) and profits "would have to be shared". Really? Mimicking Obama he says "American companies haven't been thinking about this country." Kum bay ya, brother. For proof of how government can regulate capital he says "We just re-regulated the financial economy". He must be in on the Kubuki. After all, the AFL_CIO pushed hard for the Free Trade deal with Peru which has proved so disastrous.

Looks like some Egyptian pop star thought he could get away with switching horses in mid-stream and almost got his ass kicked. With strikes around the country the revolution is deepening, showing that my call for the protesters to accept concessions was premature. Tricky business this revolution stuff and it's far from over.Also far from clear how a transition to quick elections would work exactly.There is a good discussion at Leninology about the nature of self organization. As far as the stand-off, I'm sure Mubarak would gladly see the economy ruined to save face so it now rests on the Army and the bourgeoisie. The business class if forced to decide: violent crackdown or oust the President.