Greed

Greed is defined by an online dictionary as: “a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as MONEY) than is needed.”

Try as I might I cannot think of any motive other than just plain greed to explain the behavior of Republicans. All of the current Republican candidates are singing the same old song about the need to reduce taxes and lessen regulations, it seems to be their only solution to anything and everything. But this is at a time when taxes (especially on the wealthy) are as low as they have ever been, and also at a time when the disparity between rich and poor has never been greater. Many of these people are sitting not only on millions of dollars, but on multiple millions, and in some cases even billions. How much more do they need? It is also a time of rather grave national circumstances with runaway unemployment, personal bankruptcies, foreclosures, and millions living in poverty and without health care. Republicans don’t seem to care about this, they still demand more and more and more. What other motive might there be other than just plain naked greed? I suppose you might also argue they want power, to regain control of government, and while that may be true, the reason they want that power is to insure their greed can continue uninterrupted. You might also conclude they desire a two class system with themselves at the top and peasants, serfs, and slave laborers at the bottom, but again only so they can cling to their forturnes and increase them even further at the expense of everyone else. Similarly, the reason they want to do away with regulations is so they will be free to make even more profits. A majority of people in the U.S. want to see taxes increased for those making more than $250,000 a year, those very people who acquired their money during years of relatively “good times.” They have more money than they can easily spend, and contrary to the rather absurd Republican claims this money does not “trickle down” substantially or create jobs (except perhaps for a very few makers of expensive yachts, jewelry, and other luxuries of various kinds). They don’t want money to create jobs, if that were so we should have seen massive job creation in the past ten years. I m not often at a loss for words, but in the face of such awesome greed that I neither understand nor condone I find it hard to say anything except perhaps SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!

I have essentially the same problem of explanation when it comes to the behavior of the Israelis. Not content with the borders and resources they were initially given they have slowly expanded like a cancer into the territory that was supposed to be Palestinian land, even destroying Palestinian orchards, homes, and lives in the process. They seem willing to stop at nothing to illegally grab more land and water, expanding illegal settlements while completely ignoring all pleas for them to stop. You could, I guess, believe that what they were given was not enough in the first place, and they therefore have had to try to expand, but as they keep saying they are interested in peace, peace that can only come with at least some concessions to the Palestinians, you have to question their sincerity. At the very moment they say they are offering the hand to peace to all their neighbors they are expanding housing projects in Jerusalem, an activity directly in opposition to peace or even negotiations. Just as always, with the support of their puppet state (the U.S.) and its lickspittle President, they proceed to do whatever they choose and the entire world is apparently helpless to stop them. They simply ignore the United Nations and continue to engage in war crimes and quasi-genocide at will, all with the backing of the U.S., a nation apparently with no shame, steeped in hypocrisy and fairy tales about a poor, helpless, victimized Israel. Again, it seems to me the only explanation for Israeli behavior, if you disregard their false claims about lacking security, is basically greed.

At the moment we have nurses striking, people camped in front of Wall Street, union membership increasing, various other strikes here and there, and massive discontent with the disparity between the rich and the poor. Even so, Republicans are not only turning a blind eye to this growing dissatisfaction but continue to insist on even more of the same. I think they are unaware of the frustration-aggression hypothesis and seem to believe they can continue their unprincipled selfish behavior with no fear of the consequences. I think they may be in for a real surprise, as it appears virtually the whole world is now caught up in one or another form of rebellion and the movement is growing. The belief seems to be that “it can’t happen here,” but there are indications that may well be incorrect. I suspect that some, like Warren Buffet and the wealthy French (who are probably more sensitive to this possibility than we are) are fearful of what could happen if they do not make at least some concessions. But arrogant greedy nitwits like Grover Norquist and his followers continue to make even more outrageous and childish demands. Now is the time to take away their baby bottles, security blankets, and infantile tantrums, and wean them once and for all from their exploitation of the public trough. Even Republicans should have to grow up at some point.

There is no calamity greater than lavish desires.
There is no greater guilt than discontentment.
And there is no greater disaster than greed.

Lao-tzu