Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Mumia Speaks: The Other China Syndrome...



The Other China Syndrome
[col. writ. 11/21/09] (c) '09 Mumia Abu-Jamal


We are all taught to think about things like economics, as things to be placed in boxes, like mail is sorted at the post office.

This goes in this box; that goes in that box.

But economics is such that it goes into every box -- and every box leaks into it.

It's not just a matter of dollars and cents; it's actually a matter of pesos, rupees, euros and yen.

And it's also a matter of foreign affairs, of international relations, of wealth and power.

If we ever questioned this notion, we need only look at America abroad, especially the recent visit of President Barack Obama to China. Traditionally, U.S. presidents go abroad to engage in bouts of global bullying, to bark or lecture host governments about the terms of their relationship (think of U.S. politicians in Afghanistan, for example).

Not so in China today, where Obama neither barked nor bellowed.

That's because China is different. China holds almost a trillion bucks worth of U.S. debt. If they called it in, the lights would go out from Maine to New Mexico.

Now, they won't do it because it'll cause chaos in China; but they could.

According to a recent article in Foreign Affairs, China's financial reserves makes it the world's wealthiest country!*

That doesn't mean they have the most money, but the most unencumbered money, and the freest available resources. They can therefore choose where to use those resources.

China is America's banker. And with its economy growing at about 8% annually, that relationship can only expand.

China is propping up the U.S. economy, had has been doing so for years. Their purchase of U.S. stocks and bonds has buffered the domestic effects of the recent recession, by preventing the fall from becoming even worse. In fact, they may have prevented a depression.

If you want more money, you don't bark at your banker.

You talk to her with quiet respect.

-(c) '09 maj

[Source: *Altman, Roger, : Globalization in Retreat: "Further Geopolitical Consequences of the Financial Crisis", Foreign Affairs, (Jul/Aug '09), p.3.]

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The Power of Truth is Final -- Free Mumia!


URGENT Need for Petition Signatures at: http://www.iacenter.org/mumiapetition/


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Mumia Abu-Jamal's new book -- JAILHOUSE LAWYERS: PRISONERS DEFENDING PRISONERS V. THE USA, featuring an introduction by Angela Y. Davis -- has been released! It is available from City Lights Books: http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100448090

If you are planning to organize an event or would like to order in bulk, you can also receive a 45% discount on any bulk orders of 20 copies or more. The book retails for $16.95, for orders of 20 copies or more the discounted price would be $9.32 per book, plus shipping and handling. Prepayment would be required and books are nonreturnable. If you or your organization would like to place a bulk order, please contact Stacey Lewis at 415.362.1901 or stacey@citylights.com

Let's use the opportunity of the publication of this brilliant, moving, vintage Mumia book to build the momentum for his case, to raise the money we desperately need in these challenging economic times, to get the word out – to produce literature, flyers, posters, videos, DVD's; to send organizers out to help build new chapters and strengthen old ones, TO GET THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS … all the work that we must do in order to FREE MUMIA as he faces LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE OR EXECUTION!
Please make a contribution to help free Mumia. Donations to the grassroots work will go to both INTERNATIONAL CONCERNED FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL and the FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL COALITION (NYC).
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