A profound political question is suddenly on the table: Must the country continue to give precedence to private financial gain and market determinism over human lives and broad public values? William Greider More Quotes by William Greider More Quotes From William Greider The economy is not governed with the bottom half in mind. William Greider economy half mind The do-it-yourself version of pensions is a flop, as many Americans have painfully learned. William Greider do-it-yourself pension versions Leaks and whispers are a daily routine of news-gathering in Washington. William Greider routine news gathering The quest for homeland security is heading ... toward the quasi-militarization of everyday life ... If danger might lurk anywhere, maybe everything must be protected and policed. William Greider quests everyday might If you think about it, Washington's overwhelming power in the world is founded on death, the awesome arsenal for killing people. William Greider people world thinking The ways in which people treat animals will be reflected in how people relate to one another. William Greider animal people way The scandalous question that hangs over modern government and excites perpetual outrage is about political money and what it buys. What exactly do these contributors get in return for the hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars they funnel to the politicians? William Greider dollars political government A newly elected representative quickly discovers that his job in government-aside from making new laws-is to act as a broker, middleman, special pleader and finagler. William Greider government law jobs Fellow senators balked at punishing Senator Alfonse D'Amato of New York though he was caught in a series of transactions that earned him the label "Senator Sleaze." D'Amato explained their reluctance as he defended his own behavior. "There but for the grace of God go most of my colleagues," he said. William Greider punishment grace new-york Aside from sending someone to war or to prison, government s ability to make people involuntarily give over their money is its strongest exercise of authority over private citizens and their institutions. William Greider government exercise war In 1900 Americans on average lived for only 49 years and most working people died still on the job. William Greider average jobs years If we have wealth, it will be protected from inflation and possibly even enhanced in value. William Greider protected inflation wealth Children born today have a fifty-fifty chance of living to 100. William Greider fifty today children If there is a mystical chord in democracy, it probably revolves around the notion that unexpected music can resonate from politics when people are pursuing questions larger than self... I have seen that ennobling effect in people many, many times- expressed by those who found themselves engaged in genuine acts of democratic expression, who claimed their right to define the larger destiny of their community, their nations. William Greider destiny self peace Americans cannot teach democracy to the world until they restore their own. William Greider teach democracy world Folks in the bottom half of the economy are already squeezed hard. They will be bloodied and bankrupt if economic policy inadvertently induces a recession. William Greider economic economy half Everyone's values are defined by what they will tolerate when it is done to others. William Greider tolerate defined done If everyone has to be a watchdog in order to make government work, then the foxes will also volunteer to serve. William Greider volunteer government order The problem of modern democracy is rooted in its neglect of unorganized people. William Greider democracy problem people The trauma of 9/11 stimulated infinite possibilities for worry - some quite plausible, but most inspired by remote what-if fantasies. A society bingeing on fear makes itself vulnerable to far more profound forms of destruction than terror attacks. The "terrorism war", like a nostalgic echo of the cold war, is using these popular fears to advance a different agenda - the re-engineering of American life through permanent mobilization. William Greider engineering echoes war
