The Economic Hitman on What Hit Our Economy
After reading John Perkins 2004 best seller "Confessions of an Economic Hitman", a detailed account of corporatocracy and globalization and those directly involved with it, I immediately sent him an email requesting an interview about the book and how it's revelations relate to the economic meltdown facing our global economy. What prompted my interest was what I found contained in his book: all of which Perkins revealed in "Confessions" was a primer for the reckless abandonment for our future welfare shown by those who pull the fiscal strings. What I liked about Perkins was that he didn't deal out all this doom and gloom without a lengthy guide on what you and I can do to combat such menacing practices. It was less rhetoric and more regurgitation of what he had done, seen and wanted to clear his soul for (guilt is a big part of the book). Guilt is what those in power lack most. I had to get Perkins on the phone.
After exchanging pleasantries with John, we got down to business. He wasn't coy when it came to what the Government has been able to do to the American Tax Payer. "Americans have been anesthetized and have allowed themselves to believe that Jack Welch, Donald Trump, Bill Gates are heroes - the thinking is, if you make a lot of money you're doing well and this is a trap." Perkins couldn't be more on the mark: ask any red blooded American what is the bar for happiness and success in their life and you'll get the same unstimulating response: net worth. Don't confuse what I'm saying here with me not wanting financial success, it's the means we go by to achieve that success. Perkins hit on this important theme as well: "They give us cheap tennis shoes made by Nike, cheap oil by Texacao all the while pushing the rhetoric that exploiting other people is ok, as long as it is not in our backyards." I was immediately taken back to a chapter in Confessions of An Economic Hitman where Perkins vividly described his meeting and eventual friendship with the late Omar Torrijos, the then President of Panama. Torrijos was driving force behind the 1977 Treaties that eventually gave Panama full sovereignty over the Panama Canal. His death was foreshadowed to Perkins by Torrijos himself in a conversation between the two that put the value of his country before his own life. Maybe we as Americans can take something away from that.
Perkins had done most of his work through the Carter and Regan administrations, two radically different Presidents and so I was curious to hear what he had to say about Mr. Obama. "Well, the people voted for change but I am not sure they are getting it." Definitely not what I expected. He continued saying that right now "Obama is walking a fine line between progression and the status quo in Washington." Perkins believes that the status quo is protected in D.C. and that has to change. No argument here. I have found that most if not all political and social scholars have an agenda, they lean to the right, the left or to conspiracy; Perkins seems to blend them all with the goal of wanting the one thing we all do: truth and honesty.
Like the query presented in the title of the last chapter in Confessions, I paused, took a breath and asked Mr. Perkins "Really, what can we do about all of this?" There was no pause from Perkins: "Be aware, be conscious of what we buy - don't buy Donald Trump or Jack Welsh. Be mindful of what we watch! Above all, lets realize, the only way our kids can grow up in a just, sustainable and peaceful world is that we teach them that the whole world is our homeland."
Perkins new book Hoodwinked is out November 10th everywhere. Whether or not you like this Economic Hitman, he can still open your eyes to the horrors he took part in and now leads the charge against. You should too.
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