November 12, 2008
by Jake, the Champion of the Constitution

On November 15, the leaders of the G8, or Group of Eight, will gather in New York City to decide how to "stabilize the financial markets" as George W. Bush puts it.  The G8 consists of the leaders of the USA, Russia, France, Great Britain, Italy, Canada, Japan, and Germany, and was originally intended as a forum for the world's mightiest industrialized democracies.  From this Bloomberg article, it does appear that China and India will be extended invitations as well.

The President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy stated, "Since the crisis started in New York, maybe we can find the solution in New York. We must reform capitalism so that the most efficient system ever created doesn't destroy its own foundations." 

It is my humble opinion that they are then meeting in the wrong place and are not publicly recognizing the real problem.  A more fitting locale would be Bretton Woods, New Hampshire.  Or even Versailles, or lovely Paris, which is not too far from Sarkozy's home.

George Bush went on to say "as we make the regulatory and institutional changes necessary to avoid a repeat of this crisis, it is essential that we preserve the foundations of democratic capitalism -- a commitment to free markets, free enterprise, and free trade. We must resist the dangerous temptation of economic isolationism and continue the policies of open markets that have lifted standards of living and helped millions of people escape poverty around the world."  

I would be very curious to first see where these "millions of people" who have "escape[d] poverty" due to "open markets" happen to live, and then wonder why our G8 leaders have not yet taken care of the remainder.  After all, everyone DOES realize that we already live in a world that could give food, clothing, and shelter to every last human being on the planet, right? 

Bush reminds me of an excerpt from Rudyard Kipling's poem, "The Gods of Copybook Headings."  (A copybook was an exercise book mostly used by British schoolchildren during the British empire to practice their handwriting in.  The pages were blank except for horizontal rulings and a printed specimen of perfect handwriting at the top, and the kids were supposed to copy this specimen all down the page.  The specimens were proverbs or quotations, or admonitory sayings like the benefits of hard work or honesty, or even peace and hope.)

(Article Continues Below)

In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all,
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "If you don't work you die."

Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew
And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true
That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more.

As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began.
That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool's bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire;

And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!

Wacky poem, eh?  G8 summits have a knack for bringing out the anti-globalization protester crowd.  Shown above is a photo (from Ares Ferrari, license) of protesters burning at the Genova, Italy summit in July 2001.  Since then, our world's fearless leaders have met in isolated locales such as Toyako, Japan (photo) on the beautiful but extremely rural northern island of Hokkaido.  It will be interesting to see how New Yorkers and other Americans decide to welcome this austere group. 

However, perhaps Sarkozy is correct about the location after all.  You see, yet another battle is raging in November; it is an attempt to wrest away control of the price of gold from New York's COMEX futures exchange and return it to the people of this earth.  This stuff is far more interesting to me than McBama's win.  That is, these battles and my own private "battle" to find a turkey to eat in a few weeks here in China.  It seems the Chinese ate them all a millennium or two ago.

Author's Note: Whether he likes it or not, this article is dedicated to BJ Lawson, the "next Ron Paul," who failed to in his Congress bid.  BJ, this rEVOLution is just getting started!

Jake Towne [send him email] "the Champion of the Constitution," is a freedom writer and publishes a column at the Nolan Chart.  The column seeks truth in the ecopolitical arena, with the primary goals of helping to bring the "War on Terror" to an end and a new dawn of Honest Money.  Jake is not a Populist Party member.  Visit Jake's website at http://www.nolanchart.com/author481.html

If you enjoyed this post, please make a donation to help keep this website active:

Click Here for the Free Populist Party Newsletter