Okay, I'm not looking at this from a political standpoint at the moment, I'm looking at this from a 'hey, Shadowrun!' standpoint.
Corporate Coup
Relevant Parts:
In the case of an economic crisis, the governor has the authority to authorize the emergency manager—this is somebody who would be appointed—to reject, modify or terminate the terms of an existing contract or collective bargaining agreement, authorize the emergency manager for a municipal government. Towns, municipalities across the state—to disincorporate. So, an appointed official with the ability to dissolve an elected body, when they want to.
It says specifically, “or dissolve the municipal government.” So we’ve seen this happening with school boards, saying, “OK, this is a failing school board. We’re taking over. We’re dissolving it. We’re canceling the contracts.” …So it starts with the school boards, and then it’s whole towns, whole cities, that could be subject to just being dissolved because there’s an economic crisis breaking collective bargaining agreements. It also specifies that—this bill specifies that an emergency manager can be an individual or a firm. So, the person who would be put in charge of this so-called failing town or municipality could actually be a corporation.
A company takes over. So, they have created, if this passes, the possibility for privatization of a whole town by fiat. And this is actually a trend in the contracting out of public services, where you do now have whole towns, like Sandy Springs in Georgia, run by private companies. It’s very lucrative. Why not? You start with just the water contract or the electricity contract, but eventually, why not privatize the whole town?
Doesn't that sound Shadowrunny, or what?
Full Version: Corporate Cities?
Delta City anyone?
Tell me about it.
"Oh, we're in debt. We're handing the city over to this company."
So... this is how megacorps started.
"Oh, we're in debt. We're handing the city over to this company."
So... this is how megacorps started.
No, that's how Company Towns get started.
*Sings in the key of off*: "Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go; I owe my soul to the company store"
Sixteen Tons, Merle Travis or George S. Davis. There's some debate on who wrote it.
*Sings in the key of off*: "Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go; I owe my soul to the company store"
Sixteen Tons, Merle Travis or George S. Davis. There's some debate on who wrote it.
QUOTE (Tashiro @ Mar 10 2011, 05:31 PM) 
"Oh, we're in debt. We're handing the city over to this company."
So... this is how megacorps started.
More or less as SR background has it started in the Neo-Anarchist Guide to North America, except in another state. So... this is how megacorps started.
QUOTE
Now, realize that back then the ole U.S.A. still hadn't fallen to ruin. The Shiawase decision was still young, and no one had really taken that long, hard look down the tracks to see what was coming. By agreeing to help rebuild the NY infrastructure and pump billions into the local economy in the process, the consortium, or Manhattan Inc. as it was sometimes known, would be helping to maintain the stability of the region, and therefore, the county. What they would ultimately be doing, however, is breaking the back of government.
In exchange for the billions in corporate aid, Congress passed legislation deregulating most industries, restructured the corporate tax base and regulations, shifted the balance of fees, tariffs, and duties, and generally gave the corps a free ride. It's true they planned to impose some temporal limitations. Once NY and the local/national economy were again on firmer ground, Congress would revoke the privileges granted the corps. They miscalculated seriously, however. [...] By the time NY was back on its feet, and the Northeast with it, the corps were running the show. The economy of the country (now the UCAS) was drek and the corps were the only thing holding it together. They rebuilt New York, and bought themselves a country.
In exchange for the billions in corporate aid, Congress passed legislation deregulating most industries, restructured the corporate tax base and regulations, shifted the balance of fees, tariffs, and duties, and generally gave the corps a free ride. It's true they planned to impose some temporal limitations. Once NY and the local/national economy were again on firmer ground, Congress would revoke the privileges granted the corps. They miscalculated seriously, however. [...] By the time NY was back on its feet, and the Northeast with it, the corps were running the show. The economy of the country (now the UCAS) was drek and the corps were the only thing holding it together. They rebuilt New York, and bought themselves a country.
"You aren't the first politician I've bought. You weren't even the most expensive." - Leverage.
I always found it a bit amusing that people complain how much money they pay to the government or that the elites of academia are colluding to pull the wool over everyones eyes, but give coporations a free pass even though they have a greater vested interest in doing both of the above. The only thing keeping me from a rant is that my girlfriend left a menu from a local salon on my home office desk, and "brazilian wax" is circled 
. Can't be think too much about these things and keep your sanity.
. Can't be think too much about these things and keep your sanity.
All part of the corporate brainwashing that went into making sure there'd be lots of happy, docile factory workers.
Not to mention that Aztechnology isn't the only company around that mitigates bad news with super new products and promotions of their newest donations to $CharityoftheWeek.
Not to mention that Aztechnology isn't the only company around that mitigates bad news with super new products and promotions of their newest donations to $CharityoftheWeek.
QUOTE (CanRay @ Mar 10 2011, 01:15 PM)
Delta City anyone?
And soon we'll have a robocop statue as well. Sounds like its goin that way.
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