RICH MAN, POOR MAN

Satur Sulit

it is government’s work
to make wealthy the nation
the rich who control it
are to blame for the failure

the poor are not poor
because they gamble or drink
or have too many children
or are indolent as they say

the rich are not rich because
they don’t take risks, don’t indulge
or intercourse less
or work harder for their pay

the poor are poor because
the rich do not believe
what democracy claims
that the poor deserve the same

the rich keep them poor
because they are afraid
that the poor will outwit them
and show them the door

the poor are poor because
the rich are, well, dumb
and haven’t the faintest
how a country is run

the rich are rich
not because they deserve it
but are trapped by their money
and there is justice in this:

the poor are poor only
in what money can buy
but richer than rich
in the graces of paradise

it is truly the poor
who inherit the earth
while all money can buy
is a holiday there.

iran’s edsa moments

tulad ni reynz over at barrio siete, i’m impressed and overwhelmed by the sight of tehran’s streets teeming with protesting citizens, in the tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, and talaga naman, nakaka-wonder if this is iran’s EDSA moment, sabay merong touch of inggit, kasi, wow, we havent been able to raise such a crowd since edsa 1986 (i don’t know that edsa 2001, a poor sad crass imitation, drew as huge a sea of humanity).

but as the days go by, sa kakabasa at kakarinig ng tungkol sa sitwasyon sa iran, it’s looking more like a prospective tienanmen than an EDSA.   sana hindi.   but unlike EDSA, there is no split in the military, hardline authoritarianism rules, and soldiers seem prepared to shoot and kill if when ordered.   already there’s been some bloodshed but thank god not too much, not like tienanmen, not when the world is watching, thanks to the internet and tehran’s brave bloggers and tweeters.

for the latest news, i’ve been checking out huffington daily post where nico pitney is live-blogging the uprising.    ang daming nangyayari.   the street protests continue, the ayatollah will again address the nation on friday, and opposition leader mousavi threatens national strikes.

5:03 AM ET — Khamenei to deliver another address on Friday. That news comes via a very reliable Iranian on Twitter, who cites Iran’s state television. The same Twitter user also wrote earlier today about apparent plans for a broad strike being organized by reformists:

“Soon Mousavi will announce full national strikes, probably starting with Petrochemical – prepare for this… Expect food shortage – transport stoppage – money shortage in bank… Gov will respond with electric power cuts – prepare and have gas cylinders at home or gasoline for light/cooking… People of Iran – THIS IS THE DAWN – This is the new begining – have hope and prepare.”

biglang, uy, national strikes, just like cory’s civil disobedience campaign right after marcos was declared winner of the snap elections.   i wonder, will it get to that, or will the ayatollah blink and bend some to prevent the crisis from worsening.   whichever way it goes, nakaka-tense na nakaka-thrill, watching history in the making.   again, naunahan lang ako ni reynz.

… I cannot contain my apprehensive excitement, I have been glued to the monitor on my computer scanning every available news coming from Iran. Sometimes it makes me wonder if what’s going on in Iran is a prelude to what’s going to happen come 2010 Presidential Elections in the Philippines.

what’s going on in iran is certainly worth watching and learning from, so we know what our options are, not only in 2010, in case there’s also a failure of elections, but next month as well, in case gma  bestows a kiss on PALAKA and the lower house transforms into acon-ass.    maghanda tayo.   at humanda sila!

STATE OF THE NATION

Satur Sulit
(2009)

We are missing the point, I fear
going around in circles
we are at systems failure
but we act as if we weren’t
it is a failure of government
our democracy does not work.

we prolong our agonies
teaching an old horse
or whipping a dead one
how stupid must things get?
before we scream, “Enough!
it does not work!”

the poor have long known it
they’ve been poor long enough
they rely on no government
and go their own way
poor maybe in the things of the rich are they
but richer in life in their own way.

they’ll have none of the speeches
it’s all been said before
just the people with the money
fighting over the spoils
the poor are too busy making ends meet
life without money keeps them on their feet.

all government is in the breach
it serves only its own
the poor are a statistic, unfortunate but heck
the rich own the government
a law unto their own
the constitution a traffic light, run it if you can.

nothing operates according to law
only the parts that are meant for show
the rest is sleight of hand now we see it now we don’t
–how do they do that?
get around laws, get away?
the answer is simple, they invented it that way.

constitutional anarchy is the name of the game
the secret is in the fine print
the hidden meanings and obscure legalities
what is apparent does not apply, the opposite is true
who has power is exempted
only the poor must do.

they pretend it is government
but we know better, we do
countries with governments become rich, not the few
they pretend it is democracy
but we know better, we do
countries with democracy hold elections that are true.

we don’t expect more
this government we know
it was created by empires, dictators, and gold
all the lawful protections
they provide us are clearly
for the ruthless and greedy to govern us freely.

change the charter! is their constant refrain
but it is only false hope
they have no idea how to make things work
it is only a script
read closely, you’ll see
the rulers will still rule, but beware, with more teeth!

Ay, who can we turn to?
what can we do? I say
Dissolve the government, in our minds it eschew
it does not exist
it is only a deceit
only a bad dream, Awake, and it disappears!

We are anarchy, behold!
the best in the world
the failure of government to have and to hold
anarchy is our way
it is nature’s own way
‘tis what saves the day when empires lose sway!

showdown 2010

grabe.   sa halip na mapaghandaan natin nang maayos ang 2010 elections, lalo tayong nagaaway-away over issues that could have been put off naman, sa totoo lang, until after we would have elected na a new president with a clear mandate.    manolo quezon is right, gma is Outflanking her enemies.

… we are seeing a dizzying number of possibilities raised, knocked down, revived, shelved, or what have you; the essentials, however, have been identified -primarily, an election in 2010- while everyone is still kept guessing, so that the resources of the enemy are dissipated while that of the administration is more cohesive; the military and police have been kept fat and well-groomed, the hierarchy remains divided, and everything is geared for resolution in the Supreme Court.

I know many people, both among her admirers and her critics, strongly believe the President’s bottom line is simple: she does not want to be disgraced by going to jail, and she wants to complete her term. I do believe that her stay in office has also convinced her that God put her in power to kick the country into shape. Therefore to be convinced of failure when it comes to the former, will only inspire her to pursue staying in power, as her self-preservation, to her mind, becomes a case of national survival, too.

So all options must remain on the table for the duration, if only to keep everyone guessing. It helps distract her leading opponents, but also, helps keep her supporters tractable.

and even if, in the end, gma gives  it up, and by some stroke of luck the opposition unites behind one presidential candidate, things can still go wrong in 2010.

JPE warns of chaos in 2010
Next president to find govt coffers empty
By Rhaydz B. Barcia, Manila Times Correspondent

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay: Failure of the computerized elections in 2010 would cause “chaos” but, if the polls succeeded, the winner would find the government coffers “empty,” Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said over the weekend.

“I would like to urge the people through the [people of Legazpi City] to be very, very careful in this coming election of the leaders who will handle the Philippines in 2010 and beyond,” he said.

“I would like to tell you that we’re facing a critical period in our history. The elections in 2010 are very critical because, for the first time in our political history, we are going to change the manner of [conducting the] elections,” Enrile added, referring to the fully automated polls next year. He spoke during a program here marking the 50th anniversary of the city.

Enrile expressed fears that the electronic voting could go haywire.

“We’re going to use machines to record and count the votes, [when in the past] we were using human beings or teachers,” he said. “What will happen if the machines break down? What do you think will happen to our country? This country will be in a total chaos, there will be no government or leaders, no soldiers, no policemen, no Supreme Court. What will happen to our country? It will be the rule of the strongest among us. I hope that will not happen.”

Empty coffers

Enrile added that the successor of President Gloria Arroyo would discover that the government was broke.

“If President Arroyo, an economist, a very intelligent woman and a very determined person [has been able to] run the government despite the opposition and the obstacles that have been placed before her [but still] could not manage the nation as we want it to be, how much more the next President [who] will be confronted with so many problems and [who will be expected to] unify a fragmented force? How could he or she do it when the country’s coffers are empty?” he said.

and he goes on:

“So, if we want clean governance, it should begin at the kitchen of Malacañang because one of the [problems] in the country is corruption and if you clean up your backyard, the rest [stamping out of the other problems] will follow,” Enrile added.

what does enrile mean?   that there is time to oust gma and her corrupt ways before 2010?   is he advocating extra-constitutional action a la EDSA?    is ping lacson’s call for civil disobedience, for a tax revolt, vs charter change a meaningless coincidence?   because in february ’86 it was cory’s civil disobedience campaign and economic boycott which coryistas took up that paved the way for EDSA.   is it possible that enrile and lacson are on the same page these days?   can honasan and lacson, former classmates, batchmates, pma ’71, finally be on the same page too?   nakakaintriga.

or is enrile just saying that we need to elect a president in 2010 who is without a taint of corruption?   but wait, here’s more from him, about drawing inspiration from the china experience.

According to him, China used to be the doormat of the world but later became an emerging superpower through the will of the government and the people.

Enrile said that the Chinese had told him that their determination and that of their leaders brought about a modern China free from domination of other countries. The same resolve, he added, could see China outshining the United States.

“I will tell you, in this decade [China] will overtake America. China will become the superpower of the world, because [it has] prepared [itself for that role],” Enrile said.

He allowed, though, that China’s ascendancy entailed economic and political costs. Still, Enrile said, the price the Chinese people paid went to “freedom.”

“True enough, [the Chinese] government is a little bit rigid compared to our government, and I’m not trying to say [that we] adapt the [Chinese] system but, nonetheless, we must work together as a people in order to bring progress and to make our country really free,” he added.

Enrile’s visit to Legazpi City coincided with celebrations there commemorating the 111th anniversary of the proclamation of independence.

He said that his wish for the occasion was to see the country attain economic freedom and freedom from poverty.

hmm.   will of the government and the people.   determination.   resolve.   progress.   freedom from poverty.   freedom from domination of other countries.   but with economic and political costs.   paying the price for “freedom” . . . . sounds like a political platform.   who’s the candidate kaya.   siya mismo?    sana hindi.

erap is right, there’s no hope of beating gma’s annointed in 2010 unless the opposition gets behind a single ticket.   maybe enrile can be a uniting force.    maybe the presidentiables will listen to him.   sana he can inspire them to rise above self-interests for the sake of the country.   sana together they can arrive at a consensus, agree on a platform and a ticket that would have a fighting chance against gma’s money and machinery.   then 2010 might be worth dying for.