Ratepayers powerless

To understand capitalist corporations today – and the Spokesman-Review’s condescendingly elitist perspective – read the July 3 headline: “Ratepayers feeling powerless.” I’m sorry, S-R. Ratepayers are powerless.

The article fails to provide a detailed history of Avista’s monopolistic rate hikes, which Utilities and Transportation Commission “regulators” almost always approve. Meanwhile, following the online article, Avista’s corporate flak, aka “Dan_at_Avista”, whose comments now number 134, ridiculed critical commenters and ratepayers.

Of course, Avista’s whining about needing to replace 50-year-old equipment goes unquestioned by the intrepid S-R reporter. Why haven’t Avista’s mega-millions in profits over the years produced such infrastructural investment? Hyper-capitalist economist Milton Friedman provided the explanation and this country’s true mantra, i.e., “the social responsibility of business is profit,” which has superseded “In God we trust.”

Profit indeed. At all cost.

Truth is, Avista’s corporate bosses are doing very well, thank you. The rest is corporate propaganda, slick wild west snake oil sales pitches and champagne corks flying off the walls over corporate earnings reports.

The U.S. populace needs to understand: Under capitalism, you are nothing but a source of profit. Your economic suffering is your problem. The solution? Organize and fight back!

David A Brookbank Jr.

Greenacres