David Frum’s Kleptocracts

David Frum’s Kleptocracts

In a recent Atlantic article expatriate Canadian David Frum noted, without irony; that American democracy under Donald Trump will radically deteriorate under increased pressure from kleptocratic and autocratic business forces. Apparently, the neocon klepocracy of the Bush era operated within acceptable limits for Frum; noted for sanitizing the activities of ruthless plutocrats like Dick Cheney whose Haliburton Corporation milked the Iraqi quagmire with perfect legality. While Frum was ghost-writing speeches for George W, Bush,”…the richest Americans”…, according to Oliver Stone,”…continued to plunder the national wealth. Bush and Cheney did everything they could to facilitate the effort, knowing the consequences full well.” 

Concerning kleptocracts, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent $347 million Bombardier “loan” signals that Trudeau Jr. understands the difference between good and bad socialism. Good when he recognizes his duty to redistributes public wealth to profitable companies and bad when it concerns matters like a national prescription drug plan.

Corporate Canada continues to enjoy both federal and provincial subsidy regimes in spite of record profits, cash surpluses and ever-lower tax rates. Part of the reason is the intimate relationship between business and senior politicians. For example, former Harper ministers Jim Prentiss and John Baird instantly converted their platinum rolodexes into lucrative corporate work minus the “cooling off” period required of lesser bureaucrats. Undoubtedly, Trudeau’s inner council eagerly await their just desserts.

Morgan Duchesney is an Ottawa writer whose political column appears monthly in the Victoria Standard.