• CloutAtlas [he/him]@hexbear.net
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    46
    ·
    1 year ago

    Yeah it’s better that government officials get paid millions of tax money annually, that’s definitely more communist when officials can have private jets and have Foie Gras & Caviar smoothies for breakfast

    • Barabas [he/him]@hexbear.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      33
      ·
      1 year ago

      Gotta give them money so they can’t be easily corrupted.

      What is that? They still get money from lobbyists? I’m sure it is just because they are swell people who businesses just want to support financially without any hooks attached.

      Also, don’t pay any attention to the ridiculous amounts of insider trading and politicians who become lobbyists when they quit politics. That is also just a coinkydink.

    • N1cknamed
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Don’t confuse me for an American. My government gets paid a fair wage and is among the least corrupt in the world.

      • CloutAtlas [he/him]@hexbear.net
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        34
        ·
        1 year ago

        If you’re Dutch, didn’t Lockheed Martin get away with bribing one of your politicians and they got away Scot free? Was their income not high enough?

        • N1cknamed
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          You mean 60 years ago? Sorry, I wasn’t born yet. Is that the most recent example you could find?

          Edit: still no one has been able to come up with anything better

          • CloutAtlas [he/him]@hexbear.net
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            23
            ·
            1 year ago

            I mean there is also the whole monarchy thing, isn’t that just legalised corruption for one family?

            Why didn’t you guys try the Robespierre or Lenin method? Are you stupid?

            • N1cknamed
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              Okay? Why should I care what my ancestors were doing 200 years ago? Do you believe you should be held accountable for the actions of yours? I don’t hold a grudge against my German friends for WW2 either.

              • Zodiark [he/him]@hexbear.net
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                23
                ·
                edit-2
                1 year ago

                Because the antecedents and foundation of the Dutch, and to a larger extent, Europe and US/Canada’s economic and productive foundations were built on the exploitation and ruination of the colonies of people throughout the world. The wealth and comfort that Europe/US/CAN (the West) finds itself in is not from idealistic platitudes, false remorse, diligent government reform, and communal goals. The roots of the material luxuries and possibilities states like NL benefit from are from the exploitation. Distant past and persistent present. Your nations stole that wealth, benefitted from it, and believe you maintain that living standard because Europe is simply better.

                The “garden” is harvesting its fruits from the “jungle”. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/r1OzGUuPztw

                All that happened with the end of those imperial and colonial periods, and after WWII, was that those imperial nations refined, modified, and sophisticated new tools of financial control and exploitation. Europe has the benefit of having the US enforce that capital hegemony with overwhelming and genocidal violence and covert, proxy financing and warfare.

                Your countries aren’t magic nor are their revenues clean. It’s just blood money you’re drowning in.

                Lahooo-ha-ser

                • N1cknamed
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  ·
                  1 year ago

                  Easy to point to those who invaded your country many centuries ago and blame them for everything wrong with it. You have enjoyed independence for many decades. Maybe time to look inward and fix your own problems instead of playing right into your dictator leaders hands by blaming it all on us. Or you can continue to whine about the west online while not changing anything.

                  • duderium [he/him]@hexbear.net
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    11
                    ·
                    edit-2
                    1 year ago

                    You have enjoyed independence for many decades.

                    Have you heard of neocolonialism?

                    This, my friends, is an example of the problem of global dutchification. We must combat the Geert Wildersizing of the world.