The U.S. supports states for hegemonic reasons of power and dominance, not for the lofty reasons of democracy, freedom and humanitarianism that it spreads in order to soothe the public and editorial writers. In Ukraine, for example, the U.S. is supporting a government that is attacking its own people in force in eastern Ukraine. And this same government catalyzed the breakaway movement itself, both through dislodging the previous government by force, as stimulated by the U.S., and then by promulgating edicts against the Russian language.

The notion that the new government would adopt enlightened free market policies and improve Ukraine’s economy is contradicted by its new tax code. The government of Ukraine has just instituted a new tax code that raises taxes sharply on natural gas producers. This surely discourages the attraction of capital to that industry, long thought to be a critical factor in Ukraine’s economic problems. This tax makes oil and mining energy sources more attractive, benefiting crony oil magnates who lobbied for raising the tax on gas.

All governments are the same in being the vehicles or receptacles of special interests.

The Best of Michael S. Rozeff