Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand blast corporate elite for attacks on workers (VIDEO)
In what host Max Keiser called “a transatlantic meeting of minds” Hollywood star Alec Baldwin and outspoken British comedian Russell Brand attacked the global financial system and had a crack at the US and UK governments, which don’t serve the people.
The pair who were in a semi collaborative mood discussed the ills of global capitalism and the gradual dilution of democracy and people power.
Underpinning most of the discussion was the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
Alec Baldwin, who early in the show Brand refers to as “still quite dishy ”, kicks off on a serious note with another given, that banks and corporations in the US think they’re too big to fail and above the law.
“Wealthy people have put it up in neon: ‘Anyone who works hard is a chump, an idiot.’There’s no respect for workers, for union labor,” Baldwin said.
Russell Brand, who has been calling for revolution for a number of years now, jumps in on Keiser’s request and says why serious change is needed.
“Because of stuff like the TTIP, it’s preserving and preserving the rights of more and more elite bodies to operate above the law.”
Russell has just brought out a new book called Revolution where he argues that the poor are being shafted by the rich, the planet is being destroyed and it’s time to do something about it.
Keiser suggests that if TTIP goes through then the few communal services left that the Brits hold dear, particularly the NHS, will be dead.
Brand explains why something as terrible as the demise the NHS could happen.
“A great conjuring trick has been practiced upon us, the people of the Western world. We are told that within the political sphere no one has any real power, the Conservatives don’t offer an alternative, Labour doesn’t offer an alternative. None of us want the NHS dismantled, who is benefitting from it? Why can’t we get any purchase on that power? Power hasn’t just disappeared, it has become more elusive, it has become something that we can’t directly confront, what’s required is direct action,” implored the comedian.
Alec Baldwin kind of agrees but with a little less revolution.
“In the US people are so disenfranchised with democracy. They have no political power. The government gets elected and says we’re going to do whatever we’re going to do.They’ve transferred that Roman Coliseum connection to the tabloid media through thumbs up and thumbs down to public figures that has no political efficacy.”
And like a good many Americans Alec is more optimistic for the future than Russell and believes that “deep down they’re beginning to respond in some way and speak out in some way about this disconnect.” The cases of Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning may prove him to be right.
But on one thing Alec and Russell are absolutely hand in hand, and as Russell reminds us they have kissed each other before, at least in a film. Although Brand says he did for free whereas Alec says he needed “hazard pay”.
Alec asks if there was one thing you had to prioritize, give the leadership it needs and change it what would it be.
Russell goes for something social and immediate, which shows perhaps better than anything else, what’s happened to the UK over the last three decades.
“The biggest issue facing Londoners is housing. Normal folk can’t afford to live in London anymore. It’s becoming a playground for the superrich but already there are campaigns starting for people to claim back their homes.”
Alec Says it’s the same in New York and while banging the table for emphasis people can’t afford to live there. The US, government, he says, “is no longer in control of the situation”.
