Nestlé CEO Says Water Is Food That Should Be Privatized – Not A Human Right

reply to post by smyleegrl


Yup - or like Japan, pay-per-puff oxygen booths for a quick pick-me-up on those really toxic days. Nowadays everything costs $$$ - Mazlow's hierarchy of needs is sewn right up. Who cares about rights and constitutions when the corporate right to profit reigns supreme?



S&F&

Any water on private property belongs to the owner of that property. It really is that simple.

If someone walked into your house and took a bottle of water out of your fridge, wouldn't you consider that stealing? I certainly would. Water is just like any other good and property rights apply to it. Human rights never involve being able to take away things from other people - regardless of how much you may need it.

Having said that...that doesn't mean we can't share our resources with those in need. But people should do so by their own freewill and not by force of government.

We belong to the earth,not the opposite.. sigh,how far we've strayed

For anyone who's interested, here's Peter Brabeck-Lethmate's website blog and his most recent entry regarding this issue along with comments from the public:

The Water Challenge

He's attempting a lot of backpeddling and claiming that his message is getting taken out of context.

Here's a snippet:

From time to time on the internet a video clip from a TV programme made in 2005 about food is posted in which I am talking about whether water is a human right. It seems it has surfaced again, and people are using it to misrepresent my views on this important issue.

Let me be very clear about this again here on the blog, because I think the video clip, which took my views out of context, isn’t clear about the point I was trying to make. The water you need for survival is a human right, and must be made available to everyone, wherever they are, even if they cannot afford to pay for it.

However I do also believe that water has a value. People using the water piped into their home to irrigate their lawn, or wash their car, should bear the cost of the infrastructure needed to supply it.

A reader's comment:

I do pay for water infrastructure, through my taxes. And the city that I live in does depend on well water, and so we have lawn watering restrictions in the summer time.

But all of that is done through the government ... and poor people are not denied water just because they can't pay for it. That's the way it ought to be.

You are using a very poor argument to shore up the idea that water ought to be privatized ... the water belongs to people, not corporations, and to the extent that water needs to be rationed, it ought to be done through the government. Corporations should not make a profit on water!!

reply to post by TheHonestMan

Any water on private property belongs to the owner of that property. It really is that simple.

So when T. Boone Pickens sucked all the water out of the Great Plains Aquifer that irrigated the American Bread Basket and sold it for personal profit - that was okay? Even though it means the entire nation is now facing food shortages as a result?

Do you have a position on rain water? ...The corporation who owned the water in Cochabamba Peru made it illegal to even harvest rain water - people had to pay so much for water they couldn't afford food or rent. Do you think that's okay too?

Water has been characterized as the oil of the 21st century. Blue gold.

i think a lot of people in this thread are confusing paying for water with paying for the services that provide water
as i understand it you are not paying your municipality for the water but rather paying for the service that brings the water to you
the water is free
having it cleaned and brought to you is not


youre paying to maintain the infrastructure which is much different than paying for the water

Funny thing, this is already happening ya see. I pay a municipal water bill for the right to have water at my house. So you see we are already being charged for water. Not a new idea

Originally posted by CirqueDeTruth

You see, this is why people are so angry with the government.

I don't understand why people would be angry at the government when it is a capitalist who is suggesting this?

This has nothing to do with government.

Most things to do with the economy have nothing to do with the government. It's the capitalist economy that causes this. It's the capitalist economy that gave us the government we have. Capitalism is why we have to pay taxes. Capitalism is what gives people the ability to effect government action with their wealth. Capitalism is what gives one class of people authority over the rest of us. Capitalism is why we have the government we do.

Capitalism has not given you freedom, it took it away when the inclosure laws were enacted and we were no longer free to use the land to live off.

reply to post by sirhumperdink


Yes and no, you are paying the salaries of those who clean the water yes. But in this age where in suburbia it costs an arm and an ass to get the permits to dig a well (if youre even located next to one). One way or another, you are paying for the privilege to have water. Whether it is a utility or not. Whether it is a well service or not. In most modern towns water delivery needs a process, bottles or faucet it makes no difference.

In one way shape or form you are paying for the delivery of said water, hence it being a taxable commodity, thus not being free.

Originally posted by TheHonestMan
Any water on private property belongs to the owner of that property. It really is that simple.

If someone walked into your house and took a bottle of water out of your fridge, wouldn't you consider that stealing? I certainly would. Water is just like any other good and property rights apply to it. Human rights never involve being able to take away things from other people - regardless of how much you may need it.

Having said that...that doesn't mean we can't share our resources with those in need. But people should do so by their own freewill and not by force of government.

edit on 21-4-2013 by TheHonestMan because: (no reason given)

clearly someone here isnt familiar with eminent domain
(and while the laws of eminent domain may not be all that old the practices have existed since the dawn of civilization)
ownership is an abstract concept.... what you "own" one day you may not the next.....

as for rights..... first and foremost people have a right to live....and if those rights are denied by the actions of another regardless of what they may be..... they may defend that right

Originally posted by UncleBingo
reply to post by sirhumperdink

 

Yes and no, you are paying the salaries of those who clean the water yes. But in this age where in suburbia it costs an arm and an ass to get the permits to dig a well (if youre even located next to one). One way or another, you are paying for the privilege to have water. Whether it is a utility or not. Whether it is a well service or not. In most modern towns water delivery needs a process, bottles or faucet it makes no difference.

In one way shape or form you are paying for the delivery of said water, hence it being a taxable commodity, thus not being free.

again that logic fails
if you have the ability to go get the water yourself you are free to do so without charge (assuming you are not creating any kind of structure that requires a permit in which case you are paying for the structure regardless of its intended use)
and yes if you are using a service such as having water cleaned and pumped to you that service has to be paid for somehow in order to be maintained

this is still worlds apart from a privatized for profit system
how you can say it makes no difference is beyond me

if you pay someone to move your couch you are not paying them for the couch you are paying them for the service of transferring it from one location to another
this is far cheaper than buying a new couch which needs to be delivered regardless (and you will need to pay for that service as well whether it is a separate charge or included in the cost of the new couch)

you understand?

Originally posted by smyleegrl
reply to post by karmajayne

 

Next up: taxes on oxygen.

It's coming.

Its already here girl, ever buy a bag of chips......... lol
I heard they are coming out with cans of fresh air in china. www.foxnews.com...

If people see a way to make money off of something, they'll use it. But wow, water? The people who are behind this don't seem to think they aren't immune to bad fortune in the future. You're playing with fate in a big way when you start monopolizing this kind of resource.

It already is privatised and fluoridated in america! Why the suprise?

Don't people pay a water bill and sewage bill every month? Well unless you have your own source because you live in rural areas and have to depend on yourself to a large extent.

Either I am misunderstanding the context or the OP is.

Many things are human rights but you have to pay for them. Nothing is free.

Originally posted by soficrow
reply to post by TheHonestMan

 

Any water on private property belongs to the owner of that property. It really is that simple.

Do you have a position on rain water? ...The corporation who owned the water in Cochabamba Peru made it illegal to even harvest rain water - people had to pay so much for water they couldn't afford food or rent. Do you think that's okay too?

Water has been characterized as the oil of the 21st century. Blue gold.

Nope. That is a clear infringement on those individual's property rights. They should be allowed to collect all the rain water they want on their property. After doing that, they can do whatever they wish with the water.

Originally posted by ANOK

Originally posted by CirqueDeTruth

You see, this is why people are so angry with the government.

I don't understand why people would be angry at the government when it is a capitalist who is suggesting this?

This has nothing to do with government.

Most things to do with the economy have nothing to do with the government. It's the capitalist economy that causes this. It's the capitalist economy that gave us the government we have. Capitalism is why we have to pay taxes. Capitalism is what gives people the ability to effect government action with their wealth. Capitalism is what gives one class of people authority over the rest of us. Capitalism is why we have the government we do.

Capitalism has not given you freedom, it took it away when the inclosure laws were enacted and we were no longer free to use the land to live off.

Water is not free anywhere. I don't care if you live in a capitalist, socialist or communist country. Clean running water that is fluoridated and chlorinated, remove the sewage from it, requires labor and infrastructure. How the hell can it be free?

The only difference is that if the supply of water is a public company there is no profit motive. Just a cover the expense motive.

But of course you are of the anarchist mentality or libertarian socialist nonsense and would not understand!

reply to post by sirhumperdink


Eminent domain is a grave violation of property rights. Just because the government does it does not mean it is right and morally justifiable.

No one has a right to steal, even if their life is on the line. By your logic, a kidney transplant patient should be able to take someone else's kidney. Simply owning something is not an infringement on someone else's right to live. That's just nonsense talk.

This is why I don't like laws. And, I don't particularly like people who have the general belief that "if the law says so, its right. If you break the law, you're wrong."

Hello? Carbon taxes? We're being taxed to BREATHE?!

And now they're after water...

If they tax air, that's a profit. Everyone breathes. But they can't manage and distribute air. They can not control who breathes and who doesn't.

But water is different. Water is much more precious, because, unlike air, they can keep water from us. Water isn't readily available to everyone... not like air. You can smuggle air into your lungs without being taxed.

But water purification is a process that requites technology, therefore facilities FOR purification. These facilities have to be maintained and owned by someone.

Water, unlike air, can be controlled. That's why its more dangerous than air.

There may be a time when hoarding unregistered water will be a crime...

If they ever pass any stupid laws like this, remember; MAN'S LAW SUCKS! DON'T WORSHIP IT!



EDIT; Another thing I wanted to point out. Have any of you ATSers noticed how water is overlooked in our societies nowadays? Most people clamor for sodas or tea from the gas stations and fast food places. Especially this generation of children. Water seems to be treated like a last resort to everyone.

Water is perhaps the most important survival necessity that we have.

Its pretty sad that the sugared poisons, like soda or sweet tea, can be found almost anywhere and are usually overpriced, but water, the healthiest option for a drink and a necessity for all human life, usually goes anywhere from thirty cents to free.

Water is treated like crap.

If they ever try to control or take water from us, this overlooking of the importance of ordinary water will only make it easier for TPTB to take it from us... because most of us don't care about it anymore.

reply to post by TheHonestMan


thats a little different than hording resources for the sole purpose of increasing your leverage in trade or law wouldnt you agree?
and will soon be a non issue as lab grown organs become increasingly viable

Someone should make a list of their chocolate bars, i will seriously never buy another one of them again if this is true. Come to think of it, i should research which companies and products do business with Monsanto as well, though that is probably a big list.

The article does say former CEO, would b interested to know why he no longer works there but regardless it wouldn't surprise me if there were many other similar people in his kind of position that thought the same way. Pretty unbelievable and disgusting. The sense of entitlement of some of these people is at off the charts ridiculous levels. Water is necessary to live ffs. What happens when it rains? Can you get sued for leaving buckets outside on the ground? It's almost like satire to me, something you'd see in Monty Python or Mr. Show but it's actually real, which is unreal to me like a lot of things in this day and age are.

They literally value profit over human life. But if you've seen the documentary 'The Corporation' there is towards the end a very inspiring story about how people in South America somewhere won a battle against a corporation trying to privatize water.

Here is another documentary i found that looks interesting so far.