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

Originally posted by FlyInTheOintment
In case it hasn't been made clear previously, in the UK we don't pay for our water,

Effectively we do what ever way you look at it!

reply to post by karmajayne


Do these d-bags really think that they are THAT beyond justice?

I'd like to see them try to privatize water in the U.S.A. No, really. I think that the heads of the enforcers on pikes is just what these corporate monsters (and other would-be enforcers) need to see. Remember what happened a few years ago in El Salvador. The locals weren't having any of that nonsense. They beat and stripped the enforcers and sent them packing. Honestly I think that was far too lenient a punishment for someone who would sell their own mother for a few pesos. Just TRY to make me pay for water or air, and see what you'll get.

If you recieve water in your house, provided by the state or county Government - then you are already paying for it with water bills and taxes.

That "free" water at the shopping mall? Paid for by the mall itself.
That "free" water you get at a restaurant or bar? Coutersy of the owner.

The water you are "entitled" to, that is truly free is rain water, and any well water you can manage to get on your own property - assuming you can get the county permits to dig a freaking well.

Theres an old axiom that goes like this - "There is nothing that private industry can't accomplish faster, cheaper and generally better than Government".

So why not? Allow our Government to REGULATE (ie., Oversight) because that is what Government is for.
Just throwing it out there -

Originally posted by kaoticf8
Isnt it like that in england, i think either you're not allowed to collect water or not allowed to have rainwater tanks to collect it, something along those lines, either way its not allowed because well it rains there pretty much every day doesnt it so i guess they'd never get any income from water bills would they haha.
But yeah how stupid is that see some kid outside playing in the rain with his mouth open be it probably acid rain, but see a cop pull up and arrest him because he's stealing water and not paying for it >.< we can laugh now but im sure it'll happen soon.

Wrong on both counts I'm afraid...

reply to post by Akragon

This.

Folks, food and healthcare aren't human rights, yet. So why should water be?

Everything costs money. Even the public fountains.

BUT I'll agree that privatizing anything changes the dynamics. There's the possibility that humans have an innate drive to monopolize and if it's not checked then it runs rampant. Similarly, we will exploit a resource until none is left. These're some of the major reasons we need to police ourselves. Things have to be done as a community at some point or we will suffer more? To argue otherwise is to say that individuals can know better than the community. Now, in some rare cases, this might be true. Einstein might be a case study. But I think in most cases it's the community that knows more than the individual. So consequently, we have to coordinate our efforts to get the best results.

I think there needs to be some freedom on the individual level because sometimes the community is wrong. I also think that diversity is a good defense against de-evolution. According to the theory of evolution, variance is the reason we're here at all. Without variance there would not have been large changes in the course of the evolution of life on earth. What's variance? Variance is the separation between life-forms either by sea or mountain or other impenetrable boundaries. This forces the life-forms to be isolated and to be more diverse. Since they're different across regions of the planet, they will also respond differently to problems. Some of them will die to a certain problem while others won't. This is the value of diversity. It gives us a natural defense against threats.

I believe we need some variance on all scales, even down to the smallest lifeforms.

Thus, I don't believe in perfect ONENESS. It's impossible to know everything in this universe, so oneness isn't achievable. Quantum fluctuations and the lightspeed constraint are examples. If oneness was achievable then there'd be no need for variance for survival purposes. There'll always be a need for individual and/or species discretion. Limited oneness might be possible. I think some ppl desire oneness because of their early childhood when they were cared for by their parents. The idea of a cruel and separated universe terrifies them. They desire the simplicity of their early childhood.

I believe that's why in the bible God is referenced as a father. It was coincidental, probably. Nonetheless, it satisfies people who desire that sense of security they received in early childhood. This is not just any daddy, anyway. This is the daddy of the universe. He can't overlook you.

Seamus:

I'd like to see them try to privatize water in the U.S.A.

A lot of the US water is already in private non-American hands, privatised to French and English companies, Suez, Vivendi Universal (both french), and RWE (English).

www.serconline.org...

What a #!

I sincerely hope/pray/want/need this specific individual to be slowly crushed to death over a few weeks so we can extract the water from it, drink the water and then piss it back on the corpse. There is nothing more deserving for a hateful sub-human!

Who the hell do these people think they are?

Seriously - a bit of money (which is not ACTUAL power by the way) and they think they can call shots for mankind?

I hope it happens! Then we'll see who's laughing when the entire planet takes up arms and burn Nestle to the ground!



~ CrzayFool

Originally posted by moonweed
that's it...enough of the corporate elitist bs.....clowns like this deserve to be shot, hung, and baked to a crisp for
the scavengers that subscribe to this line of crap to feed off of.

But heaven forbid there would be any regulation on 'free enterprise'.

And all of every argument comes back to the main issue at hand: depopulation.

Well, Well water is FREE, but kind of costly to maintain as well, tastes great! and at the
same time, normal city water is expensive as well, to maintain. Basically something has to give.

Water is being charged anyway, even to your house, that they route it too, and the upkeep
of them having to purify it, making it drinkable. Nothing really isnt free in life anymore.
Be glad "air" is free for the moment, until they start filtering out the poisonous gas's
and smoke, fumes other toxic properties that might lurk in our air .

This is the same as notions of "free" health care or having a "right" to food.

I know I've worked hard and spent 10's of 1000's of dollars AND hours over a period of years turning my (heh rental) property into a mobile perennial food forest. Should everyone that walks by have the RIGHT to reach over the fence and grab my edible goodies? Should they be able to load up some potted plants into their vehicles and drive off? What's the difference really? In another angle, how can I possibly be forced to perform such work for others? Then, can this concept possibly be scaled up to meet industry needs?

Originally posted by smyleegrl
reply to post by karmajayne

 

Next up: taxes on oxygen.

It's coming.

You should read the Ben Elton book, 'Gasping'. It's an insight into what's coming, with humour. Why just privatise water? Air is just as important an asset, and why should poor people get it free, when those of us who can afford it could pay for it...

reply to post by Watcher26


What are the costs of delivering oxygen to a population?

reply to post by karmajayne


People like that should be imprisoned. If they privatize water I think a whole lot of angry people will de-privatize those owners.

Originally posted by smyleegrl
reply to post by karmajayne

 

Next up: taxes on oxygen.

It's coming.

The Lorax

Originally posted by XLR8R
reply to post by karmajayne

 

If they privatize water I think a whole lot of angry people will de-privatize those owners.

At least HOPEFULLY.
I'm down.

Originally posted by wmd_2008

Originally posted by nenothtu
reply to post by karmajayne

 

I daresay that a sizeable portion of the ATS readership are urbanites. As urbanites, if you really believe water is some sort of "human right", then put your money where your mouth is. Instead of sending a check for the water bill next month, just send a note saying "water is my right as a human." Let's see how long it takes for your "rights" to stop dripping out of the tap.

For my part, since I am NOT an urbanite, any "businessmen" who come to attempt to "manage" my "resources" will be found at the end of the drive, hanging from their neckties in the tree there. You can pick them back up from that collection point.

Don't whine about your "rights" unless you are prepared to enforce them.

Guess what the water arrives at my house through a system of pipes after being cleaned and made safe to drink, do I own the purification system, do I own the pipes NO, have we always paid for CLEAN drinking water if you live in a town or city YES, if you live in the back of beyond with a nice freshwater stream going by possibly not!

It is of course your right to place your own survival in the hands of others, and live at their mercy. Most urbanites do exactly that. I've lived in places where they have already made it illegal to have your own water source, and by law you must be jacked into their system. You'll note I said "have lived", and do not any more. It seems the height of insanity to live like that, but if that's your thing, have at it and more power to you.

It's not my way, but whatever works for you.

Note: don't trust the "nice freshwater streams". They can become contaminated for any variety of reasons, or get diverted, and there you are, thirsty or doubled over grabbing your guts. Go for the source, get it where it comes out of the ground. There have always been springs, and now they have these newfangled contraptions called "wells". Look into it, and you too can live in spite of whoever else thinks they can control you by controlling YOUR "resources".

I don't fear for the survival of humanity, but I do question the viability of large parts of it.

Using this psychopaths logic we can say that oxygen is not a human right, despite us requiring it to survive. Get ready to stockpile oxygen tanks people. Ok yeah that is extreme but oxygen is as vital as water, without either we can't exist.

Originally posted by zeeon

The water you are "entitled" to, that is truly free is rain water,

Some localities (Greensboro, NC, comes to immediate mind) tax you on the rain water that falls on your property. Even rain is not free there any more.

and any well water you can manage to get on your own property - assuming you can get the county permits to dig a freaking well.

Some localities (High Point, NC, comes to immediate mind) not only will not allow you to dig a well, but require you to fill in any wells already present, and jack into the municipal water system, and pay the fees or go thirsty.

So why not? Allow our Government to REGULATE (ie., Oversight) because that is what Government is for.
Just throwing it out there -

OR - and here's a revolutionary notion - they could just keep their furry mitts off of my water, and let me handle it on my own, without intervention of EITHER state or corporation!

What a concept!

Originally posted by zeeon
If you recieve water in your house, provided by the state or county Government - then you are already paying for it with water bills and taxes.

That "free" water at the shopping mall? Paid for by the mall itself.
That "free" water you get at a restaurant or bar? Coutersy of the owner.

The water you are "entitled" to, that is truly free is rain water, and any well water you can manage to get on your own property - assuming you can get the county permits to dig a freaking well.

All good points but they miss something important. Water is a human right, if you privatise it entirely then all water, including rain water is private because it falls over land which supplies the aquifers that we get our water from. It also means that rivers and the like no longer have protection because they will be private so can be bled dry. Further if remote communities want to maintain access to decent supplies they will end up paying a great deal more.

So you have rain collection becoming illegal (it's already happened check the news), damage to river systems and generally poorer quality as the industry will influence government to reduce standards. At least government can enforce certain standards without corporate influence.

Originally posted by zeeon
Theres an old axiom that goes like this - "There is nothing that private industry can't accomplish faster, cheaper and generally better than Government".

So why not? Allow our Government to REGULATE (ie., Oversight) because that is what Government is for.
Just throwing it out there -

I would encourage you to look at the health systems of countries that have private and public healthcare. Public systems tend to provide equal outcomes for a greatly reduced price. The reason for this is simple, they can operate as non profit entities. A private company will automatically cost more as they require profit and any company aiming for profit follows a simple mantra, provide the minimal service for maximum amounts of money. This is why drug costs are so greatly inflated in the USA compared to the UK.

So yeah, keep water as a basic human right because otherwise you are essentially condemning people to death. That should be the clearest reason. You can survive without electricity, without heating, even without a home. But without water you are a dead man/woman.