They tell us that the homeless in Toronto will benefit from the new housing provided for the Olympics. It will benefit union organizers who can hold the Olympics hostage to work delays, and contractors who can charge excessive amounts for minor alterations. It will benefit the cops who get to demand extravagant new funding of helicopters and anti-terrorist programs and equipment and who, afterwards, will never, ever downsize because the cops never ever announce that crime has gone down and therefore, less of us are needed. So perhaps it is appropriate, after all, that the Olympics go to China. Beijing, we are told, wants them very badly.
China wants to show the world that it is a modern, efficient, and important country.
To ensure that the world gets the right impression, they are sure to lock up all the dissidents long before a single shot-putter lifts a single steel ball. The logic of the Olympic Organizing Committee is that China should be invited to engage itself with the rest of the world. It should be given an opportunity to experience first hand the delights and rewards of crass consumerism. It should share in the spoils of commercial exploitation and greed. All those aging intolerant dictatorial communist officials will immediately perceive the error of their ways and invite MacDonald's to open several franchises.