Democrat or republican, you
have to ask yourself “What agenda has been persistently pushed in my generation
in the United States?”
Downsizing? Lower wage jobs? Trade deals that cause us to import more than
we export? Tax cuts for the rich? Economic
crisis? Aggressive foreign policy fueled
by an alleged war on “terror?” Punitive
laws against the lower social economic strata such as welfare reform? Increased criminalization? Class division? War?
These
policies have advanced despite whichever president during my adult lifetime,
starting with Ronald Reagan and his tax cuts for the rich and tripling the
deficit; continuing with George Bush the
1st’s Desert Storm and regime change wars amid increased deficit and
dwindling tax revenue because of
downsizing and corporations moving their manufacturing base overseas; William Clinton advanced FCC deregulation which
has caused a lot of divisiveness as evidenced by Fox News., He advanced criminalization,
and punitive welfare reform that has many people trapped in child support
arrears to this day as well as limited public assistance which, even though tax
money paid for it, people are forced to pay the money back. These policies continued in my lifetime
through the wars based on lies advocated by George Bush the 2nd,
perpetuated by Nobel Laureate Mr. Obama amid increasing deficit and debt
because of continued dwindling tax base, low paying jobs, and corporations allowed
to influence politicians in unprecedented ways.
Since the 80’s general economic and domestic US policy has been increased corporate profit; and stagnant and
decreasing wages. Some studies, quoted
by Mr. Sanders during his presidential primary run, say that we are making less
now than we did in 2000.
These
policies have advanced despite opposition from unions, social services, and
rank and file Americans.
These
policies have flourished while people have been distracted by mass killings,
acts of terror which are sometimes dubious, and cries to support our troops while
we cut the funding of their aftercare in Veterans Administration hospitals, and
even now, in an absurd turn, are asking some of them to return their enlistment
bonuses after putting them in harm’s way for almost two decades now.
I’m to the
point, in resisting the corporate agenda, that even as much as I like Marvel
comics, I may avoid seeing their movies because Disney is just another
oligarchic corporation who pays its workers peanuts.
Corporatism and the corporate agenda has ruled the US since the 80’s.
It’s always
been a presence.
It’s just
that politicians with integrity were able to resist it, or manage it for many a
year.
Now the
corporate agenda has gained confidence. And
it is a consumer of all things. It cares
for nothing more than profits for the few.
And everything is in play; anything is for sale. All is marketable. And if it takes a war to bring goods “to
market” then so be it.
Such is my generations legacy to date.
Such is the state of our U.S. political representation in 2016.
I stand
against it as I did in ‘92 with H. Ross Perot.
We have the
capacity to be a really influential country that raises the economic and social
standards of the world instead of bringing them down. By example.
By making tough choices to not get involved in every world issue. By cultivating our human capital at
home.
Corporatism,
which is another word for fascism, is a disease. And anyone in the western system is infected
with it, alienated by it, and sickened.
It is time
to stop feeding this disease by not feeding corporate politicians with our
votes. Not feeding corporate media with
our viewership. By not feeding corporate
retail outlets with our patronage.
These are
obviously difficult things since we are in a corporatized system.
And no one
man knows all the ways and means to weaken this disease.
But it’s a start. Becoming aware of the ways and means to stop
fueling the disease called corporatism is a good start. Becoming aware of the disease of corporatism
and its devastating effects is an even better start.
