reclaiming our government from corporate America . . .

[OneBlueSky]

may be our most effective approach to getting rid of BushCo . . . the Bush administration is government of, by, and for corporations . . . it's the corporations who . . .

- get the welfare;
- profit from war and disaster;
- avoid taxes by moving offshore (with no consequences);
- price gouge at every opportunity (and with impunity);
- send American jobs overseas (also with no consequences);
- pollute and destroy the environment both here and abroad;
- dictate foreign policy;
- write environmental, tax, banking, and most other legislation; and
- tell our representatives and senators how to vote.

corporations get all of the benefits, yet have none of the responsibility . . . the "defense" industry makes its fortune when we destroy Iraq, and Halliburton and Bechtel make their fortunes when we pretend to rebuild it . . . oil industry profits have been setting records since Bush took office, and recent events will undoubtedly send their numbers soaring again next quarter . . . corporate CEO salaries and benefits become more obscene every year . . . good "liberal" and "progressive" congressmen and senators vote for industry-written legislation like bankruptcy "reform" and the energy bill, while the investment industry continues to push for Social Security "reform" that will enrich them at our expense . . . the list goes on and on and on . . .

maybe we need to reframe our arguments around the theme of ending corporate control of our government and returning it to us, the people . . . here's one group working on just that angle . . .

http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org/

on edit: it should also be noted that, as institutions, corporations have no conscience -- a particularly dangerous reality considering their power and control . . . corporations have absolutely no compunction about destroying the environment or bankrupting both the nation and its people in pursuit of their bottom line . . .

further, we can't forget to mention that corporate America controls ALL national media, which has essentially become the house organ for BushCo and the corporate oligarchy . . .

[blondeatlast]

1. Amen to that. Corporatism is the biggest threat to democracy there is.

The site looks promising. Bookmarked. Thanks.

Edit: Wal-Mart has its own bullet point. I think I'm gonna like this site! :rofl:

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. We gotta

restore fairness to the election system to get anything accomplished.

[napi21]

3. I agree it is the biggest problem we face, but if we concentrate

on reigning in Corporatism, how will we argue "without the success of Corps, most of us wouldn't have a job at all! I would vote for the candidate who said eliminate most of the corp tax loopholes, and restore the top tax bracket to 39%. Just how many people in America would vote AGAINST that idea?

Yesterday, I listened to a panel on cspan, talking aobut the economy, Gov't policies, etc. One of the panelists said "Who was the last candidate elected President who said he would raise taxes?" One panelist answered McGovern! Of course the rest of them responded HE WASN'T ELECTED!

I'm not sure this idea of attacking corps won't guarantee another loss!

[CrispyQ]

6. It's the multinationals & corporate behemoths

that are wreaking havoc in our government & all across the globe. Small corporations & small business are generally not in a position to usurp much power from government.

You are right that it will be a difficult message to get out, because as soon as you say that industry should be regulated you are branded as anti-business, anti-free trade. Actually, I am anti-free trade. What I would like to see replace it is FAIR trade.

Please read my post below & recognize that the corporations that are grossly abusing the system are the behemoths, like tobacco & GE, not your local hardware store.

[omega minimo]

4. Maybe we need to "reframe" our willingness to let them take it from under

our noses in the first place. The American people LIHOP in the few most recent decades WITHOUT A WHIMPER. Now it dawns on us we should try to undo the damage?

"maybe we need to reframe our arguments around the theme of ending corporate control of our government and returning it to us, the people"

The corporations have reached into the voting booths as well. It is not clear how that will be corrected, also after the fact.

The really good idea would have been to prevent the corporate takeover and control of American life and government back when it was developing, NOT THAT LONG AGO.

The "alarmists" were right and nobody listens. "What can ya do?"

:smoke:

[CanSocDem]

7. Try not to be 'bought off'...

....with fancy trinkets and all that phoney-baloney consumer awareness equals communism stuff, and you might have a chance.

I'm thinking you had the best chance you will ever again see in 2000.

[CrispyQ]

5. You are spot on, OneBlueSky!

Reclaim Democracy is an excellent site! I hope everyone visits it & reads what they have to say, especially there corporate personhood & corporate accountability pages.

It all started when corporations were (erroneously) granted corporate personhood. Corporations then were able to claim our human held rights as their rights. For example, right to freedom of speech, right against unreasonable search & seizure, right not to incriminate themselves. Think of the implications of just these 3 rights.

Right to freedom of speech: Corps have the right to express themselves, therefore, they have the right to contribute money to politicians & to spend as much money as they like on lobbyists who express corporate desires to congress. They've also used their right to free speech to invalidate SEC disclosure regulations, claiming they have the right to say what they want, even if it's a lie. They've even used their 'right not to speak' to avoid informing customers about issues that usually adversely affect those customers.

Right against unreasonable search & seizure: Used to avoid govt regulators -- they claim that they do not have to submit to random inspections by organizations like the EPA because they are entitled to the right to privacy, even if they are spewing hazardous waste into a common waterway.

Right not to incriminate themselves or be tried twice for the same crime: They use this right to avoid providing memos, corporate minutes, etc that prove their wrong doing. They've used this right to avoid prosecution of a wrong doing that they were previously convicted of. So because they can't be sent to prison, once convicted of a crime, they are free to commit the same crime again & then claim they are being tried twice for the same crime if convicted again.


===
Here is a great little book that lays out corporate personhood & the serious implications it is having on our democracy. He also details exactly what the commons are & why they should remain in the power of WE THE PEOPLE & not be privatized. I highly recommend it for the entire family! It's a very quick read, but so critical!

"We the People: A Call to Take Back America" by Thom Hartmann

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1882109384/qid=1126453764/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-5792740-7358366?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

And if you want something with more depth, read Thom's book, "Unequal Protection." The 3rd section of the book, Unequal Consequences, will make you sick. What these multinationals are getting away with is the complete destruction of everything good & beautiful on this planet all in the name of profit.

Hmmmm, seems you struck a nerve with your post! Kicked & nominated!

[OneBlueSky]

8. see also this Hartmann article . . .

The Railroad Barons Are Back -- And This Time They'll Finish The Job
http://www.commondreams.org/views02/1211-01.htm

[CrispyQ]

9. Thanks! I will check it out.

We could call the current railroad barrons oil barrons, huh?

I love Thom Hartmann! I wish I could make his books mandatory reading for all Americans. I have friends (adults!) who can't even define what the Commons are, much less why they shouldn't be privatized.

It's no wonder it's easy for the repubs to tell people govt is bad & should be 'drowned in a bathtub.' People no longer know or appreciate how much thought our forefathers put into designing our government, much less how it all works. They don't appreciate that OUR GOVERNMENT is the most precious of the Commons & that it derives it's authority from us. The repubs have gutted most of our governmental institutions so they no longer perform properly or efficiently, so when they tell the people that industry can do the job better, people believe it.

The repubs were very smart to make funding cuts to education one of their first cutbacks.

[wiggs]

10. Deserves nomination. nt