The Origins of the Overclass (Why the Dems can't support the people)

[LiberalUprising]

Their efforts clearly succeeded. With the 1975 SUN-PAC decision, corporations persuaded government to legalize corporate Political Action Committees (the lobbyist organizations that bribe our government). By 1992, corporations formed 67 percent of all PACs, and they donated 79 percent of all campaign contributions to political parties. (20) In two landmark elections — 1980 and 1994 — corporations gave heavily and one-sidedly to Republicans, turning one or both houses of Congress over to the GOP. Democratic incumbents were shocked by the threat of being rolled completely out of power, so they quietly shifted to the right on economic issues, even though they continued a public façade of liberalism. Corporations went ahead and donated to Democratic incumbents in all other elections, but only as long as they abandoned the interests of workers, consumers, minorities and the poor. As expected, the new pro-corporate Congress passed laws favoring the rich: between 1975 and 1992, the amount of national household wealth owned by the richest 1 percent soared from 22 to 42 percent. (21)

The wealthy have always used many methods to accumulate wealth, but it was not until the mid-1970s that these methods coalesced into a superbly organized, cohesive and efficient machine. After 1975, it became greater than the sum of its parts, a smooth flowing organization of advocacy groups, lobbyists, think tanks, conservative foundations, and PR firms that hurtled the richest 1 percent into the stratosphere.

The origins of this machine, interestingly enough, can be traced back to the CIA. This is not to say the machine is a formal CIA operation, complete with code name and signed documents. (Although such evidence may yet surface — and previously unthinkable domestic operations such as MK-ULTRA, CHAOS and MOCKINGBIRD show this to be a distinct possibility.) But what we do know already indicts the CIA strongly enough. Its principle creators were Irving Kristol, Paul Weyrich, William Simon, Richard Mellon Scaife, Frank Shakespeare, William F. Buckley, Jr., the Rockefeller family, and more. Almost all the machine's creators had CIA backgrounds.

During the 1970s, these men would take the propaganda and operational techniques they had learned in the Cold War and apply them to the Class War. Therefore it is no surprise that the American version of the machine bears an uncanny resemblance to the foreign versions designed to fight communism. The CIA's expert and comprehensive organization of the business class would succeed beyond their wildest dreams. In 1975, the richest 1 percent owned 22 percent of America’s wealth. By 1992, they would nearly double that, to 42 percent — the highest level of inequality in the 20th century.

How did this alliance start? The CIA has always recruited the nation’s elite: millionaire businessmen, Wall Street brokers, members of the national news media, and Ivy League scholars. During World War II, General "Wild Bill" Donovan became chief of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the CIA. Donovan recruited so exclusively from the nation’s rich and powerful that members eventually came to joke that "OSS" stood for "Oh, so social!"

http://home.att.net/~resurgence/L-overclass.html

Edited to add link

[Dogmudgeon]

1. What's that I hear? It's the Mighty Wurlitzer!

--p!

[NJCher]

2. painful

It's just painful to read this. And so very, very sad.




Cher

[lostnfound]

24. Painful because it's true or because you know what happened to the author?

It's quite bizarre. And sad.

[leveymg]

38. He died of gunshot wounds in the office of Richard Mellon Scaife

http://www.psnw.com/~bashford/kang-ev0.html

Steve Kangas was found dead on the 39th floor of his enemy's doorstep at 11:30 PM on February 8 1999. In the bathroom of the offices of Richard Mellon Scaife, 2000 miles from home, -- in Pittsburgh PA. Shot (twice?) in the head. Due to obstructions of justice, local police investigating the wrong circumstances quickly ruled it a suicide. SNIP

Fits the M.O. for the Bush crime family, perfectly, doesn't it? Right down to doing it in the bathroom.

[Trillo]

3. The timeline seems dovetail with the acceleration of CEO's rising

compensation.

[LiberalUprising]

4. Yes it does.

[LWolf]

5. So give me a solution.

What is the most efficient way to excise corporate influence/control from the halls of Congress?

Who has a plan of action to address this issue?

[The2ndWheel]

6. Vote for someone they don't own

Although they never get that far, because they have...no...money.

Stop buying their products. Although we do need to live, and Monsanto wants to own the actual seed, not just the final product.

The only thing I know, is that it's going to take a lot more than just Americans. Corporations won't stop. They may lose a fight here and there, but they never stop. The merger just the other day, I think it was some telecommunications company, was stopped a few years ago, but here we are. Look at GM and the UAW the other day.

There is always another way. Not all that efficient, not legal, probably wouldn't do the job anyway, but when something is poisoning your life support systems...

That should be the next war, humans against corporations. But we're easily divided, and we'll end up fighting each other again. Every American has more in common with every Iraqi, than every corporation. Yet those soldiers are fighting those other soldiers. Who gets those billions?

Until we change that, we ain't gonna excise a goddamn thing.

[LWolf]

9. I do some of those things now.

I vote for those they don't own. And, of course, those candidates don't get far.

I'm careful about where I spend my hard-earned dollars. Some of it ends up in corporate pockets. My phone service, my isp provider, my computer, my car....

But whereever I can, the dollars go elsewhere.

That's the real question: how to galvanize war against the corporations.

[blindpig]

8. Public campaign financing.

With the video providers patrioticly coughing up free air time.

Right, good luck.

Between self-interested legislators and a stacked Supreme Court I don't see this happening soon. Catch 22.

[LWolf]

10. Yes.

Public financing, with no private monies allowed. Equal airtime, and equal treatment by the media.

The big question is: how do we get legislators to enact something like this??

[blindpig]

18. Clean house.

Easy to say, yes? And how many "safe" Democratic seats are on the take? Too many, I fear. And thus we come to the conundrum of tactics vs strategy, moderates vs the left.

Personally, I think things are sliding down the tubes too fast for a gradualists approach to be relevant((I am firstly an environmentalist). Considering the track record of our current Democratic legislators I believe that corporate money should be a litmus test. In the words of the prophet,"When ya ain't got nothin ya got nothin to lose."

[BlueEyedSon]

12. yup... did you hear fiengold calling for this on TDS? nt

[deutsey]

15. One thing we need to do is unite the rest of us around our interests

and build our own infrastructure/coalition of organizations that will promote and defend these interests.

[mdmc]

7. What can we do about this?

I mean, short of cloning Bernie Saunders?:shrug:

[fed-up]

11. Kicking so it gets a 5th recommendation from the morning crew n/t

[izzybeans]

13. This isn't an origins paper it hints at what endedlong term rise of the

middle class. The "overclass" has existed...and existed...and existed. Without a total reorganization of economy, polity, and society, they will continue to exist and they will continue to dominate. Pior to this time corporate lobbies existed and they were the model for the development of "poeple's lobbies", which then helped buttress the work of unions when they knew they were at war with the bosses.

What shall we do short of revolution? Match the PACs with People's PACs. Pressure groups are still the quickest route to institutional change. The overclass must always innovate its strategies in order to remain "over" and above the rest. The "rest" will have to turn the tables via political pressure and struggle. We can make them illegal but we are still out-flanked in the lobbying arena. make that illegal and a new institutionalized form of political pressure will crop up and we will once again have to chase our tail. These folks operate on a tenuous level of popular trust, they do not and will not have popular support if they are forced to stand naked in the public square.

[meganmonkey]

14. But, the only way to do that is with more money

and that's the whole problem, isn't it? An effort to get "People's PACs" will, by definition require money. And that could make those efforts just as corrupt as the current PACs, with pressures from those who are funding them, which will water down the message and meaning. Or, they won't have enough money to affect real change. And either way, it won't guarantee that real changes will be made in the money-politics machine.

I think we need to get money out of politics, flat-out, straight-up. If the people want to be heard, we need to have a general strike and embarass the hell out of our politicians, remind them who they are supposed to work for. Spending more money on it won't help, IMO. It will just create more of the same, ultimately.

I don't know, I just think we need to take some risks and shake things up because elections aren't working, Saturday afternoon protests aren't working, internet petitions aren't working....

:shrug:

[izzybeans]

16. I agree but for these pressure groups to work for the time being

somebody has to make a career of it. I think taking money out of the equation for the politicians is desirable, but I see it as unavoidable for organzational purposes.

[meganmonkey]

17. "For the time being"

I should warn you, I have recently fallen over the edge of the precipice and there is no more waiting, IMO. I am sick of the killing, lying, cheating, stealing and abusing, and I am so tired of watching well-intentioned people try to use these broken systems to stop the inevitable.

I am convinced that a general strike is the only way and the time is NOW. I don't know how to make it happen, so for the last couple weeks I am spending about 5-10 hours a week doing it - demonstrating at the Federal bldg almost every day after work, and talking to the people passing by, and everyone likes the idea. We just need to DO IT. Because the people (and I don't mean Democratic activists, I mean everyone) are ready. I have a sign that says

99% OF THE POLITICIANS ARE IGNORING 99% OF THE PEOPLE

and not one person has disagreed with that. Democrat, Republican, Independent, Apolitical, doesn't matter. They all agree. Even if they don't like the "Impeach Bush" sign that my partner-in-protest is holding (a lot of people think that won't make enough of a difference).

The people are ready. So why are we all just sitting around?

[izzybeans]

20. I don't think you and I are just sitting around.

I agree that the system is broke, but my point is this: short of widespread and total revolution the quickest route to change is by gaming the system already in place. Without a complete transformation, a refusal to play the game all together is not protest, its forfeit via subjegation.

All systems are engineered. Via complacency the masses allow those engineers to be who they are: of the Skull and Bones sort; out of touch elitests who think the bankruptcy bill and so forth are good for America because its good for their investments.

To win the political game one must play the game, and do it well, or change the game completely, but then be sure they have the ability to win the new one.

Rather than the 50 states grass roots strategy attempting to garner support for the same old politicans. Why don't the dems use it to sprinkle the seeds of a new kind of democrat. One who understands the plight of the commoner, because she/he is such a person. Who among all those roots in the grass will rise up and lead us? Plenty of us can play this game with the best of them,and we aren't beholden to stock holders or any other financial entity.

I personally am tired of political dynasties republican and democrat. Too incestuous to be at all democratic.

[meganmonkey]

21. Well,

I will be honest. I cannot answer your post the way I want to without breaking the DU rules.

Suffice it to say I am not a democrat.

I can say this though, I don't want to play any games, especially of the sort where the rules are fixed, and corruption and greed are the only way to win. I won't do it anymore.

No one is listening to the people, and I am convinced that 'they' (and by this I mean the 99% of politicians referred to in my previous post) will never give the power (back?) to the people willingly. The only way the people will get their power back is to strike. I spent the last year and a half playing the corporate duoploy 'game' and I am tired as hell of internet petitions and email campaigns and safe little marches and protests.

If Gandhi had launched an internet fundraising PAC campaign against the British do you think he would have succeeded? (That idea was borrowed from this inspirational article which I highly recommend )

Like I said, I am over the edge and there is no turning back for me. I know there are many people who are doing more than sitting around, but it still isn't enough because it isn't working.

I say, save up your vacation time because we are going to have to strike. ALL of us.

[mdmc]

42. 99% !

Good protest sign, Meg!

[RazzleDazzle]

32. No, "more money" isn't a guarantee at all

You can out-creative them
You can out-class them
You can have RIGHT on your side which is in synch with the majority of Americans to start with.

In general, more money alone doesn't do it.

[meganmonkey]

19. kick

[Greyhound]

22. Excellent post. I think the title should be the origin and rise of

The Corporate Party.

As your post shows, today Re:puke: or Democrat is mostly meaningless, both parties have been co-opted by The Corporate Party, and it has ruled this country absolutely for the last 25 years. This is the real reason we are in the shape we are today. We have been warned time and again, and ignored the warnings every time. If we can get the sheeple to realize what is going on, there may be some chance to take our nation back, but until we accept that the letter after someone's name is irrelevant, we will continue to become more and more a nation of indentured servants ruled by a police state.

The ruling class has been running things fro their benefit for centuries, and they will not let go without a fight.

[donkeyotay]

23. And while this was going on the Mighty Wurlitzer

whipped up the righteous, god-fearin right to blame the Left. They totally sold them a bunch of free market crapola and claimed that cries for social fairness were "class warfare." Meanwhile, this was the real class warfare being waged. Just as recently as a few months ago, the topic of class warfare came up on CNN and one of the employees there basically said that if the people were going to wage class warfare, guess who was going to win: the rich.

It's true. The middleclass, working class and poor are all screwed.

[BREMPRO]

25. does anyone know more about Steven Kangas's death?

the author of this passage was found dead of an apparent "suicide" in the office building of the notorious vast RW conspirasy billionaire activivst Richard Mellon Schaife. Circumstances of his death make it look more like a political hit to silence Kangas and his unearthing the roots of the overclass.. This happened 6 years ago- what has happened since? anyone have more info?

[meganmonkey]

27. Wow - I did a google

and there is a ton of hits, but not much real info. Lots of speculation...

Scary stuff! :scared:

[Jara sang]

26. good post

k&r

[melissinha]

28. Explains alot, especially why the "Dems"

Don't respond well to the blogosphere and their grassroots, they are looking at the $$$. They are picking the PACs over the blogosphere....

Only solution I can think of, introduce and campaign like hell from the bottom with real candidates. Hopefully they'll get the message.
:eyes:

What we need to do is turn it inside out. Make people accountable for their roll call votes, its the true proof of their true "values".

[melissinha]

29. Buy Blue

I kept thinking about it..... Or buy, independent, buy from corporations who support good causes, have fair labor.....

I really think that we can deflate the corporations power if we can just put enough pressure on corporations, beautiful thing is.... we can buy from small companies, not Kraft, spend extra to buy real cheese from a small company in Wisconsin.. you see, we can support Mom&Pop companies cause there's an infrastructure of variety which brings them to us....

No we can't take the legacy families down, but we can put our money where are mouth is..... we don't need to donate so much, but to spend our household expense $ in wise places, we may be able to save some small companies from globalization while we're at it.

http://www.buyblue.org/

And for the love of God, stop buying Microsoft!!! We need open-source everything!!!

[tom_paine]

30. K & R

[bloom]

31. kick

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

33. Could You Imagine The Type Of Writing Kangas Could Do Today? Damn Scaife!

I couldn't even begin to imagine the depth of articles that Kangas could write today if only he hadn't been politically murdered.

[mitchum]

34. Nothing short of a revolution will change this situation

[Iowa]

35. Kick - and I wish the time hadn't expired to recommend...

This is important. Holy shit! It's all starting to come into focus.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

36. Bookmarking

and kicking

[leveymg]

37. First, we jail all the lobbyists, after a fair trial,of course.

Then, we go after the assets of their funders. Then, we pass campaign finance reform. If we do this the other way around, that's okay with me.

[Disturbed]

39. "The Biggest Lie."

The Biggest Lie.


“Surely, in the history of lies told to the population, this is the biggest lie. In the history of secrets, withheld from the American people, this is the biggest secret: that there are classes with different interests in this country. To ignore that—not to know that the history of our country is a history of slaveowner against slave, landlord against tenant, corporation against worker, rich against poor—is to render us helpless before all the lesser lies told to us by people in power.” Howard Zinn

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0321-20.htm

[leveymg]

40. Howard was my teacher every semester for 3 years at BU

He's the first to acknowledge the limitations of Marxian class analysis. There are cross-cutting differences within classes that are sometimes more important than ownership of the means of production. These lines of social conflict shift over time, sometimes quite dramatically, particulary when there are major events, such as wars or economic crises. One can call these sudden shifts revolts, revolutions, coups, or civil wars, depending upon who the players are and what the outcome is.

The concept of American exceptionalism really disgusts Howard, but he's such a decent man, he never comes across as unpatriotic or vengeful. If we had to send an emissary of the human race to meet some alien species for the first time, it should be Howard Zinn.

[cosmicdot]

41. how to reverse the mistaken ' corporations are persons' decision?

~snip~ re the SCOTUS case of 1886, "Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad"


The Supreme Court agreed, and ruled in favor of the railroad. But at the end of the ruling, I discovered that while the railroad had offered several other defenses, including one on constitutional grounds, the Court had chosen not to consider them because the issue of the posts was in itself quite clear. I then said to myself, "This doesn't say that corporations are persons. In fact, it explicitly states that the Court did not rule on the constitutional issue." You can find this on supremecourt.gov, under 1886 Santa Clara County.

So I went to Paul, the librarian, and said, "This ruling you gave me doesn't say that corporations are persons." He answered, "That's interesting - did you read the head note, the commentary on the case?" Then he showed me an introductory page of small boldface type, and the first sentence states, "Corporations are persons under the 14th Amendment and therefore entitled to equal protection under the law." I said, "That's interesting - it's not in the decision. What is this?" He answered, "That's the commentary on the decision written by the Clerk of the Court, the Court's reporter." "It doesn't say what the decision says," I told him, and he replied, "I'm not a lawyer. You need to ask a lawyer about that." So, I paid my seventy cents and made some copies.

Then I walked a few blocks to the office of an old friend of mine who is a lawyer in town, and laid the copies out on his desk. "I want to ask you about the 1886 Santa Clara County case," I told him, and he answered, "Oh, you mean the one where corporations become persons." Really, that is how lawyers inevitably respond. Then I asked him to take a look at the last paragraph of the case. He read it, and said, "That's interesting." But when I had him read the first sentence of the head notes, his response was "Holy Cow!" or actually, something a little stronger. "Clearly," he said, "the head notes don't say what the ruling says." "Which means . . . ?" I asked. "Which means there is a mistake," he answered.

"A mistake?" I said. "A hundred and twenty years of American law based on a mistake? The World Trade Organization is based on a mistake?" ~snip~

http://www.bodhitree.com/lectures/hartmann2.html

Thom Hartmann has written about this subject, "Unequal Protection".

It seems to be a the root of much of this corporate influence and control.

Of course, with an illegitimate president filling the Federal judiciary with illegitmate appointees , especially the newest kids on the SCOTUS block ... reversal of a mistaken 'decision' seems impossible.