The other day a guest on Morning Joe was talking about a conversation he had with the CEO of a major corporation. The CEO admitted that his company was so big, with locations spread all around the world, that he felt little national identity or connection or obligation. The global economy changes the perspective of major corporations so that The United States, the country where they are making their fortunes, is only one of many considerations.
These are chilling words. Since corporate greed and deceit were exposed in the sixties, it has become increasingly obvious that corporations are in it for themselves. They do not care about the welfare of this country or their employees or our society in general. The fact that the middle class is shrinking, that millions of people are afraid and on shaky ground, that America is sliding backwards in relevance to the rest of the world, all of this means nothing so long as they can increase profits and reduce expenses while minimizing tax liability. These are the people President Barack Obama has to deal with as he tries to save this country from financial collapse.
This is not new. Dig this excerpt from a speech given by President Franklin D. Roosevelt at Madison Square Garden in 1936:
"We have had to struggle with the old enemies of peace. Business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering. They have begun to consider the government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that government by organized money is just as dangerous as government by organized mob. Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me and I welcome their hatred."
These are chilling words. Chilling because they were spoken seventy five years ago and are perfectly applicable today. Nothing has changed. In fact technology, the pace and scope of life today, have made it even easier for the big money boys to amass huge immoral fortunes as they openly mock the citizens of this country while simultaneously controlling our government.
This more than anything else gives me a sense of doom. It has always been this way and it will always be this way. Money buys power. The great unwashed know this even at the lowest of levels. A fat wallet gets busted with three pounds of pot and buys his way to freedom. I get caught with one joint and go away for 136 years. (I still love Willie anyway).
President Barack Obama is an intelligent man who I sincerely believe hungers to change the way this country is run. He recognizes that it is wrong for the great unwashed to spend a lifetime breaking their backs for the reward of poverty and an early death, while some pasty faced fat boy manipulates a couple of computer keys and earns millions in one day. Millions that do nothing to improve the quality of life in this country or get us a competitive advantage or raise up this society in any way. Millions that are used to buy yachts and $470 Cohibas and custom made suits and political influence.
Even if President Obama can somehow overcome the colossal stupidity and shortsighted partisanship of the republicans, if he can triumph over harsh racial prejudice, if he can reverse the disasters set in motion by that American Idiot, George W. Bush, I do not believe in my heart that he can ever overcome the opposition of obscenely rich vampires who care only about swelling the size of their bank accounts and hiding the profits in overseas banks.
Money rules the world. It is the way the world works, the way it has always worked, and we (the poor) will never be able to do anything about it.
Your only option is to find some independent way to support yourself, something to free you from the shackles of working "for a living". A means to earn more.
The truth is, very few of us have that option. 99.9% of us are condemned to a life of poverty under the thumb of those who sit lopsidedly on fat wallets.
We will not triumph, and I fear this country is headed for financial collapse. The pace of decline will be exponentially accelerated if President Obama is not re-elected.
The blame can be squarely placed on the filthy rich who laugh at us, laugh at our government and laugh jubilantly as they rape and kill anything that is good or dares to stand in their way.
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