Money Theme

American democracy is a messy affair. It allows each person in the nation to have a voice whether they use it or not. Trouble is too many do not use it except in the voting booth, and many times that’s too late.

Meanwhile, crazies have a field day and speak their minds on all topics whether or not they know much about each of those topics. And then many others who are lazy, assume that the talking head has the facts and must be speaking the truth. But they do not. We know that. We know that over and over throughout all of history.

So now comes modern America. With commerce and trade and economics pounding out the tattoo that money makes the person. He who has the money has the power.

I am here to say otherwise.

I have three quotes today that I wish to lay before you.  First is Bernie Sanders, independent Vermont US Senator:

“The American people have proven that if they speak out,m if they flood Capitol Hill with phone calls and emails, they can stop a war. Now is the time to use that same energy and passion to save the middle class.”

Because the middle class matters. Always has in the America we know. It is the middle class that produces the mass of needed new births, people who strive for education and meaning, and then work for it. They earn incomes, pay taxes and buy the goods of the manufacturing and money-class. They keep the wheels of industry turning by buying the goods, working the jobs that produce the goods and inventions, and follow the rules that keep the social order in order.

The middle class is the back bone of America. It’s about time everyone understood that simple fact.

Another quote from Bernie Sanders:

“We have the people behind us. They have the money. And at the end of the day, the people will be stronger than the money.”

The ‘they’ in the second sentence refers to the money-class. Not the people in general. Although the people in general DO have the money. The people own the nation’s assets, promise and future. Always have. But only if they seize the power of their knowledge and labor. Only then can they demonstrate the power of the republic and maintain it.

I’m not talking revolution, although that has occurred in America twice (American Revolutionary War, and Civil War). No I am not talking about revolution or war. I am merely talking about the power of mind and logic over crass selfishness and evil.

330 million Americans have a lot of power. Less than 10% of 330 million, is under 3.3 million people, and they can and will be swept away by the masses if smarter people don’t begin to get the message.

Case in point: British Petroleum has no license to operate in America. They say they work for the common good of America. But they polluted the Gulf of Mexico, they lied about the cause of that disaster, they claim to have spent $20 billion to restore the gulf and its American shores. But they didn’t. First of all the US government sequestered $20 billion from BP to do the cleanup but it was never completed and the wronged properties owners and businesses did not receive all of their compensation. Probably never will. Yet BP spends $100 million or more on TV advertising saying ‘mission accomplished’ when the truth is the exact opposite.

I said at the beginning that profit motive in energy is only part of the picture. Too much profit motive and the good of the social order goes down to defeat. BP ought not have that power. So the solution is either they do what’s right or American nationalizes BP. Pretty simple.

Too severe a penalty?  I think not. They have damaged our environment, put millions of people out of work and continue to manipulate world energy markets to gain more wealth for themselves while unhinging the economic equilibrium for billions of people. If that is justice, then something is wrong.

And all I need do is point to every religion of mankind through the ages. Not one of them would side with BP in this matter. Not one of them.

People power will trump money power any day. All it takes is people to get the message and understand it and take action. But the money people know that is very difficult to achieve. So little bits of money properly spent in propaganda and publicity (one and the same thing?) undoes all the people power. Hideous don’t you think?

The third quote is from Russ Feingold, deceased Minnesota Democratic US Senator:

            “Speech doesn't corrupt. Money corrupts. And money isn't speech.”

A corporation is not an actual citizen with voting rights. They ought not be able to buy the votes to turn elections, buy Supreme Court Justices or any other power point in our society. Those power points belong to individual citizens.

When will we insist on this balance of power?

May 19, 2014