Saturday, August 10, 2013

UNTIL AND UNLESS

There needs to be a worldwide "Arab Spring" style uprising against corporate power with the worst offenders of the abuse of that power on a top ten list that the population of the world can organize to destroy.

The old "Wobblies" from the early 20th Century had the brilliant idea of organizing all the industrial workers of the world into one big union (it was called The Industrial Workers of the World, "Wobblies" was their nickname) and when they had all the industrial workers in the world finally united in one big union they would call a worldwide strike to force the "owners" to capitulate and give workers the just reward for their labor.

It was a pipe dream in the eyes of many, who were too factionalized to stick together, but as a result were easier to divide and conquer, ala competing unions, racial and ethnic and religious divisions, etc. There was a period in the 1930s when more and more workers were realizing the importance of organizing and unifying to defeat the greedy owners who refused to pay a living wage with benefits and for a while the unionization of the country progressed until a working man could afford to buy a house and own a car and put his kids through college.

That was the 1950s. But then the divide and conquer tactic began to pay off, first with the "silent majority" that Nixon's propagandists used to successfully imply that it wasn't the greedy corporate rulers who were keeping the working class down it was "urban crime" which was a euphemism for "black" people and "The Eastern elite" which was a straw man set up to assuage the anger working folk felt at those who seemed to be running the show (for Nixon it was also a way to take his revenge on the Kennedys) and acting like they were better than.

Then Reagan's propagandists kicked it up a notch with "welfare queens" and "union thugs" and the same old "Eastern elite" now represented as "Washington" so that even when he was president he got to pretend he was not part of any "Washington elite" etc.  He's the one who really began selling off "America" (i.e. the USA) to the highest corporate bidder and then blaming the "welfare queen" who picked up her government checks in a Cadillac, just as much of a lie as his memories of serving in WWII though he spent those years in Hollywood, and much of the press let him get away with it because they too were fighting unions to create greater profits etc.

So here we are, the corporate takeover of "America" (i.e. the USA, though much of the rest of the world as well) almost complete, and the rightwing propagandists not just successful but triumphant despite the reality that a majority of the country agrees more with liberal programs and policies when they are presented without the "trigger" words the right has created to tar any liberal idea with the same brush. Unless there's a massive movement that focuses on the top corporate abusers of power, starting with the oil and gas corporations and Monsanto and other chemical corporations and financial corporations etc. and frightens enough politicians into ending the gerrymandering that allows a minority of Tea Party rightwing Republicans to hold this Congress hostage and block any attempt to help working people diminish the gap of economic inequality that has grown to Victorian Gilded Age dimensions, it will only get worse.

Greed knows no limits. Enough is never enough. The Koch brothers could found their own country and their descendants could rule it for generations and generations on the money they've already accrued and yet it isn't enough. The same for the Walton family and so many others. The Democrats are too timid or too tied to their own self interest, most of them anyway it seems, to call out these corporations and often the families that control and profit from them, but it is necessary that any future progressive organizing movement focus on them and create so much awareness of their misdeeds and contempt for the very people the Republicans pretend to be concerned about (convincingly obviously in too many cases) that only a small minority will still believe the lies.

It's late so this is probably coming off as a slightly wacky rant but it's just frustration with the pace of protest in our country despite all the proof of the rapid road to hell these rightwingers continue to seem to be able to keep us on.  

29 comments:

JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

If Bush was saying and doing the exact same things as Obama, you'd be hailing him as a saviour, you obvious racist and hater! RZ

Bob said...

Well said. Seems the conservative movement over the past 30+ years, including the Tea Party, is simply a regurgitation of the John Birch Society of the 50's.

JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
JIm said...

Bob, I should ad that the Obama administration that even still, according to testimony, is targeting conservative groups with the IRS,is a lawless one but is typical of tyrannical liberal/socialist governments of the past.

Robert G. Zuckerman said...

"according to testimony" - what the hell is that? You call others to task for substantiation and then come up with this line? You hypocritical, double standard bearing fabricator! Your assertions are less than week, are without truth or merit.

Lally said...

I[m leaving the stalker's comment you responded to Robert for context for your comment, but normally I would delete it because within those few lines he has at least four lies, amazing.

JIm said...

Name the lies Lally you asshole.

Anonymous said...

Jim just go away! My father has named the lies repeatedly, we aren't changing our minds you aren't changing ours. You know you are outnumbered in your opinion of our country/government here because my father has left leaning family and friends here checking out what he has to say. If you think so poorly of him to dare to call him names on his personal blog just get the hell off it! For all our sakes quit wasting everyones' damn time! Please, for the millionth time from his own flesh and blood! Keep your opinions to yourself on this blog!
Sorry Dad, couldn't help it.
Caitlin

JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
JIm said...

Anonymous, I will quit calling him an asshole when stops calling me a liar, and even worse, when fails to demonstrate one lie.

Robert G. Zuckerman said...

First of all, address her as "Caitlin" as she clearly and plainly signed it. Your disrespect is further evidence of your bad intentions and lack of character. An apology at this point to Caitlin and Michael would be the upright thing to do.

It seems you think the founding principles only apply to your views.

JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Lally said...

Sorry the stalker upset you Cait, but I appreciate your comment. Anyone who wants to see my, and others', attempts in past years to call out his lies with specifics and factual evidence etc. can go back through the archives of this blog from its beginnings. Many of us attempted to have an actual discussion based on facts, but as has been clearly demonstrated by him and the rest of the rightwing propaganda parrots, they have no interest in evidence, facts, actual history and/or scientific reality etc. they are only interested in wearing down their opposition and the ill informed with repetitive "big lies" a la the Nazis and Stalinists propaganda techniques. The twist they've put on it (a la the Tea Party Republicans especially in the Congress) is that their lies change depending on what Obama and/or Democratic Congressional leaders in Congress propose. Obama can support a policy created by what were then conservative Republicans (like "cap and trade" or what is now known as "Obamacare") and they can spin on a dime from supporting it to screaming about how it will destroy the country and is socialism or communism or even Nazism etc. exposing the lie that they have any inherent values or policies other than opposing anything that comes from Obama and/or the Democratic leaders in Congress, etc. Meaning they are only interested in one thing: power, and using that power to enrich the already bloated corporations whose bidding they do.

JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Robert G. Zuckerman said...

Jim cites "sources" for his assertions and invariably those sources are nothing more then right wing diatribes--so, lies and hate speech backed by or based on more lies and hate speech.

JIm said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Lally said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lally said...

So the Tea Party isn't a political advocacy group? Ha. I guess we were all misled. I had no idea the Tea Party wasn't interested in politics or advocating for any political causes or parties or people. Amazing. All those rightwing Republican elected officials are jumping at their shadows because they're afraid their base is going to eliminate them in the primaries because the Tea Party, oh no wait, the Tea Paty doesn't do any political advocacy so they don't have to worry anymore about someone being endorsed by the Tea Party etc. blah blah blah... I can't believe how much time and energy has been wasted, especially by me, on this rightwing clown blog stalker (he even caused some friends of mine to close down their blogs or close them to comments because of his harassing them, and he doesn't even know them, he just randomly attacked people on my recommended blog sites...he obviously is still smarting from some childhood slight, although I remember treating him with more respect than most of our classmates did, guess that was my mistake come back to haunt me, and anyone who reads his comments) so from now on try to ignore him please, and I will delete him when I get the chance...

Anonymous said...

Calling this moron a clown is a compliment. He is truly pathetic, and here probably gets more attention than anywhere else. We all wish he would go away. Michael has a full time job flushing his drivel, and every time I see "comment deleted" I am pleased that Lally got to it before I had to read it. Thank you, Michael. I suspect he was also an unpopular kid...

JIm said...

Wrong again Lally, This from USA Today in May of 2013


"In that time, the IRS approved perhaps dozens of applications from similar liberal and progressive groups, a USA TODAY review of IRS data shows.

STORY: IRS gave liberals a pass; Tea Party groups put on hold

As applications from conservative groups sat in limbo, groups with liberal-sounding names had their applications approved in as little as nine months. With names including words like "Progress" or "Progressive," the liberal groups applied for the same tax status and were engaged in the same kinds of activities as the conservative groups. They included:

• Bus for Progress, a New Jersey non-profit that uses a red, white and blue bus to "drive the progressive change." According to its website, its mission includes "support (for) progressive politicians with the courage to serve the people's interests and make tough choices." It got an IRS approval as a social welfare group in April 2011.

• Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment says it fights against corporate welfare and for increasing the minimum wage. "It would be fair to say we're on the progressive end of the spectrum," said executive director Jeff Ordower. He said the group got tax-exempt status in September 2011 in just nine months after "a pretty simple, straightforward process."

• Progress Florida, granted tax-exempt status in January 2011, is lobbying the Florida Legislature to expand Medicaid under a provision of the Affordable Care Act, one of President Obama's signature accomplishments. The group did not return phone calls. "We're busy fighting to build a more progressive Florida and cannot take your call right now," the group's voice mail said.

Like the Tea Party groups, the liberal groups sought recognition as social welfare groups under Section 501(c)(4) of the tax code, based on activities like "citizen participation" or "voter education and registration."

Robert G. Zuckerman said...

Look lets cut through all the surface crap. We're here im this thing called life for a short while. Its a beautiful blessing and gift and then we return to non-life. How do we want and choose to spend our journey? I choose to make choices as best i can to make this a better place for those who follow- not just humans, but all beings. The elimination of guns and greed based systems that exploit the trust and faith of the many for the material benefit of the few while causing suffering and unecessary hardship for the many- the elimination of these is, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, our highest priority in life.