ADVISOR, I just finished reading Perkins's book and wanted to see if it was discussed here. Your thread came up. While reading Confessions, I
thought, "Jeez, looks like the citizens of the USA, the country, have been treated in the same manner as the developing countries mentioned in the
book!" That thought sickened me.
The animal, corporatocracy, eating its own young.
Having lived through the years of ECH, familiar with Bechtel, etal, and what they did worldwide, and remembering the coups/wars in the nations
mentioned, Perkins tied it all together for me.
As early as the late 1970's and certainly throughout the 1980's, groups, such as Food First, alternative publications, such as In These Times,
alternative radio such as Pacifica, would tell of the effects of the corporations on the people and countries in which they did business. Perkins laid
out the big picture, explaining it.
I didn't find this in his book, but it goes along with it. There used to be World Fairs, where American corporations would be proud to display their
ingenuity to the world. We haven't had them for decades; corporations no longer wanted to be labeled "American", as they did their dirty work
globally. To wit, Halliburton wanted headquarters in Dubai. Corp's like Halliburton are only American when they want to be: cry for American tax
breaks and claim to be treated like an "indiviudual" but give the shaft to the citizens paying the taxes!
To the corporation, America is only another country to be mined for its resources and labor, and, sadly, military might. The political party in
America historically associated with big business, the Republican party, was the corporate connection to government. The Democratic Party is a
newcomer to the corporate world (Bill Clinton). If a party can frame patriotism to be in terms of supporting the military, then that party, when in
power can use those troops for corporate business. To wit, Iraq.
One of the results of corporatocracy mentioned in the book is the privatization of basic needs, such as water, education, and now it seems, war (Iraq
with its contractors). Sure enough, with the help of the Republican party in power since Carter, Americans have been asked to privatize more and more.
No new taxes but a lot more "fees". And don't give taxes to help citizens, why that's socialism; instead give them to corporations, that's
capitalism! What a sad, greedy, sick twist.
Union busting is another corporate favorite. Who is anti-union? The party of John McCain. No wonder Americans have lost jobs!!
America must have another revolution. Now. To fight back against the power of the corporation. Not the communists. Not the socialists. Not Castro. Not
Iran.
The colonies fought back when they found themselves taken advantage of by England, their power weakened. Citizens have been taken advantage of by the
power of corporations in Washington, their power weakened.
Americans have been enslaved by the power of corporations, our economic power given to countries, like Saudi Arabia and China.
At a crucial time, when Americans should not be afraid, citizens are subjected to scares of the word "terrorist" at political rallies and political
advertising. This is supposed to be the Home of the Brave! To scare citizens..THAT is taking away their power. Those in power who would scare citizens
are as treasonous as Benedict Arnold. He worked for the British, today's BA's do the bidding of the corporatocracy.
Don't be afraid. Get angry. Getting angry is your heritage. To wit, the Boston Tea Party.
Basta!