Consolidating the World - Monopolies In Control

Hello ATS

I saw an article today on 10 Corporations Control Almost Everything You Buy and it got me to thinking on just how much we and especially our government let slide today. I can understand the ignorance of the people, but the government should never let this happen and who can ever claim that they don't know about it. (Part of this was already mentioned in a similar ATS post last year HERE) With these monopolies taking place right under our noses, few should wonder why laws are made the way they are, with companies rather than the consumer in mind. Oh, but the rabbit hole goes so much deeper, still.

While looking at just these 10 corporations, I didn't need to wonder how price fixing could be an issue. Many of these companies skirted around price fixing by being the owner of all or half of the products out there. It wouldn't be price fixing if you owned all of the products available. It probably wouldn't be if they owned even half of them, because you wouldn't have much of a basis to compare them to. This makes charging a company with price fixing extreemly difficult.

It also made me think, all those times I said "Product A isn't as it should be, I think I will boycot it and try product B", I never realised that it really didn't matter which product I chose, all of the options were probably made by the same company anyways. If it wasn't, it was probably made by only one other company in competition. So choosing 1 evil over another really didn't matter. There were no more little guys to patronize. No matter what I bought, chances are, I was filling the pockets of the giant who probably didn't have my best interests in mind. Funny since we usually complain about government and politicians, yet these companies have just as much effect on every single one of us than the government alone could and would ever have. So, who's really calling the shots?

According to this chart via Reddit, called "The Illusion of Choice," these corporations create a chain that begins at one of 10 super companies. You've heard of the biggest names, but it's amazing to see what these giants own or influence.

And how would these companies have so much influence over us, over our laws, our country? Simply put, they make the most monies, they likely have politicians in their pockets. As the saying goes, "He who has the most money makes the rules".

$84 billion-company Proctor & Gamble — the largest advertiser in the U.S. — is paired with a number of diverse brands that produce everything from medicine to toothpaste to high-end fashion. All tallied, P&G reportedly serves a whopping 4.8 billion people around the world through this network.

$200 billion-corporation Nestle — famous for chocolate, but which is the biggest food company in the world — owns nearly 8,000 different brands worldwide, and takes stake in or is partnered with a swath of others. Included in this network is shampoo company L'Oreal, baby food giant Gerber, clothing brand Diesel, and pet food makers Purina and Friskies.

As I read the article, more surprise hit me when I noticed that not only do very few corporations own everything, but some seem to be merging as well, into more massive corporations.

It gets even more macro, too: 37 banks have merged to become just FOUR — JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and CitiGroup in a little over two decades, according to this Federal Reserve map.

Sadly, some of these listed and MANY others dont even pay TAXES (as mentioned in another member's post), yet still somehow have control over the masses. How on earth would they have control if they don't give money to the government in the form of taxes, you ask? They fund political elections like any other big company today or those in charge also play the part as a politician.

From the horses mouth, as we say:

The success of Southwestern Energy Company and its subsidiaries depends upon public policies at the national, state and local levels affecting the exploration, production and transportation of natural gas and oil. The Board of Directors of Southwestern Energy Company recognizes the vital importance of the Company’s participation in the political process in order to protect and enhance the Company’s interests and create value for its stockholders. In order to ensure that the Company’s political contributions and expenditures comply with all applicable laws and reflect its corporate values, in 2009, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted a policy relating to all corporate political contributions made by the Company directly or through the Board of Directors-approved Southwestern Energy Company PAC (the “SWN PAC”), which accepts voluntary contributions from certain eligible SWN employees and annual contributions of $5,000 from certain of the Company’s subsidiaries. The articles of association of the SWN PAC, which designates the persons employed by the Company who are eligible to act as its directors and hold certain offices, was approved by the Company’s Board of Directors.

WOW! They come right out and say it without fear of even letting the people know what they're doing. This from their own website!!

The success of Southwestern Energy Company and its subsidiaries depends upon public policies which they stack the government deck to make sure that laws are made in their favor.



All in all, I've come to this final conclusion. It doesn't matter which man you stick it to. You'll just end up going to the other man. It doesn't even matter that you try to boycott in protest. You'll starve if you find a way to boycott the root of the problem, or it's source. Your voice wont be heard by government, for they own and are the government. They really are our masters, no matter how we justify our freedom. No sword or sling that we could ever possess can slay this beast of such proportions. We are so far gone in this modern world of slavery that no key we may obtain will loose these shackles on this sinking vessel. We are doomed to just "lay there and die", as the little guy will never be POTUS, and even if he could, you would have to do as these monsters have done.

We would have to stack the whole deck with like minded people that stand for freedom. Less we do it all at once, there is no chance for success. I'm sorry folks. I just don't see this ever happening.

reply to post by StallionDuck


now you have seen the beast,
you have a job to do,

this "there is nothing we can do" stuff is BS

we can force "anti trust" law suits,
first in civil courts, then in criminal courts

there are already laws on the books to deal with this,
our prosecutors just need public "support"

if we demand it they will break up these monopolies,
if not we pass new laws in favour of banning hidden private political contributions.

my country has publicly funded elections,
where there are strict controls
yours should too

xploder

reply to post by StallionDuck


S&F...interesting thread. Corporate personhood is a lie. Corporations are not persons. Corporations are commerce and neither the government nor the corporations in the U.S. are allowed to compel a person to engage in commerce.

A corporation doesn't need to eat food in order to survive. Persons need food. Mergers that create a situation of no choice, compel commerce with them alone. Corporations don't need healthcare. Persons need this. A mandate that compels persons to purchase from a single service is illegal because it compels commerce with a single entity. (It is illegal also because it compels commerce period.)

How can a corporation be legally considered a person?

Court should declare law unconstitutional

The laws that protect us from these situations already exist. They are not being followed. Public officials and the military swear to uphold the constitution. Not upholding the constitution is treason.

Your thread did not cover electronic voting. This is an evil that will not allow the people to elect officials who will uphold the constitution.

reply to post by luxordelphi


I could have sworn I learned what you just said in school. And yeah, government/ corporations doesn't follow any rules any more. I knew some companies were monopolizing, but I didn't know it was this degree.