and here’s something you can do about it.
AN OPEN SECRET
In the United States, “representative government” is a sham. And it’s not a secret. Nobody denies that there’s a whole industry of bribery and influence peddling. K Street is famous for it. Every giant corporation is involved as are many wealthy individuals.
Their influence eclipses that of the American voter. Which is why real wages have declined for decades, unions and any semblance of job security has disappeared, pensions are nearly gone, and the idea of the people getting any new benefits from their own government for their tax dollars is attacked as an unaffordable luxury and perhaps a dangerous lurch towards socialism.
Yes, ordinary people give donations. But those aren’t bribes because they wield zero influence. Will the politicians you donate to take your call? Will they listen to your advice on legislation? No, but they absolutely do exactly that for wealthy donors — routinely and regularly.
It’s why the ultra-wealthy have received literally trillions in taxes cuts and other benefits, repeatedly, during administrations of both major political parties.
CHANGE THE CONVERSATION
We are supposed to let this fact, one of overriding importance that explains nearly everything in political and economic policy, fade into the background.
They want us to ignore the forest and concentrate on the trees. And all too often, that’s what we do. We discuss issues, passionately, as if the outcome of our discussion carries weight. It doesn’t. It’s a toothless activity they love us to engage in to divert us from the fact that we are powerless, that this government represents only wealthy people who pay them large bribes.
I say, let’s all do the opposite. Who can stop us from talking, and from taking control of any conversation we take part in? I say, redirect the conversation away from each stupid tree and bring it back to this: As long as the ultra wealthy and the politicians they bribe make policy, why are we even talking? The opinions of people like us are ignored. We are just making noise until or unless the system of government by bribery is ended and we actually have a meaningful voice in policy.
When we take part in their conversations on their terms — pretending we are represented — we provide cover for something that nearly everyone knows is a lie. I won’t do it.
Will you?
TOO STUPID TO SURVIVE
The clever morons in charge are addicted to wealth and power and are functionally blind to the fact that they are murdering their own grandchildren and the planet itself. Yes, the main barrier to stopping climate catastrophe has never been technology — our species has brilliant scientists and engineers.
The barrier has been the greed and stupidity of the wealthy, who abuse fossil fuels and rape the Earth for personal profit. They are functionally blind because they are unwilling to act on what they know. They KNOW that they are destroying life for their own grandchildren and they KNOW they are making the Earth virtually uninhabitable. Most of them aren’t that stupid. But their greed is an addiction that overwhelms their intellect.
They can’t save their grandchildren, their planet, or even their own reputations. They are doomed along with us — if they “win.” Everything depends on us openly and repeatedly keeping the focus on the key point — billionaires are killing all of us and any government serving them and not the interests of the people of the country and the planet are committing crimes against humanity.
Say it repeatedly in the starkest possible terms. It won’t stick right away. It will be ignored, then ridiculed, then dismissed, then argued with and then, finally, admitted.
We may be too late. Our scientists and engineers are capable but after decades of planetary abuse, their best efforts may fail. It’s our job to give them a chance to succeed.
Government by bribery will kill us. Exposing and ending this travesty as quickly as possible is our only hope.
