Procrustes Stretched
"intuition and imagination and intelligence"
Why the GOP has fought for a century for states' rights and the rights of corporations to spend money to influence who gets elected.
It all began with Teddy Roosevelt:
...and it has ended here:
The recent decision by the shills for corporate interest on the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS),
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr, and Justices Anthony M. Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr., have overturned a century old understanding that a corporation is not equal in totality to a citizen. Corporations cannot vote and cannot run for political office. Corporations, through money contributions to individual politicians, political campaigns and money given to political parties, can only influence elections for or against the interests of the people. Corporations do not have the interests of the people at heart, best or worst. Corporations have the interests of corporations at heart. Corporations are nothing but a corrupt influence on the system. If this is true (do you deny it?), why has the GOP fought for a century for states' rights and no restrictions on corporate donations?
I am not arguing the case for or against the SCOTUS decision here. That is being done elsewhere at USMB, link here: ...Justices Reject Campaign Finance Limits... I am pointing out that what the GOP shills on the SCOTUS have done is reveal what has been a GOP and Corporate wet dream for a century: to go back to the days before President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, where corporations actually ran the show. The business of American back then was more than ever, bought and paid for. More so then, than many today it now is. For close to a century, the GOP and the corporate interests, had no way to take back and further their goals. To go back to 'the good old days.'
Under the Democratic Party leadership of America, from the days after Teddy Roosevelt, up to the Presidency of Jimmy Carter and the Congress of House Speaker Tip O'Neil, there was no way for the Corporate interests controlling the GOP to further their goals. So they came up with a plan. Get onto the courts.
For close to a century, the Corporate interests controlling the GOP couldn't stack the courts in their favor. To further their goals. The Corporate interests needed to elect a dupe or willing President, along with a willing Congress. So they came up with another plan: widen the GOP base. How to do that? Southern strategy and culture wars.
The GOP under the corporate interests, ended up going with Southerners upset and baffled and scared of the changes civil rights legislation brought about in their home towns and states. Most of these southerners were Democrats; many were racists; some were principled, but they all had one thing in common. Being duped by the corporate interests controlling the GOP.
The Corporate Shills at the GOP also went into culture wars, where people who were confused, angry, bewildered and upset at the changes progress always brings to a culture (think: Luddites...), were open to voices that told them 'we can go back'..back to a way things never were. Back to a time in mind only: Reagan's America.
Today American businesses swear no allegiance (if they ever did) to America. More than a few corporations have recently hinted at leaving the US for safer havens overseas because of differing views on what corporations owe back to America. Corporations these days are not really American, or Israeli, or German anymore. They are multinational. They owe no allegiance to any one nation. Their allegiance is to profit and profit alone. Profit at the expense of America, or Germany or Israel...doesn't matter. Power and Profit.
Because of this long quest, this long road back to power, the decision by the SCOTUS now allows multinational corporations based in America (and ones based in foreign countries), all with no allegiance whatsoever to Americans or their interests, to exert their influence and power over politicians and elections more than ever. More than ever in the history of America.
The GOP led Courts, The GOP led Congresses, and the GOP Presidents of the last 30 year, have done all they could to weaken the hold American citizens have on their own government and electoral politics. The Corporate, GOP led team attempted what was one of the most shameful attempts in American business history...to sell off American ports...
I do know that many will disbelieve what I have written since it challenges the world view of many of us. We've been brainwashed for decades. We have been fed false idols like Ronald Reagan, a good and decent man, but not a very deep thinker. A man who switched back and forth between parties and ideas like a bowl of jello in the hands of a child.
We've been fed the notion that American based companies are American, that they have the same rights as citizens, that they do what is best for America.
We have been fed bullshit and told it was filet mignon.
What will the GOP spin be? What will the next few election cycles bring about? Will Americans be further disenfranchised by faceless and careless corporate interests? Will any of us be happy with what the Corporate interests get the GOP to do? What good will it all be if after passing a few conservative culture war legislative acts, the country gets sold to the highest foreign or multinational bidder?
Dante Speaketh
---------
History of House Leadership:
It all began with Teddy Roosevelt:
...and it has ended here:
The recent decision by the shills for corporate interest on the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS),
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr, and Justices Anthony M. Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr., have overturned a century old understanding that a corporation is not equal in totality to a citizen. Corporations cannot vote and cannot run for political office. Corporations, through money contributions to individual politicians, political campaigns and money given to political parties, can only influence elections for or against the interests of the people. Corporations do not have the interests of the people at heart, best or worst. Corporations have the interests of corporations at heart. Corporations are nothing but a corrupt influence on the system. If this is true (do you deny it?), why has the GOP fought for a century for states' rights and no restrictions on corporate donations?
I am not arguing the case for or against the SCOTUS decision here. That is being done elsewhere at USMB, link here: ...Justices Reject Campaign Finance Limits... I am pointing out that what the GOP shills on the SCOTUS have done is reveal what has been a GOP and Corporate wet dream for a century: to go back to the days before President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, where corporations actually ran the show. The business of American back then was more than ever, bought and paid for. More so then, than many today it now is. For close to a century, the GOP and the corporate interests, had no way to take back and further their goals. To go back to 'the good old days.'
Under the Democratic Party leadership of America, from the days after Teddy Roosevelt, up to the Presidency of Jimmy Carter and the Congress of House Speaker Tip O'Neil, there was no way for the Corporate interests controlling the GOP to further their goals. So they came up with a plan. Get onto the courts.
For close to a century, the Corporate interests controlling the GOP couldn't stack the courts in their favor. To further their goals. The Corporate interests needed to elect a dupe or willing President, along with a willing Congress. So they came up with another plan: widen the GOP base. How to do that? Southern strategy and culture wars.
The GOP under the corporate interests, ended up going with Southerners upset and baffled and scared of the changes civil rights legislation brought about in their home towns and states. Most of these southerners were Democrats; many were racists; some were principled, but they all had one thing in common. Being duped by the corporate interests controlling the GOP.
The Corporate Shills at the GOP also went into culture wars, where people who were confused, angry, bewildered and upset at the changes progress always brings to a culture (think: Luddites...), were open to voices that told them 'we can go back'..back to a way things never were. Back to a time in mind only: Reagan's America.
Today American businesses swear no allegiance (if they ever did) to America. More than a few corporations have recently hinted at leaving the US for safer havens overseas because of differing views on what corporations owe back to America. Corporations these days are not really American, or Israeli, or German anymore. They are multinational. They owe no allegiance to any one nation. Their allegiance is to profit and profit alone. Profit at the expense of America, or Germany or Israel...doesn't matter. Power and Profit.
Because of this long quest, this long road back to power, the decision by the SCOTUS now allows multinational corporations based in America (and ones based in foreign countries), all with no allegiance whatsoever to Americans or their interests, to exert their influence and power over politicians and elections more than ever. More than ever in the history of America.
The GOP led Courts, The GOP led Congresses, and the GOP Presidents of the last 30 year, have done all they could to weaken the hold American citizens have on their own government and electoral politics. The Corporate, GOP led team attempted what was one of the most shameful attempts in American business history...to sell off American ports...
-clue: why did the GOP have such a hard-on for Murtha? Did he upset his former military/corporate friends by protecting the sovereignty and safety of the American public?
I do know that many will disbelieve what I have written since it challenges the world view of many of us. We've been brainwashed for decades. We have been fed false idols like Ronald Reagan, a good and decent man, but not a very deep thinker. A man who switched back and forth between parties and ideas like a bowl of jello in the hands of a child.
We've been fed the notion that American based companies are American, that they have the same rights as citizens, that they do what is best for America.
We have been fed bullshit and told it was filet mignon.
What will the GOP spin be? What will the next few election cycles bring about? Will Americans be further disenfranchised by faceless and careless corporate interests? Will any of us be happy with what the Corporate interests get the GOP to do? What good will it all be if after passing a few conservative culture war legislative acts, the country gets sold to the highest foreign or multinational bidder?
Dante Speaketh
---------
History of House Leadership:
