It’s not a new idea. It actually goes back to our “democratic” beginnings: When the founding fathers created their basic documents; they didn’t consider indentures, women, Native Americans or persons who didn’t own property as worthy of having a voice in the important decisions which affected their lives. Consequently it took decisions by future legislatures and courts to allow women, former slaves and other disenfranchised people to vote and to get children out of sweat shops.
In the early part of the twentieth century national (and local) governments passed laws and regulations which allowed the industrial and financial barons to control all the important means of production, transportation and distribution. When that didn’t satisfy their greed, the economic rulers began to manipulate the financial markets and commodity exchanges. Does “Black Friday” ring a bell?
When we finally began to recover from that, we ran into World War II. After the pain and sacrifice, for those who didn’t get rich from the “war effort”, pent-up demand, the GI Bill and a growing population created a prosperous middle class. Of course the 1% took credit for creating all these jobs.
The subsequent military conflicts (Korea, Viet Nam, Afghanistan and Iraq) masked the growing control of our courts and legislatures by the military-industrial complex. But their excesses paled alongside those of the financial wizards (Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain), who were creating instruments so toxic; they bought insurance because they knew these instruments were bound to fail. Oh yeah, they sort of forgot to mention that to their buyers. And that doesn’t count the many Ponzi schemes that the “regulators” were eventually forced to identify as such.
This weakening of the regulatory oversight began during the Clinton watch. But the two terms of George W. Bush accelerated its demise, in all areas: Financial, environmental and the ability of profit-making institutions to influence our elected officials. This influence extends all levels from local governments to the Supreme Court. You have heard of “Citizens United”. I mean does anyone actually believe that a group of average citizens got together and petitioned the highest court in the land to allow the Koch brothers (and their ilk) to control our governing bodies. In case you don’t understand it, that’s what the decision does. It’s the ultimate expression of the “Golden Rule”: Whoever has the gold, rules.
Collective bargaining? They’ve started at the local level with municipal employees, through legislation restricting their rights, or emergency manager laws that negate agreements. And don’t be surprised when A.L.E.C. gets laws enacted which affect all collective bargaining.
And the “Tea Party” lemmings are complicit. They actually believe that the 1% is going to allow them to partake in their spoils. You may be allowed to mow their lawns, cook their food, or if you’re tough enough, guard their gated communities.
Make no mistake, that’s where it’s headed. When the 1% controls 100% of this country’s wealth, they’ll hire Black water style protection and fly from point to point, while the rest of us drive on crumbling roads and bridges, drink polluted water and eat tainted food (when we can find any).
Sound far-fetched and apocalyptic?
The presumptive GOP presidential candidate is a charter-member of that elite 1%, who would form the new oligarchy. Add a House and Supreme Court controlled by the religious right, a filibuster-paralyzed senate and you have a perfect storm.
Remember, all it takes for tyrants to take over, is for good men to do nothing.
Carmen Sarotte
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