Could You be an Independent populist?
One could define our sovereign nation as embodying three entities, Government, markets, and citizens. The Constitution intends that "We The People" (citizens) are to empower Government through the election process. The Government provides security, promotes the general welfare of its citizens, and facilitates markets to provide an economy. Beginning with Independence our markets were regulated to gain a desired effect that would serve the citizens. From WWII through the 50's it was a mixed bag. Markets were somewhat deregulated but many controls were still in place. During this period the Government put in place the GI Bill and Social Welfare and the citizens prospered. From the 60's forward the marketers have become the "We the People" and the citizens have become a minor appendage in this sovereign nation.
How did that happen? I watched it happen over the last 40 years of my life. I remember hearing in the 60's that this CEO or that CEO was going to Hong Kong where the new money was to be made. Hong Kong was set up by the British based on lassize-faire, a free trade economy. US business interests wanted deregulation so they could compete more effectively in foreign markets. The art of lobbying congress became as important as the business itself. Through a little coercion and lots of corruption, business leaders were able to deregulate trade and finance, thus achieving their free trade aspirations. Businesses now locate where cheap labor can be found. Low tax rates and weak, or non-existent, laws relating to trade, finance, and human dignity attract them.
Supporting any trade theory other than "free trade" is currently seen as politically incorrect and gets no voice at the debate table in universities, boardrooms, or congressional hearing rooms. The Democratic Party present themselves to the public as liberalist, offering strong government oversight and promoting large social programs. The Republican Party staunchly supports free trade, a strong military and a conservative government with limited oversight. Unfortunately, both parties have become nothing more than advocacy platforms for big business. Likewise, our congress has been co-opted, hijacked; to serve business interests over the interest of citizens. It didn't happen overnight, but one meeting at a time, one law at a time over a period of 40 years or so. Much of this was accomplished through a two pronged approach. Big business maintained a strong lobby presence on Capitol Hill and took advantage of a "revolving door" policy. Big business would send their representatives to spend a few years as a political administrator in government. Likewise, as congressmen and congresswomen gained experience, insight, and power in government they would resign to work in big business. Conflicts of interest were often created, but this was not a problem when you make the rules.
Citizens are now starting to feel the consequences of the imbalance between the three entities. According to Robert Kuttner in "The Squandering of America" between 2000 and 2006 worker productivity went UP 19 percent. But wages of non-supervisory workers increased by $1.60 per worker OVER SIX YEARS. That got my attention and I hope it gets yours. You can buy ‘feel good items' such as cheap clothes, electronic gadgets, etc. all made overseas. But if you purchase a major item such as a car, insurance, property, education, etc you get the sense something is wrong. Now, you may only get this feeling if you believe that citizens should prosper together as a nation. You hear the politicians espousing the phrase "the American dream", a job, a house and live happily ever after. I think American citizens aspire to share in the wealth THEY HELPED CREATE. Let's say you spend $150k on your engineering or computer science education. Before being hired by a company you will be asked, if you want the job, to sign away your rights to any thing you may develop, design, or create. Such a minor thing to consider here, when we are talking about the housing bust, job outsourcing, lying politicians, ‘two paycheck' households going nowhere, a do-nothing congress, medical and pharmaceutical costs though the roof, education impossible for many, etc. Our political debates regarding issues have become more about like-ability, good hair, and which Hollywood stars might show up.
What is "free trade"? Free trade is a totally unencumbered approach to doing business in the global economy. There should be no oversight by any entity, private, foreign, state or otherwise. The free market will sort out its problems and self regulate itself. Government should butt out. Do you see the hypocrisy of this? That's where our government and big business have taken us citizens.
What is the TRUE agenda of the FREE TRADERS?
- Overturn all laws regulating trade and finance. They might want to keep some rules like; we want to conduct global trade and be able to import drugs from China without regard to counterfeit or safety issues. Bush has stationed political gatekeepers at the top of every federal agency to prevent any interference with TRUE free trade. We all witnessed the action of the Consumer Protection Agency this past Xmas regarding the importation of unsafe toy products.
- The TRUE free trader wants to monopolize and control products. For instance, they want to develop new drugs through government research, using taxpayer dollars, and lobby for (buy) congressional ruling to label the drug as generic. This allows you to stiff your competition, fix the price at whatever you desire, and you don't have to bring (advertise) new or improved drugs to market as frequently.
- They might want a law preventing US citizens from purchasing safe and reliable drugs from some other global trading partner such as Canada, Great Britain, France, Switzerland, etc. Sometimes they need to buy protection for their bad ideas. During this writing I've noted news articles stating that the cholesterol drug Vytorin is not performing as advertised. This information was put in a published report to the FDA. The FDA didn't notify the public because, by law, they aren't required to make the report public for two years after the date of filing. About 67 percent of positive reports and about 33 percent of negative reports get published. Otherwise, a couple of years is long enough for a company to capitalize (about $5B in sales) on a faulty product and align themselves for the next great thing.
- TRUE free traders see workers as a "unit of production". They don't see you as a person who has desires, needs, or even as someone pursuing the "American dream". You are a unit used to produce something and when that production is finished you are finished. Now, if you have the skills required to make the next widget you might be retained for the next round. Otherwise your services are no longer needed. If your salary comes to be seen as adding excessively to overhead you may be terminated with little or no recourse. In other words, the worker has no right to expect a ‘career job' or to participate in the wealth of a company and the company has no loyalty to you, beyond a wage or salary. Do ‘We the People' agree to that modus operandi?
- TRUE free traders feel an incessant need to keep production cost down. This can be done by locating production in foreign countries where they can employ sweatshop labor, slave labor, or just cheap labor. It is more difficult to roll back the advances of the working class in the USA but it is highly necessary in a global economy. The US workers wages must be brought more in line with worker wages around the world. Several effective methods are: limit access to education through reduced grants, higher loan rates, reduce classroom positions for citizens and increase positions for foreign students who will work for less. Other methods are to flood the labor market with illegal immigrants and bring in cheap labor using several types of so called ‘temporary worker visas'.
The most effective method is through the inflation scam. For 2007 true inflation ran about 7%. The government reported that inflation was around 2.5%. Business will base your next wage increase on the 2.5% rate. Let's say you receive a 3% raise. So, for 2008 your salary is devalued by 4%. Likewise, all your savings investments were devalued by 7%. Business will then raise prices on their products to stay out in front of the inflationary index.
I used to think of the ACLU and Chamber of Commerce as upright, civic minded institutions. Not any more. Both have gone around the country filing lawsuits against certain entities attempting to enforce existing immigration law or pass laws that would impede illegal aliens or illegal immigration in any measure. They want illegals to have a driver's license so they can drive taxis, delivery vehicles and trucks, etc. Several states will allow people to register and vote if they have a valid driver's license. You recall the 911 hijackers were all carrying state issued drivers licenses. One hijacker was carrying a license from 8 different states. The 9-11 commission recommended states cease issuing licenses to non-citizens. The government spent billions reorganizing the intelligence agencies, and securing air travel as recommended by the 9-11 commission. Yet, for year's government leaders have refused to control our southern border with Mexico. However, the government has arrested and jailed US border guards for trying to protect American interest on the border. Fully 80 percent of the major drug types come across the southern border. The end result of purchasing and ingesting these drugs is to break up families and destroy family values, having the effect of pushing the worker down further.
One could fill pages describing how government and business operate as one entity to ensure that big business can conduct TRUE free trade at the expense of the working class. This country has advanced to become the strongest and wealthiest of nations. At this point in time in our society there should be NO poor or disenfranchised citizens. By 2008 education and healthcare insurance should be free or extremely inexpensive. ONE working family member should make a wage or salary sufficient to support the family in all their needs, including retirement, ample vacations, etc. Will we be the first generation in this country's history that passes on a lesser quality of life for our children? Do you think an increase in earnings of $1.60 per worker over a six year period is OK? The CEO of Countrywide Mortgage will receive $37 million for his services for legally raping the consumer citizen and bankrupting the company. Do you really like TRUE free trade that much?
If we don't like TRUE free trade, then what are we to do? I suggest we turn to the US Constitution by again empowering the government through "WE THE PEOPLE". The citizen's best recourse to CHANGE is through the ballot box. However, forming a 3rd party, an INDEPENDENT PARTY, can more quickly effect desired change. It would be a labor of years to try to elect INDEPENDENTS into the Democratic or Republican party and have those newly elected try to undo the trickery, gimmickry, etc. that has taken the two parties over 30 years to get in place. Also, a 3rd party can be established with a clean set of IRREVOCABLE principles, derived thorough party members. Elected Independents would then have the base support of a constituency. Past reforms were brought about by the Populist Party in 1892 and again, by the Progressive Party under Theodore Roosevelt in 1912. I suggest we Independents can achieve as much. I'm up for it! Are you ready?
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Rappahanock Co. Va.
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