Corporate Political Hogs

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of war. God grant that my suspicions may prove groundless."
- Abraham Lincoln -

Throughout our history, the trend in our democratic state has been that money and power be pooled into a small elite group. This has always been a problem within our political/corporate system and during my lifetime, it hasn't showed signs of changing or even slowing. Our machine politics have helped create this plutocracy over the years. It can be seen, in what George Plunkitt called "honest graft". This powerful corporate/political machine has gained it's power through what is called political patronage.

Today we see privatization and it's transference of power from the public sector of our government into the hands of the corporate sector, with it's insatiable hunger for more. The deregulation and removal of business restrictions has been very detrimental to consumer rights and has created within our country what is known as regulatory capture. As the corporations gain more and more power within our governmental agencies, we the people are being forgotten. As this illiberal democracy takes hold here in the U.S., the people are slowly beginning to wake up and see this as the American dream which has turned into an American nightmare!

As the lack of accountability and transparency continues and the corporate interests continue to gain power within our political system, we see human rights deteriorate. As our politicians become corporate pawns, we see an increase in their political protection and the war machine seemingly is growing into an indestructable leviathan which is supported by profiteering. We have allowed them to weave this web of corporate welfare and it's up to us to change this self-destructive path we have allowed our country to travel upon.

We the people, have to tear down these good 'ol boy networks and take the power out of the corporation's boardroom and put it where it belongs... back into the people's hands. In a place where honor and integrity are rarely seen, corporate law will take precedence over civil law. And as corporate law reigns, we will continue to watch the list of scandals grow as we watch the people's rights continue to wane. The alarm has gone off people...please stop hitting the snooze!