It's the Corporations!

I heard a very persuasive talk by Richard Grossman on Revoking Corporate Charters as a way to beat back the attack on our freedom and gain more citizen power. This theme has received a lot more play since the "United Citizens" Supreme Court case and interestingly, the Celebrating Conservatives had a critique of "corporatism" the other night that would probably align. In each case the object is to leave the "free enterprise" Market system intact but place regulatory limits on agents or in some way "downsize" or break up the monopoly power they have through their organizational model.

This is akin to the progressive movement to provide "free and fair" elections through public financing so that politics can become democratic. Two problems immediately jump out with these noble, well meaning efforts.The idea of returning nostalgically to a "better capitalism" of smaller entities is one, an a-historical fantasy and two, a practical impossibility. Pre-corporate capitalism had it's own barbaric forms and given the cultural, political and ideological hegemony of bureaucratic late capitalism, some feel-good legislation or court decision would soon be undermined by new strategies of dominance. C,mon! These folks are creative! They'll craft the legislation themselves! Bill gates will lecture them on responsibility! "Worker-friendly" small businesses will be trotted out by Obama and paraded around, recycling and picking up roadside trash.

Speaking of conservatives, I went to that Shaeffer Cox's website and he wrote a post titled "Down the Rabbit Hole" the same time I did! Different rabbits, different hole, but same feeling of surreal irrationality. He can't fathom why the mainstream media and the masses are fooled by the New World Order which to him is so obvious! I can't understand how he can be so paranoid about the wrong thing! Funny world, huh? His language is revealing: "I feel in my gut a resentment..." "I don't understand all the ins and outs..you shouldn't have to understand all that stuff.." It is a visceral,"common sense" type of reaction. Gut over mind. Very New Millenium and very appealing to those who want change at no risk.But what do I know.

I know bank stocks have surged 146% in the last year.I know a bill introduced in the Kentucky Legislature would encourage teachers to discuss "the advantages and disadvantages of scientific theories" including "evolution, the origins of life, global warming and human cloning". I know Lionel Tiger, a professor of Anthropology at Rutgers wrote "It is equally clear the pageant of Olympic medal-seeking rests on a HUMAN NATURE we share with primates and other animals- a white hot focus on hierarchy." And grooming our mates?

I know it is:
Winter in America
And aint nobody fighting
Cause nobody knows what to save Gil Scott-Heron