There is a puppet show taking place in the Obama White House, today, and all you have to do to be entertained is watch to the marionettes. That’s true; and just about everything else taking place in
Originally, our Founding Fathers formed a republic where the voice of the people could be heard. The people elected representatives – by a majority vote - who would voice the mind of the majority. That system functioned successfully for a very long time; up until the moment when “integrity” and ”truth” became foreign concepts.
Inevitably, at some point, various individuals and institutions grew more and more wealthy and powerful. Wealth equals power and power enables those possessing it to implement various means and methods of increasing wealth. Furthermore, power never increases on a linear curve. It increases exponentially: at an ever-increasing rate. Following this thought to its logical conclusion, over time, absent some other outside restrictions or controls, wealth and power become concentrated into the hands of fewer and fewer; eventually controlled by one individual, entity and institution.
Many of us have witnessed this concentration of wealth and power occurring throughout our lives. The examples are legion. Not too long ago there were wide varieties of so-called “Mom and Pop” stores: grocery, pharmacy, hardware, barber, restaurant, movie theatre, and on and on. Often, men and women residing in the community owned and operated each of these establishments. It was not uncommon for a storeowner to be known by their customers: even on a first name basis. An unwritten covenant existed between storeowner and customer whereby customers had confidence that they would be treated fairly and with respect. Likewise, owners were treated with respect, gratitude and loyalty.
It was a simpler time. People knew what was expected and what to expect. Eventually, however, the “Mom and Pop” stores gave way to chains: supermarkets, drug stores, home appliance outlets, Walmart, and Kmart. Today, chains are giving way to “super” stores that seem on track to sell everything from groceries to clothing to hardware (you name it) – from coast to coast and around the world. The rationale, we were told, was that we would all save money because superstores could buy greater quantities of goods and, the more merchandise bought, the cheaper it could be sold to you and me.
At first blush it all sounds great! Unfortunately, the equation fails to anticipate the human “greediness” factor. It fails to calculate the absence of long-term, failsafe, checks and balances on the power amassed by superstore proprietors. For example, it doesn’t anticipate that superstores will, eventually, purchase the manufacturers who once supplied them (becoming their own suppliers). Furthermore, it doesn’t foresee superstores buying each other (like Wal-Mart owning Kmart). No one seems to have calculated the consequences if, eventually, there is only one superstore, without competitors, and consumers must buy all their goods and services from this one remaining government outlet. Is a time coming when there will no longer any choice and no possibility of turning back the clock? Is that the destination anyone (other than the superstore owner(s))) would have chosen if fully informed before the fact?
Take it one-step further, now the superstore is not only selling goods and services, but is heavily ensconced in politics, as well; a time when the superstore is deciding which politician to support and which to ignore. Obviously, politicians holding points-of-view favorable to the superstore will prosper; likewise, politicians advocating policies adverse to the superstore will disappear. Eventually, the superstore will not merely control the government; it will be the government.
The foregoing “superstore” example is an imperfect, over-simplification of factors in order to make the point obvious. Although we do not have the existence of the “superstore-entity” yet, we have many “mega-industries” and “mega-businesses” that exert tremendous influence over our representatives inside the Beltway.
A prime example is the oil industry - currently in the media spotlight. “Big Oil” is composed of several global corporations that each boasting multi-billions in annual profits. These corporations invest enormous portions of their profits employing lobbyists whose only duty is to influence lawmakers to pass legislation favorable to the oil industry. Despite laws purportedly regulating lobbyists, the system appears to be rife with corruption. There are numerous reports about a cozy relationship between “big oil” and
Not surprisingly, the stories concerning systemic corruption quickly disappeared, demonstrating another inherent danger in our system. Lawmakers have tremendous sway over the media. Huge and wealthy corporations have tremendous influence over lawmakers and the media; more fertile grounds to spawn corruption are difficult to imagine.
Thus, we return to the opening premise: that
