Some people raised the question in my diary on Sunday "what can we do to fight the corporate takeover of politics?", well the answer is as old as it is simple:
Unionize.
I am a union member, and I insisted that both my employees in my small business were protected, and proposed that they became members of a union, its not the most left wing of unions as it draws together professional engineers and technicians. However the terms in their contracts follow the requirements laid down in the union charter. If by some mischance I forget myself they have recourse to arbitration via 'les Prud'Hommes' which is a legal council designed to protect their employment rights.
Americans prize individualism, however sometimes when confronted by corporate unionism this is not enough. The Corporations form lobbying groups these are their unions, top board members flit from board room to boardroom, these are their union activists. You cant hope to win against well organized people by relying on individual strength alone, sad though that is...
Corporations have fought tooth and nail to break up unions throughout the industrialized world, the reason has always been to deny workers rights and power to resist their march to profit.
Their scream has always been "but union leaders are corrupt" indeed there have been some notable cases of union corruption; but this pales into insignificance compared to corporate corruption.
Unions in the past:
1] Ended child labor.
2] Shortened the working week and day.
3] Obtained Paid vacations
4] Fought for Fair pay.
5] Pushed for health and safety in the workplace.
6] Fought and organized for civil rights.
Hence the continued demonisation of unions by the monied classes and their mouthpiece the MSM. The propaganda has been continuous and relentless, unions are considered a threat to employment.
When I am asked how can we fight back, Unionize is my reply.
It was hard the first time around, and it won't be easy the second time either; the opposing forces are powerful and well managed.
The middle and working classes were best served when the unions were strong, first they were broken up, and then the work force was globalized. It is time to reverse this trend, and individualism wont cut it.
Unionize, and if need be fight for this right again.