Put your emotions aside for the duration of this reading. Put aside your political affiliation, or your particular interests when it comes to civics, to social activism, to causes you support, including the environment, climate change, social justice. I'm going to ask you to do one simple thing: Follow the money.
We are going through a systematic defunding of the public sector, of the government, which in the final analysis is the defunding of democracy itself.
As an observer of this, it is very disheartening to see intelligent, caring, responsible citizens scattering their attention on the "branches" of evil, instead of the root. But that's not surprising, since that's exactly the type of reaction the powers behind this take-down expect from people, having set the conditions to create confusion.
All these issues are related. Would-be right wing vigilante and paramilitary groups are being purposely armed to the teeth by corporatist cartels. Eventually they will be used to intimidate social justice and anti-corruption activists, as well as intellectuals; the very people who present a real challenge to every tinpot tyrant of every era.
The political establishment is now firmly in the hands of billionaires-funded groups and corporatist cartels, and is now engaged in a systematic dismantling of the public sector.
As all this happens, and in the middle of all the confusion, if you listen carefully you'll hear a giant sucking sound of wealth being extracted from the citizenry flowing rapidly towards the ruling elite (corporatist cartels and the political establishment). And with that wealth being extracted from the citizens, a huge amount of power is also flowing away from the populace towards the ruling elite.
The social safety net is being dismantled. Labor unions are being busted and weakened. Pension funds are being raided and undermined. Further "austerity" measures are being imposed on the citizenry, on the workers.
The net result of all this is a huge spike in corporate profits, and further erosion on wages, and benefits, all while citizens are being squeezed by increasingly onerous fees and fines, and deliberately confusing "terms and conditions" when dealing with corporations.
We're being played. But this is a very dangerous game. The right wing nutjobs (including nationalists, nativists, racists, religious fundamentalists) become the useful idiots of the billionaires, while the Left refuses to come together and organize into a cohesive movement, ultimately becoming sitting ducks. Isn't this familiar? It's happened before in history.
I've written before that I have a feeling that the Left is finally getting ready to roar back into action, but as days and weeks go by, bringing with them the imposition and consolidation of an increasingly fascistic police state, sometimes I get a little worried that we may get to the point when it's going to be too late.
What does that mean, roaring back into action? Occupy Wall Street on steroids, 20 times bigger than it eve was. CREDO, and Daily Kos, and SEIU, and ColorOfChange, and Southern Poverty Law Center, and the ACLU, and MoveOn, and REPEACE, and RootStrikers, and every other national progressive organization coming together and forming a cohesive movement capable of coordinating strategy, nationwide (and internationally).
Most of them, of course, would have to go through a cleansing process, ridding themselves of the activism-killing influence of corporate funders and especially of the corrupt-to-the-core Democratic party establishment.
People would have to put country first, ahead of their own economic gain and personal agendas.
But in my heart of hearts I believe this is doable. That it hasn't happened yet is stupefying, incredible, inexplicable.
Resources: Visit REPEACE and take their three pledges (check out the website, and you'll learn more). Check out RootStrikers (I'm going to the April 20th event). Beautiful Trouble: A toolbox for revolution.
People want to do this; they are clamoring for leadership. Heck, I'm just some guy with no funding or backing from anywhere, and have somehow been able to build an
email list of 300+ people from around the country answering my call for this type of cohesive and organized nationwide network (see below).
I'll do what I can, but I would prefer to see people with more reach, more connected, with deep pockets, step up to the plate and show some leadership.
Any true progressive movement would have to be totally independent of any political party influence. Its main function would be to put pressure on the corrupt political establishment; to inform the citizenry about what's happening, and recruit as many people as possible join in the struggle to save the Republic.
Again, think Occupy Wall Street on steroids, 20 times bigger than it was, and this time embracing the concept of leadership (even if diffused) and strategic thinking. Their overall message was right on point.
Each blue dot on the map below represents a member of a growing nation-wide network of social justice and anti-corruption activists committed to finding the best way forward. Join us in the effort!
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Ray Pensador |
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