This morning driving in to work I heard a repeat of a Democracy Now broadcast - an interview with Ralph Nader where he pointed out:
So we’ve got a real problem here. It’s not too extreme to call our system of government now "American fascism." It’s the control of government by big business, which Franklin Delano Roosevelt defined in 1938 as fascism. And they control the government and turn the government to their favor—subsidies, handouts, giveaways, deferred prosecutions, non-prosecutions—and against the American people. And minimum wage is just one. You have full Medicare for all, which a majority of doctors and the American people want, with free choice of doctor and hospital. That’s the only—we’re the only Western country that doesn’t have it. Eight hundred Americans a week die because they cannot afford diagnosis and treatment for their ailments. That’s 800 Americans a week, 45,000 a year. Who says so? A study, peer-reviewed, out of Harvard Medical School. So, we have the lowest minimum wage in the Western world. We have the greatest amount of consumer debt. We have the highest child poverty, the highest adult poverty, huge underemployment, a crumbling public works—but huge multi-billionaires and hugely profitable corporations.
I say to the American people: What’s your breaking point? When are you going to stop making excuses for yourself? When are you going to stop exaggerating these powers when you know you have the power in this country if you organize it?
Then less than an hour later I read that Missouri voters sent another ALECer to Congress yesterday in a special election.
State Rep. Jason Smith (R) easily won Missouri’s 8th district special election Tuesday, outpacing three other candidates in a heavily conservative district.
With 78 percent of the vote counted, the Associated Press called the race for Smith, who was leading Democratic nominee Steve Hodges 68 percent to 27 percent.
In addition to being one of the youngest members of Congress (he’s 32 years old), Jason Smith is Missouri’s state Chairman for the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
Fascism - being expanded one vote at a time.
I say to the American people: What’s your breaking point? When are you going to stop making excuses for yourself?
With that in mind I re-post an entry from a couple a months ago.
A post that is just as important today as it was then -a nd in a few weeks, it will be too late, to be important.
Think about it -
We use to be a representative government, of, for, by the people.
That has changed folks
It doesn't matter if you are a Democrat, Independent or a Republican.
It's time to wake up, people - real people, homo-sapiens.
Take the damn blinders off, folks and see what is really happening.
ALEC started this 40 years ago by intentionally bringing corporations into the political process.
ALEC started this 40 years when they told corporations -
"Hell, Yes! Come on in" -
"Write legislation" -
Buy legislators scholarships to come meet with you!
Our ALEC legislators will take your corporate legislation
back to the states and the US Congress to implement -
just for the price of a scholarship.
ALEC started this 40 years ago when they told corporations -
"You - the corporations need more control of the government."
This is about known ALEC corporate members controlling our government officials at the state and federal level.
This is about known ALEC corporate members controlling the flow of legislation through our state and federal government.
This is about corporate profit.
This is about CORPORATIONS controlling our government.
This is about fascism.
The American Legislative Exchange Council is directly responsible for the destruction of representative government - of, for, by the people.
40th Birthday
ALEC will be celebrating their 40th Birthday Party and Annual meeting in Chicago
August 7 -9.
We need an organizing committee for the peaceful protest / resistance.
The black shirts are already starting to organize for ALEC's birthday party.
I am in Minnesota - and will help as best I can - as will other members from the Daily Kos Abolish ALEC group
I'm willing to travel to Chicago/Milwaukee in June & July - to do multiple ALEC educational sessions (I currently do them in the Metro area) for religious organizations, unions, and other interested groups. I am always available through Kosmail to do ALEC educational sessions.
BUT - we need people to step up
and start the planning process
and organizing multiple groups to work together
and take the reins and be responsible
and organize in Chicago.
(I have one Chicago contact who wants to help.)
So far - there is NOTHING being organized that I can find - and it's only eight weeks away.
Chicago is not Oklahoma City - where they had an amazingly successful protest against ALEC in May. Chicago will require someone to step forward and check if we need permits - what the restrictions are, etc. Chicago is a city with a long history of protests and I am sure there are regulations in place that we need to be aware of.
Are you that person???
Can you help?
Is there a a group of you that can start working on this?
The American Legislative Exchange Council is directly responsible for the destruction of representative government - of, for, by the people.
I say to the American people: What’s your breaking point? When are you going to stop making excuses for yourself?