Stand Up to Corporate Power: Who Will Rule? - YES magazine

[groovedaddy]

Who Will Rule?
by Michael Marx and Marjorie Kelly - YES Magazine

Citizen movements are proving that we can take on corporate power, and together build a future that works for all life.

Corporate power lies behind nearly every major problem we face—from stagnant wages and unaffordable health care to overconsumption and global warming. In some cases, it is the cause of the problem; in other cases, corporate power is a barrier to system-wide solutions. This dominance of corporate power is so pervasive, it has come to seem inevitable. We take it so much for granted, we fail to see it. Yet it is preventing solutions to some of the most pressing problems of our time.

With global warming a massive threat to our planet and a majority of U.S. citizens wanting action, why is the U.S. government so slow to address it? In large part because corporations use lobbying and campaign finance to constrain meaningful headway.

Why are jobs moving overseas, depressing wages at home, and leaving growing numbers under- or unemployed? In large part because trade treaties drafted in corporate-dominated back rooms have changed the rules of the global economy, allowing globalization to massively accelerate on corporation-friendly terms, at the expense of workers, communities, and the environment.

Why are unions declining and benefits disappearing? In large part because corporate power vastly overshadows the power of labor and governments, and corporations play one region off against another, busting unions to hold down labor costs while boosting profits, fueling a massive run-up in the stock market.

Why were electricity, the savings and loan industry, and other critical industries deregulated, contributing to major debacles whose costs are borne by the public? In large part because free market theory, enabled by campaign contributions and lobbying, seduced elected officials into trusting the marketplace to regulate itself.

With all this happening, why do we not read more about the pervasiveness of corporate power? In large part because even the “Fourth Estate,” our media establishment, is majority owned by a handful of mega-corporations.

http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=1827

[DangerDave921]

1. I don't get it

I don't mean to be dense, but I just don't understand this whole "corporate power" argument. To me, corporations are just businesses. They make products (or provide services), employ people, and make money. Can someone explain to me in simple terms how corporations are causing all these massive societal problems.

[Larkspur]

2. Did you ever hear Jack Welch, CEO of GE and owner of NBC say

that corporations should be on barges so that they can move around to escape rising wages and other government regulations?

Corporations are not people but the people who run many of them are robber barons.

[BridgeTheGap]

3. If you haven't seen it, watch "The Corporation" Documentary

http://www.thecorporation.com/

[BridgeTheGap]

4. If you still don't get it, read these quotes from Presidents

“For I agree with you that there is a natural aristocracy among men. The grounds of this are virtue and talents. Formerly bodily powers gave place among the aristoi. But since the invention of gunpowder has armed the weak as well as the strong with the missile death, bodily strength, like beauty, good humor politeness and other accomplishments, has become but auxiliary ground of distinction. There is also an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents; for with these it would belong to the first class. The natural aristocracy I consider as the most precious gift of nature for the instructions, the trusts, and government of society. And indeed it would have been inconsistent in creation to have formed man for the social state, and not to have provided virtue and wisdom enough to manage the concerns of society. May we not even say that that form of government is the best which provides the most effectually for a pure selection of these natural aristoi to the offices of government? The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government and provision should be made to prevent its ascendancy.” Thomas Jefferson to John Adams - 1813

“I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country.” ibid. To George Logan in 1816

“Many of our rich men have not been content with equal protection and equal benefits, but have sought to make themselves richer by act of Congress.” Andrew Jackson - Bank Veto message - 1832

“I am more than ever convinced of the dangers to which the free and unbiased exercise of political opinion - the only sure foundation and safeguard of republican government - would be exposed by any further increase of the already overgrown influence of corporate authorities.” Martin Van Buren - First annual message to Congress - December, 1837

“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country...corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.” Abraham Lincoln - November 1864 - (letter to Col. William F. Elkins)
Ref: The Lincoln Encyclopedia, Archer H. Shaw (Macmillan, 1950, NY)

“This is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people no longer. It is a government of corporations, by corporations, and for corporations.” Rutherford B. Hayes


“As we view the achievements of aggregated capital, we discover the existence of trusts, combinations and monopolies, while the citizen is struggling far in the rear or is trampled to death beneath an iron heel. Corporations, which should be the carefully restrained creatures of the law and the servants of the people, are fast becoming the people’s masters.” Grover Cleveland - Annual address to Congress - December, 1888


“Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government, to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of today.” Theodore Roosevelt April, 1906


“There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains.”

ibid. August, 1910

“Since I entered politics, I have chiefly had men’s views confided to me privately. Some of the biggest men in the U.S., in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive., that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.” President Woodrow Wilson

“I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated governments in the civilized world. No longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men.” . Ibid


“The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the large centers has owned the government of the U.S. since the days of Andrew Jackson.” Franklin Roosevelt

“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.” President Dwight Eisenhower - Farewell speech

Any one have any more to add?

[DangerDave921]

5. OK, but what now?

I am 100% in favor of having zero undue influence in politics. I hate all the lobbyists in DC (over 30,000 of them) who do nothing but try to buy influence. But it takes two to play that game -- the lobbyist and the politician who agrees to be bought. So I can't, as a matter of honesty and logical thought, sit back and criticize corporate lobbyists and not also criticize politicians (from all parties) who play this game. To me, lobbying is nothing short of legalized bribery. And all of the politicians are in on it because it pays for their re-election campaigns. And let's face it -- once a politician gets in office, it's all about staying in office.

And what do we do with a company that is now big and successful and powerful? Take their profits? Close their doors? What?

[groovedaddy]

6. There are a few politicians who don't take the money

Kucinich is one of them

[BridgeTheGap]

8. Take away their "citizenship"

for one.
Hold them accountable before the law.
Yank their charters.
Why is it that Corporations can commit more than 3 felonies and continue on doing business while we individuals will get life in prison for 3 felonies?
Why is it that U.S. based multi-nationals refuse to "pledge allegiance to the flag?"

[DangerDave921]

9. why

The reason they are allowed to keep doing business is because many hundreds (if not thousands) of employees depend on their jobs. If you shut down a huge company, you are taking away the jobs from those employees. That's why pols are reluctant to do that.

To me, it's not the corporation that's wrong; it's the Ken Lay's and Bernie Ebbers of the world.

[BridgeTheGap]

10. So, we live in a society of double standards and that's okay?

It used to be that a corporations state issued charter had to be renewed annually, after a review by state officials.
If a corporation is producing a needed commodity/product some other corporation will produce that commodity/product and jobs will shift to them.
Hostile takeovers are allowed by law now and do happen. What's the difference?
If General Electric pollutes and saves millions in the process then pays a token fine - maybe 1% or less of what they made through polluting instead of spending the money to deal with the pollution in a responsible way, WHAT WILL KEEP THEM FROM DOING IT AGAIN? Nothing!

[DangerDave921]

11. no

I didn't say anything was OK. I was just explaining why pols are reluctant to shut down big companies.

I think strong punishment and jail time for the corporate heads will deter corporate crime. But punishing thousands of employees is misguided.

[antigop]

7. kick n/t