Krugman: DeLay/"corp. interests" "election away from long-term power lock"

[DeepModem Mom]

OP-ED COLUMNIST
Machine at Work
By PAUL KRUGMAN

Published: July 13, 2004

....The Texas redistricting, like many of Mr. DeLay's actions, broke all the usual rules of political fair play. But when you believe, as Mr. DeLay does, that God is using you to promote a "biblical worldview" in politics, the usual rules don't apply. And the redistricting worked — it is a major reason why anything short of a Democratic tidal wave in November is likely to leave the House in Republican hands.

There is, however, one problem: a 100-year-old Texas law bars corporate financing of State Legislature campaigns. An inquiry is under way, and Mr. DeLay has hired two criminal defense lawyers. Stay tuned.

But you shouldn't conclude that the system is working. Mr. DeLay's current predicament is an accident. THE PARTY MACHINE THAT HE HAS DONE SO MUCH TO CREATE HAS ELIMINATED MOST OF THE CHECKS AND BALANCES IN OUR GOVERNMENT. Again and again, Republicans in Congress have closed ranks to block or emasculate politically inconvenient investigations. If Enron hadn't collapsed, and if Texas didn't still have a campaign finance law that is a relic of its populist past, Mr. DeLay would be in no danger at all.

The larger picture is this: Mr. DeLay and his fellow hard-liners, whose values are far from the American mainstream, have forged an immensely effective alliance with corporate interests. And they may be just one election away from achieving a long-term lock on power.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/13/opinion/13KRUG.html?hp

[amber dog democrat]

1. This is facism pure and simple

I hope very much Delay gets nailed for campaign law violations. I certainly don't think he saw this coming. Ronnie Earl is building a pretty solid case againsnt the bug man and the business association over the redistricting.

Guess we have to stay tuned.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. It's the very definition of fascism, isn't it?

I have posted above my desk an American Heritage Dictionary definition of fascism that a DUer shared a while back:

"A system of government that exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with belligerent nationalism."

[amber dog democrat]

8. sounds familiar , doen't it?

Remember in the musical "Lil Abner" the refrain, " What's good for General Bullmoose, it good for the USA ! "

I am hoping a new wave of populism starts up again. Things have gotten so out ot kilter I really do see corporate statism as one of the biggest menaces facing us today.

[0007]

6. I hope very much that Texas House of Representative Member Tom Craddick

goes down with Tom Delay. And I hope Ronnie Earl is building his case against Mr. Craddick as well. Do you know?

Fascism - A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism. b. A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government. 2. Oppressive, dictatorial control. --fas·cis“tic (f…-sh¹s“t¹k) adj.

[amber dog democrat]

10. No, nothing concrete on the Speaker yet

But he is under a cloud of investigation. We may have something in him yet.
Meanwhile under his mean spirted and lincompetant leadership not a whole lot is getting accomplished during his tenure.

Good defination, thanks.

[0007]

12. Thanks man, living here in Midland things are kept under cover

if you know what I mean. I have a couple of Democratic attorney friends here in town that claim Tom Craddick won't be touched.

I'd appreciate any news you may hear from your part of the country.

Thanks again!

[amber dog democrat]

13. They may be right.

He has been able to keep his phone logs from court scrutiny. He may be just bright enough to escape a somking gun.... but ther is a money trail from Delay that ties to him.
Right now, with another special session looming on school finance this fall, it will be anyone' s guess if anything happens. If it fails, which is not uncertain at all, this will be yet another liability for Governor Good-Hair.

There was a time when I used to LIKE aggies. Perry ii in deep trouble politically with lots of enemies, and the Democrats don't like him either.
stay tuned its going to get interesting.

Thankfull the 5 dollar tax on topless bars did not fly. ( Tits for Tots anyone? )

[ClintonTyree]

2. Yet..............

half the people in this country think that there is nothing wrong with this and that these are good, God fearing men who have the countries best interests in mind. Strange days my friends, strange days.

[izzie]

3. Well maybe the wave will crest and people will wake up.

This is not the first time in our history that things have gone this bad.

[xchrom]

4. oh i think the corporate power structure

has it's lock.
even if delay is trumped in his particular bid.
the corporatists won't disappear -- they will regroup and get into the back pocket of someone else.
it's corporations period that have to be taken on.
politicians are merely a symptom -- a moveable target, if you will.

[amber dog democrat]

7. Corporations are VERY dangerous

and anti democratic by nature. This is a battle we will be fighting forever.
Take no prisoners; No Quarter.

[rman]

9. corporate power has strong control, but it isn't to late yet

One important difference between fascism and bushism is that fascism/nazism maintained its rule primarily by means of force, while western state-capitalism maintains its rule mostly by formation of public opinion (manufacture of consent), enabled by hugely concentrated political- economic- and media power.
There are many "relics of the populist past" in law and in the political system, so for the time being it is in principal still possible to make it work for us (the people). The problem is that people would be required to wake up.
A long term corporate lock on power would mean 'real' fascism, where "the big lie" is replaced by "the big stick". Once we get there it gets much more difficult to counter act this authoritarian rule.

[xchrom]

11. outsourcing, attacks on welfare mothers,

high interest rates, no political loyalty for job diversity, lack of savings in the middle class, both political parties financially indebted to corporations{here and in the e.u.], etc.
the ability of the american people to wake up has been effectively disrupted by two events -- one is the playing on the emotional lives of the conservative,fearful masses{i.e. angry white middle class born agains} and decreasing numbers of participating voters.