Corporatocracy

I know the title probably is not a real word, but I am also sure that we all know what it means. Our country is in a sour mood, and the focus of the people’s malcontent is government. There are many things that government has done, and in some cases, has not done that rile us, but the bigger problem is the power of corporations. Corporations have enormous power in this country. We all know why and how they have gotten great power. The financing of political campaigns puts an implied obligation on our public officials that is nearly impossible to resist.

There isn’t a public official in any political party that will admit that they have been influenced by campaign money. They will tell you;“Even as I accept campaign contributions I always vote on the merits of the legislation being voted on.” The ordinary citizen is rarely listened to, and almost never is consulted. Why because either we can’t afford a campaign contribution or the $25 or $100 we do contribution doesn’t warrant a serious ear.

Recently the Supreme Court ruled that corporations can contribute to political campaigns without limit. If that is true what chance has the ordinary citizen have in competing with that, and getting any attention. Furthermore, as a stockholder, does the president and the corporate board ask me what I think. No! So the corporation can back a candidate that is proposing legislation that hurts the stockholder, essentially using the stockholder’s money to support a position that is diametrically opposed to the interest of the stockholder. Where is the fairness in that?

Years ago we argued the merits and shortcomings of communism. That failed model of governing stifled innovation, created shortages that central planning could not anticipate. An elite emerged from this and most people remained relatively poor. Products were shoddy, expensive, and limited. What do you suppose happens when corporations rule? What happens when corporations have a monopolistic hold on the country? Innovation is stifled, products are progressively shoddy, more expensive than they could be with real competition, and they become limited. An elite class is formed at the expense of the small businessman and workers in those businesses. In other words communism and unfettered capitalism is bad for the country for more or less the same reasons.