Clarity
After watching the Dr. Shiva's interview, I madly wrote down my reactions and thoughts. These are really not my own unique ideas but more my thinking through what she said.
I have often wondered why rural Americans who are some of the poorest people often vote in Republicans who defend corporate welfare; there is nothing free about our market. Tax breaks, bonuses, subsidies, incentives... I originally thought it was a cultural thing. Since most Republican candidates say they are Christian and conservative in terms of moral values, rural America tends to side with them. Kind of made sense. Except not all rural Americans go to Church or even think that much about God. So what drives them to vote Republican? And then Vandana Shiva said something.
When she was in Wisconsin for a talk she tried to get her audience to see that their perceived enemies were not the class right above them, the union workers, the school teachers, the nurses, the librarians nor right below them, the welfare mothers, but the cherished and protected corporate class. She said that Americans have been hoodwinked to attack the wrong people. We spend so much time blaming each other and so little time actually holding corporations responsible for their actions and MASSIVE profits.
You never hear people say, "God, look at that guy with his Hummer, summer house in Connecticut and yacht in the front yard. What kind of corporate payoff did it take to fund that? " No, no, no, given the American dream, we are supposed to want to BE that guy. But find out that your local police chief makes 100,000 a year and your head almost explodes. What!? That guy? I could do his job. (grumbling)
This brings up another important point. Rural people and Republicans as a whole tend to be suspicious of government programs, except those that benefit corporations, a prejudice which goes unexamined. Social programs are really suspect. And although I would conceded that there is bound to be excesses and bad policy, does that mean we throw the baby out with the bathwater? I have heard so many times, "I am not gonna give my hard earned money so some so and so can sit on their butt and do nothing!" When the government gives tax cuts or exemptions to corporations why don't Republicans complain about that? What is fair about that? Why do I have to pay taxes but they often do not?
Things seem upside down to me. Do I want big massive government telling me what to do? Hell no. However, I do think that this Republican theme of no big government, stop the crazy spending is a bunch of hooey. The Multinational Corporations have not only fully infiltrated the Republican party, the Democrats are not safe either, they just dress it up differently. Corporations think: sure, sure, fight about the wars, fight about the deficit, fight about education, fight about union pensions, just as long as no one looks our way and holds us accountable for our pollution, profits or dishonesty.
I have often wondered why rural Americans who are some of the poorest people often vote in Republicans who defend corporate welfare; there is nothing free about our market. Tax breaks, bonuses, subsidies, incentives... I originally thought it was a cultural thing. Since most Republican candidates say they are Christian and conservative in terms of moral values, rural America tends to side with them. Kind of made sense. Except not all rural Americans go to Church or even think that much about God. So what drives them to vote Republican? And then Vandana Shiva said something.
When she was in Wisconsin for a talk she tried to get her audience to see that their perceived enemies were not the class right above them, the union workers, the school teachers, the nurses, the librarians nor right below them, the welfare mothers, but the cherished and protected corporate class. She said that Americans have been hoodwinked to attack the wrong people. We spend so much time blaming each other and so little time actually holding corporations responsible for their actions and MASSIVE profits.
You never hear people say, "God, look at that guy with his Hummer, summer house in Connecticut and yacht in the front yard. What kind of corporate payoff did it take to fund that? " No, no, no, given the American dream, we are supposed to want to BE that guy. But find out that your local police chief makes 100,000 a year and your head almost explodes. What!? That guy? I could do his job. (grumbling)
This brings up another important point. Rural people and Republicans as a whole tend to be suspicious of government programs, except those that benefit corporations, a prejudice which goes unexamined. Social programs are really suspect. And although I would conceded that there is bound to be excesses and bad policy, does that mean we throw the baby out with the bathwater? I have heard so many times, "I am not gonna give my hard earned money so some so and so can sit on their butt and do nothing!" When the government gives tax cuts or exemptions to corporations why don't Republicans complain about that? What is fair about that? Why do I have to pay taxes but they often do not?
Things seem upside down to me. Do I want big massive government telling me what to do? Hell no. However, I do think that this Republican theme of no big government, stop the crazy spending is a bunch of hooey. The Multinational Corporations have not only fully infiltrated the Republican party, the Democrats are not safe either, they just dress it up differently. Corporations think: sure, sure, fight about the wars, fight about the deficit, fight about education, fight about union pensions, just as long as no one looks our way and holds us accountable for our pollution, profits or dishonesty.
Glad to know that others think similarly to myself. Keep fighting the good fight! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement. Often on posts like these the echo of my own voice lasts awhile given their sensitive nature. ;) I think there might be more people who feel the same way but we just don't hear from them much. At least that is my hope.
ReplyDelete