An Enormous Corporate Colonization Project Is Underway -- And the US Economy Will Never Be the Same

[marmar]

AlterNet / By Andrew Gavin Marshall

An Enormous Corporate Colonization Project Is Underway -- And the American Economy Will Never Be the Same
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is a corporate coup, intended to expand the rights and powers of large corporations.

May 10, 2013 |


A corporate world order is emerging, and like any parasite, it is slowly killing off its host. Unfortunately, the "host" happens to be the planet, and all life upon and within it. So, while the extinction of the species will be the end result of passively accepting a corporate-driven world, on the other hand, it’s very profitable for those corporations and their shareholders.

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is the latest corporate-driven agenda in what is commonly called a “free trade agreement,” but which really amounts to ‘cosmopolitical corporate consolidation’: large corporations dictating and directing the policies of states – both nationally and internationally – into constructing structures which facilitate regional and global consolidation of financial, economic, and political power into the hands of relatively few large corporations.

Such agreements have little to do with actual ‘trade,’ and everything to do with expanding the rights and powers of large corporations. Corporations have become powerful economic and political entities – competing in size and wealth with the world’s largest national economies – and thus have taken on a distinctly ‘cosmopolitical’ nature. Acting through industry associations, lobby groups, think tanks and foundations, cosmopolitical corporations are engineering large projects aimed at transnational economic and political consolidation of power... into their hands. With the construction of “a European-American free-trade zone” as “an ambitious project,” we are witnessing the advancement of a new and unprecedented global project of transatlantic corporate colonization. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/world/enormous-corporate-colonization-project-underway-and-american-economy-will-never-be-same

[emsimon33]

1. K&R

[xchrom]

2. Du rec. Nt

[bemildred]

3. Did Orwell call it or what? nt

[nebenaube]

4. Well

If a corporation can rival the power of the state, then it's time for the state to declare war on the corporation.

[ljm2002]

7. And that used to work...

...but now the state is owned by the corporations. And it's not just our state: we've watched as corporations bust unions in this country by moving their factories to so-called "right to work" (i.e., low-wage) states. The very same thing happens worldwide: keep wages down, keep taxes down, keep regulations down or nonexistent, and we'll bring our great bounty to your country.

Of course the "great bounty" that they bring is not only the few billion $$ they infuse into a country's economy. It is also poor working conditions (see: Bangladesh), environmental destruction (see: Nigeria), austerity (see: Spain, Greece), and corruption (see: USA, UK).

Well one thing we can count on. As the climate worsens, there will be upheaval. It is questionable whether people will ever make the obvious connection between all-encompassing corporate and the worsening state of the natural world. But some things will change. The question is, how soon? and what kind of change? or will humanity just go on its not-so-merry way and decide to blame one another and flail about destructively, or will we learn how to pull together?

It was a rhetorical question. Given the corporate propaganda that has turned so many against reason, and therefore has made so many people sincerely believe that climate change is not real; we will see utter disaster before there is even a prayer of reacting. By then it will be too late, and the Little People will begin to turn on one another. Sometimes even their governments. But the Big People, the people who are really in charge, will repair to their fortresses to wait out the storm.

If there is any justice in this world, they'll drown in a massive tsunami. But I haven't seen much evidence of justice in this world.

[HiPointDem]

5. kr

[Egalitarian Thug]

6. K&R.

Only somewhat sarcastic in 1975, succinct explanation of reality today.

[Anansi1171]

27. What a brilliant monologue. A prescient film, and as with 1984, one of many ciphers.

I still do not understand why we cannot get to the next-level of strategy to counter Corporatism, such as using the apparatus of Corporations to curb and limit their power. You would think that Occupy would attempt what the name implies. Corporations have proxy wars over competing shareholder groups and management philosophy, while Occupy has had a novel approach in trying to buy "toxic" debt and forgive the debtors. Why not try to pool money to buy shares and directly influence boards that way?

Markets are manipulable, why not try to leverage market behavior on our behalf?

Why not form one large progressive corporation? An employee-owned corporation that can channel our aggregate demand into more beneficial and supportive consumer choices. That can bolster the consumer, and indeed every stakeholder can be a stockholder. It can provide a more readily accessible means to get goods to market at the expense of Koch Industries, Chik-fil-a, etc. It can be a lobbying counterweight to BP, Exxon, Lockhead, etc.

Where's our counterpart to ALEC?

We have witnessed the power of these 1% or 60 families or whatever you will call them over 100 years before COINTELPRO and ever since. They have the play-book written on destroying outside counter-cultures and progressive movements, but we keep running the same plays over, and over, and over.

If the deck is stacked to favor corporations, lets incorporate and subvert its power to reify and dehumanize by investing just one corporation with our humanity and example of democratic governance. Who knows, it may be a more effective form of power than states are, with its ability to transcend borders. At least its evidently worked well for the right.

[siligut]

31. Institutional and insider ownership

Look at the Major Holders of Proctor & Gamble for instance http://finance.yahoo.com/q/mh?s=PG+Major+Holders

38% Institutional & Mutual Fund Owners. Where's our counterpart to ALEC? Well, all of our money is tied up right now as we feed and house ourselves.

I used PG as an example because the Sisters of mercy are trying to do exactly what you suggest.

http://www.sistersofmercy.org/index.php?option=com_jlibrary&task=viewDetails&id=150

Valerie spoke to the managers of Synagro (solid waste facilities) about community and investor involvement.
MIP joined other investors in a dialogue with Procter & Gamble about political contributions.
Colgate-Palmolive invited MIP to a dinner of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria 2008 Awards for Business Excellence.
Eileen Hogan attended the AIDS/Other Medicines Roundtable with corporations and investors. Eileen was accompanied by Sister Cecilia Nibyobonka from Uganda, who quizzed the panel on accessing medications in Uganda.

As a shareholder, I vote and the Directors suggested that we all vote against the Sisters of Mercy proposals They always suggest we vote against shareholder concerns and FOR their compensation packages. Of course, I do the opposite, but that 38% tends to overrule me every-time.

[Anansi1171]

40. Thanks for pointing to the Sister's of Mercy

You are right about the the numbers game stacked against us. But your point is "our" money(what little we have) is tied up in our sustenance. So if we do pool our aggregate demand and our resources to better help sustain one another-with food, clothing, shelter-and create an alternative economy that is increasingly independent from this "Plutonomy", then that's a huge start even if monetarily its a drop in the bucket.

At least we have each other to depend on. At least we can provide a healthy example of a sane social contract however small at first.

At least we can demonstrate in this absolutely dark and acid time that it is alright to love and care for one another and this earth.

Maybe those oldest among us can wake these millennials up, or continue their awakening- because believe you me - THEY AINT DOING A DAMN THING BETTER THAN THIS! And that's not me disparaging them AT ALL. They are victims, hugely, and to be sure. But for their own sake-and for ours- we need to get them on their feet and wake them to the notion that NOW IS THEIR MOMENT. As much as that offends the sensibilities of youth.

We need to OPT OUT of the 1%'s grand vision and let it die on the vine. That includes this impeach their ginning up. That includes the Prison-industrial state that's advancing under the guise of immigration reform. This new war they want to start.

We need to get our heads together and start to sensibly and strategically take it to these baggers to our left and right; not their figureheads, but these people in our daily lives. While they threaten violence and wave their guns, we counter with non-violent action, community organizing, voluntary and participatory economics. We take care of one another and we build a world we want to see and leave their 60 million and declining bigoted behinds to histories dust-bin.

Our enemies are bullies. Plain and simple. Always-ALWAYS-have been and will be in this country. But even with the vast resources of the 1%, I promise you they are surmountable.

[7wo7rees]

32. Welcome to DU, Anansi1171!

I like where your thinking takes my imagination.

[Egalitarian Thug]

39. I think that what you propose is largely a matter of finances. ALEC, to use your example,

has billions behind it, Occupy has nothing comparable. All the debt they've bought and forgiven probably wouldn't keep ALEC running for a week. But you're right and maybe Occupy will grow into or spawn something big enough be the catalyst.

Here's hoping anyway. :drink:

[Mr.Bill]

8. Corporate control of the world is bad,

but I am looking forward to Rollerball.

[xtraxritical]

14. Are you looking forward to Soylant Green?

[yawnmaster]

34. I hear it tastes like a cross between pork and chicken...pretty good!

...I'm not sure what soylent colors are pork and chicken.

[Fire Walk With Me]

9. Globalisation is one of the key drivers of Plutonomy. So says their own internal memo.

"The Plutonomy Symposium: Rising Tides Lifting Yachts":

https://www.box.com/shared/9if6v2hr9h


Scattered analysis:

http://occupyobservations.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-leaked-2006-citigroup-plutonomy-memo.html

[SamKnause]

10. Trade

President Obama has already signed Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia.

He has been working in secret behind closed doors for years on this TTIP disaster.

It has been referred to as NAFTA on steroids.

Democratic or Republican, it doesn't matter, they both keep enacting polices that are destroying the job market in the U.S.

Bill Clinton signed NAFTA and ended Glass Steagall.

Both parties work for the corporations, banks, Wall Street, and the MIC.

Actions speak louder than words.

Just look at the people President Obama has appointed; Wall Street tycoons, lobbyists, revolving door puppets, big energy con men and the list goes on and on.

He has kept many Bush appointees.

They are all in cahoots together.

The media will continue to carry their water and tell the public how great this TTIP will be.

Same bullshit; different day, different year, different decade.

It is enough to make a person feel sickeningly helpless.

[GiveMeFreedom]

11. I agree

and yet? Are you starving? Personally? I am not great at bullshit but, I bet most folks who post on DU are not really starving to death?

This is what it takes for the masses to rise up, "let them eat cake" rings a bell.

That is the one lesson they learned back in that revolution, they don't starve us now, just enough money to eat, no survival included.

on edit:

I forgot about the "service industry" the fastest job growth in any sector of business. Notice they keep us close to our own food supply.

[leftstreet]

12. +1

[DeSwiss]

13. K&R

[classof56]

16. I am reminded of John Brunner's novel, The Sheep Look Up

Also, David Brin's Earth. Both were frightening when written, even more so now.

Hope, which once sustained me, is slipping away. Rapidly.

Heaven help us all.

[Anansi1171]

28. Isn't "Earth" a film that should be made?

Would be a nice alternative to the cartoonish catastrophe films like the Day After Tomorrow(that actually looks less and less cartoonish every day.

[classof56]

33. I agree with you. However...

let us hope it is close to Brin's book, unlike The Postman, which Kevin Costner mangled beyond belief. I found the book compelling and thought-provoking, and could only roll my eyes by the time Costner got done. I know a few locals who were movie extras, and they told me many on the crew were calling the movie "Dirt World"--which coming on the heels of "Water World" seems very appropriate.

If I haven't said so before, glad you are on board DU!

[madrchsod]

15. it`s been under way since 1975-6

a japanese company has moved passenger car production facility to northern illinois. the majority of the components are being made in the usa. the pay is scale and insurance is very cheap. why did they move everything here? cheaper production costs,land prices,and cheaper utility costs.meanwhile american companies move overseas or south of the border for cheaper labor and production costs.

is it any wonder why worker loyalty to a company they work for is a thing of the past?

[Berlum]

17. "Shut up and eat your corporate GMO foodlike rations, you smelly proles." - TotaliCorp, Inc. (R)

[marmar]

21. We've definitely reached that stage.

[Rex]

18. Sadly only the rich can stop themselves from excessive greed

and since they lack the internal fortitude to do so we can expect this scene to play out.

[Boomerproud]

19. Speechless and hopeless.

n/t

[pscot]

20. Word

[socialist_n_TN]

22. Marx and Lenin.......

were right. And for all of you with a fondness for old jokes (that are WELL past their "use by" dates) that's KARL Marx and Vladimir Lenin, NOT Groucho and John.

[Lifelong Protester]

23. The old Fire Sign Theater!

All hail Lenin and Marx (I had the album which had on its cover a photo-shopped, or whatever it was in the 70s, a picture of Groucho and John....Not too many know the difference between Lennon and Lenin I'm afraid...)

[colsohlibgal]

25. Indeed, The Firesign Theater Guys Had A Clear Vision Of Where We Were Headed

In one of their other albums, the one with the guy waking up to his radio, with Reverend Leroy and all that, there was a quick news note of the US announcing a merger with a corporation, TM Corp as I recall. It was funny back then, not so much now.

It's getting scary, between the grip of big money and the Tea Party Wing who have the non mouth foaming republicans scared to cross them lest they get "primaried".

A lot of it crystallized under this administration, because if you hadn't noticed Obama's black -or more correctly half brown but no matter to many, it's like the old Dixiecrats are back, all this state rights and nullification of US Laws talk and action. This was broached this morning on Steve Kornacki's MSNBC show, it hearkens back to Strom Thurmond running as a Dixiecrat Democrat and winning 4 southern states in 1948. That boiled over when LBJ, using the emotion of the JFK murder, got the Civil Rights Act through. LBJ correctly lamented that the Democrats could kiss the south goodbye for 40 years - he undershot that time frame.

LBJ routed far right Barry Goldwater in 1964 but Goldwater got as much as 87% of the vote in a southern state. Two Americas then, two now.

Maybe one more generation has to move on but I don't know if we ever get where we need to be. Adding to the fear of where we're headed is climate change and what awaits us, since the corporations have held back real action and we've crossed a threshold we may not get back from. On top of our rampant and unchecked economic inequality we can look forward to more and worse Hurricane Sandys.

[WillyT]

24. K & R !!!

[Tippy]

26. K&R

[Initech]

29. Where is Smedley Butler when you need him?

[KoKo]

35. yep...

[Teamster Jeff]

30. K$R

[pampango]

36. China: "the US aims to lower the advantages of developing countries by labor/environmental standards

(One administration strategy) will be the pursuit of trade agreements that notably do not include China. The most important of these is the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free trade agreement among a growing list of nations bordering the Pacific. It is the Obama administration’s avowed aim to construct a TPP with standards so high — especially rules regarding behavior by state-owned enterprises — that China could never join without transforming its economic system.

http://www.pewglobal.org/2012/12/10/u-s-china-economic-relations-in-the-wake-of-the-u-s-election/

...the negotiation is subject to the U.S. domestic politics. At the very beginning of the negotiation, the United States reminded other countries that the U.S. Congress would not accept a TPP without strong labor and environmental measures. Obviously, the United States aims to lower the comparative advantages of developing countries so as to create more job opportunities for itself.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90777/8113289.html

The point of these agreements is not to "eliminate trade restrictions" like tariffs. China does not like them because they perceive that the agreements contain "strong labor and environmental measures" that "lower the comparative advantages of developing countries" (specifically lower wages and weaker environmental regulations).

If the TPP is about adding "strong labor and environmental measures" (as China fears), that would be what many of us have been saying should be a part of our trade agreements. Since Canada and Mexico are part of these negotiations, "strong labor and environmental measures" would apply to our NAFTA partners as well, something missing in the original NAFTA and not added subsequently.

[MFrohike]

42. One little problem

If one of the underlying purposes of the TPP is to force labor/environmental standards to rise to levels unacceptable to China, why is Vietnam being considered for membership? Vietnam has a competitive advantage over China in terms of labor/environmental costs, so the bit about standards that China couldn't accept sounds like bull.

[mick063]

37. The coup is complete. Our government is bought.

Perhaps of all the futuristic movies, "Demolition Man" is the closest to being accurate.

People will joyfully sing advertising jingles for fun. Taco Bell will be fine dining. Virtual sex replaces the exchange of bodily fluids. Remote monitors will issue fines for saying bad words.

Yet, underground, dwells a group of people that will not abide by the corporate stranglehold. I'll see ya down below.

[forestpath]

38. Obama should PROTECT us from this travesty - instead he champions it.

It's just one betrayal after another with him. But this goes beyond betrayal.

[Zorra]

41. K&R nt

[woo me with science]

43. K&R

[woo me with science]

44. kick