Unregulated capitalism leads to fascism.

[Cyrano]

Getting rid of Bush, Cheney, and every other criminal currently occupying an elected or appointed office will accomplish nothing if corporations remain unregulated. They will just put a new gang of thugs in place and continue their rape of the constitution and the country we believed ourselves to be.

Who is the big winner in the Iraq war? Halliburton, first and foremost, followed by many others.

Who benefits from the new Medicare drug plan? Pharmaceutical companies and HMOs.

Who's profiting from dead and injured American service people? The companies who have the contracts, but are not supplying the needed personal and vehicle armor.

Who's profiting from the "rebuilding" of the Gulf coast? Once again, the answer is Halliburton.

I could go on, but the list of corporate crimes and outrages is endless.

Unregulated capitalism will always lead to fascism. We need a government that will set down rules, regulations and limits, and then enforce them. How do we get from here to there? I wish I knew.

[KingFlorez]

1. It's corporatism

Mussollini prefered to call fascism corporatism, he thought it sounded better I guess

[SillyGoose]

2. Here's the quote you're referring to:

"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism, since it is the merger of state and corporate power."

[KingFlorez]

9. That's it, thank you

[bryant69]

3. I don't think the situation in this regard is that dire

There certainly could be some adjustments made to the laws - but the biggest problem is that our President doesn't see fit to aggressivly enforce them. If the laws regarding corporate behaivor were zealously enforced, we would be in a lot less problemattic position than we are now.

THis is obviously still unacceptable, but it is not as troubling as it could be.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. Actually, the biggest problem is that the corporations are writing

the laws, and corporate shills are put in charge of the agencies meant to police them. Not only is the fox guarding the chicken coop, it is responsible for creating the "Healthy Egg Act".

[thefool_wa]

7. Catch 22

There is a problematic loop of logic in what you are saying:

The corporations control the officials in our government from the shadows facilitating non-enforcement of these laws.

Corporations wield so much power (money=power) with our "elected" representatives that I don't think there is a way to stop them through the existing power structure. A drastic, shall we say "revolutionary" change will be necessary to stop it and it will need to come from the "several states" as I believe our federal government is too dependent on the corruption to want/be-able-to stop it.

[thefool_wa]

4. Progressive New Ideas

I have been working in the northwest to establish a new political movement that could help to curb some (if not all) of the problems you are talking about and many of the ones you don't have listed (including outsourcing).

In basic, the idea involves the establishment of oligarchic representation WITHIN the existing legislative branch through a third house of representation we've called the "House of Industry". It essentially gives corporations a third of a third of a say in what the government does, establishes representative regulation on all industries, and eliminates (i.e. makes illegal) ANY private lobbying of the other branches of government by anyone.

I have been using a fictional vehicle to spread these ideas, and we are gaining strength and numbers. The plan is to try to bust these ideas into state government here in the next 5 years or so (if things keep growing the way they are growing), but at this point I only have the opinions of those in arms reach of me who are fans of my work (I work in a call center and my fan base is spread through there and some beyond).


Mostly I'm looking for input and criticism (constructive please), oh, and people who want to read my book :) - all comments welcome and anyone who wants more details should let me know.

[atommom]

6. This ties in well with my "corporate evildoers" post...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=47978&mesg_id=47978

[Ron Green]

8. One significant problem:

People are lazy, ignorant and fearful, and will always be led by those promising pleasure or instant gratification. The gray face of good government is no match for the bright and shiny face of unregulated capitalism. Why appeal to people's rational side with laws and policies that improve the long-term prospects of life on earth, when you can appeal to the greedy and fearful side that wants comfort and convenience RIGHT NOW?

It's like taking a child to the grocery store and agreeing with him that Captain Sugar is a better cereal than raisin bran.