Many years ago, when writing about World War II and Occupied France, I found a quote that basically said not making any kind of choice was still a choice. In that case it was a choice between collaboration and resistance. Beginning pre-war, in the 1930s, there were groups of industrialists, which we found out were collaborating in the shadows, the "cagoule" they were called...and they went on to build and lead (or already were) some of the biggest companies in France (L'Oreal, Renault, etc) just as Standard Oil and others had done in the U.S. They were fascists, using their so-called anti-Communism as an excuse for their violence (much like Pinochet who supported Economist Milton Friedman and the Neocon point of view in the US did as well), and went on in some cases to reap great profits before, during and after the war.
In the summer of 2001, while attending an anti-globalization meeting during then President George W. Bush's first trip to Europe, just prior to the EU Summit in Gothenburg, Sweden, I met an elderly Swedish woman protesting against the cuts to her health care. As we spoke, she told me of her memories of the 1930s and how 2001 reminded her of 1933. Later that same summer, a Swiss-Italian man told me exactly the same thing, as did a retired Dutch professor, who had served in the Resistance and been captured by (and escaped from) the Nazis. With the attacks of 9/11 at the end of that summer of growing protests and police and state violence against the protesters, we saw fear and so-called "anti-terrorist" controls almost bring that movement to a halt.
What has been going on that reminds three people from three different countries in Europe, all who had been young adults during the war, to be reminded of those years leading up to the horrific events which killed millions? Why were they reminded of the 1930s and how can we see that what has been going on is replicating that frightening period in when fascism emerged and human beings made choices that lead to so much death, destruction and yet also profits?
The gap between the rich and poor is greater than it was even during the last Depression in the 1930s. Job insecurity and unemployment, in the U.S. and increasingly in Europe and other parts of the world, is at an all-time high. Nationalistic tendencies, trade wars, a return to gold and many other factors are tell-tale signs of an increasingly unstable time, during which alliances formed lay bare choices made (or not made), which demonstrate which side people are on (or not).
In other words, it is time to choose sides. But guess what? We are all human beings and we all have to live together on this planet. In order to survive and to create a better world, we all have to be on the same side! There is no place for disturbingly huge gaps between rich and poor, there is no reason for poverty, and as the Nobel Peace Prize winning economist and banker to the poor, Muhammad Yunus has stated time and again, if we wanted to get rid of poverty we could!
What is the point of so few people having so much, even if they then decide to leave it to charity? No one elected Paul Allen or Bill Gates or Warren Buffett to any kind of office so why should we who treasure democracy allow those with so much cash and thus power, decide what affects ourselves, our country and so much of the world? It simply is not sustainable.
So look around you at what is happening. Beware of racist, fascist and elitist tendencies in everything from seemingly off he cuff remarks to a Texas-like choice of rewriting history in schoolbooks (Stalin did the same thing). If you are truly for freedom and prosperity, it must be for all humans, not just a select spoiled few. Elect people like Elizabeth Warren to office, fight for people who truly represent the best interests of all versus those who protect profits before humans. And while you (we) are at it, let's protect the earth and the future for generations to come. I am an optimist, even as I see my native Gulf Coast polluted, and people losing jobs, the inequality...I also see many many more people speaking out and saying this is enough!
Make a choice Americans! Stand with humanity not hunkering down in fear! We are more than that! Support Obama's attempts to make America a better place! He has already done so much especially considering the mess he was left with! And President Obama, please support people like Elizabeth Warren and do not let pressure from banks (not humans) force your hand! We are also asking you to make a choice to stand with us!
Follow Vivian Norris de Montaigu on Twitter: www.twitter.com/vivigive
Or do you plan to not vote at all since there is no "none of the above".
What does anyone get out of not voting.
I would appreciate a reply.
Thank you
We have the choice of the Republicans, who are exactly like a bunch of Herbert Hoovers reincarnated, or we can choose the Democrats are exactly like a bunch of Herbert Hoovers reincarnated. Gee, I'm sure thrilled about getting out to the polls in November to help select which party Wall Street is going to use to ruin America.
It is frighteningly true how close we are to a 1930s type of situation and with rising unemployment, it will only get worse.
As for the fascist tendencies in industry well Halliburton, Blackwater, Wackenhut private prisons...that military industrial complex which needs war to feed itself.
Why not then pass a law to currently confiscate half of the rich's assets? Think of the spending spree the government could go on with half of Buffets, Gates assets...not too mention half of all the country's 401k's and pension assets....
So, why not solve the rich poor gap permanently?
1) Get rid of private campaign contributions...forever!
2) Get rid of lobbyists...forever!
3) Bring back strong public schools (Obama working at this) to help get rid of the imbalances
4) Create a strong infrastructure overall: transportation, health care etc Obama is working hard on these and has done more than any other
5) Make companies pay tax inside the US NOT off-shoring thus no taxes!! Goldman Sachs only paid 1% tax last year. The $550m fine is a drop in the bucket! The problem is almost every company because of tort reform and thus penalty limits would choose to pay penalties rather than change their obscene behavior.
6) Tax rates in line with countries which have good public schools, health care etc!
7) Look into foundations and how their money is invested. If their mission statement is one thing but they are invested in something which negates the help they are providing or even worse which indirectly benefits their personal investments (inside info), then the result is the use of the foundation is not solely to do good thus NO tax break!
8) Strong unions can also mean bringing back real industry to the US. Why would people take these kinds of jobs if they have no protection?
9) And, finally, yes, tax the tiny 1% super rich much much more, do not just let them create foundations. Many of them benefit from these tax-free structures.
1) Allow Bush tax cuts to expire as he scheduled them to.
2) Allow the government to negotiate drug prices for Medicare Part D, just like the Canadian provincial governments do.
3) Repeal the Ag Subsidies that Clinton sunsetted and Bush tripled.
4) End these 2 endless wars.
5) Bring Defense spending back to reasonable levels.
6) Lift the cap on FICA for incomes over $90k. This will give Social Security a small surplus over the next 50 years.
7) End the $60 billion in weapons systems that the Pentagon considers obsolete.
8) Restore pay-go rules to Congress that count tax cuts as expenditures.
While Republicans will oppose everyone of those, it will bring our deficit to near zero will the least amount of pain for the vast majority of Americans.
Telling older people to work 5 years longer is an unacceptable proposal when these solutions are available.
As for the rich/poor gap ... some wealth IS the result of democratic decisions. The decision to buy an iPhone is the most democratic of choices, and it enriches Steve Jobs. Concentrations of hereditary wealth are where the targeting should occur ... and one place where stern scrutiny could be applied is the so-called charitable foundations and other institutions where privilege is perpetuated in ways that are difficult to measure. If the Kennedy family funds charities, foundations and colleges, is it unreasonable to question whether individual Kennedy family members in succeeding generations will be accorded status and perquisites irrespective of individual merit by the entities they funded? Should they still get a tax break from this?
These are the kinds of things that really need a look.
"There is nothing wrong with individuals becoming wealthy. It is only when wealth begins to concentrate in the hands of a relative few at the expense of billions of others who are denied even a small share of finite wealth that trouble starts and physical, human suffering begins. It does not have to be this way. Massive greed and consequent massive human misery and suffering do not have to be accepted as a givens, unavoidable, intractable, irresolvable. Just changing the way business is done, if only by a few companies, can change the flow of wealth, ease and eliminate poverty, and leave us all with something better to worry about. Basic human needs such as food and shelter are fundamental human rights; there are more than enough resources available to go around--if we can just figure out how to share. It cannot be "Me first, mine first"; rather, "Me, too" is more the order of the day."
http://www.p-ced.com/1/about/history/
As was pointed out then and since capitalism overall has been more effective at killing people than any alternate ideology including communism and fascism.
http://www.p-ced.com/1/projects/ukraine/sumy/iscs2009/
Why journalists should studiously disregard those involved in doing in is to me a mystery.