Progressive Ponderings "Entitlements" – Part 3
By Joe Mayer
Just as "carbon credits," allowing corporations to delay removing their carbon output, add nothing to the well-being of nation or people, we have another "entitlement" problem that needs to be addressed. A bloodsucker has attached its tentacles to our health care system causing extraordinarily high prices (compared with other industrial nations), and frustration for patients and health care providers. It also eliminates part of our population from receiving basic health care protection, the poor in our midst. We have allowed this predator to step between provider and patient. This predator adds fifteen to thirty percent to the cost of health care while adding nothing to its quality or its universality.
HMOs and the Health Insurance industry, in order to sell policies, portray themselves as beneficent depositories of health care assurance. But when care is needed, their goal is to deny payment whenever possible. These "entitlement" corporate leeches are probably the single most frustrating obstacle in improving our health care system. Yet, nearly all politicians and providers include these corporate "entitlements" in proposed reforms. All have vested interests and are placing these interests above citizen needs and desires.
Knowing all the "entitlements" that flow to business and wealth is beyond what most of us can ascertain. We've probably just touched the surface of the schemes invented by the powerful in these three "Entitlements" Ponderings. A case could be made that a good portion of the Washington lobbying industry is seeking "entitlements" for their various plutocrats.
A November, 2007 Harris poll found big business is in extremely low regard as Americans begin to sense this governmental bias of business and wealth over citizen needs. This has resulted in some campaigning politicians advancing "populist" positions. This word "populist," referring to the "rights and wisdom of the common people" has also been given a negative connotation. Populism should be the basis of democratic decision-making but elitist propaganda and media ownership makes it sound like a revolutionary take-over.
Tom Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sees this "populist rhetoric" as a threat to the "entitlement" of the wealthy to rule: "We plan to build a grass-roots business organization so strong that when it bites you in the butt, it bleeds." He then threatens to punish candidates who oppose business interests.
Donohue's outburst is unique. Usually money likes to manipulate in secret. Few media outlets published Donohue's remarks but will slyly promote his agenda.
This perceived "entitlement" of wealth to govern and thus promote extreme differences in economic inequality is the story of history. Today, also, wealth is seeking more entitlements. Historically, wealth, never satisfied, sought more wealth and drove us into wars, colonialism, enslavement, and extreme divisions among peoples and cultures. We're there again!
We have to listen to the words and recognize the doublespeak behind them – spreading democracy, advancing freedom, free markets, globalization, free trade, tax cuts, security, axis of evil, reform. As currently used by this imperial/ industrial/ wealth complex they hide the goals of power and wealth for the privileged. Add to this the "rugged individualism" as a virtue they have used to achieve this rarified stratosphere of superior living. It, individualism, masks the human need for social connections. It denies that some benefit because of their birth, race, gender and built-in prejudices. It thrives on hate and fear and lies. It is America today!
We face a long struggle but it is winnable. The current radical behavior of the United States on the international scene has awakened the world to America's imperial ambitions. We, subjected to the lies and manipulations of wealth and power, are slowly realizing what the remainder of the world has already concluded. Maybe things had to get this bad in order to wake us up. Justice, not "entitlements" for the wealthy, is the way to peace, to security, to love.
Just as "carbon credits," allowing corporations to delay removing their carbon output, add nothing to the well-being of nation or people, we have another "entitlement" problem that needs to be addressed. A bloodsucker has attached its tentacles to our health care system causing extraordinarily high prices (compared with other industrial nations), and frustration for patients and health care providers. It also eliminates part of our population from receiving basic health care protection, the poor in our midst. We have allowed this predator to step between provider and patient. This predator adds fifteen to thirty percent to the cost of health care while adding nothing to its quality or its universality.
HMOs and the Health Insurance industry, in order to sell policies, portray themselves as beneficent depositories of health care assurance. But when care is needed, their goal is to deny payment whenever possible. These "entitlement" corporate leeches are probably the single most frustrating obstacle in improving our health care system. Yet, nearly all politicians and providers include these corporate "entitlements" in proposed reforms. All have vested interests and are placing these interests above citizen needs and desires.
Knowing all the "entitlements" that flow to business and wealth is beyond what most of us can ascertain. We've probably just touched the surface of the schemes invented by the powerful in these three "Entitlements" Ponderings. A case could be made that a good portion of the Washington lobbying industry is seeking "entitlements" for their various plutocrats.
A November, 2007 Harris poll found big business is in extremely low regard as Americans begin to sense this governmental bias of business and wealth over citizen needs. This has resulted in some campaigning politicians advancing "populist" positions. This word "populist," referring to the "rights and wisdom of the common people" has also been given a negative connotation. Populism should be the basis of democratic decision-making but elitist propaganda and media ownership makes it sound like a revolutionary take-over.
Tom Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sees this "populist rhetoric" as a threat to the "entitlement" of the wealthy to rule: "We plan to build a grass-roots business organization so strong that when it bites you in the butt, it bleeds." He then threatens to punish candidates who oppose business interests.
Donohue's outburst is unique. Usually money likes to manipulate in secret. Few media outlets published Donohue's remarks but will slyly promote his agenda.
This perceived "entitlement" of wealth to govern and thus promote extreme differences in economic inequality is the story of history. Today, also, wealth is seeking more entitlements. Historically, wealth, never satisfied, sought more wealth and drove us into wars, colonialism, enslavement, and extreme divisions among peoples and cultures. We're there again!
We have to listen to the words and recognize the doublespeak behind them – spreading democracy, advancing freedom, free markets, globalization, free trade, tax cuts, security, axis of evil, reform. As currently used by this imperial/ industrial/ wealth complex they hide the goals of power and wealth for the privileged. Add to this the "rugged individualism" as a virtue they have used to achieve this rarified stratosphere of superior living. It, individualism, masks the human need for social connections. It denies that some benefit because of their birth, race, gender and built-in prejudices. It thrives on hate and fear and lies. It is America today!
We face a long struggle but it is winnable. The current radical behavior of the United States on the international scene has awakened the world to America's imperial ambitions. We, subjected to the lies and manipulations of wealth and power, are slowly realizing what the remainder of the world has already concluded. Maybe things had to get this bad in order to wake us up. Justice, not "entitlements" for the wealthy, is the way to peace, to security, to love.
Labels: entitlements, Joe Mayer
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1 Comments:
Mr Mayer exposes what he champions in this series. Everything that is 'big' is 'bad' with one notable exception.
Big Oil Companies, Big Drug Companies, Big HMO Companies, Big Chamber of Commerce (as if they can actually threaten candidates? threatent them with what - force? no that is reserved for...), Big Government...oh, wait! Mr Mayer supports the most evil, most powerful, most forceful biggie of them all - Big Government! And that is the notable exception - Big Companies are bad. Big Companies that cannot force you to buy their products, cannot put you in jail, cannot steal your labor in the form of taxes, cannot take your land, and do not have the power of law behind them. But, Big Government can do all of these things. Big GOvernment can confiscate your home and property if they so choose. Exxon/Mobil cannot. Big Government can put you in jail if you make a mistake on your tax return. Smith/Kline/Glaxo cannot put you in jail for anything. Wal-Mart cannot take away your children if you use drugs, but Big Government can. I could go on but you get my point.
Big Government is the worst of the 'biggies' by far and yet, these so-called 'progressives' (the 21st century equivalent of marxists) embrace big government because it is the only biggie that can enforce the society they want us to live under while they rail against big business because they make profits...oooooh! Let's not forget about all the teacher retirement funds and union pensions, and so on, that invest in these big companies for the betterment of their members. There are a lot of people who are getting wealthy due to big companies performance - not just CEO's and board members. Of course, there are unscrupulous types in all walks of business, but you can move your money elsewhere or take your business elsewhere if you don't like a business. But, government is not without its evil-doers because government - at its very core - is a 'necessary evil' to quote according to Thomas Paine. Mr Mayer seems to think that all good can only come from government and he could not be more wrong.
What I find ironic, is that progressives like to rail against big companies, yet want to deny them a voice in the process. No matter how good your intentions may be, you cannot regulate a company or an industry without allowing them a voice in the process. This is another example of the contempt progressives have for the 1st Amendment. Free speech is only allowed on THEIR terms and that is the essence of their beliefs. Out dated concepts such as liberty just get in the way of the efforts by progressives to make our nation better...as THEY see fit. And that is why progressives are perhaps the most dangerous politcal operatives in our country today. They seek to steal our souls - just as Marx suggested - and replace it with a blind allegiance to the state.
big business is not without its evils, but the profit motive comes with a price - if you have no customers, you'll be out of business. big government only steals labor from people in order to perpetuate itself without ever producing anything of value and has an open checkbook of increased taxes that it can always draw from in order to effect what it wants of its people. That is the definition of evil.
We need to fear big government more than we need to fear big business. Big government is the only entity that can steal your life, liberty and happiness. No big company could ever do that.
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