FREE WORLD OR A NIGHTMARE

This morning Joe Scarborough (MSNBC) took offence at Democrats focusing wrath on the Koch brothers. In doing so, he took two lines of attack; the first was that he cited all the wonderful “philanthropic” things they have done with their money, and the second was that Democrats have their billionaires that support them. How much philanthropy does will it take to for the American people to forgive them for corrupting “our” democracy? Although I am not aware of their business practices or those of their father, I see a parallel in the fact that millionaire after millionaire who became rich by less than honorable means and then became world renown for their philanthropy: John D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and J. J Hill for example. As anyone familiar with the actual legal arguments advanced in the Citizens United case will testify, the Supreme Court of the United States by “ignoring precedent” made an obviously bad decision—so bad that the Court itself admitted it. Justice Thomas and Scalia were both “recipients of Koch brother philanthropy”. They did not see that as reason enough for them to recuse themselves from the decision.

The decision clearly corrupts politics by turning dollars in to words. The counter argument used by conservatives is that Unions give money to campaigns so corporations should be able to give money as well. There is a huge difference; unions elect their leaders while corporations do not. Everyone knows, monopolistic corporations set prices and control markets but try to vote a ruthless company executive out of office because he is blocking free trade.

It is virtually impossible for common people to collect enough money by $3 to $5 donations per candidate to match the millions given by corporate donors. Democracy is built on the concept of one-person one vote and all people are politically equal but it is also built on another thing, which is candidates represents the interests of the people who support him or her. With Citizen’s United, that is no longer true. Candidates financed by the Koch brothers represent the Koch brothers and no on else. So what do the Koch brothers want? Billy Krystal and Jim DeMint were guests on Morning Joe and they made that clear this morning as well. They want exactly what Citizens United has done for them; they want a plutocracy. No unions, no minimum wage, no educational opportunity for workers, school doors they can close on those they do not want educated, no control on industrial pollution, no restraints on their money-making efforts, no regulations; if  they have all of these things they will have created what they call a free society. Look at what they have achieved to date; colleges only the children of the rich can afford the best medical care in the world for only those who can pay for it; even with Social Security, a pension for only those who can afford to retire. In their fanciful world, they want industries to pay no taxes or have company liabilities for workers or bother with OSHA, and want a plethora of cheap labor supplied by workers who have no vote.

They say they want to “restore” what made America great: what they call a “free” America. They tell each other this so often they believe it. Although I have seen what they describe in slums in the third world, I would like to know what “America” they have in mind because I have yet to read a history book that describes anything even remotely resembling that in America.

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