I know I am not alone in feeling like the working people of this country do not have a voice. It is clear to just about everyone in this country that we are not moving in a positive direction. We are frustrated, angry, stressed out. We have no time and are struggling to provide for our families. We are not better off than our parents, and the future often looks worse than today.
We get to vote every so often (and we always have only two real choices), and that is the extent of the power that we as citizens get to exercise. The press continues to do a pathetic job [of] addressing both our most vital personal concerns and the larger national issues that affect us all. Where can our voices and our concerns be heard?
I despair when I consider how a few thousand people (politicians, CEOs, the uber-rich, and corporate-media talking heads) wield so much power and influence over the lives and fates of some 300 million people. It is obscene and inhumane how these few have abused the responsibility that such power entails. “Bitter” doesn’t even begin to describe how every feeling, thinking human being has a justifiable right to feel about the shambles that these “elites” have made of this nation and the world. We deserve to be heard. We are all important.
— Matt Rawlings
Weaverville
Matt, it all boils down to the growing empowerment of corporations that’s taken place over the last several decades after their interests succeeded in obtaining legislation that gives them the same rights as those of individual citizens, sans moral responsibility. Corporations have no obligation to anyone or anything but their shareholders. They’re legally bound to protect only the interests of those shareholders… not the population or environment. They have no conscience, nor are they expected to have one as are individuals. They function like giant, mindless amoebaes, devouring all around them in self-interest only. While we hear much blame of CEO’s for the beastly actions of corporations, CEO’s are merely doing the bidding of shareholders, to maximize the value of their shares. Shareholders are well removed from the devastation of their own knee-jerk reactions to price fluctuations of their shares. So when a corporation acts responsibly toward the environment or population and as a result, loses the competitive edge and its share price drops, its shareholders sell, creating the perceived need for ever more selfish management and reckless exploitation of the environment and population to increase share value. It’s called FREE ENTERPRISE and it’s now controlling the world’s governments, including our own three branches… destroying our planet and devouring our futures. If it would do any good, I would vote for Ralph Nader who is a proven opponent of it, or the Green Party candidate. However, in practicality, as you said, we’re stuck with these two sorely corrupted parties. The Clintons’ trade deals have proven they’re staunch agents of corporate interests. And we know where the Republicans stand from they’re attempt to privatize social security, thereby forcing more of us to invest in the markets and into this vicious cycle of self destruction. So of the three remaining viable candidates, I believe our best hope is Obama, to begin to slow the damage before it’s too late. Good luck.