Government Inc.: Business is Booming

By Daniel Taverne

The United States of America is an incorruptible beacon of truth and justice demonstrating to the world the fruits of liberty. Additionally, because our government is composed of, by and for our people, it always acts with honesty and integrity. At least, these are things I used to think, but these days, I’m not so sure.

I’ve heard too many stories of underhanded business practices being allowed because a law was passed giving some large corporation an advantage making it possible for it to screw over the little guy. What could I be talking about? For one, there is the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Plan that is supposed to “help” seniors who are on a small fixed income. One of the provisions of that law ties the hands of lawmakers because they can no longer ask for price caps on the cost of pharmaceuticals. This ridiculous provision allows the pharmaceuticals to charge Uncle Sam what ever they want for their drugs, and Uncle Sam has to pay.

Also, I’ve heard more than one alligation, as I’m sure you have, of governmental bodies such as the USDA or FDA rubberstamping some under tested additive, feed or drug. A story such as this might manage to make it into network news casts, but you can bet the corporate owned networks has approved the watered-down content of the story.

How about the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that continues to give corporations the excuses they need to either move to Mexico, or outsource their manufacturing jobs to some other far cheaper job market. The result of NAFTA is evident in cities all across America where factories have closed down at an alarming rate putting American workers in the welfare lines.

This corporate insurrection in to our government doesn’t end with simple jobs moving to Mexico, however since our nation has, in the guise of wanting to stop a ruthless dictator, moved into an oil producing nation with suspicious intent. I say suspicious because of the well known fact that Sadam Housein had no weapons of mass destruction as President Bush had said and used as reasoning for the military invasion of Iraq.

I’ve heard stories referring to a huge well of oil that was discovered some months prior to Bush’s election and that Bush had devised a plan to occupy the nation if he did, indeed become president so that American petroleum companies with the help of Saudi Arabia could better control crude oil production, inflate prices, and therefore reap astronomical profits. Why does it appear this plan is being carried out today? Just look at gas prices!

How can anyone respect a Nation, or a government composed of people who consistently betray those it is supposed to represent? We can’t, and neither can other nations of the world. It, therefore, is the duty of our nation’s citizens to redress our government by holding those responsible who would sell out the interest of their constituents to the highest bidder.

One way we can hold our elected officials responsible is at the ballot box, but even this method has its limitations. Actually, I think this is where the problem begins. You see, contrary to what we’re led to believe, we have a two party system that only offers up to us those who talk a nice game, but would discretely serve corporations. And, don’t think for an instant that voters are not manipulated because they are, almost as much as the candidates themselves.

Voters are cleverly manipulated at the ballot box when candidates who might be better for an office are ignored by corporate owned television news networks, or they are depicted in such a way as to seem unfit for the position and even leave them out of public debates. What ends up happening is voters end up choosing one of two known corporate backed candidates either of which ultimately creates or signs off on bills that betray their constituents and puts money in corporate pockets.

Finally, the notion that The United States of America is a shining example of truth, justice and liberty is a belief that is fading into obscurity thanks to dishonest and self serving politicians. Only through taking a firm grasp of our election process, through eliminating any and all campaign contributions, sending those who break the law deep into the general population of some hard core prison, and only after the people who get elected into government offices decide to be honest and have some integrity, can I and the rest of the world again be sure America is worthy of praise and respect.