How deep is the power of Corporations?

– A friend of mine sent me a copy of Obama’s most recent speech on the economy which was given on October 13th in Toledo, Ohio.    It’s an excellent speech with a lot of good ideas and moving rhetoric in it.  I like Obama and I think he’s going to make a good president – maybe even a great one since, if there was ever an opportunity to be a great president, this is the time.   The problems requiring new thinking and new approaches are everywhere he’s going to be going.

– But, I scoured  his speech looking for some recognition, some acknowledgment of the role multinational corporations have had in America’s decline – and I found none.

– I find it plausible that ideologues cannot see the role corporations are playing in the world today, but I do expect more from real intellectuals and thinkers.   And, I have to believe Obama *is* one of these.    He’s jut too good at what he does for it to be reasonable that he’s running on ideological auto-pilot.

– But, he doesn’t acknowledge, that I’ve seen, that he understands the place corporations occupy in the mess that America’s in.   And this, to me, is the best indication of just how very powerful and intractable the power of multinational corporations are – even in the highest levels of political power in the world.

– I believe he knows and I believe that he cannot say.    It would be political suicide for him.

– So, when he talks about creating American jobs and about how hard-working American workers are, he’s ignoring the huge back-drop that colors and underlies all of this.   And that is the fact that corporations, for the benefit of their shareholders, have utterly no compunctions about sending American jobs overseas.

– America’s manufacturing has largely gone to foreign shores.   America’s intellectual work has largely gone to foreign shores.   As Globalism has become a major thread in the economies of the world and in the strategies employed by multinationals, America has gone from being a wealthy nation of hard working producers generating profit for the country to a nation of consumers who sate themselves on cheap throw-away goods from China and other countries while borrowing ever more and sending our wealth overseas at ever increasing rates.

– What I want to know is just what America is going to use to rebuild itself?

– All the politicians talk about us ‘buckling down to work‘ and recreating America the strong, the prosperous, the productive.   Just what are we going to use to do this?   We are becoming a cardboard store-front nation.   We look good, we talk some bad jive but behind the scenes, there isn’t a whole hell of a lot left.   And what’s left, our growing negative balance of trade and deep consumerist obsessions are combining to  spew into the coffers of other countries and multinationals.

– And Obama and the other politicians tell us that we can overcome all of this – if we all just pull together and work hard.   Yeah, right.   That’s  like tell the band on the Titanic that they can prevent the sinking if they just play louder.

– Take a look through his speech here: and see if you can see any acknowledgment in his remarks of the place corporations and globalism are playing in the downfall of America.

– Folks, there is a very large elephant in the room that all of the politicians are afraid to mention.   But, until we take a square look at it, our economies, our global environments and our futures are going to be evermore in doubt.

– Research Thanks to Hans D.

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5 Responses to “How deep is the power of Corporations?”

  1. MD says:

    Dennis,

    Come on. This guy has nothing behind him at all. So what exactly is it that you like? He is an empty suit. It looks good ,sounds good, but brings absolutly nothing of substance to the party. He has not even completed his 1st term and has spent most of his time running for president. He has not produced anything at all while in congress. His sole experinece is a community organizer. What ever that is.

    So please tell me what it is he really going to do????? It is all rhetoric. The issue about corporations is a perfect example of what he is about.

    You want a real side stitch, look at his tax plan.

    So, be careful about that for which you wish, you just may get it. A great president? I doubt it.

  2. Dennis says:

    MD, please try to get a grip. Here are two articles that might help you understand what’s happening with you:

    https://samadhisoft.com/2008/09/20/political-views-all-in-the-mind/

    https://samadhisoft.com/2007/09/12/brains-of-liberals-conservatives-may-work-differently-study-finds/

    Please try to calm down. When Obama gets in, we would not like to see you hyperventilate or anything .

  3. MD says:

    Dennis,

    I read them before and they certainly do not apply here. You and I have had serval discussion about politics. Once you even asked me why I was a republican. I answered that I was not, and I still am not.

    My point in this is not about liberals or conservatives, it is about someone being prepared and experienced enough to run this country. This guy is not! I suggest you read your own articles. YOU SUPPORT HIM BECAUSE HE IS A LIBERAL. You can not give me any credable evidence that he has ever done anything that prepares hiim for the Job. And please do not load me up with a lot of anecdotal evidence. Provide something concrete!!! Would you let a 1st year medical stiudent perform open heart surgery on you? I think not. In effect this is what you are advocating by backing Obama. He does not attack the corporations because he has no clue with respect to your point. You are backing an empty suit!!!

    What all this comes down to is how ignorant you supposed intellectuals are. Anything but Bush! That is what got us where we are to day. NO CHOICE of consequence is possible.

    I will not rip in to McCain becuase you did not write about him. But rest assured that I do not support or defend him at all.

    I wrote sometime back, in an e-mail to you about how sad, discusting and disheartening all of this is. For example, 17% of the american public approve of congess. 87& strongly disapprove (either Rassmussereports or RealClearPolitics, I don’t remember). However, 90% of congress will be re-elected. It is eveyone else’s politicians that are the problem, not theirs.

    If Obama wins, it is backlash against the current administration, not that he is qualified, or capable. Again a sad commentary. He should not have gotten this far. If he gets in with a very strong democratic congress, this will only accelerate the decline of the USA to a has been country.

    Now publish someting about McCain and I will rip into him!!

    MD

  4. Dennis says:

    MD,

    I begin to understand you. If I had written a piece praising McCain, you would have torn into me with equal passion over the fact that he’s far to old, has too volatile a temper and he’s selected a VP with virtually zero qualifications to sit in the big chair.

    Basically, you are kind of a bad tempered junk yard dog that omnidirectionally attacks anyone who dare to have a preference or express an opinion. Sort of a grim reaper of tall poppies.

    I get that you are unhappy about virtually everything. A person like that would probably fear to put his own ideas forward about how to make a better world. He’d be afraid he might run into someone like himself.

    Come on, Buddy. Find some courage and tell us how you’d make this a better world. So long as all you are doing is tearing everything down, you are not make a contribution – just a nusance.

  5. MD says:

    Dennis,

    Courage it is. If I wanted to really make a difference, I would put my self on a pedestal, espouse my opinion with a large dose of RIOTOUS INDIGNATION but actually do nothing at all. In other words, I would try and be a lot like you. You know that I pinned you down about this before. I point blank asked you, if you are so pissed off, what are you going to do about it? HOW QUICKLY YOU FORGET! Oh and one last thing, I would be preparing to run away to some island as soon as possible because I am really scared to death and also a coward.

    Regarding you comment about sitting back and doing nothing, Actually that is doing something now isn’t it.

    Angry, No. Disgusted, yes. Contrary to you, I’m buying stocks at wholesale prices. I am going to get rich out of all of this. Hum, I wonder how I can avoid the new tax structure that Barack Hussein Obama has in store for us? Maybe I’ll consult Joe the Plumber. By the way, before you attack, that is his full name you know. I know its politically incorect, but the f*&$ over.

    So in summary, as John Maynard Keynes once said, “In the long run we are all dead”! So my advise to you is enjoy what you can.

    One last piece of advise, GE is a steal. Buffet is scooping it up.

    Dennis, I do look forward, with anticipation, to your next post on McCain. I’ll get out the red ink.!!

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