Why Progressives must win

Today (24 March 2012), Common Dreams,  reposted an article by Robert Reich titled, “Big Government' Isn't the Problem, Big Money Is” that was originally  published in The Nation on 23 March 2012  (go to http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/03/23-2 . )  His words in this article are succinct and poignant. A clear example of this in this article is when he states,” Millionaires and billionaires aren’t donating to politicians out of generosity. They consider these expenditures to be investments, and they expect a good return on them.”  There is only one correct term for a minority acting in their own interest against a majority—tyranny.

Do we need a clearer statement as one expressed by Reich to understand why the U.S. has come to the point that we are now a declining nation slowly evolving toward a developing nation?  Is this being a ‘chicken little’ or alarmist? It is arrogant to think that American will continue to be the leader in the world economically and politically, without reigning in the control of the One Percent over our present economic and political system, 

The dreary future that the One Percent presents to the world is one of further concentration of wealth to a minority, dictation of all policy by multinational corporations and financial institutions; a rapidly declining Middle Class and real wages; environmental degradation; continued dependence on non-renewable resources; elimination of the social net, restriction of freedoms and constant war based on control of countries with key resources.. Is it their intention to buy out American politics so that it will serve their need?  Yes.  If the One Percent can bully the political system and manipulate the population, the U.S. will have a sham democracy and ‘pretend’ capitalism.  Some could say we already have this and they may be correct.
 

The state maintained by a form of command capitalism and pseudo-democracy will remain in this way for a long period..  A U.S. dominated by a plutocracy will ultimately spell the decline of their even the One Percent’s wealth and influence.  It does not take a degree in economics to arrive at these conclusions!  America will not be destroyed by terrorists, but by our own.  As there is continuing stagnant growth more and more people will slip from being Middle Class to Lower Class.  Since the bulk of the tax revenue comes from the Middle Class, two things will result: increasing of the national debt and cuts in social services.  The rich will continue to have tax cuts and corporations will pay fewer taxes. Still replying on the financial stability of the U.S., corporations will ship more jobs overseas, further taking more people into menial jobs and poverty.   At the same time, wages will go down such that foreign companies will see it as an advantage to operate in the US.  Some American oriented multinational firms may relocate their operations, but the wages will mainly be slightly above the poverty level with reduced benefits.  However, without much discretionary income, consumers will shop less and the consumer-oriented society that feeds all types of retail (automobiles, clothing, restaurants, hair salons, insurance companies, health care etc.) will start to decline. (Some of this is already evident with the closing or decline of former ‘giants’ in retail such as Montgomery Ward, Sears, and K-Mart.)   This will mean more unemployment and further burden to the social net, if it survives. The end result will not be a resignation of the people to their plight, but a massive social upheaval resulting in a totally Facist government to protect the One Percent’s wealth from the masses or a violent revolution which result in a great tragedy for everyone. These basis for these scenarios have already been set in place.

There is an alternative and this is one that is being advocated by Progressives.  There are a growing amount of Progressive candidates running for Congress and presently in Congress.  Obama is a Progressive, but has been hampered by Republican dominated House and Blue Dog Democrats (Conservative Democrats that side with Republicans.)  The Progressives would limit campaign funding contributions by corporations, provide incentives to build a Green economy, side for diplomacy instead of involvement in foreign wars, encourage participatory democracy, reduce unnecessary military spending, reform education, provide pragmatic and balanced means to reduce the deficit without causing damage to the social net, provide universal health care, lessen income inequality, provide for significant financial reform , bring jobs back to the U.S., rectify problems with illegal immigration, establish the right to marry for gays and lesbians,  and legalize drugs—thus eliminating a large amount of people now filling our prisons. Which do you think is the future that America should pursue?  There is no viable alternative coming from Conservatives.  Progressive Republicans and Democrats are the framers of the new future of the U.S.

We the People, need to make the One Percent aware of our influence by: signing petitions, calling/writing our Congress person, voting for Progressive candidates at all levels, and supporting the Occupy Movement financially or joining in their demonstrations.  We fought against tyranny to gain our independence from the autocrats of the day, the British; and will have to struggle against them again.  The fortunate thing is that is that we have three powerful tools: democracy, the U.S. Constitution and a relatively free press that will eventually ‘turn the tide’ to bring us back to the democracy and society that was envisioned by the Framers of the U.S. Constitution.