You are right, though it is more than just Buckley and Citizens United. The military-industrial-security system gives rewards to each Congressional district in the form of contracts from that very same government, with lobbyists shepherding the connections. While the campaign contribution rulings closed the loop, with corporations givi…
You are right, though it is more than just Buckley and Citizens United. The military-industrial-security system gives rewards to each Congressional district in the form of contracts from that very same government, with lobbyists shepherding the connections. While the campaign contribution rulings closed the loop, with corporations giving some of that same profit back to those who voted for their contracts, much of the system was in place for decades. And as Gore Vidal noted, there's always some level of corruption, it's just a matter of how big it is.
But things have gotten out of control, and it doesn't help that few states have non-partisan drawing of House boundaries, not to mention the cost of running for office has become astronomical. Perhaps we need a new Constitution, though that could be very dangerous, or at least several Progressive amendments, but getting those through is also a heavy life.
So long as the U.S. tries to be a military superpower with an informal world empire, and runs the national debt up to the Moon, this situation will likely continue. Environmental disasters, a weakening of military power, and the end of the dollar as the world's reserve currency will stop all this...and likely open the door to a real dictator, unless we are very fortunate and don't go the way of the U.S.S.R.
If you look at the "rewards" handed out, paying $1,000 for them to create $100 of jobs in our town is incredibly stupid. End the military and spend the $1,000 locally, or better yet, spend the $100 and cut taxes on working people $900.
I completely agree with you, this makes no economic sense...except in the not so long run it may be necessary. I don't know about "ending" the military, but it could and should be vastly reduced (the security state too). In a country with the national debt approaching 29 trillion dollars--and that curve getting steeper every day--the whole economy could unravel if we don't that spending But how it can be reined in when so much of the economy is tied to Washington's military-industrial-security state is a serious question.
But in the 19th century people talked about Turkey as the "Sick Man of Europe" and Imperial China the "Sick Man of Asia," big and once powerful countries that had to be propped up for the stability of the world. In a generation that could be America. And if our military falls apart there is nothing much left here unless we have a decent industrial base. This country won't sustain itself by selling primary products such as oil and wheat; that's a colonial economy. The two states I just mentioned did not last, and they were carved up amid domestic chaos.
Another approach that should go with this shift is what Thom has so correctly said is needed, free higher education and national health care not tied to one's job. A sick and poorly prepared workforce is no future for America either.
Costa Rica was a typical "banana republic", surrounded by enemies and constantly changing government. Then the general took over, scheduled elections, announced he wasn't running, and disbanded the military. I've spent a fair amount of time there. They eliminated themselves being a threat so their neighbors have never bothered them
The days of war to gain land or industry are over. These days, everything is made everywhere, and If your city conquers my city, you have to feed us and build your own houses. One thing for certain is adopting a violent stance is stupid. If two or more parties always respond to violence with violence, war is guaranteed.
When Costa Rica got rid of their military, they didn't get rid of ANY of the politicians who started all wars. Instead, they pulled their teeth (the politicians).
Would Cheney have been so frantic to invade Iraq if he had to pick up a tree limb and attack? I think not, but he sure talked like he would.
So, remove the teeth.
And don't forget that military installations are 90/10 investments. We pay $1,000 in taxes, and it is split $900 to war profiteer CEOs and $100 in your town. Let's spend $500 and keep $500 and we can even QUINTUPLE the military welfare for our town. I don't care if the CEO of Ratheon starves, he's a mass murderer for hire.
The solution to all of America's problems is education. Look at Europe. Europe either never quit being fascist, or kept falling back into fascism, for all of recorded history, until about 1960. About 1960, they realized that when citizens are gullible, fascists can negate years of work with half a dozen clever lies. So, Europe educated everyone. Yes, education has other benefits, but it's primary justification is that education is the only known vaccine for fascism.
Europe has as many greedy monsters pushing fascism for personal profit as the USA. The difference is education. I was in Oslo once when a friend and I ran into a guy trying to sell fascism. My friend laughed and walked around the fool, and so did everyone else. It was like watching a petulant 2 year old having a tantrum, the adults were not fooled. In Naples Florida, the guy would quickly be surrounded by red hat wearing ignoramuses.
You are right, though it is more than just Buckley and Citizens United. The military-industrial-security system gives rewards to each Congressional district in the form of contracts from that very same government, with lobbyists shepherding the connections. While the campaign contribution rulings closed the loop, with corporations giving some of that same profit back to those who voted for their contracts, much of the system was in place for decades. And as Gore Vidal noted, there's always some level of corruption, it's just a matter of how big it is.
But things have gotten out of control, and it doesn't help that few states have non-partisan drawing of House boundaries, not to mention the cost of running for office has become astronomical. Perhaps we need a new Constitution, though that could be very dangerous, or at least several Progressive amendments, but getting those through is also a heavy life.
So long as the U.S. tries to be a military superpower with an informal world empire, and runs the national debt up to the Moon, this situation will likely continue. Environmental disasters, a weakening of military power, and the end of the dollar as the world's reserve currency will stop all this...and likely open the door to a real dictator, unless we are very fortunate and don't go the way of the U.S.S.R.
If you look at the "rewards" handed out, paying $1,000 for them to create $100 of jobs in our town is incredibly stupid. End the military and spend the $1,000 locally, or better yet, spend the $100 and cut taxes on working people $900.
I completely agree with you, this makes no economic sense...except in the not so long run it may be necessary. I don't know about "ending" the military, but it could and should be vastly reduced (the security state too). In a country with the national debt approaching 29 trillion dollars--and that curve getting steeper every day--the whole economy could unravel if we don't that spending But how it can be reined in when so much of the economy is tied to Washington's military-industrial-security state is a serious question.
But in the 19th century people talked about Turkey as the "Sick Man of Europe" and Imperial China the "Sick Man of Asia," big and once powerful countries that had to be propped up for the stability of the world. In a generation that could be America. And if our military falls apart there is nothing much left here unless we have a decent industrial base. This country won't sustain itself by selling primary products such as oil and wheat; that's a colonial economy. The two states I just mentioned did not last, and they were carved up amid domestic chaos.
Another approach that should go with this shift is what Thom has so correctly said is needed, free higher education and national health care not tied to one's job. A sick and poorly prepared workforce is no future for America either.
Costa Rica was a typical "banana republic", surrounded by enemies and constantly changing government. Then the general took over, scheduled elections, announced he wasn't running, and disbanded the military. I've spent a fair amount of time there. They eliminated themselves being a threat so their neighbors have never bothered them
The days of war to gain land or industry are over. These days, everything is made everywhere, and If your city conquers my city, you have to feed us and build your own houses. One thing for certain is adopting a violent stance is stupid. If two or more parties always respond to violence with violence, war is guaranteed.
When Costa Rica got rid of their military, they didn't get rid of ANY of the politicians who started all wars. Instead, they pulled their teeth (the politicians).
Would Cheney have been so frantic to invade Iraq if he had to pick up a tree limb and attack? I think not, but he sure talked like he would.
So, remove the teeth.
And don't forget that military installations are 90/10 investments. We pay $1,000 in taxes, and it is split $900 to war profiteer CEOs and $100 in your town. Let's spend $500 and keep $500 and we can even QUINTUPLE the military welfare for our town. I don't care if the CEO of Ratheon starves, he's a mass murderer for hire.
The solution to all of America's problems is education. Look at Europe. Europe either never quit being fascist, or kept falling back into fascism, for all of recorded history, until about 1960. About 1960, they realized that when citizens are gullible, fascists can negate years of work with half a dozen clever lies. So, Europe educated everyone. Yes, education has other benefits, but it's primary justification is that education is the only known vaccine for fascism.
Europe has as many greedy monsters pushing fascism for personal profit as the USA. The difference is education. I was in Oslo once when a friend and I ran into a guy trying to sell fascism. My friend laughed and walked around the fool, and so did everyone else. It was like watching a petulant 2 year old having a tantrum, the adults were not fooled. In Naples Florida, the guy would quickly be surrounded by red hat wearing ignoramuses.