July 5, 2004
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(Swans - July 5, 2004) The quadrennial flimflam a.k.a. an election promises to be
preceded by the most expensive, most mindless, most savage and most
inane charade a.k.a. a campaign. The result will designate the
ostensible leader of the U.S., a.k.a. the president. It will all
be a ridiculous spectacle full of sound and fury that will mesmerize
billions not only in the U.S. but throughout the world.
No matter who grabs the prize the military and economic courses upon which the nation has been moving will be remain essentially unchanged. An unperceived power, a.k.a. the elite, that has been pulling the political strings since the colonists threw off the yoke of the British king, will determine any course corrections. The Elite Who are the elite? Are they a secret cabal who conspire to achieve some nefarious purposes? And what are their objectives? The elite are a varied and unorganized group, perhaps about one percent of the population, consisting of the wealthiest and most powerful members of society -- the billionaires, the top officers and directors of the multinational mega-corporations. All sorts of interests and activities are represented. Those interests and activities may be similar, antagonistic, related or unrelated. Their income and/or influence emanate from many different sources. But on one issue they have a common interest -- to maintain and augment their power and wealth. Members often float in and out of top positions within appropriate branches of the government. Those newfound powers are utilized to augment their power and wealth. By cross-fertilizing one another's diverse corporate boards of directors and investing in a variety of stocks they assist each other in those goals. Their diversity of interests creates differences as to what is the most effective strategy for securing their goals. Accordingly, all are not of one mind for what government should accomplish and how it should be done. The winner of the presidency will therefore not be rigidly limited to how he implements his policies. He will be granted a certain amount of wiggle room within the areas affecting the elite. Social issues do not hit their bottom line and do not diminish their power. Gay marriage, affirmative action, right-to-life and church-state issues are concerned only peripherally. These issues split the lower classes, their potential opposition, into antagonistic groups. By playing them up they divert attention from the elite goals. The Elite Lineup Realistically, the most influential group is the media barons. Their organizations tailor their product to further elite and government positions. Recipients of their media pap a.k.a. the booboisie gobble it up the like starving men. They accept the conventional wisdom the media's designated pundits and columnists spew out. Usually the booboisie will be swayed by that crap and respond as expected. The most powerful members comprise the military-industrial complex. This group has profited handsomely since World War II. Spending since then has brought the group enormous wealth and power. Neither party has responded to the overwhelming public preference for a single-payer socialized health plan. Instead they have heeded the demands of the medical establishment. The pharmaceutical, HMO, insurance, hospital, and medical industries have profited handsomely while the needs of millions are unmet. The extractive industries -- oil, coal, minerals, timber -- have done equally well. Both parties have aided them at the expense of the environment and health of the people. The financial interests -- banks, investment and brokerage firms -- are also high on the list as they interact with all of the others. Extraneous voices are accommodated if they further the causes of the members. The Israeli and the Cuban exile lobbies are major assets for the military-industrial gang. Party Platforms and Political Promises The static that emanates over the next few months from the politicians is merely bait for the booboisie. The powerful military-industrial complex will be the strongest voice in calling the shots of the next administration. Their A-No. 1 program for the future is -- wars and more wars. Accordingly, no matter which candidate and party wins, war will be a priority on their menu. Many other programs -- subsidies, taxes, privatization, deregulation -- will also be favored. Bush's accomplishments, if possible, will be extended. Who Will Win? What is the elite position for an election? Can it be ascertained? Their political preference can often be spotted by how the media is depicting the campaign. Tilting to Bush The 2000 campaign like the current one was obviously a Tweedledee-Tweedledum contest. Both candidates were advocating the same policies favored by the elite. There was no need to tilt to one or the other. Yet it was quite obvious that incompetent Bush was being made to look far more presidential while Gore was made to appear a bumbler. The media applauded the unbelievable electoral rip-off that ensued. It failed to investigate how four airplanes could be highjacked with no timely response. It enhanced Bush into a prestigious wartime leader equivalent to the very best. The tranquilizing effect of its repetitious inanities anesthetized the public who failed to scream back at such incompetent journalism. Bush has rewarded the elite investment with an astronomical return. They certainly owe him a great deal. However, he has lost credibility because he is so obviously incapable. So much damage has been caused to the Bush gang that the media is beginning to be critical. It must, to maintain credibility. The elite may be questioning whether they should be tilting in his favor again. Bush is damaged goods and it might be inadvisable to stick with him while a fresh clone is present to take his place. Why Back the Challenger? Many benefits can accrue from a new face. A Kerry victory could restore the pro-war momentum. The anti-war movement lost steam once the country went to war. Many activists felt they had failed. And as good citizens now that the country was at war, they should rally behind efforts to win. A new face could have a similar effect and reverse the expansion of the anti-war, get out of Iraq, crowd. It could also calm the foreign throngs protesting throughout the world. Democrats in Congress who might be wavering on the Iraq policy would support their party's president, particularly if he pursued a different approach. The Lottery Ticket The dreamers who envision the impossible dream of a Nader victory should realize that all candidates' promises are nothing but hot air. The office they hope to win is chief executive. But the power to write laws rests with the legislature. No matter what promises were made, if the legislative and judicial branches decide to stymie the executive, their checking authority is available. All branches are beholden to the elite. Very few, a rare few, who are in influential government positions are truly independent and have the interests of the people at heart No matter who wins in the election the course laid out by Bush's gang will continue -- perhaps at a more deliberate pace. What To Do If you are concerned with social issues as opposed to the life and death issues of war, death, destruction, survival, food, income, housing, taxes -- then between the two candidates you can find the one that will more closely promote your position. If the issues most important to you are the ones that clash against elite causes, then neither candidate or party will make a difference. It is incumbent for you to get yourself into a struggle and agitate, agitate, agitate. Mohandas Gandhi, a most authoritative voice on protest, stated "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." The warmongers, a.k.a. patriots, no longer ignore or laugh. They are now fighting the anti-war protesters, a.k.a. traitors. They are reduced to name calling and other ineffective but malicious tactics. But they still have the government and law enforcement on their side. A sufficiently strong protest movement is necessary to reverse course. When millions turned out in Venezuela they ousted their elite coup the next day. It is therefore necessary for activists to turn up the heat. Recruit new members to the cause. And with them, agitate, AGITATE, AGITATE! · · · · · ·
Resources US Elections & Democracy on Swans America the 'beautiful' on Swans Philip Greenspan on Swans (with bio). Do you wish to share your opinion? We invite your comments. E-mail the Editor. Please include your full name, address and phone number. If we publish your opinion we will only include your name, city, state, and country. Please, feel free to insert a link to this article on your Web site or to disseminate its URL on your favorite lists, quoting the first paragraph or providing a summary. However, please DO NOT steal, scavenge or repost this work on the Web without the expressed written authorization of Swans. This material is copyrighted, © Philip Greenspan 2004. All rights reserved. |
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