By John Chuckman
YellowTimes.org Columnist (Canada)

"Corporatism" having taken over civil institutions in America. This is true. Americans are no longer citizens, they are consumers -- language adopted even by their politicians. The reason for this is simple: America is well along with building a set of monster corporations intent on supplying most of the world's goods and services. The corporations must be monstrously big to achieve this, because it is through economies of scale that they can undercut the costs of companies in other nations. Companies that dominate markets for nearly three-hundred million Americans are in a position to muscle out the companies in most other countries. Size is also important as a means of gaining concessions from governments, including, as it turns out, their own.

The growth of American monster-corporations does not threaten only international harmony; it rapidly is changing American domestic life.

These corporations adopt bizarre, almost anonymous identities. Many of them have had their names reduced to sets of three letters exhibiting little connection with their original business or birthplace, but they go well beyond this symbolism.

The relationships these corporations have with those to whom they market can perhaps best be compared to the relationships you have with the people who send spam to your computer. You can place an order from the spam you receive, but you can't respond otherwise, and the mechanism for deleting your e-mail address often is extremely slow or defective.

The corporate marketers reach you when they please through direct mail or calling centers, and they have a lot of personal information about you (much of it obtained from local governments without your permission) on their computers enabling them efficiently to hunt you down for their schemes. You may have noticed the marketing letters you receive often have no return postal address, only a toll-free telephone number that reaches a boiler room order-taker unable to deal with any other matter.

These particulars are small points, but they suggest a sinister character. The scale of a thing always changes its very nature. A small cyclonic wind, a dust devil, moving harmlessly across a patch of earth shares fundamental structural characteristics with a tornado, but what a difference the difference in size makes.

Bear with me if you think my next statement a great exaggeration, but George Orwell's fictitious world of 1984 seems to me no more sinister than what is gradually emerging in America. What Orwell emphasized about human freedom was conditioned by his living through a period when various forms of totalitarian government darkened Europe, but there are subtler methods of control than jack-booted tyranny. The continued advance of technology will assure a bountiful choice of tools to the corporations which invest in them, own them, and are best placed to fully exploit them.

America is becoming a society where huge, almost anonymous, corporations own virtually every scrap of your personal information and own patents on many aspects of the natural world around you, perhaps even on some of the genes of your body or those of your neighbors. Their manufacturing and other needs effectively control the quality of the air you breathe and the water you drink. Their adventures abroad influence whether your son or daughter is sent to war, although I am sure this will one day be limited by automated killing machines which will be so much more dependable than soldiers, cause less stress over interventions on the home front, and cost far less than maintaining all those pesky military dependents and pensions over the long term.

So perfect will be their marketing information, the companies' computers will know exactly the extent to which you are even worth bothering about in each and every aspect of their operations. There will be a large pool of people not worth bothering about, the American losers in the globalization race for ever cheaper or more capable substitutes in every aspect of manufacturing, marketing, and distributing. This pool already is being created, but it likely will become much larger. For example, when those Pentagon killing machines are perfected, the armed forces will cease providing the jobs they have for millions of young people with marginal skills.

The emerging social structure of the United States very much resembles that of 1984. There are the owners and senior managers of the vast corporations. Their positions and privileges are in every respect comparable to Oceania's elite Inner Party. Then there is a large pool of educated, middle-class people, the types who stay at the office twelve hours a day to complete a project and have the benefit of a corporate gym. They are sometimes exposed to very sensitive material, but there is a well-developed ethic and some severe penalties for ever revealing any of it. They are Orwell's Outer Party. Finally, there is the large and growing pool of unskilled workers whose prospects become increasingly dim. The "end of welfare as we know it" may well have reflected expected growth prospects for this group rather than simply political discontent. Orwell calls them the Proles.

America's Proles have virtually no role in politics. They have no money and no influence. They generally do not vote, a fact which may reflect inertia more than anything else, but it is also true that many local practices, as we saw from the way polls were run in Florida, positively discourage their votes. Ex-convicts, and this is a huge group in America, for example, cannot vote. The Outer Party provides voters and campaign workers. The Inner Party endows acceptable candidates with small fortunes to assure their prospects.

This structure is self-reinforcing and explains many domestic policies and practices. One example suffices. America is the only advanced nation not to have some form of national health insurance. Why? Because the existing employer-pays-for-private-insurance system suits the political and economic structure so well. Inner Party members and senior politicians receive the very best of everything possible, often having their own elite hospitals. All the Outer Party members receive good, and often excellent, insurance from their employers. This keeps the politically active group satisfied about healthcare. Indeed, it is only when benefits start dropping around the fringes of the Outer Party, as during economic setbacks, that healthcare becomes a national political issue. The Proles are uninsured or so poorly insured at meager jobs that they may as well be uninsured.

There is no way to forecast a clear picture of where these trends lead, but the prospects are discouraging to say the least. Powerful private companies possessing information and resources and working hand-in-hand with government to achieve their goals are capable of doing anything not specifically regulated or forbidden. The revolution in technology is quickly changing even what is or is not a crime or abuse, but with government as a full and intimate partner, what impulse is there for new regulation and laws limiting corporations?

Ordinary Americans have completely embraced the idea that whatever is good or necessary for large corporations is somehow good for them. This may have been true in 1949, but it is certainly not true now. Americans are remarkably passive about everything from steaming toxic dumps left behind by closed factories to bloody interventions abroad.

Corporations already have a tight grip on national politics, but their ability to influence - with personal connections, information, financial resources, and the discretion to shift investments - increases disproportionately as they grow and absorb all former competitors. Corporations are, of course, the training grounds for the many lawyers inhabiting Congress, and they provide comfortable repositories for retired politicians who retain influence.

War is very much a reflection of this influence on government, as you would expect when these companies are engaged in aggressive global campaigns, when they enjoy supplying the bottomless pit needs of the Defense Department, and when they are involved in the unbelievably profitable rebuilding of distant places overrun by the military. It is true that stock markets don't like big wars, but what Americans have learned since Vietnam is that stock markets don't so much mind quick, dirty, little wars that come mixed with new opportunities for profit.

The huge number of colonial wars the United States has fought since the end of the Second World War demonstrates this conclusively. The name, Defense Department, is outmoded. Not one war in which the U.S. has engaged since 1945 has involved defense, unless you are speaking of the defense of America's corporate interests abroad.

What aout the VOTE?

I'm from Canada and I left because I believe "If you don't like it - leave it."

Here in the USA, people don't vote so the process doesn't belong to the voters. The voters whine like bitches but don't go to the polls in order to bring about change or to control the system yet they blame BIG BUSINESS.

Big business doesn't block the roads to the polling places. Not enough Americans vote.

Corporate America owns the country because they have more power than the voters because the VOTERS don't vote.

Why do Americans allow this? Why don't Americans take the system back? Why don't Americans vote instead of letting the polital mud raking start again after election day? Why don't Americans allow their leaders to do their jobs? Why do American voters watch the political ads on tv but not the news, or read the papers, or just fucking OBSERVE or even just take a chance?

If the politicians in America are influenced more by big business, then why don't Americans change that on election day?

The revenue generated by big business, small business and any other business fuels the economy yet the voters allow big business to go offshore. Why do Americans shop at Walmart? Whatever happened to "Buy American?" Why to American Voters empower corporate America to run the show and then blame the American President? Must be nice to hang all this on George Bush. Too much "all care and no responsibility" in America.

Americans want a democracy but don't care to make the effort to vote for it because Buffy the fucking Vampire Slayer season finale is on TV, and right after that it's American Idol. WTF? So now BIGTV is conspiring to keep voters home on election day? Let's get real.

I never met a Monday morning quarterback who ever lost a game. The REAL problem here is that there is more entertainment value in bashing the system than there is in fixing it and the people who drop the ballot in the box are the people who can fix it. Where are they? What makes this OK? Why do Americans tolerate this behavior?

One of the biggest jokes in tis country is talk radio. Jeez, talk about being led around by the fucking nose ring. Why do Americans give these half wit panty-waist dilaitants the airwaves to further confuse and enrage. These guys are know-nothings who have you as an audience patronizing their sponsors who are hawking their Made in China shit on Americans and Americans are buying the shit like there is no tomorrow.

OK, so there are a few people out there working at it but they are the EXCEPTION. Just go to Las Vegas and try to find a news channel on the radio. It's no wonder that town is so fucked up.

Americans lose brothers and sister every day in Iraq fighting to give the Iraqi people the same system Americans enjoy. What's so great about it if Americans don't want to make it work in their own country? Why are these souls dying? Why don't Americans bring them home now, turn Iraq over to the Iraqi people and let them sort it out?

(Because they'll be flying airliners in to skyscrapers, because Americans are too busy pointing fingers at Bush and Rice for not being fucking mind readers rather than supporting an infrastructure that will safeguard against this behaviour. All this because we don't want to get to the airport 30 minutes earlier.) Where is the outrage?

I love this country. I am a naturalized citizen. I struggled to get here. I vote for everything and believe my vote counts. I wish the majority of Americans felt the way I did.

That's my opinion and I could be wrong. We don't have to worry about being here a hundred years from today. We don't seem to be concerned about the fucked up mess we are leaving behind. Our children and our childrens children will have their hands full that's for sure.

Oh well, maybe Buffy the fucking Vampire Slayer will still be in re-runs and that will make everything OK.

If you don't love it, leave it.

Respectfully,
Country John

I vote for everything and believe my vote counts. I wish the majority of Americans felt the way I did.

Yup, that hits the nail on the head alright. Every two to four years you have to make a choice between the lessor of two evils. It's no wonder folks can't be bothered going to the polling station.

Based upon the majority of people I meet, I am sort of happy they dont vote. If all the halfwits voted it would only dilute your vote so I wouldnt spend so much time frettin over it Country John.

Majority aren't halfwits. . . . .

Maybe most of the halfwits ARE voting. The people who can rationalize, understand, and think with what's happening today are the ones that seem to be staying home and calling into talk radio. I gotta tell you, when I was standing in line at the poll I couldn't believe some of the characters there. But they showed up.

I hear you Gcl, but if we they can teach sign language to a gorilla, we can take a half wit to some level of competence that would make their vote meaningful.

The problem with the country is not the country.

Respectfully,
Country John

country john
why do you or rather the u.s. government send soldiers to iraq do you belive that is for the love of democracy?send some to mayanmar or israel there is probably a few others around thé world who could need some assistance to work towards democracy.like most of the arab countries.but burma is the only country in the world who keep their elected leader in house arrest.iggy sca

Why Send Troops?? Now I don't want to get off on a rant here, but . . . .

... I am one who feels that the slaughter of our good men and women by those we originally wanted to give some help to is not only a sin but a crime. How can anyone watch this happen and not weep. It is a low point for anyone with a heart for these good souls.

To show these US servicemen and women disrespect for doing what they think is right is to deny that basic human rights are worth anything in the first place. Maybe we should just say "Fuck it," seal the border, give everyone a weapon and see what happens, you know -let them sort it out on their own.

We didn't step into this because we didn't agree with how Hussein and his thugs wore their fucking head-dresses my friend. These guys are murderers but the M.E. is no stranger to that. Genocide seems to be the fix when people become self aware or develop a mind of their own. Europe had a guy like that, Hitler wasn't it?

You see, "we" didn't find the "weapons" of mass distruction but "we" found the mass distruction. If the boxes of bones in the warehouses or the mass graves of innocent men, women and children didn't hint at mass destruction, somebody is in denial and I think it might be you.

The days of turning your back and refusing to act on the slaughter of your fellow human beings should be gone, long gone. To suggest that Americans are willfully allowing their sons and daughter to die for your fucking oil is rediculous and part of the problem. If we don't buy your oil, you starve. Simple eh? You see, we already own it.

Human life is on this planet to survive and each one has the right to do so just like each one of those lives that were buried in those long trenches. Hussein or any other thug has no right to change that. I wouln't go so far as to call it "democracy", how does "basic human right" sound? Does that work?

If that's not good enough to pull an animal like Hussein off his pedestal I don't know what is. Maybe "we" should have waited until another 20,000 or so innocent Iraqis were slaughtered. Wait, maybe we should have waited until 50,000 Iraqis were FUCKING SLAUGHTERED by this animal.

To litter the deserts and jungles with corpses because some moron religious cleric makes a decision based on HIS misunderstandings of faith and God says a lot about what is wrong with the Middle East. These guys are making it work for THEM, not their people. Just keep the people stupid so they will never understand...yeah, that's the ticket.

Rather than risk losing out on whatever bounty or promise for the future he foresees as his, he would rather enrage the ignorant to destroy the threat against him or his ideas. Young men and women strap on bomb vests and die for these clowns because these clerics don't think of their young or the future. They need to come to the table and realize that this is 2004, not 500BC and put an end to the mindless dribble they preach that leads young men and women to their demise in the name of God, or whatever the flavor of the month is.

Is it not a good thing to suggest that people should live in peace and without fear of being shot in the back of the head by the very government that is supposed to protect them? I don't care what color you are or what religion you claim to "practice."

The indiscriminate destruction of innocent human life can never be offered as justifiable by Hussein or any one of his gang of thugs and anyone who supports this guy SHOULD be sharing his cell.

Is democracy better than that? On it's worst day. The only problem now is that the people who are still hanging on to the hope that there is something in it for them will keep setting the bombs because who knows, maybe the USA will cut and run, Hussein will get out, they will have a chance to get in front of him and after telling him how wonderful he is, take the chance that he won't shoot them in the head and THEN, maybe they won't have to hustle for every fucking meal for the rest of their lives. They'll be just like Aziz or have some other "set for life" deal with the devil.

Israel should finish the wall until Arafat is removed and people who value human life are in charge. Israel has said over and over again that they have no problems with peace with Palistine.
Palistine must stop the killing. Apparently that's too much to ask.

Israel demonstrated their intent over the last 50 years. Were they wrong to engage in land mongering? Sure. Is there controversy surrounding how they came to be where they are? Yes. Is there controversy surrounding how Palistine came into being? Yes. OK. So now what?

To suggest that America send troops to other parts of the world to sort out their problems is to admit that America (along with a few good allies) are the only ones with the balls to step in and do something about it.

IN CONCLUSION, these people do not want our help. They would rather live under oppressive regimes like Hussein or the religious know nothings. They would rather see their loved ones slaughtered like animals. They would rather live with no hope than to have some well dressed westerners encroach on their sacred land to show them that life does exist in 2004 and beyond and that there is a place in it for them and their religious beliefs. This can't be true.

One of my BEST friends is from Palestine. Another from Iraq. Another from India. These are fine people who look back at their homeland and wonder why the dickheads are running the show. Where is the outrage?

Instead of pointing like bitches at the Americans who are putting their lives on the line, let's direct our efforts to helping sort things out. We've got our lives here, we don't need all that Iraq has to offer.

That's my opinion and I could be wrong and Iggy, no disrespect to you. Thanks for getting me all fired up!

Where in the world are you anyway?

Country John

CountryJohn...u r way too into this. You need a hobby. Take something up ...for example, flying to foreign third world countries and banging hot 20 year olds.

Wow! And I thought I got upset about things. Riorules, that was a good article even if parts were a little extreme. I totally agree that mega corporations pretty much call the shots these days. I disagree that they are all American or that they are somehow meeting in smoky dark rooms to plan our enslavement. It's more of a case of a runaway train where the conductor(s) have all walked away to focus on their own narrow interests and have forgotten that there are a long line of cars behind the engine.

The incredible corporate greed of the late 90s which went ugly with the likes of Enron, MCI and a few select others is probably the tip of something much larger. Like politicians, business leaders have always only thought only of themselves. In the past their blunders only affected the immediate environment. Wars were "over there". Ecological disasters were "down the road". Business failures only hurt "those people". Now it is here and everyone suffers.

hi john!
no i dont suggest u.s. to send troops to mayanmar just wondering why democracy is so very important for u.s.(iraq)in one country andis of no importance for them in another(mayanmar)can that be for the army junta already is in their pocket? by the way im from sweden

I'm Sorry I Apologize.

Look, I should be going to bed now (Operation AlleyKat 11 in TJ tomorrow) but I am very sorry for gushing like some bitch. I can see (reading it now) that I said a lot of things I ought not to have said and I apologize for that, I'm not that kind of person. And yes, we could ALL use some more pussy so you can count me in on that too.

Sweeden is a place I dream of visiting someday because I hear the pussy is just fantastic.

Let me just say with respect to Iggy my brother that:

If it is true that people in Mayanmar are are being enslaved, murdered en masse without regard to innocence, young and old alike, and chemical weapons are being made or used to kill innocent people or to kill people because of their religious beliefs or because of their boundries, if mass graves exist as evidence of this sort of sick behaviour then I can assure you that the American People would be a group of people that would have an interest in hearing about it for humanitarian reasons. Because we believe that such things should not ever happen to innocent people again.

Sweeden has a great history consistent with the same ideals.

I can't wait to jump some latina frames tomorrow boys. I'm torn between the Alley, AB, WHAT!!!

Thanks for your continued feedback.

Country John

Country John there's no need to back away from what you said as you made some good points about Americans being tolerant of all the sneaky shit this government pulls off...And what did Iraq had to do with 9/11? How did Bush managed to go from wanting Osama's head to deciding to attack Iraq? Why? Why?...Oh why? As it turns out, there are no weapons of mass destruction (remember the main reason why we attacked Iraq?) there...and then on the next chapter it turned into us being the LIBERATORS!!
To me, it was as simple and obvious as Bush feeling a little angry about his father not getting the job done...and well maybe a little black gold had a little something to do with it as well...
And yes John maybe we're MUCH MORE into the drama AND finding what's WRONG, then working towards real change...but NOT ME! I'm all for making a difference and going to the polls this next election...oh shit, I gotta go now, the Swam is on!
Piece and peace!
Jarocho

Beat on the Bushes

I'm supposed to be on my way to TJ right now, but were we ALL mad at Bush Sr. for not smoking this guy (or finishing the job) the first time around? Now that Bush JR. is doing the job, we're mad at him? How do Americans reconcile that?

OK, no WMD. Phooey on him but this Hussein animal is in jail, and his thugs are being smoked out.

God bless the many men and women over there.

I'll add to this (maybe) later but I'm sure you guys are getting sick of my ranting.

Country John

Nothing stirs up Americans' sense of pride more than the classic and highly effective buzzwords that relate to America's founding and its political system. We're all familiar with them as they are continually shoved down our throats and flashed before our eyes on an hourly basis throughout the vast wasteland that is our culture's infotainment onslaught: freedom, equality, liberty, justice, God, independence, struggle, blah, blah, blah.

But perhaps what puffs up Americans' chests more than anything else is a belief in their country's political system, democracy, and its cornerstone, voting.

The very concept of voting is revered; we are accosted by believers in the democratic process not to shun our privilege of voting. We are reminded that many don't enjoy such a boon in their countries and we should consider ourselves lucky.

We read stories about nations holding their first elections in x number of years. Such reports are usually accompanied by a photo of a proud hand dropping a magic ballot into a slotted box top. This typifies the heralded "democratic process."

However, we should ask two questions.

How important is voting really?

Voting is only a part of the democratic process and a very small part at that. We're often told, "If you don't vote then you can't complain," as if all the grievances in the world are solved or addressed by such a process. But, perhaps, we should say, "If you don't complain, you can't vote."

"Complaining" is far more democratic than voting. It is this very process of "complaint" or "dissent" that is the lifeblood of any person making claims to democracy.

I get a kick out of people who don't have a political thought in their heads ever, but go out and vote on Election Day and think they're champions of the system, keeping the principles of the forefathers alive. Yet this same person does not study history (whether it be local, global, past, or present), could not discuss any topic or issue of importance beyond a 7th grade level (the result of reading Newsweek), does not engage in debate or discourse, and has no interest in "rocking the boat."

I have a friend who's an elementary school teacher and is the embodiment of what a citizen living in a theoretical democracy should be. He is a passionate student of history and politics, constantly expanding horizons and engaged in personal research. He challenges people to back up what they say and genuinely asks them, "Why?" He stimulates his students with "fringe" or "controversial" material (challenging mainstream doctrine) and tirelessly attempts to induce original thought in all those he meets.

However, he does not vote.

But the question begs to be asked, who is more vital to the democratic process: someone who robotically reports to polling stations to make uninformed decisions on a punch card and then goes back to life as usual, or someone who demands participation and thought beyond a symbolic gesture?

What are we voting for?

Just because we are presented with choices does not mean we really have a choice. Who chooses the choices we choose from? What can we do if we don't like the choices?

Americans trudge to the polls proudly each election and inevitably vote for the "lesser of two evils." Candidates are weeded out from a gaggle of wealthy, former/current businessmen who are now exchanging the corporate world for the governmental one, a shift that is quite natural considering that the government is a business itself intimately linked with the largest corporations on the planet, who along with various government institutions determine the health of the economy and therefore the mood and well-being of the general population.

The candidates are mere actors who spend most of their time reciting platitudes from history's tired list, insulting one another's character, and making promises that are literally impossible to keep. Behind the scenes, behind the smoke and mirrors, they comprise the unified ruling class. Where they disagree is where the party lines are drawn.

Whether we vote Democrat or Republican, we are voting for those beholden to free market capitalism. Globalization and its bodyguard, the U.S. military, win every election.

By Matthew Riemer

Matthew Riemer encourages your comments: Please email at mriemer@YellowTimes.org.

now one could write an awfull lot about the definition of a democracy,but i let any body else do that

but what's YOUR opinion....

We have the media to thank for many things on many levels. One of them is the fact that they keep shoving their perspective down the throats of their readers while claiming to be "fair and balanced." We can cut and paste clippings all day long. We'll only see and read the same thing.

Show me a newspaper written at say, grade 8 level english that talks about the issues. You won't find it unless it's the local 8th grade school paper.

If people are interested enough in their own destiny they will seek an education to they can learn to read so they can read the newspaper, or ballot, even have someone sit down with them and discuss the issues -you know "talk" or whatever so they can make informed decisions. How many chics voted for Clinton because they "liked his hair?"

Lets get real if we are going to have a grown up discussion about this.

One thing Americans can be "proud"of is that they have not been fucked too terribly hard by the people/group/Wallmart or whomever is running this country. How did that that happen? Well, maybe it is was polictically incorrect or something, who knows.

Until the people of this country have the balls to correct what's wrong, it'll never be corrected -straight up. That is true today, it will be true from here on out. Most elections in this country are decided on emotion, most political campaigns are based on the emotional aspect of the issues, not the factual aspects.

Sure, people are given "facts and figures" but you know what? John Q. Public in Califoria could care less about the price of pigs feet in Montana or wherever they have pigs feet trees. Bill the farmer in Montana could care less about the cost of real estate in California.

He cares about HIS car payment, HIS next paycheck, HIS kids, and even though these might in some way be tied to pigs feet, no-body can make him understand it such that he gets off his ass to the poll on election day to make a decision about other things that are important. Am I right or am I wrong?

Jeez, one criticizm I heard about Arnold the other day on the radio is that "he is taking every thing to the voters." WTF? What is he going to do? Consult the fucking horoscopes??

People make their own decisions about voting and their country. If America ends up in the shitter it won't be Bush's fault, Clinton's fault or the man on the moon's fault. It will be the fault of the guy who should have gone to the poll and didn't. He will be the one to blame (and also the one looking to blame others) because that's how it seems to go in America - "all care and no responsibility."

Now this system of "voting" might not work for you and it might not be the best way to do things, but if we take a look around the place and see the alternatives I think we can agree that it's not bad at all. No one has come forth with a system that is better and there appears to be no other system in the world that works better.

Having ones brains blown out because he won't sign his GOjjGO party membership card, not being allowed to speak your piece when you're really pissed off, guys like Hussein, or Dong can't be viewed as a viable alternative to our system can they?

Sitting around in a love den taking hits off your bong and chanting to some fucking god of the nerve endings isn't going to resolve the serious issues facing us and our kids.

Like I said before, most of us won't be here in a hundred years or so anyway so why should we worry about it -right? Very sad.

These writers for the media outlets are smart guys and they sure do write good. Letting them do your thinking for you however should not be part of the program. Talk radio and the "Moral Majority" should be taken in context, not as authority. Who the fuck are these guys to tell you what YOU shold think. You don't need Country John to tell you to be a man.

Respectfully,
Country John