March 15, 2007

Corporations vs Criminals

Jeff replies to my Bill Maher appearance:

I saw a brief clip of your appearance on Bill Maher's program and your reference to the criminals in our current administration. Maher then amplified your comment to say we have rule by corporation and that this is the definition of fascism.

My first reaction to this is that it's not really the definition of fascism, though we are indeed unquestionably moving in a fascist direction and our government does even now exemplify fascistic qualities.

My second reaction is that you were closer to the truth than Maher. Since the mid 1980s I have contended we Americans have a plutocracy, (rule by corporation), rather than a republic democracy, but in the last six years our government has devolved to something even more sinister -- rule by a gang of criminals.

A corporation is interested in profit for itself and its coterie of investors and the way it goes about securing profit is not well circumscribed by law or a code of ethics. A gang of criminals has an interest which is even more narrow (self-enrichment) and which is not circumscribed at all.

The criminals who make up our current administration are renegades from the corporate sector, and they are still friendly with their core group of henchmen, but it's no longer true that our country is run by the corporate sector at large.

In short, you have this one right.


Posted at 8:58 AM   -  Permalink