Photo: Washington Post
We live in a democratic society. As such, each of us possesses the power of the vote. Considering that each of us has the ability to exercise our vote during an election, why do we let the 1% of the nation lead us? Why don't we take the decisions which affect us most into our own hands at the ballot box? Ralph Nader has shown us the extent to which we have let this decline happen. Read on and consider each bullet point below.
Ralph Nader states the apparent decline in America -- Majority leading the minority:
Shame of a Nation: The 1% Rules, the 99% Lets Them!
1) There has never been more access to food – domestic and imported – yet hunger is an ongoing problem everywhere. In the U.S. alone, 16.5 million children go to bed hungry and 20% of community college students are experiencing “food insecurity.”2) Never have there been more communications technologies, yet it is harder to get through to people personally than fifty years ago.3) Never have people been able to use their right to free speech so unencumbered, yet a torrent of lies are now spread so freely and are often unchallenged.4) Never have there been higher corporate profits, yet staggering amounts of poverty and near poverty remain along with stagnant wages.5) Never have there been more medicines to alleviate pain, yet far too many of these pain killers have caused massive fatalities and addictions.6) Never has there been more liquid corporate capital piled up, yet corporate investment is proportionately lower than before. Instead, CEO’s have burned over 7 trillion dollars in unproductive stock buybacks in the past decade.7) Never have there been more exercise outlets, exercise machines and apps, yet obesity is still rampant.8) Never have there been more tax breaks for big businesses, yet big businesses use so little of the windfalls for productive investments, good jobs and shoring up pensions.9) Never has there been more free access to information, yet so little retained knowledge.10) Never have there been more impressive muckraking film documentaries and books that expose corporate and government crimes, yet this media attention produces less impact and reform.11) Never have there been more ongoing impeachable offenses and statutory violations by a president, yet the opposing Party in Congress have been reluctant to move on the many articles of impeachment. Remember how fast the unified House of Republicans moved to impeach Bill Clinton in 1998 for perjury and obstruction of justice?12) Never have there been more trainers, sports physicians, protective equipment and guards for professional athletes, yet there are far more injuries and days lost by players than was the case sixty years ago. Now there are helmets, gloves, pads, cushioned walls, better shoes etc. Why?13) Never has there been more to read, yet there are so few readers reading. Historically, we have gone from illiteracy to literacy to aliteracy!14) Never before has technology made it so easy for heads of government to meet, yet fewer international treaties are made. (Eg. Cyber, water, environment, consumer, labor etc.)15) Never has there been such an outrageous corporate crime wave, yet law enforcement budgets have decreased! The more big CEO’s are paid, the worse is their management. (Eg. The big banks twelve years ago, General Electric for years.)16) Never before have there been so many wrongful injuries, yet the court budgets are becoming tighter and the law of torts is being restricted. Without the defense of and use of our civil justice system, wrongful injury cases cannot go to court with a trial by jury.17) Never before has there been more corporate fraud, yet agencies tasked with bringing this fraud to justice have smaller budgets and more limitations. The budget of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a third of one day’s worth of health care billing fraud, which is estimated this year to be $350 billion, according to Harvard’s national expert on the subject, Professor Malcolm Sparrow. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has been straitjacketed by the evil corporate crime abettor Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House Chief of Staff for corrupt Donald.18) Never has the drug industry accumulated more profits and government subsidies, yet so many patients cannot begin to afford lifesaving medicines.19) Never have the under-taxed super-rich been so rich, yet on average give a smaller proportion of their money to “good works.” Actually, middle and lower income people give more proportionally than do the ultra-wealthy.I could go on and on. Pick up the pace, readers. Senator Elizabeth Warren has correctly called for “big structural changes.”
The combined wealth of the 1% is astounding. Truth be told, the average American does not have a great chance to become part of the 1%. There are exceptions in any generation. I am in no way trying to be pessimistic or overly negative. That is just the reality. What do Americans have that the 1% of Americans cannot take away?
The concentration of power may be on the 1%, but the 99% have voting power. Yes, voting power is more powerful than wealth. Although, early in the birth of our nation, the ability to communicate across vast distances was limited to the speed of horses -- by the postal system -- i.e., the pony express.
The rise of technology has changed with the inception of the internet and devices which can access the internet. Messages can be sent at crazy speeds across the world. Still, we have a minority (1%) ruling the (99%). Why?
In 2020:
I would love to see the majority of Americans take the ballot box back and exercise their vote. No matter what side of the vote that you are on, it is essential that you participate in our democratic society. And that includes guiding (by vote) the direction of our nation.
Yes, you did read correctly. You do have the power to change the direction of our nation by voting. Politicians do listen to their constituents. That might be difficult to believe, but it is true. The average person does not think that their voice is heard. But it is. Write your elected politician and see.
The next time that a town hall is assembled with a politician go talk to them. Tell them your concerns. Even if your concerns are not immediately addressed, they will be considered and recorded in history. And that is part of your civic duty -- at least I believe at the very least.
Think deeply about the bullet points above. Have a great remainder of the weekend.
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