A Government of the Military, by the Politicians, for the Corporations

Submitted by Jaime Kasztelan

Every year there are campaign ads on television, billboards and signs out front of people's lawns. They all promise to tax the rich and put more money in the working class pocket. Our own modern day Robin Hoods. Everything they promise would change the world. However, changing the world can take a lot of time and a lot of money. What also takes a lot of money? Running for office. If a politician doesn't raise over a million dollars for their campaign it can almost be guaranteed that they will fail. While many politicians can fund parts of their own campaign they still need contributors. They turn to the rich or Political Action Committees (PAC's). What do the rich want in return? To stay rich. So the "good intentioned" politician who once had dreams of changing the world now has to answer to the powerful elite that wants to keep the country running exactly the way it is. In order to accomplish this for their benefactors they continue debates for years over passing a bill or find loopholes so that the corporations destroying the planet can keep up production. In documentaries about this problem they want the public to work for change. They want us to protest and boycott the corruption. While it can make a small difference it will never cause a dent as long as the ones in power want to continue. It is not entirely up to the public to change, we need a government that is again or perhaps for the first time of the people, for the people, and by the people.

 Unfortunately, what goes on in the government is not shared with the public. We usually go by rumors. The only evidence we see is our country hanging by a thread. People are losing their jobs, homes and life savings. Our world's natural resources are quickly disappearing and poisonous toxins are being disposed into our atmosphere. The corporations hiring minorities who work for nothing, destroy forests or any natural resource to make their product and dispose of their toxic waste into our atmosphere are protected. Where is the government? They are attending a benefit to shelter the homeless or eating at a $10,000 a plate dinner to feed the hungry. They make us believe they are trying to save the world but in actuality they are allowing those corporations to continue. They allow this to happen because they are either cashing in on it or they are returning the favor for their seat in office. Marx views this system as an unstable one and believes one day it will fall. I have to agree.

Everytime I see a documentary about the food industry or a commercial about saving a sick child by donating 50 cents I get a feeling of change. I get a feeling that I can be a part of that change. While donating the money is easy enough it can be hard to become vegetarian or choose a higher priced organically grown chicken instead of the genetically enhanced super chicken. Even if I do change my life there are billions of Americans who will probably never change. Slowly the feeling, or strong urge to fight for equality and change slowly dies. I don't have the power to reshape what those in power have created. Yes, we outrank them in numbers but we are not organized, we don't have the funds and don't have the time to go against the man. We are too busy working to pay bills and taxes. So the rich get to be rich, while the poor get to stay poor. It is the power elites hegemonic power over our society. Our only way out is if Oprah decides to run for president. If not Oprah, which I highly doubt would happen, than we need politicians in office who don't answer to anybody accept the public. Who believe in filling our bank accounts instead of their own and who believe in saving the world and its resources for generations. Only then will the world change.