What Went Wrong?
Just finished reading the 1992 masterpiece "America: What Went Wrong?" by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele, then both reporters at the Philadelphia Inquirer. What's most depressing about reading it now is how accurate their predictions were-- declining health benefits, declining pensions, declining wages, increasingly unequal tax burdens. The book does end on a hopeful note, though-- because so many of the factors in our falling standard of living were created (or at least significantly aided and abetted) by legislative action, then theoretically, legislative action can be used to ameliorate the conditions under which the great majority of Americans live today.
Of course, the prospects of Congress and state legislatures doing ANYTHING to improve the lot of perhaps 200 million+ Americans look bleak right now-- witness the shameful bankruptcy "reform" bill that just sped through Congress. Ultimately, though, I can't think of anything other than a full-court press by concerned citizens: paying attention to pending legislation, writing to representatives and senators about relevant issues, and getting the word out about who's funding what.
Sure, we can just wait for some kind of legislative compromise to bring about campaign finance reform, but there will always be ways to skirt the laws, like setting up foundations and committees to divert funds. We have to do like Greg Palast (www.gregpalast.com) and "follow the money." We have to find out who backs our leaders financially, and yes, it is our business-- we pay their salaries. If journalists and media outlets won't do the heavy lifting in this realm, we as citizens have to pick up the slack. That means asking, "Who the heck are Citizens for a Strong Economy, or Americans for Fairer Taxes, or the Alliance for Reform?" Are they really grass-roots groups, or are they "astroturf" lobbies (corporate interests disguised as concerned citizens)? If someone receives $20,000 from Mercury Insurance, or Wells Fargo, or General Motors, what do these corporations get in return for their investments? It's a fair question...
We as the American public need to be a whole lot more curious about what goes on in the legislative process...otherwise, it's more of the same: economic conditions continue to worsen amid periodic cries of, "Someone needs to do something!"
Of course, the prospects of Congress and state legislatures doing ANYTHING to improve the lot of perhaps 200 million+ Americans look bleak right now-- witness the shameful bankruptcy "reform" bill that just sped through Congress. Ultimately, though, I can't think of anything other than a full-court press by concerned citizens: paying attention to pending legislation, writing to representatives and senators about relevant issues, and getting the word out about who's funding what.
Sure, we can just wait for some kind of legislative compromise to bring about campaign finance reform, but there will always be ways to skirt the laws, like setting up foundations and committees to divert funds. We have to do like Greg Palast (www.gregpalast.com) and "follow the money." We have to find out who backs our leaders financially, and yes, it is our business-- we pay their salaries. If journalists and media outlets won't do the heavy lifting in this realm, we as citizens have to pick up the slack. That means asking, "Who the heck are Citizens for a Strong Economy, or Americans for Fairer Taxes, or the Alliance for Reform?" Are they really grass-roots groups, or are they "astroturf" lobbies (corporate interests disguised as concerned citizens)? If someone receives $20,000 from Mercury Insurance, or Wells Fargo, or General Motors, what do these corporations get in return for their investments? It's a fair question...
We as the American public need to be a whole lot more curious about what goes on in the legislative process...otherwise, it's more of the same: economic conditions continue to worsen amid periodic cries of, "Someone needs to do something!"
posted by Tom (a.k.a. "G-Man") at 10:24 AM
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