Op Ed: People-Power, Perseverance Can Outmatch Corporatism

Part Three-Supremes Seaside Signal Series, New Strengths Combined Can Rescue Nation.

(EUGENE, Ore.) - The 'massive movement of millions' historically, has been the only engine to eliminate any major default in our system of democracy. Three now-famed American Presidents found it so after a disappointing first-year administration followed by acclaimed achievement of historic proportion.

For Lincoln, his courage and deeply-held conviction led him to become the Great Emancipator. For FDR, his determined patient approach allowed him to achieve “the New Deal”, foundation of our famed American Middle Class of today.

For John F. Kennedy, rising then-radical, strongly renewed demand for civil rights built his strength to achieve great changes still shaping and guiding this nation. FDR’s famed positive try-it-out attitude is best exemplified by what he told one potent presidential advisory group, offering him a well-planned program for substantive change: Now, you must make me do it!

He was clearly referring to people-power, to pure persistence, and to patience while all details demanded were worked out by the overwhelming power of potent democratic consensus.

Similar situations, stressing essentially the same solid reliance on those three democratic system-virtues, can be found for both Lincoln and Kennedy, as well as for all the rest of our long line of successful Presidents.

NOW our nation faces another true Constitutional challenge brought potently to those in power by the interior cabal consolidated within the Supreme Court, pledged to so-called conservative principle.

Free speech as cover for corporate dollar-power --clearly applied to purchase governance itself-- is now the inevitable consequence, threatening democracy at its very foundation: Broad citizen understanding of burgeoning issues, potent new problems, complex management decisions. Never has the impact of mass communications been under such broad --perhaps overwhelming-- threat since the First Amendment itself was achieved.

Never has the need for potent performance of the American press by the standards of its democratic chartered responsibilities been heavier or more essential on each and every media format and channel.

AND NEVER have those channels -by far now corporate-owned, managed and sometimes manipulated-- been in a more precarious and presumptive position. The rapid progress of the Comcast-NBC “merger” (read: Comcast conquering) now recorded neatly as needing new-and-continuing lavish corporate campaign contributions to clearly-requisite Congressional leaders, is a distressing case-in-point “happening right now”.

On these channels now must fall, without escape, the consequences of what-and-how “the public” does finally react to problems and challenges the like of which we’ve never encountered before at this level.

The continuing trend towards constantly growing public distrust of all governance --with good reason in far too many instances-- makes any action whatsoever both questionable and dangerous. Yet action there must be --by demonstration of open, democratic, deeply-informed coverage converging public attention on what counts, why it does so, and what must NOW be done.

UNFAILINGLY, true, open, democratic public opinion demanding and demonstrating patience and persistence, activated by people-power, will prove to be the key to any remediation still possible.

That’s WHY the Supreme Court’s conservative cabal may just have lighted a fuse which will flash along the firecord --with an explosion of consequences, one way or the other, already in early smolder in Congress. Their impatience with progress and more demand for more positive change must now add a fourth democratic virtue to the potent power of the other three! Corporate campaign contributions have already furnished the overwhelming lavishly “laid-on” cash which constitutes cunningly-contrived manipulation, meant to conquer particularly-placed people wielding new power. wherever it may be found.

The entire objective, the over-reaching supreme goal, of all such activities is to install “Corporatism” as the ruling radical governing philosophy, replacing that truly American one our Founders so fittingly --and also flexibly-- described in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Corporatism combines and consolidates complex and confusing operations and many management means for carrying on manipulations. It is cannily contrived to replace our Constitutional system for essential services with corporate-controlled governance providing those once-government/activities people must have --more than ever in the 21st Century.

The best-possible weapons remain the same as in every other similar situation throughout our American history: Patience, Persistence, People-Power. A particularly vulnerable, now well-understood, already- ”working” system built on that basic foundation is the current healthcare “system”.

Experiences now widely shared and well reported by millions demonstrate conclusively that this system has been formed by coalescing combination of most current suppliers of the services and products, rather than “the government”. WHO makes basic decisions among those whose leadership is most demanded for operating the system?

It is NOT our ELECTED representatives, choosing and organizing a democratic system they then control, based on what our Founders painfully presented to us. It is not “government control” but “dollar-control” - -and by those NEVER ELECTED nor otherwise chosen. NOW the insurance provider puts potent dollar power to work, with the human result shaped by what the dollars tell the toll-taker!

Sometimes that toll-shaped result even tells the physician, or the medical-means/supplier or even the hospital administrator --OR the hospice-host !-- what can and will be done: With or without quality-of-care consideration for what may be truly needed, decided by those by far best qualified to know and then DO.

It is the providers of system-shaping “insurance” that now pave the way for the profound take-over thus made possible for that very human-rights essential: The right to effective, efficient healthcare.

That’s why the American public is apparently so lethargic, so late-to-understand, so reluctant to relate to the demanded changes essential not only to “fix a broken system” and extend benefits to millions now still deprived -- but also in a system surely fast becoming “unsustainable” as it now exists: Too many are too fearful of losing what they now have, while --painfullyfor most-- realizing how fearful others are, now barred from participation in what most Americans know is a “broken, corrupted, corporate controlled” national catastrophe.

Healthcare, ironically, has become the symbolic situation for comprehensive misunderstandings and the complex controversies thus sure to arise -- the veryleast-” healthy” situation possible to imagine for our democracy. The answer is- you already knew... Patience, Persistence, People-Power, using democracy’s best defenseve weapon: The VOTE, at local, state, national levels, repeatedly, insistently, progressively.

In a single word: Democratically. Undeniably strong, costly and broad comprehensive propaganda/efforts, lavishly dollar-driven via corporate privzte-gain support, is the obvious showpiece for what can be accomplished NOW --via the Supreme Court’s further blessing of perverted power, gifted to ANY corporate entity for ANY “political speech” format.

Those very flat-fact situations mirror and very meaningfully illuminate what we can expect will follow in further corporatism-shaped attacks on what’s left of democratic control within the system we inherited from our Founders.

BUT finally, in any number of potently-telling situations all around the nation, there is arising AGAIN the birth-signs of a solid progressive movement which as it burgeons and becomes more VOTE-and INITIATIVE significant, can once again rescue the nation from its current insidious disease of indifference, default and do nothingness. “ A new rebellion” against corporatism can sweep away the national debris and open wide the gates for a return to Founders’ principles for all of us.

Parties partially collapsed by corporate control, job and human security losses, pensions flown-away with departing plants leaving for low-wage “developing nations”, the monstrous movement of manufacturing jobs to these same locations --even a Yo-Yo economy in which You Are On Your Own -- those have all become the universal targets. HOW do we Get There from Here ? Let’s begin by building strong Congressional action to reverse and remedy the Supreme Court silly action further arming the corporate predators. Watch for what will soon follow, and do your part when that action does start.

Hank returned to Oregon to complete M. Ed. degree at OSU, went on to Indiana University for Ed.D. (abd) and special other course-work; was selected as first Information Director for NAVA in Washington, D.C.; helped write sections of NDEA, first Act to supply math, science, foreign language consultants to state depts. of education; joined Oregon Dept. of Education, where he served as NDEA administrator/Learning Media Consultant for ten years.

He joined Dr. Amo DeBernardis at PCC, helping establish, extend programs, facilities, Oregon/national public relations; moved to Chicago as Editor/Publisher of oldest educational-AV journal, reformed as AV GUIDE Magazine; then established and operated Learning Media Associates as general communications consultant group. Due to wife’s illness, he returned to Oregon in 1981, semi-retired, and has continued writing intermittently ever since, joining S-N in 2004. His Op Eds now total over 560 written since then.

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Hank Ruark February 11, 2010 12:53 pm (Pacific time)

Seaside Series Sidebar Op Eds in Seaside Series are written to initiate and propound dialog, with writer seeking to serve you still further via rapid response to Comments. That’s whole purpose of dialog as opposed to debate, since response renews and welcomes further informed statement citing reliable reference or documentation. Dialog seeks to explore, share and learn, for all participating in civil discourse leading to consensus. Debate seeks to “win by any means” , with confrontation as key weapon for “victory” over others. For those who are troubled by writer’s frequent and hopefully rapid and comprehensive further comment, that is WHY contribution from professional experience including many sources and massive remaining files from past years is put to work here --for your elucidation and even possibly your enjoyment --particularly by participation in dialog.

Hank Ruark February 10, 2010 4:31 pm (Pacific time)

"For those who stubbornly seek freedom, there can be no more urgent task than to come to understand the mechanisms and practices of indoctrination. These are easy to perceive in the totalitarian societies, much less so in the system of 'brainwashing under freedom' to which we are subjected and in which all too often we serve as unwilling instruments." Noam Chomsky "Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience. Our problem is that numbers of people all over the world have obeyed the dictates of the leaders of their government and have gone to war, and millions have been killed because of this obedience. Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves, and all the while the grand thieves are running and robbing the country. That's our problem.": Howard Zinn, from 'Failure to Quit'

Hank Ruark February 10, 2010 4:23 pm (Pacific time)

Jerry: Yrs re unlimited union funds flowing so lavishly via Demo hands is far in arrears to truth. Happens combined assets from all unions about equals the combined annual compensation packages of any two of the largest investment banks. See NATION, Feb, 15, Edit "Democracy Inc." p. 3 --and learn many truths violent to myths manipulated for 50 years by corporate sources.

Hank Ruark February 10, 2010 4:17 pm (Pacific time)

Friend Jerry: IF I visit you ten years from now, you had best pay special attention...I'm 92 ! But laugh is gonna be mine, and I plan to guffaw right into your ear, even then !! Perhaps even by S-N...

Hank Ruark February 10, 2010 3:52 pm (Pacific time)

To all: The Christian Humanist is a properly famed journal in its field. Here's final pgh of their strong statement re the action of the Supreme Court: "When you allow money to control elections, you give those with the most money the biggest voice. That creates an unequal balance between corporate interests and citizens and distorts the public discussion of important issues. This injustice will further compound our problem with corporate control of our government through the media, control of legislators, control of the media, control by lobbyists. This cannot be good for our democracy. Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have the stomach to take on this issue with the necessary legislation or Constitutional amendments. I don’t think the fledgling Tea Party has the resources to counter the threat of corporate control of the country, and even if they have the will I doubt they have the means." That's the Editor, Arthur G. Broadhurst, famed for this publication, speaking after making the major point many overlook: Most foreign nations and corporations have a U.S.-based action group, agency, or office, all of whom are now freed to take whatever action they can dollar-support vs the U.S. and our interests. That's one more extremely important point unrecognized by Tea-Party participant Palin, as her message there surely shows clearly.

Jerry February 10, 2010 3:39 pm (Pacific time)

Henry Ruark let's revisit these topics in ten years and see who is right about the courts decision about having a positive impact on society, and also see how the climate is trending, okay? By the way the artic ice has been refreezing at a quicker rate in the last couple years, actually setting records, is that part of the "warming" scenario? You know, to throw us skeptics off?

Hank Ruark February 10, 2010 2:26 pm (Pacific time)

Jerry et al: Naive you are NOT, sir ! Tone and details of yours can be completely replicated from many well-reported and corporately funded situations over many decades. Do you not recall Enron and all its act/alikes ? Many had their dollar gains multiplied by massive Earth-damages. Have you never heard of all the corrupt activities set out in detail in decades of full Congressional hearings ? Have you never heard/viewed fullscale video-detailed tell- all tv-reports --often in public channels-- re raunchy and horrendous corporate corruption continuing, to my personal/professional recall and knowledge, ever since War II ? Surely you've not entirely escaped such common knowledge shared by millions across the nation, setting forth as do previous reports compelling details of what's been done, by whom, when and where --and at horrendous costs to our Earth-based mutual life interests ? Have you never seen the scabrous massive smoking mess overclouding many "modern" corporate production-places ?? So yours then becomes one more awkward attempt to ward off what millions of others already know, in close contact with their own problems. They can "see with own eyes", often smell with own noses, too !! Re dissenter-group you name, do you really contend there are not literally many hundred similar, set solely in same opposition actions --and well- funded by those who stand to gain by preserving, extending and strengthening the very wide range of predation which has reduced our Earth to a plundered planet presenting huge probabilities and early evidence of rising sea levels, melting ice/glaciers, and much more ? Sensitive science is never offset by any paperized or media-manipulated falsity, by mutual action of many making sure by honest scientific work and factual reporting. That is flat-fact of what's firmly on the world record and fully open to examination by any government or civil group, with massive major meaningful facts firmly on that record, internationally confirmed. Careful reading of Dr.L's statement sets forth the real reason for these desperate actions defending corporate corruption: "The control of societal instability may very well be the real challenge facing us." The Supreme Court cabal has confirmed that prescient insight by Dr.L --but not hardly the way you seek here.

Jerry February 10, 2010 12:10 pm (Pacific time)

A Web site popped up in January dedicated to preventing the tea party's "radical" and "dangerous" ideas from "gaining legislative traction," targeting GOP candidates in Illinois for the firing squad. "This movement is a fad," proclaims TheTeaPartyIsOver.org, which was established by the American Public Policy Center (APPC), a D.C.-based campaign shop that few people have ever heard of. But a close look reveals the APPC's place in a complex network of money flowing from the mountainous coffers of the country's biggest labor unions into political slush funds for Democratic activists. A seemingly grassroots organization that's mounted an online campaign to counter the tea party movement is actually the front end of an elaborate scheme that funnels funds -- including sizable labor union contributions -- through the offices of a prominent Democratic party lawyer. This is another good reason to have laws enforced when this type of criminal co-mingling of funds and blatant fraud happens, but will the Justice Department do anything? Unlikely, so with the Supreme Court's corporate ruling we now have more ways to offset this kind of corruption. In regards to left or right leaning sites, let the science speak for itself, and it says man-caused climate change is a hoax. In contrast to the Gore-likes, the debate is not over, but the legislation is. No one can provide any peer reviewed scientific paper that proves that climate change (a natural process) is man-caused. Dr. Lundzen, MIT meteorologist (below post) sure called it.

Hank Ruark February 10, 2010 9:23 am (Pacific time)

J.W.: Check of your link shows the EXAMINER to be free give-away advertising-heavy publication owned by superrich Far Right advocate. Here's Wikipedia take: "Washington Examiner is a free daily newspaper published in Springfield, Virginia, and distributed around Washington, D.C. and its suburbs. It is owned by Philip Anschutz, one of the world's richest men, and has a right wing editorial slant." You can find same pattern in every large city, always as a freebie since few will ever subscribe as with responsible professional publication. Cato Institute is still another, familar to me via contacts with some of their people when set up as F/Right foundation-supported "study- institute", known similarly for Far Right-slant, with open purpose stated in their own website. Most such institutes were originally funded by same set of six/ten families who once worked to get assassination of FDR, as detailed in American history sources. Nothing wrong with either as source; simply be aware of overriding bias, since both are part of Far Right heavily funded wall of propagandists set up for precise purpose of influencing information flow. That's precisely the impact desired and sought by the act set up with the Supreme Court. Thank you for participation, sir, allowing us to properly inform our readers...who can always check to "see with own eyes" distorted information set out in depth at each link.

Jerry Warner February 10, 2010 8:29 am (Pacific time)

I noticed a below post dealing with global warming in conjunction with possible corporate disinformation, considering the record snow back east the below links appear timely. "RFK, Jr. 15 months ago: Global Warming means no more cold or snow in DC." " Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who flies around on private planes so as to tell larger numbers of people how they must live their lives in order to save the planet, wrote a column last year on the lack of winter weather in Washington, D.C. Read more at: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/RFK-79834057.html#ixzz0f9Avg5fP As per Richard Lundzen, M.I.T. Professor of Meteorology (dated, but prophetic!): "Such weak predictions feed and contribute to what I have already described as a societal instability that can cascade the most questionable suggestions of danger into major political responses with massive economic and social consequences. I have already discussed some of the reasons for this instability: the existence of large cadres of professional planners looking for work, the existence of advocacy groups looking for profitable causes, the existence of agendas in search of saleable rationales, and the ability of many industries to profit from regulation, coupled with an effective neutralization of opposition. It goes almost without saying that the dangers and costs of those economic and social consequences may be far greater than the original environmental danger. That becomes especially true when the benefits of additional knowledge are rejected and when it is forgotten that improved technology and increased societal wealth are what allow society to deal with environmental threats most effectively. The control of societal instability may very well be the real challenge facing us." http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/regv15n2/reg15n2g.html The Al Gore movie "Inconvenient Truth" when shown in classrooms in England, as court-ordered, must include the warning of the multiple incorrect facts in that movie. Too bad we have not had the court rule here in similar fashion.

Hank Ruark February 9, 2010 8:31 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Shaw statements re media fall far short of realities. Media made out very well --20 to 30 percent returns-- until new technologies made what they sell available for free simply by Internet use. Re "losing customer-viewer base", ad-billings deny that in every level of media even with losses of readers to Internet. Re union-member approval, they can remove officers more easily than corporate boards can jettison CEO's with heavy stock interests...and many now must by constitution and legal agreements seek union member approval far beyond what any stockholder group is given. Re "rough-shod run" over political interests, no way one major daily can do so to another --thus second-hand influencing political outcomes-- since circulation and ad-income determine fate of dailies by far more than any other factor. Friend Shaw, do YOU suggest collusion between NYTimes, wPost, and perhaps ten other leading dailies ? IF so, why not turn in any evidence you hold to the FBI, sure to be very much interested. OR you could always write whole report for one of three national journalism magazines, all of whom you should be seeing to keep updated. Each item-mentioned reveals more ignorance of media realities; thus denies any trust in judgments made on now demonstrated ignorance. Psychologist would also note repetition of key phrase here: "In MY opinion...", which is obvious tip-off to any skilled observer familiar with the symptoms shown here --strong points unfounded and wholly unsupported by anything except own evaluation of worth. "Informed opinion" decries, despises, avoids and seeks to eliminate that kind of self- distorting ego-building, as demonstrated in this S-N column by constant citation and ongoing example.

John Shaw February 9, 2010 6:31 pm (Pacific time)

In my opinion the recent court decision allowing "free speech" rights to corporations was an excellent ruling that may help stop the "tyranny of a minority" of a small group of media owners who have run roughshod over the political process unencumbered by equitable competition, and now balances the playing field for our citizens to receive more information before casting their most precious vote. If those who are really against this ruling, then why not take on those who spend union members dues on political candidates/issues that a significant percentage of those members do not want to endorse? Maybe a union secret ballot vote should be taken before the union spends this money and then have it parceled out as per the vote percentages? For the citizens to receive more information, and contrasting information, will allow voters to become more knowledgeable on both issues and candidates, rather than just allowing the media to inculcate them with their "information." In my opinion it is because of the agenda-driven political reporting policies of the media that has caused both the major newspapers and television networks to have lost their customer/viewer base. With new funding sources for advertising, it will actually benefit these organizations as well as other information sources as found on the internet. A win-win for all.

Hank Ruark February 9, 2010 4:02 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Corporate funds rallied worldwide are being used to deny and denigrate accurate global warming data via distorted PR perpetrated by misinterpretation of reliable reports from worldwide scientific groups. This link will take you to CommonDreams.org, reliable source of full report today: Climate Scientists Hit Out at 'Sloppy' Melting Glaciers Error http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/02/09-8 You will "see with own eyes" detailed information very relevant to this 3-part Op Ed series re corporatism and the strong support given it by the erroneous Supreme Court action reported here.

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