Together
Forever Changing
Together
Forever Changing
An Article
Once Upon a Time in America (((Not a Fable)))
What
a conundrum we find ourselves in and depending on who’s talking and who’s
listening, it would appear we’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t. One
thing is for certain, there’s only one winner…and it isn’t us, you, me,
and the rest of us working folk.
Nope. It ain’t us.
It
doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine who that winner is – it’s the
megabucks corporations. The corporations that rule the world. There was a time;
however, when corporations knew their place. They didn’t like that very much;
hence, that is why we find ourselves in this predicament.
It’s
not as if we didn’t have fair warnings. From as far back as the beginning of
our nationhood there have been forebodings. Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams,
Thomas Paine, Ben Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, even as late as
Dwight D. Eisenhower – they all forewarned of the tidings they feared…
President
Grover Cleveland in his address to Congress on December 3, 1888, said,
“As we view the achievements of aggregated capital, we discover the existence
of trusts, combinations, and monopolies, while the citizen is struggling far in
the rear or is trampled to death beneath an iron heel. Corporations, which
should be the carefully restrained creatures of the law and the servants of the
people, are fast becoming the people's masters.”
Why,
then do we find ourselves in such a pickle? Perhaps, just maybe if we all know
the truth of it, if we all take it to heart we will be able to undo this
travesty; we will be able to join together in an unprecedented conjoining of
humanity and turn our destiny around. Here’s the story, the long and the short
of it. Listen well; read it until your eyes burn because our lives may depend
upon it.
Once
upon a time in America, after we won our independence from the disreputable
dominion of monarchial England, our forefathers set about to write our
Constitution. Foremost in the minds of our framers was the protection for its
citizens and the deep-rooted concern to prevent the United States from becoming
that which they fought so hard to free themselves.
When
it came to corporations, our founding fathers had learned their lessons well. It
is why our fledgling country was adamant to protect its people from the
plutocracy and evil authoritarian rule aspired by corporations. Before you
wince, consider just a bit of our history prior to our Independence.
Before
our independence, the America’s were governed by Britain. Two companies, the
East India Tea Company and the Hudson Bay Company ramrodded their will upon the
businessman and in actuality were the true rulers of the early colonists. As for
Great Britain, it was distracted in numerous battles and wars with countries in
Europe. Not until its victory in 1763 with France in the Seven Years’ War, or
the French and Indian War, did Britain give the Americas’ the full weight of
its attention.
The
colonists, however, were unwilling and unresponsive to this control. Nor were
they willing to bear the brunt of Britain’s war expenses. According to Howard
Zinn’s, A People’s History of the United States, “The war had
brought glory for the generals, death to the privates, wealth for the merchants,
unemployment to the poor.”
The
atmosphere was ripe for a battle. Grievances ran high. The wealth confined to
the few; the hunger, beggars, and poor were many; Britain wanted to raise taxes
and the colonists were fighting angry. It was in this temperament that Britain
gave the East India Tea Company an edge that would be a defining moment in
history.
In
1773, The East India Tea Company, over-stocked with tea and struggling to fend
off bankruptcy, used their considerable connections and succeeded in having
Britain pass the Tea Act. This Act permitted their export of tea without the
encumbrance of paying taxes. An advantage clearly over that of companies in the
colonies, who prior to this occurrence had acted as the East India Tea Company
middlemen. Now the East India Tea Company had the benefit of offering the
cheapest price and thereby monopolizing the tea business.
Furthermore,
Britain ruled all tea had to be purchased through the East India Tea Company.
The law enraged the colonists and put a stranglehold on the businessmen. This
single event was the culmination of the colonies' growing distaste for British
rule and corporate shenanigans. On the fateful evening of December 16, 1773,
Samuel Adams led three contingencies of fifty men each, to board the ships
carrying the East India Tea Company’s shipment. Disguised as Mohawk Indians
they ceremoniously tossed the contents of 342 chests of tea into the Boston
harbor.
However,
the East India Tea Company was not the lone corporate abuser. Corporations
conspired with the permission of British lawmakers and many obscenities befell
the colonists. Indentured servants were one such abominable iniquity. As many as
two-thirds of the colonists were indentured slaves. These workers owed their
souls to the company store for seven long years for the promise of 100 acres at
the termination of their servant-hood.
It
is the accumulation of disgust for the corporate mentality that prompted Thomas
Jefferson to proclaim, “I hope we shall take warning from the example of
England and crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations which
dare already to challenge our Government to trial, and bid defiance to the laws
of our country "
Therefore,
when our founding fathers deliberated on the text and content of our
Constitution, the despicable maneuverings of the East India Tea Company and
other British corporations favored high in their collective memories. This new
country was going to assure corporations would know their place.
Ultimately,
the decision was made to allow each state to grant their own charters for
corporations. In the beginning, and for many years of the United States of
America, corporations could exist only if they were granted a charter by the
state in which they would conduct business.
The
Charter was a very precise and demonstrative agreement and the statutes within
were strictly adhered. Charters were issued with the combined approval of the
citizenry and the legislators. They were given for a limited number of years and
only one at a time. Rules were clearly defined and any deviation would result in
the revocation of the charter; likewise, if their operating conditions were
unacceptable, this too would result in the loss of their charter. If the
corporation was dissolved its assets were divided among its shareholders.
Additionally,
corporations were held liable for any harms or injuries and were terminated if
they caused public harm. Incorporated businesses were not permitted to land
holdings or make any political contributions or attempt to influence
legislation. They could not purchase or own stock in other corporations. They
were strictly and explicitly charted for the purpose of serving the public
interest.
All
shareholders, large or small, had equal voting rights and the shareholders had
the right to remove directors at will. Conversely, in Europe charters protected
the corporation and not the citizenry.
Today,
dear reader, we have mammoth, gargantuan, giant, mega corporations that rule our
country. They rule our legislature. They rule our government. They rule the
workers. They are ruthless behemoths conspicuously without conscience. They are
led by their greed and their allegiance is to no one; their drive for profit has
no national loyalty.
How
else could one explain the avalanche of wealth built on the sweat and tears and
broken backs of its workforce? After years of promising job security and pay
commensurate with their work; healthcare for their families; decent working
hours; equal pay for equal work to its American workers and its Canadian
workers; corporations are leaving them high and dry in the midst of their
departure to lands and new workers far from our shores. They’re leaving for
only one reason: money. The gold that lines their despicable pockets.
They
care not that in their departure they leave our lands stripped, our forests
barren, our water undrinkable, our earth diseased, our resources diminished.
They care not that they have polluted our air, destroyed our farmlands, infected
our cattle, poisoned our children.
Their
malfeasance is legendary. They’re a heartless and bloodless entity.
Their
elitist thirst for more and more wealth is insatiable and in their clamor to
hoard more of the world’s wealth, they rape and plunder and leave destitution
of monumental proportions in their wake. As they depart America for a workforce
of starving, beleaguered peoples of the world their vision and determination is
to own the world – to secure the wealth for a very few.
They
care not that they’re building vehicles that are recalled because motors are
falling out or tires shredding. They care not that their drugs have side effects
more deadly, more toxic than the disease they’re supposed to cure. They care
not that their garments are threadbare and fall apart. They care not that
everything they build self-destructs after a few uses. They’re only devotion
is to fulfill their love for the almighty Yen; the almighty Deutsche Mark; the
Almighty Euro; the almighty Franc; the almighty Rupee; the almighty Dinar –
the almighty dollar.
They
care not that they will destroy the will and the heart of every worker in every
land in which they bring their belligerence, their haughty self-important
ravenous avarice.
In
the end, it is not just jobs they are outsourcing; they are outsourcing their
corporate mentality and their complete and utter disdain and disregard for
humankind. It is time to rope them in, turn back time and allow the citizenry
once again to divvy out the corporate charters, oversee, monitor, discipline,
and rule the corporate entity.
For
if we do not dear citizens, “I see in the near future a crisis approaching
that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a
result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in
high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to
prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth
is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.” — Abraham
Lincoln 1865
© Norma Sherry 2003
Links
to Our Pages
The Purpose and The Vision:
Our National Proposal and Vision
In Defense of our Civil Liberties
Articles by Norma Sherry
The Day Democracy Was Put On Hold by Norma Sherry
Freedom is Just Another Word for Nothing Left to Lose by Norma Sherry
Ain't Gonna Work on Maggie's Farm No More (Outsourcing American Jobs) by Norma Sherry
Bye, Bye Miss American Pie (Outsourcing American Jobs) by Norma Sherry
Dear American Worker (Outsourcing American Jobs) by Norma Sherry
Once Upon a Time in America (Not a Fable) (Outsourcing American Jobs) by Norma Sherry
I Believe (A Retrospective and a Promise) by Norma Sherry
We Can Make a Difference by Norma Sherry
What Price Glory? by Norma Sherry
Six Steps to Get The Vote Out by Norma Sherry
Not So Gay Times by Norma Sherry
...And God Said by Norma Sherry
Where, Oh Where Have All The Jobs Gone? by Norma Sherry
Never Again by Norma Sherry
A Deadly Secret by Norma Sherry
Pathology of Malpractice by Norma Sherry
Reality TV by Norma Sherry
One for the Gipper by Norma Sherry
Jobs, Jobs, Everywhere Jobs and Not a Job to Find
HIPAA and Other Assaults Upon Our Civil Liberties by Norma Sherry
Eyes Wide Shut by Norma Sherry
Skewed Vision by Norma Sherry
Sugar-Free Reflections of a Democratic Convention by Norma Sherry
Michael Badnarik: Libertarian Candidate for President by Norma Sherry
Que Sera, Sera by Norma Sherry
Suffer the Little Children by Norma Sherry
Katrina's Wrath, America's Shame by Norma Sherry
If it Were Up to Me by Norma Sherry
What Have They Done to my Song? by Norma Sherry
A Child's Dilemma by Norma Sherry
The Ride Home by Norma Sherry
Whose Life is it Anyway? by Norma Sherry
Reaping Profits for the Reaper by Norma Sherry
Genocide by Norma Sherry
A Tribute to the Life of Reverend Dr. Taylor Scott IV by Norma Sherry
Articles by Philip J. Rappa
Warning on Yawning by Philip J. Rappa
What Have We Learned Since 911? by Philip J. Rappa
Rhapsody for Democracy by Philip J. Rappa
Help Me if You Can, I'm Feeling Bad by Philip J. Rappa
In God We Trust by Philip J. Rappa
Fear and Loathing in America by Philip J. Rappa
Open Letter to the President of the United States of America by Philip J. Rappa
The House Always Wins by Philip J. Rappa
Alpha and Omega by Philip J. Rappa
Oh-Sum-Bodies-Been-Lying by Philip J. Rappa
Requiem to the Silliness I Learned in Civics Class by Philip J. Rappa
Storm and Strife by Philip J. Rappa
The Ill-Begotten: Reflections of Unconstitutional Precedence by Philip J. Rappa
High Noon in America by Philip J. Rappa
Do the Hokey Pokey by Philip J. Rappa
Articles by Others
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