Forum Post: The fight to exist as a person
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 26, 2011, 6:09 a.m. EST by tulcak
(698)
from Prague, Prague
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
The republicans have been reversing freedom every year that I've been alive. Nothing new about this year. How people can call themselves "American" and work so hard for corporate control over government control (we the people) is beyond me. The fact that I have to clarify the meaning of "government" is evidence of this. But, it has come to this: the control of corporations is so complete that it doesn't matter which party a politician is part of - they do the bidding of corporations. They do it on every level of government. From the town dog catcher to the president of the United States. We have generations of Americans that have been raised in a society that defines themselves as "consumers" not "citizens". Any forward step towards a society where the people are the voice of economic decisions is soon followed with three or four backwards by the manipulations of corporations on our government, our economy and our press.
Part Three -----------------
I pay 27% total taxes here in the Czech Republic. I have excellent public health care, excellent public transportation, excellent national rail system, 40 hour work week, five weeks paid vacation, two years paternity/maternity leave at 2/3's pay. The list goes on. But, the Czech citizens have even more than I enjoy. They have a social safety net. They are shocked when they are confronted with someone from another country where there is no public health care. Especially when that country is the United States. I imagine they'd even be more shocked to learn that the American people have none of the other things. Already, here, the American way of doing business, of enslaving people as consumers, the laying waste of a country has begun. I've paid somewhere around 33% to 36% total taxes in the U.S. all my life (depending upon my earnings) and I have never gotten anything for it. My taxes have gone to pay for wars, for corporate profits and subsidies, for the decimation of the land by the oil and coal industry and to the manipulations of corporations worldwide (Think G20 and the EU). 88% of real revenue in the US last year went straight to corporate profit. Only 1% went to salaries and wages. Nothing has ever "trickled down" for me. Or for the 99%. There is a struggle beginning around the world. It began in the Arab countries and has spread. Its a struggle between the will of the people against the will of the corporations and the 1% that now control everything about our lives around the world. The distribution of wealth and the use of the world's resources. We are slaves. And the revolution for freedom has begun. It has begun on the streets and will live on the streets because you can't hide or manipulate there. And the streets are where the people can again have power. The first amendment was first for a reason. If you no longer have a place for people to peaceably assemble, that day is the true end of freedom. And, the first amendment has no caveats. "You can only peaceably assemble if its not inconvenient, dirty or expensive." No. The people have the right.
good posts - interesting to read about the system in the czech republic - i have lots of friends in northern europe and their benefits are the same or better. having said that it is still the same basic system based on profit, destruction and wage slavery. it needs to be changed but how and to what are big questions. what is happening in egypt points to big problems when you start to tear down a system. production for use and not for profit is a start - those that work in the factory should own it is a second but getting there is a biggie! just as an aside - nixon was our last liberal president - here is his health care proposal -
Nixon's Plan For Health Reform, In His Own Words
President Richard Nixon's Special Message to the Congress Proposing a Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan
February 6, 1974
From The American Presidency Project, University of California at Santa COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN (CHIP)
Early last year, I directed the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to prepare a new and improved plan for comprehensive health insurance. That plan, as I indicated in my State of the Union message, has been developed and I am presenting it to the Congress today. I urge its enactment as soon as possible.
The plan is organized around seven principles:
First, it offers every American an opportunity to obtain a balanced, comprehensive range of health insurance benefits;
Second, it will cost no American more than he can afford to pay; Third, it builds on the strength and diversity of our existing public and private systems of health financing and harmonizes them into an overall system;
Fourth, it uses public funds only where needed and requires no new Federal taxes;
Fifth, it would maintain freedom of choice by patients and ensure that doctors work for their patient, not for the Federal Government.
Sixth, it encourages more effective use of our health care resources;
And finally, it is organized so that all parties would have a direct stake in making the system work--consumer, provider, insurer, State governments and the Federal Government.
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Part Four --------------
The reason the Occupy movement hasn't gone away is because the conditions the people live in hasn't changed. There are also no leaders for the corporations to attack either physically (who do you assassinate for example) or through the press. It is a totally new thing. There is no pre-conceived plan to deal with it except with blunt, ugly force: with police beating protesters, pepper spraying them, dragging them, bulldozing their tents and denying them their right to peaceably assemble by making local ordinances after the fact. The police serve the corporations. Willingly or not. The corporations own every level of government. The corporations are worried that the Occupy movement will gain the upper hand. They should be worried. The fact that the numbers and the determination of the Occupy protesters continues to grow around the world despite police violence is a clear manifestation of the determination of people to take back their power from the corporations. To turn the world towards moral and ethical societies and away from greed and selfishness. The Occupy movement is a direct attack on the corporations. It is a threat to them and they are working to stop it even as I write this. What they will do is beyond me. How can they control or manipulate something outside of politics and economics? They haven't been effective at all in the places where the people have gone to peaceably assemble. In fact, their actions have helped solidify and grow the Occupy movement. As someone who deeply believes in freedom for the people (Live Free or Die), this is the most heartening thing that I have seen since I was a young boy and saw and heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak. The most heartening since the days of the Civil Rights movement and the Peace movement. Then, we also lived in a crazy and violent world, but, the people stood up as citizens with the power of the constitution behind them. But now, we live in a crazier and more violent world and we find ourselves in a desperate situation. Now, we fight for the right to exist as people, not consumers.
I agree that this is slavery but only painted with a different brush. The USA "patriots" like to say that we are the land of the free but we have more people in prison, per capita, than almost any other country.
I think they, the people in power, are very fearful of the truth about how broken the system is today. Banks don't have any money, at least not enough to cover the deposits at a reasonable level. Politicians are tools of somebody and nearly all are in the pockets of the wealthy. What can the bottom 99% do but begin to form a more equitable system and keep the future generations in mind?
Excellent post. You've summed up the immense struggle we face perfect. I hope more people get your message. It's time to wake up and get off the dark path to "Consumer Zombie-ism". And reclaim our humanity.
thanks :)
I keep having nightmares of waking up one day to find myself arrested for no reason but being poor and put in a privately owned prison where they force me to produce under hellish conditions and feed the consumer zombies.
It's student loan camps in my nightmares.
I'm tossing and turning. lol.
Lol. I'll be back on the forum after my quarter-hourly peek through the blinds.
I agree 100%. Prison Corporation have attained what other corporations love. They have achieved a cheep labor force with no rites like China.
Oh I remeber Australia when the King wated to populate the colony. Cheap labor..
The Corrupt politicians can pass a clean air act. If you are breathing you are poluting the air with Carbon Emissions'- Five years in a private prision on the production line. We can all justify this as a way to reduce our prison cost. RIGHT
If you have time check how much private Prison Corporationr lobbyist have contibuted to politicians in Arizona.
Private Prison Corporation is just using another form of Legalized Slavery created by the government.
Makes me wonder why they are really so set on building fences along the borders. Is it to keep people out, or in?
I really think you are seeing a very possible future. IF we don't turn it around.
I think it's already happening in Arizona. http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/09/04/20110904arizona-prison-business-politics.html
The republicans?
You think this is just about the republicans?
Both parties are controlled and funded by the same banksters and corporations.
Republicans = Democrats = Bankster controlled puppets.
If they can't pass a bill under one party, they wait untill there's a new puppet president and pass it then.
It matters not which party is power politically because neither work for the people.
Don't be fooled by the false left right political paradigm - it's a distraction.
Part Two ---------------------
There is always a caveat in history. "Slaves, you are now free, but, you have to live on the same land in the same conditions as a share cropper". It took a populist, peaceful revolution to really start changing things. The Civil Rights movement. In contrast to this, we have President Nixon and his privatization of health care. And, the anti-constitution law of bush's so called patriot act. Now, new legislation is being pushed by the 1%. Instead of pushing for universal health care, everyone must, by law, have health care, but, its so expensive because its privatized instead of shared, the 99% are put into an even worse situation. Again. The 99% will have to pay for it because the corporations will find a way to make them pay for it. As usual. The 99% will pay for it directly as well as pay for it with the raising of taxes on them and tax cuts for the wealthy. This is the usual plan.
Ok, you gave your examples way down here. I have to agree with you on the patriot act and a health care mandate.
Actually public healthcare drives the price up not private. When my dad moved from private to medicare his bill for the same test he gets every 6 months went up 40%. He asked why and the hospital said "That is what medicare pays, don't worry you don't have to pay it." He replied, yea but we all do...
no, even in your example, you are showing that its privatized health care that is driving up the price. the cost to the public health care system is being set by the market. by the market. wow. we've even put a price on health. how sick.
Somone needs to be paid to replace your liver, restart your heart, take out your kidnet stones... That costs money. Do you believe hospital workers should not be paid? Doctors, nurses, technicians, janitors, administrtors, people who create the equipment, heart monitors, tools, CT scanners...
what about we pay for it with our tax dollars and forget about profit on top of that. my god, you are an idiot. imagine this if you can: ALL our tax money actually goes to health care and NONE of it to profit.
82% of hospitals in the US are non profit.
The problem is healthcare has changed. It used to be a doctor with a little black bag. Not it consists of expensive equipment that can see inside your body and drugs and tools that can save lives like never bfore.
We need more non profit insurance companies. Just like we have credit unions vs banks.
you can thank nixon for privatized health care.
And yet other countries with public healthcare can do it for lower costs. So... what's really going on here. Why can some countries have healthcare for everyone while others can't.
No one goes without healthcare here
excuse me? I've gone without health care for 10 years, until I move to the Czech Republic. millions of Americans have no health care. its too expensive. what alternate parallel universe do you live in?
You went without healthcare insurance not healthcare. There is a difference.
If you were in a car accident, had a heart attack or a seizure, you would have been refused care. You would have been brought to a hospital in an ambulance and treated.
no, I would have not. I was not. you are full of shit.
OK, if that is true, be specific.
On what occasion were you denied healthcare in the US and for what ailment?
I could not afford health care, so, I didn't have any. when I went to the emergency room with a deep gash in my arm, they refused to treat me because I did not have an insurance card. likewise with my friend, she had life threatening pnumonia untreated because she as well could not afford health care. they refused to treat her. her church took up an emergency collection and one of the doctors in the congregation treated her. another friend of mine brought his father to the emergency room because he had a stroke (it was found out later). his father laid in the waiting room on a gurney for 36 hours untreated because he as well had no health insurance card. I have many, many more examples. how many do you want? but, I have a feeling that you'll simply dismiss me as making it all up. I don't know why I even bothered.
The reason I find your story hard to believe is this.
When I was living out of my car I had no health insurance or steady job for that matter. I deeply cut my arm on glass when a window broke. They gave me 12 stitches and dressed the wound. I still have the scar. I did not even have an address to send a bill to.
I was sick and was treated without health insurance before as well. The only thing I paid for was the $11 for antibiotics at the pharmacy.
How about this: Tell me the name of the hospital and the city where you went with the gash in your arm. Tell me the name of the hospital and the city where they refused to treat your wife.
oh come on. forget it dude. it doesn't matter. I could give you those and then, you'd do some pretend research and come back and say that I lied. nope. by the way, I really don't believe your story. because it doesn't add up. if you were sleeping in your car (highly doubtful), how the hell did you afford $300 + a month for health care. AND, what address did you put on the application for health care? There is NOTHING that costs $11 for prescription. and my friend wasn't and isn't my wife. she's a friend. you are not bothering to listen.
As I told you I did not have insurance. I told you I did not put an address. They stitched me up without insurance or an address. That is why I have a hard time believing you. It was at Muhlenberg Hospital Plainfield NJ.
When I was sick, Amoxicillin cost about $11 back then. You can get it now for $24 these days.
Why would you not believe I was living out of my car? I used to park where the freeway ended. There were dirt roads back in the woods and the cops never went back there. I used to have to keep the windows closed so the biting gnats would not come in and the car would get all steamed up. I worked odd jobs until I finally got a job in a children's hospital that offered room and board for workers.
So what hospital in what city did you go to where they refused to treat you?
Whole system is a con job.
Sooner people realise, the better off you will all be.
Viva la revolucion.
man, you didn't even read the second sentence before commenting. I quote myself: "But, it has come to this: the control of corporations is so complete that it doesn't matter which party a politician is part of - they do the bidding of corporations. They do it on every level of government. From the town dog catcher to the president of the United States."
I read it already.
When I say "whole system" do you understand that I mean to say both imaginary "sides" of the political spectrum?
The whole system is phukked.
Who could you possibly trust anymore?
Even after a revolution, you would find the same arseholes, doing their level best to create the same situation over again.
And they call us humane?
no, arseholes can't do serious damage when the people have the power. when the people don't that's when the arseholes cause serious problems.
Like they are doing right now?
And have been doing since, oh, when the Glass Stegel act got revoked?
even before then. and, yes.
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I've had back and forths with you but I have to say I agree 100% with what you've written here. Very well said and completely true.
thanks. :)
Chase me to the gates of hell for my student loans. The day I need to go 50,000 in debt to get a $15/hr job is the day I decide to actually pay them back.
Fuck em.
I think you have vastly overestimated the power of corporations and the extent of their corruption.
I submit as evidence three articles from a google search based on an article I read in the Burlington Free Press just today:
http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/25/9019424-clean-air-water-rules-spark-different-responses NBC Politics - Companies give GOP, regulators, different messages nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_.../9019424-companies-give-gop-regul...Cached You +1'd this publicly. Undo 1 day ago – Companies give GOP, regulators, different messages ... In September, the president scrubbed a clean-air regulation that aimed to reduce ...
http://www.globalwarmingnewssite.com/clean-air-companies-give-gop-regulators-different-messages/ Clean air: Companies give GOP, regulators, different messages ... www.globalwarmingnewssite.com/clean-air-companies-give-gop-reg... You +1'd this publicly. Undo 9 hours ago – Companies have told Republican-led congressional committees what the party wants to hear: dire predictions of plant closings and layoffs if the ...
The Free Press article documents individual efforts by politicians within the political system to stem the tide of corporate hegemony over the American political system and the wave of deregulation pushed by repelicans.
This demonstrates that neither the political system, nor the news outlets, are quite as far gone as you would have us believe.
z
Earley, who is now chairman and CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric Corp., said if the EPA had its way, coal-fired plants would be replaced with natural gas -- leading to a spike in gas prices. He said he was testifying for the electric industry, not just his company.
as you can see, that has already happened without the increase you speak of.
you haven't established a connection between the projections you have shown, and what has or has not already happened with either
and you aren't presenting a counter argument to respond to. i'm not here to be your student.
well, actually, I am pointing out that the CEO of any company should not be "testifying" in congress as a legitimate contributor to any decision making. this is the point. This CEO has no place there. where is the representative of the home owners who may want to invest in alternative energies even though in the short-term it may cost them more, but, who are looking at their kids futures? the decision must be made among the people and their representatives in congress. those CEOs shouldn't be within 300 miles.
very true. very very true.
I fail to see your point - are you suggesting that since natural gas is a part of the fossil fuel industry that the EPA was acting in a manner inconsistent with their mission?
what do you think?
wow. I give up.
that was easy
Look, I'm a supporter - you may or may not get that.
If you can't sell your argument to me, how will you sell it to the rest of America?
I return to my question:
is it the mission of the EPA to protect the environment or not?
does the push toward natural gas and away from coal help in that effort, or not?
And before you answer, consider carefully that I live in the Northeast, where issues of coal emisions and acid rain have been a topic of controversy since at least 1985.
I will quote myself: "well, actually, I am pointing out that the CEO of any company should not be "testifying" in congress as a legitimate contributor to any decision making. this is the point. This CEO has no place there. where is the representative of the home owners who may want to invest in alternative energies even though in the short-term it may cost them more, but, who are looking at their kids futures? the decision must be made among the people and their representatives in congress. those CEOs shouldn't be within 300 miles."
That does not answer the question as I posed it - and in fact your position is acknowledged by implication with the articles I provided above.
Those articles are illustrating attempted corporate influence and corruption in a manner inconsistent with our democratic principles -
and stand in contradiction to your position as stated in the OP -
These articles are a forward step, as are the efforts by Representatives as stated in those articles.
It may even be possible that the Occupy Movement has given them more latitude to act, and even boosted morale a bit as they attempt to do so.
My point - it isn't hopeless, and it isn't over, not by far . . .
Back to the EPA question?
z
"Those articles are illustrating attempted corporate influence and corruption in a manner inconsistent with our democratic principles -"
I agree with this. But,
It may even be possible that the Occupy Movement has given them more latitude to act, and even boosted morale a bit as they attempt to do so.
I don't agree with. You are basically saying that we should be quiet and not make waves because we are making things worse. what? that's crazy.
No - I am saying because of our noise those in all walks of life who agree with us are finding new opportunities to act
they don't know how to act. the Occupy movement is outside of their sphere of influence. Its outside of politics, its outside of economics. its a social revolution. the only way that corporations have been able to respond is with brute ugly force using the local police. but, that has only inspired and lit a fire. the movement will continue to grow because the conditions that people live in has not changed. and the people want their power back. in the streets, corporations cannot manipulate or control. when the places that the people can "peaceably assemble" are gone, that will be the day when freedom truly dies.
below is a look to our future rather than the power plants we see now
One of the strangest phrases is the use of 'Human Resources', sort of like a warehouse for bodies. Large companies use that phrase a lot and people are hired who are 'experts in it'. I just think it is a bit weird...
excellent point. what are suburbs? basically a parking lot for "human resources". our nation has become a parking lot for corporations. our land is cleared of its resources to make space to park "human resources". such a good point. excellent comment.
I just saw a video of people rushing into a store on black Friday, and I was struck by the memory of my Uncle Roy opening the cattle gate when it was time to eat. It was a sad sight to see people screaming, running and pushing to buy probably something they will be bored with by Feb 1st. There are people who will never come around to the truth because it interrupts their lives too much. It's too scarey to think about so they consume the next toy or big mac to suppress the fear. I'm saddened and really if I die protesting, why not? What will there be to live for if we keep going down this path?
I'm having a hard time believing it. And what kind of person would pepper spray someone just to get ahead in a sale line? The whole scene of humans acting like lemmings and getting violent over a piece of crap merchandise is really bizarre. These truly are the times when the wolves are silent and the moon howls.
Since Republicans began their tax-cut binge in 1997, they have succeeded in making the rich much richer. While the average income for the bottom 90 percent of taxpayers has remained basically flat over the past 15 years, those in the top 0.01 percent have seen their incomes more than double, to $36 million a year.
Can you please name one freedon that the Republicans reversed.
Your post started with that statement and then did not give a single example of a freedon they reversed.
privatization of health care? this is a basic human right that should never be about profit. but, ok: the patriot act. essentially a repeal on the constitution.
First, health care is nit a human right. It is virtuous for a society to take care of one another but you do not have a right to health care.
Second, the Republicans did not privatize health care.
And finally while I agree that the patriot act is a repeal of basic rights, a congress which had a Democratic majority passed the Patriot Act in 2001 and it was extended in 2006 when congress was 2/3 Democrats. So both parties basically suck.
Good post. we need to reclaim our own "person-hood" even as we fight against the attempt (the success!) of corporate-culture to define us only as "consumers".
I think the act of fighting and the act of reclaiming our "Selves" (as well as our culture and society) are one and the same thing.
Which is why I hope the OWS version of the fight with be both radical and creative, both adamant and joyful-- especially joyful in the next 5 weeks. 'Tis the effin season!
you are so right! its about reclaiming our identity as people (as a person).
In that spirit, I urge you all to boycott the multi-billion dollar corporate/criminal sex industry who make massive profits off the backs of some of the most socially and economically marginalised women on the planet, in one of the most harmful, brutal and dangerous ways possible - ie.,sexual exploitation - at the expense of women's health, safety and very often, lives. Thank you in advance for taking this opportunity to reclaim your humanity gentlemen.
http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=oxR9kWK7C_0C&oi=fnd&pg=PA149&dq=prostitution+for+everyone&ots=rk-jlBDMQy&sig=rufqv_YQvrgzMSew0GoxcxMF9Gs#v=onepage&q=prostitution%20for%20everyone&f=false
Can none of you idiots see that the democrats are just as beholden to corporate America as the republicans? Are you really so damn brainwashed you can't see that?
you didn't read the whole post, idiot.