E. Politically Speaking

POST A. An Invitation

POST B. How Important Justice?

POST C. Why End Corporate Abuse?

POST D. Taking Action

POST E.  Politically Speaking
           1. Federal Regulations
           2. Abusive Corporations
           3. State Regulations?
           4. Remove Trump?
           5. What Makes America Great?
           6. Political Protests
           7. Holding Corporations Accountable

POST F.  Black Lives Matter....To the Christian Church? 

1. Federal Regulations

Many Americans with materialistic values are indifferent to the plight of minorities, are not bothered by the actions of the Trump administration, and support Tea Party efforts to make the federal government weaker and smaller. The Tea Party efforts are succeeding as more and more federal regulations are rescinded. Donald Trump seems to believe that most regulations stifle business profits and expansion. While some regulations are useless and impractical, others protect, albeit imperfectly, our individual inalienable rights, environmental quality, and public health. The elimination of increasing numbers of federal regulations will eventually facilitate the downsizing or elimination of some government agencies. This will result in a smaller weaker federal government.

There is reason to believe that the federal government has not only the authority but also has a constitutional duty to promote and preserve the general welfare of the country. This statement is fully explained in Chapter 6, Section C of the book INALIENABLE RIGHTS VERSUS ABUSE: A Commonsense Approach to Public Policy (for sale on Amazon.com), Environmental quality and public health are two aspects of the general welfare, that is, the common good.

2.Abusive Corporations

A profitable business enterprise that fulfills the needs of its customers without unfairly threatening the common good nor the human rights of citizens is a beautiful thing. There is nothing objectionable about patronizing and investing in such companies. However, there are large corporations operating in the United States that are abusive. Abuse refers to unnecessarily mistreating, deceiving, or unfairly injuring others deliberately or negligently.

Will abusive multi-national corporations, some of which possess more power and wealth than some countries, respect the common good and everyone’s rights to a quality environment and good health without being legally constrained to do so? Why would they as long as abuse results in increased profits? A smaller, less powerful federal government will be unable to fully promote the common good

3. State Regulations?

Might individual states take up the task of preserving environmental quality, public health, and other aspects of the common good? If they did, would businesses willingly submit to additional state regulations? Would citizens in those states support increased state regulations if it meant higher taxes and lower return on business investments?

4. Remove Trump?

Some people seem to think that removing Donald Trump from office would "fix things." However, eliminating Trump would not correct the conditions which led to his rise to power. Those determined wealthy behind-the-scenes supporters with an appetite for ultimate power in a plutocratic system would still be alive and thriving. If the American ideal is inalienable rights opportunities for all citizens including access to the common good, the American political system including both major political parties, must be considered dysfunctional. Removing Trump would not correct that dysfunction.

Money and power are not intrinsically evil. Our nation's value system, however, prioritizes personal financial gain and the power it creates over respect for all citizens’ inalienable rights and the common good. Abusive corporate policies as well as government policies which threaten rights and the common good are symptoms and products of this value system--a value system which permeates families, relationships, non-profit and for-profit enterprises. 

5. What Makes America Great?

I suspect that there are millions of narcissistic millionaires, billionaires, and would-be millionaires who sincerely want to make America "great again". I also think that these people are oblivious to the fact that this country consists of more than a collection of citizens whose primary interest is getting wealthier at any cost. They may feel that should be everyone's top priority. However, I believe that hundreds of millions of American citizens agree with the idea that America will not be greater until every citizen can actually experience his/her/their inalienable rights to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and access to the common good. The silent majority realizes that allowing the wealthiest to increase their portion of the American pie at the cost of human rights threatens the true potential greatness of America.

If you are one of those hundreds of millions who realizes that the accumulated total net worth of the upper one percent of earners is not an accurate measure of America's greatness, the Campaign to End Corporate Abuse needs you.

6. Political Protests

Protesting against government actions that are contrary to the common good and to inalienable rights opportunities, is a positive thing to do. But can peaceful demonstrations, letters, and petitions prevent the federal government from doing the bidding of powerful abusive businesses? We cannot depend on the federal government in its present form to fight for greater justice nor to ensure everyone's inalienable rights opportunities. Nor is protesting going to stop powerful abusive corporations from growing more powerful and more abusive. We should not stop speaking out. But let’s also consider taking the “next step," that is, standing up to abusive corporations.

7. Holding Corporations Accountable

If we, the people, would directly hold the biggest corporations accountable, we would be less dependent on non-responsive government to regulate businesses. It is up to those of us who care about justice to convince corporations that their success depends on their acting in the best interest of the common good and of every American’s inalienable rights. A successful accountability campaign of millions of people would not completely preserve the common good nor correct all injustice. But it would be a giant step in that direction. 
 

In the meantime, let's accept the truth that the United States is not a republic (a government with a constitution that protects minority rights). Perhaps the Pledge of Allegiance could be reworded to reflect reality. In that case it might read, “…and to the Plutocracy* for which it exists, one nation, under Mammon, with ever increasing profits for Big Business and the Upper One Percent.” And let's also get busy establishing a true republic.

*Government of, for, and by the wealthiest.

www.rqpublic@blogspot.com

3/22/17