For those of you who would like to see life return to the way it was many years ago, where you owned your little house, could walk to the corner drug store to get your newspaper, bought your meat at the local butcher shop, bought your appliances from Joe’s appliance store, and kids could play outside in safe neighborhoods, these pleasures of life are being annihilated by corporations. The are taking away private entrepreneurship (read: Harms Big Box Retail), and taking away our safe neighborhoods. When corporations, in meeting their bottom line goals, lower wages and remove programs for the poor, disabled, and aged you will see increasing crime, blight, and suffering.
Corporations are taking over our politicians, government, economy, and country. They have even acquired the power to overturn laws, such as in the case of the Citizen’s United ruling in the Supreme Court allowing corporations to make political contributions for political advertising, and now they are moving into the arena of entitlement programs in order to privatize and ultimately kill off both the programs and the people who rely on those programs. Why?
1.) to make as much profit as possible before they kill off the programs,
2.) to eliminate payroll taxes to the tune of 7.65% (matching funds for FICA and Medicare).
The corporations buy off politicians to accomplish their goals. For example: the Koch Brothers who bought off the Republican politicians in Wisconsin. Why?
1.) to reduce their payroll by eliminating union support for higher wages and salaries.
2.) to reduce and/or eliminate benefits by eliminating union support for benefits.
3.) to eliminate unions in order to take their competing political power off the table.
Everything about corporations are about the bottom-line at the expense of humanity. It reminds me of the conflict between science and spirituality. The mentality of the hard-core science community is that if it cannot be proven, it is not valid or doesn’t exist. Likewise in the corporate mentality, if it doesn't improve the bottom-line, it is useless and should be eliminated.
Taxes? What are those?
Below are a list of the top 10 corporations who either did not pay taxes, not much, or got a refund (compiled by Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent from Vermont):
10. Carnival Cruise Lines:$11 billion in profits, federal income tax rate:1.1 percent.
9. ConocoPhillips: $16 billion in profits from 2007 through 2009, $451 million in tax breaks.
8. Citigroup: $4 billion in profit, paid no federal income taxes.
7. Goldman Sachs:$2.3 billion in 2008 but only paid 1.1 percent in taxes.
6. Valero Energy: $68 billion in sales last year got a $157 million tax refund check from the IRS.
5. Boeing: $124 million refund from the IRS last year.
4. Chevron: $19 million refund from the IRS last year after earning $10 billion in profits in 2009.
3. General Electric: $26 billion in profits over the last five years, paid no federal income tax, $4.1 billion refund.
2. Bank of America: $1.9 billion tax refund last year, profits of $4.4 billion.
1. Exxon Mobil: $19 billion in profits, paid no federal income taxes. $156 million rebate from the IRS.
How do we change corporate behavior?
Although I hate to see people hurt in the process, I am heartened to see the citizenship of countries rising up to reclaim their country from corrupt dictators. I am also heartened to see citizens of this country rise up against the dictatorship of corporations (the union uprisings and recalls). It is time to start purging the gluttony of corporations and put it on a diet.
As long as corporations have the stronghold in this country, or even world-wide, it ain’t gonna get better. It will only get worse. So what do we do to change this pernicious situation that threatens to destroy this country?
1.) More transparency: Thanks to Bernie Sanders, we have an illustration of legal corporate thievery through loopholes in the taxation code.
2.) Become informed through non-partisan media sources in newspapers, on the internet, and/or on TV (that one is hard to find) such as www.opensecrets.org or www.bbc.co.uk. If you watch partisan news, be sure to watch both sides, then do www.factcheck.org to check the accuracy of what is being said...or just make your own analysis.
3.) Get the word out. Talk to people, email people, start a blog, start a movement.
4.) Contact your elected officials and tell them what you think (find out who they are by clicking here). Volunteer for your candidates.
5.) VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!
A friend of mine sent me this YouTube video that says it all.
There you have it. Let's work together to make this a gentler, kinder country and take back your freedoms and liberties from corporate interests. The time is NOW!
I fully agree with this. Small business owners are not able to be sucessful because of all the corporations. Its insane how everything has gotten out of hand. I guarentee others agree with this, but can't find their voice to speak up. A lot of people are intimidated by "higher power". Come on people, get out there and do something about this!!
ReplyDeleteIt is true, corporate greed is one of the things that is destroying America. However, I don't believe that poor people have the ability to do anything about it. Anybody who could help is already in the pockets of these businesses, regardless of which political party they belong to. All politicians are puppets in the hands of large corporations. Unless a rich person decided to do something about it, there isn't anything we can do.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the businesses don't have a ton to do with the danger in neighborhoods. That has a lot to do with the decline in the quality of American education. However, laziness is something that corporations want to cultivate within people, and that does have something to do with the quality of the neighborhoods.
It doesn't matter if it is Saddam Hussein, Mubarak, Gaddhafi or corporate plutocrats, the result is the same....the average person gets oppressed and is kept like a mushroom: in the dark and fed manure.
ReplyDeleteCorporate lap dogs such as Republican Paul Ryan must be stopped, too. Cut Medicare for seniors so the tax rate for the wealthy and for corporate welfare can be cut from 35% to 25%? Really? No way!
I totally agree with everything being said. I live in a very small town in Ohio and many of the smaller businesses have been closed down to make room for the larger companies. Many people are out of work, losing homes, car, everything essential and required to not only live, but to make a living. Our country is in dire straits and it seems to me that no one cares...especially 'the little' people.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you're trying to say, but i do not believe that this problem will go away without an revolution of some sort. Unfortunately, Americans today don't understand that they are being manipulated and controlled by the enormous amount of lies, propaganda, and bias in the everyday media. My opinion is that nothing will change until the food riots start.
ReplyDeleteBig corporation is going to take over the control of big government and major political party in any foreseeable future in America, it is not a trend just happen in this country, but in almost every major democracy in the world.
ReplyDeleteLast year, the supreme court of United States of America open the floodgate for corporations to exert more of their influence over political party and allowed unlimited obscure political contribution in every major national election campaign, effectively give more leverage to big corporations that can afford to make full use of their financial clouts to get favorable legislative bill pass in congress to protect their vast business interests here and abroad.
It is no doubt corporations in America are going to be bigger; fatter and meaner with their new found power toward any small businesses, ordinary American like you and me.
It is no doubt in my mind, soon every ordinary folk in America is going to be at the mercy of the big corporate America in wall street waiting to be slaughterd or save at their whims.
I think that it is very unfair what the corporations do in order to ensure a profit for themselves. However, I don't think change is going to happen until more people become aware of this and desire change. The system has developed in such a way that those in power are the same people who run the corporations, and they are not going to stop reaping the benefits until somebody stops them. Unfortunately, the corporations have been in bed with the government for too long, so its a fruitful relationship both ways. I agree there is a serious problem with this.
ReplyDeleteI personally don't understand why big corporations get refunds from the government. Why are they not paying any taxes at all. Is it because the united states is so afraid that they will off shore everything and move out? That's the only reasoning I can come up with. People are getting poorer, sicker, and more pissed off but no one does anything. I think they should not be allowed to lobby for anything! US laws are for citizens, not multi national corporations. If they want to act like a citizen, then most of the top CEOs should be put on trial for wreaking the economy, anti trust, theft, embezzlement, bribing public officials, money laundering, and assault on every American citizen they rip off.
ReplyDeleteThe provisions are tucked away between pages 261 and 266 in Kasich’s proposed budget and do not require that the winning bidder be current on taxes, operate a safe workplace, pay a legal wage, or even be an Ohio company that employs Ohioans. Nor is there anything to stop Kasich’s cronies from awarding contracts to major Kasich campaign contributors. And nobody, not even the state’s Controlling Board, which oversees state contracts, would be able to review the deal.
ReplyDeleteCorporations are our Frankenstein's monster. We built them and now we cannot control them. They are bloodsucking monsters out for one thing, profit. One thing that I would like to see is the elimination of fiduciary duty, which is what the corporations use as a defense when they engage in immoral practices, and to see it replaced with a community duty. A duty to not destroy communities either financially or ecologically. I think that would make a big difference in our country. Also, isn't it about time these corporations start paying some taxes?
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised at all that the GOP doesn't care about the people, they've been corporate puppets for decades.
Let's face it, large corporations have one goal: to maximize their profits. This is all at the expense of the public and small business owners who can't possibly compete with these corporations. All they care about is themselves and they are ruining the world as we know it. Also, why in the world do are they exempt from taxes? This is shocking to me. It's time for the American public to take back what is ours and the power needs to be in the hands of the majority not the few. Big corporations are not only getting rich at the expense of us, but now they are meddling in political affairs as well. This needs to stop now!
ReplyDeleteYou make some interesting comments in your blog. I do not necessarily agree with all the information you have provided because I am a true believer in the free market system. You state "Everything about corporations are about the bottom-line at the expense of humanity". First of all corporations need humanity. How do they get paid without humanity? If you do not like a service or product that is being produced then do not use it. You have the power in a free market economy to decide. If your blog drums up enough support then your listeners can too change corporations and politicians. We will have to see how it comes out.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this indepth explanation of the problem of corporations. Students today talk against corporations but they don't really know what's at the heart of the problem. We can't really make change unless we know the causes. I never really understood what legitimate reasons people had for speaking against unions.. it just didn't make sense. I never heard of Bernie Sanders, so I'll look him up. I did hear about how companies avoid taxes, I've been confused about whether everyone should just try their ways of avoiding it or go against them for not paying up.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of things you mention here in your blog i agree with. I have felt for a long time that big corporations get away with too much. Their lack of income taxes being paid is appauling. The question is...how do these corporations continue to get away with not paying taxes. I have always felt it was the president's faught. But after reading your blog I guess it is all of our responsibility. The video sums it up, it leaves me speechless on some days. The poor get poorer, the rich get richer and the middle class pay all the corporate taxes.
ReplyDeleteI think it's sad how the big corporations are not thinking about how the decisions they are making now for a small profit are ruining it for their grandchildren.I personally try to shop at locally owned buisnessess as much as possible,but find it hard when we are in a recession and the big companies like Wal-Mart can afford to make their prices so much cheaper.It's a vicious cycle we need to break.
ReplyDeleteIn my true honest opinion. all our politicians are corrupt and this nation is going to hell in a hay basket. If we do not fall back on our founding principles we will become like the people we have been going to war for the past 400 plus years. I myself paid income takes and did not make more than 50k...but these multimillion dollar companies get a tax refund and had a + net income. that's just wrong.Greed will be the downfall of this nation. do I know when? no but its coming
ReplyDeleteI am deeply disturbed that corporations have been given "personhood" status, especially as it relates to "free speech" election issues. In so doing, the doors are open for corporations to build huge campaigns around outright lies -- and no one can hold them accountable because they are being treated as "individuals" with "free speech". This is NOT what the founders intended and the Supreme Court made a huge mistake with this ruling, that will affect the integrity of elections in a terrible way.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy that GE is reporting another record breaking profit yet they are not going to pay any taxes on it. This has been the way with many companies in the recent past. It not just one parties fault, but both parties faults. We need someone in Washington to enforce the tax code and not let big corporations weasel their way around the law.
ReplyDeleteI am in total agreement with this article. Corporate America does not care how much they hurt us, the very people that make them disgustingly rich. I scratch and fight every day just to keep food on the table and a roof over my kids' heads while they make agendas to screw the little people.
ReplyDeleteCorporate America has never cared for us people; problem is, now they have taken charge completely, and taken away people's rights to have shelter, eat, have medical care, and belong to a union to protect these rights. Gov. Walker in Wisconsin is ready to crown himself King - in part thanks to the Koch brothers wealth. But first, he had to pay them back by getting rid of all union rights! Why is it the democrat millionaires have no problem paying taxes in a higher amount, but the GOP wealthy want all the Bush tax cuts to be made permanent! What is wrong with this picture? What is wrong with our country for electing these officials? I can understand people's frustration over the economy - but have people forgotten the economy went downhill thanks to G.W. Bush? And a democratic administration can't turn it around overnight - so what have we done?
ReplyDeleteI wanted to add - under the Clinton years, while not rich, our family was doing fine. If we needed something we were able to pay for it without eating peanut butter sandwiches for lunch daily. I'd love to see some of these corporate heads struggle and struggle the way my family is doing now. I have a 78 yr. old husband who continues to go to work every day - even though he's in a wheelchair - because we can't afford to live on his social security alone - and these corporations would love to do away with social security! I worry deeply for my kids futures - they are 25 and 18 - kids who can barely afford college. As I stated in my early comment, why not crown Scott Walker King of Wisconsin? The corporations have a monopoly now on our country and we can't seem to break it.
ReplyDelete