American Virus

The Coronavirus is our latest threat, once more, placing our country at risk.  Just follow the Dow. Yes, there was a press conference on Wednesday. The president, on one hand, gave incorrect statistics and minimized the health threat of the coronavirus while, on the other hand, he appointed the vice president to be in charge. Further, medical doctors provided more realistic information about the threat of this virus .The very next day, the Dow dropped close to 1200 points. This essay illustrates the mental and physical danger that the Republican Party poses to our country

For a brief background, let’s return to the “Founding Fathers”.  Jefferson’s Preamble of the Constitution began with “We the people of the United States……” Jefferson’s” We “however, referred only to White, Anglo- Saxon, Wealthy, Male, Protestant landowners. Further, per Madison, the Senators were appointed by the state legislatures. Power was placed in the hands of the few.   The Senators, under the Constitution, were given the power to convict or remove the president from office. These founding fathers also established and implemented the biased Electoral College as another power-control mechanism.

The plutocracy model or minority rule of the rich was based on past Greek and English philosophers. The idea of a consolidation of power was also referred to as an oligarchy. These people were considered distinguished by their ability, wealth, education, corporate, political, religious or military control. Related was the belief in Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny meant that it was sanctioned by God to expand the US throughout the American continents. It was considered both justified and inevitable. Since 1945, we took over the world. Thus, we had Power and Possession held by the elite in order to control and withhold from the masses. The masses were seen as uneducated, morally inferior and ruled for their own good.

Let’s view some of our current economic problems for the populace: A. 1. A fraction of 1%, in the country, holds an enormous amount of net worth 2. Since the 1970s, the middle class has been shrinking along with stagnant wage growth and an absence of savings 3. College debt is in excess of $1.5 trillion 4.  We have an increase in part-time employment with no benefits. 5. Subsidies go to Wall Street, automobile manufacturers, farmers, oil companies, fossil fuels, foreign countries, Boeing etc.  6. Tax cuts are primarily for the corporations and upper 1% 7. Corporations don’t pay  taxes; manufacture products in low-paying countries; hide money in offshore accounts 8.We have the greatest  ever increase in the budget deficit 9 Our massive military expenditures dwarf all other countries.

Current health problems for the populace: B. 1. About 16% are uninsured including 8 million children 2. Opioid epidemic continues 3. Health care and prescription costs are excessive compared to other countries 4. We have cuts and the deregulations to EPA which affects things like mercury emissions, climate change, pollution of chemicals, radiation, fuel economy etc. 5.  There are state attempts to eliminate and overturn Roe versus Wade rulings 6.  We have over 500,000 homeless 7.  We have had numerous legislative attempts to eliminate the Affordable Care Act 8.  There is a denial of the science of climate change and a withdrawal from both Paris and Iran climate and nuclear accords 9. Our obesity statistics rage10. There’s approximately 400 bills from the house and senate that are controlled by Mitch McConnell’s withholding 11. There have been recent cuts and limited funding for the Center for Disease Control or CDC.

 Current social problems for the populace: C. 1. Gun murders are out-of-control 2. We have lack of common sense gun laws because of NRA lobbyists 3.  We have excessive racial incarceration rates 4. We have discriminatory hiring and firing practices 5.  We have discriminatory housing availability 6. Voter suppression and gerrymandering practices exist 6. The labor unions have been diminished in power 7. The Senate is easily controlled by a few states with its limited population.8.Voter plurality in an election does not always work. 9. Believing one’s vote does not count or matter exists 10.  House Republicans opposed legislation against teaching a curriculum of climate change in the schools 11.  Every Republican running for president in 2016, with the exception of John Kasich, denied the existential crisis of global warming 12. The Doomsday Clock has moved us closer to midnight thanks to this Republican administration.

The elite with its control of the media affects attitudes and public opinion. George Romney called it brainwashing.  Charles Wilson Sec. of the Defense allegedly said “What’s good for General Motors is good for the country; “and Colin Kaepernick of the NFL kneeled during the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial inequality in 2016, his last season of football. He was also criticized by the current president.

 Socialism has been labeled bad and dangerous to capitalism and democracy. However, Karl Marx wrote that man could become more human when he became more aware of his socioeconomic conditions. By becoming aware, then it’s up to the working class man to produce goodness with changes. By changing conditions, man doesn’t have to become exploited, but can achieve self-realization on the road to maximize his human potential. Karl Marx believed that the subordination of the individual for the economic ends of the powerful state and of the concentration of capital results in man’s alienation and feelings of powerlessness. Further, Marx thought that no privileged group can become associated with humanism.

Bernie Sanders has been called a democratic socialist and supports climate change legislation, universal healthcare, pro-labor, free college, eliminating college debt etc. Bernie is a front runner with much populace support. In order for him to win, he requires a high voter turnout with those believing that their votes count too. So, having a Bernie movement is a threat to the few with their power and possession. Remember power is to control the masses and possession means withholding from the masses based on socioeconomics. Therefore, we can expect a negative media onslaught against Bernie’s candidacy in order for them to discredit him. Being truthful about Bernie does not matter. The spreading of doubt, lies or to cast a dark shadow is what matters for those doing the smearing. Power, possession for the educated elite is what matters. It’s not about the masses. They need to be controlled for their own good.

Workers unite, come together, protest and change the system.