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The Rovian conservative game of smoke and mirrors is erupting all over the media. Theories and opinions trying to sum up our President's policies pop up and disappear before anyone can dig too deeply into the source. The battle is on to keep forward momentum for the Progressive movement going, not just on the front of health care, but on the core issue of belief in government. Rumors are leaked, then refuted and leaked again in the hopes that Americans will give up this rekindled hope of government reform.
As Thomas Frank so clearly states in his book, the The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule,
"The truly prodigious feature of corruption is that it is self reinforcing. Not only does it enrich the corruptionist in an immediate way, but when it is done grandly enough, it can actually destroy public faith in the very possibility of noncorruption."
Mr.Frank, is absolutely on track with his assessment of what will be needed to turn government around and wrest control of it from the control right wing, conservatives and their cronies in bad business. The system of government has been badly damaged, and its repair is hampered by the voting public's lack of understanding of its structure and policies. In his summary at the end of the book, Mr. Frank lays out in plain English what we, as citizens must do to reclaim our government.
"It would be nice if electing Democrats was all that was required to resuscitate the America that the wingers flattened, but it will take far more than that: years of hard political work a direct engagement with and a repudiation of laissez/faire, and a reconstruction project [of our government, words are mine] of massive proportions."
As progressive citizens we must resist the urge to be disappointed when battles cannot be quickly won, and be prepared to invest in the long haul, the uphill battle to return control our government to trusted servants of the public. We must be disciplined in our voting, and uncompromising in our desire to support only competent representation in our government. We must insist that elected officials resist temptation, reject the principles of cronyism, and fill every appointment with people trained in the fields to which they have been assigned. We need to be certain we understand the job description of every elected official so that we can insure they have the skills and experience necessary to meet the demands of that office.
I am on a rant. Not only am I upset by what Linda has just posted, I am troubled by what I have just read in the Prudential Annual Report on the Jennison Natural Resources fund dated May 31, 2009. The system that funded and encouraged our last President to dismantle the best and brightest features of our government is still alive and well. Corrupt conservatives may not have a majority in Congress, but they still wear the leashes of their masters, and the money that drives their policies still confers a great deal of power.
I want to share with you this statement from the "Strategy and and Performance Overiew section of the Jennison Annual Report(pp. 8-9)."
"During the fourth quarter, the Fund shifted away from small oil and gas producers carrying high levels of debt, and shifted toward larger producers with healthy balance sheets and room for growth."
This statement tells me all I need to know about where conservative attitudes and their worship of the free market strategy will take us. They, as always continue to seek to shift money from government to the most wealthy business investors. Here is the list of the larger producers.
Southwestern Energy Co.
Occidental Petroleum Corp.
Haliburton C.
Petroleo Brasiliero SA
XTO Energy, Inc
Are these names familiar? These larger companies got larger because of low bid, no bid contracts, and foot up the ladder provided by none other than our right wing, conservative elected officials and the lobbyist who woo them. It doesn't matter the color of the mantle of party they chose to don. All that matters is that, as an elected official, they have aligned themselves with big business, and have been diligent in doing its bidding.
It don't mean a thing if their ledgers don't got bling.
According to the Jennison report, the financial outlook for small businesses struggling to stay afloat in the current economy is this: if the profit margin cannot sustain dividend shares, you can expect to be dropped from the list of investment assets. Right wing conservatives have less sympathy. No one cares about your business if it lacks potential for exploitation of profits. In other words, if you can't feed the masses feeding off the teats of Wall Street, get lost.
So what if your business employs ten people, contributes to the little league and fills a very important niche in the structure of your local economy? Big deal. So what if small businesses similar to yours fill millions of niches in their local economies? If you don't feed the shareholder and hold their needs above all others, then to hell with you and the niches you fill. Furthermore, do not expect to receive the protection of government. We deregulate only for those business who can compensate us in the manner to which we have become accustomed.
Progressive representatives have explained to the owners of small businesses across this country that health care costs will have a direct and significant impact on their fiscal health, but still they resist reform. Why, when right wing, conservatives have proven time and time again that they care nothing for small business owners? Any decision a right wing conservative makes regarding health care reform will NOT be in the best interest of small businesses who cannot produce the mega bucks. The conservatives serve Wall Street, and those businesses who can feed its clientele.
The statements made in the Jennison report are not unique, and have been repeated in shareholder report after shareholder report. The stock market no longer represents all that is best in the true entrepreneur, who willingly lays down their money with the full knowledge that venture capitalism is an inherently risky proposition. Wall Street caters to investors who can't be bothered to grow our economy, but instead demand to be fed off the spoils of the hard work of those who keep the economic engine running. No consideration is given to the greater good of the corporation, to the employees who work for them, or even the client whose willingness to purchase a product lies at the heart of all business. All hail the profit margin. Damn customer satisfaction. Damn the employee. Cut quality if it lowers production costs. Slash wages and benefits if it keeps the dividends rolling back to Wall Street. Run the government into the ground if it keeps the e-trader happy and warm as they count their shares. Cultivate the CEOs, CFOs and COO who will set aside ethics to protect the almighty profit margin, and its suckling child the dividend. Introduce that happy lot to the sort of politicians who are equally inclined to worship the dividend, and bask in the knowledge that all will be well with your investment portfolio. Rest easy in the knowledge that the Bush bailout has softened the blow, and that the wheels of progress are back on track to free the credit machine up for future abuse. \
And as for health care reform... Keep the profits coming. The conservatives have worked too hard to let those profits slip away. The portfolios must be kept fat. Discount the doctor's fees until he goes bankrupt. Hell, replace his practice in HMO with another if his fails. If a doctor gets out of line, call a conservative can call his buddy at the company that handles malpractice insurance. Threaten to raise the malpractice insurance premiums of that unruly doctor, and he'll calm down. Cut back on the procedures available to the policy holder. What do their needs matter in the face of falling profit margins. Oh, heck, damn the free market, because some CEO might remember that increasing client satisfaction is another way to increase business, but that won't help bring up the value of the bottom line, because each premium needs to be milked for profit. Knock down that membership to benefit ratio, and take home more bucks.
Who said early retirement can't be had in these troubled economic times? The conservative formula for success doesn't require that the economy be healthy. It requires only that one become more focused on keeping the profit margin intact and the dividends rolling out. Knock out the senior element. They are old. Retirement for them would be short and painful anyhow. Keep the pressure on lobbyist to dismantle those regulatory laws so that the cost of making a product can be kept low. If the money pool shrinks, then take out the competition. Whatever it takes. But above all, do not get caught on the make. Be charming, smile and keep the rhetoric and the handshakes coming. Work out who gets voted of the island, out of the house, but don't show your hand.
Make and break alliances as needed, but keep it on the down low. Arrange for a few arrests if someone threatens to expose your true nature. Seniors are good when fighting health care reform, but will get in the way later, when the time comes to lower those membership to benefit ratios. Cheap imported labor is good, but will have to step aside if they expect to collect any other benefits, or God forbid try and unionize.
And let us not forget the tactics of the most dedicated right winger, conservative in Alaska: Sarah Palin who utilized the cover of smoke and mirrors to her best advantage to attain the governor on the heels of Murkowski's unpopular term, and then again upon her own ignominious exit. She has done her part to be inconsistent in her policies, convoluted in her message, eager to redirect blame, and above all, to delay, delay, delay. Delayed returning to her home state to continue work as governor after her unsuccessful run for VP, and delayed turning in receipts for gifts received during her term in office. She kicked up a cloud of inconsistency in policy so thick that only those with deepest resolve will attempt to part the veil of lies and expose all of those carefully crafted, partial truths. She has CYAd until only her bobbling head remains with its smile beautifully penciled in place to remind everyone that she continue to embrace the cult of personality. Meanwhile her fingers dash across the keyboard, as she strives to build alliances with every tweet. Look only into her eyes. Pay no attention to the growing mass of numbers flickering across your computer screen in condemnation of her unethical actions while serving in the highest seat of state government.
What ails this government can be fixed. What was dismantled can be reconstructed. The problem lies not with government itself, but in the way our government has been mismanaged, and run into the ground. Blame the wrecking crew, not the building that they seek to destroy, the building that has sheltered our nation for generation after generation. It is not perfect, but it is ours.
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