Regarding socialism...
“And meanwhile, idiot groups like Democratic Socialists of America are doing Trump’s scutwork. Not to put too fine a point on it, but there is nothing more inimical to the American spirit of freedom and enterprise and informality than the dull strictures, the imposed mediocrity, of socialism.”
That little tidbit is a quote from a book review by Joe Klein (Joe Klein from Sanity Clause @ sub stack.com). The book is entitled, The Wizard of the Kremlin, by Giuliano da Empoli. The book is reported to be quite good, but my issue is with Klein’s remarks condemning the concept of Democratic Socialism.
To keep it simple for you, Joe, regardless of what Republicans say, socialism is nothing more than the government putting the best interests of society as a whole – people – ahead of the best interests of corporations, which rarely, if ever, coincide with the best interests of ordinary working people. Granted, the USSR gave socialism a bad name, but viewed without the poisonous trappings that accompany any Russian political endeavor, it is not a bad thing. In fact, virtually all of our friends and allies that Trump has alienated are socialist societies.
Corporatism is a cancer that devours and destroys its host, and by host, I mean any nation the employs it as its principal economic model. It’s worth noting that corporatism is also what Mussolini preferred to call his form of government.
The terms that define what a corporation is, and what such a legal entity may do, are written by corporatists, and spoon-fed to their pet Republicans to be turned into laws, and regulations that ensure a corporation’s first responsibility is to its stockholders.
However, there is a type of corporate governance called a beneficial corporation, which is a corporate entity legally obliged to balance for-profit operations with public benefit. If that were the standard required of any and all corporations wishing to do business in this country, imagine what real, tangible good could be accomplished.
The malice and mendacity with which corporations commonly conduct business will be the death of America if corporatism is not brought to heel by whatever means necessary to preserve democratic institutions. We can start by abolishing domestic terror organizations like The Heritage Foundation, and prosecuting the likes of Russell Vought and his co-conspirators. Those people aren't the only malefactors that should be in the legal crosshairs, but they're largely responsible for the shit-blizzard (Thanks to Jeff Tiedrich for that gem!) by which we're currently besieged, but it's a good place to start.
= new reply since forum marked as read
