I am of like mind with John Steinsvold, who wrote an article titled "Home of the Brave?' With the exception of one or two percent of Americans, Capitalism has failed the working class.
Corporate profits continue to soar to outrageous levels. Wages are declining, and the quality of the average man's life is of lesser value that it was ten short years ago. The saddest part of these facts is that it will never change under the rule of our present government.
What has changed to make the lifestyle of the middle and lower middle class become devalued?
The answer is actually simple, but how it happened is more complicated.
As lobbyists took over Congress, the interests of the wealthy became the prime focus of our legislators. In addition, these 535 men and women have themselves become privileged, and their biggest concern is to maintain that status.
The American people no longer have any influence over the acts of our government. Lobbyists have the ear of politicians. There is good reason why the favorable rating of Congress is at or below ten percent.
Can the situation be altered? It seems nearly impossible. If you think I'm being pessimistic, look at the issues the majority of Americans favor, and Congress dismisses. Look at the fact that most voters want term limits for all federal employees, but it will never happen because Congress has to vote for the change, and they would be giving up a cushy and profitable job. Another example: Americans who listen to intelligent news and intelligent men and women, and do not listen primarily to a single network which spews propaganda all day and night, are aware that income tax is a failure. Those economists who understand our capitalistic society are in favor of a national sales tax. Again, that will never happen. They wealthy do not want to pay their fair share, and with lobbyists running our government, they never will.
Politicians tell us that if we are displeased we can change what is happening by voting. Votes don't count.
As long as there is only a two party system, our choices of candidates are limited, and the majority of the time we vote for the lesser of two evils rather than a qualified and honest man or woman. Our votes are wasted entirely in presidential elections because of the Electoral College. We do not elect our country's leader the EC does. And, on the rare occasion we elect a candidate supported by the majority, he or she fails to keep their campaign promises after election, and there's nothing we can do about it.
The idea behind capitalism is that companies make money and employ individuals who also profit from its gains. That isn't what happens in America today.
A simple example everyone can understand.
McDonald's and the other large fast food chains make hundreds of millions of dollars in profit each year. Yet they fail to pay their employees a livable wage or health benefits. They claim that it would hurt their business, but the reality is that it would simply lessen their profits by a small percentage. When the majority of that industry's employees were school age young men and women, that was not as important as it is today when the labor pool consists of educated and experienced men and women.
Greed is the true God of America, and corporations worship it with all their might.
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