Democracy In Chains – Adding Corporate Veto Power to America’s Checks and Balances

From the last chapter of Democracy In Chains, by Nancy MacLean, here is how the Koch Brothers and their elite Libertarian cadre are increasing their, white, billionaire, veto power over govt and majority rule:

1. By mandatory and ubiquitous Arbitration Clauses that allow corps to opt out of America’s justice system. Corporations can abuse Americans without reproach regardless of the harm they inflict.

2. By promoting Federal Judicial Activism which ranks Koch’s Economic Liberty over greater equity for the American majority. ” … one must be cognizant of the fact that no matter what those who have good intentions say, any decision that consolidates power in the national government is an attack on the foundation of self-government and liberty.”

3. By reinstating Jim Crow & expanding disenfranchisement: Massive minority Voter Suppression via Interstate Cross Check. After the SCOTUS decision on Citizens United and prior to the 2012 election, GOP Voter Suppression was expanded by 180 bills in 41 states. Massive Election Fraud = Elite minority rule

4. By states passing Preemption Laws to keep municipalities from protecting & empowering citizens: Fight For 15, Marriage Equality, Fracking. All with the help of SPN, ALEC, millions in KochKash, corporate lobbyists, and significant lower eligible voter participation. United States ranks 138th out of the world’s 172 democracies for voter turnout.

5. By “most audacious gerrymander in U.S. history …” to allow legislators to select their voters. After the unfathomable (for the extreme right) election of Obama, this elite right wanted to chose their electorate. The GOP (Koch) evil plan for massive voter control is documented in Redistricting Majority Project. Even though more Democratic votes are cast, more Republicans get elected/re-elected. More Voter Suppression.

To value liberty for the wealthy minority above all else and enshrine it in the nation’s governing rules, as Calhoun and Buchanan both called for and the Koch network is achieving, play by play, is to consent to an oligarchy in all but the outer husk of representative form. – Nancy MacLean, Democracy in Chains, page 233.

Andy Hailey

Vietnam Vet, UT El Paso Grad, Retired Aerospace Engineer, former union rep, 60's Republican now progressive, web admin, blogger.

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