The Party of Big Business or The Corporate Political Party

It is interesting to listen to talk shows about how the current time compares  to 1995-6, and one point that comes out time and time again is that the Republican party has become the party of big business, or Corporate America.  If one is willing to think about it, it isn't even a debatable point - tax breaks for corporations, for the wealthy, reducing regulations on corporations and industry - regulations that are designed to protect PEOPLE, to protect this planet we call home.

What's happening in Wisconsin is just one more piece of that picture, with the attempt to get rid of collective bargaining.  Collective bargaining is the effort of PEOPLE to get a living wage, to get benefits to protect themselves and their families in case something happens to them on the job, and to help take care of themselves after they retire.  Gov. Walker, Speaker Boehner and others are saying, in effect, in order to stand with our corporate funders, we need to kill unions! 

My proof?  Remember Walker's comment about wanting concessions from the unions?  What happened when they said we will give you all but one - collective bargaining?  He flatly refused!  In effect, telling all of us what his real point was from the beginning - killing the unions!  And that fits the pattern of the Republican Party I finally felt forced to leave - a pattern I've watched for decades now - a pattern of stating one goal, while, in fact, standing on something either not stated or stated as simply one part of an overall plan.  Non-negotiable!  My way or the highway!

Do I believe Democrats have been better about this, yes, but not entirely without their own moments of intransigence.  I love to hear politicians speak of bipartisanship, of the need for both parties to work together, to compromise.  I'm still waiting for our illustrious elected representatives to actually start acting like we are indeed a democracy, with freedoms and rights for ALL citizens.

My hope and prayer is that people with good logical, rational and interpersonal sensitivity will start running and winning, and start changing the atmosphere in Washington, D.C.

Think about it!