Conspiracy & Common Sense

“The alarming development and aggressiveness of great capitalists and corporations, unless checked, will inevitably lead to the pauperization and hopeless degradation of the working masses. It is imperative if he desire to enjoy the full blessings of life, that a check be placed upon unjust accumulation and the power of evil to aggregate wealth.” (Knights of Labor, First Constitution 1869)

The defenders of the current state of American Capitalism blather on and on about Austrian economics, socio-political implications, and use lots of other ambiguous ‘buzz words’ in promoting the pseudo-benefits of their policies. They even have the nerve to call this shameless self-promotion and greed, the ‘American Way.’ Unfortunately, all of the good news they assured us would arrive with deregulation of industry, global trade, NAFTA, decline of labor unions, and outsourcing has not been realized, but by the very few who lobby and orchestrate such measures. In fact, these policies, pitched to the American consumer and investor as ‘saviors of the American way’, are directly at cause for very problems they claimed to have circumvented. Like the current White House, and perhaps taking a page from its strategy book, the new robber barons and their lobbyists continue to bombard the American people with misinformation, as they have been for the last four decades. No job, social program, or investment is safe when the free marketeers come to town.

The corporation, domestic or international, exists for one purpose only, to garner the greatest amount of income in the shortest span of time for its shareholders while shielding its executives and board members from legal liability. It has no other purpose. It will perform only those functions which will further those ends and, without the proper restraints, those ends will always justify the means by which they seek to fulfill their singular purpose. Even the shareholders are now becoming wary of the rampant fraud, bloated salaries of executives, and accounting boondoggles.

One might accuse me of falling prey to ‘conspiracy theorism’, and that any such cabal or collusion on the part of corporations is mere imaginative fancy on my part. Let’s check that out. Conspiracy is just a fancy word for plan. A conspiracy differs from a normal everyday sort of plan in that it involves secrecy and something, if when done to others, is either outright illegal or would be perceived as morally offensive were it to become known. Persons who engage in the ruthless pursuit of profits usually plan to do what it takes to further their interests, be it lobbying for tax and legal breaks, cutting workers salaries and benefits, and even, if it suits them, to drive a company into bankruptcy. When one considers the very recent history of insider trading violations, secretive and inept federal agencies, the bloated salaries of executives in failing companies, shady accounting schemes, and the blatant thievery of Wall St. from its investors, one is not hard pressed to make a case for ‘conspiracy.’ Yet, the free market and anti-labor spokespeople, hired by this cadre of the greed-driven privateers, continue to argue labels over substance, and have been more than effective at winning the hearts of Americans. As Arthur Miller said, “ Never underestimate the power of audacity.” Shamelessness abounds.

As evidence of this ‘conspiracy’, think back a few years when many American workers were first told about ‘upgrading’ their skills. Why would a corporation be forewarning us if they didn’t have something planned? It reminds me of the man who tells his wife to think about improving her cooking and her sexual talents. If the husband says it, then it means that he was thinking about it for some time already. It didn’t just pop up out of thin air. A wife should become suspicious of where her husband is getting these ideas and why, only now, was he voicing them. Who has he been talking to? Does he already have another woman in mind? Since corporate boardrooms are generally closed to the rank and file there exists that layer of secrecy that lends to their planning the moniker ‘conspiracy.’ Even the information they do share is, like our husband’s, carefully timed and worded, saying exactly what it means to say without actually saying it. It is their modus operandi.

The greatest change we can effect, as those who wholeheartedly support our fellow American Worker, is to remind others that there is a difference between real information and false advertising. Real information and common sense isn’t flashy or entertaining; it doesn’t always have beautiful people speaking it in carefully scripted mission statements. Plain reality is just that, plain. It makes no promises and requires no fancy theories or explanations to support it. Common sense is out in the open and the results are easy enough for a child to calculate. Conversely, think about how much rationalization and forethought must go into a lie or a crime. There is a lot more planning required for a bank robbery than there ever is for a trip to the supermarket. If someone attempts to sell you a product or an idea that you didn’t think of yourself or that you don’t really need, then why would you buy it based solely on the word of a slick salesperson or a colorful billboard? Common sense tells one to check out the product before buying. The free-privateers have been selling the American people many flashy promises, but no real substance. Do not trust their advertising. Keep your receipts and always complain when the product fails to perform up to snuff. Our silence is their victory.

Common sense says “Screw me once shame on you. Screw me twice shame on me.” The free-privateers have shown their true colors time and time again. They do not deserve another chance. Shame on us if we allow this to continue.

(This article was originally posted on Purple Ocean.)