On Sunday, April 1, 2018 at 8:20:31 AM UTC-7, Tim McNamara wrote:
On Sun, 1 Apr 2018 09:55:15 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:
On 4/1/2018 12:34 AM, Tim McNamara wrote:
BTW, if you want to know where the "deep state" really is, look no
further than entrenched industries with money to spend on buying
influence.

I've been wondering if corporations are replacing national governments
as the prime agents of power, just as democracies replaced monarchies.

By and large that has been happening for at least a thousand years in
one form or another. Deciding that corporations are effectively
individuals with the same rights as real people escalated it. Citizens
United enrenched it into case law in keeping with the goal of modern
conservatism to ensure that government serves the needs of the rich
first and foremost. That paved the way to the rising fascist American
state (which is what "Trumpism" really is).

In Oregon, the various public employees unions swing most of the weight -- and not to the benefit of the average Oregonian. Plundering can be done by any powerful constituent group. Citizens United affected more than just campaigning by 501(C)(4)s or private corporations. It unleashed PACs of all stripe.

What this means is that us cyclists need to create a super PAC or super PELETON. We will dominate the world! Bike lanes for everyone! Joerg for king!


-- Jay Beattie.