My second point . . . the Pledge of Allegiance is nothing more than obedience training anyway.

Sit! Lay down! Roll over! Play dead!

Pat, this has been going on for a LOT longer than 28 years.

Hey Dog Leg, We have to stop feeling guilty for being superior to the neocons.

On some level they know they are wrong and we are right. They can't argue the merits of the issues so they call us names: self righteous, elitist, and it's all true. We ARE better than they are; I would bet more intelligent, better educated, better read, more thoughtful, more considerate, kinder.

I wish they were our equals. It would be a better world.

By Thomas More's definition, Abraham Lincoln didn't like our country very much either. He often railed against the enshrinement of powerful business and banking interests and greed in high places as destructive forces which greatly imperil our liberties.

elmysterio: I already conceded the point that what politicians get as a health care plan may fit the broadest definition of socialized medicine.

"Greed is having more than you need, yet wanting more."

This definition sucks. I don't "need" a cheap mattress to sleep on, but in wanting one I can't think of anyone calling me greedy for that. And it doesn't change the fact that someone has to subjectively judge what "need" means for any individual.

"If it wasn't a requirement of capitalism that infinite growth is a requirement, then why do the stock markets go into a frenzy when growth is small?"

Since such frenzies don't destroy Capitalism, you prove my point that constant growth is not a requirement of Capitalism.

"Or when the economy doesn't grow infinitely, it becomes a recession."

Since such recessions don't destroy Capitalism, you prove my point that constant growth is not a requirement of Capitalism.

Individuals and groups in a Capitalist system respond in some way to the downturns you mention, causing the economy to evolve, not to disolve.

"and considering that we live in a finite environment,"

Yes the physical world we live in is finite, but you forget the potential of human intellect and how it contributes to the economy.

Thomas More said: "I wonder if she or the others will ever offer a constructive suggestion"

OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT Thomas. They're not working for you anyways.

Judi said: "Have more faith in the American who digs in their feet and sets things right."

I think that we've had more than enough faith in the Americans to "do the right thing" since becoming a superpower. Unfortunately, we've been disappointed more often than not. I have NO faith in the ability of the American people to 'set things right'.

Ok Jake, how about this definition of greed: Greed is having more than you need, yet wanting more. By this definition, the US is a very greedy country. http://atlas.aaas.org/index.php?part=2

Jake said: "It was stated that there is a need for capitalism "to constantly increase its rate of profit". I disagree that this is a requirement."

Bullshit Jake. If it wasn't a requirement of capitalism that infinite growth is a requirement, then why do the stock markets go into a frenzy when growth is small? Or when the economy doesn't grow infinitely, it becomes a recession. Capitalism is ALL about perpetual growth... and considering that we live in a finite environment, infinite growth is suicide.

JakeNewton replied stupidly: "Not paying any out of pocket premium is not a criteria of socialized medicine"

It is when it is completely TAXPAYER FUNDED Jake. You're grasping at straws man.

OPEC has long since lost their ability to set the price of oil.

That ability was largely based on Saudi Arabia's ability to adjust their output. If the price of oil fell too low, they could lower output. Mainly because they were so rich they could afford to bring in less money, unlike most other oil producing countries that spend every dime they can get. Also, Saudi Arabia could raise its production to control the price if it was rising too high.

Today, Saudi Arabia can't do that, and the price is rising out of their control. Their oil production has peaked. Where they used to claim they could output 12 billion barrels a day or more if needed, now they struggle to make 9 billion.

OPEC now is basically yet another group that gets together and talks. But they have little real control over the price of oil any more. The world changes. What was true in the 1980's is not necessarily true today.

Go get your own flag with corporate logos replacing the stars.

http://www.adbusters.org/cultureshop/corporateflag

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."
George Orwell

"Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power."
Benito Mussolini

There's nothing new here. This has been happening since our ancestors first landed. Greed, land grabs, savage natives, lies, more land grab, fake wars, blah, blah & etc. This boiler plate scenario has been used for generations, and quite successfully. Perhaps we need to look to the old Native American ways of respecting Nature in order to save this planet before it's too late. We don't have much time. A mccain as conductor of this runaway train is definitely not the answer. Conductor Obama may apply the brakes but the cliff is approaching.

Why don't ordinary Americans in their millions take a page from our Third World country book , and move heaven and earth to 'democratise' corruption .

One 'redeeming' feature of most Third World countries is that corruption is extremely broad based . Everyone , from the beat constable and the lowliest government clerk - all the way to the very top of the 'food chain' , routinely 'shake down' all they 'interact' with for bribe-money. So many have a stake in the 'corruption goodies'. And thus have a vested interest in keeping the system trundling along.

In stark contrast ,in most Western countries the fruits of corruption are the exclusive privilege of those at the very top. The masses do not get even so much as a bone or a scrap thrown off the High Table.This ,quite frankly, is a very short sighted policy . And could lead to intense societal problems in the years to come .

Therefore if US leadership knows what's good for them they should set in motion (on a priority basis )the process of making corruption far more 'democratic' and broad based than it is now.

Failing which the US masses should take matters into their own hands and hold their leaderships' 'feet to the fire' ,in order to bring this about.

Great minds think alike, Post Rational. I wrote this back when BushCo hijiacked our country. Eerily similar, wouldn't you say?

"I pledge allegiance and blind obedience to the flag of the Corporate States of America, and to the wholly obscene profits for which they stand. One nation, inexcusable, with tyranny and injustice for all (except for the rich and powerful, of course.)"

How much longer are we willing to let sleazy corporate cretins control America?

Well said. It's all that and more.

And, as long as we are adding our own pledges,
here's one I wrote a few years ago after first
seeing the Adbusters corporate logo flag graphic.

I pledge indebtedness to the Logo
of the Corporate State of America
and to the Brand Names for which it stands,
One market, under GOP
with petroleum and security for some.

It surprises me that on ths anniversary of the first atomic bomb dropped 63 years ago on Hiroshima, that we have no dropped it again since 9/11!!!!!
So somebody is in control on top of all this greed. There is a limit to greed and that is total world destruction in the blink of an eye. We can do better with our resources.

"No you cannot determine for yourself what you need and take it from me. "

Agreed, and neither can anyone else. Thanks for your various and generous offers of hospitality.

"Greed is not "subjective." It is a mental disorder."

You are quite wrong on the first point, and whether you might be right on the second in any given case is not related to the first.

"It's when earning more profit than one could ever possibly spend despite the pain and suffering it may cause that it becomes Greed."

You might even cross the threshold of greed far before the test you state above, but that's a matter of opinion.

"That's not "subjective," that is the very definition of addict."

Interesting if we were discussing addiction but we are discussing greed: "An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth." The key term being "excessive", which requires someone's subjective judgment.

"put me down for giving up my half-million dollars in net worth in return for world wide full stomachs, comfortable homes, and universal health care."

I think it's great that you would make the personal decision to give away your wealth for something you believe in. Half a million may not be enough for the goals you stated but it certainly is a good start.

"What aspects of capitalism do not operate on the profit motive?"

It was stated that there is a need for capitalism "to constantly increase its rate of profit". I disagree that this is a requirement. That is different than operating on profit as a motive.

"On the issue of 'greed,' perhaps your subjective definition of the term more closely resembles what others would determine as 'self-interest."

I was not really trying to define the term past what the dictionary says. I am saying that individual situations are subject to interpretation that is bound to differ among individuals or groups.

The crime doesn't stop with XON's collection of record cartel profits. The monster will turn around and misallocate the booty into further carbon-spewing petro-machinery and escalate the global flooding. You are scheduled to buy your next SUV in three years. A bigger, better one.

More tunnel vision! Have more faith in the American who digs in their feet and sets things right. Unfortunately we still have a lot of narrow minded blockheads out there who insist on voting for McCain. Maybe we have to wait until they too end up in the street homeless and hungry. We have some very bright people along with a lot of dupes and don't say "WE" as our congressmen never listen or read our letters. Time for the young folks to get a clue and get out there and start rattling some cages.

What I find most disturbing is how easily so many are willingly deceived into thinking that the very same oil companies that are, literally, destroying our national economy are expected and trusted to lower the price of oil AFTER they are allowed to drill offshore and in Alaska.
Are they so honest and trustful that without any assurances, not even by a paid Spokesman, everyone, voters and elected officials, are willing to believe that when they have access to more oil they will sell THAT OIL much cheaper than all the oil from Texas, refined in Texas and sold in Texas or any other state?
Why would they want to do a dumb thing like competing with themselves? It makes no sense.

Oil that conincidentally just happens to be priced at exactly the same price dictated by a foreign Cartel, OPEC, that would be illegal in the United States?
The Oil Company Presidents swore, under oath, to Congress that they do not control the oil price.
Yet, we trust that if allowed to drill offshore they will sell THAT oil at a price they do not control. Something is wrong here.

When did we surrender to the Arabs? I missed that in the news. Is our President an oilman from Texas? Was he holding hands with the King?
Maybe, we should be more careful who we elect President, specially the second time.
IT IS OUR FAULT HE DID NOT HAVE TO STEAL 90 Percent of his votes. Right?

I think we have reached a point in human history where we will have some choices to make as a human race. One of the big players is the US. We either act as a group in a communal manner to save our planet from the pollution that threatens it, and act in a communal manner to make sure that people are fed or we allow the greedy, self-centered actions of our nation to continue to the detriment of the rest of the world. This greed and self-centeredness could cause the literal end of the planet.

Someone mentioned that people seem to be making a jump in consciousness. Yes. If we do not as a human race begin to work in a communal fashion, we will let a few greedy, wealthy individuals kill the rest of us. It's that simple. Put chains on the dangerous dog of greed. Everyone has greed, but there are laws against theft. There are no laws against the wealthy class gutting our government,and ruining our planet. It's time to get the chain out, and fasten the dogs down.

Thomas More August 6th, 2008 6:24 pm

"Pat LaMarche seems to not like our country very much. And like many others just offers critical assumptions and opinions. I wonder if she or the others will ever offer a constructive suggestion?"

Thomas,

Who in their right mind can have much of anything positive to say about a country that's being run by a majority of corrupt representatives who have been bought by big-money interests at the expense of the majority?

One contructive suggestion would be to stop voting for the corrupted "two-party" system which operates within the confines of a "corporate-run" oligarchy.

Critical assumptions and opinions? Here are several websites where you can start to find "factual" information on our government representatives, along with the entities that support their campaigns and careers (for perhaps some favors in exchange).

Do you think these representatives get hundreds of millions of dollars from corporations to pass legislation that would benefit tax-paying citizens before corporate investors?

http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php
http://www.citizensforethics.org/
http://www.legistorm.com/

...

I am a US government employee.

Health insurance for US government employees (including members of Congress) is NOT free. We get a choice of health care plans during an "open season". The government pays 2/3's We pay the other 1/3. I pay $314 a month for me and my wife under a BC/BS Group plan. If I lose my job, i can continue the coverage at about $1200 pr month. US government employees probably get a better health insurance plan than most private employers, but not by much. And, it is still a profoundly repressive employment-based, rather than citizenship-based, health care system.

Where we really benefit is our sick and vacation leave policy. I get 4 hours of sick leave, and 6 hours of vacation leave every 2 week pay period. I currently have about 800 hours of sick leave, and about 250 hours of vacation saved up. In my old private job, I got 5 days sick leave per year, with no carry-over allowed to the next year. I have had co-workers get cancer and that sick leave really came in handy to them and in some cases their next of kin.

I dread to think how people working for a capitalist employer handle things if they get a major illness.

This is good. The mythology is crumbling and we're starting to get down to the bedrock of reality.

The daze of bullshit bait and switch are over. This is the 21st Century. Apple pie will kill you.

Corpocracy has taken our country and created a spyocracy.

Thank George Bush, Dick Cheney and the lame republican and democratic party's for the Patriot Act and not protecting the constitution, you know , that oath you took.

If you are an activist, war protester, whistle blower, you will be followed, spied on, harnessed and much worse.

If you don't stand with this bunch of criminal thugs, your are against them, look out.

These corporations have their own army's of spy's and gang stalkers that will take over your town and screw it up just to get rid of who they don't like.

Government third party contracting to CACI and L3 communications for the new private spy network are just two examples.We are talking billions. Do you not think that they will do anything to continue the government fearmongering contracts.

Oh, its real, its also people in your town that become the arm of justice to this crazy bunch of bastards.

Cops, firefighters, nurses, Ems workers and the like , have all benefited from the funds and grants to create the spyocrasy, nation wide.

Thats the biggest secret yet to unfold, is America is a spy nation. The damage is done. Only solid FOIFA disclosures and whistle blowers from these organizations will set us free. The law suits must fly and immunity must be revoked. Good luck ACLU, I am waiting for you.

By the way , How is it that War Torn Iraq is 12th in oil exports in the world " Iraq 1.367 million barrels traded per day " and only have a 79 billion dollar government surplus this year.
Shoot, the Exon oil company is doing 190 billion per year gross and claim 40 billion profit per year.

They don't own the oil , they buy it and resell it.

You can't beleieve anything these greedy bastards tell you, they have all the money, and thats why are economy is crap.

F__k you Ronald Reagan and trickle down economics.

Now that the corporations have all the money, how do they expect us to buy their products.

Oh I know, lets just become a huge war machine with all our unemployed, the young can do all the fighting and dieing, anybody over thirty can work in the military industry.

Problem solved.

Born Free Men

Our country succeeded in the 20th century with a decent balance of democracy and modulated capitalism. Unfortunately, this century increasing corporate profits trumps all.

However, good and bad corporate models do exist.

WalMart pays low wages, offers few employer benefits and exploits cheap labor abroad all to achieve top retailer status worldwide.

Costco pays decent wages and adequate health insurance spawning a loyal, steady workforce. They probably use cheap labor in Asia but no exploitation scandals come to mind. This corporation does well, too.

Unfortunately, socially responsible buying rarely comes to mind in the typical American consumer's constant appetite for more stuff. And Washington surely doesn't offer an ethical or moral compass, either.

"It's preposterous to insist that our nation is about anything but unrestrained profiteering anymore."

Yes, it is preposterous; and it has been preposterous since President "deregulation" Ronnie sat his corporate-loving ass in the White House. We've been traveling the DOWN HILL road ever since. It's been one f-ing Wall Street bubble after another with the taxpayers bailing out the rich who conveniently found legislators to pass laws to cover their ass' while they hid their profits in offshore bank accounts and avoided paying taxes.

"jakenewton August 6th, 2008 4:39 pm

I am much more interested in the greed issue."

If you are truly interested in the greed issue, then you can enhance your education and understanding of greed by reading the suggested articles on the following link:

Levinism: The Truth Behind the Obvious Lies - Tuesday, July 22, 2008
21st Century Straw-Man: What These Senators Conveniently "Forget" to Tell You about Tax Havens - Monday, July 28, 2008

http://www.sovereignsociety.com/

Greed is a weakness of the human condition. The discussion entered above illustrates clearly the multi-dimensional forms it may assume as in "We gave you some answers you chose to ignore." This is greed saying "Only our answers are important to us, yours don't count." "There are two types of people when it comes to resources..." This is greed under the camouflage of "Only my definitions define human interaction with resources, only my concepts matter, for I am the 'arbiter,' the 'decider' of what is correct behavior."

Then the commenter hangs himself with his own moralistic rope when he characterizes himself as 'Type II.' I like that sense of irony, but I doubt it was intentional.

Greed cannot be an addiction. Clinically, at least. Addiction, however, could easily be viewed as an extreme manifestation of 'physical greed.'

What I find laughable?

So many, so willing, to assume the control of the moral compass of human existence. Interesting form of greed there, too.

Or maybe it is just self-righteousness, sprinkled with vanity and hypocrisy.

At any rate, I don't see the difference in the forms of fascism here and in the White House.

But, please, if you want to massage my intellect, or lack thereof, into your definitions of what 'the world needs to become, how people must be educated,' I will not relinquish my perception of freedom to such a restricted view of it's responsibilities.

The third choice being:

The existence of a resource doesn't require me to exploit it. It is a choice I may not need to make. No matter how it may benefit...

The United States of Greed...while millions are dying for a glass of clean water. Go figure.
http://www.heyetnet.org/eng/reports/19-raporlar/3049-filthy-iraqi-drinking-water-raises-cholera-fears-...

Pat LaMarche seems to not like our country very much. And like many others just offers critical assumptions and opinions. I wonder if she or the others will ever offer a constructive suggestion?

Not to say that most of what he says isn't right however.

"Pledging allegiance to our flag has become so 1776, so 1865, so 1941."

Thats true. Those were times when your "rights" and perogatives were purchased and given to you. I do think its so fashionable of effetes to disrespect their flag, patriotism and their country.

This is beginning to be amusing. When Ms. LaMarche gets to the top and finds out there is no such thing as a citizen of the world or a global citizen, that ther rest of the world don't share her ideas, what will she do then?

greed? shame!

Exxon is currently raising their own Army, in Kuwait, it is estimated to be the 8th strongest fighting force on Earth today.

An attack and occupation of Iran is planned for this October.

Medic wrote:
medic6869 August 6th, 2008 1:09 pm
Individuals are greedy. Capitalism follows objective laws. Make maximum profits or go out of business.

If you want capitalist to stop making maximum profits then it will not be capitalism. It would have to be another economic system. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And that's correct--but capitalism isn't the end all be all options of economic systems. Riane Eisler, in her book, Real Wealth of Nations--offers a new possibiity--"Partnerism". Partnerism goes beyond the limited view of the capitalistic/consumer economy and expands it into a full spectrum economy that adds new sectors to be included in our measurement of the economy--essentially to measure/value the economic activities that we now ignore/exclude within the household, unpaid volunteer and natural sectors. This would enable us to shift out of consumption (which makes up 70% of the economy right now) and shift into a full spectrum economy including these other sectors (valued at over $11 trillion dollars a year!)

It is time for a new economic system--we know that socialism, communism and fascism didn't work. Then we hoodwinked ourselves into thinking capitalism 'won the day'...only now we are faced with our own extinction so its obvious this isn't working either. Time to widen the lens and see it from this new perspective.

Bring back the Jubilee system (debt cancelation every 50 years).

This way of seeing the US should not be new. The purple mountains and amber waves of grain are stolen property. That isn't new. Americans as FAVORITES OF God (shed his light on thee) is what justified the genocide of indians. There is no good to crown, the US has never been good to anyone except the rich and sometimes Americans themselves. The sea to shining sea is an expression of rapacious imperialism. America as a goon should not be seen as a new phenomenon because it isn't. Americans have profited from robbing and exterminating native americans, enslaving Africans and exploiting the poor who had no choice but to come to the US. The US used its size and wealth to rob others and make americans better off. Now, the pillaging isn't working so well anymore and americans are beginning to suffer. Only that is new.

Also Jake,

If the gorvernment is paying 100% of the health premuims for our representatives, and it isn't socialized medicine, then I want the government to pay all my premiums under your non-socialized completely paid for health plan.

A picture is worth 400,000,000 words, if it happens to be a picture of former Exxon CEO Lee R. Raymond, who presided over such corporate milestones as a gigantic oil-spill by the Exxon Valdez before he retired with a gigantic bonus of $400,000,000.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii97/JacobFreeze/LeeRRaymond.jpg

Jake Newton..

Glad you asked. No you cannot determine for yourself what you need and take it from me. You can however, come to my home, share a meal, a beverage, use my bathroom, shower or whatever it is I can provide you that you are lacking. Now, I know in your right addled mind you are already conflating this and want me to give you money, my car, or some other ridiculous item because you feel you NEED it. I won't, you don't need money and baubels! You need food, water, shelter, clothing. I am even willing to share more than that if I have it. But greed is it's own reward isn't it Mr. Newton? Anytime you want to visit, let me know. I'll have beer and steaks!

G50.. I am trying to read your comments and see where you are coming from but seriously dude, you are not making any sort of sense.

Greed is not "subjective." It is a mental disorder.

Addiction is defined as "a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences to the individual's health, mental state or social life."

In other words, there's nothing wrong with working hard and earning a profit. It's when earning more profit than one could ever possibly spend despite the pain and suffering it may cause that it becomes Greed.

The non-Greed afflicted can be satisfied; the Greed-afflicted, just like the food addict or gambling addict - are never satisfied. As a result, "chasing the high" that can never be reached trumps all other concerns.

It's very difficult to understand why a gambler doesn't stop even after losing his car and house and wife and kids and job, or why the over-eater doesn't stop as they get bigger and bigger... or why the Greedy continue to do "whatever it takes" for more even after they've accumulated enough money to last 100 lifetimes.

That's not "subjective," that is the very definition of addict.

I would say that's a good beginning. I'm sure there will be no shortage of those eager to engage in endless debate until everyone gets tired and leaves.

Just remember, if you do, that ezeflyer and I gave you some answers that you chose to ignore.

Progressive taxes don't redistribute wealth/power because them with the gold makes the rules.

A yearly direct democratically established cap on personal net worth would redistribute excess wealth and power.

The cap should be high enough to preserve the profit motive, but low enough to prevent extreme power concentration.

If made inversely proportional to population growth, it would control overpopulation.

Wealth Cap excesses should be given away to individuals only, not to organizations of any kind.

The net worth of any organization should be put in the hands of it's members and counted in their individual cap.

For those moving overseas to escape the Wealth Cap, it would be goodbye and good riddance.

The process can begin by incorporating We the People.

I have not read the above posts, but put me down for giving up my half-million dollars in net worth in return for world wide full stomachs, comfortable homes, and universal health care.

I neither want nor have a right to more than the mean world standard of living, and being near the mean myself, I have the right to be an advocate for total wealth redistribution.

Of course the dinosaurs will cling to private property, munitions, fossil fuels, and all the other trappings of their already dead system. But the sooner we let go of it, the more resources we will have to begin again.

To ask "begin what?" simply betrays an unwillingness to let go. Everybody knows what is good and true, right and fair, but those with money would rather raise questions, discuss endlessly, and otherwise engage in sophistry.

Sartre calls this bad faith. We can no longer afford bad faith. Future generations (if any) will look back on our present system, wag their heads, and wonder how such insanity prevailed for so long.

"I don't think the above is essential to capitalism as a whole."

What aspects of capitalism do not operate on the profit motive?

On the issue of 'greed,' perhaps your subjective definition of the term more closely resembles what others would determine as 'self-interest.'

"capitalism's need to constantly increase its rate of profit,"

I don't think the above is essential to capitalism as a whole.

I concede the socialized medicine question, as it likely fits the most broad of definitians.

I am much more interested in the greed issue.

the basic motor of their behaviors is not greed but rather capitalism's need to constantly increase its rate of profit, i.e., the behaviors are the result of a fundamental flaw in the capitalist system.

Also ladybug, a troll isn't anyone who disagrees with you.

I judge your categorizations, not your moral credits or debits.

"Bullshit jakenewton, government officials have socialized medicine."

Source, please.

"Amazing how many trolls are posting today to defend greed."

Amazing how no one understands that greed is subjective, and would only designate the trait to someone besides themselves.

Amazing how many trolls are posting today to defend greed.

Bullshit jakenewton, government officials have socialized medicine.

g50

You say my categorizations are crap. Well, as you first commented to me, "who are you to judge?"

"Shades of gray Jake."

Agreed. That was my original point. "Greed" is completely subjective by definition. If I think I am more in need of those resources than you are, or that your price is too high, than I may say you are greedy.

" it's completely 'socialized' "

I think you are making up your own definition of "socialized medicine" then. Not paying any out of pocket premium is not a criteria of socialized medicine, that's not unique to government employees. I had that with an employer once.

jakenewton ignorantly said: "They don't, they have it provided as an employment benifit, like many employers do."

That's not true Jake... it's completely 'socialized' as they don't pay any sort of premium at all. It is FREE healthcare for members of the government. As well, it isn't through a private HMO or anything... straight up, single-payer government healthcare, like most of the western countries have for their population.

"How about if I come over and take some resources that I think I need from you then? Since you aren't greedy you won't mind."

The operative word here Jake is "TAKE"... I'd be glad to sell you resources, perhaps even share them... but if you come to take them then you're an evil exploiter. Shades of gray Jake.

Well, your categorizations are crap. Also, way to basically affirm the totalitarian genocidal relationship you want to have to all those that need to be swept away. What you say is simplistic and vicious and I am glad you won't be sweeping away anybody any time soon.

"If however, you feel that resources should be divided and shared equally then you are NOT considered greedy."

How about if I come over and take some resources that I think I need from you then? Since you aren't greedy you won't mind.

Great article!

While the author avoids the current political debate, it is obvious that McCain and Obama both are married to the status quo system he negatively critiques. Yet the 'true believers ' among us just refuse to look at the facts.

In my time on the Earth, I have noticed one universal constant. There are only 2 tyoes of people when it comes to resources.

Type I :

Sees a resource as being a benefit and starts to think about how that resource could be used for the benefit of everyone.

Type II:

Sees a resource as being a benefit and starts to think about how they can profit off of or keep the resource themselves while depriving some or ALL others of a fair share.

The resource can be anything, food, money, labor, knowledge, etc.

If you think that having more for yourself at the expense of others is morally justified then YOU are greedy.

If however, you feel that resources should be divided and shared equally then you are NOT considered greedy.

Politician Type I Would normally be considered a ____________.

Come on trolls, I'll give you a hint the first letter is "L".

Politiciam Type II would normally be considered a _______________.

So Mr Arbiter of Greed Jake Newton, which type are you? No qualafications.

I am soundly in the type II catagory. If you want to help mankind and you aren't there, GET THERE! Otherwise, you are just part of the problem and need to be swept away with the rest of your corrupt and malignant ideologies.

I don't think I'm that smart compared to the totality of the universe, and even one society is pretty complex enough that I'm going to be skeptical of saying everything should be re-ordered. As for why I am here - well, is it commondreams or commonjudgments :P

To j50:

You say everything I said is already happening and IS FULLY in practice. Have you had your eyes gouged out?

Whom am I to judge? Then why in hell are you posting on Commondreams?

Yes, I am fully aware of a higher global consciousness emerging in the world, and based upon the values I speak of.

I resent your impulsive reaction from your thinned skin nature, and you think you are so smart!

ignorance, greed....there's an even deeper malady causing the tears in our social fabric: fear. it may be in direct proportion to the degree of affluence, possibly combined with the means by which that affluence was obtained, but the level of "security" required to protect wealth speaks volumes about where priorities have evolved - both individually and as a society.

our task, and that of our children, will be to discover ways for more equitable distribution of resources throughout the world. by giving more, this nation will accomplish both the eradication of the worst effects of impoverishment that our own greed and covetousness has helped create, while simultaneously reducing the burden of fear we live with so constantly we don't even realize it's there.

Final battle? Everyone has always said that. How about this, how about everything you say needs to win out already has and is fully in practice? Who are you to judge everyone as lacking conscious ethical choice-making? Who are you to say everyone has lost their spiritual mooring? Maybe that is not the way it is at all and people were always already making ethical choices and grounding their experience more in their spiritual ideas, and maybe you should understand and articulate those things already going on.

Great article by Pat LaMarche, but beneath American culture is a war between the material and the spiritual.

The U.S. is all about a materialistic civilization of infinite growth that has lost its' spiritual and ethical consciousness.

Removing ethics from economic development "conveniently" removes social responsibility and the need for critical awareness. It robs humankind of its' true spiritual nature and allows for even greater oppression by corporate capitalism.

The world is beginning to see that this form of corporate capitalism reduces humankind to one dimensional people whose sole purpose is to work and consume on the never ending treadmill of capitalism. By the addiction to consumerism, the corporate servants then become mere fodder and energy for corporate capitalism that only enriches the ruling corporate elite and conspiring national leaders througout the world.

The only effective force to check the material forces of consumerism is a heightened spiritual sense of fairness and compassion that flows from genuine democracy and our common humanity.

Thus we see spirituality and healthy democracies as the only competing force to the domination of global capitalism. We see that materialism only advances where spirituality has declined. That is why unregulated capitalism eventually becomes the enemy of spirituality, the enemy of democracy and the enemy of a just society.

How can such radical social change be made possible?

No longer can we resort to revolution to radically transform the system. To move from the present destructive form of corporate capitalism, we must work for a distinct shift in values. It will require a whole new way of thinking. It is more about evolution than revolution.

We will need an honest introspection of the American way of life and how it affects other people and other nations. It will require massive education and a revolutionary consciousness that can empower the people differently. It will require the transformational power of a spiritual movement for a more just, sustainable and compassionate world.

Humankind faces a choice between two worlds: collapse or transformation. It will be a final battle between two scenarios, a great transition into a culture of sustainability and equity … or…..utter collapse of civilized life and policed by a world corporate fascism never imagined before.

American citizens need to awaken from the delusions of American "destiny" and the lies contained within the Official State Religion of America, the idolatry of capitalism, worshiping individual material success over all human rights and obliterating all human values.

"Why do our government officials have socialized medicine "

They don't, they have it provided as an employment benifit, like many employers do.

No wonder the right accuses the left of being anti-American nutjobs :P

The Author, as well as several of the respondents here sound to me like the kid, who when it finally dawns on him/her that Santa Clause was a fictional character that his/her parents had been promoting for his/her "whole life"---usually 8-9 years.

They resent the fact that they had been lied to, and at the same time resent the fact that they had not "seen" the truth before.

Then when the kid grows up to become a parent themselves, they most often promote the same lie that had been sold to them.

The "truth" about the "Americans" has been there all along, for everyone to see, they just chose to stay blind, and not change things.

This country has never been anything but a very large "feeding trough" for business.
The fact is this actually started before the USA was the USA.

So-----------?

Change it. When enough American people begin to see the "Santa Clause" myth about their own Nation they will either change it -----or "sell out" and join it. Or be born to be a social parasite like the current occupant of the White House, who is a fourth generation "social parasite"-----and he's very proud of it also. If left to his own devices, he would be the "poster child for genetic diversity"------and an inmate in a Texas prison as a repeat offender. Only in America could a fool like him become the most powerful "fool" on the planet. He is there not because of merit, but because "big business" wanted him there. That so many Americans thought that he was (and some still do) a "wonderful leader"; is no surprise.

The American "people" can make the difference, it may take courage, or rethinking the problems and the solutions, or a total rearrangement of the "Golden Rule" here in the USA that is:

If you have the Gold, you get to make the Rules.
Take the control out of the hands of business, and make them pay their share.
As it is now, Exxon has posted the highest profit margins of any company in the History of the USA----and they still get billions in tax breaks.......
They have the Gold, they get to make the Rules.
If they paid a fair share of the Taxes, they would be less likely to stay out of the game, but they would loose much of the control they have to "make the rules"; they would not have so much to spend on the "Muppets" like Mr. Bush, Cheney, and so many others past and present.
Take the money out of the politics for the politicians, make the tax system reflect a fair distribution of the responsibility; and with an apportioned federal income tax, their would not be the "wiggle room" they love to talk about in "Washington"....

The American People have the power to make their government work for them the only requirement is to stop the Santa Clause imagery they have of their Nation and clean house..........

If they take control of the Gold, they get to make the rules. It really is that simple.

Why do our government officials have socialized medicine and their constituents don't?

Capitalism = diarrhea

Socialism = normal bm

Fascism = constipated with no relief in sight...

"If they take control of the Gold, they get to make the rules. It really is that simple."

I agree, but if anyone here does it, are they "greedy"?

How about if *I* be the arbiter of what is greed and what is reasonable self interest for each of you? Why is greed always something that someone else has and not ourselves?

Individuals are greedy.

Capitalism follows objective laws. Make maximum profits or go out of business.

If you want capitalist to stop making maximum profits then it will not be capitalism. It would have to be another economic system.

pavroviandog 12:32:

I agree with your diagnosis, (greed), but would like to add that greed may only be a symptom of a more frightening disease that seems to have infected almost all Americans, perhaps humans, of late:

I call it apathy!

Nothing will change until We the People rise up in numbers far more than are rising up nowadays and demand change.

http://www.darkskyinitiative.org

Just saw Werner Herzog's "Encounters at the End of the World" and apparently it's all over for us, greed or no greed. We are like the lone penguin wandering off into the empty vastness, heading toward certain death.

Thank you for this article.

The "adjusted" pledge is much more truthful than the one we've been taught to believe is appropriate.

In my humble opinion, there is only one real flag left to honor, the Earth Flag, and no, I'm not an old gray-haired, geezer-goo'd Hippie or communist! I fly it proudly every day because it more precisely expresses my feelings and ideals!

It is the only flag for which I am now willing to fight for, to die for. I cannot in all good conscience be faithful or announce my allegiance to a flag representing any one single country or nation on the planet.

As a species we must mature and grow from the irrational and ugly Earth Eaters that we have become to a species that regards Earth first in all things and thoughts, deeds and decisions! And we must do so rapidly, or we are extinct!

As a defender of dark skies (a lifelong astronomer), I wrote and present for your consideration, my Dark Sky Pledge, with no disrespect intended:

"I pledge devotion to the stars
of the majestic Milky Way Galaxy
and to a dark night sky in which
they shine; one cosmos, overhead,
clearly visible, with liberty from
light and dark skies for all."

I hope you will pass it on to others.

Thank you for your time.

http://www.darkskyinitiative.org

Red pill, blue pill time...

Whoa . . . Welcome to the real world.

The #1 illness to deal with in this country is: GREED.
Its symptoms have manifested themselves in every nook of our society:

HEALTH CARE (greedy insurance, obscenely greedy Big Pharma)

HOME OWNERSHIP (greedy mortgage companies)

FOOD (the agri-industrial complex, the cheap-at-all-costs tainted food from China)

PETROL (the greedy war-mongering oil companies who gladly trade american blood for oil)

WAR MACHINE (the military industrial complex in constant need of being fed tax dollars)

CORRUPT GOVERNMENT (the greedy K street lobbyists)

CORRUPT MEDIA (the greedy propanganda of monopolies)

IMMISERATION OF HARD WORKING CITIZENS (the Walmarts, etc)

ETC...well, you get the idea.

The first medicine towards healing is to recognize and honor the commons of a society; otherwise it remains every man for himself in a hobbesian dog-eat-dog culture.

This was the version I came up with a few months ago:

"I pledge allegiance to the United Corporate States of America, and to the market, for which it stands, one corporation, under God and the almighty dollar, with enslavement and insecurity for all."

I guess the only word that would remain is God.

Excellent. This says it all. Thanks for the article.

You used to be able to find the Corporate States of America flag at Adbusters.org.

You should go see if it's still there...

Great posts: STEPHEN V. RILEY (and well said), NATIVE SON & STARK RAVING.

FRANK 1569: Good points about addiction. In some ways we should pity those who never recognize when they are satiated, already have all they need. That is the common denominator of all addictions, be they directed at stuff, food, alcohol, drugs, shopping, sex etc.