Read this once. Now I want to read it everyday.

As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety than ever before, even in the midst of war. God grant that my suspicions may prove groundless."

-President Abraham Lincoln, November 21, 1864

OH C'MON PEOPLE THATS A GOOD ONE!!!!

[Ryan]

Originally posted by Dropzone
As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety than ever before, even in the midst of war. God grant that my suspicions may prove groundless."

-President Abraham Lincoln, November 21, 1864

One could write a book on that statement.

[Adam D]

It's sad how correct he was. In the decades that followed corporations abused the courts to obtain special freedoms and attempted (although they failed) to have the courts deem them completely immune to law since they are not "citizens". They were, however, successful in obtaining privledges which in turn allowed them to treat their workers like complete garbage, abuse their rights, terrorize them, break strikes and unionization, and paved the way for the private tyrannies that they are today.

actually adam, there was a court case in 1884 or 86. Pacific Railroad(i think) vs. Santa Clara County that DID give corporations rights as human beings.

check out Adbusters to see the reference to the case.



Fuck I hate mega-corporations. not capitalisim.

[Adam D]

Originally posted by Dropzone
actually adam, there was a court case in 1884 or 86. Pacific Railroad(i think) vs. Santa Clara County that DID give corporations rights as human beings.

check out Adbusters to see the reference to the case.



Fuck I hate mega-corporations. not capitalisim.

Right, they wanted it both ways. They wanted the rights and privledges that individuals enjoy, while at the same time not be held to the Constitution or to the law because they are not individuals.

dude, and the thing we forget is that they have to be chartered in the state they operate in. all you have to do is persuade the local politicians to revoke their charter and they have to disband operations.


like that will ever happen.

[Trey Brister]

Originally posted by Adam D
It's sad how correct he was. In the decades that followed corporations abused the courts to obtain special freedoms and attempted (although they failed) to have the courts deem them completely immune to law since they are not "citizens". They were, however, successful in obtaining privledges which in turn allowed them to treat their workers like complete garbage, abuse their rights, terrorize them, break strikes and unionization, and paved the way for the private tyrannies that they are today.

How about this:

Lets just abolish the whole concept of corporations as legal fictions and only do business as individuals and partnerships?

Just a thought, anybody care to comment on this?

[Adam D]

Originally posted by Trey Brister
How about this:

Lets just abolish the whole concept of corporations as legal fictions and only do business as individuals and partnerships?

Just a thought, anybody care to comment on this?

I would be fine with that. Individual and democratically owned companies.

Originally posted by Adam D
I would be fine with that. Individual and democratically owned companies.

You mean the way thier SUPPOSED to run???

[Adam D]

Originally posted by Dropzone
You mean the way thier SUPPOSED to run???

No, the inherent nature of capitalism is anti-democratic. The are owners and workers, the owners make the decisions because they own the means of production and the workers are given no voice because they do not own the means of production. In a democratically ran company, the workers themselves own and operate the company in a horizontal or bottom up manner, rather than top down/owner control structures.

that sounds a little more socialistic to me.

i dont like socialisim, its contrary to human nature (as it stand in our present mentality)

[hepkatmama]

we are in the era of corruption

this is reality
they will not make changes without a fight
& they are pussies who hide behind lawyers

if they lose that shield they would cry & roll on each other so fast
the media circus would love it
but thats just a fantasy

it won't change in our lifetimes

[Adam D]

Originally posted by Dropzone
that sounds a little more socialistic to me.

Sure. But if "democracy" is a key value of this nation, then that's what should occur.

i dont like socialisim, its contrary to human nature (as it stand in our present mentality)

It's contrary to greed and tyranny, too. I choose to side against tyranny even at the risk of being contrary to human nature.

i dont know adam. i just think that socialisim just isint feasable under present human mentality. mankind still is to worried about its own pockets and success to really care about others. its just to much of a prevalent attitude to make socialisim work now.
Our society and culture just isint ready to handle proper socialisim.

Its like a Greek steam engine. Great advance well before its time. The Greeks just thought it was a great toy, not benificial to industrial or work needs. Thats socialisim today, a good idea well before its time.