Aftershocks of the Citizens United Decision

People living in California will tell you that it is not the initial earthquake that worries them the most, but rather it is the enduring aftershocks that continue to rip apart their lives as they try to rebuild.  The same can be said of the Supreme Court’s decision to allow corporations unlimited power to sway politics.

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/campaign_finance/index.html?scp=9&sq=CITIZENS%20UNITED%20&st=cse

The Citizens United Decision (a 5-4 decision in January of 2010) allows all corporations to spend unlimited sums of money for political purposes, further strengthening the influence of big corporations over our government.  While this corruption of politics expands the already cavernous void between our nation’s government and the people that it is supposed to represent, the after-effects of the rampant spending for candidates has to raise questions to whose allegiance are the campaigners really fighting for?  Abraham Lincoln famously spread the idea that our government must be “of the people, by the people, for the people”—but that is not how the everyday, hard-working American feels.  The average American is angry.  The average American feels down-trodden, realizing that the hard work they put in everyday has been continually going towards an ever-growing powerful corporate community that only seeks to deepen their pockets and flex their powerful muscles of influence over politicians that work for their interests.

We have seen the effects of corporate America’s influence over our nation’s governance.  Jobs continue to sail away to other countries as unemployment rates soar!  Unregulated corporations swindled Americans into taking on debts for possessions that they could not afford!  And now corporations can wage unlimited support to candidates to do their bidding—without consent of the workers that keep the corporations alive and running?! 

Corporate America cannot be allowed to continue their power over the way our nation governs itself!

Corporate America does not act for the people!

Corporations are not the people of America!

The politics of wealth and greed that has run this nation into the Great Recession, the greediness that seeks only to expand the already expansive piggybanks of board members and CEO’s . The greediness that is holding down the workers that toil and break their backs to get a small sliver of the pie to make ends meet—this is not the dream that was to be America!  This nation was meant to be a land where a person works for their Fair Share, with a government that protects and serves them.  Not a government that lays in the bed of self-interest, side-by-side with big corporations, whose aim is only to exploit everyone and everything for their own gain!

The workers must have their own voices!

The people of this nation must be heard!

We must unite together and march! March to the polls and demand a greater America, an America for a better future!

A Common Sense Tax System

Senate Democrats have officially proposed legislation requiring incomes of $1,000,000.00 or more—must pay at least 30% in taxes.  Finally, legislation that makes the 1% pay their Fair Share like the other 99% does!

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/01/senate-democrats-unveil-buffett-bill/?hpt=hp_t3

Popularly known as the “Buffet Rule” after billionaire Warren Buffet, who has openly promoted higher taxes laid on the mega-rich, especially after admitting that he legally paid half the percentage amount that his secretary had to pay.  This is largely due to the capital gains rate (taxes on investments and dividends) being set at 15%.  For example, Warren Buffet earns an annual salary from Berkshire-Hathaway of a reported $100,000.  This is taxed at the normal income tax rate of 35%.  But the millions that he made over the past year in investments and dividends are only taxed at 15%.

There’s no wonder at why the disparity between the rich and poor is getting larger every year.  99% of Americans do not have the luxury of making a steady income without having to do anything for it.  Like some of the candidates running for president, how can you really be in touch with the people of this nation, if you are making over $20,000,000.00 a year without lifting a finger?  And when you pay a 14% tax rate on those tens of millions of dollars, it does not seem to resemble how the other 99% of Americans are working day in and day out at their full-time jobs that earn incomes that are a fraction the size and that are taxed at double the rate.  In fact, the average income of an individual is one quarter of one percent or 0.0025% of $20,000,000.00! 

You would think this would be common sense.  But there are serious doubts that the legislation that would add justice and fairness to our tax system—in favor of the extreme majority of the population—will actually pass Congress before the election.  That’s why we are calling for the 100 Million March! 

March to the Polls!

March for a Better America!