Community | January 08, 2012 | 51 comments

It's OUR government, Only With Sincerity TAKE. IT. BACK!

source: http://www.tomdispatch.com

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wolfess
www.tomdispatch.com

Armed With Naïvete
Time to Stop Being Cynical About Corporate Money in Politics and Start Being Angry
By Bill McKibben

My resolution for 2012 is to be naïve -- dangerously naïve.

I’m aware that the usual recipe for political effectiveness is just the opposite: to be cynical, calculating, an insider. But if you think, as I do, that we need deep change in this country, then cynicism is a sucker’s bet. Try as hard as you can, you’re never going to be as cynical as the corporations and the harem of politicians they pay for. It’s like trying to outchant a Buddhist monastery.

Here’s my case in point, one of a thousand stories people working for social change could tell: All last fall, most of the environmental movement, including 350.org, the group I helped found, waged a fight against the planned Keystone XL pipeline that would bring some of the dirtiest energy on the planet from Canada through the U.S. to the Gulf Coast. We waged our struggle against building it out in the open, presenting scientific argument, holding demonstrations, and attending hearings. We sent 1,253 people to jail in the largest civil disobedience action in a generation. Meanwhile, more than half a million Americans offered public comments against the pipeline, the most on any energy project in the nation’s history.

And what do you know? We won a small victory in November, when President Obama agreed that, before he could give the project a thumbs-up or -down, it needed another year of careful review. (The previous version of that review, as overseen by the State Department, had been little short of a crony capitalist farce.) Given that James Hansen, the government’s premier climate scientist, had said that tapping Canada’s tar sands for that pipeline would, in the end, essentially mean “game over for the climate,” that seemed an eminently reasonable course to follow, even if it was also eminently political.

A few weeks later, however, Congress decided it wanted to take up the question. In the process, the issue went from out in the open to behind closed doors in money-filled rooms. Within days, and after only a couple of hours of hearings that barely mentioned the key scientific questions or the dangers involved, the House of Representatives voted 234-194 to force a quicker review of the pipeline. Later, the House attached its demand to the must-pass payroll tax cut.

That was an obvious pre-election year attempt to put the president on the spot. Environmentalists are at least hopeful that the White House will now reject the permit. After all, its communications director said that the rider, by hurrying the decision, “virtually guarantees that the pipeline will not be approved.”

As important as the vote total in the House, however, was another number: within minutes of the vote, Oil Change International had calculated that the 234 Congressional representatives who voted aye had received $42 million in campaign contributions from the fossil-fuel industry; the 193 nays, $8 million.

Buying Congress

I know that cynics -- call them realists, if you prefer -- will be completely unsurprised by that. Which is precisely the problem.

We’ve reached the point where we’re unfazed by things that should shake us to the core. So, just for a moment, be naïve and consider what really happened in that vote: the people’s representatives who happen to have taken the bulk of the money from those energy companies promptly voted on behalf of their interests.

They weren’t weighing science or the national interest; they weren’t balancing present benefits against future costs. Instead of doing the work of legislators, that is, they were acting like employees. Forget the idea that they’re public servants; the truth is that, in every way that matters, they work for Exxon and its kin. They should, by rights, wear logos on their lapels like NASCAR drivers.

Go to www.tomdispatch.com for the remainder of this article.
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  2. tags:
    Bill McKibben,  Keystone Pipeline,  Occupy Wall St,  Citizen's United,  2 more
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51 comments // It's OUR government, Only With Sincerity TAKE. IT. BACK!

  • Truthitswhatsfordinner
    • 0
      Truthitswhatsfordinner  

    • Very interesting read. And look, not one of the presidential contenders (or the President himself) has publicly stated that they will use public campaign finances in this election. The cycle continues unabated......

    • 5 months ago
  • fiberbundle
    • +1
      fiberbundle  

    • In a world where flesh covered automatons can be programmed by the last person to give them money; to make a certain public statement; vote for, amend, or block particular legislation---- in such a world is the author implying that cynicism is an inadequate response? [Wikipedia "]Cynicism spread with the rise of Imperial Rome in the 1st century, and Cynics could be found begging and preaching throughout the cities of the Empire. It finally disappeared in the late 5th century"
      Coincidentally so did the Roman empire. Is the lesson OCWS would work better if it was OCWS(with guns)?

    • 5 months ago
  • corderodedios
    • 0
      corderodedios  

    • Far from decrying cynics, McKibben delivers one of the most cynical observations imaginable as a repartee. Note: if we build the pipeline, we might be able to effect change in the way the petroleum is harvested. If we don't, the Chinese and Indians, who are already funding expanded development of the sands, and who don't give a rat's ass about carbon emissions or poisoning the North American Continent, will fill the void. The oil will still be burned on Mother Earth, only in China or India, etc. Either way, not a hopeful thing.

    • 5 months ago
  • remanns
  • wolfess
  • jimstoner
    • +2
      jimstoner  

    • The American electorate is starting to seem like a corporate personnel department. You are given a number of candidates for the job, but you have no say in what they do once you hire them. That's entirely up to the corporate board of directors.

    • 5 months ago
  • rerushg
  • wolfess
    • +4
      wolfess  
    • rerushg:

      Hey thnx rerushg :-)! Actually I've posted quite a few articles but this one I posted to a lot of different groups and sent pm's to some people to make sure they noticed it :-). I guess it does take some PROactivity to get articles noticed :-).

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
  • kennymotown
  • Hardytoo
  • MSII
  • wolfess
  • corderodedios
    • 0
      corderodedios  
    • wolfess:

      I'm confused. We know Congress are Corporate hacks, hired by Corporate Boards to simulate a democracy. We know the tar sands will accelerate the decay of our planet but that they are slated tor undiminished development anyway. Nothing stands in the way, certainly not whether the pipeline is built or not. And as far as that "victory" McKibben cites re the pipeline, well, we'll see, but if the USA sticks its head in the sand about the tar sands, exploitation of the sands won't go away, they'll just go to China. What was that bit about naieve, again? What's that all mean?

      And moreover, what is to be done? Exactly? Write our Congresspersons? Yes? I really want to know. What is to be done?

    • 5 months ago
  • wolfess
    • -1
      wolfess  
    • Image
    • corderodedios:

      I think this is totally in Obama's hands now since the reptards made sure the only way the middle class tax break was continued was to force Obama to make a decision on this in the next 60 days. You can contact Obama -- I reply to his tweets when I have something I want him to know; when he sends me emails I respond to them, but I think anyone can contact him thru whitehouse.gov, altho I am not sure about that.
      If you read the rest of the article (at tomdispatch.com) McKibben has some good ideas about what to do over the next few months.

      I guess the bottom line for me is I am hoping the protests that happened last summer had enough of an effect that Obama will decline the pipeline -- when someone tells me I have a limited amount of time to make a decision I usually 'just say no' :-), so I'm hoping that is what Obama does in this instance. I live in Nebraska and having it go thru here really scared me, thankfully our governor called a special session and they rejected it so at the very least , Transcanada is going to have to take an alternate route -- if the states were smart they would ALL do what Nebraska did and just refuse to let them build this damn thing anywhere in America, but with govs like Kasich and the koch whore in Wisconsin I don't see that happening.

      It's OUR government, Only With Sincerity TAKE. IT. BACK!

    • 5 months ago
  • corderodedios
    • +1
      corderodedios  
    • wolfess:

      Thanks for the response. Someone is voting down my posts without having the nerve to respond, probably.

      Unfortunately, "contacting" Obama is almost certainly an exercise in fatuity. Someone, or more likely, a computer, will try to tally the sentiments and file them away. The most likely response will be including a message with the pipeline approval that tells people that he disagreed with some of the sentiment in the pipeline, but was forced to approve it anyway. Just like NDAA. A bullshit response in an attempt to recover some of the votes lost whilst stabbing his constituents in the back. A lie.

      There was quite a row about NDAA, but what did it accomplish? Ditto the pipeline: however, the issue is quite different. Canada is poisoning the water and air in the vicinity of the tar sands as well as producing fuels, the burning of which - wherever they are burned - will help overload our planet's atmosphere with excess carbon dioxide.

      http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2011/06/20116227153978324.html

      The only way the USA can help the problem is to try to control the process by participation as a customer. If we don't, China and India, who are alerady making large investments in this filthy process, will fill the vacuum. And the pipeline? The US is criss-crossed by pipelines, an energy-efficient way to transport fluid products, compared to tanker trucks or even railroad cars. And safer. The "environmentalists" who oppose the pipeline, however workmanlike the job is done, are practically guaranteeing the mining and refining and use of the product will be done under dirtier, less advantageous conditions. That's just stupid.

      The real problem are the "Koch whores" you speak of, and the adverse effect of money on politics. McKibben is correct about getting money out of politics, but how? It will take a Constitutional amendment. That should be our number one priority, though it'll have to go through line after line of these whores to get enacted. But still, it's number one. Plus, we could organize a boycott of Koch-related businesses. That'd be tough, but it could happen and it could work. If I had a list of such businesses, I'd avoid them where possible.

    • 5 months ago
  • corderodedios
    • 0
      corderodedios  
    • wolfess:

      I also should add that the petroleum products China and India produce from the tar sands will likely be carried by pipeline through the Canadian arctic to a summertime ice-free arctic port for shipment by tanker through the Arctic Ocean. A classic NIMBY-induced tragedy waiting to happen.

    • 5 months ago
  • kennymotown
    • +7
      kennymotown  

    • I like Bill's articles a lot, he truly is a leader! Until we get the money completely out of politics, no half measures like McCain/Fiengold we will not get our Government back. Nice Job wolfess! :)

    • 5 months ago
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • wolfess
  • Truthitswhatsfordinner
  • deane
    • +4
      deane  

    • Politicians should wear corporate logos, Washington D.C. should be renamed to Washington C.A. (Corporate America), and the landmarks should have corporate names. That is the reality.

    • 5 months ago
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • KB723
    • +3
      KB723  

    • To me, that decision was, in essence, corporate America saying, “We’re not going to bother pretending any more. This country belongs to us.”

      We need to say, loud and clear: “Sorry. Time to give it back.”

      Excellent Post wolfess, I really liked and agreed with what the Author had to say!!!

    • 5 months ago
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • KB723
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • VFORVENDETTA
    • +3
      VFORVENDETTA  

    • "I know that cynics -- call them realists, if you prefer -- will be completely unsurprised by that. Which is precisely the problem."

      Although I generally agree with the assessment of Mr. McKibben in this post, I absolutely disagree with the above statement, as it is patently incorrect.

      A cynic is not a realist, and the two should never be confused, and anyone saying "call them realist, if you prefer" does not know the difference between the two.

      As a Realist, I would like to explain, that Realism is a branch of philosophy, and its primary tenant, is that the world should not be perceived-or interacted with-in a could be, should be, or might be manner, but interacting-no matter how unpleasant or painful-with things as they actually are, because until that is done, the likelihood of success in correcting those or any problems-be they personal or not-is very unlikely.

      Much like science, realism's objective is to obtain truth, through objective analysis, or perhaps put another way, the cynic says the glass is half-empty, the realist says, it appears as though the glass is half empty, but let's have some objective analysis before we commit to that conclusion.

      As far as the last paragraph, I absolutely agree, I just feel it's much simpler-and perhaps more concise-to state that our government (as it has been since its inception) is a plutocratic republic with some democratic elements, it is-and always has been-run by and for the interest of plutocracy, in other words, none of this comes as a surprise, as a plutocracy, the government is running precisely as it should, and expecting anything remotely expressing true democracy, i.e. the care of its citizens, environment, infrastructure and so on, is unrealistic, the answer is quite simple, you cannot have the elements of a true democracy, while you live under a true plutocracy, get rid of the plutocracy, then you have the possibility of true democracy, not until.

      I remain, V

    • 5 months ago
  • wolfess
    • +3
      wolfess  
    • VFORVENDETTA:

      Thnx V! I agree with wiping out the plutocracy ... guillotine, anyone????? :-)
      I do not ascribe to the 'realist' philosophy -- I am more a pragmatist; back in the early days of this country the men who created America were wealthy landowners for the most part, the difference was that they weren't the narcissists that we see now. I think the key is returning to a much more active set of laws with VERY active enforcement of those laws.

      Pwr 2 the peons! It's time to fight for our right to LIVE FREE!

    • 5 months ago
  • VFORVENDETTA
    • +1
      VFORVENDETTA  
    • wolfess:

      Fair enough, and I agree they weren't the narcissists we have today, as a matter of fact, If those in control were just being plain old narcissist, I think that would be an improvement! what I truly believe, is that the vast majority of those in control, and I'm not kidding here, are sociopaths, Narcissism just being one of the many strong personality attributes of your typical sociopath, I guess I'm with you on the very strong regulation, much like they have in Europe.

      Oh and BTW, I'm totally with you on the guillotine part, and I will make you a 100% promise, if it ever comes to that, you supply the guillotine, and I'll damn sure sharpen the blade! again, nice post take care.

    • 5 months ago
  • wolfess
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • wolfess
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • Incredulous
  • wolfess
    • +3
      wolfess  
    • Incredulous:

      Thnx; and I REALLY like the noose around the neck -- what the well-dressed political whore is wearing this year :-)!

      Pwr 2 the 99% peons! It's time to fight for the right to LIVE FREE!

    • 5 months ago
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • VFORVENDETTA
  • B_N_L
    • +1
      B_N_L  
    • Incredulous:

      I think they should be made to wear some nice studded leather collars and leashes to signify the slaves they are. They would be led around and handled by the people wearing the corporate logos. That would be a sight to see.

    • 5 months ago
  • wolfess
  • Leen61
    • +7
      Leen61  

    • Great story, wolfess. It is true that until the poitical scene in the US mimics that of Europe where the government still fears the people more than vice versa, will there be real change. These bought and paid for political whores would throw their own mothers under a bus if they knew it would make them millions. Greed rules the day and until these pols actually believe that they have more to worry about from a people uprising than they do about filling their own pockets will they be coerced into doing the right thing. I think we are on that path and it only needs to intensify.

    • 5 months ago
  • wolfess
    • +4
      wolfess  
    • Leen61:

      I agree, and that's basically what McKibben said in the rest of the article -- we just really have to get out in the streets this spring; it's too important that we take back our country b4 there isn't a country to take back.

      Pwr 2 the 99% peons! It's time to fight for the right to LIVE FREE!

    • 5 months ago
  • Leen61
  • VFORVENDETTA
    • +3
      VFORVENDETTA  
    • Leen61:

      "These bought and paid for political whores would throw their own mothers under a bus if they knew it would make them millions."

      Millions? Shit, I bet most of em' (Scott Walker comes to mind) would do it for FAR less then that.

    • 5 months ago
  • Hardytoo
  • Leen61
  • Leen61
  • dinm76
  • KB723
  • wolfess
    • +2
      wolfess  
    • KB723:

      Hey thnx -- did you get the message I sent you about it, or did you just notice it in the articles? And did you go to the website and finish it -- the end of it talks about HOW to take our government back :-).

      Pwr 2 the 99% peons! It's time to fight for the right to LIVE FREE!

    • 5 months ago
  • KB723
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