Below is my email reply to an organic farmer friend regarding his comment (in an email) on my last post here on this site. He & I agree on the Plutocracy, but differ as to the contributions to that by Repubs and Dems. He thinks the former are much more responsible than the latter. My reply below is edited somewhat.
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I mostly agree with your comments. But, even though FDR's Populism was significant, he was not ideal. Even he admitted that sometimes he had to side with Big Biz. Plus, I agree with Chomsky's thoughts on Nixon---because Tricky Dick was an opportunist, and because he sensed the mood of the people in the early '70s (except for the Vietnam issue), he became---for the wrong reasons--- the last of the New Deal politicians (in a way).
I know it sounds outrageous, but think about it. Nixon signed into Law (he could have vetoed these): OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Act/Administration, 1970), NEPA (Nat'l Environmental Policy Act, 1970), the precursor to the Clean Water Act (the Fed Water Pollution Control Act of 1972), the Clean Air Act (1970), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (1972), the Safe Drinking Water Act (1974---proposed by Nixon, signed into Law by Ford), the Endangered Species Act (1973), and he created the EPA in 1970, after signing NEPA.
Repub actions aren't all bad. Plus, though they do it less than Repubs, Dems gerrymander voting districts, too...and Dems manipulate Primaries, too... and Dems suppress Populist candidates, too. And until a few years ago, Dems in Congress also practiced Insider Trading on Wall Street. Dems also have an interventionist Foreign Policy, and Dems also often are warmongers and Empire Builders. And Dems also support questionable regimes such as Saudi Arabia and Honduras (never mind corrupt Netanyahu's Israel).
The whole system is rotten, not just the Repub side of the overall Plutocracy. Those who keep blaming "the other side" are not helping to correct the situation. All they're doing is prolonging the squabble and distracting from the overall problem, which is Plutocracy/Oligarchy/ Empire Building. It's not about Republicans or Democrats; it's about Plutocrats...and they're found in both major Parties.
It all continues with the ultimate Plutocrats, Trump & His Crew. What few crumbs he has thrown to everyday people are vastly outweighed by his favoring of the Oligarchy. Plus, the deregulation blitz ultimately will harm us both financially and physically. The Don continues with his blatant lies, and apparently, some people believe every word he says. On the Dem side, Schumer & His Crew continue to pretend to be Populists...when in fact, they are Plutocrats and/or puppets of the Plutocracy.
Then, too, we now have the Mega Banks and Mega Hedge Funds more empowered than ever before. A number of fairly well known & reputable people have stated in the past that if the public ever discovered how the Big Banks really operate, then there would be a revolution in the streets tomorrow. By the way, keep in mind that a revolution does NOT have to be violent. A massive, national boycott of Mega Banks would do wonders toward restoring the Financial Sector to sanity. We don't do it essentially for only one reason--- convenience. Shame on all of us.
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Not only my opinion. Be Well
