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Poudre Valley Greens

big money influence on government

I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachment of those in power than by violent and sudden usurptions.

- JAMES MADISON

Today's rules have created a business environment in which more than $17 trillion now resides in the hands of U.S. money managers who respond solely to values denominated in financial terms.

What sensible democracy would opt for an economic system in which the financial wealth of the top 1 percent of households exceeds the combined wealth of the bottom 95 percent.

In the last presidential season (1996), just over $470 MILLION in "soft" money poured into the democratic and republican PACs - (Political Action Committees). How much do you think is flowing in this year? And can you think of a better way to spend that money?

"Americans want something more substantial than an invisible hand: 95% of 1,004 adults surveyed in a Business Week/Harris Poll rejected the view that corporation's only role is to make money." [Business Week, March 11, 1996, p. 60]

Who would endorse the idea of having the median income in 1998 be 7 percent less than in 1973 - when Richard Nixon was in the White House?

What kind of democracy do we have when the number voting for the democratic and republican candidates combined is close to 40% and declining. The other 50% (plus) has been written off by the media as being apathetic, more likely the 2 candidate system does not address their issues! After all what's the difference between practical liberalism and compassionate conservatism.

The WTO (World Trade Organization) advances corporate trade at all costs; no regards is given to the environment, labor, or human rights. The WTO is not a democratically elected body, and has created rules like prevent distinguishing a product based on how it was produced. This makes it illegal to make legislation in the U.S. that requires labelling of how a product was made. Wouldn't you like to know if the shirt on your back was made in a sweatshop, or by child labor? Perhaps using a process destructive to the environment? How will we ever know?

DEMOCRACY AT RISK - Rescuing Main Street from Wall Street A Populist Vision for the Twenty-first Century JEFF GATES

GLOBALIZE THIS - The Battle Against the World Trade Organization and Corporate Rule - edited by KEVIN DANAHER and ROGER BURBACH

IF THE GODS HAD MEANT US TO VOTE, THEY WOULD HAVE GIVEN US THE CANDIDATES - JIM HIGHTOWER

DOWNSIZE THIS - MICHAEL MOORE

CORPORATIONS ARE GONNA GET YOUR MAMA - Globalization and the Downsizing of the American Dream - KEVIN DANAHER

Sub-topics:
| why be green | big money influence | nader - 10 great reasons | ten keys |