A Declaration Of Independence From The Dichotomy Defining Despotic Debauchery And Debilitating Despair In The District Of Columbia

"I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men with a favourable presumption that they did no wrong. If there is any presumption, it is the other way, against the holders of power, increasing as the power increases. Historic responsibility has to make up for the want of legal responsibility. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority, still more when you superadd the tendency or certainty of corruption by full authority. There is no worse heresy than the fact that the office sanctifies the holder of it. " -- John Dalberg-Acton

On this 4th of July, we look at the declaration of independence from the timeless corruption of anyone seeking power; specifically politicians. Let's start by making one thing clear. Widespread poverty is almost exclusively a function of government corruption. In a country such as the United States with its great democratic institutions, vast resources and incredible inventiveness, widespread poverty is without any doubt a result of government corruption. Period. Instead we often hear endless political lies attempting to lay blame on large segments of the population as being lazy or other inflammatory hate-speech perpetuated by small-minded or ignorant ideologues. These remarks are almost always a result of deep-seeded hatred, bigotry or racism. If people knew we could have an incentive-based democratic economy where poverty was nearly nonexistent, we had low taxes, individuals could lead a highly self-determined life and we could afford social programs to compassionately assist our elderly and mentally disabled, everyone but the corrupt would demand change tomorrow. Instead people remain uneducated to the realities of the world not because they are incapable, but because the status quo wants them to remain uneducated. An educated society is an empowered society; an uncontrollable society; a free society. (I'm not talking about academic education either. I'm talking about education on the issues. Too often, they are mutually exclusive.)

If there were ever a perfect example of the dichotomy which defines American economics today, it is Washington DC. On one hand we see the outcomes associated with corrupt government for hire - the corporate welfare state and the effects of that dynamic where a small class of incompetent or outright fraudulent bureaucrats are becoming incredibly wealthy by bidding out access to taxpayer monies and special economic dispensation for personal favors. Just a short distance down the street we see an entirely different America - a devastated Washington DC community of American citizens who are denied the democratic resources of our society. Resources essential to creating a self-determined and empowered life.

What does it tell us that 6 of the 10 wealthiest counties now in the United States are in the Washington D.C. area? It tells us a relative handful of lecherous corporate lobbyists and morally-bankrupt political influencers are amassing great fortune living off the dole of the American people courtesy of a corrupt government. At the same time, just down the street we see the highest rate of childhood poverty and the lowest life expectancy in the country. The American dream in reverse as it is for more and more across this nation. That gluttonous politicians right down the street from this unspeakable poverty seem oblivious to it is morally reprehensible on every level.

Wall Street, corporate lobbyists and beholden politicians, surely headed to Hell if there is such a place, feed at Dante's troughs of deadly sins while countless Americans are denied access to our democratic institutions, resources and society's own capital. Capital which is supposed to be available to a democratic society to create a better place for all Americans. To allow self-determination within the construct of We the People and A More Perfect Union. Alternatively, completely incompetent Wall Street con artists, private equity socialists and other pigmen monopolize trillions of dollars of society's wealth via fraudulent cronyism to completely blow up our economy with their endless self-serving scams while then literally stealing trillions of dollars of our money as return payment for their endless corruption and incompetence.

The days of giving a handful of well-connected good-ole-boy incompetent crooks all of society's money so they can gorge on fraudulent, morally dubious schemes to destroy our way of life all while our fellow citizens are denied legitimate access to society's banking and monetary resources is one of the greatest crimes in the history of humanity. And I do mean in history. These are most surely crimes of treason against the people of these United States of America. Some enlightened society, be it ours or another, many years from now will write of these despotic atrocities against humanity. They will wonder where the voices of freedom, compassion and virtue were. They will wonder who spoke for those without the connections or money or power to buy political influence. They will wonder what ever happened to the rule of law. They will wonder who spoke for those without a voice. Who spoke for democracy.

How many scientists, artists, business owners, entrepreneurs, inventors and unknown brilliant members of our society are unable to actually manifest their fullness and ability as human beings because of the crookery of private banking and monetary policy controlled by crooks? How many are unable to give back to society through their unique abilities, talents and creativity because of this dynamic? Tens of millions? How many tens of millions of jobs are we without as a result? What unknown benefits to an enlightened society are we missing? What cures for cancer or autism or great art or science are we without? And contrarily because of that, how many Americans must therefore rely on the state for just enough of a subsistence that they live in despair typically reserved for those living under the tyranny of the most corrupt states on earth? And conversely, how many people inaccurately conclude this dynamic is due to laziness, sloth, lack of ability or lack of education? (Reinforced by the small-mindedness of many bigoted politicians.) And therefore share an unfounded resentment and even hatred for many of our fellow citizens instead of the compassion and support for change which we all deserve?

Who would you rather bet on? The American people as entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, doctors, plumbers, carpenters and whatever fulfillment of life a free person chooses or crooked bankers who have shown a complete incompetence at doing anything other than stuffing their pockets with our money? Private banking, their dirty lobbyists and their blood-sucking influence over society should be eradicated so that democracy and a democratic economic model can return to this country. A model which benefits all members of society democratically.

Will our children and grandchildren tell their children that you helped change the world through peaceful activism? Activism to restore a great nation to its people or will they live in a repressive society run by crooks because we chose to do nothing? To instead view our problems as too large for us to impact individually? The vast majority of people throughout the vast majority of history have lived under tyranny of some form. A future guaranteed to be democratic will only happen if we make it democratic. What type of world will our children inherit? It is completely up to you just as it was to those who founded this country two hundred years ago with their Declaration of Independence. Today, we must make that same declaration of independence. A declaration of independence from the timeless corruption of power and politicians.

"The world is not dangerous because of those who do harm but because of those who look at it without doing anything." — Albert Einstein