A study by political scientists Martin Gilens of Princeton and Benjamin Page of Northwestern University examined a data set of 1,779 policy issues and found the United States overwhelmingly represents the interests of the wealthy.
President-elect Donald Trump has appointed a cabinet of billionaires and generals and is putting forth tax and other policies that favor the wealthy. The government will continue to favor the wealthy until people set the agenda and put forward policies that meet the needs of the people.
The people have shown they have power when they join together and make demands on the government. Recently this was demonstrated by stopping the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a treaty negotiated by and for the corporations, by the Standing Rock Protest in South Dakota and the protest to stop the NED Pipeline in Massachusetts.
The people need to organize around a People’s Agenda, see www.popularresistance.org/peoplesagenda/, which includes 15 issues that super-majorities of people in the United States support.
The following illustrate the 3 of the 15 issues addressed in the agenda:
Firmly establish that money is not speech, corporations are not people and only people have Constitutional rights.
End wars and occupations, end private for-profit military contractors and end the weapons export industry. War crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes against peace must be addressed and those responsible held accountable under international law. The United States should not be engaging in regime change of other governments but rather it should respect the sovereignty of nations, including Indigenous nations. Honor the treaties.
Adopt policies that create a carbon-free and nuclear free energy economy . Confront climate change with a rapid and comprehensive transition to an energy efficient, wind, solar and other renewable source-based economy that ends the wasteful use of energy. End the extractive economy.
Mike and Miriam Kurland
Greenfield