Corporate Lies and Influence Used to Maintain Profit and Power at a High Cost to Humanity and the Environment

We have all seen corporations use product defense, the hiring of public relations firms and use of dummy "'pro'-environmental" groups used to promote their products that are actually deleterious to the health and lives of people, animals and the environment. They also have very deep pockets with which they can bribe lawmakers and use the threat of pulling their advertising dollars from media outlets to prevent them from airing/printing fact-based news and documentaries that would harm their products and, therefore, profits. US corporate executives are extremely concerned about maintaining their corporate profits and product viability because they now earn 500x more than the average worker, as compared to executives in other countries who earn up to 57x more than their average worker.

We know their high-level executives go back and forth between jobs at corporate headquarters and the very government agencies entrusted with the task of protecting that which their product destroys, in order to write policy and influence the drafting of laws that favorably protect their product and profits. This has been done, for example, by 1) tobacco companies pushing addiction to their products that cause misery to and the death of millions due to lung cancer and/or COPD; 2) chemical companies pushing gmo's into the world food supply, reducing crop diversity, increasing destruction of the environment by increased use of their toxic chemicals, and maiming and killing millions of living beings, people included, by pollution-caused illness; 3) financial and mortgage industries pushing deregulation, mortgage-backed securities, and the writing of bad loans, which have caused poverty, homelessness, an increase in national debts, and brought world governments to their knees; and 4) the big three of energy: oil, coal and nuclear who do anything for profit, even with massive pollution, toxic waste, the illness and death of billions of living beings, and global warming as a by-product.

Why have laws not been passed at every level of the legal system, local through international, to make illegal the false information and lies pedaled like mind-altering drugs by corporate "pushers" in defense of their product(s)? There has to be some way to stop huge corporations from using their billions in profits to garner influence and lie to the public in order to maintain their status quo of enormous profits, power and influence. Why is "job-sharing" (recusal doesn't happen - get real) between corporate and government jobs still legal?

These corporate entities, and the people who control them, are bullies on the world "playground" whose "games" are being enabled by legal systems, governments and mainstream media. This is happening on all fronts because unsubstantiated, non-independently researched "facts" - that are flat out lies - are legally permitted in product defense. We need truth, nothing but the truth, and if they're caught lying, the top echelon and all others responsible should go to prison, lose everything, and be forced to jump out of their position of power with their golden parachute peppered with holes. The philosophy of, 'Ethics, schmethics, the greater good be darned. It's all about me! Power, profit and influence at any cost!' must be bulldozed. These people are literally committing crimes against humanity and the environment, including genocide. They should be held accountable and prosecuted for these crimes! Enough is enough!!!

Another Child's Suicide - Bullying is Deadly

How many more children, women, men, animals have to die because someone has to have power over them? How long will this be allowed, and even encouraged? When will parents teach their children not to abuse by setting a better example of how to behave with respect towards each other, their children and pets? When will government leaders and workplace managers lead by example, by following the rule of law to both respect and defend the human rights of all people? Human trafficking, rape, abuse, bullying, greed, a culture of youth and beauty, a patriarchal society, a sense of entitlement, and a lack of enforcement of laws and protective regulations are all symptoms of a complete and utter lack of respect for others. All of these also dangerously combine with a lack of personal responsiblity and the absence of prosecution of those who abuse human rights to create the society and world in which we live. As long as we, and I truly mean we, as we are each and every one of us responsible, tolerate this, nothing will change.

Trillions of dollars are spent on war, while only a miniscule fraction of this is spent upon peace education, the teaching of mediation, ethics, and the rights of all sentient beings to basic rights; not just for men, straight people, or people of a certain religion, class, or level of educational attainment. Since you do get what you pay for, we have both unfortunately and obviously gotten all of our money's worth!

A patriarchal society, by definition, deprives women of equal rights over those of men. Maybe we should begin there. Religions that deprive women of equal rights are also guilty of promoting a culture of power over others, along with the accompanying abuse, rape, trafficking, etc. that power over others engenders.

Equality and respect for all should be the foundation of any society, culture and religion. When one group is given power over another, there is always someone who will abuse the power. Tolerance and respect for others, instead of inequality, should be expected, regulated and enforced with very real consequences. When we change our expectations, and put our money towards educating all people about human rights and peace, instead of war, things will begin to change for the better.

Poisoned Peanuts + Lack of Oversight = Questionable Food Security

Shame on corporations who place greed and profit over the health, safety and security of everyday people all around the world. Corporations and small businesses, including those who produce our nation's food supply, are a part of a cadre of business people who each bear significant responsibility for the security, economy and reputation of our nation.

Over the past 2 years, the Peanut Corporation of America repeatedly found salmonella in its product. When salmonella was found, the company went lab shopping for a conflicting opinion. Then, they purposefully chose not to report positive test results showing salmonella contamination to the FDA because they are unethical and it was not legally required. They also chose to repeatedly ignore their responsibility to immediately remedy the contamination problem in their manufacturing plants. Finally, the Peanut Corporation of America continued with business as usual in complete disregard for the health, safety and lives of the consumers who trusted in them, while banking their profits on the deaths of (so far) eight of their trusting consumers.

The people involved in this scandal should be arrested, held and tried on innumerable charges. These charges should include premeditated murder - they knew the likely outcome of a salmonella outbreak - death - yet chose to do nothing. Business people should be held accountable and a message should be sent to all: you WILL be held accountable for your wrongdoings. Your free ride is finally over!!! You are here to serve your consumers, your country, and only after that, you may make a reasonable profit.

The next problem in this fiasco that has killed eight people, is a criminal lack of oversight. This is yet another prominent example of the Bush/Republican push towards deregulation. Helloooooo. Is anybody our there? Since when do people, especially business people focused on profit, have enough integrity to do the right thing? This is why regulations were instituted in the first place. Hellooooo! People will do whatever they "can get away with." So, of course, it makes perfect sense to extensively deregulate all markets and expect people to do the right thing.

I could go on (and on), however I think that the current condition of our economy, the mortgage industry, etc. very effusively illustrate my point. We need to come to a more balanced view of regulation, where our country, security, food supply, infrastructure, environment, and the heath and welfare of all citizens actually are all taken into account when (de-) regulating a "free" economy. News Flash: Nothing in life is free. When people die because they cannot safely purchase and eat peanut products, deregulation should be thrown out the window.

ADDENDUM
Related to food security, the high fructose corn syrup found in over 80% of our foods, contains mercury. Check out this link:
http://crunchydomesticgoddess.com/

PBS Exposés on Product Defense and Bisphenol-A

This is a link to a PBS Exposé on product defense by reporter Paul Thacker. Once you watch this, you will see how tobacco manufacturers were able to put doubt in people's minds about the dangers of smoking and how Big Oil could cast doubt on Global Warming both using product defense to influence public opinion, policy and environmental law.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/expose/2008/05/111-index.html

Here's the link to the bisphenol-A story entitled Chemical War Zone that shows animal deformities and cancer links to chemical endocrine disrupters.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/expose/2008/05/303-index.html

I find it interesting that both stories name the American Chemical Society as being one party involved, while both stories also show the correlation between misinformation and product defense that allows chemical companies to continue business as usual despite known health risks to consumers and the environment. Nothing like profit, greed and power to influence public health and environmental policies and laws at the expense of health, humanity and the environment.

When you knowingly do all that you can to lie about the safety of a product that causes disease and/or death in its consumers, you should be held culpable. This is at the very least, unethical. However, I truly believe these companies are commiting crimes against humanity. If there are currently no laws on the books to deal with this, there should be - locally, nationally and internationally.

Mr. Burris Goes to Washington

Mr. Burris went to Washington this morning, and was rejected, left standing in the rain without a Senate seat. When Attorney General Roland Burris was appointed to the Senate by Illinois Governor Blogojevich, his own ethics were questioned; a case of guilt by association. Any appointment made by the current Governor would have been tainted. Burris' insistence in both disregarding the wishes of his fellow Democrats and, especially his expectation of being seated ahead of his legal certification, may now call his own decision-making ability into question. However, I believe he was right to insist his appointment was legal. Blogojevich is still Governor and he appointed Burris to that honorable position.

All citizens are still innocent until proven guilty, no matter how much evidence is entered against a person. Blogojevich has not yet been tried, never mind found guilty. If the Senate still refuses to seat Burris when his papers are complete, they are usurping the legal process, the rule of law, and the foundation of the Constitution itself by making themselves both judge and jury. The Senate may judge its own qualifications, but that is not the same as questioning ethics. Qualifications are not ethics, as evidenced by the fact that many members of Congress have been tried and convicted of many different crimes! Honestly, if they're going to question Burris' ethics, they should also be looking at each other's ethics. If ethics were a qualification for being seated in the Senate, there would many empty seats. Separate the issues and keep your eyes on the ball. Mr. Burris should be seated.

Should We Re-elect Our Leaders?

I have already informed my Representatives and Senators that I may not be voting for them in the next election. When "our" representatives purposefully voted to remove our constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms, they chose to no longer represent the people of this country; neither did they protect and defend the Constitution, which they swore to uphold when elected. I believe that We the People need to "clean house;" demand free, clean and fair elections with a real paper trail; outlaw lobbyists; and only allow publicly financed campaigns with reasonable spending limits. Part of cleaning house must include putting an end to the cross pollenization between corporations and our government, especially in the area of shared jobs. Corporate entities flagrantly go back and forth between high-level corporate and government jobs (both appointed and elected), in order to unduly influence and craft policies, reports and laws to advance their corporate interests. Their ethics have consistently been left unquestioned and unchallenged, and there has been little recusal. As a result, we now have a government of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations. As for our no-longer-free press, resume your role as the Fourth Estate, corporate policy and advertising dollars be darned. Each and every one of us must stand up and demand change or this will continue! Whatever you believe, please do question everything, and absolutely do get out and vote!