We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Ten Numbers the Rich Would Like Fudged

Click here to access article by Paul Buchheit from Common Dreams

Class disparity has always occurred in class structured societies which by definition provide access to wealth and power to certain classes over others. What we have seen since the 1980s is an aggressive form of capitalism known as neo-liberalism that is essentially capitalism on steroids. Hence, this version of capitalism is accelerating class differences at such a rate that we are now headed straight into outright fascism if we of the 99 Percent fail to act. The authoritarian infrastructure of fascism is in place, they just haven't used it to a great extent yet.