If only I had Hollywood connections. I have this terrific idea for the ultimate apocalyptic disaster film–a movie about the destruction of a world caught up in the ongoing struggle between two forces–the Republicats and the Democans vying for political control of the most powerful nation on earth–the United States of America. Each receives funds from the same force–Corporate America. Strange? Not really. History, including our own, is replete with cases in which munitions makers funded both sides engaged in war. What war? What’s the dif? Take your pick.
I’ve tried to figure out how to depict this conflict in terms scary enough to interest the “big bucks” necessary for a major production–how huge tornados or gargantuan monsters could figure in it.
I’ve given a good deal of thought to this problem. This country is headed for a downfall. Can’t happen? That’s what those short-skirted, helmeted Romans thought. And they kept on creating slaves, eating as they lay on couches and conquering country after country after country and–and–down the hill they came tumbling, veritable Jacks and Jills.
So what has aroused my dander? Examples in the news these days present cases in which the forces of money are determining policy.
Issue No. 1: Health Care.
Polls indicate that the majority of America want a plan whereby people are provided cradle to grave medical care as a “right” of citizenship, commonly called the “universal, single-payer” proposal. There are claims that the present legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives will provide an estimated $40 billion boondoggle to the health insurance industry. It will restrict the ability of poor women to receive an abortion. It will also deny the individual states the right to institute a statewide single-payer plan.
While many organizations, including medical groups, support and are working for passage of a single-payer plan, the health insurance industry resists. They are fighting back against any proposal that will cut into their industry’s profits. They don’t even want a “public option”–that pitiful sop offered the public by the Administration. Need an example? Try the Star Tribune for November 13th which contains an article about “ . . . United Health Group this week E-mailing 75,000 employees, urging them to contact their senators and providing two form letters attacking specific legislative proposals. In addition, the Minnetonka-based insurer urged employees to write letters to local newspapers . . .”
The United States is the only major industrialized country in the world that does not have a fully-funded health care plan for its citizens. A friend of mine flew to South Korea for some needed dental care which he could not afford to pay for in the U.S. We’ve all heard of similar cases where Americans abroad received free medical services whose cost might have necessitated a home mortgage in this country.
Issue No. 2: Response to the Goldstone report.
Judge Richard Goldstone, an eminent jurist, a Jew and a Zionist from South Africa, recently issued a report for the United Nations, condemning both Palestinian and Israeli violence in the Middle East but placing by far the greatest share of the blame on Israel.
It would be interesting to poll the public about their knowledge of Goldstone or the report. “Goldstone? Does that have something to do with a report on the gold standard?” “Goldstone–isn’t that that new rock group?”
BUT one group was most aware–AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, one of the richest and most powerful lobbies in Washington. It put the full force of its organization behind passage of an amendment–condemning–are you ready for this?–condemning not the ongoing violence–but the report itself. The amendment passed with but a handful of dissenting votes. This Congressional rejection of legislation criticizing Israeli policy could not have been achieved without AIPAC’s intensive lobbying.
AIPAC plays Santa Claus to many congresspeople by contributing generously to their individual reelection campaigns gaining support from them for legislation favorable to Israel. Incidentally, it’s interesting to note that the U.S. will provide approximately $30 billion over the next decade to Israel which has fully-funded health care.
Conclusion:
There is a connection between these issues and the militarization of this country. Funds are not available for fully-funded medical care; yet the military budget continues to soar. How is it that the most powerful nation in the world does not offer adequate health care to its citizens? The above provides evidence that members of Congress tend to support causes represented by contributions to their campaign funds.
There is no way that the peace movement could contribute enough funds to individual members of Congress to offset the funds provided by the opposition. As long as militarization is the first response of the U.S. government to international conflicts, this situation will remain unchanged. The corporations who provide more than generous contributions to congressional campaigns ultimately run this country giving to both parties, the Democans and the Republicats.
In a disaster action film could the Democans and Republicats be depicted as huge dinosaurs gobbling up the world controlled by an insatiable monster-master, Corporate America, oblivious to the fate of the world in its search for profits?
Polly Mann is a co-founder of Women Against Military Madness and continues to be active with the organization, working for justice and peace. |
