For just about our whole lives, we've been conditioned to think in terms of us vs. them. If it wasn't for those nasty people in THAT country, life would be a dream. If it wasn't for those people not practicing the one TRUE religion, the world would be a better place. If it wasn't for those poor people sponging off the rest of us hard-working taxpayers, taxes would be lower. If it wasn't for those bolshevik socialists who support “big” government and it's regulations, “free” enterprise would flourish and provide jobs for all of us.
As you can see, us vs. them reduces our life experiences and prejudices to unrealistic abstractions. Us vs. them is most deceptive when it refers to BOTH political parties in our “two” party system. After all, we've been conditioned to believe that the Republican party is the party of the rich, but the Democratic party is the working person's party. If that were really the case:
- The Taft-Hartley Act that severely weakened unions and enabled “Right To Work States” would have never passed with votes from BOTH parties in the 1947.
- Working people would be protected by strong unions backed by an Employee Free Choice Act.
- Electeds from BOTH parties, including Bill Clinton and President Obama wouldn't support job killing “free” trade agreements.
- Democratic electeds would have given FDR's New Deal to the bottom 99% instead of Wall Street and the Banks.
- President Obama wouldn't have appointed job offshoring GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt to head the Council On Jobs and Competitiveness. I guess Obama really believes in trickle down economics.
As you can see, the “two” party system is little more than a de facto game of good cop/bad cop.
As members and supporters of the Occupy movement, we have two choices, we can squander our efforts and dedication on an existing party or we can have REAL change by starting our own party, let's make the right choice.
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