there ain't no time to wonder why

A recent article in the New York Times about the "Occupy Wall Street" movement attracted Reader comments.

I copied-and-pasted two of those comments here -- to contemplate.

Comment 1 refers to the Citizens United Supreme Court decision: that decision said that a corporation is a person.

One might think, Well, it doesn't seem like that's true -- why would our Supreme Court say that?
Apparently that decision let down the flood-gates that had been preventing powerful multinational corporations from drenching political candidates in financing.

Comment 2 mentions farm subsidies. (Now, since I live in a state where agriculture is an important industry, I tend to buy into the idea that farm subsidies are in essence a "cheap food" policy: if we [our government] didn't help farmers stay in business, then two multinational corporations (or should I say, two "persons") would own all the land, hire the farming done, and maximize profits to themselves: i.e., a loaf of bread would cost $1400, etc. ...)

Comment 2 also mentions the 99% and the 1% -- looked it up, they're referring to statistics which say in the past 25 years 1% of Americans have increased their wealth while the other 99% have slid back. (It isn't 'cause folks aren't working harder, that's for sure!)

------------------------------
COMMENT 1:

These people hate that they have no voice, they have lost any chance to express their opinion, and have it matter to those who no longer represent them. The systems sells its influence to the rich because they alone can afford it. The corporations, take Pre-Tax profits and buy their influence, and the Supreme Court rubber stamps this undermining of the fundamental democracy that is supposed be the government OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE and FOR THE PEOPLE, by ruling that the corporation and all its money to undermine the nation is a person, a citizen. When did we last see a corporation return from war in a body bag ? If this doeasn't outrage you, you aren't much of an American.

------------------
COMMENT 2:

I believe we currently live in a Corpocracy not a Domocracy, our country currently is run for the large corporations not the people. The Corporations get the tax breaks. Even Congress, takes the tax breaks away with one hand and gives them back to the large corporations with the other hand. Just Sleight of Hand. For a current example look at the farm subsidies. We are 99% supporting the 1%
------------------------------ [end NYT Reader Comments]

People are upset, or psyched up, when they write, we can hear it when we read it. That doesn't make them right; it also doesn't make them wrong.

I don't know -- in the past four years I've met so many people who Don't Vote (I had no idea) and when the automatic words comes out of my mouth reminding them that their vote counts, they should vote, go-team!, whatever -- the person will say, "It doesn't make any difference." "There are no people like us in Congress." "They don't care." And it hurts to admit in my mind that they're not wrong.

-30-