Labor, Occupy and Tea Party Supporters: 'It’s the Empire!!'

The truth of the matter is that we are all serfs under this current 21st century American feudalism. Centuries ago the barons and lords of the manor earned in excess of hundreds of times what their serfs did, as do the owners and CEOS of our present economy. Yet, this is but the tip of the iceberg of a much more frozen and devious block of wealth and power: Our Military Industrial Empire.

I refuse to use the word complex to describe this conglomeration of private interests mingled in with our Pentagon and the myriad of national security agencies. Sadly, all that these movers and shakers of our foreign and domestic policies care about is profit and power! They rely on the majority of we serfs to make sure that the cages do not rattle too much as they carry us off into the zoo.

I was watching the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election debate last night. It really doesn’t matter who the two candidates were, as they represented our 2 Party con job. What fascinated me was the content of the Q & A and of the messages each man presented.

You see, with all the problems concerning budget deficits and cuts in services, layoffs etc; there was not one mention of the real cause and its easiest solution. All the budget cuts and loss of needed services, all the corporate excesses and FAT CATS are part and parcel of this Military Industrial Empire.

Wall Street is linked to the war industries and contractors who make out like bandits from our invasions and occupations. When over 50 cents of every tax dollar we serfs send to Uncle Sam goes for military spending, how in the hell can there be enough revenue to support our states’ and cities’ budgets? For decades we had a system in place (Federal Block Grants) whereupon Uncle Sam would send back to each state enough tax money to help balance budgets and fund needed programs. No more!

I see and hear many union folks get on the tube and rail about the budget cuts and austerity measures imposed by local and state governments… and they are correct in their outrage. Yet, hardly ever do I see these fine working stiffs continue the conversation… and mention the outrageous money wasted on phony wars and occupations, or our over 800 overseas bases. No, they seem to be primarily focused on their own contracts and needs.

The same goes for many of the good souls who make up this new Occupy movement. They always seem to agree with the need to cut this obscene military industrial empire, but refuse, as a movement, to make it the focal point it should be.

Then we come to the Tea party supporters, who demand less big government and less waste. Yet, it is mostly these folks who wave the flag and support more and more spending on anything military. Don’t these three groups realize that the foreclosures, cuts in jobs and services, our health care mess, could be solved in a heartbeat by even a 25% reduction in military spending? By the way, that 25% cut would translate, by last year’s budget and discretionary spending, to over 168 billion dollars! To keep a US soldier in Afghanistan for one year costs we taxpayers over one million dollars! The poor GI gets what, maybe $30 or $40 grand? Of course, you won’t hear those facts on the Republican spin network, Fox News, the Democratic one at MSNBC or even on the middle of the road CNN. No, the 2 Party monster has all the mainstream media locked into serving this empire.

It is time for us serfs to stand together in consolidation of the mother of all issues. Imagine if everyone who agrees with what I just wrote would make a sign and hold it up in public, even for but one hour a week… the momentum would begin. One hour a week! Instead of the handful we locally attract to come stand with us, imagine hundreds or even thousands of our neighbors out there for even one lousy hour a week! No violence, just good, patriotic Americans wishing to save our republic from devastation. For that is what all empires have always wound up doing.

Philip A Farruggio is son and grandson of Brooklyn, NYC longshoremen. He is a free lance columnist (usually found on the fine Dandelion Salad site), an environmental products sales rep and an activist. Since 2010, Philip is a spokesperson for the 25% Solution Movement to Save Our Cities by cutting military spending 25%. Philip can be reached at [email protected]