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Patriotism Requires Economic Nationalism
Written
by Stephen Crockett, co-host of
Democratic Talk Radio
If you consider yourself a
patriot and are not concerned about the ballooning trade deficit, the
huge national debt and the loss of 3 million manufacturing jobs since
the current Bush first occupied the White House, you are lying to
yourself. If you are a political figure, you are likely lying to the
American public, as well.
Economic globalization is
certainly not inevitable. The inevitability of uncontrolled
globalization is deliberate disinformation promoted by the largest
international corporations and their academic, media and political
lackeys. Economic globalization is the result of deliberate public
policy changes by our government and other governments. The policy
changes have been pushed by large international corporations seeking
to maximize their profits regardless of the cost to the American
economy or the American people.
Our very way of life is
being undermined by government policies that fail to rein in the
unchecked greed of large international corporations. Every American
patriot must demand a reversal of American government policies and
attitudes toward a people-oriented, economic nationalism instead of
government-sponsored international corporatism.
International trade is
often a very good thing. However, it should be a managed process that
is regulated by the citizens of the nations involved in the form of
their governments. Defense and foreign policy considerations should be
given significant weight in the establishment of international trade
policies. Trade was very helpful during the Cold War with our former
international rival, the late Soviet Union.
Trade should not be
organized by trade agreements that damage our manufacturing base
because our military strength depends on manufacturing. International
trade should not lower the living standards of American workers. Our
worker safety regulations, wage levels, environmental regulations and
product safety requirements should all be enhanced instead of
undetermined by our trade agreements. Trade should not create more
government debt for our nation. International trade should produce
large amounts of government revenue in the form of much higher
tariffs. We need more economic nationalism.
It is the patriotic duty
of every citizen to demand government policies that serve our citizens
and nation instead of the large international corporations. As we move
into the 2008 elections, Americans should only support candidates who
vote in the economic interests of America.
Citizens should support
universal national healthcare because American companies cannot afford
to supply healthcare to their workers and compete with foreign
businesses. All other major trading nations have governments who
provide healthcare to their workers instead of saddling their
businesses with this additional costs. American businesses are at a
severe disadvantage.
Americans should demand
repeal or renegotiation of all current, falsely-named, “free trade”
agreements. Presidential “fast-tracking” of these agreements should be
ended immediately.
The salaries of top
corporate executives should be limited by federal law. It should be
illegal to increase executive compensation in corporations that are
moving jobs outside our borders. Corporate executives should not be
awarded for being bad citizens.
Corporations who move good
jobs abroad to cut the pay of workers or to avoid environmental laws
should be punished by finding their access to the American market
severely restricted. They should pay much larger taxes. Their ability
to send money abroad should be restricted.
Our federal government
should mandate that colleges and universities teach mandatory courses
in Economic Patriotism to all students in business or economics
programs. Courses should be offered in all high schools. We need to
educate our citizenry on these issues because of their importance to
America’s future.
We should strengthen our
labor unions to check the political power of large corporations. We
should pass the Employee Free Choice Act. We should repeal the
restraints on unions passed during the Truman Administration by a
Republican Congress over the veto of President Truman.
We need much strong
campaign finance laws that will more effectively stop corporations
from buying the loyalties of our political leaders. We should only
approved federal judges who will protect our economy. If we need
Constitutional Amendments to limit corporate power, we should pass
them.
America cannot afford 800
billion dollar annual trade deficits if we are remain a real world
power. We should not be borrowing from Communist China and Japan to
fund our government debt. Our domestic economy remains strong thanks
to our small businesses while the large international corporations are
working against our national interests.
We need to put real teeth
in anti-monopoly laws. Media concentration should be stopped and
reversed. Our citizens should not be feed only information controlled
by the largest international corporations. We need to break-up the
media monopolies, return to the Fairness Doctrine and Equal Time
Protection in broadcasting and encourage local media ownership.
Patriotism includes an
economic element. The leadership of Wall Street needs to demonstrate
in both word and action they are patriotic. The Supreme Court in the
19th Century gave corporations many citizenship rights. These
corporations should be required that they are loyal citizens instead
of traitors to America’s future.
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