If the American People Incorporated, would we be 'too big to fail'?

[sabrina 1]

The American People, Inc.



We the people have no lobbyists in DC. If a citizen calls his/her Representative about an issue such as Health Care or Social Security eg we rarely even get a response. But Big Cororation Lobbyists are rarely turned away.

There is no point in denying it, money talks in DC and the people have been outspent. And even when these powerful corporations fail, we get the bill because we are told they are too big to fail.

Why aren't the American People 'too big to fail'? Who will pay the bills for us? Shouldn't it be even more important to keep the American people afloat, those who pay the bills, who keep the country's engine running, than a single Corporation no matter how big it is?

It's nice to say we have rights, but do we, really? Corporations are far more powerful than the people. The government has a lot more respect for Corporations no matter how badly they fail, than they do for the American people.

I remember a few weeks ago White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs was asked why the U.S. government didn't just take over BP. He looked slightly taken aback at the suggestion and responded as if it should be obvious: 'we can't do that, they are a private corporation'.

So, corruption, failure and incompetence will not result in a major Corporation being held accountable. I hear we the people may get the bill for the Gulf of Mexico eventually also, if the oil lobbyists have their way, and they usually do.

But what if the American People became a giant corporation? Would that make them 'too big to fail' also?

I don't know what will work to get Congress working for the people again, calling, faxing, emailing, signing petitions even visiting DC doesn't work because they seem to think we are dispensible, not important, more of an annoyance to them than anything else.

Maybe we've been doing it all wrong. Acting like we live in a democracy, thinking we are represented by those we elect. But the evidence shows that our government is far more influenced by Corporations than by citizens.

If we can't beat them, why not join them? The U.S. Government is now trained to respond to lobbyists for Big Business rather than citizens, so if citizens were a huge Corporation, wouldn't they start thinking more about keeping us afloat, giving us bail-outs when we are failing, passing bills that would benefit our Corporation etc?

I'm just out of ideas on how to make this democracy work, for the people. Just wondering what to do!

Maybe this is a better title for a people's Corporation:


US Inc.


I'm not very good at this ...

[jtuck004]

1. "We the people have no lobbyists in DC" K&R!!

That's a sad statement on today's democracy...


Very good post!!! And you are fine at this!

[sabrina 1]

4. It is sad. I don't know if you saw Michael Moore's 'Sicko'

There was a devastating scene that totally explained why we have no power in DC. Airc, it had to do with what happens when new members are elected to Congress. They are descended upon by dozens of lobbyists from various corporations, all armed with lots of campaign funding promises and bills that they need passed.

What struck me was that the people had done their job, thinking they had sent their choice of Rep. to DC to work for them, and then they went home. But the game hadn't even begun yet. And there was no one there representing the people. Except the newly elected Congressmember who was about to be deluged by demands and rewards from Corporations. Even someone who goes with good intentions would have a hard time resisting them, or resign themselves to one term.

Thank you btw. I am not very good at thinking of names for Corps. Since the American People have little clout in DC I decided it probably wasn't a very good title for the imaginary Corp. :-)

[ixion]

2. Indeed. I have suggested this before as well...

If we followed through with it, I think it would work.

[sabrina 1]

3. The odds seem to be against us

as individuals now. Interesting that you thought of it also. I think it might work also. Can't think of anything else.

[ixion]

6. Yep, one way or another, we have to play the game...

It may require a series of several corporations that would encompass a broad set of various goals that people agreed upon.

The key is in the numbers. 350 million people have more buying power than most (if not all) individual coporations. If we were able to harness that, and play on their field, we might actually be able to see real 'change.'

Incidentally, I tried to register the domain "wethepeople.com" and variations thereof, but the good ones have been co-opted by tea party-like trogs. :(

[sabrina 1]

7. Exactly:

The key is in the numbers. 350 million people have more buying power than most (if not all) individual coporations. If we were able to harness that, and play on their field, we might actually be able to see real 'change.'

Yes, we've been doing it wrong, not realizing that they had changed the rules. Right now we aren't even in the game.

The logistics would be complex with such large numbers, but we the People should be able to get some of the best legal minds to work on it, after all they would be part of it.

It's an exciting thought, to give power to the people.

I did look up 'we the peole' also, but it's been taken as you say. We could have a contest for the best names for the Corporations ~ :-)

[immune]

5. Every time I get one of those "incorporate for free in Nevada"

emails I wonder about how such a plan might work. Thank you for putting it out there, sabrina.

[sabrina 1]

8. You're welcome, immune.

Maybe each state could incorporate. If it's free that would be an added bonus. I don't know how it would work, but it might even the playing field a little.

[immune]

20. I'm not sure exactly how incorporating in Nevada is better than

anywhere else and I don't know how I got on their email list, but I suppose it'd be worth looking into to find out what benefits there might be.

As for incorporating on a statewide basis, I think that would be confusing and would lean more toward a regional model to remove border hassles and maybe somehow meld legal incorporation, since the law is favorable to them, with union policies, such as membership dues to provide financing for whatever actions that would involve expenses (like probably all of them.)

It used to be that our local papers here listed incorporation notices in the public notices section and they always listed the purpose of the business and the management, but now it seems they just list "articles of organization" under the state corporation commission. That's part of the reason I think going regional would would better. And there'd be less confusion between what's state run and what's covered under the purposes of an organization like we're talking about.

Just throwing things out there.

[sabrina 1]

22. Good points. Also, how to avoid

Partisanship and make it about everyone. Some states being more right leaning etc. Keep it very business oriented.

Eg, Alaska has made it mandatory that its residents benefit from the oil they drill. It's the only state that does this.

I don't know for sure, maybe someone who lives there does, if this is one benefit that most Alaskans are happy with. But I could see people uniting around the American people profiting from their resources, rather than the way it is now where our resources appear to be on sale to anyone with the money to buy them. Then the profits go to those Corporations. Why not eliminate those middlemen and let the American people be the beneficiaries?

I know, as someone pointed out in this thread, that the government was supposed to perform this function, to represent the interests of the people, but they have been absorbed by corporations.

I am very bad at business, as you can see, lol! The details would have to be worked out by people who understand how it all works and how the people can start benefiting and getting the attention of this government :-)

[newspeak]

12. now I have never received the "incorporate for free in Nevada" forms

When people incorporate or if a union is formed-there should be certain basic tenants. Maybe something like "we, the people, do honor and respect the Constitution and Bill of Rights," respect all people's rights, are pro-labor, pro-environment. You know, kind of keep it basic.

[sabrina 1]

13. 'Respect the Constitution'. What a novel idea for a Corporation.

I also think since Corporations are now persons, and more and more the people are not, in the sense that they are included in the way this country is run, we would instantly have rights that have been diminished and appropriated by Corps. I like the idea better and better the more I think about it.

[Greyhound]

9. We did, several in fact. They are known collectively as the government. n/t

[sabrina 1]

10. Yes, but they sold out and we are not

a part of them anymore. The people do not profit from our resources nor do we have a say in any decisions that are made.

[Greyhound]

16. Absolutely, and that is my point. "Our corporations" have devolved into the same model

as the so-called private corporations. That is, a two tiered system of common shares that Kissinger's "useless eaters" hold and the preferred, or voting, stock which is held by the parasites and are the only shares with any say in how the 'company' operates.

[sabrina 1]

17. So, Congress, our Government is on the board and the

President is the CEO, but we, the workers, don't have a say in how the Corporation operates.

Maybe we need to be a non-profit Corporation then. I am not too familiar with Corporate law, but airc, in a non-profit corporation anyone who is using their services can have a say in how they operate. And I think the board has to report to all members on a fairly regular basis.

We have to do something though, because it became very clear during the Health Care debate that we had zero representation and those who tried to stand up for some competition to the private insurance industry were smeared and attacked, and either eventually coerced into voting for what they were presented with, or just gave up. That is not acceptable, we were promised a 'seat at the table' and we didn't get it.

[Greyhound]

18. You are right, but continuing the analogy, it's more like the President and Congress

are management, carrying out the orders of the board and the parasites giving the orders, behind the scenes and with no accountability, are the board.

As for us, there is no option other than to sell our shares (stop participating) and go out on our own. Eventually, the stock price will collapse.

The big difference this cycle is that most of us are required to participate and the penalty for withdrawing is draconian.

Something will be done, the pressure is too great to go on this way much longer, but what it will be is what's so troubling. Historically, the results of this kind of disconnect are not something to look forward to.

[sabrina 1]

19. Okay, you are right. I forgot about the overlords who control everything.

there is no option other than to sell our shares (stop participating) and go out on our own

That was what I was thinking :-)

But I know you are right that at the moment, the alternative is unthinkable. As for historical precedent to these times, maybe it doesn't have to be as drastic as say, 1776. More like after the passage of the Civil Rights Act when parties changed and the Democratic Party became more Liberal as their racist members fled to the other Party. But you're right, something will be done, hopefully sooner rather than later.

[immune]

21. Maybe we could apply for a grant to set up our non profit group, lol.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4794816_start-non-profit-corporation.html

[newspeak]

11. yes, I thought about that idea

or one giant union. We need to band together some way to have some kind of influence on the hill.

[jp11]

14. When people fail the rich get richer and politicians have an opportunity to blame

someone and thereby gain support for backing the failed people. If all the 'people' failed the rich would still get richer, we aren't too big to fail because the point of our twisted corrupt capitalistic system is for us to fail.

[sabrina 1]

15. True, and that's why I would like us to get in on this

game. I know they bet on failure and then give us the bill. But if we are all Corporations, wouldn't that even the playing field? Eg, when part of the People's Corporation loses their homes, as a Corporation we could send someone, our version of Henry Paulson, to Congress with a three-page threat warning them that if they do not hand over a few trillion dollars, it will be the end of our country as we know it.

I don't know, the people are the only group that doesn't have any power. Having watched Corporate control of Congress over the past couple of years, it's become clear that the American people are on their own and are not considered in this 'too big to fail' philosophy. The only way to get that status appears to be to incorporate.