Hit them in the wallet

Sara Robinson has written several essays about fascism. She has another essay, though this one is about what we, average citizens, can do about it. The Tea Party might be the agent that might tip us into fascism, but it will be the corporations who will hold the power. The last election shows that perhaps corporations already do hold the power (though I note there were several heavily funded candidates who lost). Which means a political solution to our country's problems is no longer possible. They have Congress in their back pocket and many courts too. They control most of the news which no longer tells us the truth. Our doctors give us the medical care their corporate backers will permit, which is not the best care.

I've long wondered why the rich, with all the money they have, want even more, to want it so badly they work to dismantle the middle class. Robinson says their ultimate goal isn't money, it's to make the rest of us dance to their tune. They want to be Masters of the Universe (MotU).

The way out? Hit the big corporations where they feel it -- in the wallet. Yes, it will be hard, even for the most green and conscientious among us. Robinson bases her recommendations on two principles: (1) These monster corporations have power because of their money. That money comes from us, so stop giving them money. (2) Corporations have the most control over the federal government, so pull all power from the federal level and bring it back to the local level where we can keep an eye on it and where great solutions to national problems are already being worked out.

Her steps to combat the MotU. It's no coincidence that many of these steps also promote a healthier lifestyle and planet.

1. Live within your means. Return to the values of gauging someone's status based on thrift, prudence, and how much you helped your community rather than on glitter and extravagance. Prune your life to something manageable that allows you to save some money. It also allows you to walk away from a job that abuses you and your world.

2. Stop using credit cards. Every time you use a card the MotU collect a fee. They collect more when you pay interest and late fees. If you can't get by without plastic, use one from a local bank or credit union or use a debit card, which has lower fees. For as many things as possible use cash.

Yes, I have one of those MotU credit cards and use it for the rewards points I get. But the rewards are actually quite small, especially compared to giving control over to the MotU.

3. Move your money to a local bank or credit union. Including your mortgage, car payment, and retirement fund. The local bank invests locally and local economic health and resilience matters over time.

Yikes! This one is going to hurt. At the very least it will take a significant amount of research to make me comfortable in local investing. An alternative for me, also requiring significant research, is how I might invest in mutual funds while keeping my money out of the hands of the worst of the MotU.

4. Eat local, eat organic, cook your own. And stay away from processed food. That's the stuff in the center aisles of the grocery store and it is all made by MotU. In addition, MotU oil companies won't get money for the oil used to make fertilizer and to transport your food. Farmers markets and community supported farms keep money out of the big corporations.

5. Support local merchants instead of big box stores. It isn't just Wal-Mart. All big box stores suck money out of the local economy and underpay their employees. Many restaurant chains also want to be MotU so aim for the local guys. The locals may not be any more expensive yet their employees are better paid and their money stays in the neighborhood.

6. Make your own energy. The biggest MotU are oil and coal companies. So fire Big Fossil. Yes, it will cost money for solar panels, though the investment can pay off. Another option is community power companies, which are beginning to take hold.

7. Buy used. MotU is dependent on us buying more stuff. So stop. That's also better for our wallets and the earth. Get to know eBay, Craigslist, and Freecycle.

8. Buy American, buy Union. If you must buy new, support an American family. Unions are the best bulwark against corporate power.

9. Use less Big Fossil. This will (1) reduce the need for American defense to keep oil flowing, (2) stops Big Fossil, who are the biggest campaign contributors, (3) your choices will spur clean technologies, (4) make your community more resilient. And hundreds of other reasons.

10. Hire a better employer. The highest paying jobs are with MotU. But what good is a job like that if your employer destroys your community, nation, and world environment? Yeah, in this economy jobs are hard to walk away from. But once the other 9 items are well under control the high paying job won't be so necessary.

If you visit Robinson's article online she has links to various sources that explain each item in more detail. It looks like I'll have enough resources for a year's worth of stewardship talks at my local church. Also click on the comments at the end of Robinson's article where she talks about how her local community -- Bellingham, WA -- is already doing many of these things. Along the way the town found the distance between progressives and conservatives isn't all that great when the issues are local.