To the Editor:
The current state of our political landscape is unsustainable. Although Marxism is always a long-range failure and is not the answer, it is understandable why communism is flourishing in many areas. Politicians do not represent “we the people”; they represent the best interests of big money donors. Money drives everything, including fraud, corruption, kickbacks, and a loss of political focus on the public good. War is a perfect example.
The USA has over 750 military bases in about 80 foreign countries and territories. Since 1776, the USA has been at war for about 230 out of our 250 years (92%). The U.S. started 81% of global conflicts from 1945 to 2001. Since 2001, we have added Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Ukraine, Iran, and others.
During WWII, U.S. companies profited significantly from business with Germany, Italy, and Japan. Some include Ford, IBM, GE, Alcoa, Kodak, Dow Chemical, and Chase-Manhattan Bank. War is often ongoing because big business profits from both sides.
It does not matter where a war is, or if there is a winner or loser, or that millions of people die. What matters is that war is always ongoing somewhere to facilitate the uninterrupted flow of our money to big business—much of which flows back to politicians and their families.
The U.S. has spent over $150 billion, and the EU has spent 200 billion Euros on Ukraine, with desires to spend more. War means contracts, fraud, graft, kickbacks, and billions flowing into offshore bank accounts. Peace means the end of their lucrative business. The billions U.S. and European politicians are funneling into Ukraine and the Middle East is a massive extortion racket by which our public money is being funneled into private companies for profit.
We will continue to spiral downward as a country as long as lobbyist and big business money flows to politicians, government employees, or contractors. This isn’t Democrat vs. Republican; money and unexplainable wealth are welcomed by all politicians. Pew Research, Rasmussen, and Gallup polls indicate 83% of all citizens want voter ID. Yet, politicians represent donors who benefit from illegal immigration. Republicans never stopped illegal immigration under the previous administration because they represent those who benefit from it more than they represent “we the people.” If the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran decline, a reason to start a war somewhere else will be manufactured. We have to find a way to stop lobbyist money from flowing to politicians and unelected government officials.
Jeffrey Musante
Village of Calumet Grove