DOLLAR DEMOCRACY: with Liberty and Justice for Some;
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DOLLAR DEMOCRACY: With Liberty and Justice for Some; How to Reclaim the American Dream for All By Peter Mathews Available on Amazon.com or at [email protected] (562) 234-3319 For more information, go to: www.epetermathews.com |________________________ About the Author___ ______________ _______| Peter Mathews ’ life ’s work involves educating the public on accurate facts and progressive ideas in order to create and expand equal opportunity in America and the world. That has driven his quest for economic and social justice through the media and his work in the community. Peter Mathews has spent 30 years as a College and University Professor. Peter is a professor of Political Science at Cypress College, has taught at California State University, Fullerton, and is currently a Featured Political Analyst and Contributing Partner on the “Head-On ” Radio Show on KEIB AM 1150 in Los Angeles, California. During 2012 and 2013, Peter served as a Political Analyst on KTLK Progressive Talk Radio ’s popular “The David Cruz Show ” in Los Angeles. Peter has served as a political analyst on KNBC-TV, KCBS-TV, KTLA-TV, CNN radio, KPFA radio and guest on KPFK radio, KPCC radio, and as a commentator on KNX News Radio and other venues. He is a contributing columnist for the Long Beach Register, and on-line Orange County Register. He has been a guest op-ed writer in the Long Beach Press Telegram. Having lived, traveled, taught, and conducted research in 27 countries including Brazil, Britain, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Nicaragua, and elsewhere. Peter Mathews has gained first hand knowledge of public policy issues such as healthcare, education, economic development, international relations, and environmental sustainability in these and other societies. Peter Mathews was the Democratic Party Nominee for the U.S. Congress in 1998 and ran a close race in the Long Beach, California based district. Peter Mathews moved to Los Angeles in 1979 and has been a resident of Long Beach for 23 year, where he lives with his wife Toya Baker- Mathews and daughter Page. |_________________________About His Book_________________________| DOLLAR DEMOCRACY: With Liberty and Justice for Some; How to Reclaim the American Dream for All Big Corporations and their super wealthy owners have bought many American politicians through campaign contributions and lobbying. These politicians have voted to benefit their donors, not the American public. They have made decisions that led to: outsourcing good middle class jobs; dismantling our public education system kindergarten through college and university; deteriorating health care that leaves Americans in danger, sick and broke; the destroying of our environment and lives; the polluting of our food through deregulation of Big Agribusiness, pesticide use and the proliferation of Genetically Modified (GMO) foods; the crash of Wall Street and the Great Recession, from which the bottom 99% of Americans have not yet recovered, while the super wealthy top 1% are doing just fine. The Corporate dominated policies of these sponsored politicians have resulted in the greatest gap between the American rich and poor since the Great Depression, and a disappearing middle class. Professor Peter Mathews not only cri tiques this “Dollar Democracy ” which brings Liberty and Justice for Some, but he also provides solutions that will bring Liberty and Justice for All, and will help the bottom 99% of Americans Reclaim the American Dream and make it a Reality once again! www.epetermathews.com DOLLAR DEMOCRACY "Politics is not about power. Politics is not about money. Politics is not about winning for the sake of winning. Politics is ab out the improvement of people's lives." -- United States Senator Paul Wellstone vii DOLLAR DEMOCRACY . "Peter Mathews provides us with stories of his personal activism along with a cogent political analysis of what is happening to our country and our world. With clarity and courage, he fights against 'Dollar Democracy' on behalf of real democracy. Well written and well-informed, this book is a citizen's weapon." --Michael Parenti, Ph.D., Yale University; author of The Face of Imperialism and Waiting for Yesterday viii DOLLAR DEMOCRACY Copyright © 2014 by Peter Mathews Published by Amazon Digital and Paperback Special thanks to my wife Toya Baker-Mathews for her help with editing. Special thanks to my friend, Brett Covey for his artistic and creative talent in designing the cover, formattin g the body of the book, and building the index. For more information on this and related subjects, including Peter Mathews ’ newspaper op-eds, and Radio and Television interviews and commentary, go to www.epetermathews.com or email him at: [email protected] All rights reserved. ISBN-13: 978-1496059734 ISBN-10: 1496059735 viii DOLLAR DEMOCRACY DEDICATION To my two year old daughter Page, whom I love deeply, I wrote this book to help save our country and our world for you, your generation and those that follow. This is the least that we adults owe you. vii DOLLAR DEMOCRACY NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR Hopefully, Chapter One will spark your interest in this book. The topics of the other chapters are listed in the Table of Contents on the next page. This is a handbook for students, the public, and political leaders on how to transform our country from Dollar Democracy to Real Democracy. This book can be used as a Critical Thinking and Public Policy Reader in Political Science classes such as U.S. Government and Politics, Public Policy, Political Theory, Political Economy, Campaigns and Elections, and other classes It may also be applicable for some courses in Sociology, Economics, Philosophy, and Business. I am available to discuss the provocative data and ideas in my book as I have done extensively in public forums, at activist organizations, and on some mass media venues such as KEIB AM 1150, the “Head-On ” Radio Show. I am open to appearing on other TV and Radio venues. This is not just about selling a bunch of books, but more importantly about getting the American public actively involved in transforming our government and society from a “Dollar Democracy ” that serves the Top 1% to a Real Democracy that serves the Bottom 99% and the Common Good. For positive change to fully occur, “We the People ” must be galvanized to participate in creating our own history that will provide social justice, economic justice, and environmental justice for our children and generations to come. This legacy is our moral and ethical obligation to ourselves, our country, and the world. Building a better world, Peter Mathews vii CONTENTS DOLLAR DEMOCRACY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix Buying American Politics and Selling Out the 1 1 American Dream Jobs and the Economy: The Rich Are Getting Richer, 53 2 the Poor Are Getting Poorer, and the Middle Class is Shrinking Education: Dismantling Public Schools and Colleges 103 3 for the 99% Health Care: Bandaging the Health Care System 152 4 Without Single Payer 5 Destroying Our Environment for Immediate Profits 171 Big Agribusiness, Pesticides, GMOs: Sickening Our 205 6 Food The Great Recession: Wall Street Gets the Goldmine, 227 7 Main Street Gets the Shaft With Liberty and Justice for All: Taking Dollars out of 277 8 Democracy with Paul Wellstone ’s Example, Clean Money Elections, and Move to Amend INDEX 335 viii DOLLAR DEMOCRACY ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would first like to acknowledge my beautiful, understanding, and supportive wife Toya Baker-Mathews, without whose love and patience, this book may not have been possible. She is truly a partner in life. I would like to thank my father, Ernest Paul Mathews and my mother, Amara Esther Evangelina Mathews for the early nurturing, love, and support they gave me. They taught me to value the dignity of every human being and to cherish education. They were both educators for many decades I would also like to acknowledge my fellow professors and colleagues Gloria Badal, Will Heusser, and Mark Roessler, and good friends Dr. Michael Parenti, Frank Dawoodjee, and Brett Covey, with all of whom I have had excellent discussions of some of my thoughts and ideas on politics and society. I would also like to thank Radio Talk Show host David Cruz for having me as a regular Political Analyst on his show and enabling me to share my ideas with his wide audience of listeners. (Over many years of my life, I have met great and inspiring people who have helped make it possible for me to achieve what I have. ix DOLLAR DEMOCRACY CHAPTER 1 BUYING AMERICAN POLITICS AND SELLING OUT THE AMERICAN DREAM U.S. Supreme Court: Super rich Americans can now buy all of Congress and both political parties. McCutcheon v. FEC (2014) It was a bright and sunny sparkling Southern California morning in June, 1994. No worries. Optimism abounded. I had woken up early to shower, shave, and have a hot breakfast of oatmeal and coffee. I had just wrapped up the semester of teaching at the end of May. I drove with relaxed determination to my Congressional campaign headquarters a short four blocks from my house. By 9 o'clock in the morning the warm sun and blue sky enveloped me with the promise of new beginnings. As I opened the door with confidenc e, my campaign manager, already in the office before me, greeted me with enthusiasm. The campaign headquarters didn ’t have the entrapments of finished floors like most campaign offices have, it was a bare room with concrete flooring. However, our enthusiastic volunteer staff had cleaned and organized it beautifully. Nothing like the fruits of victory to galvanize positive attitudes and enthusiasm, even from unpaid volunteers. My campaign manager said "Congratulations Mr. Democratic primary winner. Your reputation precedes you. 1 DOLLAR DEMOCRACY Are you ready for this important meeting with the ARCO PAC (political action committee)? This is your big day to make an impression.