Alan Grayson:Half a Century, Under the Whip

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http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/6/21/878146/-Half-a-Century,-Under-the-Whip

I was two years old when President Eisenhower gave a stunningly precise prediction of our fate for the next 50 years. He said that for the first time in human history, America had created a permanent military-industrial complex that employed millions and spent billions. "More than the net income of all United States corporations," he noted.

Now, the military-industrial complex dictates our foreign policy. Wall Street dictates our economic policy. Big Oil dictates our energy policy.

But we're going to stop this, with People Power. On June 28, thousands of us will come together for a 'Peace Party' to fund our reelection campaign. When thousands of us individually give $35 or $50, we can raise our voices together, and say in one voice: ENOUGH!

Join our chorus with a contribution.
http://www.congressmanwithguts.com/

Eisenhower told us that the domination of this military-industrial complex would have "grave implications" for the "very structure of our society." He warned against "the disastrous rise of misplaced power." But he hoped that an "alert and knowledgeable citizenry" would protect us.

If only. As if. You wish.

For the past half century, the military-industrial complex has perpetuated one war after another, at enormous cost in both blood and money. In its lust for oil, it has broken country after country, and now the sea floor. 9/11 cost Osama bin Laden $500,000, while U.S. military action afterward cost us well over $500,000,000,000.

Now, it's nine years later. And the war goes on. My five children cannot remember a time in their lives when America was at peace.

And no one in power seems to be able to deliver on the things that matter to us – deliver on jobs, on health, on education, on clean water and air, on better roads. On peace. On meeting human needs.

I've done my best in Congress to show the way. Now I need your help. On June 28, we're going to hold an online 'Peace Party' event, where thousands of us come together to support this campaign. We need to raise $200,000 or more by that day, to show BP and other corporate behemoths that the "small people" (as BP put it) still matter.

Can you pitch in $25, $50 or more to our Peace Party? Please do it now, at the "new and improved" www.CongressmanWithGuts.com.

We need a peace dividend. We need new priorities. We need people in government who will tell the military-industrial complex, and Wall Street, and Big Oil, to go to hell. And I'm one of them.

We have one week until our June 28th deadline. Please contribute now.

www.CongressmanWithGuts.com

FYI, here is what Eisenhower said:

"Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense. We have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security alone more than the net income of all United States corporations.

"Now this conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every Statehouse, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources, and livelihood are all involved. So is the very structure of our society.

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."

[cameozalaznick]

1. KNR nt