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Wednesday, January 4th, 2023

How corporations usurped American political power

Author:     Robert Reich
Source:     AlterNet
Publication Date:     December 30, 2022
 Link: How corporations usurped American political power
Stephan:   I have been thinking about the Lewis Powell Memo -- a critical point in American history that few know about -- for several weeks now, trying to see if I could squeeze the time in to write an essay about it because I thought it was so important to the present-day situation. But then, in doing some research on it, I came across Robert Reich's essay. The only amendment I would make to Reich's work is I would have placed even greater emphasis on what really empowered the Powell Memo, the 21 January 2010 Citizen's United decision which legalized the bribery of elected officials. Powell is correct when he says that the only thing that is going to change the current corruption of our democracy is if you and I, and everyone we know voted in politicians who will change the laws. Do you think we can do it?
The late Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Lewis Powell author of the infamous Powell Memo Credit: Washington Post

The corporate takeover of American politics started with a man and a memo you’ve probably never heard of.

In 1971, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce asked Lewis Powell, a corporate attorney who would go on to become a Supreme Court justice, to draft a memo on the state of the country.

Powell’s memo argued that the American economic system was “under broad attack” from consumer, labor, and environmental groups.

In reality, these groups were doing nothing more than enforcing the implicit social contract that had emerged at the end of the Second World War. They wanted to ensure corporations were responsive to all their stakeholders — workers, consumers, and the environment — not just their shareholders.

But Powell and the Chamber saw it differently. In his memo, Powell urged businesses to mobilize for political combat, and stressed that the critical ingredients for success were joint organizing and funding.

The Chamber distributed the memo to leading CEOs, large businesses, and trade associations — hoping to persuade them that […]

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