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Op-Ed

A Lotta People Say Corporations Are Socialist

January 22, 2021

Every one of the 147 members of the Republican Falange say they hate socialism, and that Democrats are socialists who will destroy our economy. Yet every single one of them declares that (s)he will “defend your Social Security.” Think about that.

Robert Kahn

By Robert Kahn

Deputy editor emeritus, Courthouse News

So now the socialists are in charge, attacking the foundations of our Republic, with their socialist allies: AT&T, Citigroup, General Electric, American Express, WalMart, Morgan Stanley, Charles Schwab, Northrup Grumman, Hallmark and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Communists and socialists every one, if you can believe your average Republican member of Congress.

A few corporations have said they will stop contributing money — temporarily or permanently — to the 147 Republican members of Congress who voted to overturn the results of the presidential election on Jan. 6 — and this after the riot.

For ease of reference, let’s call these 147 Republicans the Falange, and let’s call the allegedly traitorous, socialist corporations the Suddenly Brave.

It’s great when a person can be brave in a crisis, but it’s even better to be brave all the time. (“Corporations are people:” Mitt Romney, August 2011).

Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s a fine thing that these Suddenly Brave Corporations finally Found a Thing that Passes for a Conscience ... and were able to identify it ... and do something about it except smother it again. 

Here are some other corporations that Suddenly Became Brave — Sort Of — as the Falangists eyed the exits: Marathon Petroleum, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Marriott International, Comcast, Deloitte, Google and Microsoft.

But for how long will they be brave? Ah, there’s the rub …

American Express said it would permanently stop throwing money at Falangists. AT&T said it would stop throwing money at them “indefinitely.” And Hallmark, based in Cute Young White Fascist Josh Hawley’s state of Missouri, demanded he return the last $5,000 the Suddenly Brave greeting card-maker threw at him.

The rest said they would “temporarily” stop sluicing money into the Falangist trough. Or words to that effect.

Plenty of other Falangist supporters said they were “reviewing their options” and might or might not stop throwing money at fascists. Among these Corporations Not Sure if They Want to Be Even Temporarily Brave are ExxonMobil, Target, CVS drugstores, Wells Fargo and FedEx.

So what does it all mean? 

It means, to This American Patriot, that the Falangists’ supporters are still not willing to Take a Stand — only to Strike a Pose.

Consider: Every single Republican in the Falange has declared that:

  1. He or she hates socialism;
  2. Democrats are socialists; and
  3. Socialism is destroying, or will destroy, our country and our economy.

Yet every single one of them declares that (s)he will “defend your Social Security.”

Think about that. If you think Social Security ain’t socialism, go look in the dictionary.

Once argument has descended to that level, you cannot call it reasoned argument: You can’t even call it argument.

No, the Falangists argue in the sense that a Roman Catholic Pope is “arguing” when he issues a Papal Bull. “This Is the Truth: Accept It or Be Damned.”

And all but the lunatic fringe of the Falangists claim they will “protect Medicare” — even as they try to abolish it.

Meanwhile, money or not, the Suddenly Brave Or Not Corporations will keep sending the Falangists, and their colleagues in Congress, a yearly, willing and eager rotating corps of handsome young interns.

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