There are words for that
The first three: Corpocracy: (kor-POKruh-see) noun; a society in which corporations control the government.
Oligarchy: (ol·i·gar·chy) noun; a government in which a small group exercises control, especially for corrupt and selfish purposes.
Plutocracy: (plu·toc·ra·cy) noun; a form of oligarchy where society is ruled or controlled by the small minority of the wealthiest citizens.
None of these is democratic or part of a democracy, and none represents any form of a free society. Perhaps consider that Barack Obama was the last president of the union most of us were born into. The body politic exists for some time as a moneymaking scheme. The best skilled cheaters get the job, and the corrupt business corporations keep them on as unofficial employees. Once to every man and nation, Comes the moment to decide, In the strife of truth with falsehood, For the good or evil side; Some great cause, some great decision,
Offering each the bloom or blight, And the choice goes by forever, ’Twixt that darkness and that light. Then to side with truth is noble, When we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit, And ’tis prosperous to be just; Then it is the brave man chooses While the coward stands aside, Till the multitude make virtue Of the faith they had denied. — written by James R. Lowell (1819-91), Boston Courier, Dec. 11, 1845, in a poem protesting America’s war with Mexico.
No. 4: The concept of the bluexit, from “It’s time for a bluexit,” a declaration of independence from Trump’s America, by Kevin Baker, March 9, 2017, The New Republic. It divides states by their intrinsic ideologies. Sometimes divorce is necessary for any kind of coexistence.
What state legislatures will have the courage to stand up and say, “Enough?” The states united was an experiment, after all. Most experiments fail especially over time; the colors fades, the potency diminishes, and the purity of the elements becomes tainted.
Our “great again” country is our most shameful lie. Our nation has never been so un-great in our national history unless you are making that calculation on ego. The fact is we are the shame of the world. From the “land of the free — the home of the brave,” we have become the poster child of everything not to be.
“United we stand, divided we fall” worked as a good catchphrase as long as we are able to find some common ground to enable us to stand and work together. That is no longer the case.
Word five is fascism: noun; a form of radical authoritarian nationalism, characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition. Unless there is a disassociation based upon states’ ideologies, well then, the stars and stripes will be a corporate logo.
We will become part of a dystopia: noun; an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives; however, for us and for generations that follow, it won’t be so imaginary.
Howard Kessler lives in New York City and Santa Fe. The Women’s March here in Santa Fe was a turning point for him. The percentage of the population that participated made him more proud to be part of this community than any other time or any other place before.