Dwight Eisenhower's warning

http://coursesa.matrix.msu.edu/~hst306/documents/indust.html

Military-Industrial Complex Speech, Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961

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Public Papers of the Presidents, Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1960, p. 1035- 1040

"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 State house, 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 militaryindustrial 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.

Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.

In this revolution, research has become central; it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government.

Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers."

On the Divinity of the United States

The United States of America is a very fortunate country indeed. We have no borders we need defend with massed soldiers. Our last foreign invasion before 911 was during the the early 1900s when Pancho Villa roamed Texas.

As we moved westward, we were able to plunder most of what we needed for all necessary domestic production from the people who had custody of it.

We exist largely in a temperate climate zone, which has enabled us to grow our own food for most of our history.

We have a form of government which, derived from the liberal principles conceived by European philosophers, has led to the legal enfranchisement of men without property, women and people of color.

We are not, however, specially blessed by a divine being. Our good fortune should not be used as an excuse to dominate the rest of the world. That would be hubris, not humility and gratitude for all of the natural advantages that we have.

The Constitution was not divinely inspired. If it were, there would have been no provision that slaves were 3/5 of a person for voting purposes.

This is not about race. Most conveniently, the 14th Amendment has been used to protect corporate rights about 95% of the time, and protect the rights of people of color about 5% of the time.

The US, under the control of corporations and under pressure from religious fundamentalists, has become a rapacious plunderer. This is not Godlike behavior. As a matter of fact, it doesn't make us much different than the Taliban or Al Qaeda...except that we have the power to deliver weapons of mass destruction just about anywhere at any time in less than 30 minutes.

Take that, Domino's. We can beat your time any time.

We have 700 military bases in 135 nations. These bases are not protecting Americans from harm. They are protecting corporate plunder operations. We ought to just say no. These plundering operations impoverish and immiserate the regular people in the host countries. These people are just like you and me. They want to earn enough money in a reasonable amount of work hours so that they can raise their families in peace.

For the sake of regular Americans and the regular folk just like us everywhere else, it is our job to stand up and control the prideful monster that the US has become.

God (or the divine or undivine being of your choice) bless and protect us all from corporate domination of government.