Author: Frank Camelio

Humanity is in trouble and most people are unaware. The sociopolitical order is changing, precipitating an erosion of human rights and democratic institutions. The reason is Mega-Corporate Imperialism (MCI), an expanding network of economic powerhouses causing detrimental shifts in the social fabric worldwide. Nation-states have become the enablers of a widening system of corporate dynasties from banking to high tech. These “too big to fail” conglomerates or mega-corporate entities (MCEs) now exert a profound influence on human activities and thought, with the power to control human experience in ways unimaginable a century ago.

The net result today is an appalling disparity in the distribution of wealth, an ominous attrition of rights and privacy, and a brainwashed populace driven to mindless consumerism and ecologically extravagant lifestyles. While one in seven humans lives in abject squalor, the rest of us, who don’t qualify for obscenely wealthy elite status, live under the coercive spell of a carefully designed paradigm of imperialistic technocracy. Armed with the latest and greatest gadgetry, tech MCEs impel us to sacrifice our privacy for the privilege of communicating through their devices and services. They exploit our personal data, monitor our purchases and internet clicks, and track our locations. In an instant, we can become targets of unrelenting advertising, exploiting our basic needs.

Likewise, other MCEs persuasively steer our food, transportation, medical, energy, and lifestyle choices—a psychological warfare on consumers only MCEs can afford. Here in the U.S., personal debt soars under the constant barrage from Big Ag, Big Auto, Big Banks, Big Pharm, Big Everything, including the self-aggrandizing firms on Wall Street. Capitalism has run amok under MCE’s reckless pursuit of power and riches.

How did this happen? In the U.S. in the late 19th century, corporate lawyers commandeered the 14th Amendment—ratified to protect the rights of former slaves. These barristers convinced intellectually challenged Supreme Courts to grant corporations the special status of individuals. The high court decisions helped elevate the rights of corporations above the common good—contrary to our founder’s words in the Constitution’s Preamble to “Promote the General Welfare.” Corporate charters focus on serving shareholders, elevating corporate objectives over “We the People.” Thus, in the early days of the Industrial Revolution, many corporations willfully placed profits above worker welfare and the environment—and even national interest. Other nations granted their and U.S. corporations similar latitude. Corporations and banks have been steamrolling over the political agenda ever since.

Fueled by the Cold War, globalization expanded. In 2014, approximately 37% of the world’s 100 largest economies belonged to banks and mega-corporations. Wealth continues to become increasingly concentrated in fewer groups and individuals, limiting governmental influence on world affairs. But of greater concern are the affects the MCEs are having on human behavior.

Whether one lives in the slums of the poorest nations or the suburban enclaves of the richest, MCI is dictating the routines of life through macro- and micro-influences. MCEs sway policies to limit the advance of the poor and destitute while reinforcing the position of the wealthy. MCEs provide us a major portion of the necessities of life, effectively creating an addictive dependency on their goods and services. Under the guise of entertainment, they fill our time with diversions and similarly distract our thoughts with mind-numbing communications. With few options, we contentedly participate and accept the paradigm of life engineered for us under MCI.

While science and technology have gone a long way to rid humanity of disease and tedium—advancing our understanding of ourselves, all species, and the universe, MCEs have leveraged such knowledge to control social, economic, and political outcomes. Our elected and appointed officials have abandoned many of the fundamental tenets of our Constitution by allowing MCEs to dominate our daily lives. Big Brother is not Big Government, but government-enabled MCI.

There is no conspiracy behind MCI. MCI has progressively evolved from the ceaseless power struggles humans have endured since tribes banded together to control the resources available. History tells us that imperialism results in winners and losers, where the few benefit at the expense of the many. MCI is doing the same. Our only recourse is to reinvigorate the precepts of the U.S. Constitution and reverse 14th Amendment interpretations, establish and enforce tough privacy laws, broaden and fortify the scope of basic human rights, and regulate the extent MCEs influence the social, political, and economic necessities and routines of life. If we fail to do so, freedom and democracy will forever remain illusory.

The controversy over protests during our national anthem has reached a level of divisiveness that threatens to undermine the foundation of our Constitution, specifically the Bill of Rights. To start, I’m a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, and yes, I would prefer people to stand, uncover, and place a hand over their hearts (or render proper military salutes if in uniform) during the playing of the national anthem. But my preference and those of many senior government officials have no legal foundation.

In fact, I and every one of these senior government officials took an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” We made no oath to protect national symbols or songs, only the Constitution, meaning the content therein. The first amendment to the Constitution clearly provides for unabridged free speech and expression; however, legal rulings have enforced common sense limits to free speech and expression to protect the rights of others. Thus, we protect our children from pornography and our citizens from public defamation and hate speech. None of these limitations prohibit raising a fist while receiving a medal at the Olympics or kneeling at a sporting event during the playing of the national anthem. These are peaceful forms of protest, protected by our Constitution.

Generations of Americans, and even non-citizen immigrant residents, have fought and died or been incapacitated to protect the meaning and intent of our Constitution. If there is any singular, non-theological document we should hold sacred then, it is the U.S. Constitution. Without it, we are nothing—neither a nation nor a people. I believe most of us proudly identify ourselves as the nation and people bound by the precepts and ideologies stated within the Constitution. We know that the document is imperfect but that it wisely incorporates processes to alter content through legitimate means. Accordingly, over time, we have improved the rights afforded to citizens. We must not regress by attacking and/or denying lawful and reasonable forms of free speech.

Surprisingly, we seem more focused on anthem protests than rallies expounding fascist and supremacist ideologies, the latter of which attempt to undermine the Constitutional rights of some citizens. While our Constitution protects both forms of expression, we should be wary of doctrines that diminish Constitutional freedoms. Our government officials swore to defend the Constitution from any such subterfuge, not to apply personal preferences to determine what constitutional elements they’ll protect.

Of note, enlisted military service members also swear to obey the orders of the President and officers appointed over them. Officers take an oath to the Constitution only to ensure no commander-in-chief usurps power. Thus, while the President is free to express his opinion on any topic, military officers and their civilian counterparts are under no obligation to align with him or her if those opinions break with the Constitution. Indeed, by their oaths, they all, President included, swore to never impede constitutionally protected rights.

So let’s end the controversy by affirming that the Constitution trumps the anthem, flag, and personal opinion and move on. It’s time to focus on real issues, not manufactured ones.

“Congress Shall Pass No Law…”

Our constitutional democracy is imperfect, especially when the major parties disagree and cannot find common ground. With a few constitutional tweaks, we can overcome the imperfections and achieve a “more perfect Union.” The founders inserted Article V into the Constitution for this reason. Although we’ve amended the Constitution numerous times, we remain reluctant to align the Constitution to our twenty-first century reality. An Amendment Convention could fast-track the necessary changes and fulfill the vision of our founders. Whether we amend the Constitution piecemeal or bundle the alterations, here are my top must-have amendments.

Continue reading “Much-Needed Constitutional Amendments”