The Bad Shepherds

Call this the story of The Bad Shepherds. What can one say about a country’s leaders when they haven’t adequately protected the citizens under their care from corporate predators? From the financial pirates, who, while "earning" tens of millions of dollars making specious transactions, hollowed out the wealth of the U.S. From the bevy of corporations who use our land and water as a toilet, flushing their harmful chemicals (starting with mercury) into our food supply.

From the tobacco companies that have addicted 30% of its citizens -- and millions more in their early graves? From the alcohol industry, which ruins countless lives in its lust for profits? From the many-tentacled food, snack, soft drink and fast food industries, which have "shaped" this country into one in which over 65% are overweight and eating their way into ill health?

From the pharmaceutical companies that are successfully achieving their agenda of pushing pills on all Americans, and targeting millions of children? From the gun merchants, who won’t be satisfied until every 17-year-old in the country is packing? From the television purveyors, a marketing machine for everything unhealthy, be it morally or physically?

The sad fact is that our shepherds, our so-called leaders who have been entrusted with the public welfare, have been well-paid to not intervene forcefully in these fleecings. Almost without exception these individuals (and you can include the top persons in the regulatory agencies), live a lot higher on the hog after their tenure than they did when they entered public service. This is made true by the so-called "revolving door," by which the majority of government regulators later get jobs in the industries they were supposedly overseeing. Or, in the case of congressmen, get jobs lobbying for the worst offenders of the public welfare.