Robert Reich Explains How a Memo Ushered in the Hostile Corporate Takeover of American Politics

This was a video which I recently ran into from Robert Reich which explains how corporations, with their corporate culture, took over American politics. As most objective people who understand this issue and it's history already know, this sad trend really took root in the country during the Reagan administration. After all, Reagan ushered in the era of massive tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and corporations, and his administration was famously union-busting. They brought back the largely discredited theory of "trickle down economics." They argued that government was evil, and that laissez-faire economics was the only answer, with the key word being "deregulation" and the cutting of red tape. The whole nation seemed to buy into these notions, and not surprisingly, real wages began to freeze. Many of the unfortunate trend that our nation has seen since began right there, with increased privatization. 

However, it actually had it's roots earlier than that, with of all things, a memo. This memo, however, turned out to be nothing short of a blueprint for what was clearly designed to be a full takeover by corporations and private moneyed interests of the government. This has largely come to pass in the decades since.

Reich remains optimistic, however. He feels that people are beginning to wake up and realize what was going on. They are taking action. Even some politicians are seeing the problem, and are no longer afraid to take on corporate culture. 

Boy, I sure hope he's right! 

How the Corporate Takeover of American Politics Began | Robert Reich