Here you go–the third in my three-part freak out on outsourcing the U.S. government to achieve a global corporate fascism and, ultimately, white Christian domination until they LEAVE ALREADY.

In the State of the Union address, Bush noted his intention to have Congress help him “design” a volunteer civilian reserve corps to ease the burden on the armed services. I can think of another way to ease their burden. Like so many of Bush’s seemingly pathetic bridges across the aisle, this turns out to be misleading–and far more dangerous than the weak words imply.

The volunteer civilian reserve corps, the mercenaries–let’s just call them Blackwater–are already an important part of the plan to outsource the military since the Republican fascist wave of the 1990s. “In fact,” says Jeremy Scahill, author of Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army, “they represent the life’s work of Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld.”

This is a revolution in military affairs.

This is only part of their outsourcing of many areas of the U.S. government.

This is fed from the same stream of money that created the Family Research Council and other right-wing subversive organizations.

This is the future Eisenhower warned about with the unchecked military-industrial complex.

Scahill has published a series of important articles on Blackwater and on the mercenary phenomenon in The Nation. With five Blackwater employees killed on a security operation in Baghdad just hours before the State of the Union address this week, maybe now is a good time to pay attention. Among the tidbits of information we should know:

• Blackwater and other “private security firms” beat FEMA to New Orleans.
• U.S. govt paid $950 per day per Blackwater guard, which came to $30 million for the Katrina bill. FEMA anticipated needing the guards for 3-5 years.
• From 2004-2006 the U.S. government paid this global private mercenary army $320 million for “diplomatic security.”
• Families say Blackwater cut corners in the interest of profits, resulting in the gruesome deaths of four Blackwater employees in Falluja in 2004. Now Blackwater has Kenneth Starr working as their counsel to tell the families nu-uh. How’s that for independent counsel?

Blackwater and the clean up their global activities imply has even shown up in fiction in CBS’s post-nuclear television show Jericho as Ravenwood, mercilessly marauding pirates trying to raid the good-hearted middle American town. The producers say they had helpful discussions with private security contractors in creating the realistic image of mercenaries for the show.

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George Bush talked this week about guest workers. It sounds so nice, so hospitable.

Deepa Fernandes tells a different story in her new book Targeted: Homeland Security and the Business of Immigration. Peruvians and Bolivians invited to rebuild New Orleans went home broke and in debt. You’re welcome. Come again. In discussions with African American activists in New Orleans the workers are told, This is the new slavery.

Again, these stories have the power to convince the average American that the slippery rules made by their government are not in the best interest of human beings–that is, if you can convince them that the so-called guest workers are human beings. With white supremicists setting the immigration agenda, we have a few obstacles to deal with before we get to the point of basic humanity with some people. It is possible. I am thinking of Morgan Spurlock’s television show 30 Days during one episode of which a firm anti-immigration activist (a Cuban immigrant Minuteman, no less) lived with an illegal immigrant family from Mexico for 30 days. He may not have left his nagging anti-immigration views behind, but he certainly embraced the humanity of his hosts.

This is another wrenching story from Democracy Now yesterday. And there is a new shocking story today. Democracy Now is Fascism Watch Now. This story of immigration, the story of media consolidation, and the story of outsourcing the military make up the most important hour you can spend this week to stay informed about what happens when corporations rule the world. The wake up calls are sounding all around us.

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When we consider the theory of media consolidation, it is easy for most of us to say, “Yeah, that’s right. One company shouldn’t own all of the media outlets in any one market. Some channels should remain clear.” Most of us can embrace the theory that locally owned stations are more likely to carry local content. A documentary like Orwell Rolls in His Grave is enough to scare us stupid.

The intended and unintended consequences of the 1996 Telecommunications Act have been investigated and discussed by those interested in media reform. In 2003, Federal Communications Commission revisions brought related issues into the news again–for a few months. Last Fall, a 2004 FCC report was ordered destroyed. The report found that “localism was beneficial to the public,” according to Sen. Barbara Boxer. That got a minute of attention. The National Conference for Media Reform this month had plenty of alternative media coverage. An article in the current issue of The Nation tells us this is “Media Reform’s Moment.”

What does it take to get people moving? I’m going to venture back to the idea that we learn and pass on knowledge through story and say that we need a good story that tells us exactly what can happen when, for example, one media giant owns all local radio stations with no live operator, just a national feed. To get average American people fighting media consolidation, it takes a good story.

We have that story in Eric Klinenberg’s new book, Fighting for Air: The Battle to Control America’s Media.

Five years ago this week a train derailed in Minot, North Dakota leaking thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals into the air. One person died and hundreds were treated for immediate health problems. The city’s six non-religious commercial radio stations – all owned by Clear Channel – never aired warnings for local residents.

I haven’t read the book. I can’t quite imagine that the words on page could be as powerful as the tapes of 911 calls from frantic Minot residents.

The most moving story I’ve heard yet on the consequences of media consolidation is told on yesterday’s Democracy Now interview with the author, where you can hear the story of what happened in Minot when Clear Channel was nowhere to be found.

Who is following the implications of media consolidation?

• Common Cause
• The Media Access Project
• Sen. Bernie Sanders (though you may want to hear him speak on Democracy Now since his formerly rich House site is now gone)

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With the focus on lies and misrepresentations from the State of the Union last night, don’t forget to keep your eye on Dick Cheney. He may not be around much in the near future.

The trial of Cheney’s former Chief of Staff Scooter Libby began yesterday with opening statements. Mainstream media is providing basic coverage, but the best stuff is coming from bloggers who have media credentials for the trial. What I want to hear more about is the prosecutor’s assertions that Cheney was more deeply involved in the leak and coverup than previously revealed. “Blockbuster developments,” MSNBC called them.

Try:

• “Can You Trust Cheney?” David Corn at The Nation.
• The Next Hurrah.
• “Trial of Cheney’s #2 Begins,” Rory O’Connor at Alternet.
• “The Libby Circus Is in Town,” at Wonkette.

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Then, just for a view from outside, try:

• “Cheney aide tells trial he is fallguy for Rove,” at the Guardian UK.

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The White House and Congress have been heavily lobbied by evangelical Christians seeking Armageddon. They know the (temporarily) all-powerful George Bush will help. He wants nuclear war with Iran as much as they do. He likes their vocabulary (though maybe not Stephen Colbert’s). He likes their pro-Zionist stance, and he loves anyone who will continue to attack Jimmy Carter for speaking truth to lobby.

I don’t want to participate in empty fear mongering that plays into the hands of the Armageddonites. Still, when the Bulletin for Atomic Scientists is concerned enough to move the Doomsday clock to five minutes to midnight, I am concerned. I want to stop them.

We have to believe that the Democratic Congress can stop the madman willing to jump into another war. We have to tell our Senators and Representatives that we do not want to see war with Iran, that we want to see diplomacy —as well as investigation of why previous opportunities for diplomacy were ignored. Use our democratic tools to push the Christofascists back. We need to expose these people for the baseless frauds they are.

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