Capitalism and one nation under god.

The phrase one nation under god was first used by Lincoln at Gettysburg. He actually said, "this nation under god." After that it largely disappeared from common usage. Until that is in the mid 20th century when capitalism was under pressure and it re-emerged under a different guise. This time it was used by the owners of the major corporations and their paid clergy to try and discredit the new deal.

With the great depression the prestige of the capitalists sank to new lows. In a desperate panic they scrambled to rebuild their image and beat back the new deal. The American Liberty League was one of the main front organizations they used. This was financed by the criminal capitalists such as Du Ponts and General Motors. This Liberty league, so called, was not too successful as it was seen as a front for the corporations. So the capitalists took a different road.

They shelled out big money to buy clergymen and recruit them to their cause. They said: "of all the groups in America, ministers have more to do with molding public opinion than any other." If this was true then, and it was, imagine what it is now with these mega churches and mass media. But to go back.

A minister in Los Angeles, James Fifield, head of the elite first congregational church led the way in making the propaganda for the idea that;"The blessings of capitalism come from God." And "A system that provides so much for the common good and happiness must flourish under the favor of the almighty." The new deal violated the ten commandments according to this capitalist mouthpiece. It made a "false idol" of the federal government, "encouraged Americans to covet their neighbors possessions, stole from the wealthy and ultimately bore false witness by promising what it could not deliver."

Throughout the 1930's and 1940's Fifield and his cronies made propaganda for a new blend of conservative religion, economics and politics that was dubbed by some as:"Christian libertarianism." The whole anti working class pro capitalist class propaganda was refined down to one slogan: "Freedom under god." Huge support was thrown behind the campaign to get this idea accepted. The chamber of commerce, other business lobbies, corporate sponsors, spread this propaganda of godly capitalism throughout the country with personal lectures, radio broadcasts and a monthly magazine.

In 1951 the campaign culminated in a huge 4th of July celebration on this theme. Former president Hoover, of Hooverville fame no less, and General Douglas MacArthur headed a committee of right wing big shots including Walt Disney and Ronald Reagan, but largely dominated by top capitalist powers such as Conrad Hilton, J.C. Penney, Harvey Firestone Jr. and J. Howard Pew.

In a huge public relations, that is propaganda drive, full page ads were taken out in papers nationwide to encourage "freedom under god" ceremonies throughout the country. These all connected "faith and free enterprise." There was also a nationwide sermon contest with ministers competing for cash. Myriad local events were organized by a national "Freedom Under God" radio program, produced with the help of Cecil B. DeMille, hosted by Jimmy Stewart and broadcast on CBS.

These capitalist propagandists then decided they had prepared the ground sufficiently and could take another step forward, go in for the kill. Freedom under god was sufficiently brainwashed into the mass consciousness. In 1954 as this "under god" propaganda swept the nation they added the phrase to the Pledge of Allegiance. By doing so this 1% of this earlier era has written into the US pledge of allegiance that there are no classes in US society, only one nation under god and freedom.

Meanwhile they make their billions, stash their loot in the Cayman islands, get the working class to fight their wars, only one candidate of the warmongering Republican candidates ever went to war.

Hypocrites. Liars. Propagandists who lie and lie and use their mass media and education and churches to keep the 1% in power and the 99% out of power. But things are changing. More and more people are seeing through these lies.

Sean.