Who Rules Cincinnati?

Dan La Botz (whoever the heck that is!) just came out with a new report entitled Who Rules Cincinnati? His basic argument is that 7 big corporations based here dominate the social and economic life in Cincinnati, as well as it's civic, and cultural activities, and these corporations play a hudge role in financing and have a very large influence over local politics, to the common person's detriment. The very few rich and powerful have all of the power and the majority of people haven't got any real power (ie money).Many decades of have's and have-not's has created such a hudge stratification that we are very much like the Third World. The top three corporations involved are P&G, Kroger and Macy's/Federated Department Stores.

He goes on to state that Cincinnati is the third-poorest mid-sized city in the United States, and that the antidote to this situation is for Cincinnati's working and middle class populations to organize to speak out against this corporate control. We need to end discrimination, welcome people from all nationalities and backgrounds, and most importantly change our focus in the criminal justice system. We need to stop being so punitive and focus on strengthening communities and eradicate economic and social injustice in the city of Cincinnati.

I agree with everything he is saying, but I have to say that the only way change will happen is from the bottom up. Grass-roots homegrown neighborhood organization and change is our only hope as a catalyst for change in Cincinnati. Lord knows it's not going to come down to us from City Council, the police, the Mayor, or from enacting any type of legislation.

But first of all, the masses of people have to feel the need for this change. They have to really feel fed up. People need to get up off their *&%^$$ and stop watching the television and start helping each other! I honestly keep waiting for this to happen. I thought it would happen in 2000 when Bush stole the election, but nothing. Then 911 and all of this insanity of faked evidence for going to war, and still nothing. People simply are apathetic. And until that changes, things will remain the same as they always have been. The rich will keep on getting richer and the poor will stay poor and disenfranchised.