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Television Production Accounting6 AM: After picking up some coffee from craft services, my day starts with an angry call from our wardrobe supervisor telling us that the department store is refusing to let the show pull merchandise, even though our parent studio set up our accounts last week.7 AM: I spend an hour hunting down the receipt for a $2.15 gas purchase from our locations department a month ago.8 AM: One of the cast members stops by to pick up his pay check early. He's friends with the executive producer so we release it to him.9 AM: I get an email from the maker of our animal costumes, threatening that if funds were not wired yesterday, he will stop working on them and they won't be ready in time for principal photography to start. Of course the funds were not wired yesterday, because he filled out his tax forms incorrectly.10 AM: I get an angry voicemail from the agent of the cast member who picked up his check. The agent is furious that I entrusted him with the check before the agent could take his fee off the top. The cast member has already spent the money at the casino.11 AM: I enter some invoices for payment, until our accounting program goes offline. (We use a specially-designed system just for film/TV accounting. It works great. No bugs, whatsoever.)4 PM: I send a cost report to our tax department, so they can update their projection of the tax credit we'll be receiving.5 PM: I reconcile some purchasing card receipts, and marvel at how little people tip even though it's not their money.6 PM: Finally, I file everything away and go home.======Motion Picture Tax Accounting5 AM: I had to come in early today to call the film commission in the canary islands to confirm that the recently completed audit will be pushed through in a timely fashion.6 AM: In tax, we have a really old coffee machine and really cheap beans, so I run onto the lot to pick up some coffee at the commissary.7 AM: I spend some time drafting a reply to a notice from the City of Los Angeles, claiming we owe $80,000 for not properly registering with the city in 2011. I tell them that we don't owe $80,000, citing some obscure statute in the city tax code.8 AM: I spend the next 5 hours converting a cost report from our production accountant (see above) from PDF to excel and cleaning it up. It doesn't convert perfectly, but it will do. I curse our specially-designed production accounting software for not being able to output into excel.3 PM: I spend 2 hours researching locations that could look like Mars and that also offer a tax incentive for filming. Jordan looks good.5 PM: I head out to a dinner we were invited to by the Film Commissioner of a small Midwestern state that wants to woo us into filming there. She makes us pay.8 PM: I rush back to the office to finish working on a quarterly timing report that I send out to the finance group, basically telling them when we'll actually get the tax credit money back from the various states and countries.======Studio Finance9 AM: I start my day with coffee from the Starbucks machine in our kitchen, along with a bowl of oatmeal and fresh fruit.10 AM: I get a pleasant voicemail from the agent of one of our writers, asking if we've remitted funds for their term deal yet. Apparently, they really need this month's $39,000 or they'll be living on the street.11 AM: I reread a recently renewed deal memo, trying to figure out why this producer gets paid $555,000 a month for his term deal, when he hasn't come up with a new idea in 40 years.12 PM: I pop down to the commissary, because I heard they're giving away samples of that new Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream inspired by one of our shows.1 PM: I spend a half hour imagining what the pilot for the "Untitled Improvised Dickens Project" will look like once it's finished.2 PM: I take the golf cart to our cashier's office, because apparently the world will explode if we don't get an option payment messengered to the agency before 2pm. I wave at the guests on the tram as I pass. On the way back, I stop by my old office in the trailers and say hello.3 PM: I thank the tax department for sending over the quarterly incentive tracking report, which tells me when I'll actually get the money back from the various states and countries we're filming in. I ask them why the animal-suit-maker's tax forms were invalid.4 PM: I call the department store to find out why they wouldn't let the wardrobe supervisor on our new pilot pull this morning. They appreciate our business and apologize profusely.5 PM: I leave early. Life is good.======DEFINITIONSCraft Services: Heavily regulated and monitored food provided for the cast and crew on a film set.Wardrobe: Clothing worn by cast on camera. "Pulled" from departments stores. Usually returned. Sometimes kept in storage.Parent Studio: Corporation that is funding the production.Executive Producer / EP: Friend to a surprising number of cast/crew members, apparently. Be careful, you never know who might have gone to high school with them.Locations Department: People who scout and secure locations for filming. Great photographers.Agent: Another word for vampire.Wire: The most inconvenient way to pay someone. Used primarily in the old west.Tax Forms: Always completed incorrectly, and that's our fault.Specially-designed Production Accounting Software (Examples): Entertainment Partners Vista 5, Cast and Crew PSL3, Ease Accounting. Free training is available at their Burbank offices!Cost Report: Report detailing all of the things we've spent money on this week.Tax Credit / Tax Incentive: A rebate that is offered by local, state, and national governments for film productions. The amount you can get varies by location, with some offering considerable tax advantages (Louisiana, Canada, Hungary) and some being a pain in the ass (Massachusetts, California, Spain). Ostensibly, the local economy is being heavily stimulated and we're creating jobs. For the most part, I believe that is true.Purchasing Cards: Instead of requesting petty cash, certain crew members can charge things for their department.Film Commission: The government organization put in place to help promote filming in a given location. They are mostly found at the State and National level. They audit the books to make sure we are actually stimulating the economies. In charge is a Commissioner.Coffee: An important part of my morning.Commissary: On-lot cafeteria. Super fancy, usually.Jordan: A small country in Asia that kinda looks like Mars. Ridley Scott agrees.Deal Memo: A short summary of a long-form talent contract, that is usually used to make payments to talent.Term Deal: A yearly deal where the studio pays for the "right of first refusal". Basically, if you come up with an idea, you have to pitch it to us first. If we don't like the idea, you can take it out on the town. Term deals range from as low as $4,000 a month to as high as $600,000 a month. Some deals also contain other perks (such as food, water, housing, employees).Pilot: Initial episode of a show. Made to see if the executives will like it and want to pick it up for a whole season.Golf Cart: Fun to drive. Easy to crash.

As someone who works in contentious legal matters and a Trump supporter who is convinced the election was won by fraudulent means, and I’ll bring a concrete example below, I’ll explain why the courts haven’t sided, yet, with the Trump team.I’ll start by saying that anyone who thinks that the legal system in their country is impervious to politics is a little naive.President Obama vetoes Samsung patent ban on iPhone 4 and select iPads.So lets go through some reasons the Trump administration has been unsuccessful so far.A first reason is that it is critically important for the legal system to appear just to the people. Therefore, the judges are searching for any reason not to invalidate votes of the people, whether it be standing, or flaws in the cases presented to them.This is very reasonable, and even a conservative judge will indeed be worried about sticking their neck out if it appears that they are interfering with the will of the people.Nobody wants to “disenfranchise millions of voters”. But if the allegations of systemic voter fraud are true, then that is exactly what the judicial system is accomplishing.If one briefly reviews many of the decisions it appears that there are contradictory reasons for rejecting the suits, the sum result of which is that no one can actually challenge an election in court.For example, in the cases filed before an election you can’t prove there was injury, for the cases filed after the election it is considered late-filed in view of an election result that you didn’t desire.In other cases the Trump campaign was rejected as not having standing, and individuals were rejected as their single votes were not significant to overturn the votes of hundreds of thousands of people.There have been numerous “you sued the wrong person” decisions, it isn’t the Governor or the Secretary of State or anyone else in charge, but rather the clerk that carries out the signature check… So no one in charge is actually responsible…A second reason is that there are indeed many judges who are predisposed to allow the Democrats to win, and will happily find reasons to dismiss the case.A third reason is that there is a lack of overwhelming evidence, since the DOJ, FBI and other investigative bodies are not getting involved. Maybe not because of the “deep state” or even political alliances, but that they would also then be acting against the man who they expect will shortly become their boss.To elaborate, the other side is trying:A. To openly and illegally destroy the evidence:Benson memo demanding deletion of electronic pollbook data questionable | Michigan Senate RepublicansBecause we all know that even though there is a disputed election, the “software pollbook data” must be taking up a tremendous amount of warehouse space (#sarcasm).And not only is this suspicious, but as former Mayor Guiliani points out this clearly illegal:Michigan Legislature - 168.811 Election returns, records, and applications; preservation; destruction; time.All election returns, including poll lists, statements, tally sheets, absent voters' return envelopes bearing the statement required by section 761, absent voters' records required by section 760, and other returns made by the inspectors of election of the several precincts must be carefully preserved and may be destroyed after the expiration of 2 years following the primary or election at which the same were used.B. To secretly destroy the evidence:Antrim Michigan Forensics Report [121320] v2 [REDACTED].pdfRegarding the Antrim report, see what happens when you finally file enough cases to get to a judge who is on your side and resistant to intimidation? You can get actual evidence…As noted by the Dominion CEO, those very security logs are what is designed to show unauthorized alteration of the code (starting 201:49)[1][1][1][1]:"Is it your design… to keep security logs that would flag unauthorized alteration of the code?Yes, absolutely.”*See what happens when the Trump team can actually get testimony from the other side? [the above Dominion CEO testimony only being possible through Senate Hearings and not the courts]Video: Richard Baris: Evidence of Voter Fraud Disappears From State NetworksC. To prevent legitimate election integrity checks such as audits:Michigan Secretary of State Refuses to Testify to State Legislature on ElectionMaricopa County Board Votes Against Complying With Subpoenas to Audit Voting MachinesArizona Judge Dismisses Lawsuit to Enforce Subpoenas for Election Record, Opens Opportunity for RefileIf there is nothing to hide, then why not to allow audits? Arizona Senate Could Arrest Election Officials Kelli Ward:“The reason we have paper backups here in Arizona, is that when there’s a question, we can look at them. Right now, those paper ballots are basically being held hostage by attorneys, by judges, while the people of the state and people of the nation are crying out to know whether the results are accurate.”D. Playing the race card (because we all know that is the “real” reason Trump is challenging the election results (Wayne Co. canvassers certify election results after initial deadlock):“"The Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers put politics above their duty to our residents," Tlaib tweeted Tuesday. "Suggesting that all of Wayne County can be certified, EXCEPT for Detroit, is horrifying racist and a subversion of our democracy."”E. To pull the wool over the public’s eyes with randomized statistical-sample “audit-like” efforts which are really political ploys:Secretary Raffensperger Launches Cobb County And Statewide Signature Match AuditsWhich the recount prophets already told us in advance have a predetermined result Georgia's GOP secretary of state says recount results will show 'no substantial changes'.Also during first recount in Georgia, the media reported a few days in advance that Biden was leading, which is statistically not possible if you consider the winning margin:As Georgia's Hand Recount Concludes, Vote Count Shows Biden Still Ahead“Georgia election officials expect to release the results of a statewide audit by noon Thursday, as a handful of counties finish data entry from a full hand recount of 5 million presidential votes.”Lets put this propaganda in perspective:In an election with almost 5 million votes and a winning margin of ~0.2% (49.5% to 49.3%) the informal results could not statistically be showing a trend of Biden winning.“Yes sir, in each of the handful of counties that finished counting, for every 1000 votes we count Biden is consistently getting exactly two more (495 go to Biden and 493 to Trump).The truth was not that Biden had any sort of consistent county-wide win, but rather the win was due to a few large counties. For example Fulton county alone carried about 400k votes, of which 72% were for Biden, several times his winning margin.F. Big Tech is publicly suppressing distribution of the evidence:YouTube Removes Trump Lawyer's Opening Statement From Senate Committee Hearing“Earlier this month, YouTube announced that it would remove “content alleging widespread fraud or errors changed the outcome of a historical U.S. presidential election.” The Google-owned company said that it would take this action because the “safe harbor” deadline on Dec. 8 in the presidential election had passed.”G. Big tech is delaying release of the evidence to give the other side time to develop spin stories:Twitter Blocks 'Potentially Harmful' Links to Sidney Powell Election LawsuitState Senator Mastriano's personal Twitter account temporarily suspended, Trump reactTwitter Blacklists Mathematician Who Testified at Arizona Voter Fraud HearingYouTube Bans Trump-Friendly OANN For One Week After Network Touted Fake Covid CureH. Witnesses are being intimidated, and punished, for example suspending without pay one of the USPS whistleblowers in violation of the Whistleblower Protections Act’s clause against retaliation (Ely Erlich's post in Everything Republican).Georgia Poll Workers Who Raised Election Concerns Get TerminatedSecretary Raffensperger Condemns Political Firingcalls For Rehiring Of Fulton County Whistle BlowersI. Out of all of the thousands of alleged voter fraud cases the only ones I have seen publicized are Trump supporters/Republicans who allegedly carried out the fraud.Which means that either only Republicans carried out fraud, or the enforcement agencies are only going after Republicans, or the media is created a slanted picture.J. Did I mention delaying the evidence? The law enforcement agencies themselves, those who are meant to protect the people, are overtly delaying damning reports of foreign interference in “the safest election ever”...🚨DNI Report on Election Threat Won’t Meet DEC 18 Deadline. “MASSIVE FIGHT HAS KICKED Off with DNI”…K. I’m sure I mentioned delaying the evidence… the courts too:Supreme Court Fails to Immediately Act on Trump Campaign's Request to Expedite Pennsylvania AppealL. Legal threats are issued to media entities who air expose pieces.Fox Airs Segment Challenging Election Fraud Claims Against Smartmatic After Threat of Legal ActionSo there is a lack of overwhelming evidence, because, like Trump’s Southern border wall which he “didn’t build”, there has been a tremendous opposition to all attempts for discovery, properly signature audits and examining the tabulators.But just like Trump fought for the wall, shutting down the government for it (Trump wall - Wikipedia) he is now fighting both the Democratic Party, large portions of the Republican party, the media, the countries opposing his re-election, and the tech giants supporting them, and the truth is trickling out.M. Wiki is clean of all major allegations of voter fraud.Guess nothing happened at Fulton County, huh Wiki?Fulton County, Georgia - Wikipedia2020 United States presidential election in Georgia - WikipediaOr Antrim County? You even have to click a button for this one, but still no mention of the controversy (Antrim County, Michigan - Wikipedia):N. Legal threats are issued to lawyers who allege fraudMichigan AG May Seek Sanctions for Lawyers Questioning Election ResultsO. Legal threats are issued to politicians who allege fraudhttps://floridianpress.com/2020/12/petition-filed-to-disbar-rep-matt-gaetz/P. And defensive Republicans are saying that while fraud exists in every election it “isn't widespread”.So if is “rare”, you tell me the odds of one of the two key election officials challenging Trump's claim in Georgia having his address used for fraud?Georgia Election Official and Trump Critic, Gabriel Sterling, Says Woman Fraudulently Voted Using His Address(I tried hard not to include statistical arguments but couldn't help myself when I saw that one…)Ok Ely, show me the evidence!Well, in my opinion, the best example of clear systemic fraud was the “widely debunked” publicly visible events at the Fulton County State Arena.What happened there?There were two desperate attempts in this Democratic stronghold counting the absentee, mail in and military ballots, to evacuate the Republican poll watchers from the area.The first was an alleged pipe burst, reported by the media on the night of the election as a breaking news story with an expected four hour delay in counting. The next day it was reported that there was indeed a four hour delay, with Director Barron stating it was a serious leak. Subsequently the official story was that it happened in the morning about 13 hours earlier than the breaking news story. Yet that “doesn’t hold water” because the election officials held a large 20 minute Zoom conference at 10am, mentioning all issues thus far, and didn’t mention a single word about any leak.Then, at about 1000-1030pm they packed up, told everyone to stop work which forced the Republican poll watchers by law to leave, and when the Republican poll watchers left, they pulled out the ballots they had packed away and started counting again in violation of at least two laws designed to prevent cheating.Nice story Ely, now show me the evidence!Enjoy!Below are the events in chronological order of the time they were reported at the State Farm Arena in Fulton County was the location where absentee, mail-in and military ballots were counted:Election Day, November 3, 2020, Tuesday morningAs reported here (It's Complicated: The "Burst Pipe" in Fulton County, GA - UncoverDC) during the 10am Zoom press conference, there was no mention of any burst pipe incident.For convenience, here is the direct link to the Zoom conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l0zBdp4vac&feature=emb_logoIn summary, the 10am conference included 20 minutes of election officials patting themselves on the back for smooth sailing despite minor “glitches”. (For example: 3:45 – Chairman Pitts – "everything going smoothly"; "Overall things have gone smoothly today" – Director Barron, then goes on to mention technical issues, equipment delivered late – nothing about the pipe burst; 6:44 – specifically Fulton county, everything good).Election Day, November 3, 2020, Tuesday nightThe Wall Street Journal reported at 8:55 PM (Georgia Results Likely Delayed by Pipe Burst in Fulton County - WSJ.com; “Georgia Results Likely Delayed by Pipe Burst in Fulton County”):“Election officials in Fulton County, Ga., said results could be delayed Tuesday night after a burst pipe disrupted operations at State Farm Arena in Atlanta earlier in the day, stalling absentee ballot processing by four hours.”A similar “breaking news” story was reported on CBS on election night (watch it before they take it down…):Note that it is dark (night time), and the reporter states that “they have counted 86,000 votes” and this will delay the count for a day or two, also noting the fact that Georgia is now a critical battleground state.A similar story was reported by Forbes (Georgia's Absentee Ballot Count Delayed By Burst Pipe, But Officials Say Results Won’t Be Impacted) at 9:40PM.“the leak prevented workers from tallying ballots for about four hours”November 4, 2020, Wednesday morning - “the day after”Pipe bursts in Atlanta arena causing 4-hour delay in processing ballotsAt 6:25AM the ABC reported:"A pipe burst in State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Tuesday morning, causing a four-hour delay in processing election ballots, according to deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs.”…“As planned, Fulton County will continue to tabulate the remainder of absentee ballots over the next two days," the officials continued. "Fulton County did not anticipate having all absentee ballots processed on Election Day."November 6, 2020 - “three days after”Trump’s claims about Georgia lacked facts, context“Fulton County Elections head Richard Barron said Wednesday that the pipe dumped a lot of water, soaking the carpeting and hampering work.It looked really like there was rain coming out of the ceiling and the entire carpeting was just covered in water,” he said. “There was no way to go in there and perform work.”Note: The quoted statement above indicates first-hand witnessing of the event (“It looked”), and indicated it was severe (no way to go in there and perform work) and this is the same Director Barron who didn’t mention the incident in the Zoom conference at 10am reporting all election incidents.And after all that, a month later when testifying to the senate that there was no break in the chain of custody, the election officials (who weren’t even there) stuck to the story that it was a morning pipe burst causing almost no disruption (Georgia Senate Election Hearing Transcript December 3 - Rev):Chairman Robb Pitts: (02:20:50)I’m not sure. That thing has taken the life of his own. There was a water, actually, there was a leak. The floor above where we were counting ballots at State Farm Arena, according to Steve Koonin, CEO of Atlanta Hawks. That occurred at 6:07 AM. I forget the exact date. By 8:07 AM, it was-Jessica Corbitt-Dominguez: (02:21:11)It was on Election Day.So were tens of thousands of ballots left unattended?Chairman Robb Pitts: (02:21:31)I was not there, but presumably there were people there because we started at probably seven o’clock, I believe. I’m sure that some people were there.Jessica Corbitt-Dominguez: (02:21:58)And I will say this sir, because the question of chain of custody has been raised. So I have had an opportunity to talk with the staff about that. I was not personally there, but my understanding is just in a room like this, if there was a leak over here, that does not mean that all of you would necessarily leave. And that is my understanding is that the workers who were responsible for those ballots never left the room. They were in the room the entire time. They had to stop working for a period of about two hours and that was the reason it was brought up in the first place is there was a slight delay of a couple of hours where they couldn’t access the entire room, but they did not leave. And the ballots remained in the custody of the sworn workers.To summarize:In the critical room where the alleged election fraud took place, the very room where the absentee and military ballots were to be counted, the so-called Democratic stronghold:1. There venue stated they alerted the election staff of a water leak at 6:07 AM which lasted two hours and delayed tabulating the results (Statement Regarding Absentee Ballot Tabulation at State Farm Arena | State Farm Arena). Note that this report must have at least been at night (if not days after the incident, despite the date of November 3) because they already mentioned that the results of 86,000 counted votes would be reported at night: “Tonight Fulton County will report results for approximately 86,000 absentee ballots, as well as Election Day and Early Voting results. These represent the vast majority of ballots cast within Fulton County. As planned, Fulton County will continue to tabulate the remainder of absentee ballots over the next two days.” ).2. The election staff made a public update at 10 AM making no mention of the delay or leak.3. The media reported at breaking story later that night of the leak of an expected 4 hour delay. Later that night being about 13 hours after the incident was allegedly reported to the election officials, and on election day with the media reporting every semi-newsworthy item they could find.4. The media reported the next day that a four-hour delay in counting had indeed occurred.5. Three days later, an election official who had talked extensively the 10am Zoom conference and yet made no mention of the leak, released a statement that he personally witnessed it and it was severe.6. The leak at some stage became a minor leak in the morning, which did nothing.And that, my dear friends, is only the first incident that happened at Fulton County.The second incident, which occurred about two hours after the breaking news story of the leak is well known to you.The election staff packed up the ballots, yes they did, it’s all on camera. [2][2][2][2]At 3:26 in the linked video, you can clearly see ballots on top left hand corner tables (top right hand corner screen)At 5:26 in the video (real time: 1037 the same desks have been packed up.Then, at 11:09 real-time (11:13 in the video) – the lady in purple who had been wiping down the tables earlier is now processing ballots in the top right hand screen, top left corner.The release of the video showing the ballots being packed away caused the other side to change their story from “the cutters finished their jobs and left, making the Republican Poll Watchers think the work was over” to “everybody thought the work was over and then it was decided to restart ballot counting due to external pressure, just coincidentally after the Republican Poll Watchers left”.Georgia election officials show frame-by-frame what happened in Fulton surveillance video (ironically the same official mentioned above who subsequently found out his address had been used by another voter…)“ At 10 p.m., with the room full of people, including official monitors and the media, video shows ballots that had already been opened but not counted placed in the boxes, sealed up and stored under the table.The reason? Employees thought they were done for the night.“They were closing things up and getting ready to leave,” Watson said.”And so why did they start counting again, according to the story?“Media and observers left as employees packed up. But Fulton’s election director called a supervisor at State Farm a few minutes later, telling them to keep counting after the Secretary of State’s office called and said they shouldn’t stop counting for the night so early.”Aha, again Director Barron… So the Secretary of State got wind that they were “stopping counting” and intervened to keep counting just a bit longer.Which makes a lot of sense (#sarcasm), since there was still extensive counting to be done and there would be no chance to finish at 1am anyway…Let me make it crystal clear: an instruction from the Secretary of State’s office and election director to not “stop counting” means that it was public knowledge that they were stopping counting, and the video shows they had, indeed, stopped counting, not that the “cutters had finished their part”.Not that I believe the story about the Secretary of State’s office anyway…But rest assured, there was no mishandling of the ballots because “State election investigators have already spent hours analyzing the video” and they couldn’t find evidence of fraud…Because anyone watching this video with distant screens not even facing the ballots or computers can tell if any foul play (digital adjudication etc.) is going on (#heavysarcasm).Pre-emptive responses to the strawman attacks on this evidence:The Trump team in their first presentation of the video stated quite explicitly that they had not had time to review the whole video and that the only thing they could say “for certain” after skimming it, was that it was not typical practice to be pulling ballots out of suitcases stored under the table (this is not where ballots had been coming from the whole day).The fact that it was later found upon further review that the ballots under the table had been put away there at 10:02pm is actually confirmation that it was not normal and that they had indeed been packed away.The Trump team in their first presentation indeed called the boxes with wheels and extendable handles “suitcases” because if you look up the dictionary definition this is a perfectly normal word to use. They didn’t say that “ballots are stored in ballot cases and this was an unusual suitcase which isn’t a ballot case”, this is a red-herring…There is no logical and legal reason election to start up counting again for only an hour and a half in the middle of the night, counting wasn’t close to finishing. This story falls short of basic believability.As explained in a subsequent Trump Team presentation here [3][3][3][3]citing and explaining relevant laws and the points I summarized below (starting at about 1:48:00):The Republican poll watchers were indeed forced to leave, by law they had no right to stay there after it was announced that work had been stopped.It was illegal to restart counting out of the public view. Georgia statute 21-2-483(b).It was illegal to restart counting without a public announcement. Georgia statute 21-2-493.Subsequently, the chief investigative officer told the press that there was no announcement to stop work. Yet ABC clearly reported at 6:30am the following morning that they had been informed that the counting had stopped at 1030am.NEW: The election department sent the ballot counters at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta home at 10:30 p.m., Regina Waller, the Fulton County public affairs manager for elections, tells ABC News. https://t.co/HgCtcXEka3— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) November 4, 2020I hereby call “pants on fire”.The legislature doesn’t require investigators to be able to catch election cheats with 10 witnesses, it is enough to state that counting should be in public view and with public knowledge.To try and avoid being caught violating the above mentioned laws they made up and circulated in the media a lie that the secretary of state sent a non-partisan official (who had to stay anonymous out of fear for his or her safety) and therefore they weren't counting out of the public's view.This is yet another lie debunked by the video who show no such person and apparently the alleged identify was revealed to the senate judiciary committee and testimony was obtained that this alibi was absolutely false (Page 5, first paragraph: Georgia chairmans report).Edit! Update from the Georgia Senate subcommittee hearing on December 30, 2020.Starting at 14:00 the Trump team show two women repeatedly running the same ballots from under the table through the scanners several times!https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uSfbEiV-UxgTwo incidents with contradictory, changing and prima facie illogical stories, occurred within two hours of each other at one of the counting locations critical to the national election (which had thousands of counting venues), the second event clearly including illegal activity.What are you going to tell me next, that the proud father-in-law of a Jew is a secret neo-nazi sending out messages in “codes”?[4][4][4][4]I tried sending the information about the conflicting timeline of the pipe burst to Sydney Powell, but had a terribly difficult time filling out the report form since the page (Contact) looks like this on all of my browsers:Awful hard to know what to fill in each box (although I did figure it out eventually, I’m quite stubborn).I’m sure it’s just a technical glitch, it happens all the time that contact pages are made virtually invisible...I’ll also add that Fulton County is in Georgia, where Trump votes kept reappearing (“oops!”) in the thousands in Trump strongholds, during the recount. [5][5][5][5]“During this audit, it was discovered that Fayette County had missed tabulating 2,755 votes, Floyd County had about 2,600 ballots that were never scanned, Douglas County failed to include a memory card from an Election Day precinct that included 156 votes, and Walton County discovered a memory card with 284 votes.Of course if there is nothing wrong with the system, why try to fix it?One final note, it has been claimed that the batch processed in Fulton that night had an unusually large Biden vote (unusually large compared to other mail in batches - which shouldn't happen) but I haven't been able to find the realtime Edison data myself.GEORGIA🚨An analysis of the Edison election database shows that Joe Biden received 98% of a 23,487 vote batch in Georgia at 12:18 AM.🔻 pic.twitter.com/eovvLebml9— Kanekoa (@KanekoaTheGreat) December 6, 2020Footnotes[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbegDlTxzMg[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbegDlTxzMg[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbegDlTxzMg[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbegDlTxzMg[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keANzinHWUA&t=553s[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keANzinHWUA&t=553s[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keANzinHWUA&t=553s[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keANzinHWUA&t=553s[3] Page on youtube.com[3] Page on youtube.com[3] Page on youtube.com[3] Page on youtube.com[4] Ely Erlich's answer to What factual examples or scientific studies do Trump supporters have that NBC, CBS, or ABC use fake news in their newscasts?[4] Ely Erlich's answer to What factual examples or scientific studies do Trump supporters have that NBC, CBS, or ABC use fake news in their newscasts?[4] Ely Erlich's answer to What factual examples or scientific studies do Trump supporters have that NBC, CBS, or ABC use fake news in their newscasts?[4] Ely Erlich's answer to What factual examples or scientific studies do Trump supporters have that NBC, CBS, or ABC use fake news in their newscasts?[5] 2020 United States presidential election in Georgia - Wikipedia[5] 2020 United States presidential election in Georgia - Wikipedia[5] 2020 United States presidential election in Georgia - Wikipedia[5] 2020 United States presidential election in Georgia - Wikipedia

This is a really complicated question to answer. There are a number of things that we can look at and say the Democrats did wrong and the Republicans did wrong. We can do a lot of finger pointing. To me however, there is one defining thing that explains the most. Just prior to becoming confirmed as Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court justice to be, Nixon appointee to SCOTUS, Lewis Powell wrote a memo to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This memo became the manifesto for the conservatives in the business community urging them to take control of both political parties, the education system, and the media. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce saw to it, and later Congress and the Supreme court saw to it that all recommendations of the Powell memo were implemented. This new conservative agenda completely replaced the Republican agenda championed by Eisenhower And so the dumbing down the U.S. population through the education system and the media began in earnest leading the U.S. inexorably to a Trump presidency. After reading the memo, please checkout the link to a PDF on follow ups to this memo by the Chamber of Commerce, particularly the memo about cracking the news media:Confidential Memorandum: Attack of American Free Enterprise SystemDATE: August 23, 1971TO: Mr. Eugene B. Sydnor, Jr., Chairman, Education Committee, U.S. Chamber of CommerceFROM: Lewis F. Powell, Jr.This memorandum is submitted at your request as a basis for the discussion on August 24 with Mr. Booth (executive vice president) and others at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The purpose is to identify the problem, and suggest possible avenues of action for further consideration.Dimensions of the AttackNo thoughtful person can question that the American economic system is under broad attack. This varies in scope, intensity, in the techniques employed, and in the level of visibility.There always have been some who opposed the American system, and preferred socialism or some form of statism (communism or fascism). Also, there always have been critics of the system, whose criticism has been wholesome and constructive so long as the objective was to improve rather than to subvert or destroy.But what now concerns us is quite new in the history of America. We are not dealing with sporadic or isolated attacks from a relatively few extremists or even from the minority socialist cadre. Rather, the assault on the enterprise system is broadly based and consistently pursued. It is gaining momentum and converts.Sources of the AttackThe sources are varied and diffused. They include, not unexpectedly, the Communists, New Leftists and other revolutionaries who would destroy the entire system, both political and economic. These extremists of the left are far more numerous, better financed, and increasingly are more welcomed and encouraged by other elements of society, than ever before in our history. But they remain a small minority, and are not yet the principal cause for concern.The most disquieting voices joining the chorus of criticism come from perfectly respectable elements of society: from the college campus, the pulpit, the media, the intellectual and literary journals, the arts and sciences, and from politicians. In most of these groups the movement against the system is participated in only by minorities. Yet, these often are the most articulate, the most vocal, the most prolific in their writing and speaking.Moreover, much of the media-for varying motives and in varying degrees-either voluntarily accords unique publicity to these “attackers,” or at least allows them to exploit the media for their purposes. This is especially true of television, which now plays such a predominant role in shaping the thinking, attitudes and emotions of our people.One of the bewildering paradoxes of our time is the extent to which the enterprise system tolerates, if not participates in, its own destruction.The campuses from which much of the criticism emanates are supported by (i) tax funds generated largely from American business, and (ii) contributions from capital funds controlled or generated by American business. The boards of trustees of our universities overwhelmingly are composed of men and women who are leaders in the system.Most of the media, including the national TV systems, are owned and theoretically controlled by corporations which depend upon profits, and the enterprise system to survive.Tone of the AttackThis memorandum is not the place to document in detail the tone, character, or intensity of the attack. The following quotations will suffice to give one a general idea:William Kunstler, warmly welcomed on campuses and listed in a recent student poll as the “American lawyer most admired,” incites audiences as follows:“You must learn to fight in the streets, to revolt, to shoot guns. We will learn to do all of the things that property owners fear.”2 The New Leftists who heed Kunstler’s advice increasingly are beginning to act — not just against military recruiting offices and manufacturers of munitions, but against a variety of businesses: “Since February, 1970, branches (of Bank of America) have been attacked 39 times, 22 times with explosive devices and 17 times with fire bombs or by arsonists.”3 Although New Leftist spokesmen are succeeding in radicalizing thousands of the young, the greater cause for concern is the hostility of respectable liberals and social reformers. It is the sum total of their views and influence which could indeed fatally weaken or destroy the system.A chilling description of what is being taught on many of our campuses was written by Stewart Alsop:“Yale, like every other major college, is graduating scores of bright young men who are practitioners of ‘the politics of despair.’ These young men despise the American political and economic system . . . (their) minds seem to be wholly closed. They live, not by rational discussion, but by mindless slogans.”4 A recent poll of students on 12 representative campuses reported that: “Almost half the students favored socialization of basic U.S. industries.”5A visiting professor from England at Rockford College gave a series of lectures entitled “The Ideological War Against Western Society,” in which he documents the extent to which members of the intellectual community are waging ideological warfare against the enterprise system and the values of western society. In a foreword to these lectures, famed Dr. Milton Friedman of Chicago warned: “It (is) crystal clear that the foundations of our free society are under wide-ranging and powerful attack — not by Communist or any other conspiracy but by misguided individuals parroting one another and unwittingly serving ends they would never intentionally promote.”6Perhaps the single most effective antagonist of American business is Ralph Nader, who — thanks largely to the media — has become a legend in his own time and an idol of millions of Americans. A recent article in Fortune speaks of Nader as follows:“The passion that rules in him — and he is a passionate man — is aimed at smashing utterly the target of his hatred, which is corporate power. He thinks, and says quite bluntly, that a great many corporate executives belong in prison — for defrauding the consumer with shoddy merchandise, poisoning the food supply with chemical additives, and willfully manufacturing unsafe products that will maim or kill the buyer. He emphasizes that he is not talking just about ‘fly-by-night hucksters’ but the top management of blue chip business.”7A frontal assault was made on our government, our system of justice, and the free enterprise system by Yale Professor Charles Reich in his widely publicized book: “The Greening of America,” published last winter.The foregoing references illustrate the broad, shotgun attack on the system itself. There are countless examples of rifle shots which undermine confidence and confuse the public. Favorite current targets are proposals for tax incentives through changes in depreciation rates and investment credits. These are usually described in the media as “tax breaks,” “loop holes” or “tax benefits” for the benefit of business. As viewed by a columnist in the Post, such tax measures would benefit “only the rich, the owners of big companies.”8It is dismaying that many politicians make the same argument that tax measures of this kind benefit only “business,” without benefit to “the poor.” The fact that this is either political demagoguery or economic illiteracy is of slight comfort. This setting of the “rich” against the “poor,” of business against the people, is the cheapest and most dangerous kind of politics.The Apathy and Default of BusinessWhat has been the response of business to this massive assault upon its fundamental economics, upon its philosophy, upon its right to continue to manage its own affairs, and indeed upon its integrity?The painfully sad truth is that business, including the boards of directors’ and the top executives of corporations great and small and business organizations at all levels, often have responded — if at all — by appeasement, ineptitude and ignoring the problem. There are, of course, many exceptions to this sweeping generalization. But the net effect of such response as has been made is scarcely visible.In all fairness, it must be recognized that businessmen have not been trained or equipped to conduct guerrilla warfare with those who propagandize against the system, seeking insidiously and constantly to sabotage it. The traditional role of business executives has been to manage, to produce, to sell, to create jobs, to make profits, to improve the standard of living, to be community leaders, to serve on charitable and educational boards, and generally to be good citizens. They have performed these tasks very well indeed.But they have shown little stomach for hard-nose contest with their critics, and little skill in effective intellectual and philosophical debate.A column recently carried by the Wall Street Journal was entitled: “Memo to GM: Why Not Fight Back?”9 Although addressed to GM by name, the article was a warning to all American business. Columnist St. John said:“General Motors, like American business in general, is ‘plainly in trouble’ because intellectual bromides have been substituted for a sound intellectual exposition of its point of view.” Mr. St. John then commented on the tendency of business leaders to compromise with and appease critics. He cited the concessions which Nader wins from management, and spoke of “the fallacious view many businessmen take toward their critics.” He drew a parallel to the mistaken tactics of many college administrators: “College administrators learned too late that such appeasement serves to destroy free speech, academic freedom and genuine scholarship. One campus radical demand was conceded by university heads only to be followed by a fresh crop which soon escalated to what amounted to a demand for outright surrender.”One need not agree entirely with Mr. St. John’s analysis. But most observers of the American scene will agree that the essence of his message is sound. American business “plainly in trouble”; the response to the wide range of critics has been ineffective, and has included appeasement; the time has come — indeed, it is long overdue — for the wisdom, ingenuity and resources of American business to be marshalled against those who would destroy it.Responsibility of Business ExecutivesWhat specifically should be done? The first essential — a prerequisite to any effective action — is for businessmen to confront this problem as a primary responsibility of corporate management.The overriding first need is for businessmen to recognize that the ultimate issue may be survival — survival of what we call the free enterprise system, and all that this means for the strength and prosperity of America and the freedom of our people.The day is long past when the chief executive officer of a major corporation discharges his responsibility by maintaining a satisfactory growth of profits, with due regard to the corporation’s public and social responsibilities. If our system is to survive, top management must be equally concerned with protecting and preserving the system itself. This involves far more than an increased emphasis on “public relations” or “governmental affairs” — two areas in which corporations long have invested substantial sums.A significant first step by individual corporations could well be the designation of an executive vice president (ranking with other executive VP’s) whose responsibility is to counter-on the broadest front-the attack on the enterprise system. The public relations department could be one of the foundations assigned to this executive, but his responsibilities should encompass some of the types of activities referred to subsequently in this memorandum. His budget and staff should be adequate to the task.Possible Role of the Chamber of CommerceBut independent and uncoordinated activity by individual corporations, as important as this is, will not be sufficient. Strength lies in organization, in careful long-range planning and implementation, in consistency of action over an indefinite period of years, in the scale of financing available only through joint effort, and in the political power available only through united action and national organizations.Moreover, there is the quite understandable reluctance on the part of any one corporation to get too far out in front and to make itself too visible a target.The role of the National Chamber of Commerce is therefore vital. Other national organizations (especially those of various industrial and commercial groups) should join in the effort, but no other organizations appear to be as well situated as the Chamber. It enjoys a strategic position, with a fine reputation and a broad base of support. Also — and this is of immeasurable merit — there are hundreds of local Chambers of Commerce which can play a vital supportive role.It hardly need be said that before embarking upon any program, the Chamber should study and analyze possible courses of action and activities, weighing risks against probable effectiveness and feasibility of each. Considerations of cost, the assurance of financial and other support from members, adequacy of staffing and similar problems will all require the most thoughtful consideration.The CampusThe assault on the enterprise system was not mounted in a few months. It has gradually evolved over the past two decades, barely perceptible in its origins and benefiting (sic) from a gradualism that provoked little awareness much less any real reaction.Although origins, sources and causes are complex and interrelated, and obviously difficult to identify without careful qualification, there is reason to believe that the campus is the single most dynamic source. The social science faculties usually include members who are unsympathetic to the enterprise system. They may range from a Herbert Marcuse, Marxist faculty member at the University of California at San Diego, and convinced socialists, to the ambivalent liberal critic who finds more to condemn than to commend. Such faculty members need not be in a majority. They are often personally attractive and magnetic; they are stimulating teachers, and their controversy attracts student following; they are prolific writers and lecturers; they author many of the textbooks, and they exert enormous influence — far out of proportion to their numbers — on their colleagues and in the academic world.Social science faculties (the political scientist, economist, sociologist and many of the historians) tend to be liberally oriented, even when leftists are not present. This is not a criticism per se, as the need for liberal thought is essential to a balanced viewpoint. The difficulty is that “balance” is conspicuous by its absence on many campuses, with relatively few members being of conservatives or moderate persuasion and even the relatively few often being less articulate and aggressive than their crusading colleagues.This situation extending back many years and with the imbalance gradually worsening, has had an enormous impact on millions of young American students. In an article in Barron’s Weekly, seeking an answer to why so many young people are disaffected even to the point of being revolutionaries, it was said: “Because they were taught that way.”10 Or, as noted by columnist Stewart Alsop, writing about his alma mater: “Yale, like every other major college, is graduating scores’ of bright young men … who despise the American political and economic system.”As these “bright young men,” from campuses across the country, seek opportunities to change a system which they have been taught to distrust — if not, indeed “despise” — they seek employment in the centers of the real power and influence in our country, namely: (i) with the news media, especially television; (ii) in government, as “staffers” and consultants at various levels; (iii) in elective politics; (iv) as lecturers and writers, and (v) on the faculties at various levels of education.Many do enter the enterprise system — in business and the professions — and for the most part they quickly discover the fallacies of what they have been taught. But those who eschew the mainstream of the system often remain in key positions of influence where they mold public opinion and often shape governmental action. In many instances, these “intellectuals” end up in regulatory agencies or governmental departments with large authority over the business system they do not believe in.If the foregoing analysis is approximately sound, a priority task of business — and organizations such as the Chamber — is to address the campus origin of this hostility. Few things are more sanctified in American life than academic freedom. It would be fatal to attack this as a principle. But if academic freedom is to retain the qualities of “openness,” “fairness” and “balance” — which are essential to its intellectual significance — there is a great opportunity for constructive action. The thrust of such action must be to restore the qualities just mentioned to the academic communities.What Can Be Done About the CampusThe ultimate responsibility for intellectual integrity on the campus must remain on the administrations and faculties of our colleges and universities. But organizations such as the Chamber can assist and activate constructive change in many ways, including the following:Staff of ScholarsThe Chamber should consider establishing a staff of highly qualified scholars in the social sciences who do believe in the system. It should include several of national reputation whose authorship would be widely respected — even when disagreed with.Staff of SpeakersThere also should be a staff of speakers of the highest competency. These might include the scholars, and certainly those who speak for the Chamber would have to articulate the product of the scholars.Speaker’s BureauIn addition to full-time staff personnel, the Chamber should have a Speaker’s Bureau which should include the ablest and most effective advocates from the top echelons of American business.Evaluation of TextbooksThe staff of scholars (or preferably a panel of independent scholars) should evaluate social science textbooks, especially in economics, political science and sociology. This should be a continuing program.The objective of such evaluation should be oriented toward restoring the balance essential to genuine academic freedom. This would include assurance of fair and factual treatment of our system of government and our enterprise system, its accomplishments, its basic relationship to individual rights and freedoms, and comparisons with the systems of socialism, fascism and communism. Most of the existing textbooks have some sort of comparisons, but many are superficial, biased and unfair.We have seen the civil rights movement insist on re-writing many of the textbooks in our universities and schools. The labor unions likewise insist that textbooks be fair to the viewpoints of organized labor. Other interested citizens groups have not hesitated to review, analyze and criticize textbooks and teaching materials. In a democratic society, this can be a constructive process and should be regarded as an aid to genuine academic freedom and not as an intrusion upon it.If the authors, publishers and users of textbooks know that they will be subjected — honestly, fairly and thoroughly — to review and critique by eminent scholars who believe in the American system, a return to a more rational balance can be expected.Equal Time on the CampusThe Chamber should insist upon equal time on the college speaking circuit. The FBI publishes each year a list of speeches made on college campuses by avowed Communists. The number in 1970 exceeded 100. There were, of course, many hundreds of appearances by leftists and ultra liberals who urge the types of viewpoints indicated earlier in this memorandum. There was no corresponding representation of American business, or indeed by individuals or organizations who appeared in support of the American system of government and business.Every campus has its formal and informal groups which invite speakers. Each law school does the same thing. Many universities and colleges officially sponsor lecture and speaking programs. We all know the inadequacy of the representation of business in the programs.It will be said that few invitations would be extended to Chamber speakers.11 This undoubtedly would be true unless the Chamber aggressively insisted upon the right to be heard — in effect, insisted upon “equal time.” University administrators and the great majority of student groups and committees would not welcome being put in the position publicly of refusing a forum to diverse views, indeed, this is the classic excuse for allowing Communists to speak.The two essential ingredients are (i) to have attractive, articulate and well-informed speakers; and (ii) to exert whatever degree of pressure — publicly and privately — may be necessary to assure opportunities to speak. The objective always must be to inform and enlighten, and not merely to propagandize.Balancing of FacultiesPerhaps the most fundamental problem is the imbalance of many faculties. Correcting this is indeed a long-range and difficult project. Yet, it should be undertaken as a part of an overall program. This would mean the urging of the need for faculty balance upon university administrators and boards of trustees.The methods to be employed require careful thought, and the obvious pitfalls must be avoided. Improper pressure would be counterproductive. But the basic concepts of balance, fairness and truth are difficult to resist, if properly presented to boards of trustees, by writing and speaking, and by appeals to alumni associations and groups.This is a long road and not one for the fainthearted. But if pursued with integrity and conviction it could lead to a strengthening of both academic freedom on the campus and of the values which have made America the most productive of all societies.Graduate Schools of BusinessThe Chamber should enjoy a particular rapport with the increasingly influential graduate schools of business. Much that has been suggested above applies to such schools.Should not the Chamber also request specific courses in such schools dealing with the entire scope of the problem addressed by this memorandum? This is now essential training for the executives of the future.Secondary EducationWhile the first priority should be at the college level, the trends mentioned above are increasingly evidenced in the high schools. Action programs, tailored to the high schools and similar to those mentioned, should be considered. The implementation thereof could become a major program for local chambers of commerce, although the control and direction — especially the quality control — should be retained by the National Chamber.What Can Be Done About the Public?Reaching the campus and the secondary schools is vital for the long-term. Reaching the public generally may be more important for the shorter term. The first essential is to establish the staffs of eminent scholars, writers and speakers, who will do the thinking, the analysis, the writing and the speaking. It will also be essential to have staff personnel who are thoroughly familiar with the media, and how most effectively to communicate with the public. Among the more obvious means are the following:TelevisionThe national television networks should be monitored in the same way that textbooks should be kept under constant surveillance. This applies not merely to so-called educational programs (such as “Selling of the Pentagon”), but to the daily “news analysis” which so often includes the most insidious type of criticism of the enterprise system.12 Whether this criticism results from hostility or economic ignorance, the result is the gradual erosion of confidence in “business” and free enterprise.This monitoring, to be effective, would require constant examination of the texts of adequate samples of programs. Complaints — to the media and to the Federal Communications Commission — should be made promptly and strongly when programs are unfair or inaccurate.Equal time should be demanded when appropriate. Effort should be made to see that the forum-type programs (the Today Show, Meet the Press, etc.) afford at least as much opportunity for supporters of the American system to participate as these programs do for those who attack it.Other MediaRadio and the press are also important, and every available means should be employed to challenge and refute unfair attacks, as well as to present the affirmative case through these media.The Scholarly JournalsIt is especially important for the Chamber’s “faculty of scholars” to publish. One of the keys to the success of the liberal and leftist faculty members has been their passion for “publication” and “lecturing.” A similar passion must exist among the Chamber’s scholars.Incentives might be devised to induce more “publishing” by independent scholars who do believe in the system.There should be a fairly steady flow of scholarly articles presented to a broad spectrum of magazines and periodicals — ranging from the popular magazines (Life, Look, Reader’s Digest, etc.) to the more intellectual ones (Atlantic, Harper’s, Saturday Review, New York, etc.)13 and to the various professional journals.Books, Paperbacks and PamphletsThe news stands — at airports, drugstores, and elsewhere — are filled with paperbacks and pamphlets advocating everything from revolution to erotic free love. One finds almost no attractive, well-written paperbacks or pamphlets on “our side.” It will be difficult to compete with an Eldridge Cleaver or even a Charles Reich for reader attention, but unless the effort is made — on a large enough scale and with appropriate imagination to assure some success — this opportunity for educating the public will be irretrievably lost.Paid AdvertisementsBusiness pays hundreds of millions of dollars to the media for advertisements. Most of this supports specific products; much of it supports institutional image making; and some fraction of it does support the system. But the latter has been more or less tangential, and rarely part of a sustained, major effort to inform and enlighten the American people.If American business devoted only 10% of its total annual advertising budget to this overall purpose, it would be a statesman-like expenditure.The Neglected Political ArenaIn the final analysis, the payoff — short-of revolution — is what government does. Business has been the favorite whipping-boy of many politicians for many years. But the measure of how far this has gone is perhaps best found in the anti-business views now being expressed by several leading candidates for President of the United States.It is still Marxist doctrine that the “capitalist” countries are controlled by big business. This doctrine, consistently a part of leftist propaganda all over the world, has a wide public following among Americans.Yet, as every business executive knows, few elements of American society today have as little influence in government as the American businessman, the corporation, or even the millions of corporate stockholders. If one doubts this, let him undertake the role of “lobbyist” for the business point of view before Congressional committees. The same situation obtains in the legislative halls of most states and major cities. One does not exaggerate to say that, in terms of political influence with respect to the course of legislation and government action, the American business executive is truly the “forgotten man.”Current examples of the impotency of business, and of the near-contempt with which businessmen’s views are held, are the stampedes by politicians to support almost any legislation related to “consumerism” or to the “environment.”Politicians reflect what they believe to be majority views of their constituents. It is thus evident that most politicians are making the judgment that the public has little sympathy for the businessman or his viewpoint.The educational programs suggested above would be designed to enlighten public thinking — not so much about the businessman and his individual role as about the system which he administers, and which provides the goods, services and jobs on which our country depends.But one should not postpone more direct political action, while awaiting the gradual change in public opinion to be effected through education and information. Business must learn the lesson, long ago learned by labor and other self-interest groups. This is the lesson that political power is necessary; that such power must be assidously (sic) cultivated; and that when necessary, it must be used aggressively and with determination — without embarrassment and without the reluctance which has been so characteristic of American business.As unwelcome as it may be to the Chamber, it should consider assuming a broader and more vigorous role in the political arena.Neglected Opportunity in the CourtsAmerican business and the enterprise system have been affected as much by the courts as by the executive and legislative branches of government. Under our constitutional system, especially with an activist-minded Supreme Court, the judiciary may be the most important instrument for social, economic and political change.Other organizations and groups, recognizing this, have been far more astute in exploiting judicial action than American business. Perhaps the most active exploiters of the judicial system have been groups ranging in political orientation from “liberal” to the far left.The American Civil Liberties Union is one example. It initiates or intervenes in scores of cases each year, and it files briefs amicus curiae in the Supreme Court in a number of cases during each term of that court. Labor unions, civil rights groups and now the public interest law firms are extremely active in the judicial arena. Their success, often at business’ expense, has not been inconsequential.This is a vast area of opportunity for the Chamber, if it is willing to undertake the role of spokesman for American business and if, in turn, business is willing to provide the funds.As with respect to scholars and speakers, the Chamber would need a highly competent staff of lawyers. In special situations it should be authorized to engage, to appear as counsel amicus in the Supreme Court, lawyers of national standing and reputation. The greatest care should be exercised in selecting the cases in which to participate, or the suits to institute. But the opportunity merits the necessary effort.Neglected Stockholder PowerThe average member of the public thinks of “business” as an impersonal corporate entity, owned by the very rich and managed by over-paid executives. There is an almost total failure to appreciate that “business” actually embraces — in one way or another — most Americans. Those for whom business provides jobs, constitute a fairly obvious class. But the 20 million stockholders — most of whom are of modest means — are the real owners, the real entrepreneurs, the real capitalists under our system. They provide the capital which fuels the economic system which has produced the highest standard of living in all history. Yet, stockholders have been as ineffectual as business executives in promoting a genuine understanding of our system or in exercising political influence.The question which merits the most thorough examination is how can the weight and influence of stockholders — 20 million voters — be mobilized to support (i) an educational program and (ii) a political action program.Individual corporations are now required to make numerous reports to shareholders. Many corporations also have expensive “news” magazines which go to employees and stockholders. These opportunities to communicate can be used far more effectively as educational media.The corporation itself must exercise restraint in undertaking political action and must, of course, comply with applicable laws. But is it not feasible — through an affiliate of the Chamber or otherwise — to establish a national organization of American stockholders and give it enough muscle to be influential?A More Aggressive AttitudeBusiness interests — especially big business and their national trade organizations — have tried to maintain low profiles, especially with respect to political action.As suggested in the Wall Street Journal article, it has been fairly characteristic of the average business executive to be tolerant — at least in public — of those who attack his corporation and the system. Very few businessmen or business organizations respond in kind. There has been a disposition to appease; to regard the opposition as willing to compromise, or as likely to fade away in due time.Business has shunted confrontation politics. Business, quite understandably, has been repelled by the multiplicity of non-negotiable “demands” made constantly by self-interest groups of all kinds.While neither responsible business interests, nor the United States Chamber of Commerce, would engage in the irresponsible tactics of some pressure groups, it is essential that spokesmen for the enterprise system — at all levels and at every opportunity — be far more aggressive than in the past.There should be no hesitation to attack the Naders, the Marcuses and others who openly seek destruction of the system. There should not be the slightest hesitation to press vigorously in all political arenas for support of the enterprise system. Nor should there be reluctance to penalize politically those who oppose it.Lessons can be learned from organized labor in this respect. The head of the AFL-CIO may not appeal to businessmen as the most endearing or public-minded of citizens. Yet, over many years the heads of national labor organizations have done what they were paid to do very effectively. They may not have been beloved, but they have been respected — where it counts the most — by politicians, on the campus, and among the media.It is time for American business — which has demonstrated the greatest capacity in all history to produce and to influence consumer decisions — to apply their great talents vigorously to the preservation of the system itself.The CostThe type of program described above (which includes a broadly based combination of education and political action), if undertaken long term and adequately staffed, would require far more generous financial support from American corporations than the Chamber has ever received in the past. High level management participation in Chamber affairs also would be required.The staff of the Chamber would have to be significantly increased, with the highest quality established and maintained. Salaries would have to be at levels fully comparable to those paid key business executives and the most prestigious faculty members. Professionals of the great skill in advertising and in working with the media, speakers, lawyers and other specialists would have to be recruited.It is possible that the organization of the Chamber itself would benefit from restructuring. For example, as suggested by union experience, the office of President of the Chamber might well be a full-time career position. To assure maximum effectiveness and continuity, the chief executive officer of the Chamber should not be changed each year. The functions now largely performed by the President could be transferred to a Chairman of the Board, annually elected by the membership. The Board, of course, would continue to exercise policy control.Quality Control is EssentialEssential ingredients of the entire program must be responsibility and “quality control.” The publications, the articles, the speeches, the media programs, the advertising, the briefs filed in courts, and the appearances before legislative committees — all must meet the most exacting standards of accuracy and professional excellence. They must merit respect for their level of public responsibility and scholarship, whether one agrees with the viewpoints expressed or not.Relationship to FreedomThe threat to the enterprise system is not merely a matter of economics. It also is a threat to individual freedom.It is this great truth — now so submerged by the rhetoric of the New Left and of many liberals — that must be re-affirmed if this program is to be meaningful.There seems to be little awareness that the only alternatives to free enterprise are varying degrees of bureaucratic regulation of individual freedom — ranging from that under moderate socialism to the iron heel of the leftist or rightist dictatorship.We in America already have moved very far indeed toward some aspects of state socialism, as the needs and complexities of a vast urban society require types of regulation and control that were quite unnecessary in earlier times. In some areas, such regulation and control already have seriously impaired the freedom of both business and labor, and indeed of the public generally. But most of the essential freedoms remain: private ownership, private profit, labor unions, collective bargaining, consumer choice, and a market economy in which competition largely determines price, quality and variety of the goods and services provided the consumer.In addition to the ideological attack on the system itself (discussed in this memorandum), its essentials also are threatened by inequitable taxation, and — more recently — by an inflation which has seemed uncontrollable.14 But whatever the causes of diminishing economic freedom may be, the truth is that freedom as a concept is indivisible. As the experience of the socialist and totalitarian states demonstrates, the contraction and denial of economic freedom is followed inevitably by governmental restrictions on other cherished rights. It is this message, above all others, that must be carried home to the American people.ConclusionIt hardly need be said that the views expressed above are tentative and suggestive. The first step should be a thorough study. But this would be an exercise in futility unless the Board of Directors of the Chamber accepts the fundamental premise of this paper, namely, that business and the enterprise system are in deep trouble, and the hour is late.Footnotes (Powell’s)Variously called: the “free enterprise system,” “capitalism,” and the “profit system.” The American political system of democracy under the rule of law is also under attack, often by the same individuals and organizations who seek to undermine the enterprise system.Richmond News Leader, June 8, 1970. Column of William F. Buckley, Jr.N.Y. Times Service article, reprinted Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 17, 1971.Stewart Alsop, Yale and the Deadly Danger, Newsweek, May 18. 1970.Editorial, Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 7, 1971.Dr. Milton Friedman, Prof. of Economics, U. of Chicago, writing a foreword to Dr. Arthur A. Shenfield’s Rockford College lectures entitled “The Ideological War Against Western Society,” copyrighted 1970 by Rockford College.Fortune. May, 1971, p. 145. This Fortune analysis of the Nader influence includes a reference to Nader’s visit to a college where he was paid a lecture fee of $2,500 for “denouncing America’s big corporations in venomous language . . . bringing (rousing and spontaneous) bursts of applause” when he was asked when he planned to run for President.The Washington Post, Column of William Raspberry, June 28, 1971.Jeffrey St. John, The Wall Street Journal, May 21, 1971.Barron’s National Business and Financial Weekly, “The Total Break with America, The Fifth Annual Conference of Socialist Scholars,” Sept. 15, 1969.On many campuses freedom of speech has been denied to all who express moderate or conservative viewpoints.It has been estimated that the evening half-hour news programs of the networks reach daily some 50,000,000 Americans.One illustration of the type of article which should not go unanswered appeared in the popular “The New York” of July 19, 1971. This was entitled “A Populist Manifesto” by ultra liberal Jack Newfield — who argued that “the root need in our country is ‘to redistribute wealth’.”The recent “freeze” of prices and wages may well be justified by the current inflationary crisis. But if imposed as a permanent measure the enterprise system will have sustained a near fatal blow.Followup: http://law2.wlu.edu/deptimages/Powell%20Archives/PowellSpeechResearchAOFESMemo.pdfHere is Bill Moyers take on it: The Powell Memo: A Call-to-Arms for Corporations | BillMoyers.com