Lesson 15-The President as Corporate Salesman I. Oral Work We are. a nation besieged, not from without but from within subverted not from below but from above. The moneyed class exercises a near monopoly influence over our political life, over the economy, the state and the media o It is the essence of democracy that we not trust and not have faith in our leaders. Democracy is a system built on distrust. That is why-when a close approximation of it works-we get real debate, investigation, exposure, and accountability. At the heart of all procedural democracy is the idea that we must watch leaders closely, question them sharply, demand to see the documents look for differing explanations, and pursue open debate about policies, before, during, and after elections It is often frustrating and sometimes dangerous to challenge those who own and control the land, labor, capital, and technology of society. But, in the long run, it is even more dangerous not to do so. Michael parenti W E To be continued on the next page.W B T L E I. Oral Work We are... a nation besieged, not from without but from within, subverted not from below but from above. The moneyed class exercises a near monopoly influence over our political life, over the economy, the state, and the media. It is the essence of democracy that we not trust and not have faith in our leaders. Democracy is a system built on distrust. That is why—when a close approximation of it works—we get real debate, investigation, exposure, and accountability. At the heart of all procedural democracy is the idea that we must watch leaders closely, question them sharply, demand to see the documents, look for differing explanations, and pursue open debate about policies, before, during, and after elections. It is often frustrating and sometimes dangerous to challenge those who own and control the land, labor, capital, and technology of society. But, in the long run, it is even more dangerous not to do so. Michael Parenti To be continued on the next page. Lesson 15 – The President as Corporate Salesman