Following the money

 

Read to the Buncombe County Commissioners right before they voted unanimously to give $5 million for the construction of a worker training facility for Pratt & Whitney.

 

Following the money

The 27 million dollar tax rebate
must have seemed
an easy decision for you -
had to do it, or they wouldn’t come
and we need them to come because,
you know,
they promise
jobs.

Jobs mean money
jobs are the currency
that you bank on
for approval,
and for looking the other way:
away from climate emergency
away from war emergencies
away from polluting our own water.

It’s about money.
Money that comes from we the people
to congress to military to industrial,
from the Pentagon to Raytheon
to make weapons and profits galore,
which kill children
and other humans
in Yemen and Gaza
and god knows where.

It’s about money
Raytheon extorts from you

so it won’t pay taxes,

money that you offer

to build an edifice
for its workers
with one of you at the foundation.

Money that comes from we the people,

money that could be spent on jobs
to build a bridge to a green tomorrow,
not to a tree-stripped road
that leads to a dead end

.

 

They say that money corrupts
like power,
that money IS power

Dorothy Parker said
“If you want to know what god thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.”
I look at who governments and chambers of commerce and rich land barons give money to
and I can see -

Money corrupts
your worldview,
your sense of possibility,
your compassion for people
on the receiving end of your decisions,
your stewardship of the world for future generations.

If you follow the money
it changes you.

Emerson said
“Money often costs too much.”

What is the cost of giving money to Raytheon?

More than the jobs can pay off.

More than you can wash your hands with.