Thurman ArnoldThurman Arnold, (1891-1969) former head of the Anti-Trust Division of the U.S. Justice Department (1938-1943)

Thurman Arnold Quote

“[The US has] developed two coordinate governing classes: the one, called ‘business,' building cities, manufacturing and distributing goods, and holding complete and autocratic power over the livelihood of millions; the other, called ‘government,' concerned with preaching and exemplification of spiritual ideals, so caught in a mass of theory, that when it wished to move in a practical world it had to do so by means of a sub rosa political machine.”

Thurman ArnoldThurman Arnold
~ Thurman Arnold


Ratings and Comments


Waffler, Smith, Arkansas

Sub rosa means in silence, secretly. Thus the call today for transparency. Wall Street has been moving in secrecy with this subprime fraud crap and the private sector by definition is secretive and private, "My business is my business". But it is interesting to read "Who owns America" and to know how we are controlled by private wealth just as much or more than by government. This is a good quote because while he seems not to have a solution he poses the problem well.

Mike, Norwalk

In Amerika today there are direct and indirect socialists. Direct socialists would have the government own everything outright. The indirect socialist would bifurcate title into equitable and lawful possession to eliminate alodium and exercise supreme control. By way of example: a corporation, like a trust, bifurcates ownership in the same manner. In corporations, the government holds ultimate equitable title (ability to confiscate, set the rules, ultimate owner of all property, etc. - equitable owner) while day to day operations are given to officers of stock or share holders (the legal owners). A jealous government no longer allows competition with its monopoly - it does not allow private entities, such as trusts, to sell their units of beneficial interest to the public. Because alodium is no longer a recognized status, the government owning all, We The People are no longer sovereigns but rather, chattel in commerce to the foreign despot that infects this country. The face of government has become a theocratic oligarchy, mandating how, why, and where its commercial chattel will be handled and taken care of. This quote is very accurate. Waffler, to support a little of what you said, several banks in California just recently dropped their prime credit commercial divisions and implemented subprime commercial departments - hmm, who's really doing what to whom? Its not being reported by the media or objected to by government.

E Archer, NYC

Excellent, Mike. The individual citizen has a right to privacy including where he goes, what he buys, what he says on the phone, in letters, in email, etc.. Corporations, however, are not 'people' -- they are 'corpses' of paper and thus NOT endowed with inalienable rights and are subject to commercial regulation as per the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. Commercial 'paper' otherwise known as bills of credit are subject to rules and regulations -- commercial corporations have their own jurisdiction in law as per the Constitution known as equity law (commercial law, colorable law, or statutory law). Sovereign individuals buying and selling without using bills of credit (commercial paper, promissory notes, etc.) are not subject to the equity law jurisdiction but to the common law jurisdiction. When one 'buys' something with an IOU, according to equity law, the thing is not actually purchased (i.e. debt discharged) until the IOU is paid back with real money (i.e. not another promissory note). This is to protect those that are actually trading real stuff for a promise to pay. The root cause of the economic troubles and freedom itself is that in America we no longer use 'money' to buy and sell -- we use promissory notes issued by the Fed and its chartered banks. We are thus operating in equity law, and thus subject to statutory regulation governing the use of these monetary instruments. Further, with the destruction of the common law jurisdiction that fiat money has caused in American jurisprudence, corporations are considered 'persons' -- or should I say people are now considered 'corporate persons' i.e. corporations. And as corporations they are subject to the reams and reams of codes and statutes known as the Uniform Commercial Code -- a body of rules for regulating commercial entities in equitable law. Is it any wonder that the average person cannot understand where the government gets the authority to track them, fine them, regulate every aspect of their lives, destroy private enterprise, and worship the power of parties (i.e. corporations) and associations (i.e. corporations) above the rights of the individual? Without a return to an honest money system as dictated by common law, the sovereign individual is forced to accept a diminished status as a corporate 'person.'

Ken, Milford Pa.

I used to say, wake up America, or you will die in your sleep. No it is necessary to say, Wake up America, you are almost dead in your sleep. The last breath draws near. WAKE UP AMERICA. ACT LIKE MEN.

Ken, Allyn, WA

Very interesting comment, Mike. We are seeing a consolidation of corporations into ever larger corporations until finally everything in each industry is merged into a single entity, and that entity is under direct government control. That is the very essence of fascism and that is what we're seeing take place before our very eyes.

Waffler, Smith, Arkansas

Corporations have no more legal power than do individuals. A corporation is simply a way to marshall many individuals and their wealth together for common action.

E Archer, NYC

Waffler, what is 'legal power'? What determines that 'legal power'? I don't see how you can espouse 'majority rule' and 'democracy' and then say a corporation has no more legal power than an individual. Does a multi-billion dollar corporation have more power than an individual? Of course. Then can the corporation force an individual to move off their property or buy their products? What protects the rights of an individual from the force and power of a corporation or association of corporations? Are YOU a corporation? If not, why does the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) apply to you? In a democracy, what protects the rights of individuals from the armies of corporations?

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