While I answered "Multinational Corporations", as I presume that most politicians are ambitious people [as they are all usually working to line-up their next meal (I mean, job)], I have an issue with the language of this question.
Let's consider the definition of "allegiance" for a moment.
Allegiance is generally defined as "a duty of fidelity (or perhaps, fealty) owed by a subject or a citizen to his/her state or sovereign."
http://www.dictionary.reference.com/browse/allegiance–noun
1. the loyalty of a citizen to his or her government or of a subject to his or her sovereign.
2. loyalty or devotion to some person, group, cause, or the like.
n.
1. Loyalty or the obligation of loyalty, as to a nation, sovereign, or cause. See Synonyms at fidelity.
2. The obligations of a vassal to a lord.
So, as we can all see and share the meaning of this word, I wish to underscore that no one is obliged to swear loyalty to anything or to anyone... without the understanding that such a (blanket) declaration of loyalty is a state of Voluntary Servitude (come what may).
As a case in point, after reading the rest of my message, consider this recent declaration by the Congress of the United States... "US Congress guilty of TREASON ( Please share )"
For my part, while I blindly and ignorantly swore allegiance to "[a symbol] of the United States of America (but, to nothing in particular)" 20 days a month, 9 months a year, for 12 years (circa, 2.160 times) in my life, as I now know that this extraordinarily corrupt system of government was never designed to promote "liberty and justice for all" (but rather riches and security for a very limited few), I must ask "How can we presume that any living, reasonable being should ever swear their allegiance to a government at all (especially to one so remotely connected to any of our own ability to effect it)?"
Now, having said that, I wish to offer an alternative word, which I find far more meaningful and far more pertinent to our support of our nation (of sovereign and independent countries); and that word is: devotion.
–noun
1. profound dedication; consecration.
2. earnest attachment to a cause, person, etc.
3. an assignment or appropriation to any purpose, cause, etc.: the devotion of one's wealth and time to scientific advancement.
4. Often, devotions. Ecclesiastical. religious observance or worship; a form of prayer or worship for special use.
—Synonyms
2. zeal, ardor. See love.
Now, the wonderful (and obvious) difference between "allegiance" and "devotion" is that the latter requires no act of Voluntary Servitude". It requires instead a daily, personal affirmation of my contribution to my neighbor, to my cause; all based upon love (not blind fealty).
For example, had I been encouraged to recite a pledge that declared...
"I pledge (as in "a solemn promise") my personal devotion to the goals and to the purpose of the men and women living in the sovereign and independent states of our union, to stand together for the preservation of our unique and precious republican forms of government as a single voice, united under God; I will forever support and uphold the life, the liberty and the justice for all."... Well, my friends, I'm convinced our complaints today would be few.
Rather, instead of declaring not only my own subservience but also my support of the subservience of others to a government removed from any effect I might have on it... and therefore not only my own cowardice but also the anticipated cowardice of everyone else around me (from defending my own life, my own liberty and my own justice and that of my neighbor) I would have been declaring my own personal "Call to Action" each and every day (of those 2.160 wasted opportunities) to keep a mindful watch against the encroachment of tyranny; which would have carried with it 2.160 affirmations that I will help others to maintain their own personal conviction never to accept any form of blind obedience (either to me nor to anyone or anything).
But that is not what I was asked either to pledge or to declare. And neither were any of you.
Instead, we were all asked to pledge and to declare our Voluntary Servitude (to an organization unaccountable to the people which agree to be held by its governance; each and every day).
That's the real problem. Though, thankfully, perhaps, therein is also a solution.
Just as Khalil Gibran wrote in his book "The Prophet", when his character was asked to speak of "Religion" (katsandogz. com/onreligion. html), Al Mustafa replied,
"Your daily life is your temple and your religion. Whenever you enter into it take with you your all."Devotion is like that. Indeed, devotion is that.
Devotion is a daily religion, into which we take our all.
Devotion is a prayer, only we can answer; when we focus our all upon the solution.
So, I wish ask each and every PAC member reading this thread...
"Is that what we are doing here (devoting ourselves; focusing; taking ourselves into the fray)? Or are we doing something else? Something, perhaps, less)? Are we devoting ourselves to our understanding of the problem and, thus, to its solution? If we are, then, each and every one of us must answer a personal question. "What have I done today to correct the problem; to help myself and to help my neighbor?"Why is that question important?
Because if I'm reasonably sure my neighbor's not free, then I can be certain that I'm not either?"
But let's not despair.
Remember, "Life's (still) made of (just) little things... because there's nothing any bigger!"
And, so, as the song says,... sometimes,
"it's enough to be on your way..."Other times, however, when devotion requires more (of what we know we can give), it's not.