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August 10, 2008 at 07:28:06
Promoted to Headline (H2) on 8/10/08: by Cheryl Abraham (Posted by chris rice) Page 1 of 1 page(s) |
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Votestrike.com has put forth plans for a General Strike beginning on September 11, 2008, which is quickly gaining a tremendous amount of support. Chris Rice, Founder of Votestrike, said, "General strikes shut down the normal operations of a city, state, or nation for a period of time. These strikes aim to force action on a single issue or broader set of concerns. The reason for this shutdown is not to hurt this country in any way shape or form. But is in fact a peaceful method of sending a message to Washington, D.C." As support for this sentiment grows daily the strike's appeal has increased worldwide. Rice goes on to say, "The General Strike is a national call to action, from citizens to other citizens. It's not about a single issue. It is not an anti-war protest, a gas price protest, a civil rights protest, and election fraud protest. It is not about torture, surveillance, corporate media, or the environment. This strike is about all these issues and more." Votestrike.com is calling for YOU, to set things right by calling for people to participate by refusing to shop, go to work, go to school, and instead to non-violently protest and engage in acts of non-violent civil disobedience nation-wide. The strike targets key issues facing the general public, issues that have not been addressed in any meaningful way by any branch of government. Now is your moment to join with thousands who are saying enough is enough. The Votestrike.com website reminds people of this admonition from the Supreme Court: "It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error: it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error." -U.S. Supreme Court, in American Communication Association v. Douds, 339 U.S. 382, 442
We the people...The Constitution of The United States of America spells out in the first line where the power of our great democracy lies. Unfortunately we the people have allowed the power to slip away to special interest, lobbyist, corporations and career politicians. It is time to reclaim our democracy from the people that are destroying it. Thomas Jefferson said that "All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent" now is the time for all people to be heard.
The framers of our democracy did not intend our representatives be career politicians. They foresaw the danger in this. The constitution states that "The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year." The framers intent was for our democracy to be governed by everyday people not career politicians for obvious reasons. Legislators would meet enact laws and go back to their chosen profession. Career politicians will do and say anything to keep their power. Power corrupts even those with the best intentions.
Jefferson understood that "experience hath shown, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny." The framers had no fear that the result of their experiment would be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master. Unfortunately today's politician does have a "master." This master is the special interest, corporations and lobbyists that are destroying our country. Ronald Reagan once said "It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first." We need to get politics as usual out of government and start to tell our leaders to GIVE BACK CONGRESS.
FDR said that "the only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government." FDR further stated that "nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting." Let us never forget that government was not meant to be a power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not the President, Senators, Congressman or Government Officials, but the voters of this country.
It does not matter if we vote Democrat, Republican or Independent. We have seen Congress change power since 2006. Each time we were promised that the ways of old were over. We were told that the new party in power would return the power to the people and get rid of the status quo in Washington DC. We were promised solutions to the health care crisis, social security crisis, taxation, inflation and the deficit. In fact these were the same problems we spoke about in the 1960's. They are still not fixed. WHY? Because the special interest, lobbyist and corporations have a stranglehold on our career politicians. The special interest, lobbyist, and corporations do not care which party is in power because there are enough career politicians in both parties willing to take their money and perks to look the other way. Thomas Jefferson said "Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct." We must tell our leaders enough is enough." GIVE BACK CONGRESS.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back!
Votestrike.com has experienced a marked increase in membership, going from just over 60,000 members last month to more than 160,000 members, this gain taking place in an astounding 30-day period. As momentum grows nationally and globally for the General Strike it is clear that the people will once again be a force to be reckoned with as they work to take back America. Be part of that force.
For more information and how to immediately get involved visit: http://www.votestrike.com
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
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| 19 comments |
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Herding Cats
I'm all for a GS. Been advocating one for several years. But in this country you'll have a big problem getting one with enough people to make a difference or even be noticed. In other countries they usually have no problem with diverse languages, their media isn't as controlled and for the most part their populace isn't as dumbed-down, self-absorbed and as coward. I do wish one luck with having a GS, but from what I've been able to gleam it would be akin to herding cats trying to get enough people in this fragmented country together to do anything of significance. I'm afraid one of the things that make us unique is also one of the things that will keep us from having an effective GS, our diversity. I hope I'm wrong because I do believe that GS is one of the best methods to use against a government that is not listening. But in a country where we can't even get enough people to vote to make a difference and where the fear-factor is foremost in peoples minds I just don't think it will draw enough people to even be noticed. by Mr M (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 2845 comments [654 recommended, 27 rejected]) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 7:49:07 AM  (0+)
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I love this idea!
Go back to the basics. The country needs to unite and start protesting again. After 9/11 any questioning of government activities was considered "unpatriotic". Anyone protesting the War was deemed "un-American". Maybe we have forgotten our true power - the only way change will happen is if we speak up. The other best way to get the message across is the power of our purse - we do not support businesses and corporations that are not responsible citizens. Corporations need to realize that they are accountable to all of us. We should collectively boycott companies that do not conserve, re-cycle and go green. We should also support local Main Street merchants so that so much financial power does not get concentrated in so few hands. by wendynyc (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 56 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 8:22:42 AM (0+)
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Thanks for the comments.
Historically, you only need 1/3 support to be successful. The founding fathers couldn't even get 100% support. You have 1/3 which suport, 1/3 against and the other 1/3 are always up for grabs, will support whoever is winning and are the determining factor in the outcome. Right now, I need YOU to spread the word so that we can get to the 1/3. The rest is history. These crooks have left themselves wide open. Everybod hates Bush which makes our job real easy. Thanks again for the support. And keep up the economic pressure, boycott BofA, Wells Fargo, WaMu, all large 'corporate' banks. Move accounts to small local banks. by chris rice (111 articles, 147 quicklinks, 35 diaries, 233 comments) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 10:02:24 AM (0+)
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It won't matter.
If the state press, the main stream media, doesn't report it, it never happened. And they won't. 9/11 was an inside job. by 911TRUTH (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 46 comments [14 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 12:39:12 PM (0+)
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You're right....
Send this URL to all your friends, post it to forums, put it on your personal pages, http://www.votestrike.com There will be ZERO mainstream media discussion of this General Strike BEFORE it happens. ZERO. So, we must BE OUR OWN MEDIA and promote it. Link to this site from sites and blogs. Mention it with links in your comments on blogs. PROMOTE IT. by chris rice (111 articles, 147 quicklinks, 35 diaries, 233 comments) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 12:45:10 PM (0+)
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General strike/oil
Let's start with a week long boycott on buying gasoline or any other hydrocarbon based fuel. If we don't put a dent in big oil, things will be business as usual. by Cinderfella (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 248 comments [95 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 4:18:41 PM (0+)
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Cool idea...
Congress has borrowed trillions of dollars on top of our outrageous debt to hand out tax rebates to folks that don't even pay taxes. Why? To save the New World Order. This is our time to STRIKE BACK! I've been told that people would be reluctant to take time off during an economic downturn BUT that is when you strike. When the BEAST is weak. Now is the time, the only time that a few days of empty Wal Marts & theatres will send the economy reeling & give this strike the bite that it needs to succeed. Bring them to their knees. STRIKE today, strike everyday. Only buy what you absolutely need. The Founding Fathers protested the Stamp Tax, poured tea into the harbor, etc. by chris rice (111 articles, 147 quicklinks, 35 diaries, 233 comments) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 4:29:28 PM (0+)
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Reply: About those rebate checks, they were returned, right?
"When Bush says to shop, WE MUST STOP!" Hmmm... So, then you returned your rebate payment to the Treasury or did you keep it? From the tone of your comment, I suspect you returned the money to the government. Otherwise, you'd sound somewhat hypocritical. Mr M has it right on this one. The diversity of a melting pot runs counter to mpbilizing the collective will of the people. Diversity AND inclusion (like military intelligence) is an oxymoron. I'm not in favor of a general strike, although I agree with the principles of the movement (i.e., remind Congress who it serves). Only we can change the Congressional attitude by voting for representatives that actually represent us - not themselves, Washington D.C., and its trappings of power. We need to show those that are elected on the promise of being a citizen-politician and later renage on that promise that they are no longer welcomed, having broken the public's trust - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marty_Meehan#Term_limits . If we continue to elect such a turkey, then we deserve that which we get - and let's no run monkey wild with statements of "stolen elections". On the whole, the american election process works well. by Tom Murphy (3 articles, 5 quicklinks, 16 diaries, 2105 comments [55 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 8:55:00 PM (0+)
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Quite Simply
As the other side does so effectively, it's in the framing. Try " If the anthrax case is your last straw in the series of 911/Anthrax Government Official stories that YOU don't believe all or part of take part in Strike on 9/11" Divide and conquer and know your enemy or uninformed among us ,then go about educating them. The number of people who question 911 has grown and can only grow from what was a kernel of doubt among a very few . The only problem is we have to forsake terror and murder as a national policy and the profits that go with providing the machinery of war we peddle to the rest of the world along with the lifestyle which we have become accustomed to. by tjb (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 255 comments [9 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 6:20:47 PM (0+)
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DIGG this article
If you haven't already PLEASE DIGG. Get your friends to digg. We're almost to the front page! Request, please digg! by chris rice (111 articles, 147 quicklinks, 35 diaries, 233 comments) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 8:16:59 PM (0+)
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Organization
In order for anything like a general strike to work, it needs to be organized, there needs to be a grassroots movement consolidating around a specific issue with a specific outcome. Building the organization is the hard work that is not being done. Take Move-on for example. There are a handful of people that have energized millions to make contributions and that has translated into political ads and commentary - but it lacks sustainable political bite. There needs to be some kind of grassroots organizing - a presence that starts and continues to grow - a participatory process. Mr. M says we're fractured - he's right. Most Americans barely speak with their neighbors and certainly not about important national or global issues. A general strike with no specific purpose is wasted energy. Just my 2 cents. Happy to join a specifically targeted strike. by August Adams (11 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 585 comments [12 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 8:24:56 PM (0+)
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Thanks for your support
"A general strike with no specific purpose is wasted energy." The article is very specific. The problem with our current arrangement is not George Bush. He is but a symptom of the problem. What is the problem- in case you missed this in the article -the problem with Washington is career politicians. We must remove the 545 people -pres.,vp.,congress, senate, etc that are robbing and looting our country. Or elections will be meaningless. We must stop sending crooks and criminals to Washington to do the business of corporations. We must remove the profit motive and return to sending civil servants to Washington to do the people's business. There is a reason why Washington is broke. And with only a 10% approval rating it will be easy to throw/run the bums out of town. Once you go back to average citizens running the government- who still have to work for a living- then you will see politicians working/solving our problems instead of only dealing/solving the problems of big business. Thanks for your comments and your diggs! by chris rice (111 articles, 147 quicklinks, 35 diaries, 233 comments) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 8:44:57 PM (0+)
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Get America Back in the Habit
Let's get Americans in the habit of doing something that they used to do all the time: agitate collectively for their demands. In other words: STRIKE, PROTEST, BOYCOTT. To many Americans this is a lost art. Help them remember it! Don't think that this General Strike has to be a glorious success the first time or it will fail. This is just the start. I see this as becoming an increasingly effective tool of the people. Go for it! by Mac McKinney (53 articles, 114 quicklinks, 241 diaries, 1418 comments [33 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 9:30:05 PM (0+)
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Haven't gotten one yet
My accountant turned in an extension and he is very hard to pin down, however, when I get it, if I do, there's no way in hell I'm giving it back to the Treasury Dept. Instead I plan on DONATING it to several different groups, let me see, who's on my list, hmmm, an impeachment group, ACLU, Cindy Sheehan, Human Rights Campaign, etc.. you get the idea. And putting anything back into my savings account. I won't be spending it on anything else. Not a bean on their goddamn plate if I can help it. by Cheryl Abraham (13 articles, 2 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 207 comments) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 10:13:08 PM (0+)
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Reply: my comment was directed to the comment made about:
REBATE CHECKS! by Cheryl Abraham (13 articles, 2 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 207 comments) on Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 at 10:14:28 PM (0+)
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Reply: one more..
OEN is registered as one.. by Aurora (0 articles, 95 quicklinks, 52 diaries, 648 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 11, 2008 at 3:16:36 AM (0+)
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Reply: Thanks
For the reminder - will add that to my list! by Cheryl Abraham (13 articles, 2 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 207 comments) on Monday, Aug 11, 2008 at 10:24:06 AM (0+)
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tax rebates
In reply to returning tax rebate checks....if your child steals $500. from you and passes it out to his rich freinds (to impress them) and then returns .50 cents to you...should you return it to the child who stole it from you in the first place. I'd tell you what I plan to do when I get ahold of these crooks but this is a family paper. As to your other point you are correct and other strategies are in place. Thanks for your comments and support. And please give to OpEdNews wildly, generously, and often. Without OpEd we would have never met. You would have never heard of this strike. So please turn off the censored corporate TV BS News and turn on to OpEdNews. Newspapers, magazines, tv shows- we're on strike. You can go out of business and no one will care. SHUT EM DOWN!!! by chris rice (111 articles, 147 quicklinks, 35 diaries, 233 comments) on Monday, Aug 11, 2008 at 11:13:00 AM (0+)
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Reply: Dellusion
"In reply to returning tax rebate checks....if your child steals $500. from you and passes it out to his rich freinds (to impress them) and then returns .50 cents to you...should you return it to the child who stole it from you in the first place." So, you're alleging that you're nothing more than the victim here? You had no choice when you paid that Federal income tax - whether it was withheld or tendered as estimates? I guess I'd ask why did you let your child steal from you - repreatedly and every year? Perhaps you're not so much the victim-like parent that blames the child but more like the child the pouts and kicks and screams when it doesn't have its way. In the end, though, you'll take the candy bar AND kick the parent just to assert your will. by Tom Murphy (3 articles, 5 quicklinks, 16 diaries, 2105 comments [55 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Aug 11, 2008 at 9:38:06 PM (0+)
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