Let's be Proactive, not Reactive

As I look at the headlines in my email box, and the comments in the blogs, I notice that 99% of them are reactive. As George Lakoff points out, the radical right learned long ago that you win by setting the frame. Talk about attacking Iran, and that's the frame. We protest, we criticize, we warn, we march- all to their tune. As the Hollywood stars well know, any publicity, no matter how bad, is good publicity.

We the People need to be proactive. We need to set our own agenda and make them march to OUR tune. There's an easy way to do this- focus on the 2008 Congressional races, especially on the House of Representatives. Everyone in the House has to stand for re-election a year from now, whereas only 1/3 of the Senate has to face the voters. The Presidential race is sewed up. iIf We the People can control even a small bloc of votes in the House, we can prevent funding of major mischief, and force the major parties to vie for our support on the European model.

I suggest a two-prong approach. In every district, we need two find two challengers for the incumbent- one of the same party, to meet the incumbent in the primaries, and the other from a third party or independent, not beholden to the Dems or GOP, to mount a challenge next November. In CA District 1, Mitch Clogg as a Democrat, and I as a Green, are working closely together to challenge the incumbent, Mike Thompson.

Some challengers are already coming together in the New Broom Coalition, for a clean sweep of Congress.

All the New Broom candidates, whatever party they belong to, support impeachment of Bush and Cheney now, and if not now, after they leave office, in retrospect. This will strip the criminals in the White House of their perks and protection, and make them liable to criminal prosecution. It also will get rid of the antiConstitutional precedents they have set. It might be a good idea to impeach the Supreme Court justices who handed them the 2000 election as well, so they cannot give Bush and Cheney another victory.

What's the logic behind this strategy?

This is OUR agenda- to take over the House so We the People can start directing our own destiny.

This is do-able. Congresspeople are very vulnerable. The rating of Congress was 11% last week. People understand that Congress has betrayed us, and want a change. All we need to do is find the candidates to challenge them at the polls.

A transparty coalition, the New Broom Coalition, will break the stranglehold of the two major parties on the American political process.

The New Broom Coalition can force the Congressional campaigns to focus on impeachment. Impeachment is the key issue, the umbrella issue. The way out of Iraq is impeachment. The way to prevent an attack on Iran is impeachment. The way to stop Cheney and Bush from stuffing their pockets via Halliburton and Carlyle is impeachment- and perhaps some of the money can be recouped. The way to stop fascism is impeachment. The way to restructure national priorities, restore the Constitution, work with other nations to stop or slow global warming, get on a path of sanity and survival, is impeachment.

The New Broom Coalition forces Congress, and thus Bush and Cheney, to really pay attention to the voters, not just give lip service. It puts them on the defensive. They will have to work harder to placate the voters, if there is a real threat to their seats.

We will provide a peaceful, legal channel for the frustration and anger of the American people, making violent street confrontations less necessary and less likely. In turn, this prevents Bush-Cheney from having an excuse to suspend the Constitution.

In fact, using the mechanism for peaceful change provided for in the Constitution strengthens that document and help to stave off fascism.

Americans are comfortable with elections, it's part of our cultural heritage. Energy and money will flow to us, if we can provide good candidates and some organization. We won't have to accept campaign money from large corporations; there will be plenty of individuals and small businesses who gladly support us.

This country needs an enormous change, a 180% turn from the suicidal course we are on right now. This means new leadership, not in collusion with the Bush administration. The New Broom Coalition will provide it.

 1  |  2