I agree with most of what you say, but IMO a blanket ban on anyone running for re-election would be a big mistake. Yeah, you'd eliminate carreer politicians, but what you'd end up with would be a revolving door between government and business whereby people serve their two or four years and then go to work for the companies for which they did favors when in office.

The real problem is the influence of money, and the lack of any mass communications media through which a candidate can get a message out to a lot of people without spending big bucks.  Until we address these issues, the problems won't go away.

by Gary Kleppe (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 11:47:52 AM

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Better mass communications mechanisms for candidates to communicate with the voters?

Make the receipt of a license to use the public's airwaves contingent on providing FREE airtime for candidates to use, instead of being allowed to charge for it. 

This would serve a few purposes:

1. Fairer elections where the third (and fourth and fifth) party candidates can compete.

2. Cleaner elections, because it is the networks that push and promote the slime in order to sell more time to both sides.

by Charlie L (2 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 747 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 12:15:22 PM

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Rob you are singing to the choir, but man I am so disgusted with all the spineless democrats and Rush O’Reilly republicans.  I wish there was a viable option.  I also agree that even a crappy democrat is better than any republican that I can think of with a few exceptions.

I like Ron Paul on constitutional issues but I think the country is better off if we have socialized medical care and Social Security if run right.

The most important issues that we can support if we are to take back our country are Campaign Finance reform by publicly funding all elections from dog catcher to president.  We need Independent ethics board, with complete autonomy and financial independence.  We must have verifiable voting machines so that our votes will count.

Until we have these things it will be business as usual in the beltway.

by Michael Chavers (53 articles, 0 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 198 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 12:02:54 PM

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Short of a revolution, we need to show these guys we're serious.  But I would also agree that the real solution is to get the big money out of politics.  Would term limits do that?  Would these guys still have a retirement equal to their salary for the REST OF THEIR LIVES?  I know a lot of Americans who would be happy with legislative benefits like that!  Maybe even a few honest ones...

by Judy Ramsey (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 93 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 12:04:20 PM

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there's already laws in place against the revolving door for pol-lobbyists, and they should be strengthened. I heartily agree with Rob that we need to level the playing field so real people, good people who want to do good, to serve the public interest with their power. Money is not speech, it's power, and while speech must be protected, everyone's speech must be protected and the commons should not be allowed to be exploited to advance the agenda of any private, special interest- and triply not when those interests are ruining the opportunites of other people. I'd like to see politcians with integrity like Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul serve in the public sector as long as they like, and we should have a system in place, as is possible with the Web and will be even more with emerging technologies, that exposes parasitic or useless frauds like Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Giuliani, Romney and Thompson for what they are. 

by Better World Order (4 articles, 568 quicklinks, 39 diaries, 1112 comments [56 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 12:08:02 PM

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Rob, I think they might have hung up on you because of phone karma.

I hung up on them a few days ago.

I got that call and I interupted the caller to simply say: "Oh, sorry, I'm not giving any money or support until I hear that impeachment is back on the table. Thanks." and then I hung up on her.

BTW, the fact that they are an outservice doesn't forgive the DCCC at all.  DCCC provides the script and instructions, and if the client said: "No matter what happens, do NOT hang up on a Democratic constituent." then they wouldn't.  They are paid to follow instructions.

by Charlie L (2 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 747 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 12:17:59 PM

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The Democrat Party is JUST like the Republican Party... they don't give a RAT'S Behind about our interests...  They care about their big corporate donors' interests, but that is as far as that goes...

People like US, the TAXPAYING Citizens of the United States are simply expected to donate to their cause while keeping our mouths shut...  As soon as we OPEN our mouths, they become annoyed, tune us out, or throw us out of their offices...

This is the reason I am a Libertarian..  I know many people on this board think that my vote  is wasted.. that I am not making a difference, but at the end of the day, what the big party wants, the big party gets, and your trying to change things from the inside is even more fruitless...   The difference is that people who think they are making a difference while trying to enact change from within the party are ignoring the fact that our two major parties produce the best politicians MONEY CAN BUY. 

 Ciao, CZ

by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 829 comments [52 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 12:24:13 PM

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Hi Steve,

You wrote:

"The Democrat Party is JUST like the Republican Party... they don't give a RAT'S Behind about our interests..."

Yup. They are just two heads of the same snake. They work together shifting spins so that we are so wound up in lies that we don't know what to believe. The choices they offer us on both sides are really non-choices. Do we want chocolate flavored rat poison or cherry? Might taste different, but the end result is the same.  

by Barbara Peterson (73 articles, 109 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 541 comments [98 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 1:22:55 PM

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Rob,

by Jim Arnold (12 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 147 comments [18 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 12:24:26 PM

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out of politics," how do you suppose that that might be achieved? It sounds like you're well aware that most of today's Congress is bought & paid for, right? Do you suppose those very same bought politicians are going to pass laws which would hurt the Big Money interests who put them in office?

I don't mean to pick on you, but isn't it obvious that a Congress elected to serve Big Money interests is not going to turn around & strike an important blow against those same interests?

by Richard Mynick (2 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 1552 comments [255 recommended, 5 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 12:46:40 PM

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is to get, at the federal level, legislation passed that allows citizens in any state to get resolutions on the ballot, like they do in California. so that citizens can circumvent the politicians.

First step, enable citizens to pass laws without politicians in the middle.

second step, pass laws that the politicians would never pass. 

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 3:04:11 PM

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I agree, we need a citizen initutive, however that is just a start. more and more I see the problem not as one party or the other. It's blind allegance to ever expanding economy. The bigger it grows the worse the problems. We have to start solving it at both the national and the local level. Bigger isn't better when we are running out of such things as oil, water and food. Just starting to conserve the resources at the local level is part of the answer. the other part is not allowing the illegal Federal Reserve (Bank0 to continue to print money and charge us interest on it.

by Robert N Smith (15 articles, 0 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 153 comments [3 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 10:52:07 PM

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It's more likely than expecting them to vote for term limits. They hate trolling for money all the time, they don't hate being re-elected. Some would vote for federally-funded elections now. To vote against it would be difficult for many, if people get the word out on the importance of the issue. What's your alternative?

by Jim Arnold (12 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 147 comments [18 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 1:23:10 PM

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Is bang on..  I dare say that there are quite a few people here that are starting to wake up to the fact that we have the best politicians money can buy....

the question is how do we stop them from doing what it is that they are doing...   That is a bit more complicated...

 First of all, campaign contributions are protected as free speech...  If you DEMAND that CONgress do something about that, you are going against that

"CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW......." part of the first amendment....  The idea of having amature night in the DC beltway is a bit absurd, even though I wold love to see the entire nest of vipers ripped out... 

Personally, I think the solution comes with voter choice..  REAL CHOICE...  Third Party candidates with real messages that get away from the petty bickering we have been conditioned to accept as debate...

In PA, Voters lost their choice on the ballot, in favor of keeping said ballot clear of "clutter"  

the US Supreme Court decided not to bother itself with even hearing the case...

this tells me that the Supreme Court is 

AGAINST The VOTER's RIGHT TO CHOOSE

Land of the FREE?  PLEASE.....

Ciao, CZ 

by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 829 comments [52 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 2:57:16 PM

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She's one of the rare few, but is such an exception that I'd take civic commitment over political experience.

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 3:00:25 PM

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We're slipping past the point where we as Americans can repair our democracy. Eventually, the fascist state (which Naomi Wolf can be seen talking about here) will be permanent.  Our hegemony over the world will be secured and that hegemonic power will turn from "benevolent" to something that targets us relentlessly.

We must act now. And this can't be us just talking anymore. Grow a pair and call your representative or senator today. Force him or her to take a stand in agreement with you or against you (hang ups mean he or she is against you ).  Post articles about it.  We've got Rob, an amazing man who gives us an outlet for free speech (something a fascist state will threaten).

Practice Democracy People! And Enjoy Every Minute of It! 

by Kevin Gosztola (302 articles, 146 quicklinks, 81 diaries, 1082 comments [77 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 12:34:53 PM

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yes u are right..don't give them a penny until they strighten up..for how long do they plan to takeus for a ride?? enough is enough

by MikaG (3 articles, 3 quicklinks, 29 diaries, 32 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 12:49:51 PM

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I saw the writing on the wall in 2005 when I started the Liberal Party. Since then I let it fold for lack of support. During the time I folded it in Decemberr of 06, I havr=e recieved e-mails and phone calls to start it back up. I put a poll on the Liberal Partys blog and 77% of people responded that the party should start back up. Yet, nobody wants to work to get ballot signatures. This seems to be the norm. People b*tch and moan about the Democrats, but nobody seems to want to do anything but b*tch. Meanwhile, they pull the wool over everyones eyes.

Senator Leahy promised he would see the administration respond to his subpeona's. Today we hear that the administration gave him "some" of the information he requested. Right off the bat, without so much as hours to read what was in the information requested, the Senate approved the F(ISA bill that gives immunity to the telecommunications industry that allowed the NSA to spy on Americans and inherent in that immunity is the immunity that the administration sought for itself.

When are people going to understand that working "within" the party is useless? The fix is in and the Democrats have proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they will not stand for doing what is right and nessessary. Whether it is collusion with the Republicans and the administration or lack of a backbone it doesn't matter. They will not support the progressive base of their party. It's time we found a new home. 

by Timothy V. Gatto (348 articles, 177 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 574 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 12:59:25 PM

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My proposal that would take the business out of politics is that all elected officials are not allowed to earn more than the median income of their constituents. Quit allowing them to get rich and powerful off of corporate lobbies and they'll be in it for the good of the country , not the power and money.

by Ron DeYoung (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 1:03:31 PM

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== The Best Green in U. S. Politics Isn't the U. S. Currency but the U. S. Green Party! == Recent rumors on the internet have it that former Democratic congresswoman Cynthia McKinney plans to run for president as a Green Party candidate. Some of us may recall that her most positive congressional legacy consists of her having filed, during her last few weeks in office, a resolution of impeachment against Herr Bush. If any Democrat fundraiser dare call me for a donation, I plan to demand that they resurrect McKinney's resolution ASAP before I send 'em so much as a dime. Today, alas, we have two look-alike parties serving as one -- each harboring a fascist element competing for power against the fascist element of the other party. The short-term solution to this disaster has three parts: (1) impeachment, (2) impeachment, and (3) impeachment. To help us help Amerika's Rip Van Winkled populace fully awaken and begin speaking out more often and in greater numbers and with louder voices, I suggest that they begin organizing local versions of the "IMPEACH HIM button/yard sign" project begun about two years ago by the Washington Area Impeachment Fund, LLC ( http://www.waifllc.org ).

by LarryWBryant (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 58 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 1:10:25 PM

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Not one thing you mentioned will work. I don't mean they aren't worthy ideas, they just don't hit the root cause.

One, blogs, smogs. Not enough people have a computer and for the one's that do most spend little time reading political sites as they do playing games or watching porn.

Two, we don't have a government anymore. We have a shell game of millionaires who couldn't give a fat rat's ass for the people they're supposed to represent. For if we had a fair and honest election system we'd never be fighting wars. We'd have National Health Care. We'd have more jobs and less prisons. We'd have schools that actually educate. We'd have bridges that don't collapse. We'd have streets that are safe to walk and drive down. We'd have affordable housing for everyone. We'd have a lot of commonsense measures going on instead of this Mad-Hatter Tea Party, Dog & Pony Show that only gives us the illusion that "we the people" have some say it what goes down. 

And besides, most people are too busy, lazy, complacent, fearful, in debt, misinformed or in denial to do anything you've mentioned because it means getting off their lazy butts, breaking their routine and placing themselves in harms way. And you're targeting the wrong people. The politicians are just the mouth pieces for the one's they really represent - big money.

But that doesn't mean that things a hopeless. The strategy just needs to target the elites that have over the past few centuries created this situation. And how do we do that? We do it by following the practices of those that have brought great powers to their knees in the past without firing a shot. Gandhi when the British taxed salt simply lead his people to the waters edge and scooped it up by hand and told them to "tax this"!

Rob, we could get even the worst of the so-called representatives of the people to actually do OUR bidding if we stopped the money flow. You have contacts and the respect of many of the other progressive sites. I don't know the numbers, but I'm sure if you combined all the members from MoveOn, Think Progress, Thomas Paine and the dozens of other major sites, and if you added on the hundreds of smaller ones we'd be a million strong or more. If all these sites would coordinate and call for a massive General Strike, I mean one that would bring this country to a standstill for just one day the powers that be would slit their own mother's throats to get us back to work and buying things again.

Even if 10% of the nations work forced just stayed home and didn't buy a thing for one day, they'd take notice. If 30% joined in we'd have our country back tomorrow. And the good thing about General Strikes they're easy to participate in and no one's placed in harm's way. The worst is you lose a days pay.

I have contacted as many of the sites as I can about forming a General Strike and I get back the same thing you got, a request for a donation. Apparently one old-fart sitting on his couch making a commonsense suggestion means about as much to them as you meant to the to the DCC representative you talked to.

Michael Moore touched on the point in one of his explanations of how he's allowed to distribute his films even though the every people that distribute them are the people Moore is railing against - he brings in money. That's just how much tunnel visioned the greedy elites have. Now think what they would do if the money stopped? If millions boycotted GE products I'd bet my remaining time of life that we'd start drawing troops out of Iraq in a week.

So, Rob, maybe you can do what one old fart can't. Talk to the heads of the other progressive sites and let's have a General Strike. Be our Gandhi.

by Mr M (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 2845 comments [654 recommended, 27 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 1:51:40 PM

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the busiest business day of the year is "black Friday," the day after thanksgiving. If we could tie a strike to a statement opposing the war, that could be powerful.

Thoughts?

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 3:09:31 PM

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I think that's a great day to do it. Just far enough away to get a fever growing and close enough to the elections to have a real effect.

But this must be coordinated with as many other sites as possible. I can't help but believe that if this catches on General Strikes can be used not only to bring the Iraq occupation to an end but it can used to target other progressive measures. Stopping the occupation is #1 on the list. If successful, impeachment, universal health care, we can go on and on.

I've been researching the effect General Strikes have been having in other countries of late and in some cases they have better than 90% of the people participated and brought about complete reversals of government policy overnight. I have no illusions that we'd get anywhere near that percentage here, after all 30% still think the Sun shines out of bush's butt. But there are certainly enough progressives in this country that would get involved.

Something of this nature could even arouse the 50% of the populace that have given-up on our current system. After all, our votes don't seem to matter. They don't listen to phone calls, letters, protests or emails so let's see if they listen to the money we deny them. My bet, it will.

Let's get it started. I'd be willing to help in any way to this done. Contacting, coordinating, designing, anything. If I thought I could be in any small measure a help to end the killing and get this country back to it's true promise ... well, needless to say I can't think of anything better living or dying for.

Let's do it! I'm already excited that you think it's a good idea.

by Mr M (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 2845 comments [654 recommended, 27 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 8:02:31 PM

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rob at opednews dot com

we'll talk 

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 8:19:24 PM

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Thom Hartmann made a great point visavis this sort of political action; it doesnt work. The corporations know you will buy their products, you always have and you always will. So if one day goes by and many do not buy they know that the next day will be a profitable one indeed.

I would add that the one benefit to such action is the solidarity folks would feel knowing that there are more people out there thinking as do I. If such an action were followed up with more concensus, more getting together, more talking and more actionable ideas then a general strike might be an effective starting point. But if one enters into it thinking to "scare" them into fearing us well its a waste of time.

by ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 8:44:52 PM

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Indeed you're correct that in this country with its inherently different ethnic population, coupled with the control over the message that keep most of the public fragmented and off message, is a tough barrier. There are many millions living within that don't understand English. And I'm ashamed to say that I haven't made a concerted effort to learn one of their languages. Living in New Orleans there are people here I've known for over 30 years and still only understand maybe 1 out of 3 words they speak. This isn't France where everyone hits the streets for days if it's suggested that one of their 6 to 8 weeks of paid vacation be taken away.

I have no illusions. Indeed if we can get any sense of solidarity, and that's all that comes of this, that's a good thing. I've been around long enough to be aware of the forces that we face. It's took a Monk burning himself to death in front of the White House to get people's attention before. 

And to top things off I'm a fatalist. I've watched over my 60 years my worst fears more often then not confirmed.

But, "scaring them" as you put it, they're already scared. It's their driving force right behind their need for power. Over the past six years we've witnessed such horrendous crimes against humanity not only not get punished but rather rewarded. And there are many times a day I think, what's the use? As far as I know I just might be on a rant from the news over the past few days, but that could be true any day.

I just see a "why not" and "what if" in this. We have this new tool, the Internet. MoveOn alone has 3 million members. They're a political force mentioned on all MSM. Who knows how many numbers can be added combining all the other sites? It really doesn't take that much, just get the word out. Marketed right and we make a dent, as you've mentioned, it's a start.

All I know is I've been fighting them all my life and I'm too old to stop now just becuse it truly looks hopeless.

"All governments are evil and any effort by decent men to improve them is largely a waste of time." H. L. Menchen

by Mr M (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 2845 comments [654 recommended, 27 rejected]) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 2:27:34 AM

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and how is James anyway? ;-)

I support any action and taking to the streets is something I too have done for decades. But my point is simply that we need to overcome the ennui and passivity of a spoiled rotten nation. Those who are not accepting are alienated.

Do not count me among those without hope, just one seeking a chance for success, however small.

by ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 8:35:45 AM

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Expand the Iraq Moratorium now playing in a country near you.

"I hereby make a commitment that on the Third Friday of each and every month, I will break my daily routine and take some action, by myself or with others, to end the War in Iraq. "
Sign me up!

by Kathlyn Stone (46 articles, 227 quicklinks, 27 diaries, 690 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 8:15:15 AM

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But good luck getting a large number of people to buy into that date.

I think it would be easier to get a larger participation if you choose a date that people aren't as attached to as a shopping day, especially since there are so many great sales on that day. Even the Saturday after Thanksgiving would probably be easier than Friday. 

by Cathy K. (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 7 comments) on Saturday, Oct 20, 2007 at 11:18:38 AM

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The disaster that has been the 21st century is solely because we are too stupid or too lazy to hand count our own votes.   We have these maniacs and sloths as leaders because we let it happen.

Nothing will change as long as we let Republicans count our votes. 

by GitarChris (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 142 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 1:51:47 PM

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By the time I read this with 15 comments, perhaps you don't need any more advice. Here is what I do when a lithe little voice as straightforward as a question mark begins her spiel, I stop her and say: (But first my way of modeling the caller, poor little underpaid, clueless person caught up in the money machine.) Please listen for a moment. Old lady and all that just to put us on the same level. I work many hours a day on my computer for the Democrats because I cannot walk in the streets any more. And I would like you to listen. The most important thing we can do for the next president, who will be a Democrat, is to clean house, the White House. Have you heard of the Downingstreet memo? Well, for many years now we've known the reason to go to war in Iraq was a lie. Clueless will be clueless. Then I say what I'm doing is working for impeachment and has she read Genius of Impeachment, and would she tell her boss. Sorry I have no money now. Maybe later I can find a little.

Now, I NEED SOME ADVICE! Howard Dean sent me some narrative, a one-question poll, and plenty of space to decide how much and in what medium I want to fork over my money. I've answered several such polls/supplications before, but this time the question has me stumped. Who do I want for president? Choice of 8 plus a blank for "other." Other, to me is NOYB, but that's not my style, just my sentiment. Did you get one of those nosy inquiries? I've told OpEdNews and most of Blount County, but I hesitate to tell the chairman of a political party. His role is that of a functionary and should not have slatemaking power. Now that I got that off my chest, I've decided to mark Other $ with none and give out my sentence: It is my policy not to contribute to any candidate until he/she tells me what stance he/she takes on impeachment.

by Margaret Bassett (45 articles, 2910 quicklinks, 43 diaries, 1854 comments [99 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 2:02:54 PM

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I just served as an "official" at the Canadian elections. With the exception that one must produce a valid photo Id (which can be gotten around actually - despite Harper's insistence that Hajib IDs not be allowed - the RACIST) .. I saw the paper ballot election at WORK, and the people dedicated to CLEAN elections who served at the polls. BELIEVE me, you cannot run a republic and certainly not a democracy without paper ballots. We have "scrutineers" apppointed by the candidates to supervise, too at the polls.

I am never sure just who is "supposed" to win in the MURKAN elections; I highly suspect the 2 million votes already "caged" are for .. HiLIARy, as per agreement. (Read Armed Madhouse, folks). And from what I"ve read about the democratic machine using those who built grassrootz support among their constituents who were later royally screwed, I am less than impressed. It DID happen; couldn't happen here.

But my big bugaboo is about LOBBYING, something that has been going on for yonks in America. Charles Dickens had a FIT when he realized how DC was run! So were many others who did little visits to the White House and CONgress and were shocked at the hanger-ons and opportunists.

So my suggestion is to get out of that insane symbol-ridden D of Columbia at the first off. It might prove much cheaper than maintaining those Iraqi masoleums being built, which are typified as bases and a new "embassy". In fact, I venture to say WAY cheaper. Move the entire kabit and kaboddle to the soon to be abandoned airforce base in .. FARGO!! YUP!! And surround the whole thing with a lush, verdant and USEFUL crop of hemp (not pot, hemp) and the place would pay for itself within the year. Completely sustainable.

My footer used to read: Who would pay $6 million dollars for a job that pays $160,000 per year??? Well, the answer to that is anyone who can make at least $60 million back via their "investment" cuz that is what it is, with a few exceptions. And this is WHY people LOVE Dennis and Ron Paul. One is a card-carrying union member; the other a BABY DOCTOR!! C'mon! Let's bring back PUBLIC SERVICE! The software is now available via Huffington Post to track every single government contract BY DISTRICT that is issued. Make these guys PAY to give these contracts "away" .. I'll bet the practice would stop PDQ. Just make it too expensive to do it. It makes them elistist and ARROGANT in the one-party system.

Also, no free bars on "campus" - no chances to just get schnoogled and caressed by PAMPERING for being part of "THE CLUB". The UN suffers the same exact problem; worked there, KNOW that. The drinks are FREE to the Top Dogs. Why are taxpayers paying for THAT little perk?? And no more pension plans either, which just allow them to go on "using".

I live out of country, and I don't HAVE A representative - so I called Pelosi's office to have my requests processed. They are NEVER processed. NEVER! In fact, everytime I ask for impeachment I am told that her putting that on the table "is a bit of a rumor" and that no tally on phone calls is ever undertaken. Now isn't that convenient?? If you can stay in denial, you shall stay in DENIAL. No need to look at what is happening - you can just set upon the antiwar people as nuisances, as she just did, lashing out at them for being "dirty" for just one of the things she mentioned. I call her on my own dime, the 800 numbers don't work from here. In an age of EMPIRE, you'dda thunk that there would be some sort of external place to go to COMPLAIN!! But no .. so getting someone who listens to those of us outside the 50 states would be a Good Thing, too.. There are MANY of us, not just a few, I assure you. We just might elect a 'rep' who'd show them how to be a public servant!!

A nice ripe law on requiring a certain percentage of their time amongst the real electorate might be a Good Idea, too. BuZh's statements that he's rich and doesn't know how his electorate thinks was really co*k-eyed after YEARS Of .. ahem. .. public service.

Up here in Canada, one brave MP, Garth Turner, started a fantastic website and blog; it now serves as the "lightening rod" of Canadian politics. And Harper kicked him out of cabinet for it. But garth.ca is fantastic! He does comment when it isn't out of his party's stance to do so -- on any given topic. He takes ALL comers in Canada. He makes videos to HELP other MPs be more informed and the electorate be more informed. He supports internet freedom AND participatory democracy. What US rep would do that?? It's just great to tell young people about it, too. None of the 3rd parties are big enough to do this .. YET. But the rolemodelling is there and perhaps over time, all politicians will be forced to do this .. or ELSE no one will give them one red cent. The corporations might, but not the PEOPLE -- who after all do the voting. With clean elections they just might think about being accountable.

None of my suggestions is meant as a "joke" - I am dead serious. I can't think that the present system can last forever; it's too damned hopeless and leaves us all feeling helpless and ineffective. The human spirit cannot bear it forever, despite counterintel pro, pysops, and whatever else they do to break our spirits. But history has taught me that there must be "steam valves" or things go rapidly awry. And THAT's the rub in the US today, no steam valves at all! The SCHIP campaign is the proof of that. It's just gotten to be TOO much, too little, too late, too tragic for even the US young people to bear. Something's gotta POP! No single pres candidate no matter who it is can change that FACT; something's gotta give. You can only demoralize people just so far. The conditioning to "accept authority" isn't THAT deep that it can hold up forever, and the distractions just aren't that great .. who wants a steady diet of infotainment?? (bread and circuses) which is really all that handed out anymore ..

I truly believe, that if the lesson is learned, as it appears to be, we will see more government transparency somewhere down the road. It has to happen.

Somewhere in here is a certain "word" that's been flagged but i'll be gosh darned if I can find it anywhere .. LOL

Virginia

by ladybroadoak (39 articles, 20 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 394 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 2:06:50 PM

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Great Comments; agree with all.

Rob you did have great suggestions...I wish I hadn't deleted Norm Coleman's responses from the last year...they were choice.

I think if a politican is good he/she needs to stay in and so the responsibility falls on their constituency. It's like at the local level someone needs to be around to know what has been done, how it was done and who it was done by.

Question is level the playing field for new candidates and remove the current funding of the campaigns. Balanced reporting and equal time need to be reinstated. But the current bunch will not go for that. So we're left with Revolution or slow change over of congress to politicans that believe and have the strength to carry our view through.

by MysticGem (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 16 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 2:15:33 PM

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Go to Youtube and watch "Ron Paul a new hope" I am going to vote against every incumbent on the ballot. Thats right a split ticket. If those dogs wont hunt, find some new ones.

by john riggs (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 463 comments [24 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 2:50:30 PM

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I agree wholeheartedly with Mr M.  We need some leadership on our side that is committed to democratic principles and won't sell us out.  I'm very certain that if someone did step forward and we actually were effective at making our demands on a national stage, that person would be bought out in a heartbeat.  So we need someone who will lead, not become a dictator, and not sell us out.  That would be a very unusual person since most of us would sell out for the right price.

As far as the money goes, the most reasonable approach would be that money raised by corporations goes into a common fund and get divided out to all candidates.  That would lessen the strenght of the money somewhat at least.

Other than that, we need an aroused electorate and I'm not seeing much of that so far. 

by Max Girouard (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 4 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 2:58:29 PM

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The only way to make multiple parties a viable reality, and indeed to have a truly representative democracy, is a constitutional amendment requiring proportional representation. Otherwise, the third party will always benefit those on the opposite end of the political spectrum, drawing votes from the party to which you are closest.

Start the ball rolling in your state now, and maybe in a generation it will happen.  

by jdoss (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 22 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 3:48:13 PM

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   Rob, if you keep voting for Democrats on the grounds that they are SLIGHTLY BETTER, or maybe NOT QUITE AS BAD, as the Republicans, you will continue to get Democrats who take impeachment "off the table" when you depended on impeachment to save us from a cabal that would impose a totalitarian distatorship on us.  You will continue to get Democrats who will keep voting FOR MORE war funding with the feeble excuse that they don't have enough votes to override a Bush veto.

   So if all your efforts result in votes for more war funding and impeachment "off the table," is it worth all the energy you put into electing Democrats?  Hiliary and other leading Democrats won't support single payer, so you will be disappointed there also.  And when medicare goes bankrupt and the lack of single payer results in health care costs escalating until they are literally imposible to pay for, and the Democrats say we have to end all publically funded health care, will you continue supporting them on the grounds that the Republicans will do something even worse to us?  Continuing to support the Democrats will not only mean that the reforms you support will ALWAYS keep being deferred to the indefinite furure but that THINGS WILL KEEP GETTING WORSE!

   The only solution open to you is to bite the bullet and vote for a third party.  That is why in both 2000 and 2004, I didn't let the Democrats scare me with the big bad Bush and voted for Ralph Nader.  I am urging people to support the Green Party as still the best hope of breaking the two party duopoly.  However if the Green Party nominates another safe states candidate in 2008, which is only a covert way of supporting the Democrats as the lesser evil, I will have to look elsewhere for both a candidate and a party.

Robert Halfhill   rhalfhill@juno.com

by rhalfhill (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 326 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 4:35:50 PM

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are a must, but we need to get them equal treatment and instant runoff voting. Until then, they are not viable.

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 5:33:35 PM

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Rob,

IRV has resulted in two-party domination in all four countries where it has seen long-term widespread use, namely Australia and Ireland.  The Libertarian Reform Caucus calls IRV a "bullet in the foot".  Bayesian regret measurements show that it is one of the worst of the commonly proposed voting methods.   It also incentivizes the adoption of fraud-conducive electronic voting machines, and causes 7 times as many spoiled ballots.

Third parties should be fighting like there's no tomorrow for Range Voting.  The simplest form of Range Voting, called Approval Voting, involves merely changing our current "vote for one" rule to "vote for one, or more".  See a plea for sanity regarding this subject, from Princeton math Ph.D. Warren D. Smith.

http://rangevoting.org/CFERlet.html

This is the most important issue in the world.

click here Shentrup

San Francisco, CA 

415.240.1973

clay@electopia.org 

by Clay Shentrup (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 39 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 11:30:07 PM

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I am against Instant runoff unless there is also an option to vote for someone else.

Part of Citizen Amendment 7 – Elected and Appointed Officials

All elected offices (Federal and State) shall have a vote for “Someone Else”. If someone else gets the most votes, than the other candidates will be eliminated and a new election will be held with other candidates. The State procedures for replacing a Congressperson will be followed if a new election cannot be held before the services of the vacant office are required. If necessary, a temporary President and Vice-President shall be selected by the various States using the original Amendment XII of the Constitution.From Comments that I have received, Citizen Amendment 7 will need to clarify that Exit Polling will be barred only for declaring winners before all polls close. Another point that has been made is the Electoral College. Some definitely want to get rid of it. I am opposed to its elimination, since in close elections the fiasco in Florida would engulf the entire United States. This would make many happy Lawyers and many angry voters. If all States were to adopt the electors voting by winners of each Congressional District, that would probably minimum the occurrence of another Florida fiasco.

Get your FREE copy of the Citizen Amendments at www.citizenamendments.org

Also Checkout the National Initiative for Democracy and then vote on it. It will give the people the right to a National Initiative.

http://ni4d.us/

by Anton Grambihler (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 314 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 3:27:55 AM

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trying to work within the two "parties" is not viable either, as you have demonstrated at the start of this thread...  I am thinking that we need to really work on bringing the third parties more into the fold NOW, as opposed to just talking about it..

Steve 

by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 829 comments [52 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 8:59:51 AM

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   Trying to win impeachment and an end to the Iraq war by supporting a party that takes impeachment off the table as soon as it wins a Congressional majority and votes for more Iraq war funding is not viable either.  Work to get instant run off voting and proportional representation but also work on building a third party even if it can not win enough votes to be viable immediately.  Trying to make gains by supporting Democrats IS WASTING YOUR TIME AND ENERGY so you might as well try building a third party.

   And my reaction when people tell me that people won't support a third party is the same as my reaction to Hiliary Clinton's statement that people won't support single payer health care.  If single payer, by putting an end to all the multitude of health insurance groups wasting at least 20% of health expenditures by playing postal ping pong sending medical paperwork back and forth to each other, is the only way to stop health care from becoming unaffordable, then the only solution is to keep telling people that single payer is the only answer, whether or not they are ready to support it now.  If the only way to make any progress on the various social issues is to persuade enough people to break from the two party duopoly, then our only alternative is to keep persuading them.

   If you are part of a crowd stampeding towards a cliff face, it is worse than futile to stampede over the cliff with them on the grounds that you cannot persuade them to stop stampeding.  Instead, work your way towards the edges of the crowd and persuade as many as you can to come with you.

Robert Halfhill   rhalfhill@juno.com

by rhalfhill (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 326 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 11:51:22 PM

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Thanks for voting for Nader. If every person posessed the mindset you had, this America would not be slipping into a permanent fascist state.

by Kevin Gosztola (302 articles, 146 quicklinks, 81 diaries, 1082 comments [77 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 5:49:19 PM

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It's interesting to read suggestion after suggestion about what 'we' should do to gain back control over our country.

But the bare fact is that 'we' have no way to do anything. Congress controls Congress and none of these great ideas are in the interests of incumbents.

The streets are the only place left to go. We were in the streets over Vietnam and in the streets over civil rights. Why would anyone think we can solve even a small part of the issues at hand without marching.

There is NO taste for that in the country today and I can't help but wonder why? Have we really been sent to our rooms because of 9-11? Are we willing to stay there? 

by Jim Freeman (108 articles, 53 quicklinks, 227 diaries, 386 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 6:23:03 PM

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http://www.oct27.org/

Philly, Boston, LA, Chicago, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Seattle, San Francisco, Jonesborough

This protest looks really smart. Protests start in your local town, then move down into the center of the metropolitan area later in the day, so it really produces hundreds or thousands of protests.

by Rob Kall (953 articles, 4178 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 8:26:06 PM

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Indeed street protests were effective when we clogged the streets and brought cities to a standstill. That's why I think a General Strike works in well. The point is all one has to do is buy nothing for one day. If protests beyond that be held and those that wish to participate do so, all the better. If you need gas to get there, buy it the day before. If you eat, bring sandwiches. The idea is to stop the money flow to show what we the people can do to gain the powers that be attention. It's the money they care about, not us. We could march in the streets till our feet gave out and it wouldn't matter if we keep spending the money.

But General Strikes don't take the energy that street protests take.

And with today's media control street protests are minimised and place people in danger of arrest, profiling or harms way. With a General Strike one can sit home and read a book, take the kids to the park, do anything that stops the flow of commerce. Just DON't BUY ANYTHING. For if it's the bottom line that the powers that be care about the most, it's what we should target.

by Mr M (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 2845 comments [654 recommended, 27 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 8:41:57 PM

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I can just see Alexander Hamilton sitting home and reading a book.

Not buying tea wasn't the answer to shaking off the bonds of England's colonial empire in America.

It's a huge philosophical problem that Americans have become complacent about ruining other people's countries and just can't get up the energy to put themselves at risk of jail to save their own.

In short, I couldn't agree with you less. 

by Jim Freeman (108 articles, 53 quicklinks, 227 diaries, 386 comments) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 5:32:01 AM

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Sorry Rob, this article isn’t one of your best. It is logic full of emotions, hyperbole, double standards and the biggest disappointment name calling and personal attack.

The DCC didn’t hang up on you a terrified canvasser did. That’s a bit like shooting the waitress because restaurant next door wouldn’t deliver your lunch.

If you give the DCC money you expect Quid Pro Quo isn’t that exactly what big business is doing, only the numbers are different?

And isn’t personal attack what you criticise Rush Limburg and the GOP of?

I wonder what you hope to gain by disposing of all incumbents. The root causes are those in the party who back them and those who vote for them. Maybe you should sack the voters and get a better lot (ones who share your views).

There is more constrictions to doing things in Washington than you care to admit. Like it or not all politicians are human and have failings, fears phobias alliances etc but to call then invertebrates unfortunately says more about you than them.

They could do with a hurry up but Intolerance, bullying is wrong no matter which side it comes from. Talk to the Quakers. 

by Andris (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 531 comments) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 10:53:29 PM

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There is no doubt or debate in how Nan Pelosi has been totally ineffective. I guess the staunch Liberal has it someplace in her mind that the Speaker of the House is supposed to be middle of the road. Who knows what she thinks - she's not acting the part of the Heir Presumptive of one of the biggest Congressional landslides in history.

How she hasn't pulled the funds on the war is beyond me. She can't lose her San Francisco seat and on a national basis that is why she was given the mandate in 2006.

I guess the job is too big for her.  She likes shuttling back and forth to the White House a little too much for my taste.

The Dems have become everything that the Repugs have accused them of being. The party of non-action and few ideas. Sad.

But when it comes to Rob Kall's problem one can only hope when the DCCC calls, they hang up on me, too.

I'm expecting a huge congressional, senatorial and White House win in 13 months. If things don't change immediately in a veto-and-fillibuster-proof Dem era, I'd say what we used to know as the United States of America will be on the fast track to becoming a glorious memory. 

by Dusty Nathan (18 articles, 0 quicklinks, 9 diaries, 69 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 at 11:38:01 PM

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As long as you say third party or independent candidates are not viable until we get IRV, you are giving the Dems a pass.  If you refuse to vote for a candidate who you believe in but don't think can win, you are digging the hole deeper.  We cannot turn this tragedy around in one election, but we could turn it around in two or three if enough people were willing to vote their conscience.  It's the only strategy that can work and most people will argue until their last breath to do everything else but that.  One of these days you will wake up and see it.  I hope it's not too late.  No matter how much you complain, no matter what you say to the incombants... they don't care, because they know you will fold in the end.  There is no third party and you will have no where else to go because all of your threats are empty threats.  As long as you refuse to stand for what you really want, and work for it until it's yours, you only communicate your weakness.   That's just how it is.

by Mark A. Goldman (81 articles, 2 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 243 comments) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 12:18:35 AM

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Hi Rob,

by Art Feierman (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 11 comments) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 2:21:01 AM

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Since Congress is not going to act and Impeach the President, it is up to the States to take Action.

The Federal Government has become a government of Special Interests, by Special Interests, and for Special Interests.

This Federal Government was created by the original States to be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. It is therefore the the States Duty, Responsibility, and Obligation to amend the Federal Constitution as necessary to make it once again a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Taxation with false representation
is worse than knowing you have
Taxation without representation!

I sent a letter to this effect to all the State Governors and Legislatures. You can get your free copy of this letter and the Citizen Amendments at: www.citizenamendments.org

Also Checkout the National Initiative for Democracy and then vote on it.

It will give the people the right to a National Initiative.

http://ni4d.us/

by Anton Grambihler (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 314 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 3:38:07 AM

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They hung up on me too!  And I was just getting started!

As soon as he started his spiel, I interrupted to tell him, Mister you called the wrong lady this morning.  I'm not giving any money to the DCCC or any other Democrat until they grow a spine!  Then I told him why, he kept saying "Really" in an absolutely infuriating patronizing way.  When he started telling me what a great job they had done in 06 elections, I just blew up!  I let him in on the best kept secret in politics----that that election owed its success to Howard Dean and the DNC, at least as far as I was concerned.  And that a vote for any DLC Democrat was a vote for a continuation of rule by corporation and I would not be casting a vote for any such pol.  Since I live in Illinois, that means a Green vote and thats how I'll be voting! 

Anyway, I guess he thought I was a lost cause cause he broke the connection.  Which I thought was a good metaphor for how I feel about the Democratic Party these days.  Don't feel that connected.

Term limits are a terrible idea.  Anyway, we already have term limits, we call them elections.  We need IRV. 

by bmobley (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 30 comments) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 7:18:00 AM

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There is really only one solution--quit the party, which is what I just did.  There is not a single real progressive in a position of leadership in the party, nor one who the party establishment is ever going to support.  I am no longer going to give any of my time and energy to a party that I feel has abandoned the progressive principles that attracted me to it in the first place.  And, under the current system of legalized bribery called campaign finance (money from lobbyists), I don't see the party looking to return to its progressive roots in the near future.  Personally (and this may not be right choice for every fed up and disgusted Democrat) I chose to join the Socialist Party USA.

by Thomas Deane Tucker (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Friday, Oct 19, 2007 at 11:46:02 AM

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