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July 16, 2007 at 13:55:31

The Politics of Exclusion

by Timothy V. Gatto     Page 1 of 1 page(s)

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Why did The American Association for Justice (formerly American Trial Lawyers Association) not invite Democratic hopefuls Former Senator Mike Gravel and Congressman Dennis Kucinich to their convention after they invited Senator Joseph Biden (D-Delaware), Hillary Clinton (D-New York), former Senator John Edwards, Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois), and Governor Bill Richardson (D-New Mexico)?

I thought this was supposed to be The American Association for Justice? Apparently, the only people that are afforded justice from this organization are the people that have corporate backing. This is just another example of how the American political game is played. Sure, it’s their convention, but they can’t stand there and tell the American people that all the lawyers from this group back only the five “anointed” lawyers that were invited. This just goes to show you that changing the name of this organization hasn’t changed what they are, just another run of the mill organization that wants to be associated with only what they perceive as the “winners”. It will be too bad that when this election is over and President Kucinich or Vice President Gravel is asked to speak at their next convention, they blow it off (although they probably won’t because they have higher standards than most politicians).

This is a travesty. The more this kind of thing happens, the more that our political system suffers. Frankly, I don’t believe the numbers that the mainstream media throws at us regarding the numbers that Gravel and Kucinich are carrying. I live in South Carolina, one of the reddest states in the Union, and I meet people every day that say they want Kucinich to win the nomination. I wish there were some way that an independent poll could be taken that Americans could trust. Somehow I don’t believe that we are getting the right information. With the biggest corporations involved in every facet of our lives, that wouldn’t surprise me,

Organizations such as the AAJ don’t help matters. There are eight Democrats running for office, not five. Where is Governor Chris Dodd? Doesn’t he “measure up” to their standards? The more I see of this kind of thing, the more I believe that Gravel, Kucinich , Dodd and even Bloomberg should just get together and start a new party. The Democrats are infected with the corporate disease and they should be quarantined for the sake of what most Americans believe in. The Democrats should call themselves “The New Republicans” or “Republican Lite”.  This is too much. You know I don’t make this stuff up.

 

http://liberalpro.blogspot.com

Tim was banned from the site for posting private email from the publisher to him on his blog, and then attacking the publisher and the site in emails and articles. OEN has no responsibility to publish articles from people who attack the site. Tim's accusations that he was banned for his political positions are untrue. Check his articles. He repetitively wrote about and had published exactly the things he claimed he was banned for doing.
Former Chairman of the Liberal Party of America, Tim is a retired Army Sergeant. He currently lives in South Carolina. A regular contributor to OpEdNews, he is the author of Kimchee Kronicles and is currently at work on a new novel.

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Been around the block a few times.
Blue PilgrimBeen around the block a few times.

Email from DK

I got the following email from DK this morning. It is a valient effort, but expecting the lamestream media or the wealthy organizations to let anyone excpet the fascist favorites to speak is a lost cause. The only way Dk -- Gravel, Paul, or the other realy anti-war and pro-people to get the word out is the people themselves spread it on a grass-roots, peer-to-peer level, and people stop listening to the voice of the Big Brother boob-tube and elitist establishments and organizations.

The AJA s not exactly grass roots, as shown here, with member average income of over a 1/4 million dollars. Edwards is a trial lawyer and was heavily supported by AJA but the other big-money candidates are apparantly gaining ground now, by this article:

Edwards, a trial lawyer who became a senator and now a presidential candidate, will be there, too. But the North Carolina Democrat no longer has a lock on the backing of the lawyers. This time around he will be battling it out with others in the Democratic field, who are seen as sympathetic to plaintiffs and their attorneys.

Yes -- it apparantly comes down to what's good for trial lawyers, not what's good for justice -- the real purpose of a PAC. The change to the name AJA seems to be in response to the anti trial lawyers propaganda rather than any new dedication to justice, and a major concern of the association is apparantly figuring out how to get bigger awards for their clients -- of which the lawyers gets a big percentage, of course.

What we could use is a People PAC -- what the Democratic political party was supposed to be at one  time. But like PBS was taken over by the right wing, like the APA is headed by those who think psychologists supporting torture is OK, like some unions have been corrupted, like any organization becomes a target for the fascists, the Dems have been corrupted -- and like the AJA also.

It might be OK to let the lawyers speak for you at a trial, but in politics the people must speak for themselves and not simply rely on any special interest organization to speak for them or act on their behalf. A key to negating the power of money in politics, used for advertising, is to deligitimize the ads in the minds of the people as a valid political vehicle -- just as it is becoming better understood it is not a legitimize source of news or opinion. If the people themselves speak loudly and continuously, in all walks of life, then word-of-mouth will overwhelm the phony messages from people in expensive suits. Sure throw DK a few bucks if you can, but be sure to tell the people you know and see about him, and the other peace candidates being surpressed, and spread the word.

From DK:::::::::::::::::::::

We will not be silenced

Can you believe it! I know you are as outraged as we are about the recent plot between Hillary and John Edwards. Let me assure you – Dennis Kucinich will not be silenced! Dennis will continue to spread his message of strength through peace, because he knows it's the only possibility for a better America.

According to AP, Fox News picked up Clinton and Edwards on stage with their open mikes expressing their mutual desire to limit future presidential forums by excluding other candidates.

John Edwards whispered, "We should try to have a more serious and a smaller group." Hillary Clinton agreed, "We've got to cut the number ... They're not serious.''

It's ironic that they challenge the seriousness of Dennis's message.

Dennis Kucinich knows the seriousness of the war in Iraq.

Dennis knows the thousands of lives lost.

Dennis knows about the billions of dollars spent.

Dennis knows about our credibility to the world.

Dennis is the only candidate that has stood up against this war from the beginning and throughout.

Dennis was not however seen in the back of the Senate Chamber last month waiting to see who voted before casting their vote.

Dennis is not the one who refuses to take responsibility for their vote to go to war, and then continues to authorize it.

Playing politics when people are dying is a little less than serious, and we need your help to send a message loud and clear that we are serious - and we will not be silenced.

Dennis responded to the statements by saying, "Candidates - no matter how important or influential they perceive themselves to be - do not have and should not have the power to determine who is allowed to speak to the American public and who is not."

Because of this appalling situation, we are now asking all supporters who are concerned about these disturbing whispers to send a contribution of $25, $50 or $100 today.

We must make it perfectly clear to Hillary Clinton and John Edwards that Dennis Kucinich's supporters will not tolerate any efforts to silence their candidate's voice. Dennis Kucinich will win this election, and we are determined to help him become the 44th president in January, 2009.

Click here to Contribute

Your support will allow Dennis's campaign to inform and reform America. By delivering his message of strength through peace we will change the course of American history.

Regardless of the clandestine motives of some of the other candidates, your support will keep Dennis Kucinich standing firm right beside them; telling the truth and calling for the restoration of constitutional democracy in America setting us on a course of peace, justice and prosperity.

Thank you for everything you do, as well as your financial support. We are working together, and together we will restore our constitution and build a better America!

Best Regards,

Mike Klein
Campaign Manager

by Blue Pilgrim (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 998 comments) on Monday, July 16, 2007 at 4:02:07 PM
 

 

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