But there is a solution that could mobilize popular support from the left, right, and center, counter what will doubtless be a downpour of corporate misinformation, and elect effective representatives of our interests.
If 1) a Uni-tea ("Unity") party demands that candidates of all parties pledge their support of core populist and non-partisan objectives; 2) identifies candidates who refuse to do so as unfit to serve the public interests; and 3) where there are no fit candidates, nominates alternative candidates who pledge, in addition to support the Uni-tea core principles, to abstain from voting on a list of partisan issues in his/her first term, thereby allowing both maximum popular support and minimal popular opposition - we may be able to rescue our system of governance.
Core objectives might include:
2. The break up of corporations that are considered too big to fail, and of media monopolies of the press and public airwaves.
3. Re-regulation of financial and insurance institutions.
4. Imposition of taxes and penalties on corporations that ship factories and jobs overseas.
5. Introduction of reciprocal tariffs on imports from countries that maintain tariffs on our exports and/or keep their prices low by reduced labor and environmental standards ("fair trade", not "free trade").
6. Elimination of foreign tax havens.
7. Public campaign financing funded by a small income surtax.
8. A gradual reduction in the minimum age for the option to join Medicare, and no restriction on Medicare in negotiating drug prices.
9. Revocation of tax cuts on the super-wealthy.
In order to secure populist, non-partisan support and make long-term political objectives possible, the following negative short-term pledges seem crucial:
For the first term in office: The candidate pledges to abstain from voting on partisan social issues such as abortion, gay marriage, gun control, and illegal immigration.
Politics is said to be the art of compromise. Specifically populist politics might be described as the art of limited and strategic compromise putting essential and achievable goals first. Our nation has reached a juncture where the development of a populist political art is our most urgent priority. Let's come together as artists, across the political spectrum.
