I want to try an experiment. It has became painfully obvious to me and I'm sure to you as well, that our leaders, on both sides of the aisle are interested only in holding on to their ties with Corporate sponsors. Several polls have shown that 67% of us out in the real America want drastic reform of health care, yet the backroom boys are stalling and watering down all attempts to really help the American people. This is just one example of we citizens being taken for a ride.
What I want to do is start a blog where we can come whether we are conservative, liberal, or moderate and engage in civil discourse. No shouting, name calling, or disruptions.
I would like to take one or two topics at a time and discuss them. I have my views and you have yours. We need not agree with each other but we should try to understand the others views. We may just hammer out a consensus.
Why should we bother? Well, if our Congressmen and Senators will not act in our interest maybe we can, together, figure out a way to influence them. Voting Blocs are good.
Now, if I send this out to 20 people and each sent to twenty, then it shouldn't take long to build a sizable group.
I am not asking you to participate unless you are interested in doing so, but I would like you to pass this around you address book.
This will either be fun or futile, but I hope for the best.
Billy
Well, two areas we could look at are Health Care and Jobs.
ReplyDeleteJump in with a comment or a suggestion for the site.
BEB
Are all politicians on the take?
ReplyDeleteI believe that the only way the American citizenry can get an even break is through a complete over haul of Campaign Financing. No decisions on heath care, banking, or any matter that affects all of us will ever be in our favor until Special Interests have less representation than we do.
ReplyDeleteI do not think this is a Democrat or Republican problem exclusively. Both Parties are bought and paid for the way the system works now. Citigroup donates to both parties embracing neither's philosophy.
I know that polls are not terribly reliable, but by looking at several polls, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CNN, and MSNBC to name a few, one can get a somewhat accurate feel for what's going on about the public option. Some where between 48% and 52% of the people polled were in favor of a public option in the health care bill, yet it appears that our leaders are going to bow to the corporate heads of the insurance industry.
Whether you are pro or con on the public option, the point I make is our elected leaders don't care what we want. They will follow the dictate of money.
Do you think all pols are beholding to Corporate America or are there some who are for the real America: the people.
The only way to reform the political process is to kick all the current politicians out and elect fresh blood who then can institute the reforms needed. Currently there are too many politicians the have ties to special interests. They are the ones that make the rules and unless we have an unconditional house cleaning then nothing will change. The length and number of terms needs to be adjusted so that the politicians do not have to depend on voting on pork for their constituents in order to stay in power. You can discuss health care and jobs but until we have politicians, have the interest of the citizens they represent in mind, they will always choose to side with those that will maintain their power.
ReplyDeleteI agree Big. The problem is though that will never happen. The very ones we could elect can afford to run. I wonder though if we started at the local level and really agitated if we could get rid of the Republican/Democrat strangle hold that leaves Idahoans with no choise. I feel that Ron Paul and Ralph Nader and anylike them are not far away form the pack. We need a new progressive populism like we saw at the turn of the 20th century.
ReplyDeleteTerm limits are a good idea. My only fear is tat there are no limits in bureuacracy. It takes some experience to not be manipulated by bureaucrats.
I believe a thorough overhaul of the elections, taxes, healthcare are all necessary, but big money will trump all tries at reform unless we down here start doing something.
Aw, but what?
Thanks for the incite Shrub.
From the Washington Post. Seems unreal.
ReplyDeleteWhere’s the pay czar when you need him? According to The Washington Post, the biggest financial firms in the United States increased perks and benefits for their chief executives by an average of 4 percent in 2008. As a group, these same firms received $350 billion in federal funds. Executives Kenneth D. Lewis of Bank of America and Jeffrey M. Peek of CIT Group each received $100,000 extra in 2008 for corporate jets. Ralph W. Babb Jr. got a $200,000 country-club membership on Comerica’s dime. GMAC Financial Services spent $2.5 million to help Alvaro de Molina pay his personal tax bill. Chaffeured services, parking, and personal security were other common perks in 2008.
It's pretty easy to see that the Federal Government has grown to big for an elected representative to actually represent the people. I think it would be better if we were able to do with the Constitution and Government in general, what Vatican II did for the Catholic Church... to back away from things that are not working and re-embrace things that did.
ReplyDeleteThe dominant experience between Government and the Governed must return to the local level. I believe that only within our City, County and State governments can we regain control of the mess. In my opinion, adequate representation in government can only be achieved when those elected live as our neighbors, sharing our hardships.
The cure, from my perspective, begins at home.
Really agree Ken. Tip O'Neill said that all politics are local and he was right. We need to organize block by block. Whether it is done through church groups or through other ad hoc groups doesn't matter as much as the fact we are getting organized.
ReplyDeleteI also agree on the concept of doing a Vatican II. The US Consitution is design to be updated. It was written by intelligent, albeit wealthy, men. It is time for a new Constitutional Convention, but remember who will be there to vote. Not you or I.
Good hearing from you KC
I'm actually hoping that having a Constitutional Lawyer in the Presidents chair will eventually be helpful. Perhaps he can undo some of the losses that have come, particularly Posse Comitatus Act as Bush pretty much destroyed it. We are now only a "Natural disaster" away from armed Soldiers in the streets "Enforcing" the law. The Red Coats did that. We don't want to see that day come again.
ReplyDeleteRegarding local politics, it was always the intent. I suspect the Constitutional Framers would be shocked at how large and populous the country has become. It is our growth that makes A Union of States more important than a country that has States. It is now virtually impossible to have any kind of relationship with our Federal Representatives, unless you live in a very limited cultural segment of Idahos population.They don't know me and worse yet, they have a crew of underlings that respond to mail so they never hear my opinion either.
In my dreams I see "No taxation without Representation" as a new battle cry for States rights. If we want to maintain a Federal Tax, it should be upon the States themselves, not the individual Citizens. Idaho, and others, should get the money first, tithing to the Fed only to support those services described in the Constitution. Which, by the way, our current Fed does not do very well!
I object not so much to taxation, but to the unfair distribution of this obligation. I hear that flat tax won't work, but I hear it only from those are lackeys of the rich. If my income tax dollar was spent to keep me health, educated, and employed then I would have no problem fattening the Federal coffers. I do object though seeing my money spent to bail out Wall Street with no oversight and no regulations. Just seeing the bonuses that the CEOs are getting after the bail out is maddening.
ReplyDeleteBank of America can lay off thousands, but the top dogs are still getting fatter at our expence.
I believe in a strong Federal Government and wish we had one. I have faith in Obama, but it dims daily. We cannot sustain a war let alone two, yet the lastest chatter from the talking heads cast doubts on any timely withdrawl for Afganistan.
I fear too much state power, especially in Idaho.
Well those fears are well founded my friend. I share them, but it's easier to fix something at home than to get all the States to agree.
ReplyDeleteBack to your chosen topic matter... Health care reform:
I would suggest a first step could begin at the local level: require local elected officials to personally maintain a daily blog... Who did you meet with today, What perspective, opinion or ideas did they offer that might shape your opinion about -insert issue here-?
The intent would be full disclosure as to WHO was shaping the officials opinion on an issue.
If successful in providing a more transparent decision making process, this could easily be picked up from county to state level, then to the federal level.
BTW: I don't know 20 people who I think are intelligent enough to participate in a conversation like this... but maybe I shouldn't judge my friends so harshly!
A public blog? Yeah very interesting? But who would check the validity of the blog. Glen Beck blogs. Rush Limbaugh blogs. I blog. Who can you trust.
ReplyDeletehave faith Ken. I am sure we have twenty friends. I am using this and Face Book to reach out.
At least there are three of us participating.
A must watch Frontline: http://video.pbs.org/video/1302794657.
ReplyDeleteNot sure how the validity of a public blog could be verified, however, if a politician blogged that "Tom Nobody, lobbying for Insurance Coporations, has convinced me that a Public Option is not in the Publics best interest by pointing out --insert missintrepeted data here-- " then at least we would have some insight into the decision.
ReplyDeleteNot a solution, that's for sure, but transparency goes a long way towards revealing the motivation behind legislators decisions.
I read a lot of blogs and always find it amusing how many times bloogers give away their aganda right off the bat.
ReplyDeleteThe internet is a wonderous thing, yet it has become as unreliable and commercil as all forms of media. One must be cautious when surfing because nothing seems to be as it appears. It is a realm of spin, lies, and misintterpretaion.
Thanks for the thoughts KC
Have to agree about being careful... I would hope that a site at *.gov would be outside the realm of spin, lies and misinterpretation... but I fear it is "GOV" who has best learned to master that skill set!
ReplyDeleteThe division between America the people and America the government is based on lies I suspect. I have been researching the underlying causes of our past wars and there seems to be a thread developing. There is a pattern of collusion between Big Oil and government that belies excuses such as Pearl Harbor, Gulf of Tonkin, and 9/11. I haven't connect oil and WWI yet, but stay tuned.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback.
I think there will always be a connection between those large corporations and the wars they profit from.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don't get, is the connection i.e. willingness to support, between Americans who consider themselves christian, and War.
Christ said it was understandable that a man would lay down his life for a friend, but he laid his down for the people who killed him. Could have with a word caused them, their hammers and nails, and the cross to turn to dust, but chose not to.
He called people to follow his lead but instead of laying down so they don't have to kill innocents, our faithful countrymen support sacrificing their own children upon what I have come to view as the Altar of the Abomination (War).
There is nothing in this world a Saved person should be worrying about defending, save their own choice to exist.
For me the dividing line has become imminent danger. If someone is in your face trying to kill you, you may act like any other creature of flesh, fight or flee, the choice is yours alone and no one can put you down for either.
However when the choice to kill has time to be premeditated. Like, say, planning an invasion in a foreign country, then that becomes murderous revenge.
I don't recall murderous revenge on the list of gifts of the Spirit.
my 2 cents for the day.
Whether one is a believer or not, war is an abomination. I have given a lot of thought to the ever growing evangelical movement that seems bent on taking over the nation. I believe that they are "false prophets" and those who really are saved need to address them and let them know that using the name of Jesus to justify corporate greed, politacal avarice, and bigotry is wrong.
ReplyDeleteThey Right to Lifers, for the most part act like life ends at the embriotic stage. They will kill abortion providers and execute snipers. Save the fetus and murder the adult.
I have several evangelical friends that support the war and Bush was born again and he started it. I can't understand how they can read the words of Christ and then sacrifice our kids on the alter of oil.
There seems to be little protest to our two wars. No draft no protest. I guess we have become sheep after all.