Less than a year remains until the next national elections, thank God. I'm already sick of the incessant political crap from the politicians and the media. Republicans and Democrats alike are wasting my time with their petty concerns, waffling, and sucking up to their core constituents. None of them are focusing on the issues and talking truth. So why pay attention...is the election going to boil down to the lesser of two evils? Most likely, it will.
The republicans are banking on the tried and true politics of fear, greed, and ersatz religion. After seven disastrous years, why would anyone with a brain want to keep them? John McCain talks "straighter" than any of them, but if he was for real he would admit that the Iraq war was a terrible mistake at best. There's nobody there to vote for.
The democrats are out-doing each other in pandering to the unions and the lower classes. "Tax the rich", "grow the government", and "pay people more" seem to be their solutions to every problem. Not a one of them is asking anyone to do anything different or make any sacrifice needed for progress. There's nobody there to vote for, either.
The problem is that our party-based political system is broken. The parties are perfect targets for those with money or power, and they have both been corrupted beyond repair. Our democracy needs to be changed, and it's time for change. The internet is the perfect vehicle to accomplish this change, and perhaps its time will come when the American people realize they're being left out of the debate. A bit more direct democracy would revitalize the political process.
I'd like to see someone like Bloomberg run for the presidency on a promise to open up the democratic process. There's no reason why we should not have national initiatives and referendums on the big issues that politicians fear to touch.
What are the pro's and con's of the "war on drugs"? Do we want to continue it or legalize the stuff?
Should we have a "guest worker" program or a path to citizenship for illegal aliens?
Should Medicare pay for expensive operations on people with Alzheimers or dementia or terminal conditions? Do we want national health insurance?
Should all students have to stay in school until they graduate?
Let's find out what the people want rather than depend on 100 senators and 435 representatives to agree on laws that have been watered down so badly that they never seem to get the results they promise. That is, if they can agree on anything at all...
I'm thinking of becoming radicalized for democracy instead of lining up behind any of the special-interest-backed party candidates. We can do better as a country if we worry about specific issues rather than groupthink. It's past time for change.
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3 comments:
I think you're giving the Democrats too much credit. They may say they are pro-union, but they overwhelmingly supported the "free trade" agreements that drove the nail in the coffin of organized labor. They may say they want to tax the rich, but they're rich themselves- I guarantee you that ain't gonna happen.
Parties don't matter anymore. All the power comes from the giant corporations; people and politics are just cogs in their machine.
And I have dedicated myself to being a monkey-wrench. :o)
I don't think "small d" democracy will work any better than whatever you call what we have now. We, the people that would be called on to make these democratic decisions aren't interested enough to think about, much less take a position on the questions you pose. I'd also be just as leary of what they decided as I am of what the current system comes up with.
Sorry. Happy New Year!
This seems to be the growing general consensus in the country, and I'm actually somewhat shocked that the parties and those in power haven't mobilized to stop such growing displeasure among the potentially volatile masses.
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