Forum Post: 5 days left to let us know what issues you want brought forward.
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 1, 2011, 1:01 p.m. EST by LobbyDemocracy
(615)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
I am founding a lobbying organization designed to represent the majority. We will be polling our membership to determine the direction of the organization. We will take up any issue that receives 65% support or opposition. We will then go through the polling data district by district and contact every elected leader whose district also supports the issue at 65%. The elected officials will have the opportunity to write back to their constituents via the website.
In addition to letting the officials know where their constituents stand we will also be keeping track of the voting records of our elected leaders. This will enable you to see your personal polling data, and the polling data for the elected official's district compared to their voting record. In this manner you can see if your elected official supported your perspective 21% of the time or 89% of the time. The process will enable you to have your voice heard by your representatives and have quality information about your elected officials come election time.
People have expressed concern about us buying the favor of our elected officials and I can assure you this is not what we will be doing. We are a new type of lobbying organization. Not only will we be determining the direction of the organization in a democratic manner, the strength of the organization will come from those same polls. The money in politics is there to buy votes. We do not need the money because we have the currency that all politicians treasure. We represent the votes. We will have hard data displaying what their constituents support. They will be aware that their actions are being tracked and reported to their constituents. We will be devaluing the presence of lobbyists for big business and special interests by making our votes harder to buy. People will not fall for catchy 30 second spots when they know how their elected leaders actually voted in relation to their perspectives. We will return the power of the majority to Capitol Hill.
We will be opening up for membership in 5 days. Although as we move forward the issues that we bring up to poll will be determined by our membership, that is clearly not possible before there is membership. As we launch we need a list of issues so that our early membership can decide what issues should be considered first. We are asking for input about what is important to you. If you could have 3 issues brought to the attention of your elected leaders, what would they be? Please let us know.
If you are interested in the organization, please take a minute and check us out. We are www.lobbydemocracy.com. There will be many changes on the site over the next couple of days. We are putting the site that I designed with my partner to bed. We will be launching a new, secure page that will include a secure login. If you have questions about the website or project in general, please feel free to contact us either here or through the contact us page of our site. Also if you like what you see, please let us know here so that we can rise back to the top of the list and be seen by others.
Sincerely,
Evan Kendall Babcock
President
Lobby Democracy
no war
Are we arguing against the current wars, or against war in general?
both
Although I understand the stance against war in general, what is one to do when you are facing outside aggression? How do you feel about WWII for instance?
the navy secured trade for the US
I don't understand how that is an answer to my questions. Is that an example of a proper use of the military?
You want me to join you in the bottomless pit of ridiculous ignorance. I won't.
Read my blog to get specifics. Invite me to speak like Glenn Greenwald is invited. Its impossible to do this on a forum. I will speak for an hour and then I'll take questions until the very last question if it takes a week.
http://overthecoals.blogspot.com/
America has evolved into a country of liars in a deep trance.
Speaking directly with all Americans is impossible. The "political correctness" trance can only be removed like a cancer if a few Americans review the possibility they might be in a trance. The budget deficit is one of many issues that prove the deep trance.
"LIAR" is called flip-flop. Its baby talk for Americans in their trance.
I am inviting you and everyone else to become involved in the process. Your response insinuates that you are too good or important to be involved in a full open discussion of the issues. I am not forcing you to do so. You are welcome to approach the problems of our country in whatever manner you think is best.
You people have made it impossible to steer this OWS in the right direction because you are very uninformed. You invited Glenn Greenwald for 2 hours on 11/8 because he will pander to your nonsense. I fight big shots for a living and I beat their brains out. Read my book, its on my blog.
I can't read it for you.
I did not invite Glenn Greenwald. I do not run the OWS. I make no decisions for them. I am simply trying to create a platform that will enable the majority to be heard.
That's what I have been trying to do. You don't know what I did. That's the problem, you people only want to be pandered to. You get insulted. I tried your method it didn't work and it will never work.
I don't think that I want to be pandered to. I don't expect universal support. I don't expect to be able to determine the agenda. And I am not insulted. If you actually tried to create a people's lobby and it failed I would be interested to hear about it, because I might be able to take something from the process that will help us succeed. I think it is an idea that has great merit and my biggest concern has to do not with the soundness of the concept, but with my ability to successfully implement it.
I want unity, not anger. America is not a nursery school. When people make ridiculous, self destructive comments they must be dealt with directly. Please consider this thought.
Political correctness has suspended the English language
read more -- http://overthecoals.blogspot.com/
Liars are called -- flip floppers. Bribes are called -- corporate money, donations, contributions. Bag nen are called -- lobbyists. Propaganda has put Americans into a deep trance that protects the crooks who take the bribes (Obama and congress) and the scammers who pay the bribes (corporate executives).
The only remedy that will work for OWS will be to nominate candidates and campaign to get them elected which will be absolutely guaranteed in 2012 because at least 70% of the American voters are pissed off. The trance was created by media propaganda that is obvious every day if people will look for it. OWS people are in the same trance that all other Americans have been put under. That trance has nothing to do with intelligence. The huge problem that must be remedied is to first consider that stupid, self destructive behavior must be caused by something, so let's consider the trance that manipulates intelligent people to use "political correct" language.
I think it is dangerous to consider something the only remedy. I am working hard at something that I think will help the process. I am sure there are many other attempts being made. My only hope is that somewhere along the line one of them helps reform the system that has gotten so out of touch with American society.
Here's my # 203-612-1987 email -- justfacts.steve@gmail.com
They invited Gleen Greenwald to speak for 2 hours on 11/8 at 60 Wall Street. They have an atrium there. That's what I need. I will go to that function. The guy that set it up hates me personally. I don't pander to these people so he's pissed.
I understand your frustration, just don't think it should be directed at me since I have nothing to do with those decisions. I wish you the best with your work, and hope to hear from you in the future.
I'm asking to be invited to speak for an hour with unlimited questions after. I wll answer questions for as many days as it takes.
I come to the meeting and I lose the floor in a few minutes and then I am forced to listen to nonsense. I have written my blog since 2006. It has very specific issues, facts, and verifiable info.
My organization does not have physical meetings for you to be able to speak at. We are starting out purely as a online community. You are welcome to make your perspectives heard on our site when we launch, but cannot provide the speaking platform that you are looking for.
Defective system of justice: arrests for citizen harassment purposes; removal of children for "marks" on their bodies; flips of custody on the say so of court appointed psychologists; computation of child support on whimsical financial data; forced adoptions; dismissed federal lawsuits against judges; dismissed appeals in family law cases; state-based attorney licensing; appellate court sponsored free attorneys; money for local groups of lawyer-psychologists.
Thank you for your feedback.
Hi, The issue I want brought forward is student loans (private, commercial student loans in particular). Should I go to www.lobbydemocracy.com to post my issue? Let me know how I can get involved. Thanks
Hi, The issue I want brought forward is student loans (private, commercial student loans in particular). Should I go to www.lobbydemocracy.com to post my issue? Let me know how I can get involved. Thanks
We will be opening up for membership in 4 days. We are collecting some ideas here before we get up and running. Once we get up and running we will be taking submissions on ideas both through the contact us section of the website and on our blog to determine what issues we will consider. I think the cost of education in general should be considered, including but not limited to student loans. Thank you for your interest and we look forward to hearing more from you.
Discuss debt forgiveness of all fraudulent debt and resource based economics.
Thanks for your input. Do you have any debt types in general that you are talking about (student loan, mortgage, credit card?)
Speculation caused by derivatives trading. Fractional reserve banking. Inflation from quantitative easing. Unfortunately this also means national and international debts would need to be forgiven as other countries apply the same methods.
And even money itself is a form of unnecessary debt when we see most forms of menial labor can be automated. (although for money to be eliminated a new system of distribution and organization would be required, hence the RBE)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDhSgCsD_x8
You are not alone in your request for a resource based economy. Personally I don't think that it is a feasible way to go, but then again I don't have any say in that. There is enough interest in it that we will put it out there for consideration. If it draws enough attention we will take it up and move it into the polling phase. Thank you for your consideration.
Simply having the conversation would be a step forward
I am not sure what type of support it will draw, but we are open to anything that people are interested in. We are only here to give a voice to the people. Part of that process is letting the conversation go on to find where there is commonality. We launch in 3 days and will have a blog up and running there for members. I think that limiting it to members will keep the dialogue serious and focused. We will include a section on Resource Based Economy so that the conversation can happen there.
I checked-out the site. Looks like a right-wing tea party organization anti-tax, anti-regulation, anti-consumer. My advise is to avoid the site...or at least don't give them any personal information.
Political correctness has suspended the English language
read more -- http://overthecoals.blogspot.com/
Liars are called -- flip floppers. Bribes are called -- corporate money, donations, contributions. Bag nen are called -- lobbyists. Propaganda has put Americans into a deep trance that protects the crooks who take the bribes (Obama and congress) and the scammers who pay the bribes (corporate executives).
The only remedy that will work for OWS will be to nominate candidates and campaign to get them elected which will be absolutely guaranteed in 2012 because at least 70% of the American voters are pissed off. The trance was created by media propaganda that is obvious every day if people will look for it. OWS people are in the same trance that all other Americans have been put under. That trance has nothing to do with intelligence. The huge problem that must be remedied is to first consider that stupid, self destructive behavior must be caused by something, so let's consider the trance that manipulates intelligent people to use "political correct" language.
We have done our best to keep the perspective of the site unbiased. There is information both on the tea party and OWS. There are perspectives of both sides of the aisle on all of the issues that we examine. It is possible that in my attempt to make sure that my own leftist leaning do not overwhelm the site before we launch that I overcompensated.
This from you site says it all, but your attempt at deception is the worse crime:
Michele Bachmann
Elected in 2006, Michele is the first Republican woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota. From the beginning, she has demonstrated bold reform, pushing to fix Washington's broken ways.
There are pieces on the site that both sides of the aisle would disagree with and object to. That is the point. If you were right leaning, you would be pointing out the coverage of OWS and saying that we had a leftist bias.
Nice try.
I appreciate all of the time that you have taken to consider the organization. I hope that we can grow into a structure that you not only can partake in but be proud of. I welcome your advice and criticism as we move forward. We need critical feedback like yours to improve.
Are you aware that the CBO links from your site don't work?
No. The entire site that is up now will be gone in two days and replaced with a new framework that has been built. I am sorry that they do not work, and I think that the new ones will, but we are focusing our efforts on moving forward since that site will not exist in the next 24-48 hours.
Directly from Michele Bachmann's page. The organization cannot take a stand on any issue. Our members can. We will listen to their perspectives. Before we have members we need to include information for all parts of the political spectrum.
I didn't see a pro and con on Michele only that puff-piece you "copied" That is not very responsible. It is not balanced. It is YOUR description of the candidate as you have provided no other.
There is also no con on our coverage of OWS. I encourage you to come back and check the organization out as we move forward. I believe that you are holding the organization to a pretty tough standard for where we are. We do not open up for another 5 days. We have taken in revenue totaling $0. I have been squeezing as much time out of the day as I can to learn how to code, incorporate a business, keep track of the accounting, write on the issues, collect information about what is happening on Capitol Hill, let people know about or site and its launch, while bartending to keep a roof over my head. I understand that the current news coverage is not up to New York Times standards. The goal is for the organization to grow and develop to support the membership that it draws. Its current form is the best that we have been able to achieve with the resources we have had available so far.
I'll take another look.
Thank you for taking the time. I can assure you that my person leanings are not right. I cannot, however, reassure you that the perspectives of the right will not be present on the site. I have no idea what type of crowd we will draw. I cannot pick the politics that we support. The only thing we can do is make sure that the majority of our members are heard by their representatives.
One of my problems is with what you referred to as the jobs bills stalled in the Senate, which seems like an attack on the Democrats. Those "jobs" bills consist of tax cuts for corporations and attacks on common sense regulations that would not have any immediate effect on the American economy. Maybe you feel they are valid jobs bills, but I consider it deception by a corrupt party trying to placate their corporate masters.
I am personally against most of those pieces of legislation. They are, however, floating around on Capitol Hill. As we move forward and try to change the way things are we need to take action. This involves getting involved in the political process. By noting a press release by the republican party about their legislation that is stalled, I am not saying that we need to pass it. We need to be aware of what is out there and what is at stake. The goal is to provide information so people can make their own decisions. The quantity of news involved in the site right now is restricted by the fact that I work a full time job to pay the bills while working to get this organization off of the ground. If we do get off the ground I plan on hiring qualified reporters to do the research and writing for us.
After reading your blog my impression of your work has changed. I still have to wonder why the one-sided presentation of the Republican candidates. It's way to easy to get the impression that you're just shilling for the right. Please seek out the left perspective on those candidates and present a more realistic picture. I'm not saying you have to trash them, but they are not presented in an impartial manner.
I understand your criticism and I agree with it. I have been hesitant to be critical of either the right or the left before we got off the ground. Although I think that posting the debates is a form of criticism in its own right. Letting the Republican candidates speak for themselves seems to be the best form of criticism around.
Is this also from the candidates site?
"It is no secret that federal government spending is out of control. They view the American taxpayers as a bottomless piggybank for their wasteful programs and expansion of power. And we the people will not tolerate it any longer."
The entire candidates perspectives pages are directly from their perspectives on their sites.
I have 20 Fighting Points for you to choose and rally around: http://fuzzythinker.WebStarts.com/ows-_fighting_points.html
Thank you for letting me know. If you had to limit it to 3 key core issues what would they be?
1.Tax Code Reform- Cut In-Half IRS what IRS allows: Itemized Deductions, Income Exemptions and Caps for Dividends, Bonds, Capital Gains, Foreign Income, etc. (reason- 2,000 $Millionaires pay Zero Tax & 600,000 of 1% pay Zero Tax...IRS 2009 Table 1.2)
direct democracy
public health care (not issuance)
no war
Thanks Matt. There is a big push for direct democracy. Although I think there are limitations to direct democracy, it is definitely something that we will be considering. Health care is certainly on the list. As I wrote above, I don't understand the scope of the no war statement. Are you proposing that we dissolve the military, or just that we bring the troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq.
bring the troops home stop funding mercenaries
Thanks again for your input. We will be putting together a list for all of our early members to consider and will be polling them to determine what issues are most important to them. I hope you will consider being involved in that process.