Forum Post: Americans Must Unite Against Two Party Oligarchy!
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 21, 2011, 11:54 a.m. EST by LotteryLeadership
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There is no reason to preach anti-capitalism. We do not live in a pure capitalist system. A capitalist system would have allowed the big banks to go bankrupt and would not have provided a bailout to the bankers, so that they could afford to "retain the talent" that put them near bankruptcy.
This does not need to be about parties, but rather a lack thereof. Whether you are a tea partyer or a flaming liberal, a libertarian or a socialist, or heck, just an average Joe who wants to take place in democracy, wake up and realize YOU HAVE NO CHOICES IN AMERICA!
This country has degenerated into a two party oligarchy. The DemoRATS and the GOPhers. We can debate which is worse, but who cares? The fact that there are only two choices is what has handicapped this nation. Who is there to compromise with? The DemoRATS are bought off by their special interests as are the GOPhers. Neither has America's best interests at heart. Most of our leaders are "professional politicians" whose livelihood depends on towing the party line. They change their minds with the daily polls.
What can we do? The knee jerk reaction is to say, we need to get out and vote? But what does that really accomplish? We choose between D and R every election and nothing changes because D and R represent the same tired ideas. Our entire political system is in serious trouble. We would be better off electing leaders via lottery at the rate we are producing answers.
Here is an idea. Perhaps it is time for Occupy Wall Street, to Occupy all political functions in this country, D or R. Heck, maybe we can all find agreement with others in that we need more choices desperately.
We can take some affirmative actions by demanding:
- Runoff elections, which ensure a third party has a chance. Folks are afraid to vote for an outsider for fear that R or D will win if they do.
- Everyone votes in every primary. Will there be shenanigans? Of course. Who cares? They work on all sides.
- Term limits immediately. We shall need a Constitutional amendment to accomplish this and while we are at it, we may want to create a mandatory retirement age for federal judges, who conclude we need a Constitutional amendment to set term limits.
- Big parties are funded by big money. We may not be able to stop folks from donating, but we can put more restrictions on media outlets accepting advertising dollars from political campaigns. If we need an amendment, fine.
Meanwhile consider casting your votes for none of the above. We need a big response at the polls, but don't worry about your favorite D or R. Neither accomplishes much anyway. We elected a D President and he continued the Iraq war for years, invested in a Libya war and augmented an Afghanistan war. We elected an R Congress and last I checked nothing substantive has been cut from the budget. R's appear to only believe in cutting social programs, heaven forbid military cuts! R's and D's = hypocrites.
If we unite against this Congress, perhaps we can create a better system of government for the people, by the people. But until that time, the dream of representation is fading for 99% of Americans, regardless of their core political beliefs.
Simple, more immediate actions to take to liberate American democracy from Wall street duopoly dollars that today seemingly lock We The People out of the democratic process.
Write-In. Its fee. Its easy. The parties and their billions in Wall Street corruption cannot stop it.
Strategic registration and voting. Register in the parties to impact specific races where you really like or dislike a particular candidate. the change your registration to Independent for the general election because the parties can't predict or control what Independent voters do. Independents scare the shit out of the parties.
Get Independent candidates who reflect and respect your social justice values to run in the general election and Write-In their names. With Write-In your candidates cannot be blocked by the ballot access oppression that the two dominance parties have put in place in the states to prevent third party activity.
I am an Independent but I will change to Democrat in the primary to Write--In Elizabeth Warren for president.
Then I will change back to Independent for the general election.
Write-In is the most powerful and immediate weapon we have to take back our democracy. It has never been used in a concerted national way because the two parties bad mouth it to keep people from thinking about it. But Congressional races are often decided by just a few thousand votes. We can be that few thousand votes.
The parties and Wall Street depend on being able to control the winning MARGIN. But it is only a margin. We can change that margin if we use mechanisms like Write-In to take control out of their hands. We can make ourselves that winning margin.
Great post! I think that more OWSers should remember that capitalism would have indeed let those banks and bankers fail. Therefore Wall St. wouldn't have needed an occupation.
So people can't even say Ron P aul here? It gets changed to Ron Lawl? WHAT? So the libertarian republican candidate that's the most friendly to the OWS movement is banned here? That's kind of messed up, very clearly this site is trying to be "left wing" or "leftist" and that will unfortunately lead to a failure of the movement.
correction, the movement will still survive, this site will not
The second part of your message is correct. Ron Paul supporters were incessantly spamming here in the beginning and it was obnoxious; Not worthy of censorship IMO but very annoying. Also for whatever reason RP has said some things about OWS that are not very friendly.
Maybe you should see the republican debates, he's the only one standing up for it. He said some people in the movement are calling for government to fix broken government and he's right about that, think about it. Part of OWS wants new "laws" to be passed to force free health care, free education etc. etc. , lets be honest here, with this corrupt government that is ridiculous to expect, no matter how much you protest, and , even if the OWS movement gets those things, they'll just steal the money to do it from other people who don't deserve to have their money stolen. It's a flawed idea as history dictates. The movement should focus on stopping the corruption of government/corporations/banking , they collude , which is more or less fascism. ...and democrats/leftists in washington are just as responsible for enabling this behavior as republicans.
You're preaching to the choir. I'm a RP fan but I don't like it when people try to ram it down others throats. I've seen some but it's mostly crap I don't want to hear.
agree
i agree with you. do you think bill gates would run. he's the only one who has a plan. i like the idea of a robin hood tax. saltybones
I have voted for third party candidates many times. I saw years ago that the DemoRATS and GOPhers are not two parties at all. In fact, I think they orchestrate behind closed doors and create a script to play out in public to make Americans think there are two parties with two different political points of views. In fact, they are members of the "ruling class" dedicated to enriching themselves and the big money that bought them.
The odd thing is that when I have looked at the voting result stats in my state, the third party candidate, who I, and I know others, voted for, doesn't even show up in the official election results. That is true of the federal, state, and local election results. It is time for major change, getting rid of the major political party, the RepubliCrats.
Thanks.
The parties, that control the count, refuse to count the the third parties and Write-In votes. The third parties don't protest so it all gets swept under the rug.
But if we organize a major Independent Write-In for OWS candidates and the parties refuse to count us we can organize protests at county buildings until they do count us.
There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the Administration of the Government, and serve to keep alive the Spirit of Liberty. This within certain limits is probably true--and in Governments of a Monarchical cast, Patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favour, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in Governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose--and there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be, by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched; it demands a uniform vigilence to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest instead of warming, it should consume.
GEORGE WASHINGTON, Farewell Address to the people of the United States, Sep. 17, 1796
Now where talking. Its time to crush the Two Parties strangle hold. Stop donating money to them, and stop voting for any incumbents.
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