Forum Post: What if all that money fails to buy the election?
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 6, 2012, 8:35 a.m. EST by agkaiser
(2547)
from Fredericksburg, TX
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
What if the American people aren't all Homers after all? What if we rebel against Citizens United and refuse to vote for candidates supported by Rove's "Crossroads GPS" and the Koch's "Americans for Prosperity?" Would that get corporate money-speech, the so called free speech that's so costly to democracy, out of politics and the cons' Court supreme be damned?
Wouldn't that be cool? If the smug bastards that think they own us saw their slaves refuse to take direction, would they lose heart (after buying 100s of millions in slick ads only to fail to sway the people) and retire dejected to a well deserved ennui? We can make our election day, by voting against the right's corporate money.
Yeah! It's all a dream. But I prefer it to the nightmare of plutocratic tyranny that's being created as we passively watch our democratic republic and life sustaining economy be destroyed by the greed of the one percent [or less] and their ministers, the 9% or so that remain in the dwindling middle classes.
I'm a dreamer all right. I'll never give up! This won't end 'til the bastards stop being!
Read 'How Does That Work' at: https://www.createspace.com/3852916
Let's get money out of politics. Here is one effort.
https://www.unpac.org/dear-mr-president/
Movetoamend.org is another
If we can overcome the power of money to get money out of politics, we can communitize all of FIRE and limit private property to individual home, personal and true family business possessions. Then money power would be under our control, instead of v-v.
Could you elaborate on the restrictions on defining private property? I have several points of view this could apply to and it sounds unique in perspective.
It's not about defining. It's about limiting the amount of.
What I really mean is small scale, non-corporate. If one owns more than needed for life and livelihood, even the very comfortable standard that can be provided by individual hard work and ingenuity, then at some point one's private accumulation begins to impinge on the rights of the rest of the human race to have a life at all. If other must work for you to create your wealth, you have too much.
I won't attempt to specify what that limit may be. A consensus of reasonable Human Beings will have to determine that. But first we have to rid ourselves of the unreasonable parasites who own too much for our own good.
That's a deep & fundamental change.
I like the idea of dealing with the obscene, conspicuous, consumption of the superrich.
A total 180 change of what we work for must be established. No more "keeping up with the joneses".as thedriving force of our accumulation.
We have to have a real period of "enlightenment" and work for self betterment as people, & the improvement of our society as a whole.
Much more complicated than my simply comments indicate, but I like it, just can't seeexactly how we get there.
I think Ringo said, "... And you know it won't be easy!"
As well as "I get by with a little help from my friends, Oooh I get high with a......." (in Colorado maybe).
LOL.
Years of much work,
what if voting is rigged?
voting IS rigged. Stein just the Ohio republican atty General for some voting software scheme.
"We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men." George Orwell
What if minds are rigged to vote for fools?
These 1% plutocrat tv campaign spending is rigging minds to vote.
http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/green/news/2012/11/07/44116/big-polluters-big-ad-spending-in-the-2012-elections/
easier to rig votes
Really? Minds have been rigged since WWII.
Even before.
Really! A lot of the rigging crossed over the placenta while these kids were still in the womb. Eight to twelve years or more of propaganda in the schools finished thinking for the people. This has been going on for at least one hundred years.
Massive protests!
Then we rebel, by voting against the most money that rigs the minds using corporate free speech!
well said.
Anyone else notice the 24/7 onslaught of propaganda on the tv before the elections?
I see Obama has the black panthers back in Philly again, just like in 08
You lie!
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/new-black-panthers-back-at-the-same-08-polling-place-in-philadelphia/
Glen beck? That wack job? c'mon we can't believe anything he says.
Besides the new black panthers amount to about 12 guys. Whatta joke.
I'm sure the authorities are on top of it.
The almost 1 million poorly trained. Tea party 'true the vote' right wing extremists, "poll watchers are a real threat since they plan on intimidating non repub voters and gumming up the process with flimsey court challenges.
replace repubs with dems. Repubs are the problem.
OMG!
Scary looking black people are voting!!!!
RUN!
Run to Galts Gulch!!
LMFAO.
The extremists are out today.
Repubs can only win if they cheat. We gotta make sure the lawyers are looking sharp.
There were scary looking old people checking my name off the voter list today, but I persevered and voted anyway!!!!!
I also thanked them for their service..........:)
LOL. Same here. In fact they surround my neighborhood.
It's an invasion! Call the cops. Quick find me a suburb I can flee to!
We have some cheap housing in south east Michigan....................:)
Get it while you can.
Michigan voted for Obama!
WooHoo!
Any word on Fla?
Far too many teabagge(R)s in Florida.
The city of Troy recalled theirs.
BTW Troy is considered one of the safest cities in the US.
I live in Warren, a few miles away.
Was that Allen West, cause it's nice to see him gone.
Nope, it was a different one, their mayor.....It's nice to see any of them gone.
Can we get rid of Norquist next?
the fiscal cliff/bush tax cut deadline will put Norquist in the spotlight so we may see something in the 2 months.
Obama got a majority of Michigan voters from the muslim community and also some illegals
"Illegals" is an offensive slur. And undocumented immigrant Americans avoid authority at all costs so they NEVER vote!
You have a problem with Muslims?
I think white people make up the vast majority of Michigan population so he got the majority ofthem also.
We need immigration, & immigrants as always! It increases our revenue base.
In any event Immigration is the lowest it has been in years, Andwe havedeported more in the last 3 years than ever.
If you're truly concerned you MUST focus on the employers who are clearly and knowingly breaking the law (for profit) when they take advantage of immigrants by hiring them at pay that undercuts citizens. Where is your outrage at those obvious corp criminals?//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Illegals should not be in the Country at all. Some other Countries either shoot or imprison them. Over here if a spic climbs the fence then first offense should be a bullet, then maybe others would get the message and stay in their own Country until they get the proper papers. Other Countries are harsh to illegals and here they are treated like royals.
"spic"? You are clearly a racist piece of crap!
Please don't respond!
Using "illegals" to describe the hard working immigran I thts who are here (with improper papers) for our job offerings is offensive. No matter how long, or how many people use it. And I think they are legal (innocent) until proven illegal (guilty) anyway. Do YOU understand?////////////////////////////////////////////// They should not be allowed in our Country to WORK until they become LEGAL. Do YOU understand
We need immigration, & immigrants as always! It increases our revenue base.
In any event Immigration is the lowest it has been in years, Andwe havedeported more in the last 3 years than ever.
If you're truly concerned you MUST focus on the employers who are clearly and knowingly breaking the law (for profit) when they take advantage of immigrants by hiring them at pay that undercuts citizens.
Where is your outrage at those obvious corp criminals?
Using the slur "illegals" IS offensive.
Regarding Muslims I only asked IF you have a problem with them.
Do you?//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// One comment you say that we should all work together and another comment you are running someone down. It is clear that your only intention on this forum is to stir the pot. get lost
I guess I'll take that as a yes.!
What problem do you have with Muslims?
Are you intolerant of any other religions?
(BTW you should apologize for using the slur & refrain from using it in the future)
Did I say anything bad about illegals or muslims? no
Using the slur "illegals" IS offensive.
Regarding Muslims I only asked IF you have a problem with them.
Do you?
Using "illegals" to describe the hard working immigran I thts who are here (with improper papers) for our job offerings is offensive. No matter how long, or how many people use it.
And I think they are legal (innocent) until proven illegal (guilty) anyway.
Do YOU understand?
Yes you did as a matter of fact. Yes?
A majority from minority - Hey? Is that what happened in Massachusetts too? Asshole mittens lost in his ( current ) home state.
BTW - don't you think that mittens losing 2/3's of the women voters had anything to do with it?
OH - Shit - public health alert - there is 1/3 of women voters that need health care services now to check on their safety and/or sanity.
Excellent! I am there already!
Peace
When someone is in our Country "Illegally" then they are illegal, do you get it now?? This word has been spoken about them for years
The election is over. We must focus on remaking the system, from the ground up, horizontally, w/ direct democracy. Do you know how that is progressing?
We must fight for the change that will help 3rd parties succeed. (movetoamend, nationalpopularvote, opendebates)
And we must agitate all pols for change the benefits the 99%.
The election is over!
The National Campaign to End Corporate Personhood and Demand Real Democracy!
About | Donate | Take Action
Thank you to the fabulous Move to Amend volunteers across the nation who poured their energy into their local resolutions! You rock. Onward!! ~Move to Amend National Leadership Team
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 7, 2012 CONTACT: Move to Amend, info@MoveToAmend.org Move to Amend Wins Big at the Ballot Box: Americans Fed Up with Big Money and Undue Corporate Influence
From Massachusetts to Oregon, Colorado to Illinois and Wisconsin, and Ohio to California, citizens throughout the country voted overwhelmingly yesterday for their legislators to pass a constitutional amendment to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling and declare that only human beings – not corporations – are entitled to constitutional rights and that money is not speech and campaign spending can be regulated.
Residents in over 100 cities had the opportunity to vote on measures calling for an end to the doctrines of corporate constitutional rights and money as free speech, and in every single town the vote was supportive. Often by an overwhelming margin.
In Eau Claire, WI the vote was 71% in favor of a measure stating, "Should the US Constitution be amended to establish that regulating political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limiting freedom of speech, by stating that only human beings, not corporations, unions, or PACs, are entitled to constitutional rights?"
In largely conservative Pueblo, Colorado, where the city newspaper came out against the measure, residents still voted 65% in favor of Move to Amend's resolution, placed on the ballot by County Commissioners. Move to Amend volunteers in Massachusetts collected signatures to place the constitutional amendment question before one third of the population of their state. The "MA Democracy Amendment Question" passed by 79%.
Voters in Mendocino County, CA where volunteers collected signatures to become the first California county to place a Move to Amend citizen's initiative on the ballot, explicitly voted to "stand with the Move to Amend campaign" by a 73% margin. Move to Amend resolutions also passed in several towns in Illinois and Ohio and Oregon, all by similar landslide margins.
Montana voters approved a state-wide resolution by 75%.
Another organization -- Common Cause -- put forward several measures calling for simply overturning Citizens United and granting Congress authority to regulate campaign spending. These measures also passed by a wide margin. In the state of Colorado, the Common Cause measure passed by 64% and in San Francisco approval was 80% and 72% in Richmond, CA. The group's measure in Chicago passed by 74%. Common Cause was also an active member of the MA Democracy Amendment Coalition.
Move to Amend's position is that the Constitutional amendment must go beyond simply overturning Citizens United, "There is no reason for us to shy away from a true and lasting solution, rather than just band-aids," stated Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, a member of the Move to Amend National Leadership Team. "In every single community where Americans have had the opportunity to call for a Constitutional amendment to outlaw corporate personhood, they have seized it and voted yes overwhelmingly. Tuesday's results show that the Movement to Amend has nearly universal approval. Americans are fed up with large corporations wielding undue influence over our elections and our legal system. Citizens United is not the cause, it is a symptom and Americans want to see that case overturned not by simply going back to the politics of 2009 before the case, but rather by removing big money and special interests from the process entirely."
Move to Amend is a national coalition of hundreds of organizations and nearly 250,000 people. The organization also boasts over 150 local affiliates across the country. The Resolve to Amend Campaign goal was to have 50 cities vote on the group's resolution.
#
MOVE TO AMEND PO Box 610, Eureka CA 95502 | (707) 269-0984 | www.MoveToAmend.org
We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling, and move to amend our Constitution to firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.
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the voting house was around a corner and i almost couldn't find it
Trying to hide stuff now, are they?
They can't fool you.....................:)
Get a grip.
Don't worry. It doesn't matter, We will be demonstrating against whoever wins.
Got that right and no matter who wins, we still all lose
Your "What if..." scenarios would provide hope, and since I am writing this after the election, they do provide hope. But I view the election results as only buying a brief bit of breathing room...precious time to continue the battle to return the country to sanity if at all possible. This is no time for people to rest on their laurels and breathe a sigh of relief and feel like their job is done and to go back to "normal life". We must make the most of this blessed opportunity to work even harder at the restoration of the people's rights, overturn CU, restore G-S, and all of the other important progressive work that is in front of us. We better "make hay while the sun shines", because 4 years goes by very quickly, and the fanatics will NEVER go away and NEVER give up. If anything, they only get more determined, more cunning, and more dangerous. Like Thomas Jefferson said, we must be "eternally vigilent".
Amen!!
Goldman Sachs and the banks already bought these elections. They win with either outcome.
See bailouts and Goldman Sachs for more details.
His name was Henry Paulson.
The Kock's and Rove are just trying to buy it even more than it's already bought.
A lot of fired marketers? A flurry of new consumer studies?
so cynical you are! but i love it.
in the end, though, i don't care how rovers and cocks respond. it's American People i care about.
The people are beginning to wake-up - and the reports we see on MSM? I don't believe them - I think that they are a desperate attempt at keeping things under control.
I could be mistaken.
I am looking for surprises in the state elections.
You got my vote! I'm expecting/hoping AZ voters will see through the T-Party crap and vote down the state's rights [the South will rise again] amendments the legislature has proposed.
And write on! I think I've been seeing signs of light on the horizon too.
A Surprise I would like to see today - legalization of hemp in Texas and Colorado.
Something that should be - a rejection of changing state constitutions to specifically illegalize same sex marriage.
Awesome surprise would be third party people or progressives in general beating out the monied incumbents and monied challengers.
Any which way it goes - we still have a major load of work ahead of us all to get this country headed in healthy directions.
http://getmoneyout.com/
We can have a little chuckle or two at this point, before we dive back into reality - like the fact that Linda McMahon has spent $92 MILLION OF HER OWN DOLLARS in two losing runs for the Senate Ha Ha!!
Maybe it is more sad that funny that she even HAS than kind of money [wrestling promoter], or that it is an advantage in politics to be wealthy, instead of brains, ideas, ability to hear people...
Ok, sure it is bad that the corporate/Wall St. powers have total control, and that we cannot win with either Dems or Reps, but AT LEAST Romney didn't win - it WOULD have been worse, military budget would have increased, for one thing.
And, if we are audacious enough, we could hope that Obama was waiting for his 2nd term to "go for it".... no, sorry, I apologise, just dreaming...
How can it fail, the only two voting options are corporate whores,. one a bit worse than the other. The only point of the ads is to get you to pick the one of the only two options and for you to believe this is some real choice,. that you are 'participating' in "democracy". The whole point is that you have the illusion of participation, the fake hope that you are getting something done, when you are just lending your support to the same corporate-bankster-military rulers.
If we wake up enough people then that dream can come true!!
It doesn't look good though but I'm not ruling out a surprise showing from those that do wake up and hopefully it will make a difference.
What if tomorrow you wake up watch the news and pull an Eddie Murphy impersonation from the days when Jesse was running by saying "Oh my God he fucking won!"
What if some independents get elected that didn't receive much national attention but gathered a lot of support in their areas?
This might happen for all I know.
Well, we know that there are those with the Green Party that were supported by the Republicans. We know that Rocky Anderson was associated with a hedge fund. We know that the Libertarians are all against government money unless it comes to acquiring it for themselves. We know all about the Rethuglicans and the Dems.
So, ya, I hate to say it (and I mean this sincerely), you are a dreamer.
That said, how much longer until we can get back to the issues? Because I got news for you: All those listed above need us a hell of a lot more than we need them.
corporate ownership of America is the issue. the buying of the election is the day's battle. the people need to be awakened. you can criticize all you want and hear your mouth go all negative if that's what turns you on but your energy would be better spent trying to convince your neighbor to open his or her eyes. - after you open yours that is.
Pull your head out of your ass and then we can talk.
will you kiss your kids with that mouth? or are you as sterile and barren as your imagination?
Today is your last day, right? Good luck to you,
11/6/12 end of the obama socialist regime
Today is your last day, right?
Good luck to you.
you are correct. After obama loses today then it is my last day on the forum
Well, hon, like I said, good luck to you. I think you are going to need it. You are involved in a shit game.
No matter who wins it still is going to be the same
Then perhaps next time you will work with the people instead of against them. Something about honey and flies.
problem is that many of us have different views that we do not agree on. The Country is clearly somewhat divided and the Gov loves that. They can continue to stick it to us
The solution is that we can make concessions and meet in the middle. We are only as divided as you allow them to make us.
Yep - push issues - not parties.
Yep, because we have the capacity to look at the constitution or the bills at the national or state levels and say this is what we can accomplish and all the rest is emotional drivel.
I edited my last comment: EDIT : A very serious issue we need to push - Housing for the homeless - how many of these citizens are going to have their votes rejected - because they are homeless.
I look forward to your post. Yes we need to expand the discussion of issues.
Continue to share and circulate issues and discussions.
[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (9519) 2 minutes ago
I agree that we need to push the issues on the newly elected. That said, there is no lack of circulation tools. I think that we need to have deeper discussions on issues.
I have to do some running around and when I get back I will post an issue that has come up before. Some of the commentary that I have read on this issue has led me to believe that it isn't being thought out fully. There might be enough breathing room to lay it out now for some honest feed back. I will give it a whirl. ↥twinkle ↧stinkle permalink
Yep - we have got to intensify the push on issues from day 1 of the newly chosen admins/government.
Move to Amend has blazed a trail - with their state by state campaign.
This we need to pick-up on as how the people unite to push issues.
EDIT : A very serious issue we need to push - Housing for the homeless - how many of these citizens are going to have their votes rejected - because they are homeless.
[-] 2 points by GirlFriday (9519) 0 minutes ago
Now that this is over (one way or the other) then I think that we need to start pulling those issues out-again. And go a little bit deeper than what we usually see. Comb through them. Look at what is on the table in the states.
There ARE state rights and people need to use them. ↥twinkle ↧stinkle permalink
I agree that we need to push the issues on the newly elected. That said, there is no lack of circulation tools. I think that we need to have deeper discussions on issues.
I have to do some running around and when I get back I will post an issue that has come up before. Some of the commentary that I have read on this issue has led me to believe that it isn't being thought out fully. There might be enough breathing room to lay it out now for some honest feed back. I will give it a whirl.
As issues get us where we need to go ( all of us )
Move to Amend
One subject at a time legislation
Clean - energy - fuel - transportation
Aid to the people - not to the criminals
So many issues where addressing them helps everyone.
Now that this is over (one way or the other) then I think that we need to start pulling those issues out-again. And go a little bit deeper than what we usually see. Comb through them. Look at what is on the table in the states.
There ARE state rights and people need to use them.
Looks like Obama's still up on real clear politics as of 11-6-12 http://www.realclearpolitics.com
I hate Obama, but be forewarned, he's likely to get back in office.
Niether Obama nor Romney will end the real problem we have in this country - - Outsourcing / Offshoring / Free Trade. Our Trade deficit etc.
I hate him also and you are right no matter who gets elected then it is going to be the "same shit, different day"
Is this what you are talking about with the Green money? http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/11/florida_republican_money_flows.html
As far as Rocky and the Americans Elect thing, there was really no will on the campaign's part to get involved in it, but you can only get so many emails from supporters asking you to officially register with it. And Im for public financing of elections, so Im fine with Gary wanting matching funds.
Those three are so miniscule compared to the big two, 150+ years of corruptoin under their belts. Put a guy like Rocky, or the Justice PArty, in power long enough, and they WILL become corrupted. Because gov is power. Put me or you in there, and the same will happen.
As far as Rocky and the American Elect thing, it probably has more to do with the ability to market it than a personal values thing.
Here is the deal, one cannot stand on the sidelines and scream about integrity and corruption and then engage in the same bullshit. Frankly, it becomes the lesser of the three evils.
The message that I keep getting is that given the opportunity all of the other candidates would have no problem using the same things that the other two already feel as if they are entitled to. Like data mining.