Comments on: Swan Song for the Democrats http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/05/swan-song-for-the-democrats/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:07:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kax http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/05/swan-song-for-the-democrats/#comment-1259 Kax Sun, 10 Jun 2007 13:53:36 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/05/swan-song-for-the-democrats/#comment-1259 I agree completely, that the two party "system"' is not in the nation's best interests. I'm not sure that "partisan" politics of any stripe is the answer, so no matter how many parties are formed, the system of "parties" always succumbs somehow to special interests and money. The two party system has usurped the true role of the electoral college. Originally, access to the ballot was acheived by a candidate gathering enough citizen/voters' signatures to qualify. No party affiliation was required. In the case of Presidential candidates, in each State, a SLATE of State voters, pledged to a particular candidate, were requried to gather enough signatures of registered voters in their State to appear on the ballot. Each State is assigned a certain number of presidential elecorts, based on population. Before the horseless carriage, this meant that various candidates won a certain number of Presidential electors, a plurality, but perhaps not a majority. Presidential electors are required to cast their first ballot for the candidate that they were pledged to support on the ballot. However, if no candidate earned a majority on the first ballot, electors were free to change their vote on subsequent ballots. this was how the founding fathers balanced the needs of different regions of the country, urban, suburban, farmland, wilderness. Now the two party system does the sifting BEFORE the will of the people has been expressed. Backwards, in fact. Many call for the abolishment of the electoral college. I say better to abolish the two party system and preserve the method provided in our original Constitution. Our original system allowed for the most freedom because all the candidates' groups would be ad hoc, not entrenched, stratified, pockets of power. It's the most flexible system for the voter and "would be" citizen-candidate of the people. In the Good Old Days, elected officals served without pay....., so Congress was only in session for a short time. "No pay" would be the quickest way I know to end the filibuster/bluster. They'd be quoting Larry the Cable Guy, "Getter Duuuuun". I agree completely, that the two party “system”‘ is not in the nation’s best interests. I’m not sure that “partisan” politics of any stripe is the answer, so no matter how many parties are formed, the system of “parties” always succumbs somehow to special interests and money.

The two party system has usurped the true role of the electoral college. Originally, access to the ballot was acheived by a candidate gathering enough citizen/voters’ signatures to qualify. No party affiliation was required.

In the case of Presidential candidates, in each State, a SLATE of State voters, pledged to a particular candidate, were requried to gather enough signatures of registered voters in their State to appear on the ballot. Each State is assigned a certain number of presidential elecorts, based on population.

Before the horseless carriage, this meant that various candidates won a certain number of Presidential electors, a plurality, but perhaps not a majority. Presidential electors are required to cast their first ballot for the candidate that they were pledged to support on the ballot.

However, if no candidate earned a majority on the first ballot, electors were free to change their vote on subsequent ballots. this was how the founding fathers balanced the needs of different regions of the country, urban, suburban, farmland, wilderness.

Now the two party system does the sifting BEFORE the will of the people has been expressed. Backwards, in fact. Many call for the abolishment of the electoral college. I say better to abolish the two party system and preserve the method provided in our original Constitution.

Our original system allowed for the most freedom because all the candidates’ groups would be ad hoc, not entrenched, stratified, pockets of power. It’s the most flexible system for the voter and “would be” citizen-candidate of the people.

In the Good Old Days, elected officals served without pay….., so Congress was only in session for a short time. “No pay” would be the quickest way I know to end the filibuster/bluster. They’d be quoting Larry the Cable Guy, “Getter Duuuuun”.

]]> By: Jon A. http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/05/swan-song-for-the-democrats/#comment-920 Jon A. Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:11:17 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/05/swan-song-for-the-democrats/#comment-920 As one of the characters in G.Clooney's "Syriana" said: "Its a fight to the finish for the last drop of oil!" Actually it's worse. Petroleum makes for murderous authoritarian or fascist regimes. W.Churchill engaged in the first aerial bombardments of civilian populations to get it out of some former provinces of the Ottoman empire. Hitler's legions drove straight for Polestei in Romania to get theirs. The Japanese fleet headed for Indonesia at about the same time. Now its the American Empire in its geriatric phase and ,propped up by both capitalist parties, that is feebly attempting the same. We may need more than a labor party to call a halt to this. Back when the US workers were 35% organized into unions, the Dems tried to play this role. Now less than 8% of US workers in unions. Unions are organizations built up as the mirror image to national capitalisms. We are facing an international corporate rampage for the black stuff which includes spying, torture camps, the end of heabus corpus, and a whole lot worse. Labor parties tend to be loyal oppositions to the capitalist parties in place (have a look at the UK since 1997). What we need are some clear perspectives on throwing out the tiny percent that own and manage the system and managing it in some new way that will permit the deployment of such goodies as solar /nuclear /tidal /geothermal power, universal free education and health care and so on. Do I sound like a communist....yeah. Small c. J.A. As one of the characters in G.Clooney’s “Syriana” said: “Its a fight to the finish for the last drop of oil!” Actually it’s worse. Petroleum makes for murderous authoritarian or fascist regimes. W.Churchill engaged in the first aerial bombardments of civilian populations to get it out of some former provinces of the Ottoman empire. Hitler’s legions drove straight for Polestei in Romania to get theirs. The Japanese fleet headed for Indonesia at about the same time. Now its the American Empire in its geriatric phase and ,propped up by both capitalist parties, that is feebly attempting the same. We may need more than a labor party to call a halt to this. Back when the US workers were 35% organized into unions, the Dems tried to play this role. Now less than 8% of US workers in unions. Unions are organizations built up as the mirror image to national capitalisms. We are facing an international corporate rampage for the black stuff which includes spying, torture camps, the end of heabus corpus, and a whole lot worse. Labor parties tend to be loyal oppositions to the capitalist parties in place (have a look at the UK since 1997). What we need are some clear perspectives on throwing out the tiny percent that own and manage the system and managing it in some new way that will permit the deployment of such goodies as solar /nuclear /tidal /geothermal power, universal free education and health care and so on. Do I sound like a communist….yeah. Small c. J.A.

]]> By: bill rowe http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/05/swan-song-for-the-democrats/#comment-780 bill rowe Wed, 30 May 2007 00:07:19 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/05/swan-song-for-the-democrats/#comment-780 I mostly agree. However, instead of nationalizing the oil industry, I would prefer the reintroduction of the highly progressive taxation as referenced, application of those progressive schemes to corporations (without the current means of escaping taxation), and (re) keeping high estate taxation.These items redistribute weath to the government and greater population base,which presumably will use the funds in the general interest.This while preserving the incentives for production of the capitalistic/private ownership system. I mostly agree. However, instead of nationalizing the oil industry, I would prefer the reintroduction of the highly progressive taxation as referenced, application of those progressive schemes to corporations (without the current means of escaping taxation), and (re) keeping high estate taxation.These items redistribute weath to the government and greater population base,which presumably will use the funds in the general interest.This while preserving the incentives for production of the capitalistic/private ownership system.

]]> By: mandt http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/05/swan-song-for-the-democrats/#comment-675 mandt Mon, 28 May 2007 16:29:28 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/05/swan-song-for-the-democrats/#comment-675 The American worker is enslaved by credit schemes that prevent 'rocking the boat." Corporations are ruling the show transnationally and the old Republic and it's democracy are but mythological talking points in the Society of the Spectacle. The American worker is enslaved by credit schemes that prevent ‘rocking the boat.” Corporations are ruling the show transnationally and the old Republic and it’s democracy are but mythological talking points in the Society of the Spectacle.

]]> By: Philip V. http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/05/swan-song-for-the-democrats/#comment-670 Philip V. Mon, 28 May 2007 14:31:28 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/05/swan-song-for-the-democrats/#comment-670 Amen, Mike. The Dems have really shown their true colors. The question still remains however...Will voters see this and understand? On that question I remain cynical. And even if they do see and understand, what choice do they have at the voting booth? Ah yes, a Labor Party. A coalition of the Left. Good stuff. Who will lead us there? It's amazing that we have so many workers, far outnumbering the ruling class, and yet no political representation. How is this possible? Perhaps they are still too comfortable. Access to home mortgages, car loans, and consumer credit have provided the masses with an illusion of prosperity, while at the same time shackling them deeper into the system of control. Until there is an economic crisis, and that day is rapidly approaching, most workers will continue sleepwalking, believing that they have achived the American Dream. The funny thing is they are dreaming the Empire's dream, not their own. Amen, Mike. The Dems have really shown their true colors. The question still remains however…Will voters see this and understand? On that question I remain cynical. And even if they do see and understand, what choice do they have at the voting booth?

Ah yes, a Labor Party. A coalition of the Left. Good stuff. Who will lead us there? It’s amazing that we have so many workers, far outnumbering the ruling class, and yet no political representation. How is this possible? Perhaps they are still too comfortable. Access to home mortgages, car loans, and consumer credit have provided the masses with an illusion of prosperity, while at the same time shackling them deeper into the system of control. Until there is an economic crisis, and that day is rapidly approaching, most workers will continue sleepwalking, believing that they have achived the American Dream. The funny thing is they are dreaming the Empire’s dream, not their own.

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