No Occupation without Representation (and Other Electoral Musings)

by Mickey Z. / March 22nd, 2008

If America wants to dominate the globe in the name of spreading democracy [sic], how about giving some love to the subjugated? For example, let’s extend the ballot to the citizens of occupied Iraq. Their daily lives are inescapably intertwined with US foreign policy so what better way to teach them about democratic values than to give them a say as to which millionaire is the next figurehead of empire? As Rosemarie “RMJ” Jackowski sez: “No occupation without representation.” (Why am I positive that such a plan would result in a landslide for Obama’s pastor?)

Speaking of Rev. Wright, Senator Obama is taking a lot of heat for things that genuinely shouldn’t matter. It’s quite an illustration of how backward, blind, and racist America is that the worst thing the right wing can manage is Obama’s middle name or what his pastor says. The end result is a general public that sees Obama as a liberal [sic] who wants to change [sic] things. The issues, as always, are ignored. The richer get richer, the sick get sicker, the bombs continue to fall, eco-systems decline and vanish, and American Idol is down to its final 10 contestants.

Some of the many reasons to not vote for John McCain: He’s funded by Wall Street. He voted for every war appropriation bill he faced. He voted against single payer health care. He refused to be photographed with San Francisco’s mayor for fear it’d be interpreted that he supported gay marriage. He supports the death penalty, the Israeli war machine, and the fence on the US-Mexican border. He voted to confirm Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State and to reauthorize the Patriot Act in 2005. Oh shit… wait a minute. Those are some of the many reasons to not vote for Barack Obama. Oops, my bad…

And now for the too-logical-to-ever-be-taken-seriously suggestions I make every four years: vote counting must be made foolproof, debates must be open to all candidates, and genuine campaign finance reform (at the very least) must be enacted. Voting should not be held on a Tuesday but instead of over a full weekend. Turnout is bound to be higher over a Friday-Saturday-Sunday period. Also, a “none of the above” option would not only allow disgruntled voters to express their disdain with the alleged two-party system but might also create a run-off election or even a new set of candidates. Speaking of a new set of candidates…

Talk to a progressive [sic] about voting for Ralph Nader or Cynthia McKinney, and you’ll usually hear this: “I’d like to vote for them, but they just can’t win.” Reality check: The only reason Nader or McKinney “can’t” win is because progressives [sic] willingly choose to not vote for them. If everyone currently creaming for that eloquent [sic] corporate Democrat masquerading as a motivational speaker were to vote for Nader or McKinney, we’d have what amounts to American Revolution, Part Deux.

P.S. The next time someone tells you America has a two-party system, I suggest you demand a recount.

Mickey Z. is the creator of a podcast called Post-Woke. You can subscribe here. He is also the founder of Helping Homeless Women - NYC, offering direct relief to women on New York City streets. Spread the word. Read other articles by Mickey.

This article was posted on Saturday, March 22nd, 2008 at 9:00am and is filed under Imperialism.

32 comments on this article so far ...

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Don Hawkins said on March 22nd, 2008 at 9:33am #
Here’s something you might sink your teeth into. This Rev Wright thing. The more I watch this play out the more I like Rev Wright. Forget that most people can’t Handel the truth but what he said about rich white people didn’t go far enough. I think he said something like Obama knows where the wild wind blows as he is a black man living in a culture, country controlled by rich white people. He forgot to say that these rich white people don’t seem to be able to handle that money very well. You know selling insane mortgages to people wasn’t enough, Oh no. Then these rich white people in most cases took all that funny money and leveraged that funny money 10 to 1 in financial instruments and as we all see now how well that is working out. Why did these rich white people do that? My best guess is because they need more money, what they have is still not enough. Now wait I am not done. Then the government the Fed is now taking all this bad paper funny money and giving these rich white people good money well almost. You see the money the Fed gives these rich white people comes out of thin air it’s kind of funny money to. I heard an astounding statement last week. One of these so called rich white people was asked if the Fed could run out of money? His answer was of course not the Fed can just keep printing money. Try and remember one thing the United States is now backed up in many way’s with billions of dollars of worthless paper from investment banks and probably more on the way, rich white people who made very bad decisions with other people’s money but they are to big to fail. Well with this easy way out mentality not hard choices I fail to see how we can solve any problems that now face us. Now was this un American what I just wrote. Not in my book.
Giorgio said on March 22nd, 2008 at 2:32pm #
“If America wants to dominate the globe in the name of spreading democracy, how about giving some love to the subjugated?
For example, let’s extend the ballot to the citizens of occupied Iraq.”
Well put Mr Mickey Z. !!!
If America guzzles more than 50% of the world’s resources and treats its vassals with absolute contempt, it is really time to change its attitute. Here is what I wrote in the days leading to the 2004 presidential elections:
I, a Disenfranchised World Citizen.
I wouldn’t mind the USA Government ruling this
Global Village of ours and English becoming the
official lingua franca of the Village, and sing with gusto and pride God Bless America….or better still God Bless this Global Village.
Nor am I particularly concerned that English language films and Pop music dominates the world scene. Nor, for that
matter, that there are a few MacDonald and KFC outlets
within a short distance of my residence here in South Africa, which, incidentally, I regularly patronize. Nor am I
particularly worried that there are nearly 200 US ( update: Ron Paul has recently stated that there are now 800)
military outposts scattered all over this Global
Village to keep “law and order” and watch over rogue
fiefdoms and feudal states should they get too cocky
and make any offensive “up yours,mate!” remarks or
gestures to the above august institution.
Having said all that, what I do really mind is
that, presently, I am a disenfranchised citizen of
this Global Village who will be prevented from casting
my vote in the forthcoming US presidential election.
Therefore, whoever wins in November,2004 (and now 2008) is, ipso
facto, ILLEGITIMATE and a FRAUD as far as I and
billions of other World Citizens are concerned.
When, over 200 years ago, the colonial American
citizens won their independence from Britain, and sent
the troops of another George, who was just as
unintelligent and mad, packing back to Old Europe,
they used to great effect the slogan:
“Taxation without representation is tyranny.”
I think that this pithy little phrase will one day, sooner than later,
come home to roost and haunt America in a slightly
metamorphosed version:
WORLD EXPLOITATION WITHOUT WORLD REPRESENTATION IS
TYRANNY AND SLAVERY!
In the aftermath of the 9/11 blow up and meltdown
to rubble of the WTC Twin Towers, I got a gut feeling
that this spectacularly horrific event was in its
intent the modern equivalent of the STORMING OF THE
BASTILLE during the French Revolution.
When the frivolous Marie Antoinette asked what the
din outside the royal palace was about and learned
that it was a crowd of starved peasants rioting, she
commiserated with the flippant remark: “Qu’ils mangent
de la brioche!” (Let them eat cake!). The expected
“THANK YOU,YOUR MAJESTY” she got back from the crowd
came later in the form of the unceremonious
guillotine…
So, when President GW Bush, or any future incumbent,
responds to another world citizenry crisis with a
similarly indifferent remark, like: “FEED THEM NAPALM!”
Don’t be surprised to see, Mr President,
before your own wide, wide open eyes, the
nose of another 747 ram into the Oval Office, as that
other one, the fourth one, nearly did if it wasn’t for
the heroic intervention of some of its doomed
passengers!
HISTORY, so it seems, has an unusually kinky and
mystifying way of weaving its cloth.
——
“Talk to a progressive about voting for Ralph Nader or Cynthia McKinney, and you’ll usually hear this: “I’d like to vote for them, but they just can’t win.””
Forget Nader and McKinney, what about Ron Paul?
Joshua Frank in an “Open letter to the Antiwar Left” stated that not enough support has been given to Ron Paul by liberals and progressives. Well, here is a principled doctor who has delivered in his medical career over 4000 babies and could be set to ‘deliver us from the Evil’ of the likes of Bush and McCain, and force America take a U-turn away from its insanity, where is the support for him?
Ron Paul could win!
Is ‘that woman’ or Senator Obama the answer?
GOD FORBID !!!
rosemarie jackowski said on March 22nd, 2008 at 2:33pm #
Thanks for this one, Mickey.
Don…Rev. Wright is a hero. Wouldn’t it be great if he participated in the debates. He makes me want to go to church!
Now the dollar is almost worthless. If only we had switched all of our dollars to Canadian currency 4 years ago. Looks like we missed our chance at survival.
rosemarie jackowski said on March 22nd, 2008 at 2:40pm #
Giorgio…There has not been an informed vote cast in the US since the 1940s when the Black Budget was authorized. In my view, that means that no election since then has been legal.
About Ron Paul…I like some of his ideas on foreign policy, but his domestic policies are cruel and even more than the 18,000 per year would die from lack of health care.
D.R. Munro said on March 22nd, 2008 at 3:23pm #
Yeah, Ron Paul is great in regards to economy and foreign policy . . . not so much when it comes to domestic.
Mike McNiven said on March 22nd, 2008 at 3:25pm #
Mr.Z, thank you for another wonderful perspective! It must be applied to occupied Palestine ASAP!
Don Hawkins said on March 22nd, 2008 at 3:51pm #
Rosemarie, He makes me want to go to church now that was brilliant.
Let me think about that and write, write, write.
Giorgio said on March 22nd, 2008 at 3:58pm #
“One of these so called rich white people was asked if the Fed could run out of money? His answer was of course not the Fed can just keep printing money.” says Don Hawkins in his comment above.
Well, Ron Paul has repeatedly said in his campaign that the Feb prints dollars out of thin air, hence its recent collapse. He says if elected he would do away with the Reserve Bank which is a private institution, ran by faceless, unelected goons, and unaccountable to the people of the United States.
In sum, it’s run by a cabal of con-artists, headed by the Rothschilds empire whose sole aim is to coddle the super-rich.
Another very good reason to elect Ron Paul the next President of the United States!
Giorgio said on March 22nd, 2008 at 4:33pm #
“Yeah, Ron Paul is great in regards to economy and foreign policy . . . not so much when it comes to domestic.”
Well, Munro, once the economy and foreign policy come right, the domestic will improve by default and most of the “cruelty” will vanish…
Isn’t your argument just a case of ‘worrying about the pennies (the little issues) and squandering the pounds (the real big issues)’ ?
Don Hawkins said on March 22nd, 2008 at 4:39pm #
Now Bill Clinton is sort of questioning Obama’s patriotism. Patriotism Ok let’s open up that can of worms. You know after seeing Rev Wright so many times on TV and that sound and furry it makes me want to go to church and of course watching the candidates for President to listen to Rev Wright is kind of refreshing. It’s almost like, can he say that kind of stuff and after he does can he still call himself an American. He is a Marine, right I mean once a Marine always a Marine but those awful things he said was that not just a little unpatriotic. Let’s look at this patriotism just a little further. There was just a company called Carlyle Capital group that just went under. Looks like rich white people not handling other peoples money very well. From there web site:
The Company was registered on the Island of Guernsey on August 29, 2006 and commenced operations on
September 12, 2006. Carlyle Capital Delaware L.L.C. (“CCD”) is 99.5% owned by the Company and was
incorporated in the state of Delaware, U.S. on September 18, 2006. The primary purpose of CCD is to hold the
Company’s direct or indirect investments in stock issued by non-US companies to the extent such companies would
be treated as corporations for US income tax purposes. Carlyle Capital Cayman Ltd. (“CC Cayman”), a wholly
owned subsidiary of the Company, and its wholly owned subsidiary Carlyle Capital Investment Ltd. (“CCIL”) were
each incorporated on September 29, 2006 in the Cayman Islands as exempt limited companies. CC Cayman’s
primary purpose is to hold the Company’s investment in CCIL. CCIL’s primary purpose is to hold the Company’s
investments in US high yield investments to the extent such investments are held in a separately managed account.
The Company and its subsidiaries are collectively referred to as the “Group”.
Taxation
The Company is registered in Guernsey as an exempt company. The States of Guernsey Income Tax Authority
has granted the Company exemption from Guernsey income tax under the provision of the Income Tax (Exempt
Bodies) (Guernsey) Ordinance 1989 and the Company has been charged an annual exemption fee of £600. The
Company expects to be treated as a passive foreign investment corporation. The Company intends to operate in such
a manner so as not to be subject to U.S. federal income taxes. Income derived by the Company and its subsidiaries
may be subject to withholding taxes imposed by the U.S. or other countries. Certain types of period income
(including but not limited to dividends) from sources inside the U.S. are subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of
30%. There were no withholding taxes incurred by the Company for the period from commencement of operations
through December 31, 2006 and for the three months ended March 31, 2007.
Well people the “Group” so as not to be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, hello somehow that just doesn’t seem patriotic I wonder are there many other companies doing this yes we should open up that can of worms. Yes it makes me want to go to church and listen to the good Reverend.
Jerry D. Rose said on March 22nd, 2008 at 4:45pm #
Mickey Z: “The next time someone tells you America has a two-party system, I suggest you demand a recount.”
That’s right, and if the number comes up more than one (the Corporacratic Party) somebody has slipped in a dead body among the “voters.”
hp said on March 22nd, 2008 at 5:21pm #
Which wouldn’t uncommon at all.
Don Hawkins said on March 22nd, 2008 at 7:19pm #
Last week on one of the financial channels a man said, look at the Carlyle group and how well connected they are and it still didn’t help them. Yes you could certainly say Carlyle is well connected but why did the capital part go under? Again my best guess is arrogance and greed, have and have more. Unfortunately placing blame won’t solve the problems we now face. I have seen some change in going after this little problem called climate change and oil and the lack of it. Not with policy makers but some business leaders are starting to understand although it be slow. It’s the slow part that won’t work out well. James Hansen will put out a paper soon I hope with some numbers that will tell us more. That is if this administration doesn’t crash his web site. Without business working together to solve these problems it won’t happen. Let’s see how this play’s out after that paper. Just on the off chance that Hansen and many more are right this paper will be one of the most important documents ever written.
Don Hawkins said on March 23rd, 2008 at 5:24am #
updated 6:17 p.m. ET, Thurs., Sept. 14, 2006
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A leading U.S. climate researcher says the world has a 10-year window of opportunity to take decisive action on global warming and avert catastrophe.
NASA scientist James Hansen, widely considered the doyen of American climate researchers, said governments must adopt an alternative scenario to keep carbon dioxide emission growth in check and limit the increase in global temperatures to 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
“I think we have a very brief window of opportunity to deal with climate change … no longer than a decade, at the most,” Hansen said Wednesday at the Climate Change Research Conference in California’s state capital.
If the world continues with a “business as usual” scenario, Hansen said temperatures will rise by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius (3.6 to 7.2 degrees F) and “we will be producing a different planet.”
On that warmer planet, ice sheets would melt quickly, causing a rise in sea levels that would put most of Manhattan under water. The world would see more prolonged droughts and heat waves, powerful hurricanes in new areas and the likely extinction of 50 percent of species.
“We cannot burn off all the fossil fuels that are readily available without causing dramatic climate change,” Hansen said. “This is not something that is a theory. We understand the carbon cycle well enough to say that.”
One of those studies was from Hansen’s institute. “It is not too late to save the Arctic, but it requires that we begin to slow carbon dioxide emissions this decade,” Hansen said in a statement.
This was written in 2006 and the summer of 07 data from the ice sheets was not good. Let’s see what James Hansen say’s about a different planet soon I hope.
Lloyd Rowsey said on March 23rd, 2008 at 7:02am #
Big Don, I can see you’re flying fast and low today, and don’t need any fuel from me. But in re your first post, do you cotton to the resemblances btw Rev Wright and Ward Churchill? W.Churchill of fallout from the Deshowitz-plagiarism-flap fame, the ex-academic at Colorado U. who was drummed off CU’s fair campus for making statements almost identical to the ones widely quoted in “the media” as having slipped from the Rev’s lips? And especially, if my memory serves, for reviving Malcolm X’s hoary “Chickens Coming Home to Roost” quotation, in re 9/11. Shit that comes around goes around, that’s for sure.
BTB, if you’re not my main man in Southern Georgia, Don old buddy, you’ll do until my main man comes along.
Don Hawkins said on March 23rd, 2008 at 9:48am #
It seems that the truth or another way of looking at it just information that has not been censored to fit some ones agenda is hard to come by. Maybe it has always been that way. Just look at candidates running for President. What they say is nonsense in many way’s but it is more than that it is that perception of reality that is on going. I think most people have that little voice in the back of there head that tells them something is wrong but most people don’t run networks or governments or corporations that control that perception of reality.
I know *exactly* what you mean. Let me tell you why you’re here. You’re here because you know something. What you know you can’t explain, but you feel it. You’ve felt it your entire life, that there’s something wrong with the world. You don’t know what it is, but it’s there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I’m talking about?
I listened to Obama this morning talk about the economy and how the treasure secratary and head of the fed was doing a good job. A miracle could happen an get this economy cookin again but remember the cookin of the Planet part and all that debt. There was no hard choices none in the last 6 months none just the easy way out. I am sure that I am not the only one that see’s the big picture, do you know what I’m talking about?
rosemarie jackowski said on March 23rd, 2008 at 10:26am #
What thought provoking comments to ponder… “…a splinter in your mind, driving you mad…” Great poetry!
Lloyd…The first time I heard the Rev Wright speak, the words of Ward Churchill immediately came to mind.
The happenings on Wall Street remind me of the movie. Remember when Gordon Gecco said, “Greed is good”. Life would be so much better is there was no Wall Street, no Pentagon, no Feds controlling everything…The World Trade Center was a center of financial military activity. It was not a factory manufacturing chocolate Easter bunnies. No wonder it was a target. If it was in Iraq or Iran it would have been on the top of the US hit list.
Lloyd Rowsey said on March 23rd, 2008 at 10:45am #
Yep. And it takes varying times for that splinter to fester and for many it never does.
You got some strong blank verse in you too, R.Jack. From center of financinal military activity to a factory manufacturing chocolate Easter bunnies…
Will it be reincarnated, and if so as what? A Giant Bunny Manufacturing Easter Lattes?
Don Hawkins said on March 23rd, 2008 at 11:33am #
This is not about Ward Churchill or Rev Wright to me we are at the crossroads and this is about the whole ball game. For some just to sit in a quiet coffee shop and watch the World go by is enough. For some to have a family and watch them grow is what they want. For some a 100 million in the bank is still not enough. For some war is the answer and others a unless waste. Some people like action movies some love stories and others a good book. This is about all the people on this planet. On CNN I think yesterday they did a report on oil. Basically what they said was the easy stuff is gone and more people Worldwide want it now and this may not work out well. Yes you could certainly say that and then they went to a story about the effects of high cholesterol. To me that’s where a splinter in your mind part comes in. I still say a flying saucer now day’s could land in front of the Capital and they would show it of course and then go to a commercial. Do you know what I am talking about?
Don Hawkins said on March 23rd, 2008 at 12:16pm #
In southern Missouri, water poured through several breaches in levees and led authorities to evacuate towns west of Cape Girardeau. At least 200 homes and 13 businesses had been evacuated in Cape Girardeau County, said emergency management director Dick Knaup. At least 70 Missouri counties have reported flooding this week.
Much of the flooding in Illinois was in sparsely populated areas, but several dozen people were evacuated from their homes in Murphysboro on Saturday, said Patti Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
“For some of these places, this is their 500-year flood,” she said.AP
Alright no longer 100 year floods now we have raised the bar 500 year floods and next the 1000 year floods but first a word from our sponsor. “Heat on apply directly to the forehead”, “Heat on apply directly to the forehead” or your money back. You can’t be serious.
hp said on March 23rd, 2008 at 3:11pm #
Rush Windbag’s old stomping grounds.
Don Hawkins said on March 23rd, 2008 at 4:09pm #
http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/2008/TargetCO2_20080317.pdf
This is the draft of the report to be submitted by James Hansen this is the big one people. I am still reading get back later tonight.
Don Hawkins said on March 23rd, 2008 at 5:26pm #
The point of no return can be
avoided, even if the tipping level is temporarily exceeded. Ocean and ice sheet inertia permit
overshoot, provided the climate forcing is returned below the tipping level before initiating
irreversible dynamic change.
Equilibrium sea level rise for today’s 385 ppm CO2 is at least several meters,
Alpine glaciers are in near-global retreat (54, 55). After a flush of fresh water, glacier loss
foretells long summers of frequently dry rivers, including rivers originating in the Himalayas,
Andes and Rocky Mountains that now supply water to hundreds of millions of people. Present
glacier retreat, and warming in the pipeline, indicate that 385 ppm CO2 is already a threat.
Thus moderate delay of fossil fuel
use will not appreciably reduce long-term human-made climate change. Preservation of climate
requires that most remaining fossil fuel carbon is never emitted to the atmosphere.
Policy relevance. Desire to reduce airborne CO2 raises the question of whether CO2 could
be drawn from the air artificially. There are no large-scale technologies for CO2 air capture now,
but with strong research and development support and industrial-scale pilot projects sustained
over decades it may be possible to achieve costs ~$200/tC (59) or perhaps less (60). At $100/tC,
the cost of removing 50 ppm of CO2 is ~$10 trillion.
Realization that we must reduce the current CO2 amount has a bright
side: effects that had begun to seem inevitable, including impacts of ocean acidification, loss of
fresh water supplies, and shifting of climatic zones, may be averted by the necessity of finding an
energy course beyond fossil fuels sooner than would otherwise have occurred.
A practical global strategy almost surely requires a rising global price on CO2 emissions and
phase-out of coal use except for cases where the CO2 is captured and sequestered. The carbon
price should eliminate use of unconventional fossil fuels, unless, as is unlikely, the CO2 can be
captured. A reward system for improved agricultural and forestry practices that sequester carbon
could remove the current CO2 overshoot. With simultaneous policies to reduce non-CO2
greenhouse gases, it appears still feasible to avert catastrophic climate change.
Present policies, with continued construction of coal-fired power plants without CO2 capture,
suggest that decision-makers do not appreciate the gravity of the situation. We must begin to
move now toward the era beyond fossil fuels. Continued growth of greenhouse gas emissions,
for just another decade, practically eliminates the possibility of near-term return of atmospheric
composition beneath the tipping level for catastrophic effects. The most difficult task, phase-out over the next 20-25 years of coal use that does not capture
CO2, is herculean, yet feasible when compared with the efforts that went into World War II. The
stakes, for all life on the planet, surpass those of any previous crisis. The greatest danger is
continued ignorance and denial, which could make tragic consequences unavoidable.
Lloyd Rowsey said on March 23rd, 2008 at 6:33pm #
Found Poem #2
Totality begins
at the borders of Kazakhstan,
China, Mongolia, and Siberian Russia.
The northern
third of Mongolia
lies in the 350-kilometer-
broad path that swings northeast
through Siberia and grazes
the northernmost Chinese provinces.
Continuing out
across the East Siberian Sea,
the path ends at sunset near the North Pole.
“Solar-Eclipse Preview – March 9, 1997”
Fred Espenak
anthony innes said on March 23rd, 2008 at 6:45pm #
Techno fixes and politics as usual are way too late. The scrambling for oil /shortage /has it peaked is symptomatic of a distribution system that has grown too complex to be “managed”. Centralisation of power has plagued human activity since agriculture emerged.
Religion with its “go forth and multiply ” message has beenthe tool of the war mongers and is backfiring. Self education will prepare some for the huge trauma that awaits society in general. The concept of wealth is undergoing a revolution.
Mickey Z we have compulsory voting here in Oz and i regularly throw my vote in the bin by voting for the most socially responsible candidate usually some independent . Your “none of the above” suggestion has huge merit and deserves wide spread circulation. That said I do trust the vote count here . We do have an independent fully funded voting commission here that is about the most transparent organisation anywhere. Drucker has a line on things that goes ( i paraphrase) ” I do not trust any organisation that does not have a sunset clause in its charter”.
At 61 I have seen the world change enough to realise we Zero Growth people of the 70’s were correct but naive . Mass society, race to insecthood , battery human vs free range mammal whatever you want to call it based on mindless consumption is an evolutionary dead end.
The institutionalised “leadduhs” that groupthink supports are powerless really to do little more than prolong collapse. The psychology of power aquisition is a denial of reality and while we are all walking wounded the fate of the collective is sealed. Enough has been said about the meek who will inherit the world not enough about the world they will inherit.
Lloyd Rowsey said on March 23rd, 2008 at 9:44pm #
If you want to get philosophical, anthony, I think modern wstrn civ got “over-displaced” from the center of the universe when time became (essentially) infinite with 19th century geologists/Darwin, then space became (essentially) infinite with Einstein and Hubble, and then man’s inhumanity to man became (essentially) infinite with Hitler. NOW, wise and knowledgeable people are realizing it’s (essentially) all chance, at the social level. So if we’re just random motion in a meaningless universe, why NOT grab everything you can and say fuck off to everybody?
COMarc said on March 24th, 2008 at 7:11am #
I can’t help but notice the obligatory ‘slam Ron Paul’ comments above. But think about this ….
In the American system, you have to win a winner-take-all election to get power. And, the opponents of corporate government are split between the left and the right. As long as we keep that split, and the other splits that keep say Nader and the Greens apart, we are playing into the corporatists game and keeping them in power.
Why for instance were there anti-war campaigns in each party this time splitting the anti-war vote. Neither could get enough votes to be really serious in their party, and that was pretty obvious going in. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for all the anti-war people to get into one of the wings of our corporatists party and try to take over that party?
And in the general election, will it really be a winning strategy to have a Libertarian candidate, a Green Candidate, Mr. Nader, probably a candidate from the remnants of the Reform Party, a Socialist candidates, etc all running as anti-war candidates? If we want one candidate to have enough support that they can get into the debates and try to break through the monopoly, shouldn’t we all just back one candidate? If we want to win, really win, the election, its mandatory to back just one candidate and not split our votes amongst all these others.
Of course, its easy to look at someone who’s opposing the corporatist political machine from a point of view other than your own, and then pick apart their program and say ‘I don’t like this, or that’.
But, at some point we have to come together. That’s got to mean some tolerance for views that are different from your own. So how about this idea.
We pick one opposition candidate. I’d let everyone go to June 1st, then pick the one with the most support. Then everyone gets behind that candidate. Meanwhile, that candidate (or slate of candidates because we really should be doing the same for every House and Senate race) agrees to stick to a limited agenda if elected. The stuff we can call agree on. The stuff Mickey Z listed that would make our elections free and fair again.
So, we all agree on a platform that would end the corporatists hold on power. We agree on public financing for campaigns. For transparent and accountable voting and vote counting. We agree that all media concerns have to donate free and equal time to all candidates. We create a system where at least in an early round of voting all candidates are welcome and treated equally. We agree to select our legislatures by proportional vote. We agree to Instant runoff voting for executive positions. We agree to bring our troops home and to spend out money bailing out our own country and fixing the messes we have here.
Ie, we agree to clean up the mess that allows corporate government. We agree to reforms that return us to a nation of the people, by the people and for the people.
We agree to disagree on the rest. We save that for later. Want to debate Ron Paul’s social program, save it. Save it for a free and fair election AFTER we clean up the mess where we as citizens can have a fair debate and a fair election.
But, we’ve got problems that are too big right now for this stupid sniping at people who are basically on our side in the only fight that really matters. Reclaiming our government.
Chris Crass said on March 24th, 2008 at 1:12pm #
“Want to debate Ron Paul’s social program, save it. Save it for a free and fair election AFTER we clean up the mess where we as citizens can have a fair debate and a fair election.”
When, exactly, should we save it for? When Laissez-Faire capitalism is the GOLD STANDARD and the world economy is more of a ruin than it is now? When corporations have less stipulations and regulations put upon them, in effect granting them free reign to rape the earth? When there’s no social security or medicare? When you have to pay Roadway, Inc. for the privilege of drivin’ on their state-of-the art road? When we have an openly racist president instead of all of our past crypto-racist ones?
No, thanks – I’d rather point out that Ron Paul is worthless now. Especially when there are anti-war candidates who aren’t insane.
Arch Stanton said on March 24th, 2008 at 3:20pm #
Another week begins and the situation is still dire (to the point where a global catastrophe is on the horizon). And there’s still lots of insipid muttering about which presidential candidate progressives/lefties/whatchamacallits should support. You know what America reminds me of? If you’ve ever seen that movie Hannibal there’s a seen in it in which some arrogant, demented FBI bigshot starts eating his own brain because it “smells good,” giggling and babbling the whole time. Bon appétit people.
Don Hawkins said on March 24th, 2008 at 6:13pm #
http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/20080324_Rampant.pdf
This just came out a few hours ago by James Hansen, wait tell you read this
lara said on March 26th, 2008 at 3:35am #
It’s said by some comments’ poster :”… if America wants to dominate the world”.
We analyze “America”; we try find out and to deliver some “evrika!” inside the meaning of the word “America”; and the measure of our succeess in our “findings” is shown by the numbers of reaction from other commentators …
Blessed by the Internet, we might feel even good for some a few minutes.
Now. “America” for us becomes another geographical entety , where
“things are going too baed to be true “.
Inside it is empty . Or dead. Or, it is empty because there was Death raviging this territory for past 400 years… At least.
We do not live there anymore. We do not want to live there, it’s understandable. But here is the thing: there is no more place in this world
where we can run away from our death-ridden territory: the death virus has spread all over. So, we are “Americans”. Tacet.
What should we do with it? We lament, we know that our territory needs the surgery. And it must be The Big Surgery.
As in masses, we are not sick with altruism. (The last one was killed in Palestine. Her name was Rachel Corrie).
So, we are not up to saving the world from death we spread. Behold, we are not up to saving ourselves as well: we, seems, agree to follow the Scripture’s script.
“America” it is us. And we are terribly guilty ( we know that).
Do we have a character left for the heroism like “Give Us Liberty Or Death!”? Or it is for some other geographical territiries, like Palestine for instance?
“America” is made out of “Americans”. Here we are. Guilty like hell, doing nothing but “weeping for Palestine”.
lara said on March 26th, 2008 at 3:41am #
It’s said by some comments’ poster :”… if America wants to dominate the world”.
We analyze “America”; we try find out and to deliver some “evrika!” inside the meaning of the word “America”; and the measure of our succeess in our “findings” is shown by the numbers of reaction from other commentators …
Blessed by the Internet, we might feel even good for some a few minutes.
Now. “America” for us becomes another geographical entety , where
“things are going too bad to be true “.
Inside it is empty . Or dead. Or, it is empty because there was Death raviging this territory for past 400 years… At least.
We do not live there anymore. We do not want to live there, it’s understandable. But here is the thing: there is no more place in this world
where we can run away from our death-ridden territory: the death virus has spread all over. So, we are “Americans”. Tacet.
What should we do with it? We lament, we know that our territory needs the surgery. And it must be The Big Surgery.
As in masses, we are not sick with altruism. (The last one was killed in Palestine. Her name was Rachel Corrie).
So, we are not up to saving the world from death we spread. Behold, we are not up to saving ourselves as well: we, seems, agree to follow the Scripture’s script.
“America” it is us. And we are terribly guilty ( we know that).
Do we have a character left for the heroism like “Give Us Liberty Or Death!”? Or it is for some other geographical territiries, like Palestine for instance?
“America” is made out of “Americans”. It is up to us to come back to life. “Weeping for Palestine” will not do this. The Big Surgery will.

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