The second letter spells it out. Voter ID laws, other tactics serve to restrict democracy http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/01/06/1941485/letters-to-the-editor.html#disqus_thread

Voter ID laws, other tacticsserve to restrict democracy 1/6/12

A recent article noted that “more than a dozen mostly Republican-controlled states have approved new voting laws that include requiring government-approved photo ID to register or vote; shortening early voting periods and curtailing voter registration efforts by third-party groups like the League of Women Voters.”

Supporters say the laws protect against voter fraud, but studies show that voter fraud is negligible.

The new laws suppress voting by minorities, elderly and young people, all of whom often vote for Democrats.   Read More »

Unions are vital to protect workers. That's especially true in this era where the rich own a greater share of the wealth than at any time since the Great Depression (as Robert Reich pointed out). Also, unemployment and underemployment are high, the stock market has recovered, and corporations have lots of cash but aren't doing much hiring.

Still, we can reform unions to keep protecting workers but reduce or eliminate some aspects that cause many average Americans to dislike unions.

What do you think of these ideas for union reform? http://www.npr.org/2011/02/26/134087838/former-d-c-schools-chief-aims-to-put-studentsfirst

The Republicans successfully pit non-union workers against workers. Republicans want to keep tax breaks for millionaires who don't pay their own share, then damage unions to weaken the Democratic party.

Also, the fewer unionized jobs with good benefits and living wages there are, the less big corporations have to pay their workers, because workers have fewer alternatives. It's a strategy to divide and conquer workers before we realize what's happening.   Read More »

Abe has been quoted as saying something to the effect of, "The ballot is stronger than the bullet." Wise words

http://quotes.dictionary.com/the_ballot_is_stronger_than_the_bullet

"the Republican-controlled House passed sweeping legislation early Saturday to cut $61 billion from hundreds of federal programs and shelter coal companies, oil refiners and farmers from new government regulations."

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/19/133893233/house-votes-for-sweeping-cuts-to-domestic-programs

Check out the special comment video opposing violence.

http://my.democrats.org/page/community/members

Republican nominees are being chosen by these people.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/02/15/133782676/obama-not-u-s-born-say-51-of-gop-primary-voters-poll

Here's how they're doing it in 15 simple but very effective steps. If this analysis is off-target, please comment on how it could be revised to be on target in your opinion.

1. Republicans (especially the Bush administration) weaken regulation to the point where it fails to prevent a major financial crisis and environmental disaster (BP oil leak), and fails to ensure adequate planning and resources to respond to an environmental disaster (e.g., allow a response plan for a well in the Gulf of Mexico that includes contacting a dead expert and mentions species like walrus that live in cold climates).

2. Republicans successfully blame Democrats for not fixing the economy. (In addition, don't take partial responsibility for us not stopping the oil spill sooner).

3. Instead of admitting that under-regulation helped cause the financial crisis, Reppublicans advocate less regulation to make it easier for businesses to make profits. Don't tell voters that this will weaken protections for consumers, investors, and responsible companies that will not have regulation to provide a level playing field. Republicans advocate less regulation whether the economy is doing well or not, so claims that regulation hurts the economy are suspect. When the economy did well under Bill Clinton, for example, we had significant regulation.

4. Republicans build voter support for low taxes by claiming   Read More »

Many voters blame Democrats for our weak economy.

After eight years of the Bush administration, regulations were weak. Weak regulation failed to prevent creditors from lending money to debtors who could not afford to pay their debt (unless things went very well). Things didn't go very well. The financial crisis happened.

Bottom line: the financial crisis was caused mainly by irresponsible borrowing and lending, permitted by weak regulation.

The financial crisis started before Democrats came to power in 2008. The crisis took years to develop. It will take years to fix. Democrats tried to improve it faster with stimulus funding to increase consumer and business confidence, but Republicans have prevented more stimulus (even though many economists call for it).

Part of the problem is that some companies had become too big to fail. Too big to fail is too big.

According to Wikipedia, "Antitrust laws are intended to encourage   Read More »

Not only is income and wealth in America more concentrated in fewer hands than it's been in 80 years, but those hands are buying our democracy as never before -- and they're doing it behind closed doors.

Hundreds of millions of secret dollars are pouring into congressional and state races in this election cycle. The Koch brothers (whose personal fortunes grew by $5 billion last year) appear to be behind some of it, Karl Rove has rounded up other multimillionaires to fund right-wing candidates, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is funneling corporate dollars from around the world into congressional races, and Rupert Murdoch is evidently spending heavily.

No one knows for sure where this flood of money is coming from because it's all secret.

But you can safely assume its purpose is not to help America's stranded middle class, working class, and poor. It's to pad the nests of the rich, stop all reform, and deregulate big corporations and Wall Street -- already more powerful than since the late 19th century when the lackeys of robber barons literally deposited sacks of cash on the desks of friendly legislators.

Credit the Supreme Court's grotesque decision in Citizens United vs. the Federal ElectionCommission, which opened the floodgates. (Even though 8 of 9 members of the Court also held disclosure laws constitutional, the decision invited the creation of shadowy "nonprofits" that don't have to reveal anything.)

According to FEC data, only 32 percent of groups paying for election ads are disclosing the names of their donors. By comparison, in the 2006 midterm, 97 percent disclosed; in 2008, almost half disclosed.

 

More:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/the-secret-bigmoney-takeo_b_754938.html

   Read More »

Did the Texas Governor really just call for possible sucession and thus civil war? and why is the secret service not questioning him as a domestic terrorist.

Jack's Back   Read More »

Let this nation not forget the people who's voice just spoke, the clock now ticks and still they ponder, have they forgot what the people just spoke, it is a wonder why we find ourselvs in this dilema, I believe that maybe this nation and its people suffer from forgettfullness, have we forgotten the sick, unemployed, job losses, the wars, the right thinks it must fight, the left thinks it must win, and together we the the people just want it fixed. I shall speak until know one listens, for you must stand up once again and say to all those whom we have entrusted, if you cannot handle the heat please get out of the kithchen. For this is not the time for petty play, but work of the wise.

Let us also rely on each other, for it took only a few people to forget its people, it will now take sometime for this leader to walk his talk, he must try to uncover all the greed to correct this problem, it will take time, we can wait, for in the end, we only have hope and dreams that we made the right choice.

As the story continues, the mega bailout of big business and the silencing of the american dream, let us spend this money on truely items of the people, let us not just bailout the people in foreclosure, let us reduce the interest rate on all morgtages to a 4% rate, giving all people a break, which will surley help are economy, secondly let us give a income tax break to home owners who have seen their property value decrease, let them take that tax write off and invest it in the ecomomy. Would not every american like to see a bailout, a fresh start, a new beginning, let the leaders not only listen to the big guys, but to the people that will pay this price.

As I sought to represent the people of Minnesota, I forgot to continue my writing to the people of this party, now that a change will soon be in the air, let us not forget we have a job to do, we must never let up on energy policy again, we must have a windmill in every prairie, the corn in every car and the sun in every building, we must never again let foriegn oil run our economy, join me, we must never let this issue die again.

With all of the bailouts going on and the big 3 begging for help, (The Financial big shots didn’t have to beg for help, they just got “Free Money!�) I am getting “Bailout Fatigue�! It seems that fixing the problem by helping the top of the chain isn’t going to work. So what will? What should we try next?

So what would happen if our government gave each and every taxpayer a "bailout" of $100K? Or better yet, $250K? Make it taxable giving $1 for $1 deductions for paying down debt, buying a new car, buying a house if you don't already have one, fixing your house, updating/upgrading your house. Would this crisis we have get better? (Would we pay off or pay down our debt?) Would people buy a new car and make a bailout of the big 3 a non-issue? (Cheaper to buy them to bail them out! - Buy them and fire the big shots that got them into this mess!) Would people that don't have a house buy a house and help the housing crisis? (I'm sorry, remind me what started this crisis?) Would we fix our house, buy the stuff for our house we have needed? Would people spend some money in their local stores helping our local businesses? Would small business benefit?

What would the downside be? We have to pay for this bailout mess, why shouldn't we get some benefit from it? We've tried fixing the problem from the top with what results? When are they going to finally get it and fix the problem from the bottom up? Are we going to have to grab the pitchforks and make them? Let's hope that they will listen to us and finally fix this problem by giving US the money and letting US fix it! Can we say: Peaceful Revolt? Is anyone else with me? Please contact your representatives and make your voice heard!

Please President-Elect Obama and your staff, at least consider this idea!

What if the candidate with the best issues WON the election.

Fair TaxThe complexity and distortions of the federal tax code produces distributions of tax incidence and payroll tax burdens that are skewed in favor of the wealthy and the corporations further garnished by tax shelters, insufficient enforcement and other avoidances. Continue reading ...
Federal BudgetThe United States needs a redirected federal budget that adequately funds crucial priorities like infrastructure, transit and other public works, schools, clinics, libraries, forests, parks, sustainable energy and pollution controls. Continue reading ...

Jail Time Not Bail Time - Stop the BailoutIn late September, Senator Obama said to the Democrats – vote for the bailout. Senator McCain said to the Republicans – vote for the bailout. President Bush said to the Congress – vote for the bailout. But the American people were fed up. They told their members of Congress – if you vote for the bailout, we will vote against you. Continue reading ...
JobsSince January 2001, 2.7 million jobs have been lost and more than 75% of those jobs have been high wage, high productivity, manufacturing jobs. Overall 5.6% of Americans are unemployed while 10.5% of African Americans are unemployed. Unemployment among Latinos is nearly 30 per cent higher than January 20, 2001. Continue reading ...

PovertyAs the wealthiest country in the world, with high productivity per capita, a country that produces an abundance of capital, credit, technology and food, we can end poverty. Yet, according to the Bureau of the Census, poverty and hunger for children and adults is increasing rather than decreasing -- 34.6 million Americans lived in deep poverty, 12.1% of the U.S. population. Continue reading ... Worker's RightsThe rights of workers have been on the decline. It is time to reverse that trend and begin to give workers, the backbone of the US economy, the rights they deserve. Workers need a living wage not a minimum wage; access to health care and no unilateral reductions in medical benefits and pensions for current employees and retirees. Employers should not be able to avoid these benefits by hiring temporary workers or independent contractors. Continue reading ... Electoral ReformOur democracy is in a descending crisis. Voter turnout is among the lowest in the western world, and America ranks in the bottom three of countries that hold free elections. The reasons for this democracy crisis are many: Redistricting ensures very few incumbents are at risk in one-party districts, and paperless voting machines call into question whether every vote is being counted. Barriers to full participation of candidates proliferate, making it very obstructive for third party and Independent candidates to run. These problems silence alternative viewpoints and decrease voter confidence. Continue reading ...
Media BiasThe mass media in the United States is extremely concentrated, and the messages that they send are too broadly uniform. Six global corporations control more than half of all mass media in our country: newspapers, magazines, books, radio and television. Our democracy is being swamped by the confluence of money, politics and concentrated media. Continue reading ...

Shift the PowerThe three documents below provide the "tools of democracy" that shift the power so people can regain control of their government, empower themselves as consumers, and strengthen themselves as workers. Without the facilities making it easy for Americans to band together to develop organizations with staff and budget to protect their interests, workers, consumers, and voters have few ways to challenge those organized for other purposes - for example, corporations organized with contrary policies and demands. Continue reading ...   Read More »

Sept. 30th, 12pm
Intimate Lunch with Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez
San Francisco, CA
Contribution: $200
RSVP (202) 471-5833 or events@votenader.org   Read More »

Don't think anyone here dislikes or is as afraid of this conservative crack case to be a heart beat away from the presidency as I am. All the reasons we know.. she lies... she isn't qualified are right there for all to see. McCain picking her as VP shows his terrible judgement and putting his country last...anything to win politics.

This is the problem with Palin. We know the GOP cannot talk about the issues because they have no answers, nothing but more of the same.

As long as we keep the chatter alive about Palin we don't discuss the issues.

No more Palin chatter. Let's discuss issues and mcCain. On those topics we win.

Let's talk about the topics that weren't even mentioned at the GOP Convention...the middle class, health care...ending the war, housing foreclosures, energy independence, the environment.........