Are you pro-choice?

Are you pro-choice?

I know I am.

And while I believe a woman has the right to make decisions about her own body, that’s not what I’m talking about here.

Let me offer a recent and extremely important example.

When in December of 2021, when Russia notified the US and its allies that it was very concerned about the troops, missiles, bases, and other military assets deployed against its borders, it offered a draft treaty which would cool tensions and promote peace in Europe. The US and NATO refused to even look at the treaty. Were we the people given a choice in the matter? Were we properly and accurately informed about what the treaty contained, its pros and cons? Of course not. Because had citizens looked at it objectively, with complete disclosure as to its intent and effect, they would have most likely thought it was reasonable and constructive, and opted for it. We are now living the nightmare resulting from the snub of the Russian proposal. The entire Ukraine mess didn’t have to happen. But it did because of the choice of a tiny number of short-sighted, war-obsessed policy makers, sans any democratic approval by the vast majority of citizens, who now must deal with the consequences.

Since that war broke out, the U.S. has allocated at least $65 billion — some put the figure at over $100 billion and counting — in military and economic assistance to the regime in Kiev. Were we given a choice in THAT? Did Biden, Blinken or any of the warmongers in Congress ask: “Should we send more weapons to Ukraine to further exacerbate the war, further intimidate Russia, OR should we spend that money on improving our schools, infrastructure, OR MAYBE provide relief to Americans who have been hard hit by the disastrous economy, loss of jobs, the Covid-19 lockdowns?” I don’t remember hearing THAT choice being aired to the public.

I’m pro-choice, alright. In the much broader sense of having choice as a citizen about what is done in my name with the tax dollars and immense resources of the United States.

I’m talking about America’s decisions to go around the world killing people, destroying nations, imposing its imperial agenda on other allegedly sovereign nations. I’m talking about the heavy hand of our government deciding what version of the “truth” citizens get in the news and from their elected officials. I’m talking about critical choices made about America’s place in the world, our relationships with every other nation, who is our friend, who is designated as our enemy; deciding the kind of country we now live in and will hand off to future generations; directing what opportunities and basic services will be available to us; determining what guarantees are in place to make sure our legal system works to the benefit of every citizen equally; writing and enforcing the regulations and laws which prevent the abuse of power by our government officials, those elected and otherwise; determining how our system works to hold those in power accountable, what is done to prevent corruption, graft and cronyism; instituting and maintaining electoral procedures and mechanisms which protect the constitutional voting privileges of every citizen, fully guaranteeing free and fair elections. Yes, I’m talking about the way government functions, how well it functions. How the enormous revenue stream gets allocated, what gets funded, who benefits. I’m talking about free and full access to official communication, information and documentation, full transparency about what goes on in those offices and buildings. After all, we’re paying for all of it. We should have complete disclosure as well as final decision-making power on how our money is being spent.

Finally and certainly most importantly, since our survival on the planet is being seriously threatened by horrible decisions in this arena, WE THE PEOPLE should have final say on putting our nation and economy on a war footing, militarily confronting other countries, and most certainly the ultimate decision — a responsibility that now even our pathetic Congress spinelessly avoids — MAKING THE CHOICE TO GO TO WAR.

All of these decisions are being made — often behind closed doors or a smoke-screen of propaganda, lies and rationalizations — and we as citizens have no say in any of it.

No choice!

So yeah, I’M PRO-CHOICE!

The voice of the people has been totally silenced. We no longer can even ask simple, obvious questions about most critical matters which impact our daily existence, which determine the quality of our lives, which define the kind of country we now and future generations will live in. If we don’t stay inside the safe, approved boundaries of the official narratives, we are marginalized, often ridiculed, if not completely censored. Which might be tolerable if the country was in good shape and on a solid path of improvement and progress. I don’t have to point out how totally screwed up everything is now.

I’m for having a decisive say in the way things run. Recognize, this is hardly a weird or controversial demand. It’s the very essence of SELF-GOVERNMENT — which is what I have always been told is the defining feature of our democracy, the great experiment in self-rule. No kings, no dukes, no emperors, no dictators, no pouty paranoid bureaucrats. Just us, we the people!

This means WE THE PEOPLE taking back the power which has been usurped by a class of self-anointed control freaks, influence peddlers, power brokers, professional politicos who have decided that we regular folks are a bunch of clueless children and they know what’s best for us.

Enough is enough. Tyranny under the smiley-face of fake democracy must be stopped IMMEDIATELY!

This is non-negotiable . . .

WE THE PEOPLE MUST HAVE A CHOICE — the decisive choice — whenever anything of consequence affecting our nation comes up for consideration.

So yes, I can say without qualification or equivocation, I’M PRO-CHOICE!

And you should be too.

[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . https://jdrachel.com ]

Are you pro-choice? | John Rachel

How do we confront abuse of power and restore democracy?

 

People accuse me of being confrontational.

I say:  Absolutely! Guilty as charged.

If your neighbors are throwing garbage over the fence into your yard, what do you do?  Sit back and watch it pile up?  Or . . . lean over the fence and demand that they stop?

That demand might begin as a calm, friendly but firm request.  As your neighbors continue to dump their trash into your yard, it will become increasingly forceful and eventually take on the flavor of . . . guess what? . . . here it comes . . . a confrontation!

Our demands -- based on rights and privileges guaranteed in writing in the Constitution -- that our elected officials represent us and serve the interests of all American citizens, not just the rich and well-connected, have for decades been respectful, polite and measured.

The response we've gotten from those same elected officials has been more abuse of power and position, and the veritable destruction of representative democracy in America.

Time to get tough.

Time for confrontation!

How do we confront power?  How do we specifically confront those officials we choose at the polls and gift with cushy jobs in Washington DC, which heighten their prestige, inflate their egos, and fatten their wallets?

My strategy is so simple, so obvious, so potentially effective, I am totally baffled why often people don't get it.

Recognize . . .

We have been handed the most powerful instrument in the arsenal, the assumption being we'll never get it together to use it.  Of course, so far we haven't effectively used it.  But that doesn't mean we can't or won't.  It's right there ready and waiting.

What is this weapon of choice?

It's the illusion of democracy.

It's the illusion that our voting makes a difference.

Granted . . .

Right now it doesn't, because we've been playing by a set of rules that rigs the game.  The  fix has been in because, even though it is well within our power as citizens to do so, we haven't successfully challenged those rules.  We haven't even tried.

In the most simple terms, right now we elect individuals to positions of power based on what often turns out to be hollow promises, campaign rhetoric which is highly flattering of the candidate, believable and appealing on the surface, thus sufficiently persuasive to win the trust of voters and get him or her elected.

Once elected, these individuals basically do what they're told to do by their deep-pocketed benefactors, the rich and powerful elite who fund their campaigns, proffer tacit promises of highly lucrative rewards once they leave office -- refer here to Obama's $60 million book deal and $400,000 fee for making one speech to those he served so magnificently while in office -- and shield them from any legitimate challenges by candidates who don't faithfully dance to the beat laid down by the plutocracy -- refer here to the blatant sabotage of Bernie Sanders' primary campaign by the corporate stooges of the Democratic Party.

But . . .

This mockery of "representative democracy" still depends on us to go into the voting booth and like the brainwashed, gullible, trusting sheeple that we are, to cast our votes for these carefully groomed and coddled ruling class shills.

And that's where we can change the rules.

We must stand united and be unshakeable in our resolve . . . but here's how we do it.

We demand that any candidate running for federal office sign a legally-binding contract, listing a number of issues which must be addressed within 180 days of taking office.

Or . . .

We will not vote for them!

Rather, we will put up our own candidate, or find one from an independent or third-party, who will sign the contract!  That person will get our full support during the campaign and our vote on election day.

Case closed!

The contract will be drawn up around those items where there is at least 62% agreement among the American public.  Yes!  There is that level of public consensus on a whole host of critical issues!

While this is not written in stone and should be adapted to the unique circumstances and needs of each local voting jurisdiction, here is what such a candidate contract looks like.
This changes the game alright, decisively putting voters in charge -- at least on a number of key initiatives and policy decisions -- of what comes out of Congress.

Isn't that the way it's supposed to work?  Government of the people, by the people, for the people?  Representative democracy that truly represents the desires and priorities of the constituents?

It's a shame that our system has become so corrupted by money and power games that we must resort to a legal document to get done what's supposed to get done in the first place.

But that's the way it's worked out.  We have no other choice now.  We either take charge or suffer even more indignity and abuse at the hands of the ruling elite and their pay-for-play lackeys, the folks we send to Washington DC to do a job but who end up entirely ignoring the citizens they're supposed to be working for -- that would be you and I!

It's simple.  It's straightforward.  It's powerful.  It's decisive.

Either candidates sign on the dotted line or we don't vote for them.

Which means that we then turn to some good, decent, honest candidates who realize what their ultimate responsibility is, where their true loyalties lie, thus will sign the contract.  We give them our unqualified support, both in the campaign and in the voting booth.

Using this simple, powerful device . . .

We'll finally get a glimpse of what representative democracy really looks like.

---

 

 "Candidate Contracts: Taking Back Our Democracy" was published in June of 2015 and is available worldwide from all the usual suspect:

Amazon (Kindle)  . . . amzn.to/1QJRiNZ
Amazon (Print) . . . amzn.to/1Cuq0du
Apple (iTunes) . . . apple.co/1BXnPcy
Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/1GpTTLq
Kobo (Indigo) . . . bit.ly/1OEI2xj
Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1B4DQCp
Direct from printer . . . bit.ly/1MGjDnN

" 

Fighting for the Democracy We Deserve" was published September 2015 and also is available both in every popular ebook format and as a deluxe paperback:

Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1VMf2Ft
Amazon (Print) . . . amzn.to/1L9SdIC
Apple (iTunes) . . . apple.co/1JD1YAg
Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/1ZUJUpn
Kobo (Indigo) . . . bit.ly/1IX6rO4
Smashwords . . . bit.ly/22PXWLf
Direct from printer . . . bit.ly/1i7ISFM


[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]




How do we confront abuse of power and restore democracy?

The Politics of Panic and Puerile Propaganda

 

Desperation creates a sickening stench.

At least that seems to be the case with dying empires.

As the front pages of the New York Times and the Washington Post become more and more indistinguishable from puerile and poisonous publications like the National Inquirer, Daily News, Globe, and Weekly World News, we see the symptoms of a nation whose auto-immune system has stopped working, and no barriers any longer stand in the way of fantastic lies and the opportunistic diseases of exceptionalist self-absorption and kleptocratic abuse. 

Much of what claims to be news puts spectacle and rumor ahead of fact and truth-telling.

Every day I scan the pages and websites of main stream media and nowhere can I find a discussion of truly critical issues, much less a serious attempt to address them with cogent, creative, promising solutions.

 

Yet, who am I to decide what is said and written.  Am I to tell a dying man that I find his death rattle annoying and counter-productive?

Having accepted the irrelevancy of my own opinion of the national conversation, we are still looking at a total retreat from journalistic integrity, an abandonment of responsibility vital to our survival as a nation, in fact, a complete surrender and servility to self-serving, corrupt leadership which acknowledges no allegiance or debt to those who put them into office, and driven by panic and desperation can only make excuses and offer distractions for its failure to serve the real interests of the country. 

There is no other verdict any sane, aware, concerned person can come to.

The rest of the world seems to have our number.  The U.S. pretends to be in charge but more and more we see one nation after another turning away.  And apparently citizens across our once-great country -- regardless of whether they voted for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders or Gary Johnson or Jill Stein, or just stayed home out of disgust -- will be the last to know that the U.S. is no longer a functioning democracy and has been completely taken over by fierce, ruthless, elitist, self-serving, corporate autocrats, and more fatefully we are being simultaneously prepared for major economic collapse and a global war which carries the ominous risk of extinction for the human race.

Moreover, the planet itself each day stands in silent but immutable judgment.

The Arctic is in crisis, evidence of catastrophic global heating.  The oceans are on their way to becoming vast sea creature graveyards.  Scientists have now concluded we are in the middle of another mass species extinction.  The world we now inhabit will go away and eventually become uninhabitable, both for humans and much of the life on the planet which we now take for granted.

Pathological levels of hubris, demagoguery, and megalomania have the major nations on hair-trigger alert, with the nuclear destructive power to destroy the world 25 to 50 times over, just a launch button away.  Most of this animosity stems from America's inability to accept its place as one of a community of nations.  We will run things our way or destroy the entire world in a colossal temper tantrum.



With existential crises of an unprecedented and truly apocalyptic scale . . . let's talk about hacking by the Russians.  Let's talk about Trump's potty mouth and dicey business deals.  Let's form two massive groups -- die-hard Hillary Clinton supporters and President-elect Donald Trump supporters -- face off and scream at one another.  Let's talk about Trump's rumored man-love of Vladimir Putin and his pussy-grabbing -- apparently he's bisexual, since he can swing both ways.  Let's spread the word! After all . . .

Someone told someone else that when Putin and Trump aren't butt-fucking, they're scheming to take down the greatest country in the world.  Just as bad, when Hillary isn't spreading state secrets across the world wide web like viral mannequin challenges, she's running a child sex slave ring  out of a DC pizzeria, to try to make a buck, while of course supplying fresh nubile flesh for Bill's pedophilia parties.  We know this story is true, which is a big part of the reason many people didn't vote for her, because someone mentioned it to Alex Jones and he subsequently devoted a lot of time to it on his show.  I love Alex's voice, don't you?

Of course, our whole electoral system is in crisis.  THANKS TO THE DAMN RUSSIANS!  Seventeen intel agencies told someone anonymously -- of maybe someone told us that 17 intel agencies told them -- the idea of hacking our elections is consistent with the priorities of Russia.  We don't know which agencies suggested this.  It's hard to know because at my last count there were 1,271 government organizations responsible for national security.  Out of these, 500 could easily be considered "intel agencies".  Hmm . . . 17 out of 500.  That seems odd, eh?  Whatever.  Those Russians are always up to no good.  Especially the Bolshoi Ballet and Tchaikovsky.  And Tolstoy!

Then there's the whole Electoral College mess.  Hard to believe that we didn't notice.  But apparently the electoral college's potential to not represent the express will of the voting public -- sometimes referred to by the rich and powerful elite who occasionally take a break from plundering the Treasury and devising more effective means of maintaining full control over the machinery of government and even our pathetic personal lives to elbow each other in the ribs and snicker about the "slobbering masses" -- has been secreted in Article II of our venerated Constitution now for over 227 years.  Sure, they'll claim it was there the whole time.  But they put it in Article II, and let's face it, most of us never got past reading the Preamble, much less Article I.  Anyway, better late than never.  Now we know that whether you love him or hate him, Trump was right!  The system is rigged!  Therefore it's time for some real effective action.  Let's start a petition!  No way can let that pussy-grabbing scumbag be president over some technicality in the Constitution probably put in there by the slimy Russians.  We should have our first female president, who despite having ovaries and a pussy -- which Trump probably tried to grab! -- is tough as nails and will hit the ground running by starting World War III with either Iran, Russia, or China.  Maybe all three!  Talk about macho!



Granted, a lot of this seems to miss the big picture questions, which are . . .

Why did we have to choose only between Hillary and Donald?

Or . . .

Why is it no matter who we elect, everything just gets worse?

Or . . .

What's the point of representative government if the people we elect don't represent us?

Or . . .

How can it be called choice when both of the two major political parties just put people up for election who serve the interests of the wealthy, who promote war, who can't find it in their hearts or in our national budget to provide the basic services and necessities which many other nations in the world take for granted?

Then again . . .

Those kinds of questions are really really difficult.

Solving those problems requires radical reform and profound systemic changes.
It would be very embarrassing to admit to the world that our democracy is in big trouble.
Addressing those challenges takes a lot of hard work and time which most of us don't have.
Having a government which serves everyday citizens is sure to piss off the Koch brothers!



Isn't it more convenient to ask questions which are more likely to get answered?

Like . . . is or was Dick Cheney ever a robot?

You know, folks, I suspected something like this all along.  I even wrote a blog about it.

Deep-State Doppelgängers

See?  I'm on top of the news!



[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]



The Politics of Panic and Puerile Propaganda

Putting Boots (Birkenstocks) on the Ground: Part V

 

Bernie Sanders talks eagerly about a "revolution".

While this obviously is fantastic campaign rhetoric, his presidential aspirations fall a bit short of a revolution.  Many of his ideas for reforming the political system, revamping our national priorities, and replacing the current agenda with one that serves the greater good of the vast majority of citizens, notably are consistent with revolutionary change.  It is hopeful, heartening, inspiring, truly a breath of fresh air in the stagnant and highly toxic atmosphere of the now dominant neoliberal/neocon regime in Washington DC.

But the simple fact remains:  We're not electing a king.  We're only electing a president.  Reform comes from changing the laws.  Changing the laws comes from changing the law makers.  Either we change their minds or we change them, meaning we replace them with elected public servants who will serve the public instead of their corporate masters.

This entire series of articles is about exactly that . . . the need for such change and how I see that coming about.

It's all about people power.  Not PACs and SuperPACS.  Not big piles of money -- though the enormous sums the wealthy throw into the ring present a formidable obstacle for even the most organized and energetic citizens groups.

Change still comes down to the choice each of us personally makes in the voting booth.  Power resides in our aligning our individual choices, so that collectively -- as in tens of millions of us united in an unstoppable juggernaut of people power -- we get done what needs to get done.

I've already pointed at many crucial issues where there is substantial agreement.

75% of Americans want a federal minimum wage of $12.50 per hour.
63% of Americans want a federal minimum wage of $15.00 per hour.
75% of voters want fair trade agreements protecting jobs, workers, the environment.
76% of voters want a cut back on military spending.
76% of voters want the U.S. completely out of Afghanistan.
79% of voters want no reductions in Social Security, 70% support expanding it.
79% of voters want no reductions in Medicare.
80% of voters oppose the "Citizens United" U.S. Supreme Court decision.
68% of voters think taxes on the wealthy should be increased.
71% of voters support massive infrastructure renewal.
74% of American voters are for ending oil industry subsidies.
93% of voters want GMO labeling on their food.

In Part IV of the series, I recommended collecting signature from people on a combination pledge-petition, which does two things:  1) it ascertains the level of local voter support for specific issues; and 2) invites individuals to take a stand on those issues, i.e. solicits their commitment to only vote for candidates who if elected will represent them and promote the agenda their constituents have united behind.

So we are now confronted with a critical question . . .

How do we know a candidate will do what we want once elected?

My solution is so simple and so obvious, many scoff and dismiss it immediately.

These are the same types of people who, by the way, stood on the beach at Kitty Hawk, scoffing and derisively observing:  "Ha! That contraption will never fly!"

The short answer is . . . we make the candidate sign a legally-binding contract.

While the contracts can address any number of issues, here is an example, specifically for a candidate running for House of Representatives, demanding an increase in the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour.


 
If you're immediate reaction is . . .

"Why, my congressman will never sign something like that!"

. . . all I can do is jump for joy!  It means we're getting somewhere!

I'll explain exactly how this is intended to work in the next installments of Putting Boots (Birkenstocks) on the Ground.  But before we go there, I have to make one critical point.  This really has to sink in and be fully understood in order to appreciate the power of the candidate contract and its potential as a game-changer in our current dysfunctional political environment.  Here it is . . .

While the candidate contract is a legally-binding agreement, properly implementing it is NOT A LEGAL STRATEGY.

IT IS A POLITICAL STRATEGY!

This is not about courts and juries and lawyers.

It is about forcing elected representatives to represent us.

It is using a legal instrument to our POLITICAL ADVANTAGE!

Please repeat this as often as needed for it to sink in . . .

Candidate contracts are legal instruments to force democratically-elected representatives to represent their constituents. They are political levers!

They are POLITICAL SLEDGEHAMMERS!

All will become clear in the next installments.



[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]



Putting Boots (Birkenstocks) on the Ground: Part V

Putting Boots (Birkenstocks) on the Ground: Part IV

 

This proceeds from my previous articles outlining my approach to community-based "regime change" activism.  I encourage you to read them to embrace the foundation for what follows.

Part I
Part II
Part III

Using basic social skills, personally engaging others face-to-face, we get people talking and listening about problems we individually and collectively face.  We talk about what ails us.  Most people love to complain.  Misery loves company.  Next . . .

We tactfully and respectfully navigate the discussion to those critical issues which are the direct consequence of government policy and can only be solved by our elected officials.

We find common ground.  This should be easy.  So much has gone wrong over the past several decades, it is almost impossible to find someone who hasn't been negatively impacted by the mess we find ourselves in.  Americans on the whole are hurting.  Individually we are victims of much misguided decision-making.

We continue to talk.  And most importantly . . . to listen.

Maybe this doesn't sound like much of a breakthrough, but if we get this far -- having a comfortable adult conversation about one or more specific things which are contributing to the ongoing dysfunction -- it actually is quite noteworthy, taking into consideration the current environment.  More typically now whenever anything appears to remotely involve politics, we expect to see folks either maniacally shouting or withdrawing into a coma-like state of mute detachment.

Talking and listening thoughtfully and graciously represents dramatic progress! 

So . . . where we heading with this?

Time for a refresher on the Constitution.

Congress makes laws.  The president enforces them.

Granted, this clear division of labor has in recent times been compromised, with abuse of regulatory powers and signing statements by the president, and the wholesale surrender of war making powers by the Congress.  Let's still be clear.  And I offer this both as a warning to the ebullient Bernie Sanders supporters, and to those anxiety-ridden progressives who live in fear of either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump ascending the presidential throne:

Without a supportive Congress, nothing positive -- or for that matter negative -- will get done, especially if the new president is isolated.  It will be animus, gridlock, confrontation, blame-gaming, a show of distrust and open hostility between the executive and legislative branches which will make the past decade look like a friendly game of flag football.  This would certainly be the case with either Trump or Sanders.  Perhaps the most frightening prospect is a Hillary presidency, since her most menacing and treacherous policies, both domestic and international, presently have widespread support by our current corrupt, corporate-owned legislature.

There is no question that a strong, visionary president would be a good thing.

But a responsible, responsive, representative people's Congress is absolutely crucial.

Strong, visionary congressional action is a matter of survival for our nation.

Nothing will change until we change the laws.

Laws won't change until we change the law makers.

This is exactly where our grass-roots, boots-on-the-ground, community-based campaign must be entirely focused.

It is about electing individuals to Congress, both the House of Representatives and Senate, who will be directly accountable to their constituents.  The immediate goal of our efforts is to elect representatives who will pass legislation on a number of issues which are clearly important to voters.  These are things the public wants done . . . but aren't getting done.

This means one of two things.  Either the incumbents running for office come around and do what the voting public demands.  Or they are replaced with fresh candidates who have made a binding commitment to do so.

Back to our "conversation" with our neighbor, cousin, street cleaner, bartender, war vet.

We have been talking and listening.  It is obvious that the person we are talking to feels passionately about one, maybe several of the key issues.  Here's what unfolds next -- for each and every issue -- using Social Security here as an illustration:

 

"I see you feel as strongly as I do about keeping Social Security intact and if anything improving it.  Can I get you to sign this?"

"What is it?"

"It's a petition."

"Oh great!  Another petition.  Those never work."

"We think it will this time.  We're coming up with a way to force our elected officials to do what they say they're going to do."

"Who is we?"

"Well, 'we' is folks just like you and me.  This isn't a political party.  It's just citizens who want to see some important things get done.  Get some serious problems solved."

"How?  Politicians say one thing and do another."

"Exactly.  That's why we need to demand they stop playing games.  People like us have to stand up for ourselves.  The politicians are like children and will get away with whatever they can.  So if you and I don't take a stand, it'll never change.  We have to try.  If enough of us raise enough hell, stick together and refuse to take 'no' for an answer, we just might pull this off."

"How?  How are you going to get these guys with all their money and powerful backers to pay attention?  How can you make them do anything?"

"

First, we're going to get 40,000 people to sign this.  Look what it says.  'I will only vote for a candidate who will protect Social Security and work to increase benefits.'  I'd say that's pretty clear."

"And how will we know they will actually do this?  What's my signing a petition got to do with making my congressman get his butt in gear?"

"It's a place to start.  We will build on it to demand action.  For one thing, you're saying this is very important to you.  If fact, you're saying if he wants your vote, he had better step up to the plate."

"And they'll promise to do it, get elected, then break their promises."

"This time we won't let them."

"Hah!"

Most people are pretty jaded and pessimistic about the possibility of moving the system.  Inaction is the norm, the status quo the accepted state of things.  Resignation is endemic.

Many will want to argue at this point that we're wasting our time.

This is not an argument you can win.  No one knows for sure what will work and what will not.  And frankly, those skeptics have history on their side.  For the average American things are going backwards.  Very little is getting done, unless it benefits the rich.

At the same time, that's not an excuse for not trying.  Not trying guarantees failure.

"If we don't try, then we'll never get anything done.  If you don't want to see Social Security destroyed, then sign this and we'll take it from there.  It can't hurt."

That's all that needs to be said for now.  Here is what the petition pledge looks like:




What does a person have to lose by signing this?

Or signing similar petitions on other issues they feel strongly about?

Some might still be reluctant.  They may want to know why we need signatures on the petition.  If they press the matter, then explain what happens next -- which is what I'll discuss in detail in Parts V and VI of this series.

"Once we know we have enough voters behind this, we'll demand that each candidate signs a legally-binding contract.  That will be the 'absolute commitment' to do what you've asked them to do."

"And if they refuse to sign it?"

"We don't vote for them and we find someone who will.  No contract, no vote."

"They're not going to like this."

"But we will.  And we'll get something done for a change that we want done."

This idea is so simple, yet so powerful.  But there's only one way it can work . . . 

 

People must unite not under party banners, but as a voting bloc around issues that are important to them.  Party labels -- also very much the case with ideological labels -- muddy the waters, get people unfocused on what's truly consequential.  'Democrat', 'Republican', 'liberal', 'conservative', 'libertarian' -- even more so with  'socialist', 'Tea Party', and 'Green Party' -- have now become so emotionally charged, clear thinking becomes difficult, constructive dialogue impossible.

Forget the labels, affiliations, philosophies.  Stick with the issues.  They're staring us right in the face.

I hate sounding like a broken record, but please look again at the issue polls cited in my previous two articles:

75% of Americans want a federal minimum wage of $12.50 per hour.
63% of Americans want a federal minimum wage of $15.00 per hour.
75% of voters want fair trade agreements protecting jobs, workers, the environment.
76% of voters want a cut back on military spending.
76% of voters want the U.S. completely out of Afghanistan.
79% of voters want no reductions in Social Security, 70% support expanding it.
79% of voters want no reductions in Medicare.
80% of voters oppose the "Citizens United" U.S. Supreme Court decision.
68% of voters think taxes on the wealthy should be increased.
71% of voters support massive infrastructure renewal.
74% of American voters are for ending oil industry subsidies.
93% of voters want GMO labeling on their food.

These are huge consensuses.  These are the big issues.  To set the stage for real reform, to get our future elected officials listening, these are the issues which draw a line in the sand.  Either the candidates commit to getting these things done or they simply don't get elected.  Period!

This is how we force candidates to pay attention.

Why will they pay attention?

Their jobs depend on it.



[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]


Putting Boots (Birkenstocks) on the Ground: Part IV

Militarizing The Police – Part 3

 


It's prudent to be prepared.

So . . .

The Department of Homeland Security is purchasing 1.6 billion rounds __ yes, you read that correctly . . . 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition. Half of the order is for hollow point bullets and the other half for special armor and wall piercing ammunition. Hollow point bullets are forbidden by international law for use in warfare, so these cannot be for the battlefield. They are more expensive than regular bullets, so it doesn't make sense that, as claimed by a spokesperson for DHS, they are being used for "target practice". Besides, they only use about 15 million bullets a year on government
target ranges. 1,600,000,000 rounds is enough to keep them practicing for over a hundred years.

Along similar lines, the DHS will be taking delivery of some unspecified number of the 2,717 MRAPs __ mine-resistant and protected combat vehicles __ retrofitted by Navistar Defense, their manufacturer, for use here in America. As the linked article sensibly asks: "Why would they need such over-the-top vehicles on U.S. streets to withstand IEDs, mine blasts, and 50 caliber hits to bullet-proof glass? In a war zone … yes, definitely. Let’s protect our men and women. On the streets of America …?"

President Obama with his March 16, 2012 signing of the National Defense Resources Preparedness Executive Order effectively establishes the right to impose Martial Law, at his own discretion even under peace time conditions, claiming full control over all of the resources of America, including even the labor of its citizens. This executive order expands his already extensive authority under the NDAA, which he signed on New Years Eve 2011 while none of us were paying much attention.

To make sure that no act of "terrorism" within our borders goes undetected, the DHS has established an expansive system of fusion centers coordinating its activities with those of local law enforcement
agencies, sharing information on U.S. citizens and intelligence about their movements and activities. The legality of collecting much of this data is questionable but it goes on because no one is able to challenge it. As we certainly know from the reaction of most public figures to the Snowden revelations, there is virtually no evidence in the national conversation or will in Congress of wanting to put a stop to this.

Yes, it's prudent to be prepared.

But . . .

We need to be asking ourselves, or maybe more appropriately those in charge of
rolling over the Constitution, chipping away at the privacy and legal
rights of American citizens, while quietly engineering and implementing
our New American Police State . . .

What is our government preparing for?


[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]

America Has Become Anti-American

 

Because I live in Japan and post articles which are critical of America, I am
often accused of being anti-American. The truth is both
counter-intuitive and extremely disturbing.

I haven't changed ... America certainly has.

America has become anti-American!

The Constitution guarantees freedom of the press. Yet reporters are now being intimidated and threatened with arrest and incarceration. Whistleblowers who try to expose fraud, corruption, and waste in government by making available in public news media forums information of value to American citizens, are likewise harassed and prosecuted.

The Constitution requires the government to promote the general welfare. Yet the benefits of our economic wealth are accruing to a tiny elite while poverty is still pervasive and the majority of the population scrambles to make ends meet. Among the 34 highly developed nations in the world, America ranks 17th
in terms of life satisfaction __ happiness __ the key factors for its
low ranking being massive income inequality and excessively long hours
spent on average in the work place. In terms of health care and life expectancy, for the richest country in the world, America ranks abysmally low.

The Constitution guarantees equal representation of its citizens. Yet, the electoral system has become corrupted by unverifiable e-voting, grotesque gerrymandering of districts, and torrents of money in politics, which only guarantees the voices of average voters will be drown out and their participation in our democracy marginalized.

The Constitution guarantees the freedom from unwarranted search and seizure,
and right of trial by jury before peers, yet starting in 2001 by using
the endless War on Terror as an excuse, patently unconstitutional legislation has been effected __ Patriot Acts I and II, FISA, and the NDAA which Obama signed into law on New Years Eve 2011
while America was preoccupied with celebrating the holidays __ now
placing every citizen at risk for arbitrary arrest and indefinite
detention with no access to legal counsel.

The Constitution guarantees equality before the law. Yet rich elite white
collar criminals wreak havoc on our economy breaking countless laws and go free, while petty crimes by regular citizens __ especially people of color __ result in harsh and disproportionate prosecution and punishment.

The Constitution specifies that the power to make war is exclusively the responsibility of Congress. Yet the president as Commander-in-Chief often ignores the constitutional limits as well as the War Powers Act, using the military purely at his own discretion. This abuse of power results in unnecessary deaths of our citizens in uniform, while at the same time counter-productively foments enormous animosity and mistrust throughout the world.


Our legal framework via the Posse Comitatus Act has long barred the use of the military for law enforcement but vast and sophisticated surveillance by federal security agencies, the militarization of local police forces, and their handshake agreements with federal agencies, puts us all under the iron fist of enforcement agencies like the NSA and operatives of the Pentagon itself.

I could go on. But that might offend some people.

Sometimes the truth can be so anti-American.


[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]



 

VIDEO BLOG: OMG . . . I woke up black!

Boy, was I surprised the other day when I woke up as a black man.

Then while I’m in the other room trying to sort this thing out, I get this message on my answering machine from some guy named Clive Bundy.

"Hey, negro man. You'd be better off a slave. Come to Nevada and you can live in the back of my barn. Think about it."

But the plot thickens.

Apparently my voter registration card has been revoked.

This letter says that to reinstate my voting privileges, I have to provide a birth certificate, proof of U.S. citizenship, blood and urine samples, DNA from my natural parents and at least four aunts and uncles, a copy of a recent utility bill, a notarized letter of commendation from my high school counselor, two color photos taken within the last twenty minutes, a clean bill of health from my doctor showing I’m not lactose intolerant, and a list ten references, five of which must be active members of my local Kiwanis Club.

Finally, it says I also have to pay two outstanding parking tickets for a car I never even owned.  Hmm.

Alright alright, I guess I understand. I mean . . . it’s important to maintain the integrity of the voting process, especially in a democracy, where the voice of the people weighs in so heavily in shaping public policy.

[ Laughter ]

Come on! A little sarcasm never hurt anyone.

But they always say, every vote counts.

And that's why tens of thousands of black people can't vote anymore.

That's why when those dyed-in-the-wool conservatives pine for the good old days, they mean really OLD DAYS __ as in before the Civil War.

I can see where this is going.
Brother, the true colors are showing.
Voting is a constitutionally protected right.
But truth is . . . that’s only if you're white.

Oh yeah!
______________________________________________________________

I am doing what I can to address the destruction of our democratic system.

Without taking back our government, nothing will change.

In my new book, An Unlikely Truth, I offer an electoral strategy which I believe can effectively remove the crooks and liars from office, and begin to restore representative democracy to America.
An Unlikely Truth (Literary Vagabond Books) is now available worldwide in every popular ebook format and as a deluxe edition paperback.

An Unlikely Truth is a critical read for anyone who shares the progressive vision of a more peaceful, more humane, more democratic America.

______________________________________________________________


[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]