There is quite a lot of interesting, but wild, speculation running around the blog-o-sphere, progressive circles and just plain dinner conversation these days about whether BushCo will allow a peaceful and constitutional transfer of Executive power in the ‘08 elections.
Unless or until George Bush appears on our TV boxes one night, wearing a dark blue suit, white shirt and red tie with his hands sweatily clasped in a desperate death grip on top of his desk in the Oval Office, telling us that some catastrophic event, whether man-made or natural, has just occurred somewhere, and he must, for the good of the Homeland, declare martial law and “temporarily” suspend elections, the fears of many people are truly speculative. In my nightmare scenario, after George drops this fascist bomb and kills the rest of our Republic, he will tell us not to worry and to go about our holiday shopping, traveling and celebrating: it’s the American way, after all. God Bless America.
The order of events in the conversations I have heard or read go something like this: BushCo and Congress, Inc. are ramping up the rhetoric for an attack on Iran (true). In their little minds and black hearts they still assume that most of us are still stupid and we will believe anything they ever say again (true). Yet, they have told us that Iran and Ahmadinejad have done just about everything except try to assassinate George’s Pop (still true). So, if you believe that 9-11 was a “false flag” op, then you say that BushCo will engineer ANOTHER false flag op, blame Iran, declare martial law, (George can do that unilaterally now because of Presidential Directive 51) and attack Iran, possibly using “strategic” nuclear strikes on “military” targets. Then of course, when our Homeland is in such a terrible state of emergency, it would be an awful idea to “change horses in the middle of the stream,” you know, so we must suspend elections, thereby staging yet BushCo’s third coup in a row, the first two being the stolen elections of 2000 and 2004.
If, God forbid, any of this does happen, my guess is most of us will go shopping and have our holidays as usual; however, I am not so certain that martial law or even suspending elections will be necessary. Whoever becomes our president in 2008 will likely be more than happy to continue the neo-con agenda of global, imperial and military American hegemony.
The likely nominee for the Democratic Party will be Hillary Clinton, a Fem-Bush who has been virtually endorsed by George and accepts money from Rupert Murdoch, he of Fox “News” infamy and who will soon own every newspaper and cable news network in the Homeland. Hillary guarantees and assures us that if she is elected she could nuke Iran and maybe, just maybe have most of our troops home from Iraq by the end of her first term. One would have to step down onto the 2nd tier of Democratic hopefuls to find a candidate who would guarantee us a swift end to the occupation of Iraq, but they are no match to the money or machine behind the Clinton mojo.
I don’t want to even discuss who is likely to be the Republican nominee, because besides having little foreign policy difference between any of them and Hillary, any one of them would be a complete disaster on matters of war and peace, with the possible exception of Ron Paul (Tx). Even though many of them, (except Rudy Giuliani who had the “honor” of standing on a pile of rubble at Ground Zero with George after 9-11 and sharing a bull-horn with him), distance themselves from the miserable failure of the Bush regime, they will all joyfully allow themselves to be used by the military industrial complex. After all, every president since FDR has. There is no reason to think any Repug or Dem will break with this deadly pattern.
The “fix” is in, folks.
The “fix” stopped Al Gore, who really won the 2000 election, from fighting for our country and our constitution by supporting those Congressional members who begged him, through tears, to sign on to continue the recount in Florida. The “fix” stopped millions of Americans from pouring into the streets to protest the fact that the Supreme Court treasonously and treacherously appointed the less than mediocre governor of Texas as next president of the USA, (which wasn’t the Homeland, yet).
The “fix” is why Kerry cave into George faster then anyone could even say “recount” in 2004, breaking so many hearts and crushing so many hopes.
The “fix” is the elite establishment status quo of the way things have “always been.” We have always had just a Democratic and Republican Party, right? Wrong!
The “fix” is in the mainstream media, which rarely discusses any substantive issues and has in the past intentionally misled the Homeland in its partnership with BushCo to glorify war while hiding, or glossing over, its awful costs and consequences.
The “fix” is in compromised voting machines whose programs are written by the elite establishment and the “fix” is in the disenfranchisement, literally and spiritually, of hordes of voters who have seen their votes go uncounted for years and who see their “elected” representatives ignore the will of their constituents, in any case.
The “fix” is in We the People who believe that we somehow owe any kind of allegiance or support to the elite establishment who have impoverished, imprisoned, oppressed and killed our children for generations while we furiously, but inexplicably, cling to a status quo that clearly only benefits a very chosen few. It is acceptable to protest obvious infractions like the illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq…but don’t scratch the surface too deeply because we are not sure of what may ooze out. What emerges may be something that is very hard to acknowledge, let alone face and overcome.
George Bush simply does not want to be President any longer. You can see it in every twitch (when I think he is really trying to smirk), every gray hair and every line on his face. He desperately wants to go back to Texas and go on permanent vacation to give high paid lectures (?) to pad his bank account so he can jog, ride bikes, clear brush, and live the rest of his life with the moral certitude of a simpleton. He looks like he is barely being held together by baling-wire, spit and some judiciously placed wads of bubble gum. Stick a fork in him: he’s done. I do not even think that Dastardly Dick could force him to remain President after January, ‘09. I hope I am right, but there is still the “I can not put anything past the Bush Crime Cabal” factor.
Barring an electoral revolution of American citizens wanting to fix the “fix” by voting with our humanity, consciences and integrity, instead of out of fear that the greater criminal will win, we will be faced with two choices, depending on one’s perspective: Evil or Less Evil.
I will break my voting hand before I vote for Mr./Ms. Lesser of Two Evils ever again.
Join me in taking the Voters for Peace Pledge.
Cindy, you bring up some wonderful points. The “fix” has been brewing for over 100 years. People tend to want to blame this administration for the brazen disinfranchisement of the American people, but this is a systemwide effort that has been in the works for many, many years, only showing it’s horrible, fascist face now through this adminstration. Before that, the approach was more subtle and soft, as to not tip off the people as to what was really happening. Now they just don’t care who hasn’t caught on yet. The deal is done.
I think that who takes the White House in 2009 is largely irrelavent. The system will not allow anyone who doesn’t follow the ‘party line’ into the White House now. We are not a Democracy anymore. Period. It’s not a flagging democracy, it’s not on it’s last legs. It’s GONE. It exists in name only. The majority of Americans still don’t want to face this fact yet. A large segment of Americans (ones who, defying all logic, support Bush Co.) will never accept that America is not the country they grew up believing in. Nothing will change their mind, and they will support “The President” til they die, not realizing that “The President” is really part of a corporo-fascist global machine.
It is a joke, truly laughable, to think that an election could actually change any of this. I believe it’s going to take a worldwide breakdown and a subsequent rising up of the global populace to end the march of the global elite. It’s going to be a bloody, radioactive, violent fight for humanity vs. global slavery. Hopefully the planet can survive such destruction - with or without the people inhabiting it currently.
great essay, Cindy. you’ve stated exactly (and perfectly) the state of affairs as I see them, too, and it helps to see it in print, to know that “I’m not the only one” who believes precisely what you’ve said.
Thanks for finding the strength to keep hanging in there.
I have followed your progress over the years Cindy and I am so pleased to see that you have the whole picture now. Every President since FDR is nothing more than a lackey of the MIC and other predatory corporations. The ‘fix’ is in from everything from the illusion of a two party system to the idea of a ‘fair and balanced’ media. We tax the middle class and the poor to collect money to give to the elites, which in turn do everything in their power to maintain the status quo. Unless the American public reaches a sudden point of enlightened critical mass in which the whole system is replaced with a functional, egalitarian and compassionate democracy, more and more innocent Americans will die each year to preserve the elite under the false pretense of ’serving your country’.
You’re doing your part Cindy to bring about a fundamental awareness necessary for real change. You’re reaching people so please keep up the good work you’re doing.
Unless there is someone to vote for, and that probably means an independent alternative, I will either stay home or cast a blank ballot. Why legitimize a fraudulent game?
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for your enthusiasm and efforts in exposing the tragedy of this government. I do tend to think we should be more positive and optimistic though about our future. Its easy to be critical and negative. We’ve exposed the negative, so let’s start being positive about the future.Nobody’s perfect but there are some candidates with good qualities, lets focus on that. A great leader can make a difference. Start putting positive energy towards your choice. When we focus on negativity and faults in others we also become negative. Yes this war is a total catastrophe and the present government has an insane global view but we need to see good or less good, not evil or less evil.Its time to change the tune:)
Wonderful article (again!), Cindy.
My ex-wife told me that I was paranoid and scaring our children with such talk.
Don’t forget the detention camps being built ‘for future projects’. I’ll meet you there.
I think we all agree that we don’t want to just vote for the lesser of two evils. However, to not vote at all will bring total defeat. You can be sure the MORE EVIL will win. What viable alternative is there beyond escaping to another country? I think we need to continue to make ourselves heard and get our fellow citizens awake and aware, vote for the best peace loving candidate in the primaries and then,if necessary, vote for the less evil in the general election. Then - continue the reclamation of the USA.
“In their little minds and black hearts they still assume that most of us are still stupid and we will believe anything they ever say again (true)”
I am not sure they are the only ones with little minds and black hearts. After all, most of us (myself included) still put our own short term gains before anything and everything else (little minds) and do not take a tangible, physical stance against all the torture and killings going on in our names (black hearts).
Maybe we should refer to the founding fathers as the founding fixers, with hamilton as the fixer-in-chief. they were all elite white men and founded this nation in their own image. but they nonetheless left us with a brilliant blueprint for democracy that has yet to realize it’s potential, perhaps a society with the wherewithall to elect a cindy sheehan president. or even representative.
we are still hamilton’s bewildered herd, lippman’s sidelined beast, but as CD and it’s ilk reveal, many among us are emerging from the sidelines not so bewildered. what we really need to do is take what we know to the streets.
go cindy.
Good article, but we have to figure a way to not just speak to the choir. Unfortunately the silent, majority of good, American citizens are being egregiously, screwed and they are not aware of it! Thanks, Cindy.
Your best article yet, Cindy! An incredible piece. You are so right on it hurts. Keep going, baby, although I can’t imagine what you can write next.
Cindy, thank you again — and I’m referring to Hillary as FemBush from now on.
Hey Cindy, Please stop referring to them as
“elite” anything. They are avaricious, inbred, scum. Unless there is a secret inoculation against radiation poisoning being given to the children of privelege and their get; all will suffer alike from this errant and self-destructive murder spree they have been on for far to long.
Keep going — no change will take place if we do not object outloud and constantly. It isn’t just preaching to the choir if you can change hearts and minds.
Another bullseye, Cindy– I’m getting tired of complimenting you!
I don’t know whether you appreciate Bob Dylan, or if you are familiar with his work. One phrase that has stuck fast in my heart of hearts, from a song called “Queen Jane Approximately” written his late-Sixties stream-of-consciousness period, is this: … Trying to prove that your conclusions should be more drastic….
That’s you, babe! Me too. Expect to read disappointed reaction from “half-full” loyal Democrats, who exist to spin the flawed, doomed lesser-evil approach into both respectability and inevitability.
They may even argue that your opinion of Hillary Clinton, which I share, is a result of your uncritical acceptance of anti-Hillary corporate media hype. And it’s true that there is such hype, just as it is certainly true that our vaunted corporate media infotainwhores deliberately trashed Al Gore in 2000. They will deplore your unwillingness to be “practical” and settle for a “good” Democrat who surely will be better than another plutocratic dictator!
Anyway, I’m with you, Cindy. I took the won’t get fooled again “pledge” not long after Pelosi & Reid declared impeachment and defunding the war off the table. I see no sense in electing another fixer on the theory that they will fix the fix, or un-fix it by letting bygones be bygones and working to achieve True Bipartisan Consensus in fighting a Smarter Global War on Terror.
Go Cindy! ♥
Do you hear that ringing?
It’s the ring of truth.
Republicans are the Problem.
Democrats are not the Solution.
Revolution is the Solution!
Thanks Cindy! See you in the streets!
Cindy counts the continued risk of compromised voting machines among her reasons for believing the “fix is in” one way or another. And she’s quite right.
I have always wondered if Republicans (including the President and Karl Rove) were so surprised at the 2006 election results because some vote-counts were, in fact, rigged, but–oops–not rigged by quite a big enough margin.
The statement about moving to another country is, unfortunately, not going to allow escape from this mess. This is a global takeover of power from corporate and political interests. Moving won’t help, because it’s coming to a country near you, like it or not. True democratic movements are being crushed as we speak to make way for this.
I truly believe the only way out of this is through a global people’s revolution, which will be born out of the coming global control being imposed everywhere.
What makes you think we’ll get to vote?
The ‘fix’ actually became apparent during the Clinton years.
The billerys made a great show of siding with the populace but were also paid by the corporations.
There are those who say the polls showing billery with a commanding lead are grand deceptions not supported by any voters. How many people do you personally know who support billary?
Remember, the same money that elected Bush is now behind Hillary and it is the same money who financed Kerry to such a big lead over other Dem contenders early in last primary process. See a pattern?
For what it is worth(possibly zilch): a contest between Ron Paul and Bill Richardson could be a case of ‘better of two choices’ rather than ‘lesser evil of two choices’.
The fix is already in. Everyone’s half asleep, indifferent or basically
distracted while a distant political contest comes across their web browsers or TV screens. Government has always worked this way.
Excellent essay, Cindy.
My own theory is that:
* The ability to suspend elections requires MORE power than the ability to co-opt your opposition (especially when there’s only a “two” party system and a highly friendly corporate MSM).
* Therefore, the prudent autocrat will take the least exposing, least expensive, least risky of the options in defending/expanding his power base.
So rather than suspending the elections, they’ll suspend the oppositon. And that appears to have happened decades ago…
Great job, Cindy. We are about to see an unfolding of real events that will bring about the end of the America that we dream about. What will we teach our children? What will we be proud about?
Some friends are trying to convince me that Hillary was fooled by the Bush lies. These are the same people that were not fooled. We all knew that he was lying. I remember yelling at my TV when Powell lied to the UN and Bush lied to us. I knew there were no WMDs and no connection between Saddam and 9/11. My friends knew that, but they think Hillary was fooled. She is not that stupid.
Fear is used well to fuel the Fix. Americans are looking at terrorism as the number one issue in this election.
People in the USA killed by terrorism in the past two years = zero (0). People killed by drunk drivers last year = 18,000.
The Fixers are good at what they do.
Ed Graham
Cindy Sheehan - You could do a lot of good in addition to running against Pelosi.
You could help nationally-unify the progressive forces that are now so dangerously scattered.
You could call on the help of many people on this website (and other progressive gathering places) to either:
[1]organize and declare a new national Party — encapsulating basic progressive principles and goals therein, or
[2]align yourself - as a NATIONAL figure– with a Party that’s already established, like the Greens.
The fact that you’ve filed as an ‘independent’ against Pelosi for a specific CA house district, wouldn’t need to change.
What needs to change is: the present LACK of a coalescing force that can bring together progressives (and even disgusted average voters) under a more-unified, nationally-identifiable banner.
If the ‘Banner’ was only a defined Movement-with-a-name, at first, that recommended positions on issues and diverse-Party candidates, it still would be better than the present situation of Deep Fragmentation.
Doing this would also probably draw a lot more moral and finacial support to your CA house race against Pelosi….
(remember: you would have lots of help!)
Any thoughts on this idea?
Admiringly,
A Staunch Supporter
Nobody was “fooled by Bush’s lies.” They were knowingly complicit for opportunistic reasons. Some say that a boycott of a phony election will ensure the worse candidate’s victory but is that really worse if the result is not significantly different and fosters illusions that cripple resistance?
Staying in Iraq until 2018 is not an acceptibe “lesser evil.” Either we truly participate and run a progressive or we should opt out. If we do the latter, we should not do it quietly. Maybe we should hold alternative national elections and set up a legitimate government. Dual power should not be “off the table.”
Scott-s: damned good points re. negativity etc.
Considerthis: ditto!
Hashfunction: - maybe a tad less ‘hash’ and a tad more ‘function’?
To sister Cindy:
~ Already high in my estimation, you have just climbed a notch or two higher dear lady!
When I read such lines as:
“The “fix” is in We the People who believe that we somehow owe any kind of allegiance or support to the elite establishment who have impoverished, imprisoned, oppressed and killed our children for generations while we furiously, but inexplicably, cling to a status quo that clearly only benefits a very chosen few.
and:
“It is acceptable to protest obvious infractions like the illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq, but don’t scratch the surface too deeply because we are not sure of what may ooze out.
- I then consider that you might be a bona fide reincarnation of that illustrious (-true, real, *genuine American hero*) ~ Mr. Henry Thoreau!
The USA needs, -most desperately- to be ‘Fixed’ - not *Foxed* and rapidly, but… patience, *patience* is required; and this, (-for an impetuous, rather hot-headed populace) might be hard won?
Looking at the whole picture, there needs to be both the short-term STRONG! and RADICAL! words and actions, -coupled with the long-term goal of *patiently* upgrading the dowdy consciousness of fellow US citizens, ~ those poor wee things who have been so deplorably duped, conned, bemused, distracted and lied to by the mEss media.
The present duplicitous rat’s nest in the Grey House are pitted against all that’s Lighted and Loving in this world, ~ but the good news is that there is a whole swathe of humanity who are diametrically opposed to these cowboy barbarians.
Without a scintilla of grandiosity, -we are, in fact, **the true hope for a new and better future**.
As humble, homespun, rough-hewn and funky as we undoubtedly are, we still constitute the *genuine article* - with our focussed intent to have progressive values writ large upon the world stage.
Should anyone ever doubt this ‘righteous’ element, consider this: If some ‘Jesus-like’ figure were to suddenly pop out of the woodwork and walk among us, who would this revolutionary teacher align himself with? - The fat-cat barbarians who daily stomp upon the poor, the sick and downtrodden, ~ or would he align himself with the likes of us who are trying to turn it all around?
And therein, -somewhere to the fore, one helluva brave, committed citizen. Her name: Cindy S.!
No matter what any dullard zealots may ever purport, God IS with you darlin’
Lotsa love,
UCD xx
UCD
YES!!!
And I love HD Thoreau and have worn out my copy of
“Civil Disobedience”
Love
Cindy
Good article Cindy… if the media (Project Mockingbird) fix doesn’t work to elect FemBush or a Ghouliani, Bush has a backup plan. Perhaps Hellary will have the priviledge of using Presidential Directive 51.
Cindy, please check out the latest Common Dreams article on Pelosi: http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/10/16/4561/
titled “What Did Pelosi Know About NSA, and When Did She Know It?” by Ray McGovern.
This is a hot ticket item with the electorate and they will likely know the context and understand it easier than PD51.
Staunch Supporter
Of course I would like the campaign to be a true people’s movement and already having money and support flowing from all corners of the country.
We are coalescing our Candidates for Peace and encouraging others to run against all the corporate enablers in Congress: which are many.
But like UCD says: our problems are huge and while there may be quick fixes, a long term solution will require years and patience.
Let’s take the first step and over-throw the one who another article on CD today calls: Nancy Pelosi, Public Enemy Number One.
Love—and thanks for the support!
Cindy
Voting the lesser of two evils. I did that once, regarding the first Clinton. I won’t make that mistake again.
Bush is confronted by his own failures and yet … I agree with Cindy that just in case, we should shine some light on a dark possibility. Only by preparing people by warning of this possibility is the possibility made difficult or even removed. Peace.
How to win an election in a rigged system.
1) Vote for a candidate that truly represents the people instead of corporate interests.
2) Then, don’t go home. Head instead towards the Capital. Let the world see the sight of 70,000,000 Americans all congregating around their capital to insist that the candidate they voted for be declared the winner of the elections. Maybe we can all put purple ink on our fingers and wave 70,000,000 million of them in the air. Only I’d suggest we use the middle finger instead of the index finger.
THANK YOU CINDY! Any chance you might consider coming to a progressive little ski town (Sandpoint, ID) in the coming months, expenses paid, to help support our burgeoning indy community radio station? We just filed our application this week and are working on Jim Hightower and Amy Goodman coming to help us our sometime this year. We could pack our community theater if you would like to come to speak and raise funding for us and your campaign. Hang in there and thank you for being such a high energy progressive activist–For the People!
“I do not even think that Dastardly Dick could force him to remain President after January, ‘09.” he could if he told him he could take the time of his presidency “off” somewhere OTHER than DC, probably Dubai.”
And about those “lectures” he’s looking foreward too. I thought it was against the law for a criminal to profit from their crimes! oh wait! i forgot, u.s. law doesn’t apply to AL QAEDA.
Dearest Cindy:
The “Fix” is in. See my post on the previous article: “What Do We Have in Common…” concerning incorporating We the People. We don’t have to wait for an election, for a politician savior, for a bloody revolution, for an end to the oligarchy.
We the People can take our power back right NOW by the simple act of Incorporating We the People into a for profit corporation with non-transferable stock and with public assets worth trillions that will accrue The People Inc. billions in tangible and intangible profits (money in exploitation rights to our public resources, clean air, water, unpolluted land, peace) and dividends now being stolen and resources destroyed by the Halliburtons of the world and the oligarchy’s politicians.
Make us all rich economically, socially and environmentally. Beat corporations and financial institutions at their own game. Consider Incorporating We the People in your campaign.
The “fix” is in Cindy Sheehan’s insistence on damning all of “the Democrats” instead of embracing the minority that are in agreement with her basic views and working with the majority who share her desire to end the US occupation of and war in Iraq.
The “fix” is her not being willing to challenge Nancy Pelosi in THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY ELECTION, where she would have a real chance of winning, and could go on to win the seat.
The “fix” is in the deflection of Left energy at election time into ineffective third-party and independent candidacies that essentially always lose.
Cindy, you want people to sign a pledge not to vote for any candidate tainted by war. Other people want their folks not to vote for any candidate tainted by abortion, anti-abortion, gun control, anti-gun control, homosexuality, gay rights, etc. etc. etc.
That does not work. Politics requires compromise and coalition-building. Taking the extreme position when you don’t have the support behind you is political suicide. Please don’t commit that.
Run against Pelosi in the primary. You’ll scare the pantsuit off her and be more effective sooner. It will be telling the Democrats that the forces on your side are among their voters and base of support. It will be telling Democratic voters across the country to stand up and challenge Democratic politicians who don’t represent them. If you win, you will probably replace Pelosi in Congress; as House Speaker, she can hardly run against her own party. And if you lose, but make a good showing in the primary, you will still be demonstrating the strength of the peace movement, whereas your distant third-place showing in the general election would only demonstrate our weakness.
And if you do lose the primary, it will be almost a sure sign that you can’t win the general election, but you can still run for the seat if you want. I wouldn’t do it, but you could.
Cindy Sheehan -
You know you have my support. If unseating Pelosi needs to be your major focus - understood.
I’m aware of the long-term structural problems in the US that need to be addressed (with patience for what we are as confused Creatures.) But I don’t think that the presently-named Campaign for Peace attracts enough people, beyond those who want to end the war, to make a more compelling Banner under which the averagely disgusted-but-hyponitized American might unite.
If you can agree that progressives need to Organize more effectively, under a broader banner than (’just’) the war issue, then I hope you can agree that my suggestion (in the previous post) still has practical political merit.
We really need to re-constitute the progressive wing of the DEMS into a Party that is not perceived as a “peace” Party, alone. Not because the logic of Peace isn’t the solution to most or all of America’s problems, but because you can’t draw-in enough of a national constituency if you label your intentions as Party/Movement only.
I think we progressives have to begin re-organizational efforts by acting on the fact that the collective national maddnesss is deeply rooted and re-inforced via multiple hypnotizing forces, and its isn’t going to be challenged by implying - to all the millions in Denial - that their definition of Peace is irrational or faulty. However true that may be.
What I’m saying is: While peoples’s deeper understanding of the dynamic of Peace may become the efficient lynchpin of reform, if Reform is simply called Peace, alone, just now, it’s unlikely to be the sufficient lynchpin that enables wakefullness in a guilt-ridden, fearful populace.
Anyway, I understand that you must do it as you think best — of course.
We all come at this problem from differently timbred sensitivities.
I love your being, no matter such differences.
Alembic Two
Hi Cindy —
One of the best suggestions so far is to try to bring all the progressive organizations together — !!!
Many ways are blocked, but obviously one opening will provide a way to move many steps out of our current stalemate with the two parties. Paper ballots/hand counting, IRV, public financing and barring corporations from any participation in our elections.
You’ve precisely described the “fix” we are in . . .
Even when we win, we lose — 2006 — Pelosi/Reid — and some think the win was actually much larger.
I don’t think we’ve had a legit election since JFK coup.
Democrats have done nothing to eliminate these machines.
Ralph Nader has been telling us for almost three decades
what’s going on. You can’t vote yourself out of a two party system when both parties have the same backers.
On the other hand, fascism is so close that no one wants to tempt getting on the Express by NOT voting for a Democrat.
We can decide on a candidate — Bobby Kennedy — or Cindy Sheehan and move them into the Democratic Party.
The DLC, of course, has to go —
Thank you, Cindy — !!!
CINDY: Just another vote of confidence. I applaud your uncensored, sincere & impassioned capacity and courage to speak truth to entrenched bastions of power. Your son IS watching, and is marveled by you! Sorry it took such a huge loss to galvanize YOUR inner power & treasure. God bless you and your efforts for a more humane and just society (and world).
I’ve long felt that progressives of all stripes should build their own issues IRV or issues Range mechanism. We’ll vote on issues, not on candidates. Then we identify a small core set of issues (like 10-20) that the umbrella organization campaigns on. That core should be such that there’s like 90% buy-in from the various participant groups. Anything which is divisive is simply shelved, no action to be taken on it either way.
If abortion is one of these wedges, then the compromise one would make is not for a pro-lifer to vote pro-choice, or an pro-choicer to vote pro-life. But under this mechanism you’d vote only for “no action taken”.
I think this would be a superior mechanism to get at least something — since under the Republicrats the majority of Americans are getting virtually nothing.
My own pet issues:
Range or IRV, out of Iraq, genuine single-payer health care, hardcore protection of remaining old growth and wilderness areas, paid maternal and paternal leave, shortened work week to 32 hours, reigning in the lending/banking/insurance industries, making solar/wind/geothermal a national priority, nuclear disarmament, severe ethics reform, reaffirmation of the Constitution, civil liberties, habeas corpus, and privacy.
Something along these lines — give or take an issue — would be compatible with progressives and populists left, center and right, Green, progressive Dem, libertarian Republican. We really need to re-focus the debate away from parties and personalities, and onto issues themselves. The larger problem with Iraq is that it’s not even a (formerly) middle-class/working-class/poor issue.
I know there is a huge bunch of “do nothing but blog” people here in America … and a large population of young people who would rather text message and talk on their cells then get off their butts and start a revolution, but I find it hard to believe that most would “shop” instead of finally getting so p.o.d at bushco that they would finally do something …
How in the hell can anyone mention ralph nader’s name as a hero ?? ….. Blatantly selling out to the pubs is to be admired ?? … What hypocrisy!!
Please check out this on Counterpunch.org:
Stop Playing Their Game
Time to Boycott Voting
By JOEL S. HIRSCHBORN
After many years of political disappointment, more progressives, liberals and conservatives — and certainly moderates and independents — know in their hearts that voting for Democrats or Republicans is a waste. Just imagine if voter turnout was cut to 25 percent or less! Let the whole world see Americans boycotting a broken and corrupt political system and rejecting what has become a delusional democracy. To keep voting in an unjust political system makes us willing political slaves that the rich and powerful elites exploit.
Just leaving the major parties is not good enough and, besides, most Americans are not party members. We need a bolder strategy. We must humiliate the political elites in both major parties and the corporate interests that support both of them. We can send a shock wave throughout the political establishment by not voting in the 2008 presidential election.
The “FIX” is indeed “in”.
Read Palast’s book “Armed Madhouse”, the last chapter on how they’ll rig the 2008 election.
Thank you.
Nader2000, since you believe your vote (and my) vote for Nader cost Gore the election that he actually won, what excuse is there for Kerry flinging away an election when fouls were being called across the country? Kerry won an even bigger majority than Gore did in the popular vote — but, as a family member said when I was screaming that the election had clearly, unambiguously been stolen, “there weren’t enough votes in Ohio, you have to accept that.”
The only Vichycrat strategy is WIN — then surrender.
Ezeflyer:
I like the sound of your ideas (above):
“We the People can take our power back right NOW by the simple act of Incorporating We the People into a for profit corporation with non-transferable stock and with public assets worth trillions that will accrue The People Inc. billions in tangible and intangible profits (money in exploitation rights to our public resources, clean air, water, unpolluted land, peace) and dividends now being stolen and resources destroyed by the Halliburtons of the world and the oligarchy’s politicians.” (et al)
The other day on C-D someone wrote of not calling ourselves an ‘Anti-war’ movement, but something with the word ‘Pro-…’ in the title. I think this is both a good PR move, AND a good psychological strategy, -humans warm more towards something which is positive and upbeat, and such a ‘heart’ reaction ensures longevity of interest and support.
So, … in the same way, I think your ideas are seminal:
If we design and set up a real, very ‘physical’ structure somewhat along the lines you suggest, this has two benefits:
1. It is earning much-needed cash for our cause
-and-
2. It is a focus / locus for our activities, and has then a permanent place existing outside (but working in conjunction with) our cyberspace / outreach activities.
If one centre proved successful, then other centres could follow suit. It could be using a (spit!) capitalist model, -or based around a not-for-profit / Co-operative sort of structure?
This venture would be a hive of activity; ~ offshoots being such things as visual arts, alternative film-making and theatre, a TV and radio station, educational outreach, publishing and music studios, maybe alternative energy production, innovative farming and home-building methods, ~ and so on.
I love the idea that WE should have a more *solid* base to work from, the fat-cats are in part successful because they have a solid base to their nefarious activities, and can thus finance and broadcast their antediluvian ideology; ~~ but now it’s OUR turn!
And this project will very much inspire those of all races and ages, -from the (jaded?) seniors, to the ‘hope-less and lost’ young folk, and really show and prove WHAT IS POSSIBLE when we let go of the *empty and meaningless* way of living our lives, which is at present on offer from the mainstream…
There are *many* thousands of folk who would just LOVE to join in with this sort of venture, (and who could better afford to do so if it were eventually able to pay them a little!)
What’s more, there are a lot of moneyed, philanthropically-inclined people (pop / film stars, business folk, etc) who would happily give or loan us the setting-up costs if it were gone about in the right way.
Other (ideologically sound) folk would subscribe smaller amounts of the initial costs, -either as a gift or loan.
The two primary aspects of this idea would be to earn our cause some much needed cash, alongside being a center (-then many centers!) which was a solid bastion / lighthouse of change, hope and optimism, and which was firmly committed to providing a more ALTERNATIVE view of things than all the gunge currently spewed out by those twin devils: morbid media and poisonous politicians.
Is there already a structure in existence like this? If not, how do we set about building it?
Lastly, another benefit of this idea is that it is something for progressive folk to be actually DOING, and doesn’t depend on ‘election time’ and all that stuff. It’s something that would be going on day-to-day, and helping to revamp / upgrade consciousness along the way, — a much needed thing, in my humble opinion!
xx
UN-C-D: Seems like progressives are afraid of “PR”…seems dirty and dishonest, something conservatives have no problem with. BUT you’re right, we need to reframe the discussion.
- We’re Pro-Peace vs the Anti-Peace groups.
- We’re Pro-Choice vs the Pro-slavery/Anti-choice groups. I would even say we’re Pro-Life since life without Choice is death.
- We’re Pro-Family vs Anti-Family groups, those who ruin families through their persecution (ala Frost, Wilkerson), send fathers to be killed, etc.
We have to talk this kind of talk, all of us, all the time.
Well said Cindy! I took the pledge before I’d even heard of it, but now it’s official. Thanks for saying what so many of us are thinking. Keep it up!
Three things:
Why is “wars of aggression” in quotes?
And why is there no channel on the voters for peace site for me to communicate with them and let my voice be heard?
Because the DEms and Reps have lost ALL credibility, if Al Gore is to run he must run as an independent!
“Politics requires compromise and coalition-building. Taking the extreme position when you don’t have the support behind you is political suicide. Please don’t commit that.”
HURRAY FOR NADER2000! Thank God there is at least one other reasonable person posting on this board.
I think we all respect where Cindy is coming from, especially considering what she has been through. But we have to be real. The further out on the whacko scale that a person goes, the less likely you are to get people to join you.
I agree with many of the changes to our government that people are talking about here. But short of a violent uprising (which I believe is becoming more of a real possibility) the way we change things is to give Democrats more significant control of the House and Senate, and to elect a Democratic president. SCHIP for example. Congress has approved it - Bush promises to veto it. But Congress doesn’t have the Democratic votes to override. How do you fix that? Elect more Democrats! If you can get enough people coordinated to elect 3rd party candidates, go for it. But for the love of God please make sure you have enough votes to elect those 3rd party candidates, otherwise we’ll get Republicans back.
Today Bush was quoted as saying that he has considered attempting to get around the constitution and be around past 2008. I hope that scares the crap out of enough people to vote for some change.
Happily, while everything else continues to go to Hades in the proverbial handbasket, we have an important and very positive finding from Ohio in the ‘06 elections: As badly corrupted as the electoral system was in that state by Republican zealots and their electronic voting gizmos, a general and widespread revulsion in the state’s electorate was able to squash them rather well. The object lesson is that rigging elections is very expensive and hard to do, and is still only possible in selected locales. For practical reasons, even the most competent fraud artists can only tilt vote counts at the margins!
Imagine, then, the revulsion we’ll all have after BushCo and/or the Israeli Defence Folk begin the War on Iran in earnest next year. The BushCo plan, in fact, may be to delay any attack until after the now-front-loaded primaries, to ensure enough committed delegate votes on the first ballot of the Democratic Convention to the esteemed Ms. Clinton that her relative hawkishness doesn’t cause her problems in the nomination. See? They don’t even need necessarily to cancel the election! All the Republican brain trust needs to do is ensure that there’s no effective way to respond to events in delineating who’s in the respective races.
There are some fascinating issues to think through about the “what-if’s” here. However weasely the Democratic leaders in Congress, our practical problem is to recognize how all of this is likely to hit us, and to make sure that that there is a way to respond to them. Let’s hope that someone — like Ms. Sheehan — is there to provide that vision.
Um, I guess you didn’t see his press conference today:
Reporter: Mr. President, following up on Vladimir Putin for a moment, he said recently that next year, when he has to step down according to the constitution, as the president, he may become prime minister; in effect keeping power and dashing any hopes for a genuine democratic transition there …
Bush: I’ve been planning that myself.
http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2007/10/17/bush/index.html
Cindy,
Defeating Pelosi is a must. However this should not prevent you, at the same time, from inviting the people in all states and municipalities to form people’s movements and rally around few, but very important demands,which in the process of the struggle will evolve into a more elaborate program. This will be the long run effort for a successful new political force of the people.
Please accept my most sincere thanks for your inspiring article. In solidarity
Vangelaras
Cindy,
You’re new at this, so I’ll give you a break. You’re just figuring everything out and you haven’t had time to think about solutions. But when you are over stating what we all know, and on to figuring out how to fix things, you might consult people like Nader2000, whose message is “been there, done that.”
Let’s look at solutions. How about a revolution? Tried that in the sixties, but we couldn’t pull it off. Or as you suggest, move out of the country. Also not new, see many expats everywhere.
You are currently at the Nader-like third party self immolation stage. Unfortunately, while that makes you feel good, it helps your enemies most and really sets us back. He is not a good role model.
How about some organizing and strengthening the “movement” of those progressives with beliefs similar to yours? Why not try building a coalition large enough to take some real power? It isn’t easy, and success may not be dramatic, but there is success. There is hope if we don’t mind doing the work.
We’re at a critical moment here. We can get it together, or we can walk away. We need another generation to step up. We have to figure out how to get some victories for the movement to keep people encouraged. See if you can help out, please.
And “the fix” for “the fix”?
Cindy,
I featured you in one of my weekly WELLNESS ASTROLOGY columns. You can read it online at the URL below. It will not carry your natal chartwheel, which is available only in the paper version (I can mail you copies plus create a workup for Casey). I tracked your short and long term cycles from your date of birth through 2050 AD (should any of us live that long!). When people became aware of relationships between themselves and their environments, they gain appreciation for the whole, which is seasonal, cyclical, repetitive and somewhat predictable. Nature = order. Humans introduce chaos, deconstruction, toxicity and eventual extinction, UNLESS they work WITHIN nature.
WELLNESS ASTROLOGY = ECOLOGY using a LARGER ECOSYSTEM (solar system)
I can be of service, and would be happy to assist.
The Pilgrim from Pangaea (when Earth was One)
http://nwitimes.com/articles/2007/07/09/get_healthy/get_natural/doc5b0fa8e367e1090b8625730f007534d0.txt
You can call them “elite”, but they are the ruling class. They own and run the multi-national corporations. They sit on the boards of each others corporations. They control Wall Street, the IMF, the World Bank, the MSM, etc. They act globally.
Others whom own their own business (small) want to be the ruling class, but for the most part will never make it.
The rest of us are paid wages, and we are the working class. We sell our labor to the highest bidder, and some of us are doing very well. The highest paid worker is under attack, working longer hrs for less pay. Many workers are being replaced by robotics and are being forced out of work forever or they are taking jobs for ten dollars an hour and no health benefits.
The ruling class has two parties. They are represented very well.
The rest of us, not so much.
Maybe, just maybe, the Cindy Sheehan Campaign can be the genesis of an organization, a militant working class party, that will represent our independent interests. At this time we don’t have anyone representing our interests.
This is about building for the future. 2008 is not the end of the world. We must stop going round and round in circles. Vote your class interest. War is not in the working classes interest. We fight and die, and the ruling class gets richer. We must break free of this two ring circus. Build for the future, and take the pledge.
Nader 2000 and dmia -
Is this what you’re saying?
Politics requires compromise, giving in, backing down, moving to the right every time, supporting (i.e. voting for) advocates of murder.
For example, John Edwards, who knew then what he does now, (having sat on the pre-war, secret select intelligence committee) http://www.counterpunch.org/walsh12052005.html
voted in favor of Bush’s war on Iraqis. Once the momentum was irretrievable, he backed off. Deed was done. Smart guy, though. He does have a winning smile. Others on the committee voted against the war. Why didn’t Edwards? Oh, of course, he’s running for president.
Where do you draw the line? When do you refuse to go along, “compromise” on murder. My rule of thumb is: Anyone who supported this murderous fiasco participated in evil, by definition. Why would you consider supporting that?
Easy for you say: “Compromise.” If they were your kids and loved ones tortured, killed, occupied, would you want compromise? What if the bodies were piling up on your own front lawn? None of the front runners will change a thing. They never do. I’ve been around long enough to see that. Voting for them only encourages it.
Cindy you’re a breath of fresh air. You are a beacon! Thank you for your courage and commitment.
Another beacon: Naomi Wolf, “Don’t Back Down!”
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/10/11/12187/
Al Gore is our best hope. He is electable; indeed he was elected in 2000. Clinton and Edwards are crypto-neocons and Obama, although better, is just sounding too much like an ambitious, finger-in-the-wind politician. All of the Reupublicans on offer are certifiably insane.
ALOHA !!
None of what anyone here, even Cindy, matters one bit unless you change this inherently corrupt fiat monetary system that has been choking the life out of us “paid workers” since 1913 when the system came into being via the US Federal Reserve Bank.
Abolish the US Federal Reserve Bank … shut down the printing presses and all the political and bank criminals in suits will scurry away like rats jumping off a sinking ship. Back our money with something other than political promises and fraud.
How do you think these supposedly “elite” crooks got to where they are in the first place? We cannot have an Iraq War when we cannot print money endlessly. How many times has Congress raised the debt ceiling now? I’ve lost count! It takes both Dems and Reps to fund wars!!!
Get a clue … even if nobody voted they would announce you did and select a winner!! How would anyone know with this Orwellian media we have now?
I will vote for RON PAUL … the only candidate who has the balls to say he would get us out of IRAQ the day he is sworn in and the only guy who had the balls to stand up to Alan Greenspan for the past 15 years on the House Banking Commitee and who will dismantle the US Federal Reserve Bank and our unconstitutional money.
To start a “Revolution” you have to VOTE for one!
GOVERNMENT IS ONLY AS HONEST AS ITS MONEY !!!
kaimu,
Andrew Jackson vetoed the US National Bank charter and gave the ore to the state banks, which created a massive economic backlash.
The only way a peaceful change will come about will be through the patience of people to slowly empower a third party from the bottom up. Yes, there is small chance of a third party candidate winning a federal office any time soon (though I will be supporting Cindy Sheehan with my money and time). But there are hundreds of non-corporate candidates running for City Councils, Town Boards, Highway Supervisors and the like. And they’re running THIS YEAR! We’re being bombarded with 2008 Presidential news, but there is an election in just a few weeks. And there is still time to help - even if there is no one worthwhile running in your area.
Here is a link to a press release put out by the Green Party. It gives links to 9 campaigns that are happening right now that could use your time and money to win seats all over the country. Check out: http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_10_03.shtml
Your time and money for these campaigns will not end the war or bring universal health care any time soon. But it is the continuation of the election of people who will change the political infrastructure of this country. There already are hundreds of Greens elected all over the country.
Nader2000 your attempt to brainwash Sheehan into running as Democrat is insane and dishonest, laughable even.
Democrats are the reason we’re still in Iraq. The party is corrupted to the core, it has been for decades. That you might think that an intelligent woman like Sheehan would fall for such senseless reasoning is also very offensive. This level of retardation is found every day on Democratic Underground but please let’s keep CommonDreams free of Dem cool-aid drinker talking points.
Our safety, our liberty, depends upon preserving the Constitution of the United States as our fathers made it inviolate. The people of the United States are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.
–Abraham Lincoln
So, who are the real terrorists perverting the US Constitution? Impeach Now!
BushCo have dropped America’s reputation, honor, and prestige in the toilet. Just don’t let them flush it out by starting another war of choice.
Watch out for Die Bold and other phony voting machines that leave no paper trail. If all of us vote for Mr Good, still Mr Bad will come out of the machine as the winner, and they leave no evidence to prove the fraud.
Mounds of corporate election money are no match for smart voters; smart voters are no match for fraudulent voting machines. DON’T FORGET TO ALSO CALL IN THE UN ELECTION MONITORS. WE NEED THEM.
Can anybody please tell me this: Is there a provision in the Constitution that allows a bunch of un-elected persons in the Supreme Court to decide on who shall be president, or to manipulate the election process so as to place themselves in a position to do the choosing?
Demand a paper trail for our votes before it is too late.
Don’t let the ‘fix’ happen again.
Cindy is a Shoo-in for President if she wants it, you, Cindy are by far the most powerful woman in the USA!!!
(Though there will be that pesky minority of loudmouths who will sling truckloads of mud, we will have to fight them tooth and nail. This is still our country and in the end Cindy is the right answer to Bush’s 8 years of “You are not people.”)
I am referring to the two priests who were recently jailed for opposing torture, but I feel all of this has something to do with the ‘fix’ as Cindy put so elegantly.
I see that there are immense problems with the priorities of authority in this country. I cannot understand why all of this phony pandering to the dangerous status quo has not already eroded by people who have risen to positions such as judges, shouldn’t they be intelligent, considering the positions they occupy?
Thinking about this got me to thinking about the 2000 elections where there were a number of people who were excluded voting rights because they bore names similar to convicted felons. I truly believe that prisoners and convicted felons should have just as much a right to vote as anyone else in the country. They may have wronged society, but at the same time, they may also be political prisoners or victims of a policy that forces them into hellish living conditions that force their hands in order to survive.
Think about a nation where fascism becomes so wide spread that a good percentage of the population resisting the tyranny would be jailed. It should then be imperative while there still is some semblance to democracy, to give them the rights to vote in order to be able to affect the kind of government which persecutes them.
If they had had the rights to vote in 2000, Al Gore would have been president today, and the US would be leading the new decentralized, egalitarian individualist, environmentally, democratically and socially friendly revolution which is now ripe and ready to happen.
PS. I also believe if you are old enough to work and pay taxes, you are old enough to vote. No taxation without representation thank you very much.
The Re-Democratization of America.
Fundamental to any positive change would be the retaking of the Media from
Cor’pirate’ control.
The Corpirates are raping and pillaging the World
while passing on the costs to our Grandchildrenof their
Endless environmental and Social destruction.
We must put a stop to it.
How do we start?
Take the Bill of Rights and reframe them in Modern terms. Update them.
Freedom of the Press = Freedom of the Media=Dismantle The FAUX News.
Freedom from Religion= Stop Religious Zealots from influencing Government.
Preaching Destruction especially in the name of The Prince of Peace is obscene.
Freedom of the Workplace=stop outsourcing.
Freedom from Commercialization=Stop Privatization.
Bring our Militia Home.
Disband the Dark Army.
No Spying
No Torture.
No Secrets.
Freedom of information about the inner workings of our Government is paramount to public oversight and control.
The retaking of the press is the beginning of the Revolution in Democratic Control.
Yes they built a system to benefit themselves while circumventing our system of checks and balances.
Freedom of the press is paramount to the resurgence of a Citizens Revolution and retaking of Democratic Control of the Government.
Why should an appendage of The Super Wealthy “The Corporation” effect so much influence over our society?
Here’s a list of the Possibilities.
Publicly fund elections.
The Dismantling of the FAUX media Propaganda Conglomerates.
You know who!
Strict limitations on media penetration and close monitoring of truth in Programming.
Outlaw the use of Repetitive Hypnotic techniques or Brainwashing in any form.
Stop collusion amongst media outlets in programming and dissemination of any disinformation.
Paper ballots.
A Livable Wage
Health Care.
If it’s good enough for The Shrub and Congress, it’s good enough for me.
Stop Outsourcing
Start an renewable energy revolution.
Local Food, Manufacturing and Energy Production.
The Conglomerates have out lived their usefulness.
They are a blight on our Civilization.
Their concentration of power is a danger to our Freedom and The Republic.
Their influence over our government is strong and wrong.
Only citizens have the right to vote and only citizens should have access to influence our Representatives in Washington.
Now we have a one party system controlled by Billionaires-R-Us.
They divide and conquer.
Breaking us up into ever smaller pieces.
This must change.
Our Commonality is what is, important.
Our Humanity!
We are good citizens and must practice our Democratic rights.
The Corpirate control of the system is a Dark apparition.
There is a Ghost in the Machine and we must stop it.
Thank God there are Green Party members all over the United States who fight on a grass roots level to make it to the ballot. Only Green Party candidates allow me to vote my conscience and I only vote for them.
Check this out:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/10/17/defense-industry-embraces_n_68927.html
Queen of the Military-Industrial Complex
The article was about the “fix” being in, a litany of ways that the will of real people can be circumvented by the will of corporations.
Someone above suggested we should all boycott the next election to prove something or other. Let’s hope that idea doesn’t sink in very deep, since indebted Americans have no other way than voting to fix the “fix”, no other way in government, no other way at work, and no other way in the marketplace. We vote with strength and sense, or we lose.
I disagree there.
We can boycott goods and services, we can build grassroots movements, there are many different forms of striking. Professionals and experts in various fields can refuse to work for egregious employers, people can refuse to invest in retirement funds invested in the most egregious industries, we can live cheaply, repair or buy second-hand instead of new, teach young people, etc. etc.
None of those methods require banging one’s head against some neocon or crypto-neocon. Voting appears to be the least effective of the whole bunch.
While I truly appreciate the work that Ms. Sheehan has done to focus American attention on the failures of the Bush Administration and I share her fears and suspicions about the dark nature of the Regime, I would like to point out that if I wanted to marginalize the ‘netroots’ and paint the left as loonies, then I can think of no better way to do so than to promote this kind of reckless hyperbole. Not to mention historical inaccuracy and fallacious argument, just to scratch the surface.
If her comments are meant to influence a positive outcome, I don’t see how… HRC is a Fem-Bush? Next thing you know we will be hearing tales of secret airports in Mena and the Clinton subgroup of the Cabal… And though the influence of Mr. Murdoch’s News Corp and other media conglomerates is overwhelming and dangerous to the health of the Republic, I don’t think they will wind up with ALL the newspapers and TV stations anytime soon…
But the larger point is what the effect of this kind of argument really is, voter alienation, which will be used to dampen the voter turnout from the left and to encourage a split in the Democratic ranks that could allow a Republican to plausibly squeak by in 2008, if they can marginalize and discourage a good segment of the 2006 voters who turned out the Republican Congress.
Politics is a process, we didn’t get to the brink of fascism overnight, politics is the Art of the Possible, not the Ideal. Cindy, wake up… You are being used by those who do not have your best interests at heart, you are being used by the True Believers, the purists who would rather fall on their swords than compromise and move the ball forward and you can’t trust ‘em, any of them, even if they seem to be allies and friends… Perhaps especially if they seem to be your friends…
Read the comments that appear above this one, what is the thread that binds them together? There is a trend here that just takes us out of the game entirely, which is what they want…
Dallas112263
Al Gore!
Hey — I never said we shouldn’t try to wage an electoral battle, or go with small/incremental victories. It’s just that this shouldn’t be the only thing we pin our hopes on. If there was a real progressive on my ballot, I’d vote for him/her.
It’s just that they’d need to get past the MSM, money barrier, and possibly a rigged ballot system in order to squeak through to victory. And we’d need to get at least 25+ genuinely progressive senators and perhaps 100+ legislators past those hurdles in order to make anything more than symbolic victory.
Meanwhile, there’s nothing stopping progressives from organizing large-scale/targetted boycotts, and getting them where it hurts the most: their pocketbooks. I mean — we can’t legally refuse to pay taxes. But we certainly can refuse to buy particular things.
Cindy ~ Your literary wisdom is a shining beacon of hope. It’s second only to that of Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro. Keep watching and learning from them, it does my heart good to see you following in such proud and glorious footsteps.
Cindy,
I just read your recent article The ‘Fix’ and decided that I just had to write to express some deep concerns about your approach. With all due respect, I had issues with the way you dramatically dropped out of activism which I thought was only going to discourage others (why not do it quietly) only to drop back in to main stream politics which kind of made it look like you are addicted to the personal aspect of your struggle and couldn’t bear to leave the spotlight. I know your critics make you out to be this way and I also know that a much deeper heart felt desire to change the world is truly at the bottom of your work but I am writing to offer advice about how some of your words come across and in turn give your critics the fuel they need attack you.
I have been following your progress from the beginning and have appreciated the way you keep opening your mind to the real problems under the surface. BUT, I just had to write because there are a few simple elements missing from your approach that make me cringe every time I read one of your articles or statements. The first and biggest is that you never mention nor have you endorsed Dennis Kucinich. Now I’m not going to get into the merits of which is better putting all of your energy and placing all of your weight behind him or throwing your own hat into the congressional ring but to not mention him in the article you just wrote (or EVER as far as I know) feels to me extremely negligent at best. How can people wake up from the ignorance I think you undeservedly accuse them of if even the most progressive activists and candidates are ignoring or ‘blacking out’ the most progressive presidential candidates just like the main stream media. Many progressives in congress fall into this shameful category and refuse to sign his impeachment bill let alone help publicize it. You simply refer to the second tier of candidates and not the fact that one of them has an impeachment bill introduced in congress and is calling for a full investigation into 9/11!!. Name one other than Kucinich who comes anywhere near his enlightened steadfast approach. It is almost as if you intentionally don’t mention him just the way so many MSM articles have for many years now. Exceedingly negligent! I felt you insulted average America’s awareness level undeservedly because a new Zogby poll shows that 51% feel that Bush and co. should be investigated for 9/11. Another shows that the vast majority including clearly many Republicans favor impeachment. So why join those in congress who seem to be in denial of these trends and refuse for bogus reasons to support the strong efforts being made by the one man in American politics who everybody secretly or unknowingly seems to agree with?
It is MSM who create and inflate the myth that Americans are ignorant of what is happening around them despite polls suggesting that Kucinich beats all other candidates on the issues. Not to mention the fact that polls concerning 9-11 show that quietly and in a very fearful way Americans are waking up to the truth of that event. At about the same pace as you have I might add. You are one or two steps ahead of them yet you seem a bit angry at those who are just behind you in the awakening process. What about tolerance and inclusiveness and a healthy respect for a broad tapestry of opinion which makes the world a livable place. What about a population subjugated to the most sophisticated propaganda the world has ever known. What about all of us who were way ahead of even you in our opinions and predictions four and six and ten years ago. Does it help us to insult you for taking so long to catch on?
Which brings me to another point. Leadership and hope go hand in hand. Your words do NOT feel nearly hopeful enough if at all. Sadly this means that your work might at times even boarder on hurting more than helping. Spreading the truth, if not clearly tempered by hope and real solutions actually helps fascists because it adds to the fear mongering they are already engaged in. We must be sure not to do their work for them. The mafia has known this for years which is why they never killed reporters. If you don’t have enough ideas or initiatives developed at the very least encourage your supporters to support Kucinich’s efforts.
Not being blind to the real problems is only the first step - now that you know what they are, and it has taken you a while, you may need to develop the ability to see that the people of the world are winning the battle for hearts and minds and that is a very good sign. To his credit Kucinich has pointed toward the rising tide of human awareness on many occasions. It is this spreading of awareness and the slow quiet awakening of the world’s population which is causing the elite to dig themselves in not their sudden desire to take over the world. That burning desire has unfortunately been with us for thousands of years. This is Kucinich’s main strength, knowing how bad it is but also knowing what is good and how to project that goodness and hope into our hearts and give us the belief that we can overcome our fear and stand up to the tyrants of the world. I suggest you watch his ‘Prayer For America’ Speech (given in 2002!! - see links below) and open yourself to becoming a convert to his approach. Simply pointing out how bad the tyrants are and how tight their grip on power is can actually have the effect of making people want to shrink away from the challenge and sink back into denial or alcohol or television or shopping.
A Buck Minster Fuller quote comes to mind as central to this argument: “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model which makes the existing model obsolete”
There is also another little concept called self fulfilling prophesy. If you study this theory which shows that people do worse when they are told they will do worse and do better when they are told they will do better regardless of their skills you will realize that so much of what you write, though at times technically accurate or plausible actually has the power to deflate peoples ability to see any chance of our turning all of this around. When you state that in the event of Marshal law being instituted that people would probably go about their business and go shopping you actually push people to do just that by offering them the cynical conclusion that they are not strong enough to do anything else. This is a prime example of why so many have low self esteem - because their parents and leaders tell them they are not good enough or strong enough to change. The clear result is that even those with incredible talents often don’t feel good about themselves - and THAT gives a good clue as to where all of these troubles come from to begin with. Please try hard not to add fuel to the fire of defeatism and fearful self loathing.
In order to lead you would do well to spend more time creating a ‘new model’ both literally with ideas and figuratively with rhetoric that inspires people to join the fight to change the world. What so many on the left fail to recognize is that they often offer too much critique and not enough solution. Or their solutions are not fleshed out or they simply don’t appear or feel hopeful that the solutions are ever going to come about because of how stupid or lazy people are. Ralph Nader is a case in point. He says and does the right things and is in fact a shining beacon of what a citizen should be but his voice sometimes sounds so tired and deflated that he almost makes us feel like doing the right thing is a losers game. In order to lead you have to have faith in the people you are leading. This is what will give them faith in themselves and ultimately you.
When we judge each other too harshly, even those who are the worlds greatest criminals, we are inadvertently stooping to their level. We must look at the elite as sick people who need our help and show as much compassion to every living creature as we can muster. We should focus less on blame and more on cleaning up the mess that our collective negligence has created. Not one of us is off the hook. When we judge criminals too harshly they simply want to cause us more harm in retaliation. When we rise above the divisiveness and name calling and congratulating ourselves on our own superiority they sometimes change their hearts. Average people hate being condescended by left wing do-gooders even more than than by right wing elite because of the inherent contradiction and arrogance of being rude in order to get people to do the right thing. This is how the educated elite give the financial elite so much fuel to label liberals as the true elite. We can only prevail by rallying around those who are truly rising above it all such as Kucinich and joining together into an unstoppable force for hope and change and ethical realism - not by simply sounding the alarm over and over and hoping something will come of it.
I do appreciate all you have done and hope you take this critique the right way. I mean it from my heart. No animosity just the hope that those who know the truth can join together in a harmonious and enlightened approach that will do far more than identify the problem - we have to become the solution.
Prayer For America parts 1 and 2:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ol1OOnVveXk
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kY-z8MC0UAw&mode=related&search=
So, we won’t have to have marshall law if elections go as normal (fixed).
We won’t have change either!
People now know something is wrong but they are shutting down instead of becomming active. They have never rebeled before! They first need to read up on whats really going on before they can be active!
MSM is trying to corral this disenchanted into voting for the “MONEY PARTY” trojan horse. We need to enlighten them before the MSM gets to them. READ CD! - The interactive way to enlightenment!
KAIMU’s right about the monitary system, whoever runs for pres HAS to address this issue.
For the past two years, I have been engaged in a project to take over the Democratic Party in my county. I’m the secretary of the Democratic Women. They have asked me to become our president for next year. Unfortunately, we are a very rural area that does not exactly welcome newcomers like me. I have asked that they nominate someone who is a native of this area for the position and continue with that policy for two more years to establish the Dem Women. Don’t put up with it. Take over the parties and change the frame.
Excellent essay, Cindy. We all would hope the direst predictions would not come to pass but as you say, the signs are all there. The confirmation hearing this morning for Mukasey as Attorney General was a case in point. He could not even bring himself to say that waterboarding is torture, and on that point the hearing came to an end with a fuzzy remark by Senator Leahy that his answers this day ’seemed’ different from the day before. As an aide at the hearing was heard to remark, perhaps if they took him aside, stuffed a rag in Mukasey’s mouth and poured water over his face, he might know.
The fix IS in. Thom Hartmann this morning broke my ‘hart’ by opposing your points. He thinks we should ‘infiltrate’ the Democratic party. How do you infiltrate a refuse pile of corporate garbage? America, it is time for a new party. We have the numbers; we can do it. We owe it to our children not to make the same mistakes over and over. Last time I heard, that was called insanity.
The Democratic Party does not deserve us. And Thom, you are a student of history; this is the way America responds to corruption.
medic6869 congradulations. Very clear and crisp statement for the need to start organizing in a people’s movement.It will take a little time, but, after all, it is revolutionary changes we want to bring about. With Cindy Sheehan leading the way with a program we all can support, it is up to each one of us, wherever we are, to play a role in forming the local chapter of the new most important political force: THE PEOPLE’s MOVEMENT, the umbrella organization of all popular movements and leftist/ progressive political organizations and parties.
Vangelaras
Cindy is, of course, correct — the fix is in.
And the fix is much more than the war in Iraq — it is the entire system of Empire in this “Vichy America” which has allowed the war in Iraq, the coming war in Iran, the violation of the Constitution, and soon marshal law.
Yes, the ‘fix’ is really the entirety of the Empire behind this phony war.
Thus, I have been strongly advising the follwoing to American voters while we still have any sembalance of voting power:
“The very most important question that the American people should be asking about any candidate for president in ‘08 is not, “Where do you stand on the war?”, but, “Where do you stand on the EMPIRE that has taken over our country — an Empire of which the war in Iraq is only its biggest and most visible crime —- SO FAR??”
Every American voter should be asking these much tougher questions of our phony candidates:
Where do you stand on the issue of Empire?
Where do you stand on the issue of our American Republic having morphed into a well disguised, guileful, and sophisticated PR front for the global corporate Empire behind this façade of “Vichy America”?
Where do you stand on the existential threat and immutable truth that Hannah Arendt spoke when she warned: “Empire abroad entails tyranny at home”?
Where do you stand on this murderous imperial war abroad in the Middle East, and the tyranny necessary by the Empire to suppress liberty, democracy and open resistance against that Empire here at home?
We vote with strength and sense, and we lose.
Couldn’t resist fixing DD’s typo.
MISANTHROPE & JOEL HIRSCHBORN:
Here’s a clue.
THE ELITE DO NOT WANT YOU TO VOTE.
The elite spent a couple of centuries denying my ancestors the vote when my ancestors were SLAVES.
The only act my more “defiant” than boycotting voting is boycotting breathing.
I’m reading a lot of “you go Cindy” “great essay Cindy” but I’m not reading about anyone offering CASH.
CASH.
“See you in the streets” my ass.
You can’t even mail Cindy’s campaign a check, but now you’re ready to fight and die in the streets.
Right.
It would seem to me that most candidates need bodies more than anything. Bodies to canvas door-to-door, make phone calls, drop literature, organize get-out-the-votes, write letters to editors, organize events on campuses, etc. Reducing it all to cash is the kiss of death. Clearly, cash is the chief barrier. Raw people-power was the magic ingredient for Wellstone.
Well, I think there were only three posters making really good, salient points which I want to reinforce: Cindy, in her original piece as well as some postings beneath; Paul Bramscher; and Kucinich Supporter.
Cindy is one of my heroes these days–what gets my eyes all shiny about her is that I think she was not so long ago a perfectly completely utterly ordinary average person. But when her son got killed in a war he should have known better than to join, something changed in her. This change turned her into an extremely rare creature, the person who insists on telling the truth and Will Not Shut Up. Someone who can’t be intimidated and doesn’t get tired.
Paul Bramscher said something I’ve been saying: we need a Ten Point Platform to draw together the antiwar movement, tha environmental movement, the gay rights and antiracist movements, the election reform activists and the defenders of the Constitution and democracy, etc. I don’t believe we are all a bunch of extreme weirdoes and leftist fringe nutcakes, even if years of MSM conditioning have allowed us to be painted as such. Let people vote on the issues and their choice turns out to be Kucinich–I think if we had a platform that the majority of us could agree on, short and simple but with concrete proposals for each issue, we could not only refute the idea that the left has nothing it’s FOR–we could also get much more support. Right now our voices are scattered. If every time one of us got near a mike we held up the same manifesto with the same ten points, eventually the media would be forced to give the platform some minimal coverage. Then the candidates would be forced to respond to the platform. Most would come up with reasons to repudiate it, because as Sheehan said, they answer to their contributors and not their constituents. But perhaps this would lead to people voting for the maverick who supports that platform, ideally the one who has already supported it with actual votes in Congress and can therefore be trusted.
Yes, Kucinich Supporter went on at excessive length but I have to agree that it’s becoming increasingly aggravating to see everyone across the political spectrum either acting like he doesn’t exist or joining in the ridiculing and marginalizing of the “cute little elf from Ohio.” Small wonder that the corporate media does this, but why do Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert? Why is Cindy not mentioning him?
To Kucinich Supporter
Have you ever considered that Dennis has NOT asked for my endorsement and he is in fact endorsing Pelosi, himself?
I have always supported Dennis and am throwing my backing behind my own campaign…Why don’t you ask Dennis why he DOES NOT support me?
That’s the question.
Cindy
Cindy, Thank you. I’m behind you 100%. We do need a new party. As more of us realize “The Fix” is in we will need a way to channel that energy. Thank you and the other posters on this site for helping me realize I’m not alone. As for CASH donations - I’m making mine to Cindy for Congress. Thanx Inia.
i can’t believe i found this. ms shehan i admire your courage, honor, and determination. if my child were gone i do not think i would react in as positive a manner, i would probably be more violent and self-destructive
i think ron paul is a presidential candidate you should look at.
and there is a financial petition here http://www.financialpetition.org/ that if enough people support could help change the rigged system in which we all find ourselves.
i fervently hope your campaign is successful.
redfearn teal
Kucinich Supporter didn’t know that Cindy has referenced Kucinich before - guess reading her posts was too boring?
We tried Kucinich before - even though I’m a conservative, I went along - and that went nowhere. Trying the same thing over and over and expecting differenct results… insanity.
If we all voted for a Third Party, it would win. That’s simple enough. The GOP has dedicated voters - I live among them, so I know. They’re mostly stupid people with no money - not the ‘wealthy elite’ everyone assumes they must be. And getting people who don’t vote interested in politics is hell right now because of the mess we’ve got.
There are so many problems - how dare anyone knock Cindy Sheehan for trying to help solve them? So she’s not perfect - where are the saints, anyway?
Ron Paul has more support than MSM admits - and he is really a compassionate conservative (there is such a thing - it’s called enlightened self-interest in its lowest denomination) and would not get any ‘whacko’ ideas enacted - it’s impossible. I am a moderate traditional conservative - that means I advocate peace and justice. There are a lot of us now, but we aren’t welcomed on either side these days - just look at how ‘progressives’ attack each other!
Conservative (not fascists) can be progressive - we just like change to go slowly and carefully. That’s not what’s happened with the neo-fascists. And that’s not what happened with the liberal binge in the ’60s either - too much change, too fast, creates backlash. We don’t need that - we need smart progress. We can all work together on a new Party, can’t we? We’ll settle our differences later.
PS Where can I donate to Cindy?
“And if you lose, but make a good showing in the primary, you will still be demonstrating the strength of the peace movement, whereas your distant third-place showing in the general election would only demonstrate our weakness.”
The Republican got 11% in the last election. This is a very progressive district. When Green candidate Matt Gonzalez ran for mayor of San Francisco in 2003, he only lost in the runoff to Democrat Gavin Newsom by 5% in spite of being outspent 10 to 1, and have Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Jesse Jackson come to campaign for Newsom.
Dear Ciny,
I apologize if my letter came across the wrong way. It was certainly not meant as an attack just constructive criticism. Perhaps it was too fervent and long winded but it was intended to be about more than Kucinich. It was supposed to be about hope and the fact that he represents that approach very well. Ron Paul seems to be the only another presidential candidate of integrity and I can understand why people would like him as well.
I guess my argument was that you may want to mention Kucinich more and push his name harder regardless of the fact that he hasn’t endorsed you. I can’t imagine why he would endorse Pelosi but I still think you can change that with a little reasoning and reaching out.
I’ve often wondered why Kucinich doesn’t ask more people for endorsements. He has always left it to people to decide on their own. I wished all the way back in 2004 that he would be more aggressive about pushing people who support him financially and in commentary to make formal endorsements. I was concerned that perhaps pride was getting in the way. That seems to be common. Perhaps that is it. Or perhaps he just doesn’t want to pressure anyone into doing something that they should in fact decide to do on their own.
I was really trying to make a much broader point about adopting a positive approach which would allow you to sweep this whole movement together and into a cohesive group with Kucinich and Ron Paul, Nader and anyone else of integrity all linking arms. I wish Kucinich was able to pull together this kind of unity and collective strength. Perhaps he is doing it in the best way he knows how. Perhaps not. Perhaps his flaws get in the way. I’m sure he gets plenty of constructive critisism as well.
All the best
Ciny,
I apologize if my letter came across the wrong way. It was certainly not meant as an attack just constructive criticism. Perhaps it was too fervent and long winded but it was intended to be about more than Kucinich. It was supposed to be about hope and the fact that he represents that approach very well. Ron Paul seems to be the only another presidential candidate of integrity and I can understand why people would like him as well.
I guess my argument was that you may want to mention Kucinich more and push his name harder regardless of the fact that he hasn’t endorsed you. I can’t imagine why he would endorse Pelosi but I still think you can change that with a little reasoning and reaching out.
I’ve often wondered why Kucinich doesn’t ask more people for endorsements. He has always left it to people to decide on their own. I wished all the way back in 2004 that he would be more aggressive about pushing people who support him financially and in commentary to make formal endorsements. I was concerned that perhaps pride was getting in the way. That seems to be common. Perhaps that is it. Or perhaps he just doesn’t want to pressure anyone into doing something that they should in fact decide to do on their own.
I was really trying to make a much broader point about adopting a positive approach which would allow you to sweep this whole movement together and into a cohesive group with Kucinich and Ron Paul, Nader and anyone else of integrity all linking arms. I wish Kucinich was able to pull together this kind of unity and collective strength. Perhaps he is doing it in the best way he knows how. Perhaps not. Perhaps his flaws get in the way. I’m sure he gets plenty of constructive critisism as well.
All the best
#
The Republican got 11% in the last election. This is a very progressive district. When Green candidate Matt Gonzalez ran for mayor of San Francisco in 2003, he only lost in the runoff to Democrat Gavin Newsom by 5% in spite of being outspent 10 to 1, and have Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Jesse Jackson come to campaign for Newsom.
#
Great place for a primary challenge then, and a terrible example to the rest of the nation if Sheehan insists on going independent and does make a good showing. If there is any chance at all that she could win as an independent, with loyal and centrist Dem voters rejecting her, she would certainly have a better chance of winning the nomination, and then would certainly win the seat.
#
Sorry Nader2000,
I have a moral opposition to the Democratic Party and the two party system.
I won’t compromise my morals to join a party that is linked to death and oppression.
We need to break out of that mold, and we will. I won’t run as a Democrat and I am with Kucinich Supporter in the hope that this will become a true people’s movement.
At the end of the day, Dennis is a true Democrat and will support even Hillary if she becomes the nominee. I will have a trememdous amount of respect for him if he stays in the race to the end as an Independent.
#
I would love to link with Ralph Nader and am excited that Cynthia McKinney may run and we are building a coalition of people who, are like minded in their progressive agendas. Ralph Nader’s staff have been very supportive and is he.
Brava Cindy, as I pointed out, Kucinich is not an option. He can’t win and he knows it. At the end he’ll support a pro-war corporate p