Finally, I’ve discovered a prominent media spokesperson who has the guts to acknowledge that America is faced with a dangerous problem based on mathematical facts, a problem that is fueled by systemic financial industry corruption that thoroughly permeates both major political parties. He argues, loudly, that the first step to deal with this danger is for the President of the United States to take to the bully pulpit and to clearly acknowledge our problem rather than suggesting that the debate is between cutting $2 trillion or $4 trillion, both of which are merely kicking the can a few feet down the road (to 2017).
I literally stood up to applauded to my computer monitor after hearing Dylan Ratigan cut through the bullshit and nail this critical issue.
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Finally, someone is out there forcefully saying what needs to be said, with the right idea for a first step. Obama could make up for many of his previous sins if he dared to throw the Hail Mary pass Dylan Ratigan suggests. He needs to tell himself “screw 2017,” and begin a campaign based on getting into the faces of all politicians, Democrats and Republicans. He should shout from the highest pulpit to root out electoral/banking/trade/taxation/media corruption and he shouldn’t stop talking about this issue of monied political corruption, because there will not be any meaningful debate on any other issue until we dare to admit that private money in politics has completely perverted the political process. As Ratigan states, we shouldn’t be talking about $2 or $4 trillion. At least nine trillion, (and see here) and arguably dozens of trillions, as much as $70 trillion, are being siphoned out of the system thanks to the complicity of powerful people and entities that couldn’t care less about the future of the United States.
During his speeches, Obama should hold up traditional grade school civics textbooks and and then set them on fire because they are full of lies. They do not describe how the system works. Not even closely. The predominant political truth is that Congress is bought and paid for by big monied companies that currently control all three branches of government. Consequently, there are two Americas, and you are not part of the America that pulls any meaningful strings. Your vote is severely limited to support only members of the club of which you are not a member. Skip writing emails to your representatives, because those emails just annoy them. They are trying to work in a whirlwind of D.C. money that turns them into functional psychopaths. Good luck getting any federal agency to pay any attention to the needs of ordinary Americans, whether it be the FCC, the FDA or the SEC. The politicians who treasure the somewhat elevated stature of their jobs know deep down that they need to keep voting to further powerful corporations or else they will be swiftly boated from their jobs. We are in the era of Citizens United, where yes, you have a vote, but your choices have both been pre-ordained, pre-approved.
I wish I didn’t believe the things I’ve just written, but I’ve seen far too much evidence establishing that this country is not run by you and me, despite the popular rhetoric to the contrary. Let’s take that first step to force our politicians, especially the President, to admit that we absolutely need to discuss and deal with systemic corruption caused by private money drenching politics. Until then, everything we hear is merely a bunch of hot air dressed up to sound like meaningful conversation.
Karl, the US postal service does not collect taxes. It is funded by the postage stamps it issues and sales. What has hurt the USPS financially is the congress requires it to grossly overfund a health and retirement fund for its employees.
Public employee unions use mandatory collected dues for fuel in battles that are supposedly in the best interest of their members. Hpwever many members do not want their portion of the collective funds being spent in such manners.
When people give contributions to support “their” union’s agenda or even a political party before there is a clear nominated candidate all they are doing is entrusting the leadership of the group to do their wishes. What is clear however is that the leadership often does the wishes of the leadership and encumbants and not the rank and file.
Let me see if I’ve got the straight, Karl.
You are saying that when working people organize and pool their money to campaign and lobby for slightly higher incomes and better working conditions, that is communism and therefore evil, but when non-working people organize and pool their money to campaign and lobby for grossly higher incomes and opulent lifestyles, that’s capitalism and therefore moral and virtuous.
Senator Bernie Sanders is one of my heroes. Somehow, he transcends the delusional thinking of his comrades in DC. http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/08/25/304387/bernie-sanders-introduces-bill-to-lift-the-payroll-tax-cap-ensuring-full-social-security-funding-for-nearly-75-years/
The leaders of all of these organization often use the money as they choose, often in ways that are diametirically opposed to the wishes of the supposed members. This is the same with the leaders of many governmental organizations and many political parties, giving money to them without thought of how it is going to be used is like giving guns to unstable criminally minded syndicates.
Dylan Ratigan is responding with audio comments to some of the email comments he receives: http://soundcloud.com/dylanratigan/sets/dylans-inbox/
Dylan Ratigan has an extended conversation with former Senate staffer and then lobbyist, Jimmy Williams, about why we need to get money out of politics. Williams states that our Congressional representatives spend half of their time trying to raise money by “dialing for dollars,” and the other half being influenced by that money while they legislate. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dylan-ratigan/getting-money-out-we-the_b_977685.html