We often criticize without offering solutions. The following is a summary of our significant problems, with an emphasis on our unjust wars, and a summary of actions which could help us solve these problems and reestablish American democracy.
The Problems:
• Force recognition that our America is corrupt. Speak up.
• Recognize the primary problem – Most Americans are willingly ignorant cowards unwilling to face awful truths. Leaven the truth with compassion for their pain but speak the truth
• Force recognition of the Lies – the Tonkin Gulf incidents, 9/11, the war on terror, Iraq’s WMD, Iran’s nuclear threat, etc. Speak up.
• Force recognition that America’s existential enemies are a segment of our plutocrats. They are the flesh and blood persons who own and control the artificial persons of corporate America. They are primarily domestic not foreign. Foreign terrorists pose no existential threat to America. Speak.
The Solutions:
• Majority Rule democracy such as IRV instant runoff voting with multiple candidates and parties – End the too easily corrupted, two-party duopoly which results from our plurality rule system. In addition: Competitive political districts would motivate our representatives to listen to us. End gerrymandering. Voters’ political affiliation should not be considered. As much as possible, all residents of a small city or a large neighborhood in a large city should share the same political districts in most levels of government. See http://www.opednews.com/...
• Stop playing monopoly. Free competition capitalism should replace the current system of corrupt, monopoly capitalism. Competition will enable markets to self-regulate and thereby minimize the need for other, more intrusive regulation.
• Re Regulation to reestablish honesty in our financial markets. This can only happen with reasonable government intervention. Reestablish Glass Steagall to end conflicts of interest.
• Stand up to the corruption in our individual lives and workplaces.
• Raise the minimum wage to between 40% and 45% of the national average hourly wage and thereby reduce the need for the social welfare safety net.
• Raise taxes at all levels of government to, at least, meet minimal public needs including debt reduction. There is a place in our individual self-interests for the public good.
• Join a militia. Rough justice may be the only justice available to us mere plebes and to citizens of other countries aggressor Americans may wish to attack. Next war, civil war.
If Americans are willing to allow our corruption to continue, so be it, unless that corruption leads to another unjust war. War in the nuclear age is potentially suicidal. Unjust war in any age is an abomination. Can we not now at least end America’s unjust wars?
This plan is not a mere fight for American ideals like truth, justice, freedom, and democracy. This is a fight for the preservation of the species, the planet, and our humanity.
Cali-fornication
The Problems – California and other states have created systems that make them ungovernable. California’s initiative process has hamstrung our legislators. Most of our budget is now beyond legislative control. Term limits give us new blood but throw away experienced legislators. Proposition 13 requires all state tax increases be passed by a 2/3rd vote of the legislature and most local tax increases be passed by a 2/3rd vote of the public. An amendment to the California constitution only requires a majority vote of the public. Redevelopment funds replaced much of normal capital budgets partly because they didn’t require public votes.
California’s chaos is so extreme as to make me think it is more due to intelligent design than to natural evolution. Things don’t get this messed up by mere accident. All voters, including myself, must bear responsibility, but I submit our plutocrats with the abuse of their power bear extraordinary responsibility. This dysfunction has been to their benefit. Redevelopment funds became a source for their corporate welfare. Our plutocrats get their man in with a mere plurality of the vote in a gerrymandered district and then it takes a super majority of the legislature to increase their taxes, while the state goes straight to hell.
The Solutions – Californians should adopt the solutions noted above. Further: End term limits the loss of which can be offset by the enhanced power of voters in competitive districts with majority rule. Eliminate most all budget restrictions to allow the legislature to effectively govern us. Allow taxes to be increased by a simple majority of our legislators.