Folks, let me start out by stating my political affiliation:
INDEPENDENT!
We need to start at least one petition for amending the Constitution, maybe more if required by law. Here’s what needs to be in it (them).
1) No gerrymandering, computerized or otherwise by political parties currently in power in the House of “Representatives”. In fact, no gerrymandering…PERIOD! Let computers randomize the districts so they evenly represent the voting population in that geographical area.
2) Supreme court justices should not be selected based upon political affiliations. In fact, they should be registered as independents and this should be vetted by an independently appointed, apolitical, ad hoc committee. No republicans or democrats need apply, or any other party.
3) Term limits on everybody. No one should stay in Washington longer than 8 years.
4) No unlimited campaign contributions. This is not “free” speech. It’s only free speech if everybody gets to voice an opinion in an equitable amount of time. Hogging the media with one kind of opinion only corrodes and erodes our representative democracy. Also, these so called “representatives” know which side their bread is buttered on, and that side is not where most people reside.
5) Abolish the electoral college and have direct elections by popular vote. This antiquated system guarantees the continued monopolization of presidential power by the two-party system. Instead, have run-off elections in case of a tie.
6) (Any suggestions?)
On another note..
The idea that we can somehow do without government is absolutely ludicrous. Does government need to be downsized? ABSOLUTELY! But this needs to be done intelligently. You don’t cure the patient of tumors by blowing him up or depriving him of oxygen until he dies. You get my point.
Teddy Roosevelt (a republican) probably wound up on Mount Rushmore because he broke up monopolies like the one owned by J.P. Rockefeller. Bank mergers, or any other kind of giant merger is nothing more than a reassembly of these monopolies. We are pretty much back in the 19th century when it comes to labor laws. I’m not a great fan of big labor because it provided ridiculous perks and salaries for people with little or nor education and encouraged sloth. However, when a married woman can be fired for becoming pregnant on the job, deregulation had gone too far the other way.
Why is the Tea party so dead set against Obamacare? Is it because it will become another gigantic government welfare program (or so they say)? No, the “real” reason they are against it is because their corporate sponsors (insurance companies) tell them to stop it at any cost. Why? Because these companies are making money hand over fist by squeezing the life out of average Americans. They cherry pick who they want to insure to maximize profits, leaving the dregs behind in the emergency room to be paid for by taxpayers. They get all the benefit and none of the risk. What kind of insurance is that?
So what needs to be done? Well, I think you know what to do in November, 2014, don’t you?
November 2014, what to do? 