Originally posted by MrFun
It's not an attitude -- it's reality.
There are no Democrats today, nor Republicans today, that are not corrupt in one way or another -- from something minor, to something significant.
It's not an attitude -- it's reality.
There are no Democrats today, nor Republicans today, that are not corrupt in one way or another -- from something minor, to something significant.
These lobbyists serve monied interests, the wealthy individuals and corporations. They do not care about the needs of the average american.
The middle class and working poor have the vote but they have no voice. They can't afford to flood congress with lobbyists. They depend on their elected officials to speak for them.
But the elected officials can't. Whenever an issue comes up the very information they get to review is prepared by or heavily influenced by lobbyists. Oh, out of deference to partisianship you will have your progressive version of the facts and the conservative version but their is no objective positions even tabled for consideration. If a Congressman takes a position outside of these norms then they irelevant to the process.
National lobbies welcome new Congressmen into the fold with the equivalent of guaranteed reelections for years, if they play the game, and little chance for a second term if they do not. It's called campaign money.
So, the Congress forgets that they are supposed to be the voice of the people and become pawns in the game of competing special interests.
This is why so many people do not vote.
And this is why many people who do gravitate to outsider candidates. Only with them is any real change possible.
And this is why electability is such a big issue. We all know that we can vote for Ross or Ralph for the next two hundred years and we all know that they can never win.
Insiders are having a harder and harder time wining the White House because people want real change. Carter, Reagan, Clinton, and Bush ran from the outside. Dean got early interest as an outsider this year but fizzled. That leaves only Edwards with a real chance to catch the public's imagination. Otherwise Bush wins by default. No insider longterm Senator from the northeast is going to win.
Even if he did, or if Edwards wins, it is hard to see how much change we can get. The best chance for change would be Edwards in '08, riding the crest of a grass roots populist effort.
Comment