Unfortunately, some precincts where American politics are practiced require the time proven “greasing of the palms”, otherwise the populace could care less about who the next generalissimo is.

Well, now that we know that 85% of Pennsylvanians will be required to vote ‘electronically’, I’m wondering how important the yard signs really are.

Seems like they could have used the money to set up a regular old paper ballot system. Lord knows nobody wants to trust those machines.

Humm...I was surprised to learn that.

I know the feeling Margaret. That glass ceiling is everywhere.

It’s funny about the Philadephia experience with the ‘white flight’ though. I say that only because it’s happened in SO MANY places in the past 3 or 4 decades, (including my own hometown of Los Angeles).

BUT, over time, it began to reverse itself, in that it became very inconvenient for those who had ‘fled’ to the ‘burbs, to continue making longer and longer commutes to LA and the immediate extensions of the city, which is where most of the employment remained.

So, the white’s started moving back. I remember this happening in Chicago as well, though not to the extent that it did in LA.

So, that makes me wonder why it didn’t somehow reverse itself in Philly, although admittedly I don’t know much about the history of the demographics there.

It’s curious about the wage tax as well. I wonder what the original intent of it was? Sometimes those things are intially legislated for what might be a legitimate purpose AT THE TIME, and then never get around to fixing it when it ceases to serve the any purpose, or even becomes a negative factor.

Then again, that’s the case with about 35% of the laws on most state and federal books.

Meantime, that glass ceiling is everywhere, most obvious I think in the deep south, but just as much in places like Texas and further west. Women continue to be way behind in most of the country, despite the few accomplishments that they like to drag out from time to time.

Pandergate.

In addition to this “tradition” in Philly politics, for Pennsylvanians, Obama’s mixed ethnic background continues to be an issue for many voters, along with other factors about the candidates and the current state of our nation.

For Pennsylvanians and Americans of Anglo and European backgrounds, as well as those with Hispanic, Native American, African and Asian roots, the articles below may be of interest:

“Obama faces Ohio hearts and minds”

AmericanChronicle.com
February 28, 2008

http://americanchronicle.com/articles/53747

- - -

“Obama’s Iraq position, mixed ethnicity are key factors”

AmericanChronicle.com
February 22, 2008

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/53128

- - -

“Mixed-ethnicity Americans face challenges”

AmericanChronicle.com
January 30, 2008

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/50835

And, Fadel, to further enlighten you:

A large part, a VERY large part, of the ‘street money’ that floats around during an election, to influence and outright-buy votes, is handled through ministers, preachers, ‘men of the cloth’. And they not only expect to handle it, and get their cut, but they can be VERY demanding about it, and threatening about what detrimental things can happen if they are not ‘in the loop’ for ‘the loot’.

This is ‘god’s’ truth. Ask around, educate yourself.

Hey, Obama, whatsa matter you? We gotta lotsa pipple waitin for da lections come round every coupla years, datsa how dey maka der living. Dey go out anna talka to da pipple, maka dem unnerstand dey gonna get 10-20 bucks iffa dey vote right. Dey go out and finda out how much the other campaign is payin, and maka sure we payin enuf to getta da most votes.
So besides payin da voters, we gotta pay the pipple dat pay da voters, anna guys like me dat run da whole thing, you donta think we do this for nuthin, do ya?
So lissen, Bama-baby, you wanna win, or what? You gotta da money, you paya da money, we buya da votes, you win, datsa da way it works.

During the cold war, I remember being annoyed by the conflation of capitalism with democracy on the one end and communism with dictatorship on the other.  The economic system and the the representational system are intimately entwined, but the ideal is a social democracy, not corporate fascism we’ve been fed here in the U S of A.

I think we’re witnessing the crackup of corporate capitalism.  It has to feed on non-renewable resources like old growth forests, fossil fuels and child labor.  The housing bubble is transmogrified into the commodity bubble...perhaps the ultimate bubble.

Dear Fadel,

I don’t think you’ve necessarily been naïve, since most of us have had the same view of democracy. At least on the books, it looks great. And, while there were certainly some ‘less than democratic’ views actually built into the original doctrine/plan/blueprint, or whatever we choose to call the Constitution, I think the founders envisioned the same system that we’ve come to idealize. (But that whole slavery thing, and the holocaust of the Native Americans is more than a bit at odds with the rest of the Constitution).

Be that as it may, I still think that the original plan was not so much naïve, or that those of us who have a view of democracy based on that are either. I do think that the system has been corrupted for a long time though, and it could just be that much of that is only now coming to our attention. Then there’s the cynicism of the past 7 plus years, as displayed by the gangsters in the administration, who don’t even TRY to hide their contempt for the anything resembling democracy.

This ‘system’ in Philadelphia really isn’t exclusive to that city though. And, Barack Obama should know that, because this isn’t at all different from the tactics and practices of the earlier decades right there in Chicago. HOWEVER, that’s EXACTLY what he set out to change…politics that had become ‘usual’ which is that same as ‘corrupt’.

Anyway, don’t chastise yourself too much. Happens to the best of us.

As I read on in the Los Angeles Times’ article, I stumbled on the following:

... “street money”—cash handed out before the election to juice turnout.”

And I was shocked to learn this is the way votes are earned in Philadelphia, the place were the whole American political process was started.

I am really shocked that the American democratic process is done this way, at least in Pennsylvania, and I am sure in other states, which only a universal God would know about.

So is this all the democracy money can buy?! Is money and who gets it all that matters? This is more than all I ever imagined and more than I bargained for when I was sold on American democracy more than thirty years ago!

But why should I be surprised, when the last two elections were clearly bought by money?! I guess my problem is that for all these years my belief in the American democracy was highly idealized. I guess I was a little bit too naive!

PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATORS ENDORSING HILLARY TODAY:

State Senator Raphael J. Musto, Luzerne County (voted for 2005 pay raise)
State Rep. Thomas W. Blackwell, IV, Philadelphia County (voted for 2005
pay raise, took money in “Bonusgate")
State Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone, Berks County (voted for 2005 pay raise,
took money in “Bonusgate")
State Rep. Peter J. Daley, Fayette and Washington Counties (voted for 2005
pay raise)
State Rep. Frank Dermody, Allegheny County (voted for 2005 pay raise, too
money in “Bonusgate")
State Rep. Dan Frankel, Allegheny County (voted for 2005 pay raise)
State Rep. John T. Galloway, Bucks County (only in office since 2007)
State Rep. William F. Keller, Philadelphia County (voted for 2005 pay raise)
State Rep. Kathy Manderino, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties (voted
for 2005 pay raise)
State Rep. Barbara McIlvaine Smith, Chester County (only in office since
2007)
State Rep. Edward P. Wojnaroski, Sr., Cambria County (voted against 2005
pay raise)
State Rep. John T. Yudichak, Luzerne County (voted against 2005 pay raise)

I got the info on pay raise votes from the PA Clean Sweep website:

http://www.pacleansweep.com/cgi-bin/reportcard.cgi

Anyhow, the basic point is that, out of all the politicians in the General
Assembly that endorsed Hillary, only four voted against the pay increase.
And in two out of those four cases (Galloway, McIlvaine-Smith), the reason
is that the representative hadn’t been elected to office yet in 2005.

People have a very strong “throw the bums out” mentality in Central PA
that can be used to convince people to vote for Obama if we only get the
word out!

And on top of all that,
The ties between Mr. Rendell and the Clintons go way back. Mr. Clinton appointed Mr. Rendell as general chairman of the Democratic National Committee during his second term. In that post, Mr. Rendell helped raise millions for the Democratic Party while making contacts that allowed him to enhance his already prodigious fund-raising ability. Mr. Clinton also appointed Mr. Rendell’s wife, Marjorie, to the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

From an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08069/863727-176.stm
Just another example of the Clintons doling out favors and expecting payback.

RNC, DNC & DLC Inc.

These corporations stifle debate and have inroads in every polling place in America.

They have stuffed ballot boxes since this country was founded and now we’ve been in the age of Diebold for over 10 years, still without an audit trail.

How are the massive contributions which flow into these non-profits used?

Learn something every day, don’cha? I had no idea people actually expected to make money off a campaign ... well except the media of course.

Could this possibly be another one of those media non-issue issues? Obama lost because he didn’t pay off the right folks? If that’s true, then Obama’s absolutely right. We need REAL change. Like helping people understand why we need it, and why voting,or not can bring us closer to making that happen, or not.

Here’s an idea. If those ward leaders just have to have buttons and signs, why dont they go make some? If the election stands or falls based on folks wanting money and stuff, it’s pretty clear those what does doesn’t understand what’s going on.

And here’s another idea. How about ward leaders
explain to folks WHY we have elections and WHY we need them. Duh.

You can’t make a sign big enough to do that, but a tiny investment in personal effort can go a long way.

But, if they believe the only way to reach voters is with money and stuff, they never will. Cause the opposition could come along tomorrow with more money and bigger stuff!

Besides, this article frankly contradicts a previous article stating folks in Pennsylvania were turned off by Obama over-exposure. Getting to where you just don’t know what to believe anymore.

Well maybe we can believe this. No matter how hard they try to make it otherwise it still all comes down to what the people choose, not the media.

So for whatever it’s worth, I agree with that Obama campaign organizer in Philadelphia who said:

‘Yes we can.’