The reason that Democrats are making the same mistake that Republicans have made is because the system is set up that way. And they have no faith in Progressives. They don’t need to take those corporate dollars. Congress has already sold America down the river. Are we going to let 1000 people in Washington who want to retire with a golden parachute ruin our country forever with these so called free trade agreements?

Amy Goodman is right. You can’t talk about immigration reform without talking about getting rid of NAFTA and CAFTA. Those agreements devastated Mexico and so the people come north because they are starving. Those free trade laws are genocidal. We need to stop pretending that globalization is a pretty word. You can substitute the word slavery for guest worker progam. That is what it is.

We could consider a boycott of Coca-Cola and Pepsi products. They move into an undeveloped area and devastate its inhabitants and its environment. They deplete the clean water and leave a toxic sludge in its place which ends up sickening and killing the people around the Pepsi factories. Also since there is no water to drink and they are too poor to buy milk, the poor children drink Pepsi for breakfast. Their teeth rot and their immune systems break down and then they die. Globalization? Or genocide?

We need to make our campaign’s publicly financed. Equal media time should be allotted for free for national elections. Our elected officials should get out of the business of fundraising and into the business of upholding our unique Constitution with all of its protections and supports for the general welfare of all people in our country.

It is a travesty that congressmen are tempted to work against the best interests of the American people just to raise money to stay in office. Let’s end this charade now. People like Russ Feingold and Dennis Kucinich know what to do. They speak truth to power on a regular basis. Let’s demand legislation for public financing of campaigns.

tiny minds and tiny url’s....

Once, just once would you comment on the actual documentsigned by the pResident? You seem to have no trouble with the suspension of our liberty and the “temporary” enhancing of the status of the most incompetent and corrupt administration in American history being enacted at the sole discretion of a man I wouldnt trust to mow my lawn.

Democracy only works when people engage on the issues and stop spouting knee jerk party line pollyanna nonesense.

#72224 by fazzaz31 on 5/24 at 1:05 am
(Unregistered commenter)

Uh, I hate to break it to you all, but that White House directive that Tony B. and others have been worrying about is just the latest update of civil defense plans that have been around in one form or another since 1916.

Remember CONELRAD, Civil Defense, fallout shelters, line of presidential succession, and “duck and cover”? Same stuff, just a new name.

-----------------------------

Rose colored glasses much?

I fail to see how CONELRAD, fallout shelters, hiding under desks, or the line of succession gave any President almost dictatorial powers in an emergency of his own declaring...do you?

re comment #72415 by Terry Dougherty.  Excellent points but let me add something to this question of “electability.” Electability is a device by which the conglomerated media divert attention from those candidates who seek to speak truth to power and who truly represent the vast majority of the American electorate, the middle and working classes.  The corporate media has a vested interest not only in who we elect but how we elect.  They intentionally seek to marginalize a candidate like Dennis Kucinich by failing, whenever possible, to even mention his name.

This does not mean that they will provide meaningful coverage to even the so-called “leading” candidates--that is the candidates who are acceptable to the corporatocracy, especially its military-industrial complex.  They will talk about money.  They will talk about poll numbers.  Occasionally they will talk about something inane, like the price of a candidate’s haircut.  When they do that, they don’t have to talk about substance.

That forces candidates to raise enormous sums to feed the conglomerated media noise machine, buying up the 30 second spot ads that, like all corporate advertising, is designed to deceive.  Since those ads entail enormous expense, only those candidates who have sold-out to the corporatocracy can afford the price.  Another word for “electable” candidates is “packaged.”

But the real power truly lies with We the People.  All we have to do is stop playing the role of passive consumers and take on the responsibility of active citizenship.  Stop watching the propaganda network--pretty much the entirety of the corporate-owned media and not simply Fox News. Through alternative media, especially Democracy Now, and through the net, the information is readily available.  We the People, as responsible citizens in a democracy, have a civic duty to seek out detailed information about where candidates stand on issues that truly matter.  We have a duty to encourage other citizens to act responsibly by encouraging them to go to the same sites, Kucinich.us in particular.

Outsourcing is giving our competitors the rope to hang us by.

This is a prime example of why national office term limits and campaign finance reform are needed.

Law would have to enacted, grass roots style, at the state level in all 50 states as no self respecting lobbiest funded politician would go for it.

As long as congrssional representatives and senators take special interest money laws will be manipulated.

I would like to see some of these Americans whose jobs was outsourced by NAFTA run for office.

Sam:

I see your pain in how people feel when they admit that our entire basis for being in Iraq is built on lies. Think about this, if we are willing to allow that many soliders and iraqis to die for oil, wouldnt it be just as easy to let a few thousand Americans die in the 9-11 tragedy? And doesnt it seem convienent that this act allowed Bush to push through his entire agenda of stripping rights from Americans and bringing more power to the elite?

We aren’t going to get anywhere until we get someone like Kucinich, Gravel, or Paul in the Whitehouse.

Brando
http://www.actforyourself.org

I would suggest that these two parties which rule our nation should merge under one “tent” and create a new party name to identify themselves . Some possibilities come to mind .

1)Enemies of the Republic Party
2)Spineless Murderers Party
3)Subsidiaries of Exxon - Mobil Party
4)Cheap Labor Party
5)Job Exporters Party
6)Fox News Party
7)Body Baggers Party
8)Church of Latter-Day Lobbyists Party
9)United in Fraud Party
10)Photo-Op Party
11)Agree to Disagree Party
12)Mudslingers Party
13)Where’s the Pork ? Party
14)Back Room Party
15)Enemies of America Party
16)Drunk on Money Party
17)Insensitivity Party
18)Mostly White Guys Party
19)(NRA)No Real Action Party
20)Look the Other Way Party

Maybe other people could offer their suggestions to create their own list of possibilities or add to mine .

mea culpa?

two things, Brandon: the media never reported this, and he didn’t start on oil until his 2004 run, when we had been in Iraq for a year already.

I am gratified however and hopeful because the PEOPLE shouted “OIL” in his speech (assuming that this wasn’t added later), and I thank you for the information, doubly because the mainstream media is so involved in the propaganda that they never reported Charlie Rangel’s statement on *ucker Snarlson’s show either.

Who knows how many people mention oil when the media won’t report it?

The problem with talking about oil is that as soon as you acknowledge that but for oil no American boot would ever have touched the sands of Iraq, you then are faced with the responsibility of the American people for the coveting, lying, murdering, and stealing by the Bushitter gang of thugs, TWICE (sort of) elected by them.

What to do, what to do......

It has taken a rather long time for this nation to arrive at this sorry state of affairs and the solution to this mess will not be found in shortcuts, hyperbole or any single political candidate or party.

I am frankly unsurprised by the culpability and cowardice of the Democratic Party who, for six rather longish years, prattled about being powerless while in the majority and now prattle about being powerless because they are not in a large enough majority. The real truth is that they obey the same master as does the GOP, money. We are in a crisis of leadership in this nation, we aint got any. None of our elected officials, nor any seeking to be elected care one whit about democracy, justice, fairness or the rights of the poor, the disenfranchised,seniors, children, or the wishes of the electorate apparently!

We do not have to look further than our mirrors to place the blame for this , I have seen the enemy and it is us. Wasnt it Plato who noted that those who are too intelligent to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are not? We have become a nation addicited to instant gratification. We mortage our futures for cheap plastic crap and happily bear the enormous credit card debt that makes us submissive and scared to rock the boat. We vote for those who mouth catch phrases and poll oriented buzz words and who have absolutely no intention of ever keeping a single one of those promises.

So what to do, what to do....well I know not what course others may take but as for me I devote my energies and efforts into a party that has pledged to accept not one thin dime from corportate interests, whose platform is a marvel of liberalism, see for yourself:

http://www.gp.org/

I do understand that the system is rigged against third party politics but I also note that the Greens are gaining election victories in greater numbers each cycle.In ‘06 they ran 374 candidates in 38 states for 66 types of offices and gained 65 victories. I also note that this is simply too little and too much work for a goal that may still be a decade in the future for some folks at any rate. So if you have a better idea go for it, the real key is to do something, anything.

re comment #72052 by Lee.  While Gravel has been outspoken in opposing the military-industrial complex and the war in Iraq, unlike Kucinich, he has not suggested repealing NAFTA and the WTO and returning to bilateral trade agreements.  Gravel’s voucher solution to healthcare is a variation of the health insurer subsidies proposed by Clinton, Obama and Edwards.  Only Kucinich proposes to bring this nation in line with the healthcare systems of every other industrialized nation--a single-payer system that eliminates the unnecessary for-profit healthcare insurer middle man--a middle man responsble for 31% of the cost of healthcare.  Gravel proposes direct democracy, but since that would entail a Constitutional amendment it is doubtful it could be accomplished even during a two-term Gravel presidency.  That makes his proposal nothing more than a campaign gimmick.  Sorry, Lee, while I like Gravel, Kucinich is superior across the board.

This is what worries me if Clinton is elected President. Bill was very pro-NAFTA and he and GHWBush went around the country saying how great it was going to be. Well it hasn’t. And there have been no hearings about the failure of NAFTA to either help Mexico (which it was supposed to do) or help American workers (which it was supposed to do). It has helped multi-national corporations move their operations to Mexico which hurts our trade deficit, hurts American workers, and doesn’t even have the side benefit of helping American consumers. The wealth created goes to the already wealthy. NAFTA was written by corporate lobbyists just like the Medicare drug bill was written by Drug company lobbyists. We need to elect Democrats who aren’t “Dino’s” (Democrats in Name Only). What is amazing is that the media is not even asking candidate views about free trade or NAFTA. That are getting a free pass. Al Gore is rightly critical of the media for giving Bush a “free pass”, but even Mr. Gore was in favor of NAFTA.

The media again is dancing to Karl Rove’s fiddle. All the major media outlets rush out to portray the democrats as weak, folding under the sheer weight of the mighty republican juggernaut. This is no doubt all orchestrated to paint the dem.s as weak knee’d liberals who can’t be trusted with the reins of power.Unable to reach a decision and stick to it, not having the guts it takes to be a war mongering cowboy like dubya. Manipulating the discussion is what Karl Rove is best at. With the help of such a complacent media it becomes possible. Ofcourse an integral part of that is keeping the truth as far away as possible from the voters as long as possible. When that begins to fail, its time to start disqualifying voters, all the while rattling pans about supposed voter fraud from the democratic ( read enemy )ticket. What Karl apparently didn’t factor in was that there were still some republican appointed federal attorneys who took their oath seriously, so they had to go. Bush’s Mall lawyer, the AG, was up to the task, any task , to make his master happy.

Yeah Amy, meanwhile you are stabbing your viewers and listeners and fans in the back by failing to address 9/11 Truth, a clear inside job if ever there was one.

What are you, a left gatekeeper? Stop betraying us, Amy, and do your job, expose the lies, just as you do for other stories. 

Continue to hide the truth like the Dems, Amy. We are on to you.

If our elected representitives don’t vote the way we want, what should we do ? You vote them out of office. Thats how our democracy is supposed to work. We’ve gone so long now, not even paying attention as to how they are voting, or even whether they are showing up to vote at at all, I think too many have forgotten that they get away with it because we let them get away with it. How about we start making the system work again. A great chance to start turning things around is being lost because the present democratic leadership in the congress are too timid to do what needs doing. WriteSpeaker Pelosi and Senator Reid, let them know your feelings, make your views known and make sure they realize that your vote for them hinges on their representing you. That goes for the War, Taxes, Free Trade agreements and everything else they hold the purse strings ( our money ) on. I think both of these individuals need replacing with people who are more willing and able to confront this maniacal administration.

may want to do a bit more research before you writeoff Kucinich, Sam. He’s been saying “oil” since day one. I believe he is the only candidate running who voted against the war.

If you need proof of his stance, watch the main video at

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Kucinich2008

Two minutes in you’ll be happy to hear his very passionate stance on this issue. Oh and BTW, hes not even my candidate, just wanted to make sure the facts were reported. 

Brandon
http://www.actforyourself.org

I listened to Kucinich throughout the debate and didn’t hear the word oil. I also heard Charlie Rangel say clearly that the US went to Iraq for oil. That’s two out of 435, one I heard, the other I didn’t hear. So sorry I don’t listen to Kucinich any more than I listen to Inhofe or Brownback or any other fool.

Clear proof once again that the elite from both sides of our parties are not working for us. They only work for themselves. Here is to hoping the citizens of this nation realize what so many here already have. If we all take action, we can get candidates like Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, and Ron Paul so much support that both parties have no choice but to give them the nominations! Then we can have something we haven’t had in the country in our generation, a REAL election!

Brandon
http://www.actforyourself.org

SamSnedegar asks us to name one member of Congress who mentions the word “oil” and Iraq in the same paragraph.  Answer:  Dennis Kucinich, in nearly every speech about the war he has made.

The 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution must mandate a 1st Amendment style “wall of separation” between commerce and state, criminalize ALL political contributions, including anything of value of any nature whatsoever, as bribery, and mandate public financing of all elections.

This is the only way to pry the corrupt, vulturous grip that the corporate fascists such as Exxon/Mobil/Shell, General Electric, Pfizer, Bayer, Dow, Dupont, AT&T;, Comcast, State Farm, Allstate, Citibank, et al., have on our federal, state and local governments.

I’m sorry...just one more thought..Oh gee, you mean the dems are duplicitous too?  Oh mercy...I’m shocked beyond all reason!

Kucinich, Paul, Gravel!!!!!!  Hello????!!!!

So...whats the big surprise?  Did anybody really expect a revolution from the politicians?

Revolutions only come from the people, not politicians! 

This lot is running scared or uninformed or both; it matters not...don’t hold your breath!

As Tony B noted, the Congress is nugatory and does as the Executive tells it to do, just like in Cuba!

Democracy in the USA died in December of 2000 when the Supremely Corrupt Court installed the Bushitter regime illegally and by its action joined the Executive to nullify the Legislative.

Congress supposedly has the Constitutional power to declare war, and surely has the power to declare one over and withdraw funding from a runaway Executive which wants to keep a war going against the best interests of the people.

We are a dictatorship as much as Pakistan, only we are not honest about it like they. Do however please note that so far the Bushitter gang of thugs has yet to tell the unvarnished truth about any issue, so you cannot expect them to begin any time soon.

If you think there is honesty in the Democratic Congress, please tell me the last time you heard ONE stinking member of that toothless herd of sheep mention the word “oil” and Iraq in the same PARAGRAPH, let alone in the same sentence. Indeed, they hardly ever mention the word “oil” at all, just like the media types herabouts, and when they do, it has no connection to Iraq or our reason for going over there and killing and stealing the coveted oil over which we lied ourselves into a war.

Coveting, lying, killing, stealing; no wonder they don’t want to talk about it.

Ms. Goodman,
I very much agree with the topic of your article, that being the idea that democratic representatives are going behind their constituents back to make free trade deals. However I have problems with the other claims you make, but do not back up. Mainly that free trade deals are anti-worker and create immigration problems.

The United States is Falling behind in many ways, protectionist measures will only hinder not help the American people. That is not to say that I am anti-worker, there is a balance that must be achieved between workers rights and what is best for the economy as a whole. A program which would help solve this issue is to retrain those workers who are affected by jobs moving overseas. An interesting article is http://www.foreignaffairs.org
/20060301faessay85209/alan-s-blinder/offshoring-the-next-in dustrial-revolution.html

Your point about falling wages in countries we trade with, is simply untrue. I do not mean to assault your journalism. It is just not backed up by facts or basic economic theory. Wages in China have been and will continue to rise. When the demand for jobs outstrips supply wages go up
http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?re s=F30914F93F540C738FDDAF0894DE404482

I would encourage all Truthdiggers to read Jeff Faux, “The Global Class War.” This is simply a continuation of the betrayal of American labor and the base of the Democratic Party that occurred when President Clinton joined with Reagan/Bush I in fast-tracking NAFTA and the WTO--devices which permitted the outsourcing of America’s manufacturing base as the remnant of American labor was increasingly Wal-Mart-ized. 

If America’s middle class wants to survive, it must wake up and right soon!  All of the so-called “leading” or “electable” candidates--Obama, Clinton & Edwards--are corporatists who, like Pelosi, will sell out the middle and working classes for the almighty corporate campaign dollars.  The “only” candidate advocating a repeal of NAFTA and the WTO is Dennis Kucinich.  Encourage everyone you know to watch or listen to Democracy Now, then direct them to Kucinich.us.

Everyone, all posters out there in TruthDig Land,

Tony B. is calling attention to something sponsored by the White House which is an attempt to grab power from the other two branches of our government.  I am not a Constitutional expert, far from it, but this looks like Bush’s attempt to grab power and maybe null any impeachment. 

Is Congress doing anything or is the White house calling the shots, who is in control?  We know how the White House feels about the people.

Thank goodness for Russ Feingold....I was dissapointed he didn’t decide to throw his hat in the ring for 2008. He certainly has exhibited one of the very few backbones in the senate. He actually appears to know why he is there...as opposed to Nancy P. , who seems more interested in playing a role as the first women in the number three position then in fixing things. The first edict outa her mouth was that impeachment was off the table. She is backass-wards, that should be the first order of buisness.

Some of us cynics out here have been screaming that Congress has been busy selling their soles to the highest bidders. Not really happy about it, and hope Congress proves me wrong.