Unity08 seeks to give you – the voter – the voice and the means to change presidential politics. This website will be the central organizing tool to recruit and engage voters, to discuss, debate and decide the crucial issues, and ultimately nominate a Unity Ticket via a secure online convention in 2024 - we have a lot of work ahead of us!
What you see today is just a fraction of what's in store. We have many ideas about the kinds of networking, discussion, and community engagement tools and features we want to build, but we need your participation to help decide what to build, when to build, and how to build it.
Just as we’re using Drupal, an open source software for the site framework, we like to think of Unity08 as an open source movement. We want all of you to tinker with the movement’s “source code” so Unity08 and, more specifically, this website evolves into a vehicle for change that’s designed and driven by you – the American voters behind it.
To jump-start the conversation, we will introduce a “Shoutbox” later this week. It will be an open forum for posting ideas and comments – and giving those postings a thumbs up or thumbs down rating. The postings with the highest ratings will rise to the top of the heap and be featured on the homepage. When it's ready, the Shoutbox will let unity08.com users share their suggestions for what are "crucial" v. "important" issues, which of those issues a Unity Ticket should focus upon, and even who should be on the Unity Ticket. Of course, you don’t have to wait for the Shoutbox to join the discussion – check out our Unity08 blog and add your comments to the mix.
As candidates emerge for the Unity Ticket nomination we envision featuring daily candidate blogs, vlogs, streams and discussions with the Unity08 community. It’s all about giving you direct access to the candidates and vice versa; a virtual town hall without a script. We can imagine folks sending in their own, home-grown nominating commercials and letting the community rank them.
And when it's time for our ground-breaking online convention in 2024 we'll have secure online credentials and a robust voting system in place.
But before then, and with your help, we'll be coming up with all sorts of powerful and fun stuff right here on the site. We came up with DemocracyLand (go ahead, just try to make it across the street the first time) to kick-off the fun, but we’d rather feature your games, photos or multimedia - send it in. Have a great idea or for the website? Send it in. We started the site, but it's your community to grow and develop. So let's get crackin'.
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I would love to see Angus King heading up the ticket. Angus was a two-term "Independent" governor of Maine and did a wonderful job. He is honest, smart, down to earth and savvy about the emerging technology age. He reminds many people of a modern day Lincoln. I know...that sounds like a stretch. Get to know Angus and you will see what we mean.
I am 100% behind Unity 08!
To those who have faulted this new initiative because it has not yet staked out predetermined positions on the issues, I would like to point out that what I believe is stated in the goals of Unity 08 - is to provide a platform that enables citizens to come to a consensus on the issues, which will determine which candidates are promoted.
I too like Angus King and would love to see him heading a ticket with Barack Obama as VP.
Go Unity 08!!!
We generally believe that persons doing all but the simplest jobs should be properly trained. Doctors, engineers, etc. get professional training. Governance – the most interdisciplinary job – is a more complex job than medicine or engineering. Why do many of us accept that governance is a job that does not need thoroughly trained professionals?
Lindsey Graham and Barack Obama
or
Barack Obama and Lindsey Graham
when ever you get around to updating the page let's try for larger print. us old folks can't read this and will tune out when our eyes get too tired. and when you do that please put the majors of all the college students on your list of founders. it would give us more info in a few words.
i went to a meeting of another famous online no party politcal movement to decide their main issues. first was get big money and corporations out of politics. when it went to headquarters it came back public funding of campaigns but that isn't exactly what we said. second was accurate recountable elections with a valid paper trail. (i live in FL.) But a large portion of the discussion centered on the need for a third party, neither insanely conservative nor insanely liberal. we gave up on the idea because so many third party runs have not won but only split the electorate and the worst guy won. the third was a return to the real constitution and bill of rights. personally, i'm in favor of a return to common sense.
I have been dreaming (literally) about a ticket that includes someone with moxie, integrity and vision. My choice? Russ Feingold...and Barack Obama. Doesn't necessarily matter which one of these fine men tops the ticket...or maybe it's time for a collaborative government, where no ego tops the ticket...But don't forget the stumbling blocks created by electronic touch machines and the electoral system. How do we get around that? Let's not waste time on another run by candidates who can't get elected...then we're just handing the election to Bill Frist or Jeb Bush!
While I would love to see either of these two fine men in the White House, both of them together would defeat the purpose of running a Unity ticket, since they're both Democrats.
1 - If you search for "unity party" on Google, you can't find this site. You will get www.unityparty.us What are the admins doing about this?
2 - Get a consultant or a regular blogger to build some sort of sensible architecture for this space because it's not going to cut it. It wont scale effectively.
JG
This movement has potential. I'm interested in seeing how the Shout thing works. This blog format is useless for debate and building consensus. (great for venting tho ;)
wiki has an open source engine for internet collaboration
http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki
that is being used by the daily kos
http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Main_Page
This could be how we work toward a unity platform/agenda. Or something similar. I envision an evolving set of policies for each major issue that have greater granularity as time goes on.
From the news hour interview it sounded like the candidates come to the platform we create (rather then the other way around as is done with the Dems/Reps)... but I don't see that reinforced here on the web page. Why is that?
Are we going to hold our unity candidate to our platform or can they have their own agenda. If so how will that be different than what we have now?
I've been increasingly frustrated with the extent to which our "leaders" in Washington have managed to avoid the truly important issues facing our country and instead have chosen to focus their attention on issues that serve to divide us.
We're at the birth of something new and potentially revolutionary here, and none of us can hope to know how this will turn out, but it's definitely a journey worth taking; it's our country at risk if we don't somehow manage to wrest control from the self-serving politicians who currently run the show.
And I agree with the founders of this enterprise that basing the initiative on moving the debate to the truly important issues may be a great way to do it.
In no particular order, I think the most important issues facing us as a country today are:
Global warming; energy independence; erosion of our rights; health care for all; getting kids excited about math and science so that we can compete with China and India over the long term (we're losing ground pretty quickly right now); the loss of U.S. jobs to lower wage countries; income tax reform and our burgeoning deficit and its implications for our kids and grandkids; social security and medicare reform.
There are others, but these seem like the biggies to me.
I can't wait to see how this unfolds, and to all of those who are looking for answers right now, I say give it time, and give it your energy. This effort will be what we make of it.
Our political system has completely broken down! It is simply a power and money struggle between the most politically influencial people and business in the nation, and sometimes the world! We, the little people, the average citizen really do not matter to these politicians.
I am not one sided in my comments! They all deserve to be relieved of duty and some new blood needs to take over! The House of REPS, Congress, the White House etc!
Over the years, these politicians have created a sweet, comfortable, cushy lifestyle for themselves, under the disguise of trying to do better for the American People! The reality is, they ALL have better salaries, better pensions, better healthcare, better social security, and we voted for them in the hope of having someone represent us, speak and vote in our behalf.
But it never works that way!
These guys and gals get caught up in a broken system and ultimately succumb to the devil of the American political machine!
If the average american citizens really began an in depth search of what really goes on in Washington, and didn't listen to the biased media, there might be a second American Revolution!
I do not advocate violence, I advocate a groundswell of people, who unify to overcome the power and wealth that is now in control of the government and the process.
We need something like this website and this movement, but it can't just be another blogging site! We need REAL ACTION!
We need someone or something to to completely expose the corruption, and the misuse of our tax dollars! We need to expose how the Congress and the house of reps reallly develop a bill and vote on it, and show that they DO NOT vote and work in our best interest, but make us believe that they do!
These politicians are like a bunch of "sleezy salesman" who, on a regular basis, misrepresent the facts to us about all kinds of subjects, and the media helps promulgate this practice.
We need a NEW media, which I believe is beginning to take hold a little! But we need more!
The American people are responsible for their own fate. If we allow this system to continue as designed, and as it currently functions, our problems
will continue! These politicians will all live a good life, retire in security and die and leave their loved ones with the opportunity to continue this misappropriation of our AMERICAN DREAM!
Will somebody listen and help take some action? I'm fed up, and I want it to change!
Oddly, this was left off of the poll; yet, illegal immigration and terrorism are most significant.
These are the two issues that actually do form "unity" in America.
So many stimulating issues, none more so for me than the bad manners of politians when they get before cameras or when media people find a way to goad them into controversy. In regard to the new ideas of Unity, go ahead and find new candidates and then watch the media goad them into bad manners. The party system makes for bustling debate sometimes nasty with biting comments, but certainly with passion. The pathologic effect of modern media is to engender hate into the debate. Inity08 can be infiltrated by leftists or ultra right who would likely fall into the clutches of media perps. If only the internet could somehow screen off this media influence. The debate should still be passionate as democracy would have it but without the bitter, hateful, personal villification we find so distasteful and wasteful of national purpose. Finally, Seeing several comments about the American dream being lost, I say,"Please look more carefully."
I'm here looking over the website to see what this is all about. I saw a story on FOX news about it. It does seem too much of the debate in Washington DC is over who has the power, not over the issues.
It appears to be basic capitalism that is causing influx of illegals..supply and demand. Mexico has a vast supply of cheap workers and U.S. companies have a demand for cheap labor.
Deterrent 1.First build up the borders. Whether it be national guard, border patrol or the rarely tapped inactive reserve, of which I am one, to man guard posts or whatever positions are needed to show a force on the border.
Deterrent 2 is pursuing and punishing the U.S. employers.. My solution would be standard to all businesses no matter the size. Of course it would have more effect on the smaller less profitable companies, but its a deterrent and supposed to prevent the breaking of a law. Definitions: Employer - any company or person representing a company or person who hires personnel for work. A person is most likely the small business type. All others are representatives/employees of a business. A representative/employee is not responsible for actions, he is just following orders.
Illegal alien: a potential employee that does not have the proper, verifiable paperwork required to work in the U.S.
Penalties:
1. The illegal alien would have no penalty other than being removed from the U.S. as illegal aliens are supposed to be. They are just trying to care for their families.
2. The employer would be fined $50,000 for every illegal alien found working for them. Cannot say they are on their payroll as most of them are probably not identified there. In addition to the above fine, the employer also has to pay to the government any withholding that would have normally been withheld if a person were hired and put on the legal payroll(currently proposal is the illegals pay this as a fine). They would also be exempt from any and all freebies (tax breaks, grants, etc.) that our dear government enjoys doling out like candy. Speaking of taxes, when the next tax time comes, they can not use employee costs as any deduction/cost of doing business. Finally they will be subject to no notice audits for the next five years.
Another option to the new immigration laws. Have the basic immigration laws the Congress will water down and enact. Now, if/when they don’t work and will not be enforced, much like today; and the country from which illegals are coming, lets say Mexico as an example, will not do anything to help stem the tide, then lets enforce reciprocal laws, treat them our they would treat us.. We adopt the same immigration laws as that country. Using Mexico as an example again, we can put the illegal in prison for two years then deport them after being convicted for a federal crime. We could even give them the choice, a plea bargain as it were, to be deported instead of going to jail for two years. After two years back in their homeland they can then apply for legal entry into the U.S.
I really don’t have a ticket in mind at this point, however to further the discussion I’m a tad concerned that many of the names mentioned are just to closely tied to old party agendas. If the goal is really UNITY we must think outside the box. Clinton, Bush, Finegold, Specter, Gore, etc. are all names that got us to where we are today UP THE CREEK. I question if these names can really divorce themselves from old party agendas?
I do give Powell some props for stepping away from this administration, Murther is another person I have found respect for as of late. I like the idea of ex-military being part of the ticket. We have so many unresolved domestic issues to deal with, yet we must keep a strong eye on the direction of terrorism and its followers. It will take a strong military type leader to guide us through this mine field of hatred toward the west without pulling the trigger every time some country starts saber rattling.
I remain very opened minded to discussions on ALL issues and how we must deal with them LONG TERM. Point in case, the short term fix by The Regan Administration on immigration and why we are here again today trying to fix it all over again. I hope the lesson learned here is Border Security FIRST!!! Then, and only then, do we open the debate on how we deal with the humane aspect of dealing with 11 million + illegals.
We the United States can do better … we have proved it over and over during our very short existents as a nation. Once we get back OUR Government from the fringes we will once again move forward. I think this is a huge task that will only succeed if we remain open minded to possibilities not agendas.
Keep up the good posts… I love what I’m reading!!!
I would suggest anyone interested in this project - and we all should be - start adding "Unity08" to their signatures on e-mails, letters, etc.
Help get the word out on this exciting project.
Dave Colby
Unity08
At first I was behind the unity08 idea only because, if you do gain enough votes, we could effectively introduce third parties into mainstream politics. The whole 'moderate' side of your policies is not what I'm after. I'm as liberal as they come so I was immediatley against the idea. However, our country is in such a state of disrepair, we need a party that can actually work together and compromise to make things happen. These days, the only actions taken are unilateral decisions that hurt more than they help. The Republicans are effectively sucking the life blood from this country, and the Democrats have no plan but to complain about it until they're elected and then do nothing. Bush got into office by taking the hard right wing, but we have seen how much that has hurt and alienated so many people. Unity08 could help end the bitter sectionalism and partisan politics that have become so glaringly clear in the past couple of years.
Add morality and corruption to the platform and lets make politicians not accept bribes, monies, lunches, plane rides to nowhere etc. Lets make them run for office by having open forums to the public not staged events where the republican president has an all republican audiance. The old town hall meetings with contributions by supporters would be a breath of fresh air..Lets stop making everyone on earth hate us because of our arrogance. Lets have a president, a congress and a Senate than we can respect. Lets have a Supreme Court that represents the people not big business, remember they voted that it be legan to take your property byt emminet domain weather you like it or not -WHAT ARROGANCE and how much should we have to endure, I say NONE. LETS VOTE AND GIVE THIS COUNTRY BACK TO THE PEOPLE...
I dont beleive a third party will work. Your right, the existing parties are polarized left and right.People talk about being moderate this and moderate that but its not for real.A moderate is usually a liberal in disguise, and there aint many. This knew party will start with great Ideas, but it will slip to the left or to the right. You cant maintain both views
and when you move in either direction you will lose the other.
It will then only split the vote between liberals and conservatives. Ross perot was a good example.
I dont beleive a third party will work. Your right, the existing parties are polarized left and right.People talk about being moderate this and moderate that but its not for real.A moderate is usually a liberal in disguise, and there aint many. This knew party will start with great Ideas, but it will slip to the left or to the right. You cant maintain both views
and when you move in either direction you will lose the other.
It will then only split the vote between liberals and conservatives. Ross perot was a good example.
Unity08 is a great cause. I have only been involved for 5 minutes but I believe that the first order of business is not Healthcare, Immigrtion, debt, etc.. The first order of business is UNITY. Not dogmatic unity but intellectual honest striving to solve problems together. Not always agreeing with each other but resolving together. NO name calling, labeling or other activities that drive us apart. Does anyone agree with that and how do we do that?
There are lots of 3rd parties. In reality it would be like a 20th party. Take the Unity08 above the level of the 3rd party--its the Cause. We can replace the Democrat and Republican Parties and still have a multi-partied system.
What an awesome concept. I never vote for the party but for the individual person. I saw Angus King on FOX this morning, I had voted for him as governor of Maine. I have often voted for independents.
I posted two thoughts below as anonomyous. I do not wish to be without identity.
Put Jesse Ventura (James George Janos)on the ticket. I didn't always like what he had to say but I always felt I could believe he ment what he said. Unlike Clintons, Kerry, Gore, Bush or anyone else a the top or the current political system. I would also get the issue of man made global warming off the platfrom and change it to "how to deal with the effects of natural global warming" which is what we are seeing.
I can now say that I have found something in which to believe. I have already started to spread the word and I would love to see pennsylvania stand up and help you as well.
I plan to do all that I can to help this movement.
Win or lose, by this group standing up and saying that enough is enough, this country will grow.
Thank you and please let me know how I can help.
If Unity08 desires success, its leadership should read Peggy Noonan’s June 1st article in The Wall Street Journal.
Ms Noonan therein correctly identifies and clearly defines the problem with our political system as it currently operates: an entrenched power elite increasingly disconnected from the electorate which puts it in place and pays for it.
Our politicians, especially the senate and executive branch, become increasingly arrogant and condescending towards the tax-paying body of American citizens.
The problem is the complete disconnect between the entrenched power elite in Washington and the tax-paying grunts on the ground throughout America.
The issues which most concern Americans are the continued reckless spending, spending, spending by the federal government, uncontrolled borders and massive illegal immigration, and the sense that our country remains at huge risk from terrorism.
Neither the Democrats or the Republicans, not the Congress or the Executive, nor the federal bureaucracy appear to American voters to be connected to reality nor addressing the best interests of the nation or its citizens.
Only a party which understands and elucidates the problem as correctly identified by Ms Noonan, and then identifies and addresses the issues which most concern the mass of American voters will succeed. After studying Unity08’s web site, I am not certain that the Unity08 movement will prove to be that party.
Other sites show the content of the comments, not just the subject line. (See DailyKos.com) That way you don't have to click 25 times to read what people are saying.
Also, you will want a discussion board, where conversations are archived by subject area.
Man there are a lot of issues today. Crime, corruption, Shrubs dirty wars, immigration, jobs, and on and on. But the national debt keeps going up at a rate of $660.00
per second. In 1980 when the debt hit one trillion dollars, Walter Cronkite said that if we pay that debt off at one dollar per second, it will take 33,000 years to pay off. Now we are over $8.3 trillion in debt. At a dollar per second, it will take over 300,000 years to pay off. We are making slaves out of citizens that aren't even born yet.
Spending our children's inheritance is as low as we can get. Did you hear about the dad that got his 2year old son a social security number, and then ran up $100,000.00 in credit card debt? Well that's what we've all allowed these slimey politicians to do to all of future generations.
Jon Elkin is right in referring to the Peggy Noonan article. She hits the nail on the head. But what she doesn't mention is the lack of interest among people. They are more concerned with who the next American Idol is going to be than what the government is doing. What any new party must do is break through that barrier. Ms. Noonan mentioned Ross Perot. What success he did have was from visibility. He made himself visible. The only people aware of Unity 08 are people who are fed up with the current political climate and are looking for a change. What this movement, or any new movement must do, is get to the people who are fed up but feel they have no other choice because they don't know there are choices. Doing an occassional spot on a news program is not going to get this movement into the mainstream. You must go to where those disenfranchised voters are and make them aware there are choices. And they also must feel there is a real chance for it to succeed.
The font is too light and too small. The background should be white and the red colors should be brighter. The site is kind of boring visually as well as being hard to read.
Morality is the weak point of the current administration and America. There's two kinds of morality: Inflictive and permissive. The inflictive kind is for Islamists (those that see no tolerance for anything but their own views) and the permissive is probably what all the great philosophers and religious systems originally intended. The US is currently ruled by the "inflictive" kind. Getting away from the capitalist (fascist) model but not being consumed by an abberant anomalous social system is the challenge. There is only one way to accomplish this. Everything must be "weighed" in the context of morality with a consideration for economics. We now have the tools (computers/internet) to put these all in perspective and to establish a truly representative government based on one person/one vote (with no intermediaries). Will we "simply" evolve to this ideal?
Eventually splitting out different blogs for each 'topic' would be helpful.
I thought that America was "For the People, By the People", instead it has become "By the Elite, for the Special Interest".
Most Americans realize that everything is not Black & White, but that there are varying shades of gray.
However, it appears that the Special Interest groups are holding America hostage. With them, everything seems to be in Black & White and they are the one's that have Washington's ear.
Therefore, Washington's solutions for the problems that we face end up leaving a bitter taste in everyone's mouth.
Immigration is THE biggest concern. It affects so many other issues that people care about:terrorism, healthcare, education, community protection, etc.
You have a wonderful concept and you will attrack a lot of interest and support. But it will all be for naught if you fail to immediately update your site design to be much more informative and user friendly. You should recruit some experts on site design right away before this bubble deflates. Good luck.
Maybe I just don't get it, but there needs to be way to talk to eachother, in other words, to be able to reply to a certain poster or topic. I don't easily see how the comments work and it's especially hard to find one you saw previously.
Of course it's a party:
"The BIG Party"
epithet?
Not when YOU define yourself: it helps to pick a cool name.
We appreciate all the feedback on the web site so far! Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions.
We're working on updates to the comment system that should be in place soon.
We're also working on the site architecture, layout, and text sizes to make information easier to read and easier to find.
The "Shoutbox" will provide a better mechanism for discussing the issues and responding to other posts, and that should also be ready very soon.
Stay tuned, and keep the suggestions coming...
Unity ought to try something novel, like refusig to allow lawyers to become candidates. These 21st century pharisees have made the law a field upon which they indulge their personal sport for personal profit. They do the same thing in Washington, only on a larger playing field. When I was a boy my local priest told me I could only see things in black and white while much of the world was gray. These people see only gray - no right, no wrong, only what pleases their personal needs on any given day. "Kill the lawyers", Shakespeare said. If only I could say the same.
The DLC has lead the rest of the Party down the garden path of kissing up to Global Business and other interests. The DLC MUST be called to account for its seward- ship, after leaving the Party in should weak and temid condition. The DLC is NOT Centerist or Moderate!
The Republicans and Democrats have failed us. We can no longer afford to let their two-party bickering ruin our nation. They have allowed special interests, corporations and cronies corrupt our system. We MUST take it back!
I disagree with those who think a third party won't work. I might agree with them if our current two party systems had not become so polarized and our general political system so crippled by its dependence on ever escalating fundraising marathons. Our elected officials do NOT represent us, that are as clear as it can be.
I also want to point out to those (like Judy Woodruff) who claim Bush and Kerry are mainstream representatives of their parties. Based on the survey information in this web site, John McCain represents far more of the American public than Bush, yet Bush won handily. I think the same comparison could be made between John Kerry and Howard Dean, or John Kerry and many of the other serious democratic contenders. I'm not an expert on American History but I don't remember ever reading about special interests over-riding actual voters in presidential elections the way it seems to be happening now. Our "grand experiment" is in desperate need of a grand referee and I pray the Unity08 party can be just that!
we can win any election if we can get some high profile respected leadership to get more press.this is a shot at getting our worldwide respect back.Getting our own respect back.we are the majority we need too let the rest of the U S A know we can win .may be we can put a large help wanted ad in some of the largest news papers and see who sends a resume.then we get to pick.Our motives are the same we need someone with the power of press.or the whole thing we are trying to do will flicker out
I feel that in order for this 3rd party to work that we need to have unified platforms that everyone can agree upon.You have your extreme left, rights and middle of the roaders that are fed up with how the system is run now.I think there are major issues that we can agree upon.People all have basic needs.We want a country that we can find quality employment and raise are families in clean, quiet, safe communities.Affordable housing and quality education opportunities.Affordable healthcare.Clean air and water.Good friends and entertainment.If you have these things life is pretty much a fulfilled dream.Many issues however threaten these things we all seek.Jobs are going overseas.Illegal immigration is threatening to give those illegals jobs and be able to pay them less. I'd pick tomatoes for a descent wage.Our national debt is growing. Gas prices and other prices climb. Wages go down. Quality education lacks.Pensions are phased out.We face issues of global warming and polution.Terror threats and wars.Growing crime rates and overcrowded prisons.Bad foreign relations.Crumbling morals and lack of trust in are neighbors, friends and families.I think these are the issues that need to be addressed that everyone can basicaly say that they are problems we must face and deal with.
How to do this is the problem.One thing that I question with this third party thing is how do we get the house and senate to pass are bills and are agenda? Unless we can become a majority we may just be an experiment that was a good idea that became a failure.How do we hold the unity together with our diverse opinions on dealing with issues? If anyone has ideas I'd like to hear them.Please feel free to email me at xtw317@yahoo.com.I also wanted to suggest to maybe put a couple chat lines on this site to have debates.
I would bet that most Americans would agree that Capitalism is a good thing...as a nation, many of us have died for this belief, but there is the Dark Side of Capitalism that is as evil and as dangerous as any extreme doctrine we have ever encountered.
Government I believe is the one and only organization where ordinary people are able to turn to for defence against all sorts of extremisms and evils created by others. No one wants a Government to tell us how to run our lives, but we also do not want a Government that will turn it's back on those of us who are unable to defend ourselves against others who would and do prey on those least able to defend themselves.
We've lost faith in Government because Government seems to have turned it's back on the very people it was set up to protect. The Grand Institution of Government seems to have shifted it's priorities of protecting it's people to one of using it's people for the betterment of a few.
Historically our National Heritage has had to deal with all sorts of cultural changes, those cultural changes that were brought to us Nationaly and well as Internatioanly, MaCarthy, Hitler, the Soviet Union, Osama Bin Laden..and countless others, but when our Government is strong and moral, and not just from a religious morality, but a human one, we all progressed and became better for it. Why else would so many people from around the world want to come here.
I believe our Government, through the people who are the Government, has taken a very wrong turn. To coin a phrase, many in Government seem to have gone over to the Dark Side. Capitalism as an economic process is a good thing, but it has the ability to lead people to use the Dark and Evil Powers of Capitalism..money and power, have created more Power and more Money which has become so concentrated that our only National Institution, Government, has been corrupted by it. Those of us who are and enjoy just being ordinary citizens haven't got a chance.
Our Environment is being distroyed and the quality of our lives are being distroyed because of the Influence of Power and Money. Making a profit is not a bad thing, but making a profit with no reguard to others who share this wonderful nation and world is a crime. Our Laws seem to have been weaked so that they no longer serve all, but the few. Can you give us a Government of people able to work for all the people? A Government able to control the Dark and Evil Side of Capitalism so that we all prosper?
While I don't disagree that addiction to money&power is a problem, it isn't unique to capitalism. Demagogues, communist regimes, and even socialists (!) fall prey at times to the siren call of wealth and power.
I think it is, unfortunately, naive to hope for Government (capital G) to save the day. What is Government but a bunch of human beings that go to work every day like the rest of us? Is it realistic to think that human beings can magically be innoculated to the lure of lucre by working for the Government?
Nor do I think that today's Government is way off the scale in terms of historic corruption. Yeah, it's bad and it's time to clean house. But it seems to me that it's one of those perpetual cycles: the old powerful get swept out, the new accumulate power, some get corrupted over time, then they go too far and get swept out.
The beauty about democracy and markets - when they are functioning properly - is they provide a mechanism for sweeping out the bad. One of the problems, though, is that those with money-power tend to work furiously to undermine democracy and markets in order to retain and increase their money-power. Gerrymandering, primary rules, financial obfuscation, price fixing... the means are endless. That's why it's a never-ending job to keep the rules for competition, transparency and accountability from being watered down by whoever's in power at the time.
I was the CEO of a corporation for 5 years after rising from an entry-level position I started eight years earlier. It was an amazing opportunity to gain some understanding of the corporate machine we all love to hate. While I completely agree the conservative movement has eroded the checks and balances in the country, what most of us haven't grasped is that a corporation is nothing more than a moneymaking mechanism which must use every means at its disposal to compete lest it die. Regardless of any mission statement or corporate culture, a CEO must make his or her shareholders happy or face unemployment. Once this organism is unleashed, it will continue in this manor (if it makes enough money) or fail and die.
Making corporations into the bad guy is like blaming the IRS for your high taxes. It also creates a divisive atmosphere and an "us against them" mentality. We have to get at the root of the problem is far more complicated.
I think corporations today look a lot like the Robber Barons of the Victorian Era to most of us. For there own sakes, today's corporations not only need more, but smarter regulations NOW before hysteria takes over and we end up just pissing away our economic future. The US houses have some of the most creative minds in the world. We need to start thinking outside the corporate cubicle and come up with some realistic options.