Emperor's Rants and Observations

For those of us that haven’t already voted, we have a clear and fundamental choice to make on November 2, 2010 when we step into the voting booth.

Do we want a country that turns it’s back on the elderly, disabled, sick, poor, unemployed and our Veterans?

Do we want a country where the top 2% of Americans have record increases in their wealth while the middle class disappears and the poor are getting poorer?

Do we want a country where we give tax incentives for American companies to outsource jobs?

Do we want a country led by people who are more concerned about winning the 2012 election than they are concerned about fixing what’s wrong with our country today?

Do we want a country that is governed by hate, fear, anger, distrust and intolerance of others based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin and/or sexual orientation?

Do we want a country where groups fight against one another over slices of an ever decreasing economic pie?

Do we want a country with leaders that would turn back civil rights and dodge questions from the media?

Do we want a country that believes deficit spending is ok to fight wars but not ok to help our own?

Do we want a country where our government protects and defends multi-national corporations despoiling our air and water? Even going so far as to apologize to them when we try to hold them responsible?

Do we want a country that believes health care should be rationed to those that can afford it?

Do we want a country that would make children born in the US criminals?

Do we want a country that would require everyone to carry and present papers on demand of law enforcement officers to prove our legal right be here?

Do we want a country where financial institutions can act with impunity, gambling with other peoples money?

Do we want a country where unlimited amounts of corporate and foreign money flow into elections undisclosed?

Do we want a country that won’t invest in education?

Do we want a country that won’t provide funding for teachers, police and fire fighters.

Do we want a country that legislation is held hostage by minority representation for simple partisan reasons.

Do we want a country that will cut spending and jobs at a time when we are already experiencing high unemployment.

If we want that kind of country then all we have to do is vote for Republicans (or not vote), because that’s what they have promised to deliver if elected.

If that’s not the kind of country we want then we better show up to vote. We better talk to our friends and family and make sure they go vote. This is about what kind of country we want to have and it’s up to us to decide.

2. Campaign contributions restricted to individuals eligible to vote for the candidate. No cash or in kind contributions from ineligible to vote individuals or any entity including businesses, organizations, political action committees or political parties.

We live in a Constitutional republic.

A constitutional republic is a state where the head of state and other officials are elected as representatives of the people, and must govern according to existing constitutional law that limits the government’s power over citizens. In a constitutional republic, executive, legislative, and judicial powers are separated into distinct branches and the will of the majority of the population is tempered by protections for individual rights so that no individual or group has absolute power. The fact that a constitution exists that limits the government’s power makes the state constitutional. That the head(s) of state and other officials are chosen by election, rather than inheriting their positions, and that their decisions are subject to judicial review makes a state republican.

Nowhere in our Constitutions are there any mentions of political parties, special interest groups, political action committees or any other subset of individuals. It’s government and individuals. The rest is just BS that has evolved over time. Things like the two party system or primary elections, just happened in response to a vacuum left by the absence of enough individuals engaged in the system.

So it’s time for us to re-assert our proper place at the TOP of the organization chart, not the bottom. First thing first our representatives are, our individual representatives. My neighbors shouldn’t get to choose my dinner if they aren’t eating with me. My neighbors shouldn’t be able to influence the election of my representative if they can’t vote for my representative.

Anything that gets between the people and our government is an enemy of the people and our government. That includes, first and foremost, the Democratic and Republican parties. Simply because of their shear size and how intertwined they are throughout all levels of government. Oh, and no other party is any better or worse.

The cool thing, we don’t even need a law to make this happen. We just need enough of us to agree, and refuse to vote for anyone who is a member of any political party or has accepted/will accept donations of any kind from anyone/anything that can’t vote for them. Since independent voters outnumber both declared democrats or republicans this seems like a doable thing to me.