Thanks, just recently stumbled onto Taibbi, but I think I'll keep reading. - Edit 1
Before modification by Joel at 09/08/2011 02:20:05 AM
At least until I can reliably spell his last name. 
Yeah, pretty much. Obama positioned himself as the anti-establishment Dem during the primaries, an outsider still sufficiently young, idealistic and untainted by the DC machine to believe in the old school FDR/LBJ New Deal liberalism that Republicans have systematically eroded for going on two generations until we're nearly back where we were in 1929. Of course, that was all a load of hogwash even if the GOP is still doing its straight man bit by calling him a Muslim terrorist socialist with their every breath; turns out the "socialist" part is no more accurate than their other charges. It does, however, tell me one thing: If even the flaming liberal Democrat is just another right of center corporate Republican in Democrats clothing, even with 73% of the public saying they want higher taxes on people earning >$250,000 and 84% saying not to touch Social Security, neither I nor they have anything to lose by voting for the Greens. Worst case scenario it costs Democrats the election--which just means we get Republican policies from ACTUAL Republicans instead of Democrats. Best case scenario, one or both of the only two major parties we have disintegrates because the 1% of America they serve exclusively aren't enough to win an election.
Meanwhile, we keep pushing for Instant Runoff Voting so voting third party doesn't automatically elect a R/D you DON'T want, campaign finance reform (to put a stop to things like Romneys million dollar mystery donor) and public campaign financing so the two major parties aren't the only ones able to blanket the nation with ads, buttons, rallies, campaign offices and registration/get out the vote efforts. Ultimately, the only way to take our government back from the corporate cronies running it on behalf of big business (which consequently runs over everyone else) is the same as it always was: Get educated, get involved, get demanding and get back control.
So basically let's stop deluding ourselves in thinking we actually have as much control as we think we do on the American government and let's all finally admit it is the corporations that really run our government and who our dear politicians answer to not us.
Yeah, pretty much. Obama positioned himself as the anti-establishment Dem during the primaries, an outsider still sufficiently young, idealistic and untainted by the DC machine to believe in the old school FDR/LBJ New Deal liberalism that Republicans have systematically eroded for going on two generations until we're nearly back where we were in 1929. Of course, that was all a load of hogwash even if the GOP is still doing its straight man bit by calling him a Muslim terrorist socialist with their every breath; turns out the "socialist" part is no more accurate than their other charges. It does, however, tell me one thing: If even the flaming liberal Democrat is just another right of center corporate Republican in Democrats clothing, even with 73% of the public saying they want higher taxes on people earning >$250,000 and 84% saying not to touch Social Security, neither I nor they have anything to lose by voting for the Greens. Worst case scenario it costs Democrats the election--which just means we get Republican policies from ACTUAL Republicans instead of Democrats. Best case scenario, one or both of the only two major parties we have disintegrates because the 1% of America they serve exclusively aren't enough to win an election.
Meanwhile, we keep pushing for Instant Runoff Voting so voting third party doesn't automatically elect a R/D you DON'T want, campaign finance reform (to put a stop to things like Romneys million dollar mystery donor) and public campaign financing so the two major parties aren't the only ones able to blanket the nation with ads, buttons, rallies, campaign offices and registration/get out the vote efforts. Ultimately, the only way to take our government back from the corporate cronies running it on behalf of big business (which consequently runs over everyone else) is the same as it always was: Get educated, get involved, get demanding and get back control.