"Democrats love to decry money in politics when it comes to the Koch brothers or Elon Musk, but the billionaires who support Democrats are given a total pass and have a huge influence over policy."
''Corrupted by wealth and power, your government is like a restaurant with only one dish. They've got a set of Republican waiters on one side and a set of Democratic waiters on the other side. But no matter which set of waiters brings you the dish, the legislative grub is all prepared in the same Wall Street kitchen'' - Huey Long 1893 -1935
Editor's Note: Buzz Davis is a Vietnam era veteran and long-time Wisconsin peace activist, who now lives in Arizona. He sent this to me in an email and I suggested we post it in the comments and he agreed. In such difficult times, we need to talk and listen to each other. Peace, Buzz. -- MT
****
Hello All I watched the woman speak. I am glad she has figured out/learned what we are up against. I admit it is disheartening. But we must not let it be devastating. And I hope it is a real video not a fixed one.
I have been involved in Dem. politics since about the early 1970's, as a campaign helper, as a candidates 7 times and elected official, attending and leading many resolution efforts at WI state Dem. conventions, 30 years of leading a progressive group in my community etc.
There are three breeds of Dems.
1. The national and state level "leaders" in the Party which might more correctly be called "followers." These are people who follow orders from HQ. And the HQ are in executive suites.
2. The thousands of persons who help Dem county organizations and then those fewer (hundreds) who attend the state conventions. These are the people who are the "good" Democrats as I would call them. These are the good card carrying Dems who do all the work and give the party energy.
3. Then we have the thousands of citizens who help or attend the Dem. candidates events, lit drops, calling, etc. Nearly all of these people are the non-card carrying Dems. These are the people who would never dream of paying dues to such and organization that has so much rot and power playing.
4. Lastly, we have the people who end up voting Dem hoping to elect good people. These folks vote Dem for decades but decide they really don't want to get involve more. Their attitude is kind of like I appreciate the people who work so hard 7 days a week to keep our sewer systems working to get rid of human waste but I don't want to have anything to do with that municipal sewer system myself. That is what many think of political parties.
In world history as I have read it and seen operations in my own life as a military officer, in grad schools, as a government worker, as an elected official, as a union leader humans are just humans. Some are fantastic, most are good or trying to be good, most know which side of the bread in buttered, a few are massive liars, some are ass kissers, some are killers, and the best do NOT -- 98% of the time rise to the top.
Our system is rigged for those with wealth and therefore power when they use that wealth to spread it around to get their power.
We know what needs to be done to repair our democracy and our governments, our corporations, our schools, our unions, our communities, etc. We must keep on trying to do the best we can with these living things called human beings.
Money tends to corrupt. We have removed most of the money from campaigns with public financing of campaigns. Each of these reform efforts get crushed by the legislatures and interest groups.
There are many other "reforms" and many work and some sort of work. But those in office and special interests (the rich and the corporations, etc.) kill the reforms as best they can. And they usually can.
The multi party system is used in many democracies and that system also has it pitfalls when too many parties start cutting up the turf. like 4 or 6 or 7 parties (Italy, eastern Europe, Germany, etc.).
As they say the grass is always greener on the other side of the street --- until you get there.
But all that said, we are at or near the bottom of the pit with our present democracy.
Oh, where are the Fighting Bob LaFollette Progressives of the late1800's when both parties were run by corrupt political machines and the Progressives Fought Back and made many reforms????
Well you are they ---- if you fight back!
In WI we got Sanders like 57% of the Dem primary vote for president in 2016. The "people" understand what needs to be done and they voted for him/reform. But then the corrupt sleaze folks take over with their tricks and money tricks and media tricks and people like Clinton "win." And then people like Trump win.
What will happen Nov. 5th --- no one knows........ a peace transition of power or insurrection or civil disturbances and deaths. I do not know.
Most democracies have been corrupted and broken by greed, wealth, lying etc. over history. Athens democracy lasted a 100 or 200 years as did Rome's democracy (both built to run empires and based upon slavery and serfdom with only a few select good people citizens who could vote. Does it sound like American in the late 1700's and 1800's?? Yes you are right.)
We are each human and some days we are wonderfully human and some days despicably human.
Personally I would like to vote for Jill Stein. BUT for myself I try to look to the future and think what is best to do so that maybe the little kids living today can grow up to fight back better than we have. And with out the crummy system called democracy, you and I will find out what it is like to live in most of the nations of this world. Kings, queens, dictators or presidents for life, communism, religious systems just do not work though all those systems have had bright spots. But mostly they all have down sides with crush most of the people.
So I will stick with the present slop we call democracy in America. But please remember the slop is at the top and not so much in most other places in our democracy.
As Studs Terkel says Hope Dies Last. So keep up the hope or we and you are finished.
Peace! Buzz Davis, member Veterans for Peace in Tucson
Mr. Muddles, please explain to me why you are sycophantly implanting your ears up Kamuddles backside without fighting for yourself and all you stood for ...at least during the tenure of FDR? Aren't all your bumps and bruises informing you that maybe it's time to stop being pummeled by greedy, ignorant, soulless folks who are, 'the better of two evils?' How will you live with yourself if the war in Ukraine and the Gaza genocide continues, should Kamuddle win? How much do we compromise our soul just because she is a more tolerable evil? I need that explained to me. Please. Because there is an option for those with a conscience and a soul and true love of America ..... we don't accept that those two clowns for candidates are the best we have to lead us toward 2030 and all that that means; BRICS, Nuclear War, Climate Crisis, Water Wars. We must all think critically now because Washington D.C. is not.
Oh, Thomas, sure I get a few bumps n' bruises from falling down to kiss ass. And I farted away any last scrap of morality and soul, dignity and conscience long, long ago, but -- OMG -- the MONEY!!!
I mean WOWZER!!!
The biggest job I have every day is stuffing checks and concert tickets and gift certificates for child traffickers down my pants. I have to wear long underwear to stuff all the goodies in on the days when the Zionist lobbyists are scheduled.
As for soul, conscience and love for America? How cute. We sold off that crap long, long ago.
And as for Kamuddle or Trump, no worries. It's the system, not the stupid little candidates. They are like a department manager at Walmart.
Wow! So NOT the party of the working class.
Hasn't been since Bill Clinton and NAFTA and his export of manufacturing jobs to Mexico.
I recently did a cartoon on the one BIG difference between the Dems and GOP: https://mark192.substack.com/p/cartoon-the-big-difference-between
Yup. You nailed it in that cartoon, Mark. It's like the Liberals and Conservatives here in Canada.
Thanks ...the corporate blob is taking over.
USA is owned by the AIPAC Zionists.
What a surprise!
''Corrupted by wealth and power, your government is like a restaurant with only one dish. They've got a set of Republican waiters on one side and a set of Democratic waiters on the other side. But no matter which set of waiters brings you the dish, the legislative grub is all prepared in the same Wall Street kitchen'' - Huey Long 1893 -1935
And the meal is cat turd stew.
Saw this today....good young woman. IF only more would speak out.
Editor's Note: Buzz Davis is a Vietnam era veteran and long-time Wisconsin peace activist, who now lives in Arizona. He sent this to me in an email and I suggested we post it in the comments and he agreed. In such difficult times, we need to talk and listen to each other. Peace, Buzz. -- MT
****
Hello All I watched the woman speak. I am glad she has figured out/learned what we are up against. I admit it is disheartening. But we must not let it be devastating. And I hope it is a real video not a fixed one.
I have been involved in Dem. politics since about the early 1970's, as a campaign helper, as a candidates 7 times and elected official, attending and leading many resolution efforts at WI state Dem. conventions, 30 years of leading a progressive group in my community etc.
There are three breeds of Dems.
1. The national and state level "leaders" in the Party which might more correctly be called "followers." These are people who follow orders from HQ. And the HQ are in executive suites.
2. The thousands of persons who help Dem county organizations and then those fewer (hundreds) who attend the state conventions. These are the people who are the "good" Democrats as I would call them. These are the good card carrying Dems who do all the work and give the party energy.
3. Then we have the thousands of citizens who help or attend the Dem. candidates events, lit drops, calling, etc. Nearly all of these people are the non-card carrying Dems. These are the people who would never dream of paying dues to such and organization that has so much rot and power playing.
4. Lastly, we have the people who end up voting Dem hoping to elect good people. These folks vote Dem for decades but decide they really don't want to get involve more. Their attitude is kind of like I appreciate the people who work so hard 7 days a week to keep our sewer systems working to get rid of human waste but I don't want to have anything to do with that municipal sewer system myself. That is what many think of political parties.
In world history as I have read it and seen operations in my own life as a military officer, in grad schools, as a government worker, as an elected official, as a union leader humans are just humans. Some are fantastic, most are good or trying to be good, most know which side of the bread in buttered, a few are massive liars, some are ass kissers, some are killers, and the best do NOT -- 98% of the time rise to the top.
Our system is rigged for those with wealth and therefore power when they use that wealth to spread it around to get their power.
We know what needs to be done to repair our democracy and our governments, our corporations, our schools, our unions, our communities, etc. We must keep on trying to do the best we can with these living things called human beings.
Money tends to corrupt. We have removed most of the money from campaigns with public financing of campaigns. Each of these reform efforts get crushed by the legislatures and interest groups.
There are many other "reforms" and many work and some sort of work. But those in office and special interests (the rich and the corporations, etc.) kill the reforms as best they can. And they usually can.
The multi party system is used in many democracies and that system also has it pitfalls when too many parties start cutting up the turf. like 4 or 6 or 7 parties (Italy, eastern Europe, Germany, etc.).
As they say the grass is always greener on the other side of the street --- until you get there.
But all that said, we are at or near the bottom of the pit with our present democracy.
Oh, where are the Fighting Bob LaFollette Progressives of the late1800's when both parties were run by corrupt political machines and the Progressives Fought Back and made many reforms????
Well you are they ---- if you fight back!
In WI we got Sanders like 57% of the Dem primary vote for president in 2016. The "people" understand what needs to be done and they voted for him/reform. But then the corrupt sleaze folks take over with their tricks and money tricks and media tricks and people like Clinton "win." And then people like Trump win.
What will happen Nov. 5th --- no one knows........ a peace transition of power or insurrection or civil disturbances and deaths. I do not know.
Most democracies have been corrupted and broken by greed, wealth, lying etc. over history. Athens democracy lasted a 100 or 200 years as did Rome's democracy (both built to run empires and based upon slavery and serfdom with only a few select good people citizens who could vote. Does it sound like American in the late 1700's and 1800's?? Yes you are right.)
We are each human and some days we are wonderfully human and some days despicably human.
Personally I would like to vote for Jill Stein. BUT for myself I try to look to the future and think what is best to do so that maybe the little kids living today can grow up to fight back better than we have. And with out the crummy system called democracy, you and I will find out what it is like to live in most of the nations of this world. Kings, queens, dictators or presidents for life, communism, religious systems just do not work though all those systems have had bright spots. But mostly they all have down sides with crush most of the people.
So I will stick with the present slop we call democracy in America. But please remember the slop is at the top and not so much in most other places in our democracy.
As Studs Terkel says Hope Dies Last. So keep up the hope or we and you are finished.
Peace! Buzz Davis, member Veterans for Peace in Tucson
Mr. Muddles, please explain to me why you are sycophantly implanting your ears up Kamuddles backside without fighting for yourself and all you stood for ...at least during the tenure of FDR? Aren't all your bumps and bruises informing you that maybe it's time to stop being pummeled by greedy, ignorant, soulless folks who are, 'the better of two evils?' How will you live with yourself if the war in Ukraine and the Gaza genocide continues, should Kamuddle win? How much do we compromise our soul just because she is a more tolerable evil? I need that explained to me. Please. Because there is an option for those with a conscience and a soul and true love of America ..... we don't accept that those two clowns for candidates are the best we have to lead us toward 2030 and all that that means; BRICS, Nuclear War, Climate Crisis, Water Wars. We must all think critically now because Washington D.C. is not.
Oh, Thomas, sure I get a few bumps n' bruises from falling down to kiss ass. And I farted away any last scrap of morality and soul, dignity and conscience long, long ago, but -- OMG -- the MONEY!!!
I mean WOWZER!!!
The biggest job I have every day is stuffing checks and concert tickets and gift certificates for child traffickers down my pants. I have to wear long underwear to stuff all the goodies in on the days when the Zionist lobbyists are scheduled.
As for soul, conscience and love for America? How cute. We sold off that crap long, long ago.
And as for Kamuddle or Trump, no worries. It's the system, not the stupid little candidates. They are like a department manager at Walmart.
But not as powerful.
"KA-CHING!!!"