Do we get the government we vote for?

How often do you hear:

We are getting the government we vote for?

People didn't vote for this kind of "representation" by choice. 

Big money has purchased these politicians their seats. 

Plus, when people do try to free themselves from the big money influence within the Democratic Party they are subjected to all kinds of the most vile verbal abuse and ridicule, and often worse; and when they then go outside of the Democratic Party searching and organizing for solutions it becomes even worse. 

I am not a Ralph Nader fan... however, what Ralph Nader was and is subjected to for having the courage to begin searching for a way out of this two-party trap is a prime example. 

Another example of the disgusting and shameful behavior of these Democratic Party bigots and bullies is the way they set out to malign, slander and defame Cindy Sheehan--- as long as her attack was against George Bush her activities were approved by Democrats; when she took on those powerful Democrats that repeatedly join with the Republicans in their war-making she was targeted in the most vile and vicious manner. 

Then you have Cynthia McKinney who was a very loyal Democrat for decades; but, because she was just as loyal to trying to make peace and solving the problems of racism, unemployment and poverty she was drummed out of the Democratic Party in a most disgusting display of racism using the most sickening kind of racist patronization. 

The most disgusting bulling and badgering I have ever seen and personally experienced in my life has come from the Progressive Democrats of America and the "Progressives for Obama;" just nasty and vicious. 

Not to mention the unrelenting red-baiting campaign I was subjected to by the Chair and leadership of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party who took the most unusual and undemocratic steps to remove me from my elected position on the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party's State Central Committee because I spoke out so vigorously in opposition to the Israeli killing machine and for a national public health care system funded by ending these dirty wars and taxing the hell out of the rich. These people announced at our precinct caucus meetings the place, time and the date of our Roseau County DFL Convention. Come the day of the convention where members of the State Central Committee are elected--- over 90 people are waiting in the cold for two hours for someone to open the door of the hall and for the 9 a.m. Convention to begin. At 11 a.m. the County Chair, Lee Soltis, pulls up and rolls down his window and says, "Oh, I am so sorry; I forgot to place a notice on the door that we changed the location. Oh well, nothing we can do about this now; about 15 of us held the County Convention. By; see you in two years." He rolled up his window and sped away.

Now, these are just a few examples of what people have to put up with.

But, here is an even better one---

At the Minnesota DFL State Convention where the nomination for Democratic candidate for governor took place, the State Chair, Brian Melendez, after weeks of calling Mark Dayton "crazy" for advocating "tax the rich to pay for public schools;" Melendez ordered the Sargent of Arms to throw Mark Dayton out of the Convention Hall! And if that wasn't bad enough, when Native American Indian and rank-and-file trade union activist, Greg Paquin, rose on the floor of the State Convention to place Mark Dayton's name in nomination before the convention delegates with over two-hundred delegates enthusiastically rising to second Dayton's nomination, Melendez ruled Dayton's nomination "out of order."

Well, Dayton went on to win the Primary Election over ten other candidates and he is now the new Governor of Minnesota. How many people would have subjected themselves to such an ordeal to get elected to public office? Not many.

We have a very corrupt and undemocratic political system in this country; in spite of all the boasts from some of the most corrupt and undemocratic politicians that we are the most democratic country in the world where anyone can grow up to become president... Oh, did I mention anything about how Barack Obama got elected by turning himself into the complete opposite of what he really is to get elected?

I would strongly disagree with the premise that we voted for what we are getting. If we got what we voted for we would have peace not these dirty wars in three countries with 15 million people unemployed; 90 million people living in poverty and millions without access to health care.

Something to think about this evening around the dinner table,

Alan L. Maki