Election 2012; the six-billion dollar presidential election… a perversion of democracy: Where do we go from here? By: Alan L. Maki
I'm not as disheartened by the election results as many
people are.
Jill Stein- Green Party, Rocky Anderson- Justice Party and Stewart Alexander- Socialist Party didn't get as many votes as we hoped they would but they have set something in motion--- political independence from the two Wall Street parties--- for which all liberals, progressives and leftists should be appreciative.
Never before, since 1948 and the onslaught of McCarthyism, have progressive alternatives had their voices heard as in this election. This has been an important victory we can build on--- if we seize the initiative in a united way. We have a base to work from.
Jill Stein- Green Party, Rocky Anderson- Justice Party and Stewart Alexander- Socialist Party didn't get as many votes as we hoped they would but they have set something in motion--- political independence from the two Wall Street parties--- for which all liberals, progressives and leftists should be appreciative.
Never before, since 1948 and the onslaught of McCarthyism, have progressive alternatives had their voices heard as in this election. This has been an important victory we can build on--- if we seize the initiative in a united way. We have a base to work from.
The American people were faced with two
"choices," Obama and Romney, both with the same Wall Street agenda
wrapped in different words by Madison Avenue.
I think these alternative campaigns will have
impact far beyond the votes these candidates (Rocky Anderson, Jill Stein and
Stewart Alexander) received.
What would be disheartening is if Stein,
Anderson and Alexander were to withdraw from their next responsibility---
helping to build movements to fight Obama and the Democrats and Republicans
explaining that Wall Street is our enemy. I don't think Stein, Anderson and
Alexander intend to shirk their responsibility; others appear ready to join
with us.
New Progressive Alliance (NPA) should ask Stein, Anderson and Alexander to announce they are coming together to put people to work through pressuring Obama to re-establish the WPA and CCC to assist the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
This could have the potential of forging the kind of people's unity capable of bringing together a grassroots response and alternative to Wall Street's agenda. Finance it all through a special temporary emergency "tax on the rich."
As part of this letter supporting this initiative we could ask the backers of these three parties to sign on to the letter, too. The candidates and their backers working together supporting and organizing around a short concise statement which should conclude the appeal explaining why this special temporary tax on the rich is needed because the Democrats and Republicans continue to squander the wealth of our Nation on wars in the same destructive way to our country as Hurricane Sandy.
New Progressive Alliance (NPA) should ask Stein, Anderson and Alexander to announce they are coming together to put people to work through pressuring Obama to re-establish the WPA and CCC to assist the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
This could have the potential of forging the kind of people's unity capable of bringing together a grassroots response and alternative to Wall Street's agenda. Finance it all through a special temporary emergency "tax on the rich."
As part of this letter supporting this initiative we could ask the backers of these three parties to sign on to the letter, too. The candidates and their backers working together supporting and organizing around a short concise statement which should conclude the appeal explaining why this special temporary tax on the rich is needed because the Democrats and Republicans continue to squander the wealth of our Nation on wars in the same destructive way to our country as Hurricane Sandy.
Poor people are the hardest hit victims of
Hurricane Sandy; people without jobs are going to be poor. Doesn't it make
sense to employ the poorest victims of Hurricane Sandy in the rebuilding of
their lives and their working class communities?
I still think we can't afford the luxury of
multiple progressive/left parties until we break free from the two-party trap.
Would the vote have been much better for these alternative parties had they
joined efforts and put forward one progressive alternative? Yes.
If we built committees in every congressional
district to back an initiative to bring back the WPA and CCC we would have a
good base to work from in future elections, too.
Press conferences, petitions, letters, demonstrations... kick it off with a letter jointly signed by Rocky Anderson, Jill Stein, Stewart Alexander and their running mates.
Press conferences, petitions, letters, demonstrations... kick it off with a letter jointly signed by Rocky Anderson, Jill Stein, Stewart Alexander and their running mates.
A big part of the problem we face is all the
confusion being spun through the mainstream media by the over-paid political
hacks and Obama apologists.
Keep it simple: re-establish WPA/CCC to help
the victims of Hurricane Sandy financed with a special temporary tax on the
rich.
Ask everyone who signs the letter to host
meetings of a few people in their homes using a conference call with Rocky,
Jill and Stewart as the catalyst to discuss how we move forward.
All this crap about how liberals, progressives
and the left are weak and feeble is not true. It is just as bad to put forward
the view that we are weak and feeble as those who used their liberal,
progressive and left views to promote Obama.
Barack Obama should be pushed to use his
Executive Order privilege to re-establish the WPA and CCC--- then daring
Congress to refuse the funding.
Now is no time to withdraw from struggle...
now is the time to kick our struggles up a notch.
Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council
58891
County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota
56763
Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell: 651-587-5541
Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net
E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com
A progressive program for real change...
* Peace--- end the wars and
occupations in Iraq, Afghanistan & Libya;
shutdown the 800 U.S.
military bases on foreign soil. No new Wall Street imperialist wars. End drone
attacks.
* A National Public Health Care System - ten million new jobs.
* A National Public Child Care System - three to five million new jobs.
* Re-establish the Works Progress Administration (WPA) - three million new jobs.
* Re-establish the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) - two million new jobs.
* Tax the hell out of the rich and cut the military budget by ending the wars to pay for it all which will create full employment.
* Enforce Affirmative Action; end discrimination.
* Raise the minimum wage to a real living wage based on all cost of living factors & indexed to inflation.
* What tax-payers subsidize in the way of businesses, tax-payers should own and reap the profits from.
* Moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions.
* Defend democracy by defending workers' rights including the right to collective bargaining for improving the lives and livelihoods of working people. Rescind “At-will” employment the main impediment to union organizing.
* Roll-back and freeze the price of food, electricity, gas and heating fuels; not wages, benefits or pensions; no more concessions.
*Defend and expand Social Security,
Medicaid and Medicare; repeal Obamacare which is nothing more than the “Health
Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of
2010.”
Wall Street is our common enemy.
How is Barack Obama's Wall Street war economy working for you?
Let's talk about the politics and economics of livelihood for a real change.
Let's talk about the politics and economics of livelihood for a real change.