The OWS Movement is, I believe, a true movement. Not just a protest, but a call for an overhaul of our whole system. We cannot reform the banks/wall street without at the same time reforming Congress. We cannot reform the Supreme Court's radical reich activism of "Citizen's United" without reforming the Congress.
So, how are we going to reform Congress? Well, we need a new type of public servant. That's right SERVANT. Not big 'pooh bah' who has secured a sinecure for s/he and her/his whole family and supporters and is looking to cash in on the gig. And get great health insurance and a great pension, by the way. (While at the same time, cutting the health insurance and pensions of the rest of the country!)
I look with great hope to the OWS movement. I hope that as part of their vision for change, there will emerge new young men and women who will see running for office as a way to HELP this country, not just their pocketbooks.
I call out to all those involved in OWS. WE NEED YOU. We need Citizen "NOT FOR SALE" Political Candidates!
Consider serving your country as a "NOT FOR SALE" candidate who will take a radically different view of public service, i.e. that it is not a route to wealth creation and job security and influence peddling but FRIGGIN PUBLIC SERVICE!!!!! Doing in your elected job what is GOOD for the country as a whole and its citizens, not just the good of the 1%, who have NO LOYALTY TO THIS COUNTRY. They are all globalized corporations and have no real patriotic tie to the welfare of the United States of America. Think on that!
We cannot make the type of changes called for by OWS without new blood in Congress, (I just don't think that the 'swinging door on Cap Hill' can be closed, or campaign reform actually take place while the same players are still playing the same game.) Except let's keep our national treasure, Sen Sanders, and some of our progressive caucus
We need new blood. OWS members your country needs you!
In order for Congress to make laws that protect and rebuild this country, protect the citizens against the stranglehold of corporations and wall street, we must get rid of Citizen's United.
The only solution I see for the Citizens United Trojan Horse that has been brazenly brought behind what remained of any political barriers and protections for the common man, is a formation of a new class of politician and a new political movement. OWS has risen up as the new political movement.
The only way to restrain this hideous mess we are in is for a rising up of patriotic Americans willing to radically change the way "business" is being done in Congress. These patriots need to start a new political movement.
Primarily, they need to pledge to be "Not For Sale," and back it up with some heroic career jestures. And we need to support them equally heroically by pledging our vote to them despite the Citizen's United crowd outspending them on campaigns.
In order to get out of the 'never-ending' maze of raising campaign financing, corporate financing, secretive deals and lack of disclosure, these candidates would need to walk away COMPLETELY from the corrupt system that seems to be untamable.
There seems to be no way to save our democracy and middle class in the face of the greed of the plutocrats and their puppets- most of the Congress. Except for one thing. If there was an uprising in this country and capable and qualified citizens agreed to serve in Congress or the Senate on the following terms.
THE UPRISING HAS COME WITH OWS. Now, let us issue a call to their ranks for a new type of public servant who will:
1. take an oath not to take any money other than public financing.
2. take an oath to keep their vote "Not For Sale"
3. make public (on a website) ALL their meetings, so that there is full disclosure
4. not spend ANY time fundraising while in office- rather spend their time 24/7 doing the people's business
5. agree not to run for more than one term (or if more than one term under very strict and open conditions.)
6. agreed not to use their time in political office as a 'pass through' when they left to a more lucrative job with ANY industry/sector that was impacted by their vote in office
agree not to campaign for anyone else; eschewing the entire corrupt system of raising campaign funds.
7. agreed to vote on laws preventing the passage of bills in the middle of the night without time for review, being published online and comment. (Only exceptions, a time of war when we are attacked.)
Initially, this would be hard to do. However, if there were enough people who volunteered to take on this public service in this fashion, a coalition could be formed and a new political entity would emerge.
A political entity which would bypass all the sink holes and morass which seems to inescapably trap any politician going to Washington. The quid pro quo would now be where it belongs: between the voter and their elected representatives. The success for these politicians would depend on grassroots support, and so another movement can be formed: "The Not For Sale" Political Movement.
This cannot succeed unless we pledge our vote to them. We need to pledge that we will have their backs and that they don't have to spend all the huge amounts of money campaigning, but just the amount that public financing will allow.
Reform from within seems hopeless. It seems like such a waste of time to even try reform from within; it just ain't gonna happen. We had hopes for Obama but the Republicorps Spin and Propaganda machine has checked and probably, check-mated him. And by default, us.
We need a massive revolutionary movement against this rabid plutocracy and Republicorps which is determined to beat the middle class and poor into submission, with a new form of economic serfdom. And OWS has risen up as this movement.
We either start a political revolution now, or in decades to come, we may not even be able enter the political arena. That opportunity may be taken away, with bright Republicorps ideas such as allowing state legislators (read corporations,) to vote for senators, instead of the people. This is where we are headed, imo.
Folks, these are desperate times. Half measures simply won't work.
Desperate times need desperate measures.
We need a political movement and politicians who are "Not for Sale."
OWS IT IS YOU! YOU ARE THE ONES CAPABLE OF BEING THE 'NOT FOR SALE" CANDIDATES.
(note: the body of this diary is a reprint of a diary I wrote in 11/28/2010, under the title "Citizen "Not For Sale" Political Candidates." Maybe the time is ready for it now.)
I ask the community to consider these points and if you see any value in them, please improve on them and add your own contributions.