Comments on: Wake Up America! https://commonsenseworld.com/wake-up-america/ Thoughts on Politics and Life Tue, 24 Jan 2017 17:22:21 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.32 By: Ken Grandlund https://commonsenseworld.com/wake-up-america/#comment-1094 Wed, 25 Jan 2006 06:09:00 +0000 http://annafiltest.wordpress.com/2006/01/16/wake-up-america/#comment-1094 (response)

mindthaw- I hear what you are saying, but i think that it is the bureaucrats who actually keep the nuts and bolts running, not necessarily the politicians. Both need some fixing, but the bureaucrats take primary direction from the elected officials. Replacing the officials would not result in a meltdown necessarily, only a serious refocusing.

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By: Mindthaw https://commonsenseworld.com/wake-up-america/#comment-1093 Mon, 23 Jan 2006 23:30:00 +0000 http://annafiltest.wordpress.com/2006/01/16/wake-up-america/#comment-1093 …No doubt you see that the immensity of the task of governing a colossus like the U.S., on all it’s levels, with all it’s interests, is undoubtedly the most complex undertaking in the history of mankind. A large scale retooling of the leadership component is unspeakably difficult and fraught with immense risks. The intent of my first comment was more along the lines of a reality check than a disagreement on principal.
Speaking in terms of a “they” that have brought on our problems, and a “they” that ought to be replaced in order to fix things, may lead to perpetuation of an over simplified approach, and in turn an over simplistic response, to current opportunities to actually contribute to solutions.
The system of government(s) molded by the Constitution anticipates the need for periodic assessment of leaders as individuals and it is in this capacity that informed citizens are needed, and will continue to be needed, regardless of which individuals attain “power”. My fear is that honorable, qualified, and independent thinking people that are now in office will be cast in the same light as corrupt, inept, or beholden puppets. When you lump all politicians together you make almost futile the struggles of each, to overcome resistance to change, to keep their ego in check, to educate themselves thoroughly about matters they deal with, and even to break from the herd (as you so rightly highlight as necessary at times).
A small, but often decisive, portion of the voting population, may be off on the sidelines advocating wholesale replacement of leadership, while some brilliant, moral, inspired candidate is loosing narrowly to a slime-ball power freak, simply because the former chose the only heretofore realistic path to winning an election. Yes, I agree there are plenty of good people in our society that might be able to resist the many insidious forms of corruption that haunt the hallowed halls, but be careful you don’t throw out the ones that spent a lifetime learning how government works and battling heavy odds to get to a position where they actually contribute, just because the creep next to them sold out.
If you replaced them all tomorrow, you would send the nation, and the world, into a tailspin, and would have no alternative way to prevent the new batch from rotting soon enough.
Advocate for strengthening and enforcing accountability measures. Promote people you have witnessed demonstrate a resistance to corruption. Assail those in power that shun the light of public scrutiny. But for goodness sake, don’t thin the ranks of responsible voters by over simplifying the challenge of keeping the hounds of chaos at bay.

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By: Ken Grandlund https://commonsenseworld.com/wake-up-america/#comment-1092 Mon, 23 Jan 2006 06:11:00 +0000 http://annafiltest.wordpress.com/2006/01/16/wake-up-america/#comment-1092 (response)

Mindthaw- I don’t advocate for a third party. I advocate for independent, non-affiliated representatives who have honor and integrity. Having honor and intergrity also presumes that one would voluntarily relinquish the reins of power if one felt that power beginning to corrupt said honor. There are plenty of non-politicians who could fit that bill if given a real opportunity. Let’s find and support them.

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By: Mindthaw https://commonsenseworld.com/wake-up-america/#comment-1091 Mon, 23 Jan 2006 03:06:00 +0000 http://annafiltest.wordpress.com/2006/01/16/wake-up-america/#comment-1091 I certainly agree that there are many problems with our current government, but I’m a bit amazed by the ease with which many find hope in a “new” party. There is simply no reason to think there will be a different species of politician elected, regardless of what the name of the party is. There is not some reliable source of “new” people that can be counted on any more than the ones we’re getting now.
There is no us and there is no them, many of those that decry current leaders would fair far worse under similar pressures. Learn about the leaders you’ve got so you know which should be dumped and replaced, and which saved, in any party. A third party might be a good thing, but don’t expect the inevitable tendency for power to corrupt to somehow bypass the new party

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By: Ken Grandlund https://commonsenseworld.com/wake-up-america/#comment-1090 Fri, 20 Jan 2006 06:08:00 +0000 http://annafiltest.wordpress.com/2006/01/16/wake-up-america/#comment-1090 (responses)

Chromatius- What’s the deal? Have you got a book of Vidal quotes handy for any topic? (Just kidding..)
It is true though, that words are used not to confuse the electorate that is already paying scant attention. Thanks for the comments.

Stacy- Absolutely agree with you here. The system is really just a single party with a split personality. Thanks for dropping by.

Angel- Good to hear from you again. And yes, the whole health care debacle, from the federal programs to private insurance is a looming crisis we’ll have to address soon. Where are the leaders we so desperately need to take a stand for common sense, regardless of how popular it is with the corporations who profit off of the misery of the sick and the fear of the healthy?

Bob- Thanks for the link up on your site. Always appreciated. The answer lies in having independent candidates who will go meet the people instead of relying on the MSM to do their campaigning for them. Certainly the current crop of legislators aren’t shaking many hands that don’t contain checks or freebies. I think if people could actually see someone out there stumping for them it could make a difference. And yes, some well placed activism towards a media culture that caters to the status quo could be a big help too. Ready to knock on some doors inyour neck of the woods?

Pirano- Sounds like things are at least affordable where you are now. I assume that the actual care is of good quality as well? On a personal level, I have a fantastic insurance plan through my employer, one that few people have. I pay no premiums for my entire family and have a modest co-pay. I even managed to find a decent doctor, but then I’ve yet to face any catastrophic medical situations for myself. (Ironically, the company I work for is actually based in Mexico.)
But just because I have a great deal going now doesn’t mean I always will, and most of my friends and family sure don’t have it as good as me. I understand that a problem in health care exists universally, and I would gladly pay more to make sure everyone else gets the same advantages I enjoy today. Thanks for stopping by and sharing another perspective.

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By: pirano https://commonsenseworld.com/wake-up-america/#comment-1089 Thu, 19 Jan 2006 21:25:00 +0000 http://annafiltest.wordpress.com/2006/01/16/wake-up-america/#comment-1089 Is there anyone even paying symbolic lip service to the health care crisis in the U.S.?

When I left the States a couple years ago, I was paying about $180/month (am self-employed) for a fairly basic plan when I could finally afford one. Before that, I hadn’t been a doctor in years. Here in Slovenia, I have the most basic mandatory national health insurance, a plan that costs me about $17/month. I made a trip to the emergency room last week; when I checked out, the bill for my two hour stay along with several tests totaled less than $5. My co-pay for a prescription was less than a buck. A follow-up visit to the doctor amounted to another $4 out-of-pocket.

Sure, taxes are higher here, but, it seems to me, that you also get something for those taxes.

Cheers!

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By: Bob P https://commonsenseworld.com/wake-up-america/#comment-1088 Thu, 19 Jan 2006 08:22:00 +0000 http://annafiltest.wordpress.com/2006/01/16/wake-up-america/#comment-1088 Once again, Ken, a thorough and thoughtful essay with a conclusion that’s right on the money. I’ve believed for some time that the interests of the people are no longer represented by either political party, and I couldn’t agree with you more that the time has come for a change.

The big question, to me, is how the American public can be convinced of the viability of a third-party candidate, without the acknowledgement and visibility given “the big boys” by the mainstream media? Case in point: In November, we in the Garden State had a little election for Governor. Naturally, 99.999 percent of print and TV coverage, both positive and negative, was spent on the major party candidates, one a Democrat with still-unanswered questions of corruption in his official closet, the other a faithful Republican disciple of the Church of Saint George.

And what was lost on the citizens of New Jersey was that the selection of either would simply mean more of the same kind of disconnected, ineffective government. With slightly varying hues, yes, but nothing of advantage to the citizenry.

What was also lost – primarily because very few actually knew – was the fact that an Independent candidate was clearly the best choice, both for his lack of previous involvement in the dirty political game, and for the intelligent, innovative ideas he espoused. And so, without the money or connections to have an equal amount of public exposure, guess how many votes the best man for the job received…

Mine – and about 5 others.

OK, I exaggerate for effect. But it flabbergasted me that in the midst of an era in which distrust of “politics as usual” is a subject on which most Americans seem to agree, when given a chance to make a difference my fellow state citizens opted for… politics as usual.

Unless the print and television industries as a whole demonstrate more of a willingness to present third-party candidates equally, seriously, and respectfully, instead of as some fringe element hardly worthy of notice, a timid and/or apathetic populace will continue to view their vote as “wasted on someone who doesn’t stand a chance.” Perhaps that’s where the initial thrust of our grass-roots activism should be focused – a campaign to get the media itself to devote more airtime to this vital issue, to agree to wider exposure of independent office-seekers, and, by doing so, to legitimize the very idea of a third party in the minds of the public.

Thanks again for a great post.

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By: stacy https://commonsenseworld.com/wake-up-america/#comment-1087 Tue, 17 Jan 2006 19:54:00 +0000 http://annafiltest.wordpress.com/2006/01/16/wake-up-america/#comment-1087 The two party system is really a one party system and they have made it virtually impossible for a third party to prevail. Until people wake up and realize both parties have been bought and sold by big business, mainstream America will continue to be the big losers.

Unfortunately the mainstream media is one of those big businesses which has been bought by those in power. And thus, as long as Americans rely on them for news, they’ll never get the facts.

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By: Angel https://commonsenseworld.com/wake-up-america/#comment-1086 Tue, 17 Jan 2006 19:50:00 +0000 http://annafiltest.wordpress.com/2006/01/16/wake-up-america/#comment-1086 The Medecaid and Medacare thing really has me riled. I agree with you we could do without the currupt legislation.

Hey Ken,

Sorry been away for a while.

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By: Chromatius https://commonsenseworld.com/wake-up-america/#comment-1085 Tue, 17 Jan 2006 11:32:00 +0000 http://annafiltest.wordpress.com/2006/01/16/wake-up-america/#comment-1085 As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying it.

Words are to confuse, so that at election time people will solemnly vote against their own interests.

Gore Vidal (again)

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