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Chapter 4
Taking Back Our
Democracy
The
Republican Party and the Democratic Party have both been unable or unwilling to make the
changes to our laws that are necessary to maintain our democratic system of government. As
a result, we are losing control to a small group of very wealthy corrupt capitalist and
their highly paid lawyers, bankers, money managers, accountants, and psychiatrists.
Sadly,
most of these corrupt capitalist are just inheritance rich spoiled brats who didn't do a
thing to earn the wealth they own. Many of them don't know what it's like to work a forty
hour week. They have not earned the right to lead this country and yet that is what is
happening.
George W.
Bush is their puppet, as are most, if not all, of the Republicans in Congress. His
leadership has not been what he represented it would be during the campaign in 2000. It
has not been what he said it would be in his State of The Union speeches. And it has not
been what he said in his infrequent press conferences. As a result, his leadership has
harmed America's workers, our government's institutions, our country's creditability, our
national security, our federal government's fiscal health, and our soldiers.
If we
allow this lack of honest political representation and wealth concentrating legislation to
continue our government will be completely robbed and bankrupted; our rights and freedoms
will be taken away by a small group of inheritance rich morons; our ability to move up the
economic ladder will be severely limited; and our standard of living will be sharply
reduced.
It is
time we do our duties as self-governors by exercising our constitutional rights and moral
obligations to overthrow these corrupt leaders. Then we can correct the weaknesses that
allowed these corrupt individuals to win political office, and we can begin to fix 30
years of rotten legislation produced by these whores.
These
changes won't require that anyone lose their jobs, except a few politicians and lobbyist,
or that any industries shut, except for the ones based on organized crime. In fact, these
changes will result in job creation and the birth of a number of new industries. The
overall effect will be extremely positive for average Americans and will happen quickly
and almost transparently.
Change is
often frightening but just try to imagine the horrible economic depression that will occur
for middle class families if we do nothing.
The first
thing we need to do is to get rid of our current national political leaders, by force if
necessary. All the current elected leaders in Congress have not necessarily violated the
letter of the law but many of them have clearly violated the spirit of the law. Since we
are a country based on the rule of law we need to fight these corrupt leaders so that we
can restore the rule of law. These leaders should be put on trial so it can be determined
which of them are guilty of treason, and many of them are.
Several
of our past presidents have suspended habeas corpus laws to protect the American people
and it will be necessary to do it again after we take back our government. Other parts of
the Constitution will also need to be temporally suspended until corrections can be made
and new leadership can be elected.
After the
current crop of corrupt officials are safely behind bars, or exiled out of this country,
we can begin the process of restoring the rule of law. The first and most important change
we should make is to the way we elect our federal leaders. We must get the corrupting
influence of big money out of the system and there are a few simple ways to do it.
Following
are some of the changes to the law we should make after we take back our government. The
first group of changes are mandatory changes that must take place if we are going to have
a democracy in America. The second group of changes are optional changes and will have a
very positive effect on our economy, society, and democracy. These changes are listed in
the order of their importance:
1.
Campaign Finance & Election Reforms
Currently,
no one in Congress represents middle class families and that is the opposite of how our
political system was designed to work. Following are the necessary reforms:
- Require public
financing of political campaigns.
- Limit the amount of
money that can be spent before the election, and the amount of time allowed for
campaigning before an election.
- Require that all the
major mainstream media companies provide free time and advertising space to candidates in
the weeks leading up to election day, and without commercial interruptions.
- Open the major
televised debates to third party and independents candidates who poll above 2%.
- Require that every
voting computer generate two paper receipts. One for the voter to take home and one for
the ballot box for audit purposes. Also, require random independent recount audits to
ensure accuracy.
Unless
these few simple reforms are passed into law none of the other reforms that follow will
matter. In fact, unless these election reforms occur first the other reforms will end up
being twisted and used to help the powerful and to screw everyone else.
2.
Political Reforms
Our
politicians are not serving us well and regardless of the poor quality of their services
they continue to vote themselves salary increases and take gifts from lobbyist. Following
are the necessary reforms:
- Members of Congress
cannot vote themselves pay raises over the average family income.
- Members of Congress
cannot accept any gifts, travel, or benefits from lobbyist before, during, or after their
public service.
- Members of Congress
should be paid bonuses up to 50% of their annual salary based on the % increase in the net
worth of the federal government, and the % increase in family incomes above inflation.
Remember all assets and debts owned by the federal government really belong to all the
citizens of America.
- Presidential pardons
must be ratified by a majority vote of the American people.
- Allow at least 3
days of study and debate before legislation can be voted on after it comes out of
committee.
- For something to be
declared a matter of "national security" is must be unanimously agreed to by the
Senate and the House.
- No-bid contracts
should be made illegal. Companies found guilty of illegal activities, over charging, or
not performing on their government contracts should be barred from all future government
contracts.
3.
Tax Reforms
Currently,
self-employed people making around $90,000 a year are the highest taxed people in our
society. This is unfair and it is the result of a corrupt campaign finance system. If we
are going to have a democracy, and a middle class, we are going to need to return to a
highly progressive income tax system. Following are the necessary reforms:
- Restore inflation
adjusted income tax rates and brackets to the levels they were at in 1963, for both
individuals and corporations. This would result in a big tax break for about 90% of the
American people.
- Create a temporary
excess wealth tax to correct past inequities in the tax code. This would only effect the
top .001% of taxpayers.
- Reform the estate
tax to exempt small farms and small businesses and then increase the top tax rates and
brackets to inflation adjusted 1963 levels. This would probably only effect the top 1% of
taxpayers.
- Remove the cap on
income subject to Social Security taxes. Exempt the first $10,000 in income from Social
Security taxes. Means test Social Security beneficiaries. Exempt all Social Security
income from income taxes. Increase Social Security benefits to a livable income amount.
The first item on this list would extend the life (solvency) of the Social Security system
into infinity, and means testing would save the system a huge amount of money.
- Tax offshore bank
accounts and U.S. based companies foreign sales just like they were domestic income and
wealth. No more offshore tax shelters or income hiding.
- Repeal NAFTA and all
free trade deals and restore trade tax rates to inflation adjusted 1963 levels. Withdraw
from the anti-worker WTO.
- Create a new
progressive tax for companies that shift jobs, factories, or other operations overseas,
and provide tax incentives for companies that move their jobs, factories, and operations
back to America.
- Increase taxes on
oil, gas, and coal and cut taxes for clean alternative like wind, solar, and hydrogen.
- Require greater
public disclosure about incomes, wealth, and taxes.
4.
Health Care Reforms
Good
health care should be a right not a privilege. Every American citizen regardless of
employment or income should have access to quality health care services. America is the
richest country in the world and we can afford the best health care system in the world.
Insurance and drug companies are currently gouging the American consumer and they are
getting away with murder because of laws passed by a corrupt Congress. Following are the
necessary reforms:
- Create a national
health care plan through the Medicare system that covers everyone for every possible
aliment or injury, including dental. Savings would result through bulk drug purchases and
economies of scale. This plan will be paid for through an sizable increase in the Medicare
withholdings tax, but it would eliminate the need for all other health insurance so a net
saving is possible. Healthy life style incentives can be provided by offering a lower tax
rate for healthy individuals and for people who participate in preventive health care
programs.
- Price fix medical
services and drug prices to limit the amount that can be charged.
- Increase penalties
for waste, fraud, and abuse of the Medicare system.
5.
Tort Reforms
Corporations
and wealthy individuals don't what to be held accountable for anything, ever, and yet they
want draconian accountability laws applied to everyone else. President Bush's tort reforms
are in the wrong direction. Following are the necessary reforms:
- Punitive damages
cannot be capped.
- Jury award decisions
are final and must be paid immediately.
- Jury tampering is a
capital offense and is punishable by life in prison.
- Trial Lawyers are
limited to 25% of all awards, settlements, or compensation.
- Jurors must be paid
at least $100 per day.
6.
Bankruptcy Reforms
Congress
recently passed a bankruptcy reform bill that prevents people from getting out from under
their debts, even if those debts are incurred as the result of a medical emergency,
natural disaster, or economic cycle. Slavery and indentured servitude are immoral and
illegal and yet that is what this legislation does. We don't want to fill our prisons with
people who can no longer pay their bills because someone in their family becomes ill, or
is the victim of a natural disaster or economic cycle. Following are the necessary
reforms:
- Repeal the 2005
bankruptcy reform bill.
- Limit the interest
rate credit card companies can charge.
- Require a 65 day
grace period before credit card companies can consider an account in default and thus
increase your interest rate or charge you a penalty.
7.
Immigration Reforms
Illegal
immigration has made a mockery of our immigration system. Illegal immigration is straining
our public services, and it is depression wages. Illegal immigration is a national
security and public safety issue. Following are the necessary reforms:
- Seal the southern
border from illegal immigration.
- Make illegal
immigrants leave America.
- Increase criminal
penalties for companies that hire illegal immigrants.
- Increase the limits
on legal immigration.
8.
Illegal Drug Reforms
Making
any type of drug illegal is a recipe for creating criminal organizations. We saw this
happen when alcohol was made illegal through prohibition in the 1920's and we are seeing
it now with marijuana and cocaine. The current war on drugs in America is very costly and
has had minimal effect. Following are the necessary reforms:
- Legalize and
regulate all substances. Make the very harmful and highly addictive substances available
only with medical supervision by a licensed doctor.
- Allow marijuana be
sold and taxed just like beer and wine.
9.
Military & Intelligence Reforms
The most
important job of the federal government is to make sure the American people are safe and
secure physically, economically, and socially. It can do this job without costing all of
us an arm and a leg, and without taking away our civil liberties, rights, and freedoms.
The military-industrial complex has been feeding at the trough of a corrupt government and
as a result the fraud, waste, and abuse in the system are rampant. Following are the
necessary reforms:
- Eliminate the CIA
and NSA and shift all intelligence operations into the defense department.
- Cut the size of the
FBI in half and delegate most FBI and Homeland Security operations to state and local
governments.
- Remove all policing
powers from the ATF and turn that organization into a collections and watchdog agency.
- Expand the TSA to
inspect all flights, ships, trains, and trucks coming into this country.
- Cut all military
defense department budgets in half until we have a clear need for their services to fight
a major war. This will save taxpayers almost $250 billion dollars a year.
- Require one year of
mandatory military service for all people between the ages of 18 and 24.
- Place much greater
limits on the types of businesses that can be sold to foreigners and on the types of
domestic businesses foreigners can control.
10.
Energy Reforms
Our
entire economy was built on a plentiful supply of energy, and if we want to keep our
economic engine alive and maintain our mobile middle class life styles we must make sure
we have plenty of energy in the future. America does have a lot of untapped oil, gas, and
coal resources in this country, however, the rest of the world is eager to sell us their
supplies of oil at a very low price. Therefore, we should continue to buy their oil and
hold our own oil in reserve for future needs. At the same time we need to reduce our
dependence of fossil fuels by developing cleaner alternatives. Following are the necessary
reforms:
- Tax domestic oil
production at a higher rate than imported oil.
- Provide tax
incentive for homes and businesses that install solar and wind devices.
- Encourage the use of
more efficient cars and appliances by increasing the tax on gasoline.
- Reduce the need for
travel through communications technologies.
11.
Media Reforms
The
airways are owned by the federal government. Therefore, we should not allow a handful of
giant media companies control what we see on TV and hear on radio while paying almost
nothing for that right. Following are the necessary reforms:
- Change licensing fee
schedule to a percentage of gross revenues calculation.
- We should increase
the number of channels that are open to the general public and the number of commercial
free channels.
- We should place
greater limits on media company consolidations and new regulations on such monopolies.
- We need to require
that channels maintain their adult content ratings so that parents can control what their
children watch using V-chip technology.
12.
Other Reforms
In
addition to the above critical reforms there are a number of other reforms that will
increase the likelihood of our survival as a democracy, capitalist economy, and peaceful
military power. Following are some recommended reforms:
Population
Reforms - We are out populating our food and water supplies and this over
population problem is contributing to global warming and whatever consequences it may
bring. Solutions involve family planning services, abortion rights, tax incentives, and
euthanasia. These ideas are very unpopular with the Religious Right but perhaps it's time
for less religion and more common sense.
Environmental
Reforms - We need to pass tougher regulations over all pollution emissions. We
need more inspectors to insure compliance with regulations. We need to make polluters pay
for cleaning up their own pollution messes.
Labor Reforms
- We need to encourage workers to join labor unions so they have more representation in
Congress and more leverage over corporations.
Prison Reforms
- We need to use our criminal population to work in trash recycling operations. We should
end the death penalty and use that long-term man power to help our society deal with its
pollution problems.
Additional
Campaign Finance Reforms - Get rid of the electoral college and allow for the
direct election of the President by popular vote. Move elections to the weekend and allow
for internet voting. Get rid of the paperless voting computers and require a paper audit
trail for every voter. Require highly controversial pieces of legislation to be voted on
by the public.
Communications
Reforms - The ability to communicate freely should be a public service provided
to all Americans free of charge. The federal government should own and control the fiber
optic cable backbone that connects every home and business in this country. High speed
internet access and video telecommunications should be almost free and available to
everyone.
Israel Reforms
- The U.S. gives Israel over $3 billion dollars a year in cash, military aid, and
free trade. Israel uses that money to carry out assassinations, collective punishments,
building settlements on land they steal, and thumbing their noses at the U.S. in a number
of different ways. Israel is a racist theocracy terrorist state that has destabilized the
Middle East and divided the loyalty of Jews in the U.S.. The U.S. should stop all funding
and support for Israel until they can show some degree of humanity towards its neighbors.
Patent,
Trademark, & Copyright Reforms - Congress recently passed legislation that
increased copyright protection from 50 to 70 years, and the Supreme Court affirmed that
legislation. This law deprives the American people of many valuable assets that should be
in the public domain, and it keeps opportunities in the hands of a few rich people. Now,
Congress is considering increasing patent protections. We need to change these laws in the
opposite direction so that the number of assets in the public domain increases sooner.
This will benefit middle class entrepreneurs who will be able to uses these intellectual
properties to create new businesses.
None of
these ideas are new or revolutionary, but they are common sense ideas that have been
unable to become law because of corrupt government leadership. If the American people ever
realize the potential that exist for their lives under good government leadership and
progressive policies they will completely abandon any and all right-wing, small
government, or conservative ideologies.
America's
top ranking economy and large middle class are the products of a highly progressive tax
system, big social safety net programs, and strong federal regulations. When we return to
that model of success we can realize the standard of living our founding fathers intended.
Chapter
4 Summary
Change is
never easy and the changes we must make to take back and reform our government are going
to be doubly difficult. However, the reward will be knowing that our actions saved
countless generations from certain poverty and powerlessness. We will be given to future
generations what we inherited from our founding fathers and forefathers. Hundreds of
thousands of American men have died to secure our democracy, rights, and freedoms and it
is time to honor their sacrifice by acting, or in this case
FIGHTING.
Book
Summary
During
the Revolutionary War our ancestors fought and died to keep the chains of oppression off
our ankles. During the Civil War Americans fought to free black people. During World War
II our grandparents and great grandparents fought and died to prevent the fascist from
taking over the world and choosing who would get to live and who would be killed in gas
chamber. Now, the yoke of slavery is about to be put around our necks by a handful of
corrupt Robber Barons and their whores working in our government. We must rise to this
challenge or we must learn how to live on our knees in powerless silence.
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