December 22, 2014

Come Together (Joe Cocker from "Across the Universe")

this is what I think of when I think of Joe Cocker (RIP) ...

December 9, 2014

Obama's Core Supporters - Can You Make the Case for TPP?

I don't see a single progressive voice in favor of TPP, except for that of our President.

It must be confusion on my part, so I'd love to hear our most dedicated Obama supporters make the case - Tell us the good that you see in the TPP.

December 5, 2014

Populist Sense from Carl Sagan

"If we are not able to ask skeptical questions to interrogate those who tell us that something is true, to be skeptical of those in authority, then we are up for grabs for the next charlatan--political or religious--who comes ambling along.

“It’s a thing that Jefferson laid great stress on. It wasn’t enough he said to enshrine some rights in a constitution or a bill of rights, the people had to be educated and they had to practice their skepticism and their education otherwise we don’t run the government, the government runs us."

November 30, 2014

The "Name our Populist Movement Poll" Results!

First, here are the results:
NOTE: as there was no single choice that gained a pure majority of votes, there will be a runoff.



Second, I have to be honest -- I had some problems with the original poll:

1. The original poll was setup without the full approval of the Host Group
2. The existing name of the Group was not offered as an Option till the voting was already done
3. The OP heavily promoted a favorite and may have inadvertantly biased the poll.
4. The poll selection tended to consolidate a specific voter preference under one option, and diffused any opposing preference over several very similar options.
5. A hard deadline was the wrong approach - IMO, there was no need to force a quick decision

That being said the rest of the Hosts (including me) allowed to the poll to stand, so now we have to act on the results.

Third - here are some ideas on those results:

• Since we are a group seeking Reform, the idea of "Reform" should be a part of any name we choose.

• "Roosevelt Party" was most popular, but also most controversial. Still, we should honor the Roosevelt Family as Populist icons.

• Few people liked the "Party" tag. If we get the IDEA right behind the name, then "Wing," "Caucus," "Coalition," etc. matters less.

• "Democratic Wing" and "Social Democrats" both tip the hat to the fact that we are the Democratic Party. We should honor the ideals of our Democratic Party heritage.

• The remaining 4 choices were variations of our Group name. Yes we want reforms, but we want specific reforms. Populist and progressive -- a meeting of two ideals. Our name should reflect both of those ideals

.
Finally, based on the above, I propose we vote on a runoff of those ideas, not of those names.
This time the poll will stay open without hard deadline, the only limit being inactivity. When the poll goes a week without a vote, I'll lock it.

November 26, 2014

BLACKOUT BLACK FRIDAY

Organize your Blackout Black Friday "Hands Up - Don't Shop" protest here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1u0fW6VjkkMawfLflvPMvUUAz4YYQqYqs59M5jqpTpA0/viewform

Find a list of existing protests here:
http://fergusonresponse.tumblr.com/

See an example of a peaceful (but uncomfortable!) protest here:
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/10/ferguson-protesters-march-at-upscale-plaza-frontenac-shopping-mall-in-st-louis/

November 22, 2014

Bernie Sanders on Saving the Middle Class

From October, but worth another view

November 19, 2014

Vegetarian fast food restaurant preference:

I have an opportunity to get involved in a vegetarian fast food startup, and need a little market research for our menu. Please take my simple poll:

November 18, 2014

A Platform to Affirm Fundamental Human Rights

First, let's thank Eleanors38, WillyT, and EEO for their help in creating this platform.

Please review this list of 6 Fundamental Rights:

1. The Right to Live
The fundamental right of an Individual

2. The Right to Equal Justice
Every civil liberty is built on this principle

3. The Right to Equal Opportunity
Personal growth is a basic human need - we must provide a level playing field

4. The Right to a Strong Social Safety Net
The measure of a civilization is how it treats its weakest members

5. The Right to Responsible Government
Government must be responsive to the Common Good

6. The Right to True Democracy
The fundamental right of a Society

The principles compiled and categorized below, as collectively voiced by this Group, are offered as some means by which our Fundamental Rights can be protected.

[hr]
A Platform to Affirm Fundamental Human Rights

1. Right to Live
   
   
   • Abolish the Death Penalty
   
   
   • Food-Water-Air-Environment
     
     
     • Strengthen Environmental Protections/Regulations
     
     
     • Abolish Fracking
     
     
     • Protect ANWAR
     
     
     • End Subsidies for big Agro Companies
     
     
   • Shelter
     
     
     • Affordable housing
     
     
     • Foreclosure Protections
     
     
     • Regulate Property Tax Seizure
     
     
   • Health
     
     
     • Medicare for all/Single Payer
     
     
     • Treat Drug Addicts as Patient, not Criminals
     
     


2. Right to Equal Justice
   
   
   • Marriage Equality
   
   
   • Immigration Reform
   
   
   • Wage Equality
   
   
   • Restore habeas corpus
   
   
   • Sovereignty over our bodies
   
   
   • Sovereignty over our identities
   
   


3. Right to Equal Opportunity
   
   
   • Living wage
   
   
   • Free Higher Education
   
   
   • College Debt Jubilee
   
   
   • Strengthen Union Protections
   
   
   • National Jobs Corps
     
     
     • Rebuild our Roads & Bridges
     
     
     • Rebuild our Telecommunications & Power Grids
     
     
     • Rebuild our Dams, Levees, & Waterways
     
     
     • Rebuild our Public Schools, Libraries, Hospitals, & Community Centers
     
     
     • Rebuild our National, State, & Local Parks
     
     


4. Right to a Strong Social Safety Net
   
   
   • Protect Social Security
     
     
     • Repay the Debt
     
     
     • Increase the Cap
     
     
     • No Chained CPI
     [/il]
     
   • Expand Medicare/Universal Health Care
   
   
   • Expand SNAP (food stamps)
     
     
     • Children
     
     
     • Elderly
   
   
   • Protect Public K-12 Education
   
   


5. Right to a Responsible Government
   
   
   • Taxes
     
     
     • Tax US Corporations that off-shore jobs
     
     
     • Tax Capital gains as regular wages
     
     
     • Expand tax credits for small-business start-ups
     
     
     • Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit
     
     
   • Spending
     
     
     • Top to Bottom Overhaul of Defense Budget
     
     
     • End No-Bid Federal Contracts
     
     
     • End Subsidies for Big Oil, Big Agro, and Big Banks
     
     
     • Invest in Renewable Energy Resources
     
     
   • Oversight
     
     
     • Restore the Glass-Steagall Act
     
     
     • Restore Fairness Doctrine
     
     
     • Return to Trust Busting
     
     
     • Mandate an Aggressive, Populist Justice Department
     
     
     • Classify Internet as a Public Utility
     
     
   • Environment
     
     
     • Strengthen the EPA
     
     
     • Acknowledge and act on climate change
     
     
6. Right to Democracy
   
   
   • Constitutional Right to Vote
     
     
     • Restore All Elements of the Voting Rights Act
     
     
   • Abolish Citizens United
   
   
   • Abolish Corporate Personhood
   
   
   • Campaign Finance Reform
     
     
     • No Foreign donations
     
     
     • Publicly Funded Elections
   
   
   • End Electoral College

[hr]

Your comments, corrections, and additions are encouraged...

November 15, 2014

What next?

We collected some solid ideas about a reform platform
We chatted about branding
We collected some basic demographics on our members

What next?


I'd like to have this group target three initial goals:

First:
1. Become the Underground of the Democratic Underground
2. Act as a think tank for Democratic Party reformists

Finally:
3. Get our message injected into the dialog in the 34 states (24 R / 10 D) with an open US Senate seat in 2016

And that last one is the big ticket item, right?

There are ways we could pursue this at the grassroots level. We could run Roosevelt Dems in those 34 Dem primary campaigns, or we could work to get 1 or 2 of our platform goals on the ballots in each of those 34 states.

Or we could just talk. I respect that. This is, after all, a chat room

MannyGoldstein asked me a good question. He wanted to know where I see this group ending up 3 months from now.

He had a great question, but he target the wrong audience. He shouldn't ask me, he should ask everyone.

Where do you all want this to go? 3 months out, where do you want to see the PRG?

November 15, 2014

How do i buy a star for another DUer?

I can renew my own, but don't see a way to send one as a gift