Why addressing class conflict will get Dems back in the majority.

[inthebrain]

I will try to keep this as focused as possible considering that I have a number of issues rolling around in head sumltaniously.

First we need to address our court systems. The plea bargain is nothing more than out for the state to save money. We must first focus on justice and who has acccess to it. It is the poor who cannot afford competent representation that are hurt the most by this.

There is also the issue of tort reform that Bush pushed in his last campaing that is intended to protect the wealthy and punish the poor and middle class. Those that think class strife does not exist in this country ought to think again. The wealthy one percent are waging a class war and the Democratic party has little answer for it.

Next we need to address out over inflated millitary budget. It was a conservative president who in a rare moment of brilliance said that for every gun we buy we take food off of someone elses plate. It's time we take that monster down and cut the millitary budget by no less than forty percent. You can not win a war on terror with a large millitary. Citizens engage in terrorism to even the score against a large force.

Terrorism needs to be addressed in the same manner that you fight the mob. INTELLIGENCE GATHERING!!!!!

That money taken from the millitary budget would go far to improving schools in poor communities. All citizens in this country should have a guarenteed right to equal education. Furthermore, all the money saved from the millitary budget would go far to forgiving student loan debts and offering free college education to all.

Welfare needs to be re reformed back to a system of fairness. There is nothing more valuable to a society than a mother willing to raise her child responsibly. Children should not be punished because they have poor parents. That's just wrong considering we live in the wealtheist nation on the planet. 25% percent of children in this nation grow up poor and an even higher percentage of them have no access to decent healthcare.

Germs don't care weather you are rich or poor. It's just a damn shame that if you are poor germs have more access to you.

Democrats need to stop addressing issues in terms of how they effect the middle class. I hear this too often and it makes me want to puke. Any time one person is deprived it effects us all!!!! An attack on the poor is also an attack on the middle class!!!! Many voters than can be reached in red states are poor.

There is a reason we are not catching on there.

[welshTerrier2]

1. thoughtful post - slippery slope ...

i think we have to be careful NOT to paint all wealthy people as enemies of fairness and justice ... we should not portray the wealthy as inherently evil ...

on the other hand, there is no question that big money has totally corrupted our democratic institutions ... my view is that, after we realize that "big money" cannot be adequately constrained, we will be forced to take draconian actions to partially level the playing field ...

i couldn't be more skeptical about efforts for campaign finance reforms and lobby reforms ... big money always seems to find a way to seep through the cracks and flow into pockets where it just does not belong ... we've tried all manner and flavors of these reforms and they always fail ... but fine; moderates and liberal Democrats still believe in these ideas so let's try them until more are convinced they will never work ...

but when they don't, and they won't, we have to be prepared for more extreme action ... my view is that we cannot allow the accumulation of massive wealth ... ultimately, massive wealth has always, and will always, poison any democratic political process ... the only way, ultimately, to truly address this enemy of democracy, is to limit wealth ... what should the limit be? the goal is not to take away all wealth; the goal should rather be to promote democracy and fair representation in government policies for all citizens ...
if that amount is $1 million or $2 million or whatever, fine ... the objective is not punishment; it's democracy ...

finally, i wanted to address the hypocrisy of our court system ... can anyone deny that there is rich man's justice and poor man's justice ... several weeks ago i met with a candidate running for DA in my state ... we discussed the two-tiered system of justice ... i told him i thought all trial attorneys should be "drafted" to serve in the court system ... perhaps this would require one month every three years or whatever ... sometimes i think all criminal defendants should draw their attorneys from a pool - even the wealthy ... maybe then, there would be a little more emphasis on providing competent representation to all citizens whether they could afford the best lawyers or not ...

[inthebrain]

4. I dont paint all of them as evil

Although a great many of them (Here's looking at you GE) donate money to both parties to get many issues I mentioned above from suracing in them. I didnt see much talk about tort reform and why it is bad on the Dem side of the ticket. GW Bush beat that issue to a bloody pulp and now many Americans believe that Corporations and society are vicitmized by "Frivolous lawsuits".

We all have a right to our day in court. A corporation or wealthy individual have no problems gaining access.

Same goes for the basic necasities of life such as food, shelter and clothing. Many of these "Rugged individualists" have no problem bilking the system for more money. Try doing that for basic necasities and see how the "Free Market" treats many.

We need to address what makes a good economic system.

[Solo_in_MD]

5. The average Joe won't go for this

- Most Americans do not believe that classes exist
- Most Americans believe the courts are fair and protect the innocent
- Most Americans believe that they are above average.

Note that I personally do not agree with most Americans.

[inthebrain]

6. How many average Joes have gone through a lenghty divorce?

Ask African Americans if they believe that the court systems protect the innocent?

Many MANy Average Joe Americans know that our court systems are tilted toward the wealthy. Many of them know that those with money have better access to the courts. Those that aren't the average Joe Americans and followes the campaign last year know what Republicans are trying to do with tort reform.

They are trying to rig the system in favor of Insurance Companies and Big Corporations. Other Average Joe Americans will now know about this issue unless Democrats fire back.

You'd also be surprised at how many Americans are aware of class issues. Take a trip to south Boston and ask them what they think of eminent domain. Talk to people in New Orleans who are being threatened with Eminent Domain.

Class has always been a prominent factor in American society. From our healthcare system to our economic system.

[welshTerrier2]

7. i agree with you ...

i wasn't suggesting that my ideas were at all politically viable at this time ... if we give a damn about democracy, i just think that's where we'll need to get to ...

i'm not so sure about average joe's though ... i think most people believe the wealthy get more favorable treatment in the courtroom ... and i think there are plenty of average joe's who understand that money can buy plenty in Washington ...

at this point in time, i think average joe's see the problem pretty clearly; i just don't think they're ready yet for the solutions i proposed ... that's why i think it's so important to open a more effective dialog on subjects like inequities across class lines and addressing the corrupting influences of big money in our government ... just because average joe's aren't there today doesn't mean they won't ever be ... it all starts with communicating our vision and making our case effectively ...

[BillZBubb]

2. There are a lot of good points in your post.

I would take a slightly different tack though. To me, the place where the Democrats could really win big is by promising to restore American jobs and bring back the economic growth that benefits ALL Americans.

The first point we would make is that so-called "globalization" isn't working. Instead of creating more and better jobs here, it is costing our country its current and future jobs. Instead of rising standards of living, most Americans are losing ground year by year. Instead of a properity for all, we are seeing a prosperity for the lucky few.

The problem isn't government regulation in the US, or unions, or lazy workers, or evil corporations. The problem is people in other countries are willing to work at wage rates that would push any American into extreme poverty. We can't change that fact.

What we can change is how we treat goods and services coming into this country. My proposal would be to blow up all existing "free" trade agreements. Then enter into new "fair" trade agreements (or not if no one is interested). Under the new system, goods coming from any country would be hit with a tariff proportional to the wage, benefit, regulatory costs of the producing country. It wouldn't matter who brought the goods in, just where they were actually produced.

Most developed countries would have no tariff, since their cost of labor is in line with ours. Less developed countries like China, India, Viet Nam, etc, would see a significant tariff.

Initially, that would mean some US inflation. But, after some time, US businesses would start manufacturing in the US again since the advantage of Asian slave labor is gone for good. We would also see a big jump in US tax revenues from the tariffs. This could be used either to cut taxes on the bottom 80% of wage earners, invest in US education and infrastructure, or to pay down the debt.

[inthebrain]

3. Understand how they exploit class interests

"The problem isn't government regulation in the US, or unions, or lazy workers, or evil corporations. The problem is people in other countries are willing to work at wage rates that would push any American into extreme poverty. We can't change that fact."

These people are not WILLING to work for the shitty wages offered. Anymore than the Wal Mart worker is WILLing to work for the crappy wages that corporations offers. It is a means of survival.

It is the capitalist that like to fram it in that way as "WILLING". They are exploited and the best way to even the playing feild is to reform NAFTA and for Citizens to systematically boycott corporations that exploit the poor until they comply with our standards!!!!!

There is much more to this problem. It is anargument used to keep us all at each others throats. And yes, some these wealthy idiots may not evil, I dont necasarily like using that description in this case. They are the wardens that will push around the powerless as long they will not fight back. They will seek other means of control as long as it works.

Historically they have failed over time.

[OneBlueSky]

8. since no one is currently representing us, the people, in Congress . . .

or anywhere else, a populist approach will resonate with Americans . . . you can point out the illegal acts of wealthy corporations and individuals without condemning everyone who is wealthy . . . the class conflict is between the people and a nefarious subset of the wealthy, not the entire "class" . . .