I say we start a movement to bring our government back to the

[madokie]

original intent. An America for all American's not just the privileged and lucky ones.

[LeftNYC]

1. Ok...when do we start? nt

[ihaveaquestion]

2. And just when exactly was this idyllic time period, eh?

I recently read Howard Zinn's "People's history of the United States" and am now convince that the noble egalitarian intent attributed to our nation's founders only really existed in a few of them. For the most part the country was founded and designed to benefit the rich land owners and those with money at the time. My illusions have been shattered, my bubble bursted and I come to realize that the chief concern of our founding fathers was wresting power (particularly economic power) away from the British royalty. If King George I had left the colonies' economies alone and allowed those with money to keep most of it, there wouldn't have been a American revolution when there was. Maybe later, but not at that time.

[bryant69]

4. This isn't going to be a popular opinion

But Howard Zinn's work should be taken with an awareness of his biases. Just because he's a liberal doesn't mean he doesn't have them.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[ihaveaquestion]

7. Granted that we all have a bias that colors our opinions...

I didn't swallow Zinn's work whole (I never do, actually), but it got me thinking back about all the governments I've ever learned about with an eye toward their economics and cross-referenced this with their motivations to get and maintain power. After a while, I came to the conclusion on my own that all governments are about the economics of their time and those with wealth almost always remain the winners regardless of outward appearances or what the history books document as the important points of the time.

[bryant69]

8. Well that's largely true

There are a few counter examples, but not many compared to the overall thrust of history.

Anyway the wealthy who guess wrong become unwealthy, while the wealthy (and others) who guess well, end up becoming wealthy (or powerful).

Bryant

[librechik]

5. if you read Pail Krugman's "The Great Unravelling" the 50s-60s

were, relatively speaking, a golden age of affluence for many many folks who couldn't have had it a generation earlier. We faltered, and the Reagan Pukkkes took advantage of our weakness to legislate all the gains into reversals.It took a long time, but they never stopped--but we gave up and they overwhelmed us. They are the minority though. There is hope, maybe.

I love Zinn.

[librechik]

3. How about "GRA$$ROOTS"--send a card and a $10 bill to congress

demanding our country back. Last night Jim Moran said the move for chamge has to come from the grassroots. DU replied here http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2352464&mesg_id=2352507 Hey, Jim--ELECTED democrats need to use their clout!

So I thought--let's let our congresscritters know the grassroots will grown underneath them if they move forward on reform. No on Alito, No in PATRIOT ACT, Health care and welfare and housing reform, minimum wage etc. Our old lives back, the ones our parents fought for us to have and we almost still had--until Reagan busted the unions.

I dunno, I just thought of it--maybe we need a standard card with graphics. Oh, and a manager and a website and...

see how it goes? that's why I never get anything done.

[madokie]

6. I know, thats why I am still here

After reading post #2 I may want to adjust my thinking a little. An America for All American's sure sound good to me though