Is our political system now officially dead?

[Randall Flagg]

100 years ago Mark Twain said, with some chagrin, that "we have the best politicians money can buy."

Today, it seems to have reached well beyond sarcasm, irony or even just a casual comment. Corporations, now with essentially unchecked power to spend as many bucks as they can on a politician coupled with PACs and loophole organizations like Swiftboaters for Truth have made it clear: If you don't like a policy or a potential policy, you can change it if you have the bucks.

I read every day how the banks and PHrma are hiring extra lobbyists to quell any upcoming regulations that would affect their industries.

Oil? Defense? They've been doing it since the 50's.

The Bush "elections" told us the game was now rigged. Now Obama puts Bernanke back at the helm.




We no longer live in a Republic.

The people have no representation.

[lib2DaBone]

1. Call.. write .. Fax..or E-mail your Congress person or Senator.....

See how much they care?

If you are not shoveling cash into their campaign... you don't even exist.

[Randall Flagg]

2. tell me about it.

I have a file cabinet filled with form letters from my Senators and Congressmen from the last 20 years.

[TheWatcher]

3. Yes. YOU HAVE NO REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

Welcome To Reality.

And No, I Am Afraid It Will Not End Well.

[mmonk]

4. Yes, absolutely. They don't even pretend anymore.

[Alamuti Lotus]

5. It was ever alive?

[Kyril Enko]

6. Officially? No.

But the flies are getting kinda thick!

[realFedUp]

7. Tiger, Yoo and Bybee

Thought I'd plunk this one here...
Three guys in the news today...they all seemed to get away with breaking the
rules, laws, vows, the Constitution. A lukewarm apology, honed by an expensive PR firm from Tiger.
He'll go on and play golf, make too much money for hitting a ball into a hole.
Yoo will continue teaching at Berkeley. Bybee continue being a judge.
No justice, no consequences.

Please sirs, can we get some justice in this country?
We don't live in a Republic or a Democracy.

We live in a country divided by rich and poor. Right and wrong is gone.

[Old Codger]

10. I wonder

Why you grouped Tiger Woods in there he got caught cheating on his wife he harmed no one but himself and his immediate family, he didn't torture anyone he didn't cheat anyone out of their life savings he didn't refuse to vote for something that the people who elected him wanted/needed.... He did nothing at all that was against the law except hit a fire hydrant or post or something..so he was guilty of careless/reckless driving... his only crime from your viewpoint then seems to be he is rich and can play golf extraordinarily well....

[realFedUp]

13. I'm just finding the "big cheater" factor in these three men in the news on the same day. NT

[Old Codger]

14. I see

But I would bet there is actually more consequences for Tiger than for any of the rest of them, he lost a lot of money and the good will of his fellow golfers also will,if given the chance, spend the rest of his life making amends to his wife and family, the others will, as you say pay no price for their transgressions.

[L0oniX]

8. YES IT IS DEAD! This country is now the UCA ...not the USA.

United Corporations of America. p0wned

[RagAss]

9. The Epiphany.

[jotsy]

11. What I see as true is the failure of all three branches of government

is undeniable when those bodies don't insist on a level playing field. The most affluent among us have swindled and bribed to garner themselves an exponentially enhanced voice, and will continue to spin wild tales designed to divide, and more importantly, distract from their continuous pilfering. Entering rant zone, so I got to...leave that part there.

Can they really come after us and label us enemy combatants if all we're about is some EQUALITY in equal justice?

If one person a month shows up at the D.A.'s office, say to press charges against the Bush Administration for the wrongful death of local soldiers, folks there would likely dismiss it as wacky. If on the other hand, 5 to 12 people show up a couple of times a week, I would hope something like forcing a reluctant media's hand is achievable.

I've been saying we need to Reboot, but maybe not. The application and enforcement of justice delivered equally might be just the tuff n buff we need to feel sparkly fresh and uncompromised again.

k and r. Sorry to Bogart your thread.

[readmoreoften]

12. It's been sick since the CIA was invented. Brain dead since Vietnam. Now it's officially dead.

Of course the fundies are screaming about how they can see it smile and blink its eyes. But it's dead all right.