New political party?

[Javaman]

As I read Studs Terkel's, "Hard Times" about the depression, I'm struck by a few things.

Communism didn't work because of it's ridged structure, it didn't take in the fact that joe blow working his ass off for 40 hours a week gets the same pay as joe blow that doesn't do a thing during the same time period. Then it mutated, because of human nature, that some people just basically want more, own their own businesses, etc...

Democracy, solves that but without proper checks and balances, fat cats and life long politicians control rather than listen to the people. The long term effect is class ware-fare. The few control the many.

Now I'm just spit balling here, speaking off the top of my head, suppose there was a political group that was able to reign in both of these problems.

Have the our basic freedoms as promised by the constitution assured, but at the same time, curb an outrageous wealthy class from controlling everything and keep politicians from being lifers that have nothing but special interests in mind.

I have always argued for term limits on politicians. Reasoning, if the president is only limited to two terms, so should members of the house and senate. When you have senators that have been in office for 30+ years, they control alot of influence thus handy capping any president. With limits, everyone knows they have only a short time to do what they need to do and actually do their job and not be the tool of the lobbyist.

Perhaps stronger monopoly laws, everyone paying their fair share on SS, the repeal of the inheritance tax, etc...but that's where I get lost.

Basically, my concept in the end is a strong middle class, that takes care of the poor but also allows people to become rich but at the same time limiting them to maintain an balance in society.

Please, I would like to open this up for debate.

[mark414]

1. at quick glance, i would agree with everything but

the inheritance tax. no way should that thing be repealed. it only affects the richest of the rich, who already don't pay their fair share into ANYTHING.

[Zuni]

3. exactly

The Inheritance tax and capital gains taxes are the fairest taxes of them all, because they tax unearned income

[Zuni]

2. I think that is similar to what I want

a country that has a strong social safety net while allowing people to pursue jobs and work of their choice and ability. Central economic planning was a huge failure in the USSR and even more devestating in China (the ultimate central planning tragedy was mao's great leap forward, which caused perhaps the greatest famine in history. 30,000,000+ may have died) Even if central planning does not cause starvation, you end up with all kinds of crappy products. I have relatives who live in Russia and they told me that there are museums where you can go see crappy soviet merchandise---pants with three legs, tvs that literally exploded, boots with the heel inside out, etc.

[Javaman]

4. Actually I mean reinstitute the inheritance tax...

Just repeal the latest BS by the repukes that stopped it.

It's funny, now that I look at my thread it seems as if I just have simply described a true Democratic party, but what is sad about that is, the fact that as a party we have drifted so far to the right, that the things I posted seem like a fantasy now. Odd isn't it?

[Senior citizen]

5. I've been trying to start one.

http://freewebs.com/theconsumersparty/

Since the corporations virtually own and run our government, I felt there was a need for a party to represent consumers.

Unfortunately there was a case in Pennsylvania or somewhere, where a guy ran for city council opposing a dam that a corporation was about to build and that the city didn't want. He won, but the corporation stepped in and said that since he ran on a platform opposed to the dam, if he voted on anything related to the dam it would be a conflict of interest and they'd sue. He recused himself from votes regarding the damn dam.

So I think they've got a lock. They can buy all the representation and votes they want, but any viable opposition is "biased."