The Rule of 3's - Taking America Back

[Scuba]

In business I had a "rule of threes". This was basically, no matter how complex, expensive, risky or strategically imperative an issue was, the executive and board-level decision-makers could assisimlate no more than three things about any given topic.

If I drilled in only three points, and argued every case and answered every question relative to these points, emphasizing these points, the decision makers (let's call them "voters") could be won over to my point of view (not bragging, just saying).


What are the three key points we can use to take America back? My suggestions...


1. Democracy has been hijacked! Corp campaign money, lobbyists, etc.

2. We can take it back! Within our constitution, without bloodshed or great human suffering. We will do this by greatly limiting corporate ability to influence elections, and restricting lobbying/kickbacks/secret job offers, etc. We'll have elected officials who fulfill the "for the people" principle.


3. We'll implement a more progressive tax, much like we had 30 or 70 years ago. Make the richest Americans support the country at a level commensurate with the benefit they get from it. Rebuild the middle class. Bring fairness to the justice system.


Other suggestions welcome, please.

[Matariki]

1. Excellent.

And I need to pass your advice on to the people who manage my team at work. They are in a constant losing battle with some mysterious entity known variously as 'stake-holders' or 'business-owners'. From all accounts it's a brutish beast with little cognitive ability. It makes all of us fairly miserable and consistently acts against its own interests.

[Scuba]

2. Yep, those are the guys (stakeholders)

We can learn from the bad guys. A simple message is more effective that 1,500 pages of health care reform. That should have been 20 pages, no more.

[Matariki]

3. That's one reason Alan Grayson rocks

Four page legislation. To the point and without earmarks.

[jotsy]

4. It's what I have referred to here as a bloodless coup.

My thoughts on the matter and how to make a positive difference straddle and follow two paths.

Localizing economies and building self reliant communities, a good site to check out for steps on how to achieve this is the Institute for Local Self Reliance. That, I see as the easier part of the task at hand.

The more challenging endeavor addresses a standout among the many fractures in American society today, IMO. The perception that the rule of law is only applicable to the monetarily meager virtually guarantees chaos will sooner rather than later knock through the door of order. I say with so many out of work, that small groups of people can visit frequently, their local D.A.'s, satellite offices of federal agencies, even state AG's, with polite, but firm insistence that the EQUAL application and enforcement of the rule of law be honestly pursued by those in positions serving a public. Two to three visits a week, three to five folks at a time for six to eight weeks in cities across the nation. Go for a round two with media in hand if this meets with no results. U-cubed, the organization for the unemployed may be able to help facilitating localized focus, I'm not sure if they would find such a plan in keeping with their charter.

I believe Wall Street has fraudulently robbed us, publicly, privately, preemptively. The gap that's been created the rate with which it has skyrocketed indicates to me a criminal wake.

The health insurance industry is composed of serial mass murderers for money who should not be permitted to remain a part of the delivery process, period.

Corporations in a variety of disciplines have done everything from pit masses against one another to rape and destroy the life ensuring qualities of the planet itself. All in the name of something we don't need anyway.

Be careful when you ask this diligent fool from a distant hill for suggestions. For I am a long winded wordy wench worried for a world.

Welcome to DU. Civility hasn't a choice but to be pleasing.

[Scuba]

5. Thanks, and...

... I'll check out the Institute for Local Self Reliance...

I promised myself I'd restrain myself, and not engage in name-calling and other forms of discourse that I suspect will ultimately be worse than non-productive. That said, I won't hesitate to call for someone to be indicted for any criminal activity, up to and including war crimes (think Cheney, Rumsfield and their puppet President). As for the health insurance executives, don't get me started. Let's leave it at this: the health insurance industry adds NO value to the care equation in the US. That's from more than 30 years experience in health care administration. A majority physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals would welcome a single-payer system.

[jotsy]

6. Physicians for a National Health Plan is another organization I'm am fond of referring to.

I tried to drum up a little local media exposure for the Mad As Hell Doctors before they started their cross country trek here in Portland, and I was fortunate enough to interview a PNHP member for a radio segment during the 08' election cycle. If not for the untimely passing of a promising and charismatic research analyst working for them, I believe HR 676 would be more central to the debate, which I hope is far from settled.

[truedelphi]

7. Abolish elections. Instead, put every registered voter's name into a big hat.

Pick all the attendant official positions that way.

As it stands now, there are fewer than seven Senators that I can stomach, and maybe fifty five honest House of Representatives. My choices for governor of state of California (currently) underwhelms me.

It could be that simply raffling off these positions would give us MORE honest, well informed, and decent politicians than what the current system of elections has given us.

[Scuba]

8. Agreed that would be better than the current system....

...but I hope we can do even better than that. Still, not bad. Thanks.