Hillarysworld

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Hillarysworld -> PUMA Sites and Discription -> Activist Wednesday: What Do We Do in 2010? (Part Deux) (The Widdershins) 04-07-10. Another perspective.
Post Info
TOPIC: Activist Wednesday: What Do We Do in 2010? (Part Deux) (The Widdershins) 04-07-10. Another perspective.
freespirit


Moderator

Status: Offline
Posts: 1695
Date:
Activist Wednesday: What Do We Do in 2010? (Part Deux) (The Widdershins) 04-07-10. Another perspective.
Permalink  
 

Seems that there is increasing talk among Hillary supporters/Pumas/disenfranchised Dems about the best way to protest the Democratic Party and its undemocratic actions both in 2008 and the present.  Madamab supports refraining from voting as the best way to register protest.  I'm not advocating for or against this plan of action.  But, I do agree with her that those of us who want to protest would be most effective if we adopted a specific course of action. 

Activist Wednesday: What Do We Do in 2010? (Part Deux)
Posted by madamab on April 7, 2010

Where You Gonna Go?
Since I last asked this question, the “Democrats” (and I use that term loosely) have passed a Health Whatever Bill which was not only based on the conservative Heritage Foundation’s plan from 1994, but also included an Executive Order which severely restricted women’s access to reproductive care. “Pro-choice” Democrats voted for it; “liberal” Democrats voted for it; “I promise you a Public Option Sparkle Pony!” Democrats voted for it. Ah, our “post-partisan” Paradise, where every politician, regardless of the letter after his/her name, is working for the top 2%!
We all know what came next: Obama’s “jobs” bill, which will (of course) create very, very few of them; even the ****eyed optimists at MSNObama can’t make a silk purse out of this sow’s ear.
There’s plenty of skepticism that the new law will do much to actually create jobs. Optimistic estimates predict the tax break could generate perhaps 250,000 jobs through the end of the year, but that would be just a sliver of the 8.4 million jobs lost since the start of the recession.
But wait – there’s more excitement to come, as Obama takes on “entitlements” like Social Security and Medicare, and our Gollum-like corporate media cheers him on! (“We HATESSSSS social safety nets, precious. Nassty, falssse!”)
Now that landmark legislation overhauling the health insurance system is about to become law, addressing Social Security’s solvency could well become the next big thing for President Obama and Congressional Democrats.
Central to the health care changes are hundreds of billions of dollars in reductions in Medicare spending over time and expansions of Medicaid. As some administration officials acknowledge, that effectively takes those fast-growing entitlement programs off the table for deficit reduction just as Mr. Obama’s bipartisan commission to reduce the mounting national debt gets to work.
That leaves Social Security, the other big entitlement benefits program and one that Mr. Obama has suggested in the past that he is willing to tackle. While its looming problems are not of the scale of those afflicting Medicare, it now stands as the likeliest source of the sort of large savings needed to bring projected annual deficits to sustainable levels, many budget analysts agree.
And, they say, packaging future reductions in the retirement program that Democrats zealously defend with tax increases that Republicans typically oppose would have the makings of a grand compromise to shrink the debt.
Woo-hoo! A grand compromise to “shrink the debt” with the guys who caused the debt! They’re sure to have the best ideas EVER!
I truly, truly hope that people are ready to take action against both Parties and make their feelings known at the ballot box in November. I’ve got my method, and so far it hasn’t changed: I’m just saying NO to everyone.  (Well, maybe Bart Stupak’s challenger will get a few bucks from me, but she will be the exception to the rule.) I’m staying home. No money, no votes, no volunteering, no nothin’. Pure-D Lysistrata.
But, people have suggested quite a few other methods, such as: Leaving the top of the ballot blank, but voting “D” or third-party for local races. Voting third-party. Voting anti-incumbent. Turning in a blank ballot. Writing in a candidate’s name, or a message on the ballot instead of a vote.
Whatever you’re planning to do, I hope it’s not just going to the ballot box and voting for the “lesser of two evils.” I think we’ve all seen by now that evil is evil, and no matter who’s in power, the bottom 98% of us are going to be scrod.

http://thewiddershins.wordpress.com/

Below is a copy of a letter written by Madamab as part of her protest plan.  This is just FYI. Those who plan to stay home on election day may want to use it. Madamab has invited anyone who wants to use this letter to do so.

Dear [Name of Representative],
I am writing this letter to explain why I am not going to vote for any Democrat in 2010. I have voted Democratic all my life, but not any more.
I am going to stay home instead, and not vote at all.
It’s very simple: I am a Democrat, but you’re not.
You refused to vote against the health care bill in the Senate, even though it contained provisions you claimed were unacceptable to you. Even worse, you refused to push for the expansion of Medicare for All, and voted for this obscene giveaway to the health insurance companies. In a final indignity, you are avoiding reconciliation in order to make sure the liberal/progressive voices in Congress are not going to be heard in the health care “debate.”
You have done nothing to create jobs. You have done nothing to end either war. You have done nothing to prosecute the monstrous crimes of the Bush Administration.
You were given a historic opportunity for real change, and you blew it.
Until the Democratic Party lives up to its platform, I do, indeed, have a place to go. It will be HOME.
Democrats have forgotten that they need to earn the votes of their base. They have run on the fact that they are not Republicans for far too long. Well, quite frankly, I see no difference whatsoever between Republicans and Democrats any more, and you have all broken too many promises now for me to take you seriously.
What do you need to do to earn my vote? If and when you begin to pass real, liberal legislation that creates real social change, you’ll see me running back to the Party. That’s all it will take.
Thank you,
MadamaB
http://thewiddershins.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/feminist-friday-what-do-we-do-in-2010/

__________________
It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union.... Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less.  ~Susan B. Anthony
Sanders


Diamond

Status: Offline
Posts: 4567
Date:
Permalink  
 

Freespirit, Thanks for the article.

The Widdershins really wanted this to be single payer and all Medicare from the look of this article from January.  It is clearly not what we have ended up with.

I can relate to what they are saying in causing a full turnover, but simply no-vote to Dems would mean voting for Repubs which is not exactly the direction that I am willing to take. They have not proven to be any better in any way frankly and that is very disappointing.

Of course, Repubs as they complain, are reasonably happy that it is indeed their version of the 1994 counter-proposal that has passed.  They are unhappy with is that it was passed by the Dems and that there are some major restraints on the insurance companies that have been added that will contain cost going forward. The 85% going to health care was a brilliant move, simple, yet majorly containing the insurance companies, which I sincerely hope will make the needed improvement in the industry.


Right now the focus needs to be on how to improve the bills that have indeed become law and see what can and must be improved and more importantly HOW.  So, I am really spending a lot of time digging into the facts of the bill.  And, I certainly hope the reps, regardless of their parenthetical alignments, work with us to improve the bill from where it is at.

I for one would like the Dems to move on "Comprehensive health care for women" being inclusive of family planning. It is important for women in childbearing age to have that full coverage, regardless of what they foresee in their present condition and circumstances.  Life is not fair to women most of the time, and at least the insurance should have some protection if they land on the unfair side of their life/personal decisions.

That apart, I am also looking at small business impact side to see where are the loopholes that need to be plugged rather quickly before insurance companies drive  mega bullet train trains through them. 

These things need focus and some real hard work.  I hope some of the PUMA sites focus on this as the Dems/Dem leaners have a lot to gain in getting this improved quickly. I hope that happens with the involvement of all of us as activists because several aspects of the law are already in effect and some go into effect in June and more in September this year.  There is need to focus here rather quickly.


As to voting in election, I really hope to see that election reform of having first choice and second choice on the ballot as I do believe it is perhaps the only way to build a viable third party in this country.  Here is the article that discusses it.


-- Edited by Sanders on Wednesday 7th of April 2010 02:33:46 PM

__________________
Democracy needs defending - SOS Hillary Clinton, Sept 8, 2010
Democracy is more than just elections - SOS Hillary Clinton, Oct 28, 2010

Madam Secretary Blog at ForeignPolicy.com
Project Vote Smart - Stay informed and engaged!
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Hillarysworld -> PUMA Sites and Discription -> Activist Wednesday: What Do We Do in 2010? (Part Deux) (The Widdershins) 04-07-10. Another perspective.
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse 		Powered by ActiveBoard