Look at these numbers from recent highly-reliable, reputable polls:
63% of Americans want a federal minimum wage of $15.00 per hour.
75% of voters want fair trade agreements protecting jobs, workers, the environment.
76% of voters want a cut back on military spending.
76% of voters want the U.S. completely out of Afghanistan.
79% of voters want no reductions in Social Security; 70% of voters support expanding it.
79% of voters want no reductions in Medicare.
80% of voters oppose the “Citizens United” U.S. Supreme Court decision.
68% of voters think taxes on the wealthy should be increased and corporations should be required to pay their fair share.
71% of voters support massive infrastructure renewal.
65% of voters want laws to combat climate change.
62% of voters want tuition free public colleges and universities.
63%! 71%! 76%! 80%! These are not marginal percentages. These are huge majorities!
While polling is not 100% accurate, it’s patently clear what the American people are thinking. Yet our elected officials defiantly vote against the overwhelming tide of public opinion.
It’s quite obvious our political representatives are not listening. They don’t represent us. So none of this gets done. Across the board on these key issues, their voting records do not reflect the stated will of the people.
In a representative democracy, there should be some discernible correlation between what the people want and what comes out of the legislative and judicial bodies. There should be some parallel between what citizens demand with their collective voice and the leadership proffered by their chosen chief executive in the White House and their democratically elected legislative bodies.
It’s certainly no secret what is happening. Citizen voting is being made irrelevant by bullying moneyed interests — by the rich and powerful elite — as our elected officials consistently cave in to the might of the almighty dollar.
Sometimes it is an outright buy. Money pours into the campaign coffers and the favor is returned on the floor of the Congress, or with the manner in which laws are enforced, or not enforced, by the President and the executive branch.
Sometimes it is a defensive measure. A candidate up for election fears that if he or she does not vote the “right way”, a massive campaign will be funded by the monied interests to defeat them in the coming election, either by support of their opponent or by using the nefarious Super PACS to malign and discredit them.
This bribery and blackmail has destroyed any semblance of representative government in contemporary America.
There is a solution to this. And if we organize, there is plenty of time to apply this remedy to the coming election. Nothing less than the survival of American democracy depends on it. It will require mounting a campaign unlike any seen in recent history to mobilize and inform the voting public about what is going on and what can be done.
The bottom line on this solution is straightforward. It is time to draw a line in the sand. Every elected official must be put on notice. Here’s what we tell them, “Either you vote in the interests of the people — not corporations, campaign donors, big banks and Wall Street — or you get a pink slip. We’ll find someone else for your job.”
We’re building a focused campaign around the core of critical issues the vast majority of Americans, across the political spectrum – left, right, independent, Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, liberal, progressive, conservative — already agree on. We’re drawing a big line in the sand. This is how we get rid of the corrupt, pay-for-play politicians who’ve been taking us for suckers for far too long.
We’ve learned our lesson. The faith both in our democratic system and the politicians we entrusted with the future of our nation and the quality of our lives was misplaced. The system has been corrupted by money and the trustworthiness of our “representatives” in public office been sabotaged.
No more excuses.
No more apologies.
No more empty promises.
No more smoke-and-mirrors.
We demand loyal, honest, unwavering service.
And won’t take their word for it.
Trust no incumbent!