... because our democracy has been hijacked. The corporations and special interests pay our politicians to do their bidding instead of the people's. This legal bribery has to stop.
Most of you know that I strongly support a new constitutional amendment that was introduced into Congress to get all special interest money out of our political system. Passing this amendment will require a lot of work, so I continue to occupy and push forward a vision for America that gets rid of undue influence on our political system. Almost every systematic thing that disempowers the poor and enables the rich is a function of our broken democracy. For example, the $15 million the prison industrial complex pays to lobby our politicians to keep unjust dysfunctional drug and other laws on our books is a way they have occupied our democracy. They in turn make many billions off our government by filling their hotels (jails). That's just one of many examples of how money poisons our political system.
Getting the money out of campaigns and promoting public financing for our elections seems like a tall order. But I have faith and I believe our thoughts and actions are prayers. And prayers matter. So along with Rev. Jamal Bryant, Dr. Ben Chavis, David Degraw from OWS, I co-founded "Occupy The Dream" specifically to push for this change in our government, which I know will allow us to reclaim our democracy. It was Dr. Martin Luther King's dream to organize the churches (black civil rights movement), the unions and young, creative Americans to march for economic justice. It with this inspiration that we launched "Occupy The Dream" on the anniversary of his birthday this year.
Help us join occupy the dream...
Follow Russell Simmons on Twitter: www.twitter.com/unclerush
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
now that we've heard from the clueless.....
The unions of Dr. Kings day were willing to fight for social justice against racism. The unions of today are as corrupt, if not more corrupt, than any other special interest.
"Winner-Take-All Politics" is the book that informs most of my perceptions about politics today. I'm now interested in helping organizations that represent my economic interests.
K-Street lobbyists (12,000+) are legalized bribery middlemen providing members of CONgress with daily checks of supposedly 'bundled' campaign contributions and a list of names nobody ever verifies. Lobbyists are often ex-congressmen of staff that are hired to deliver those checks to the right people, or just as many as possible on BOTH sides of the isle. Oh, and members keep unused campaign contributions when they want to quit, and that's whack. Evan Bayh of Indiana (blue-dog) walked with more than $10 Million for selling his vote - uh, 'legally'. The ones that refuse to legally sell their votes in such fashion are likely counted on fingers alone and are greatly targeted to be run out of town, like Alan Grayson of Florida was in 2010. I $upport his return though I live in the Rocky Mountains. Neither major party will put 'campaign finance reform' on their platform because it's exactly what keeps the system 'rigged'.
There are TWO 'Rules of Law' in OUR country. One for the rich and powerfully connected, and the one that's 'enforced'.
I've proposed for years to criminalize the 'bundling' of campaign contributions. It would eliminate the legalized bribery part of professional lobbying, which is in fact only buying votes anyway, and NOT 'petitioning government'.
And liberals reward their politicians for it, by reelecting them. You don't need a constitutional amendment, folks. You just need to clean house.
That's your opinion, not fact. But the point is that We, the People, have the power to vote them out and replace them with our own citizen candidates, who hold our values. Yet here liberals are, all set to reelect Obama, who's been in the pocket of Wall Street from the get-go and who's already failed to fix the financial system when he had the chance to. So where's your challenger for Obama?
Wise up people, you get what you vote for.
GEORGE CARLIN - "WHO REALLY CONTROLS AMERICA"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYIC0eZYEtI
There must be a completely NEW Political Party for any change to happen. It could come out of OWS but I don't think it will because OWS is going to be child's play for agent provocateurs. American kids from suburbia have no savvy about how to protect it from such tactics. The only hope is Iraq and Afghan veterans getting involved who have knowledge of economics and the financial history of the United States. U.S. military veterans with high level knowledge of how the financial system works that sent them to war has never happened in 100 years and counting and it is not likely to happen now. But in the age of the Internet there is a chance.
THE CRASH OF 1929
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccNilnpvbJg
THE SECRET OF OZ - Bill Still
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swkq2E8mswI
LIFE INC. - Douglas Rushkoff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOBWhVe68os
"LORDS OF FINANCE: THE BANKERS WHO BROKE THE WORLD" (1914-1939)
http://www.amazon.com/Lords-Finance-Bankers-Broke-World/dp/159420182X
Winner 2010 Pulitzer Prize for History.
Read this astonishing book and weep.