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Gretchen Smurr's avatar

So true- power structure doesn’t want to be challenged- the corporate democrats are such a problem- anyone who thinks the illness affecting the US is just Trump- aren’t looking

cliff Krolick's avatar

You got it . It's clear what this democratic establishment stands for and it has everything to do with big money. To move head we need to

TAKE MONEY OUT OF POLITICS

Dean's avatar

WHAT democratic establishment?

There isn't even a HINT of democracy in the U.S....never HAS been...

MONEY chooses the people who will govern, and does whatever they want because they bribed the officials, meanwhile, the typical U.S. member of the public lives in a police state that's crumbling in front of their eyes, and goes bankrupt every time they get sick...

This is the 21st century...it's pathetic, it's a third world nation...with a first world military budget....

ajay ess's avatar

i hear your complete and utter frustration...and totally concur. their are zero new strategies from the dem party.....just same-old vague promises and policies.....

hence my post a coupla months ago....

Heard of any RADICAL strategies from Democrats on how to avoid future Gov SHUTDOWNS?

Can they find the hidden message in AOC + Mamdani voters who also voted for trump?

This is old news - AOC, Mamdani, and Bernie (amongst others) have voters that also voted for trump. Independents went heavily for trump. WHY WHY WHY????

There are more and more voters who are looking for something NEW and DIFFERENT in how the government runs, and they are SICK and TIRED of the government working mainly for the politicians who like to do the same thing over and over again and again and again….

Dems will continue to do same-old same-old dem stuff….GIFTING benefits to all and sundry sub groups of everyone in order to gain (buy) their vote…it’s like the same-old tax breaks that republicans always do….but each of them has the same result on government budgets - taking tax payer $ and gifting it to their favorite voters.

However….KEEP IN MIND, TRUMP AND HIS RADICAL VIEWS OF HOW TO RUN GOVERNMENT AND (HIS LIES) ABOUT DOING THINGS FOR THE BENEFIT OF HARD WORKING AMERICANS, IS WHAT PEOPLE LIKED AND VOTED FOR (no matter how misguided they were and how lobotomized they became by drinking the trump koolaid).... We know now, that trump is actually all about himself and his billionaire oligarch friends, not ‘we the people’.

THE problem: We the people have zero say in how the budget is created.

The dysfunctional 2 party system uses the antiquated system of ‘Cable TV bundling’. Dems give you lots of benefits, protecting millions of different types of rights, and free stuff, Reps give you tax breaks and reduced oversight (aka - freedom to do what you want no matter the consequences - well almost). We the people cannot mix and match…as we can now with streaming services and multitudes of apps to choose from for example. CHOICE is trending, as well as being able to have some INPUT into what is being sold.

SUGGESTED RADICAL SOLUTION: Create a better tax and government funding plan of action. One where the people who pay taxes every year are the ones to guide the politicians in coming up with a budget? On our (human not corporate) tax returns we can add a form where we get to allocate our tax$ by % to the 10 major categories of government, it is totaled for the whole country, but CAN also be calculated per state or even per county (for decisions where the money should be spent and where not). Congress must comply with that and create a budget within 10%. We the people in each state and county will provide input to the budget and tell the politicians what we think is important and what is not.

There are more people who submit tax returns than vote, so it will be a better representation of the people. Seeing as over 80 million people never participate in elections, (they are not interested in voting for a dysfunctional system that only revolves around political party bundles and politicians who think they know better than everyone else) it is a way of drawing those people into the process….yes…i know there are many details to work out….and they CAN be worked out.

One thing is for sure, there is definitely no need for ‘one size fits all’ federal programs. City people and rural people have different priorities….so give them what they need, not what the politician feels like forcing down the voter’s throat.

If congress builds a budget based on input from ‘we the people’ there will be no need for a government shutdown ever again.

All the political parties have to do is promote the way they would spend the tax payer $… the politicians cannot reduce a budget more than 10% and can’t increase a budget by more than 10%, and any increases must come from decreases… Budget 101 stuff.

THIS MAY SEEM RADICAL, BUT IT IS MORE REALISTIC THAN THE PARTY BASED BUNDLES WE GET FROM POLITICIANS TODAY.

ADJUNCT Radical solution: Use this new form of budget input by the taxpayer (individuals not corporate) as a form of referendum. Ask important questions like:

do you agree with increased tax rates on the wealthy (over$100million).. Y/N

must congress close all the tax loopholes that the wealthy use to hide/prevent taxation of their wealth…Y/N

do you want the IRS to focus on the top 20% wealth holders and corporations in the country that they pay their back taxes and audited taxes (including members of congress/executive/judiciary). Y/N

do you think Veterans should have the same healthcare as congress.. Y/N

do you think ICE actions (and corresponding budget) should be carried out by state and city police according to the laws of each state ..Y/N

And over time, the government can get input on how people feel about all the major controversial topics….like

Should trans youth be allowed healthcare the way that smokers, drug addicts (to prescription drugs like opioids), obese people, extreme sports participants, inherited diseases/auto-immune disorders, etc etc etc receive?…

Should there be a federal rapid path to citizenship for anyone born in the usa and passes all the safety checks as everyone applying for citizenship?

Do you believe in Climate Change and therefore FEMA should be available for natural disasters in your state?

Should the EPA control air and water pollution and save the livelihood and health of people and agriculture in your state?

IT APPEARS THE POLITICIANS DON’T LIKE THIS RADICAL IDEA BECAUSE IT TAKES AWAY THE POLITICIANS POWER AND WHAT HE/SHE/THEY WANT. Welllll…..f**k the self serving politician is what I say. And of course, they are going to claim that it will lead to chaos because ‘we the people’ have no idea of how to run a government…but as i said, the present way of doing it is broken and dysfunctional, so work out the details and try something NEW…and just think…NO MORE ‘PORK BARREL’ ADD-ON’S TO BILLS by certain powerful politicians...

Thomas Thompson's avatar

First thing I would do were I elected president is cut the Pentagon's budget by 50%, then reward them for NOT spending/wasting money, as opposed to the current policy of taking money away when they don't spend it all!

Ted Apelt's avatar

The problem isn't the two parties we have. The problem is a system that forces us to have two parties.

All other democracies have more than two parties, sometimes over a dozen. So should we.

Ranked Choice Voting is the key to bringing about a true multi-party political system where you need to form coalitions with other parties to get things done instead of everyone either being in your party or the dreaded, evil, other party. It is part of The American Anti-Corruption Act that is promoted by RepresentUs

Without Ranked Choice Voting, no third party option can exist. OK, you get another party to replace the Democrats. Guess what? They would quickly become as corrupted as the Democrats now are because the only alternative to them would be Republicans! SAME SITUATION! NO CHANGE!

Also, imagine how hard it would be to gerrymander when there are 14 parties with seats in Congress.

It has been successful in Maine and Alaska. It could be very successful in Florida, just as Revision 11 did in 1988 with ballot access becoming the same for all political parties.

ajay ess's avatar

yes, good comment. personally i’m in favor of ranked choice voting for everything :)

Monte Hickmon's avatar

The old white male establishment is embedded in our history the original billionaire class

Monte Hickmon's avatar

It will only increase our power, and our base/ support to move forward and progress.. establishment democrats are frozen in time time to change for the better…

Aline Libassi's avatar

The dems are terrified of new voices

Miriam Hansen's avatar

Ooh, I like Effie! Yes, speak and cultivate the audience that needs to be talked to and cultivated. Rise UP, STAND TOGETHER! I am a Jew. Being pro-Palestinian does not mean that I hate my relatives in Israel. Any more than opposing this regime means that I hate the people that voted to bring it in. I don't want ANYONE to go off the precipice. AND we are going and the U.S. and Israel are pushing all of us over the edge. UNACCEPTABLE!

Aline Libassi's avatar

The old guard dems want to hold on to their power I am about to turn 79 and I say enough we need new blood

Mitch Ritter's avatar

The blood is mostly fine and correctable when filtered. What we need are new brains\minds\souls that share an inclusive vision of term-limited reps and politicians and all Public Interest service staff. We also need to share concerns and cooperate rooting out self-serving Corporate-Captured CEO's and SHE-EO's seeking power over any public purse and hoarding political privileges and promotions into and over Private Interests...

Tio Mitchito

TM

Mitch Ritter\Paradigm Sifters, Code Shifters, PsalmSong Chasers

Lay-Low Studios, Ore-Wa (Refuge of A-Tone-ment Seekers)

Media Discussion List\Looksee

David Maceira's avatar

Establishment democrats are not the leaders we deserve. We desperately deserve people who are ready, willing and able to do what's right for THE PEOPLE of this country and not the portfolios of billionaires.

AAA's avatar

I agree, that's why I would never vote for NEWSOM!!!!

Jill Kaliac's avatar

No to Newsom. I sure hope he does not become 2028 nominee. Need to work against that and other legacy Dems.

Declan's avatar

Effie was great Waj!

MLG's avatar

I am old. I like Hasan Piker! Keep going, progressive is the only way to save this country and the world.

cliff Krolick's avatar

We need a third Party the entrenched machine base of the democratic partywill do anything to destroy any progressives and their ideology. The base establishment of the party is Broligarchy ,billionaire and Epstein class.

We are waisting our time, we need to move to a third party that enbraces the left and multiculturalism

Diana Richardson's avatar

Amen, Cliff. See my comment above. And reply with your ideas!

Ted Apelt's avatar

That's why we need Ranked Choice Voting, unless you have a better way of getting more than two parties that elect people to Congress.

Nina Olff's avatar

The language frames thought. Pro-Palestinian or Pro-Israeli; it's neither. It is pro-human rights.

Bc's avatar

Go on every show you can go on. We need you to speak the truth Effie!

AAA's avatar

She should try IHIP news!!!! Internet podcast! Not fans of current regime!!!

Christy Wagner's avatar

Social justice! Yes! Another great interview Waj! Effie is my kind of candidate! I'm in California so can't cast a ballot for Effie but rooting from the sidelines! Thank you for running! I believe you can win!!!! All the best!!

Carol Makowski's avatar

I love to hear your humanitarian message. You are on point. I'd love to see you win against Lawler.

Carole Langston's avatar

Israel started every "war". The results being the growth of the fanatical groups that retaliated.

It is the time to reassess.

Israel needs to hear NO!

AesthetiCat Adams's avatar

(side note) @Effie Phillips-Staley just had to say my beloved grandmother’s name was Effie Phillips, so i was naturally drawn to you - and I’ll say you embody the name beautifully. Thank you for speaking truth and standing for the moral thing to do! 🙏🏻✨❤️

Effie Phillips-Staley's avatar

❤️❤️❤️

Mary O's avatar

Effie for Congress ! ! ! Than you Waj for highlighting her and bringing this story to our attention.

Susan Perea's avatar

Please replace lawler!

piaebooks's avatar

z'ists get over yourselves. your self importance is sickening as is everything you stand for. congress, please join our radical progressive moral leadership because where you are isn't working for anyone. I mean who do you think you are representing? Where in America are the constituents who love the idea of impunity for pe$0s, stealing our tax dollars to kill children and so many other innocent Palestinians? Sail away from your tiny epstein island and join us, the majority who want to abolish ice, to end endless wars, to see everyone taken care of health, job, and housing. Wake up to the fact that where you continue to go is corrupt and lonely and will only bring you trauma!

Jan's avatar

Please tell me there are good progressive candidates willing to primary Jeffries and/or Schumer. Big $ needs to be banned from politics.