A Dem blasts his own party.

[mar1t1me]

Your suggestion?

Simple on the surface, but would virtually require a revolution:

Step one: Eliminate private campaign contributions. Since electing appropriate candidates is in the best interests of the people, equal resources (Money, travel, media airtime, etc) will be allotted all candidates. Resource amounts will be commensurate to the level of public office in question. No one may use personal funds or resources or ANY resources not specifically provided them by the election committee.

Step two: Eliminate all private lobbies. The Constitutional provision allowing the constituency access to their representatives can be fulfilled without the need for private lobbyists. One vote, one voice. Exception: No corporate lobbying except by persons representing entire industries and only then for purposes of educating representatives about regulatory challenges, etc, and no gifts to politicians. In order to create trust in governmental processes, the average American taxpayer needs to feel their voice will be heard, not run over by corporate special interests.

Step three: End all corporate welfare. It is socialist(!) to allow for-profit corporations access to taxpayer funds for the purposes of further enrichment.

Step four: Sit back and enjoy the best government not bought in 2 centuries.

Ain't gonna happen, though.....

[z31maniac]

Out of curiosity, what are the tax rates in the US?

http://www.moneychimp.com/features/tax_brackets.htm

Keep in mind thats just your payroll taxes.

Doesn't take into account sales tax/gas tax/property tax/etc, etc.

[joshh]

Simple on the surface, but would virtually require a revolution:

Step one: Eliminate private campaign contributions. Since electing appropriate candidates is in the best interests of the people, equal resources (Money, travel, media airtime, etc) will be allotted all candidates. Resource amounts will be commensurate to the level of public office in question. No one may use personal funds or resources or ANY resources not specifically provided them by the election committee.

Step two: Eliminate all private lobbies. The Constitutional provision allowing the constituency access to their representatives can be fulfilled without the need for private lobbyists. One vote, one voice. Exception: No corporate lobbying except by persons representing entire industries and only then for purposes of educating representatives about regulatory challenges, etc, and no gifts to politicians. In order to create trust in governmental processes, the average American taxpayer needs to feel their voice will be heard, not run over by corporate special interests.

Step three: End all corporate welfare. It is socialist(!) to allow for-profit corporations access to taxpayer funds for the purposes of further enrichment.

Step four: Sit back and enjoy the best government not bought in 2 centuries.

Ain't gonna happen, though.....

My question was related with the voting choices we have at the moment. I'm not one to vote a party usually. But because the Dems (vast majority) support Government control and much of what Obama has brought us, I'm forced to vote for the least of two evils. Sadly but that's what I've been doing for years because there has been no one that I agree with 100%.

While I agree with all four of the things you wrote 100%. There are many ideas that would help this country. That would be a good start.

[gwb72tii]

I presume you are speaking of the so-called Tea Party?

Americans will be unpleasantly surprised when they learn that Tea Party Republicans are no different from Bush Republicans: They are against big-government tyranny, unless it’s Republican big-government tyranny.

You think the guys actually funding the Tea Party are doing anything but using the Tea Party to further their goals?

You think the Koch brothers give a shit? Not as long as they can still get their hands on your money through continued wasteful subsidies.

we'll see. and if the republicans supported by and elected by tea party members turn out to be the same old republicans, 2012 will be more interesting than 2010. the tea party is not pro-republican.
here's a small prediction:
obama will be out on his scrawny ass in 2012. what you see today in the mood of the electorate will continue to build and intensify for at least the next 2 years and probably the next 10 years (my big hope). pro-big government politicians of either party are going to be voted out and replaced with limited government candidates. the era of bigger government, higher taxes, higher spending is over.

[dirtysix]

http://www.moneychimp.com/features/tax_brackets.htm

Keep in mind thats just your payroll taxes.

Doesn't take into account sales tax/gas tax/property tax/etc, etc.

Significantly lower than ours!

[mar1t1me]

the tea party is not pro-republican.

Is there a Democratic candidate they support in any race? Voting independent is a recipe for failure and it's clear many voices in the GOP like Palin, Gingrich, Boehner as well as people like the aforementioned Koch brothers have made it a de-facto Republican organization. I'm certain that is not what TP founders had in mind.

pro-big government politicians of either party are going to be voted out and replaced with limited government candidates. the era of bigger government, higher taxes, higher spending is over.

I wish you were right, but it is unlikely that a few souls will be able to turn the machine off and then dismantle it. Even if you elect 100 new people, there are still 335 others in Congress. Politicians are awfully good at going after easy things (like NPR) to curry votes while spouting nebulous things like "I am for smaller government and will cut spending". Problem is once they get elected "it's not their fault" their plans didn't work! And nothing changes but the names on the seats in the House and Senate.

[gwb72tii]

Is there a Democratic candidate they support in any race?

is there any democrat running on a limited government, repeal obamacare, reduce taxes platform?

[mar1t1me]

is there any democrat running on a limited government, repeal obamacare, reduce taxes platform?

No. However, Republicans have never given America a smaller government, so I wouldn't look for one now. And Bush was the only President in US history to pander to the populace with tax cuts and handouts in a time of war. A $168B giveaway! Look everyone-FREE MONEY!

"This is what Republicans always do. When in power, they massively expand the power of the state in every realm. Deficit spending and the national debt skyrocket. The National Security State is bloated beyond description through wars and occupations, while no limits are tolerated on the Surveillance State. Then, when out of power, they suddenly pretend to re-discover their "small government principles." The very same Republicans who spent the 1990s vehemently opposing Bill Clinton's Terrorism-justified attempts to expand government surveillance and executive authority then, once in power, presided over the largest expansion in history of those very same powers. The last eight years of Republican rule was characterized by nothing other than endlessly expanded government power, even as they insisted -- both before they were empowered and again now -- that they are the standard-bearers of government restraint."

Link.

[CorvallisBMW]

Simple on the surface, but would virtually require a revolution:

Step one: Eliminate private campaign contributions. Since electing appropriate candidates is in the best interests of the people, equal resources (Money, travel, media airtime, etc) will be allotted all candidates. Resource amounts will be commensurate to the level of public office in question. No one may use personal funds or resources or ANY resources not specifically provided them by the election committee.

Step two: Eliminate all private lobbies. The Constitutional provision allowing the constituency access to their representatives can be fulfilled without the need for private lobbyists. One vote, one voice. Exception: No corporate lobbying except by persons representing entire industries and only then for purposes of educating representatives about regulatory challenges, etc, and no gifts to politicians. In order to create trust in governmental processes, the average American taxpayer needs to feel their voice will be heard, not run over by corporate special interests.

Step three: End all corporate welfare. It is socialist(!) to allow for-profit corporations access to taxpayer funds for the purposes of further enrichment.

Step four: Sit back and enjoy the best government not bought in 2 centuries.

Ain't gonna happen, though.....

I agree 100%. Money in politics is the single-biggest contributing factor to this nation's downfall.

And both sides do it equally. In 2008 The Dems got more money because they were set to win. Now in 2010 The GOP is getting more for the same reason. It's not about parties or ideology. It's about buying votes.

tea party is not pro-republican.

Oh stop that, you made me laugh so hard coffee came out of my nose :giggle:

[Massive Lee]

I agree 100%. Money in politics is the single-biggest contributing factor to this nation's downfall.

A bit out of topic. Guess who are some of the financial contributors of the Tea Party? Most likely, that means that if elected, the senators will defend their conributors' interests, making you wonder which interests senators are protecting. Voters. Or cashers.

BP Hooks Up With Tea Party

Oh, look who else is funding the midterms: European companies such as BP and Bayer are funneling cash to the campaigns of U.S. politicians against climate policy—especially Tea Party favorites. According to a report from the European watchdog group Climate Action Network Europe (CANE), 80 percent of European companies’ campaign contributions went to candidates like Oklahoma Republican James Inhofe, who is well-known for his remarks that climate change is a hoax. In a report set to release tomorrow, CANE stated that "the European companies are funding almost exclusively Senate candidates who have been outspoken in their opposition to comprehensive climate policy in the U.S. and candidates who actively deny the scientific consensus that climate change is happening and is caused by people." Bayer has given the single largest donation of $108,000.
Read it at The Guardian

[gwb72tii]

climate change is a fucking hoax
and guess who spends more and gets more $ from lobbyists?

one guess......

democrats

[CorvallisBMW]

climate change is a fucking hoax
and guess who spends more and gets more $ from lobbyists?

one guess......

democrats

evidence? Or just standard baseless claim?

[joshh]

evidence? Or just standard baseless claim?

Ever heard of Cap and Tax? LOL

[Vedubin01]

evidence? Or just standard baseless claim?

Its hard to make your case when evidence has been falsified.

http://www.bing.com/search?q=hacker+exposes+falses+of+global+warming&go=&form=QBRE&qs=n&sk=

[CorvallisBMW]

I wasn't referring to the climate change part. You guys can have fun denying that all you want. I'm sure you think the earth is 5000 years old too.

I was asking for evidence about the lobbying $ claim. As I stated before, it swings back and forth. Whichever party controls Congress gets more lobbying $ because they have more members there to be lobbied and make votes. It's that simple. Right now it's the Democrats, from 1994 to 2006 it was the GOP, before that the Dems, and so on....