Study Break

In college lingo, a study break means that I'd be taking a break from studying so that I might better absorb my subject matter upon returning.  That's not what it means this time though.  I am taking a short break from this blog, a few days, to study my new subject matter.  After all, I'm not brushed up on my causing-of-political-upheaval.  If the test were now, I'd fail it.

As most of my readers know, if they've been reading anyway, I am preparing to start a movement to force politicians, by popular demand, to have their ads fact-checked by a non-partisan source.  This is going to take some doing.  I don't think it is going to be easy to convince them that there is no longer any benefit to lying to the public.  Or that letting some other organization make claims you wouldn't make yourself is just as bad as making those claims when you don't denounce them.

My hope is to have an organization ready to take on the work of fact checking before we start demanding this of the politicians.  This needs to be a verifiable non-partisan organization, as mentioned before.  Heck!  Maybe, just maybe, all these campaigners need is to know such a service exists.  I almost typed that whole sentence with a straight face.

I hereby declare war on all lying politicians.  And I offer an olive branch to those with scruples, if any such are around.  This goes beyond which side of the aisle you are on because I believe that, if they are dealing honestly, some partisanship where our representatives meet is good.  We need discourse and debate.  We need people talking about what changes we can make as well as why we should approach change with caution.  We need representatives who will stick by their guns but not try to manipulate the will of the people for some kind of profit, monetary or otherwise.  We need representatives that will concede the point when proven wrong.  We need representatives who will consider any relevant fact before coming to a conclusion.

I hope everyone who reads this blog is ready to help me, I will need it.  And I will need you to tell your friends what we're doing because your friends have an interest in this too, whether they choose to be interested or not.  At risk of sounding cliché, together we can change the face of politics as we know it.

See you soon!

Alzheimer's in the Electorate and More Truth in Advertising

Darn those fickle Independents and darn their short memories.  It seems 6 out of 10 Independent voters forgot that just two years ago, they were certain our economic woes were all the Republicans' faults.  They seem to have forgotten completely that the stimulus plan they were so against, in favor of tax cuts, included some of the biggest tax cuts in history, actually beating both of the big Bush tax cuts on the two year scale.  They also 'totally spaced' the fact that this whole mess they are blaming on the Democrats happened as a direct result of Republican policies leading up to this administration.  And that while things haven't gotten better as fast as any of us liked, they are getting better faster than many experts expected.  It's not completely their fault though.  Democrats did an astoundingly horrible job stumping and countering Republican spin.  They let the Republicans dictate the debate through the whole political season.  I hope they know what they're doing because we now have just enough of a balance to get absolutely nothing done, while still blaming the Democrats for everything.

In the mean time I have a little splash of my own I want to make in the next election and I am asking all of my readers to join me.  I will be asking all candidates in the next election to be honest in their ads.  I will also be asking them to denounce dishonest ads presented by special interest groups.  I will be seeking and/or building an organization to offer a non-partisan endorsement to ads of all seekers regardless of party affiliation that have their ads independently fact-checked before the ad airs.  This will be intended as a non-partisan effort and I hope to garner the support of people on both sides of the aisle.  I ask your help in doing this.  I will need a lot of voices to make sure that election hopefuls know exactly what we want.  This is to become the primary focus of this blog.  So, anyone start any juggernaut political movements recently?  I could use some advice.

The Build-Up

The voting deadline is just one day away.  Tomorrow, I hope, lines will be around the block, chock full of opinionated people exercising their right to make their opinions heard and represented in state and federal government.  May I first say that, no matter your view, good luck and Godspeed.  I am a firm believer in the democratic process.  And though I occasionally disagree with The Will of The People, I far less often agree with the will of the representatives.  I just might go hang out at the polls, just to see what people are up to.  I might even sit at the 100 foot line and tell people what I think, just for kicks.  I am excited about this election.  I feel that, even if the Tea Party makes it everywhere they have a legitimate chance, at least The Will of The People will be served.  Don't get me wrong, I in no way believe that the Tea Party will serve to the benefit of the people, but mine is but one in a veritable sea of opinion.  After all, it is the Tea Party (bless their little hearts*) that makes this election so exciting.  They have somehow managed to steal a good portion of the republican constituency.  And though they are in no way fiscally conservative, they have convinced a formidable number of people that they are.  In fact they seem to only be concerned with making our military "stronger".  That means to me that they don't mind spending sickeningly huge amounts of money, so long as we're spending it on war.  They have also convinced people that they are a grass roots organization, which is far from the truth.  In fact their coffers have been heavily augmented by special interest groups and large businesses that will benefit directly from their platform.  And they have even convinced an enormous number of people, that are dependent on government services such as social security and MediCare, that government offers too many services and that the costs to them (the people who are dependent on these government services) are detrimental and unnecessary.  It all seems pretty ridiculous to me, but they've made an impression none the less.  And frankly, if the liberals can't get off their duffs to unseat a relatively divided republican party, then we'll get what we deserve.  So, as I have said, this election is exciting to me.  I look forward to seeing what the electorate, that means you, will do.  In short, go cast your ballot.  Go preach it from the mountain top!  I look forward, this Wednesday, to hearing your sermon. 

*I am, by birth and spirit, a Texan.  "Bless their little hearts" is Texan for "they're a bunch of effing idiots".