If the presidency were to pass back and forth between two or three families in any Latin American nation we would call it an oligarchy
The lobbying/campaign finance/access matrix has corrupted American politics, divided our nation, and is well down the road to creating a system of political oligarchy.
Category Archives: two-party system
Gary Hart: Dare We Call It Oligarchy?
Mayor seeks $51,000 raise after cutting predecessor’s salary
The new mayor of one New Jersey city wants to boost his salary to $72,000 after cutting his predecessor’s to $21,000 when he served on the City Council.
Rahway Mayor Samson Steinman says former Mayor Rick Proctor did not work full time.
via Mayor seeks $51,000 raise after cutting predecessor’s salary – Yahoo News.
Why Hillary Clinton won’t take on Wall Street
…the likelihood that New York’s Chuck Schumer will replace Harry Reid as leader of the Senate Democrats means the dreams of a more economically leftward party are crashing into political reality. While Schumer has been a very effective Democrat and skilled legislative leader, he is also a Wall Street Democrat who has spent much of his time courting and protecting powerful financial interests who run one of the dominant industries in his state.
He is not alone. Even at his most progressive moments, President Barack Obama relied on Wall Street donations for both of his campaigns. Despite all the talk from conservatives about left-wing “socialism” in the White House, the financial community has been willing to open its coffers to Democrats without much concern, even in the 2012 election.
via Why Hillary Clinton won’t take on Wall Street – CNN.com.
A Conservative Case Against Big Business
Some day soon Democratic and Republican voters will realize that both parties exist to serve the interests of big business. That’s the reality. Just look at the GOPs presidential nominees: Bush, McCain, Romney, etc. These people are not conservatives. But they are pro-big business. The same with Democrats: the Clintons and Obama have been completely loyal to Wall Street, crony capitalists, and the globalists:
Why does the right always go to the mat for big corporations who could give a damn about conservative values?
A few years ago, liberal Bill Scher (my Bloggingheads sparring partner) penned a New York Times op-ed titled “How Liberals Win.” His conclusion? They win when they co-opt big business. “The necessity of corporate support for, or at least acquiescence to, liberal policies,” he wrote, “is not a new development in the history of American liberalism. Indeed it has been one of its hallmarks.”
Mayor Rahm Emanuel will win by Dividing Chicago
Rahm Emanuel is part of the corrupt political establishment that rules Chicago. He was instrumental in getting another Chicago hack into the White House. Now he is on the verge of being re-elected even though he’s done nothing but show contempt for his poorest constituents. But that’s not what matters. It’s all about serving the 1%, whom rein over Chicago. Let the people be damned. And most voters in Chicago are allowing it to happen:
African Americans say many of those reforms have hit the city’s minorities communities harder than the rest. And Emanuel’s critics also point to his support from Republicans and wealthy Chicagoans as evidence that Emanuel is the mayor of the 1 percent, while Garcia’s mayor of “100%,” as his campaign signs state. They’ve also accused him of allocating property tax dollars from a city fund the mayor controls to benefit his allies.
Garcia’s message has galvanized the support of a number of national progressive groups, including some of the country’s biggest unions, the Working Families Party and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, all of which are backing Garcia’s campaign.
Britain has 7 Candidates Debating for Top Office, U.S. only Two
Why can’t we have more than 2 political candidates in Presidential debates. Why do we accept this obvious monopoly on power? Is it any wonder we have a completely dysfunctional government? Let’s demand choice next time around.
The leaders’ debate on ITV attracted an average audience of seven million viewers last night.
David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg, Nicola Sturgeon, Nigel Farage, Leanne Wood and Natalie Bennett took to their podiums on Thursday to debate key issues for the Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem, Scottish National Party, UKIP, Plaid Cymru and Green parties respectively, ahead of the May general election.
De Blasio: Hillary Clinton ‘Absolutely’ Needs to Address Inequality
Why does Hillary need to be told how to be a progressive if she isn’t one from the outset? That’s because she’s a tool of big business:
Mayor Bill de Blasio today stressed that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton must address the growing gap between the rich and poor if she runs for president—as he and a group of other left-leaning politicians and activists rolled out a plan to create a national income inequality agenda.
Mr. de Blasio fielded a number of questions about the former senator and first lady, with whom he has close personal ties, as he announced a plan to formulate and unveil a platform against wealth disparity next month. The mayor, standing beside a group of other progressives at Gracie Mansion this afternoon, emphasized that Ms. Clinton has not yet announced her hotly anticipated candidacy for president, but said she must adopt elements of the platform if and when she does.
Senate Has New Deadline to Avoid Doctors’ Medicare Cuts
Congress will do nothing but play politics with no regard for American health and lives. They don’t give a damn. And why should they. Their jobs are secure:
Congress will get a little extra time to prevent a threatened 21 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors.
Technically, the cut was to take effect Wednesday.
But the Department of Health and Human Services said it will hold off processing claims at the lower rate until April 15.
The House has overwhelmingly passed a bill to repeal the 1990s budget formula that requires the Medicare cuts. But the Senate left on its spring break before taking action. President Barack Obama says he would sign the House bill.
via Senate Has New Deadline to Avoid Doctors’ Medicare Cuts – ABC News.
New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez indicted on corruption charges
Unfortunately this one of the very few ways of getting rid of a long term Congressional incumbent:
New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez was indicted Wednesday on corruption charges, accused of using his office to improperly benefit a political donor — who allegedly offered the senator an array of perks including trips on his private jet and access to an exclusive Dominican resort.
A federal grand jury indicted the powerful senator on 14 counts, including conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud.
via New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez indicted on corruption charges | Fox News.
Murders, shootings on the rise in Chicago
So why are Chicagoans re-electing Emmanuel?
There’s been a sharp spike in the number of murders and shootings here in the first three months of the year, according to new crime statistics released by the Chicago Police Department on Wednesday.
How did U.S. foreign policy end up in such disarray?
When academics look back to survey the wreckage of U.S. foreign policy at the start of the 21st century, many will wonder how a superpower with unrivaled military, economic, and cultural dominance lost that historic advantage so quickly. The answer? George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Rahm Emanuel Adviser: ‘Crazy Lefty Money’
This is an opportunity to show the corporate establishment–that runs the Democratic Party–the power of the people. Emanuel is an enemy of the 99 percent. But I’m afraid we’re going to lose this one. We are not even fighting. Even when they insult us.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel is everything I can’t stand in a supposed democratic politician. While working for President Bill Clinton, he helped institute welfare reform that made conservatives oogle with delight and also was the driving force behind a trade deal that has crippled America called: NAFTA.
Chilean Accused of Murder, Torture Taught 13 Years for Pentagon
A member of the late Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet’s brutal secret police who’s been accused of murder taught for more than a decade at the Pentagon’s premier university, despite repeated complaints by his colleagues about his past.
Jaime Garcia Covarrubias is charged in criminal court in Santiago with being the mastermind in the execution-style slayings of seven people in 1973, according to court documents. McClatchy also interviewed an accuser who identified Garcia Covarrubias as the person who sexually tortured him.
Despite knowing of the allegations, State and Defense department officials allowed Garcia Covarrubias to retain his visa and continue working at a school affiliated with the National Defense University until last year .
via Chilean Accused of Murder, Torture Taught 13 Years for Pentagon.
Republicans Heap Money On Rahm Emanuel’s Re-election Campaign
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel received a big cash infusion to a super PAC supporting his re-election bid in the last weeks before the April 7 Democratic Party primary runoff election he faces against Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.
Standing out among the big contributions to Emanuel’s super PAC, Chicago Forward, is a $500,000 donation — more than half of the group’s fundraising haul for the month of March so far — from hedge fund billionaire and Republican donor Ken Griffin. Chicago Forward money is now being used to attack Garcia with negative television ads.
via Republicans Heap Money On Rahm Emanuel’s Re-election Campaign.
Adding Independent Voices to the Debate
A new national campaign, Change the Rule, is pushing for the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) to include a third-party party or independent candidate in next year’s debates.
A bipartisan group of more than 40 current and former elected officials, Cabinet members, diplomats, high-ranking military officials, and business and academic leaders are backing the effort.
Bills To Rig The Electoral College Resurface In Michigan
Two bills seeking to rig the Electoral College in order to make it easier for Republicans to enter the White House were introduced in Michigan this month. The first bill, introduced by state Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R), would have awarded 9 of the state’s 16 electoral votes to Republican candidate Mitt Romney in 2012, even though Romney lost the state of Michigan to President Obama by nearly 10 percentage points. The second bill, introduced by state Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R), would have awarded 7 electoral votes to Romney. The second bill, however, may be more appealing to Republican members of Congress because it would shield them from a potential threat to their ability to hold their seats.
via Bills To Rig The Electoral College Resurface In Michigan | ThinkProgress.
The Democrats’ War on Women and Blacks
When I grew up, I thought the Democratic Party was the great friend of minorities and women. The party wanted a world of equality, I thought. Most people I knew believed that too.
Sorry, I was an idiot.
Here’s our contemporary world as it actually exists: Ayaan Hirsi Ali — a woman who has had a clitoridectomy and has had literally hundreds of death threats, maybe thousands, risking her life daily fighting the horrible mistreatment of her sex under Islamic Sharia — has her honorary degree withheld by Brandeis University while Hillary Clinton — the putative Democratic Party nominee (still, I guess) for president — takes multimillion dollar donations from Saudi Arabia, where women aren’t even allowed to drive.
via The Democrats’ War on Women and Blacks | RealClearPolitics.
Why didn’t Bill and Hillary Clinton Attend the Selma 50th Anniversary Ceremony?
Current President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush, along with 100 members of Congress attended the Selma 50th anniversary march. But Bill and Hillary Clinton, along with the leadership of the GOP, did not attend. Why not?
Jobrny's Rant 