What do you think is the most important issue facing the American People (99%) Today?

[rhett o rick]

I think there will be a lot of different answers but I think that by far the most important issue facing the 99% is the survival of, or re-establishment of our democracy.

Without democracy we will eventually lose everything. In the last 40 years we've seen the decline of The People (99%) for the gain of the Oligarch Class (1%). We must end the continuing trend of the looting of our collective wealth, freedoms, and liberties.
I am sure that all progressive support the struggle for social justice. The problem is, that when we lose our representative form of government, there will be no means for The People to bring about change or even maintain any of the gains we've made. This includes social justice, economic justice, and Constitutional rights and liberties. We will be at the complete mercy of the Oligarch Class (the 1%).

Some people have accepted that we've already lost much of our democracy. A recent Princeton Study indicates that the wealthy class controls our political system to the point that we now live in an oligarchy and have lost many of our democratic freedoms.

Using the “war on terror” as an excuse our government has taken serious steps that violate our Constitution to control us via the Patriot Act, domestic spying, and other means.

The Oligarch Class has, for the last 40 years, been transferring wealth from The People to themselves via a tax structure that excludes them from most taxation. The wealth gap between The People and the Oligarchs is the largest in the world and ever growing.

The local police forces have been militarized and we've imprisoned a very large portion of our population.

The Oligarch Class owns and controls most of our media and are making efforts to regulate (read control) the internet.

We are in a continued state of war to justify controlling us to keep us “secure” (read under control) and to justify a crippling defense budget that drains The People of resources.

We must fight we must fight to take back our government from the control of the billionaires of the Oligarch Class.

This presidential election is a test of how badly we really want democracy. The Oligarch Class has made it crystal clear that they want someone that will represent their interests and they have openly stated that that would be either Clinton or Bush as president. It should be obvious that what the Oligarchy Class wants is not what's best for us, The People.

We must elect a president that is looking to change the current system of big money corruption of our government. That person is Senator Bernie Sanders.

[jkbRN]

1. Not electing financially corrupt politicians take office--

Like HRC

[kenfrequed]

2. Hmm...

Global warming and Social and Economic inequality.

[NurseJackie]

3. I was hoping this would be good ...

Great title ... but that's all. I stopped reading after the 2nd repetition of "oligarch".

Same old, same old.

[redstateblues]

6. Did he use corporatist, third wayer, 1%er, DINO or neoliberal?

So many straw men so little time

[rhett o rick]

9. So you don't believe the Princeton Study indicating that we live in an oligarchy?

Do you not agree that big money buys our politician? Do you support the status quo that has given us 50,000,000 Americans living in poverty? The highest infant mortality rate of any modern nation? Support the 1% and it will continue on the current path.

[NurseJackie]

18. I stopped reading at "oligarchy" again.

I can only assume that it continued on with the typical ranting and hysteria about: banks, buying elections, IWR, corruption, 1%, DWS, DLC, "turd-way", status-quo, quid-pro-quo, corporatist, cluster bombs, dictators, Bill & Monica, how awful Hillary is, and Hillary can't be trusted, and the polls are rigged, and OMG-we're-all-gonna-die, WOLF!, yadda yadda yadda. Ho hum.

[rhett o rick]

21. Seems you can always find any reason to avoid actually discussing issues.

One can only guess that you accept the status quo and the 50,000,000 Americans living in poverty. I hate to tell you that the oligarchs don't really love you.

[NurseJackie]

23. Strawmen and false-choices. Lame.

Bernie doesn't resonate with me. I'm sure he's a "nice guy" whose "heart is in the right place" ... but I don't find him appealing at all. My reaction to him is somewhere between "ugh" and "e-e-ennnnh". He doesn't inspire me.

One can only guess that you accept the status quo and the 50,000,000 Americans living in poverty.

That's a simplistic and binary way of putting things. But, not entirely unexpected.

I hate to tell you that the oligarchs don't really love you.

This really doesn't help your argument (and I'm being generous in using that word). That you'd assume this was important to me is quite amusing.

[rhett o rick]

32. I am disappointed but not surprised at your attempts and ridicule and not at all surprised at your

responses here. Why do people support HRC? Well they don't even pretend it's because they are unhappy with the status quo, unhappy with 50,000,000 Americans living in poverty so why? I think it's that they worship the power and wealth.

And by the way your use of the ROFL is sadly humorous, but soo last year.

[NurseJackie]

34. Then why continue?

And by the way your use of the ROFL is sadly humorous, but soo last year.

[Armstead]

20. You can deny it all you want -- But we DO live in an oligarchy

You really think we live in anything close to a democracy anymore?

[yeoman6987]

26. We never lived in a democracy

That is what we were founded on. A republic which is probably why we are still alive and well and other countries are in tormoil. It also makes other people want to come to our country because we have a stable republic.

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. InstitutionAL racism ...

It falsely knocks some down ... and, falsely elevates others, if only in their minds.

[rhett o rick]

13. Do you think a government controlled by the 1% will help? They are mostly responsible for where

we are today. It's to their best interest to keep us racially divided.

[1StrongBlackMan]

15. No ... But when has the government NOT been controlled by the 1%? ..

Yes, they do have an interest in keeping us racially divided ... so stop!

[Hortensis]

25. Money is power, right Strong? De-power the 0.01%, NONE of whom a

representative democracy needs, get back to developing those prosperous working classes, and we not only have a lot of monied Blacks and other minorities invested in society, but institutionalized racism will have largely disappeared - because they won't put up with it.

What I'm saying is that attacking institutionalized racism first, without at the same time returning pay scales to what they once were, won't make nearly enough difference, unless one is hoping for rainbow mobs of dispossessed citizens overrunning the seats of power. I prefer revolution by ballot.

Blacks are a full third in some southern states. Add the rest of the institutionally oppressed, including most women, and those states have very large majorities that can stop just wishing for more equality of opportunity at any time. Feeling empowered will makep that happen. Prosperity empowers like nothing else, as has been proven on large scales many times over in this country alone. It also loosens the hold religion has on poor people, encouraging them stay passive.

[closeupready]

5. If the wealth/income gap persists and expands, I think you'll see more breakdown

in the parts of US society that are being left behind, and some of those parts are growing larger in proportion to the rich (immigrant communities in the Southwest). It will lead either to a police state, or else a breakup of the United States - in both cases, a failure of our democracy.

You know, it's interesting that people call Pakistan a failed state due, in part, to the inability of government authorities to control elements in their frontier provinces which are, in fact, autonomous regions that fall within Pakistan's traditional sphere of influence. While that's not us, I do see parallels here, and I grow increasingly pessimistic that you'll see positive change happen peacefully.

[rhett o rick]

14. I think the 1% will continue to arm the local police and continue to demand tougher laws

and sentencing to the point that there will be a major rift between the AA community and the armed rightwingnuts. Violence will play into the hands of the oligarchy so they can justify tighter controls to maintain "security".

[UglyGreed]

17. They don't care if we kill each other

in fact it is to their benefit. People struggling to survive worry about surviving, they really have no time to do anything else.

[TIME TO PANIC]

7. Corporate control of our media & the militarization of our police.

Heavy times we live in.

[jwirr]

12. And add climate change and I'm with you.

[TIME TO PANIC]

19. I Agree

Climate change should be at the top of our priorities!

[wendylaroux]

8. Economic inequality nt

[hedda_foil]

10. Hey Rick! Good post. Would you consider making it a poll?

[rhett o rick]

31. Thanks, but not sure it'd make a very good poll. nm

[BlueJazz]

11. The ironic thing is a lot of the populace gets upset about the inequality, the poor pay,....

...the lack of affordable health care, the lack of benefits that every citizen should have and when it's time to vote, they elect the very people that have caused their anger and misery.

They talk about "The End Times" and all that rubbish, never realizing that they actually have it partly right....YOU'RE the reason for the End Times and unfortunately you're dragging the rest of us right down the hole with you.

We, on the left, do our best to make society better for everyone while the republican voters are hell bent on destroying our efforts because of the fact that they insist on keeping women in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant ..ie: "Pro-life."

It's like we on the left would vote for Trump and/or Cruz because Bernie or Hillary were not going to push for a 20 percent raise in Social security.
Total idiots.

[KoKo]

16. Corruption! Everywhere....

Lack of Prosecution for those who caused the Financial Meltdown. Militarization of our local Police for Profit. Training them in Terrorist Fighting tactics in other countries and emphasizing military tactics and weaponry as a solution for "crowd control," just in case they might be legal protesting something unpopular.

Corporate, Media and Military and Government Corruption. Passing off Government Operations to Paid Private Contractors which costs more money in the end and gives away oversight to these Private Corporations rather than their following the laws of the Government put in place to protect the people.

Money in Politics from Foreign Governments, Undisclosed Private Interests, Corporations and Special Interests which gives the voter little choice and takes away power from "The People."

Corruption in every part of our society by Oligarchs and a Military, Industrial Finance Complex Network who feel they can get away with whatever they want through buying their way out in plea bargains and paying fines instead of being held accountable.

[Enthusiast]

22. Kicked and recommended!

[bigwillq]

24. Jobs, economy, financial security, the safety and well-being of family and friends (nt)

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

27. Climate change.

[phleshdef]

28. Obviously, its Bernie Sanders - Super Hacker Extraordinaire.

[stonecutter357]

29. race inequality..........

[Fumesucker]

30. Judging by GD-P? The sheer inhuman awfulness of Bernie Sanders supporters

Supporters who would make Goebbels and Beria blush with shame.

[99Forever]

33. Removing the cancer of corruption that...

....has infested our government. All else follows that.