Ted Cruz & GOP gov't shutdown prove Tea Party is step to post-democracy America

When the Tea Party first showed up, I could not figure out why they noticed at all since their ideology is pretty consistently conservative Republican.

The early explanation was Baby Bush had put so much stink on the GOP brand, that Republican politicians had to call themselves something else to get elected.

At the time, I suspected they had another purpose: some of the right's most conservative wealthy backers were disappointed that Republicans in Congress (and the White House) didn't pull the trigger on full fascism during the window of opportunity during the Bush years.

The very wealthy are not stupid and know demographics will eventually cripple the GOP because of the legacy (and largely on-going use) of the Southern Strategy.

Therefore, they have to either A) hitch their horse to corporate Democrats, which would entail giving in to just a little bit to taxes, regulation, and worker protections, OR B) get Republicans to seize power permanently while they could. After 9/11 they came pretty close, and Karl Rove even floated a trial balloon about "postponing" the 2004 election because of the War on Terror (and when would they declare that over?)

Republicans in Congress balked at that, probably not out of conscience or patriotism, but a reasonable analysis of the risks of failure and what it would cost them personally (everything).

Rather than resign themselves to plan A, the wealthy cranks decided they needed politicians who didn't do risk assessment because they were either too stupid, too over-confident or both.

If the right has another opportunity like controlling both chambers of congress, the White House, and the Supreme Court again, they will not hesitate or chicken out again.

Who is the wealthiest person at the biggest bank or Wall St firm to go to prison?

And who was the prosecutor who put them there?

Ask EVERY politician in Washington: Do you plan to DEFAULT on debt to Social Security?

DEMOCRATIC Senator Dick Durbin's disturbing comments about Social Security going broke in 20 years and general talk about "fixing" the deficit by cutting Social Security require that this be asked of every politician:

Since the 1980's, Congress increased the Social Security tax to build a surplus to prepare for Baby Boomers retirement, then borrowed that money to pay for other things. Do you plan to pay back every penny?

If not, why are you treating a debt to the American people with less respect than one to Wall Street bankers and investors?

What is or will be the alternative energy of the financial sector?

The robber barons of carbon and nuclear energy pooh-poohed alternative energy like wind and solar as a boutique source for decades, but the rapid, large scale adoption in places like Germany and the dramatic effect it has had on energy prices has made it clear that oil, gas, coal, and nukes days are numbered.

Likewise, the auto industry and big oil said electrics and even hybrids would never take off, but there's so many Priuses around now, I've often tried to get in the wrong car.

I think there's a similar alternative to sociopath controlled international finance that will eventually emerge, but what is it?

Credit Unions that have been around for decades?

State run banks?

Crowd-sourced finance?

This is probably the most important question for reforming our profoundly corrupt political system--the banks call the shots and not just our democracy but those around the world have to dance to their tune, invariably makes them richer and everyone else poorer--currently, a LOT poorer.

And oddly enough, most of the "rogue nations" of the world are holdouts against the banking order in one way or another.

Maybe there isn't one silver bullet that will put it down, but are there any other than what I've mentioned so far?

Will elected Democrats PLEASE throw Republican policies in the grave with the GOP?

In spite of voters wising up and voting Republicans out of enough offices to give Democrats the keys to the federal car, and Republicans increasing acting like Charles Manson on a bad angel dust, crystal meth bath salts trip, Dems keep driving like Republicans on too many issues:

• Privatization of public education
  
  
• Trade deals that put transnational corporations ahead of American workers
  
  
• Wars for the benefit of energy companies, defense contractors, and banks (with a barely perceptible change in the lies used to sell those wars)
  
  
• Turning a blind eye to the epic crimes and economic terrorism of Wall Street and transnational banks through neoliberal policies
  
  
• Allowing Wall Street to choose their own regulators, dictate their own regulation for the most part, and have open door access to the White House (instead of access to the exercise yard at prison).
  
  
• Bailouts for the rich not for the rest
  
  
• and on and on
  

Jerry Brown signs bill creating two tiered tuition, one without any state support

As the Republicans are desperately trying to commit political suicide in Washington, Democrats in California are trying desperately to keep destructive conservatives ideas alive.

Divestment Campaign against fossil fuels growing fast, says study

It's tough to pepper spray, arrest, do a media blackout on a strategy like this.

Investors aren't just listening to the bobbleheads on network news. We can actually do a lot to influence this by persuading our retirement funds to divest from companies working against our interests, especially if you belong a public employees retirement system.

For teachers, this is exactly the approach we need to take the wind out of the sails of the corporate education reformers, and we need to start before it's too late.

NORM SOLOMON: Google quietly joins ALEC

IF Dems win in 2014, what should they do that would help US the most and help them in 2016?

They have a chance of clearing the table in 2014, but by being too corporate compliant, they could blow their chances for 2016, and screw the rest of us too.

What are some bold moves they could make if they have the House, Senate, and White House that would do the most good, politically and in the real world?

Dems could win both chambers of Congress in 2014--how do we keep corp Dems from blowing it?

The little daylight between the corporate wing of the Democratic Party and Republicans is probably what led to Dems losing the house in 2010.

For some core constituencies like teachers, even though we know the Dems are better than republicans, the "put corporate profits ahead of teachers and students" approach to education reform makes us feel like idiots for doing much work for them it's like your only choice is between dating someone who beats you with a baseball bat and someone who only beats you with their fists.

The corporate wing could blow this in two ways:
1. putting up candidates who don't highlight their differences with the GOP and instead try to co-opt their agenda

2. Getting elected but then going corporate once in office, dampening Democratic prospects for 2016

Far more importantly, besides making the horse race unnecessarily close, either option will hurt most of us A LOT.

We can't afford another Democratic president or members of Congress who make Nixon look like a socialist.

What can we do?