Paul Krugman nails it: Why we're on DEMOCRATIC Underground

[cascadiance]

45. In a democracy, "reality" can be changed for the better...

In an oligarchy where we no longer have a democracy, then what you say, if you accept it, is correct.

For many of us traditional democrats, we can't just "accept" this "reality". We want changes made to help make our politicians more answerable to us rather than to big money.

If you want to see how the public feels, and how they might be receptive to this, look at how Oregon in last election voted down the "Open Primary" (measure 90) BS that wealthy people across the board (oil billionaires as well as Bloomberg) tried to push on us here, to disempower parties in general and having any kind of useful primary where the grass roots can select their leadership.

Through social media and other messages that both the two major parties as well as third parties put out, we were able to vote down this proposition heavily to the point that it got less voting support than the measure that sought to give undocumented people driver's license here, which was expected to heavily lose here.

There can be bipartisan and even universal support for changes, as the voting for this measure demonstrated, if we mobilize support out there in the trenches, and that people of all parties see the value to it, even if the 1% doesn't want it.

The billionaires were trying to fool those frustrated with their government in to voting for changes to our voting system, but people realized that was what was going on, and voted it down. I think there is a thirst for some real change, but it won't happen unless it can be shown to benefit most of us. I think that IRV, if it can get decent enough grass roots support and campaigning, could win, and could help fix the system for the better for all of us. Those that complain about spoilers like Nader, should be the first in line to help this, as this would END spoiler campaigns by third parties, as ranked voting would allow voters to avoid having to vote for "spoilers" and putting in office those they rank low on their list.

If you see the latest book that Nader has written, he has talked about the need for mobilization across party lines on certain issues that we all have interests in fixing, but don't have the support of the 1% and the media it controls in trying to get those issues a national platform for our politicians to work on. The national media just looks to divide us on social issues and avoids like the plague any discussion on far more important and potentially damaging legislation like the TPP, which both parties are being bought to support to push through congress in secret.