Political Industry rules: No "accountability" candidates in 2008

[Parisle]

--- Can't vote for a candidate if they're not on the ballot, eh? And regardless of whatever partisan sentiments exist throughout the electorate-at-large, the political industry's first loyalties will be to itself.

--- The "political industry" is the oblique, but highly-evolved system by which Big Money corporatist elements essentially control the government by underwriting the two-party political system. Sometimes it presents as a "good cop - bad cop" charade,... other times it appears almost to touch upon the socio-economic dichotomy of the "haves vs. the have-nots." And while a few mavericks always manage to get into the game (Waxman comes to mind), the outcome seldom changes in any manner not acceptable to those paying the piper. The parties,... both of them, mind you,.. broker government favor and largesse for corporate patrons in exchange for the campaign money which keeps the good times rolling,... then they use that money to charm, cajole or otherwise influence voters who think they are the recipients of an actual choice.

--- But those "choices," ... and indeed, the selection of issues to be addressed and the method whereby those issues are framed for discussion,... are arbitrarily set by the political industry. How often have you heard people lament that they voted for the lesser of two evils?

--- So you end up with such things as campaign finance reform which does not reform,... gas-guzzling soccer-mom SUV's categorized as EPA-evading "trucks," and a "crackdown" on corporate corruption in the midst of the most corrupt administration in history. "Accountability" will work the same way.

--- Oh,.. plenty of candidates will be screaming to high heaven about accountability in government. And to be fair, there will probably be one or two lesser individuals sacrificed to the public mood,.. and well-greased political palms will be triumphantly dusted together with a "Well,.. guess we showed him!" But pursuing accountability in that manner is a lot like Rumsfeld explaining the anti-terrorist segueway into Iraq by whining that Iraq had more "targets."

--- The Iraq War issue has been framed for the public as a question of how and when to get out of Iraq. "Cut & run," ... timetables,.. phased redeployment,.... you name it. But is anyone mentioning accountability as it applies to the Big Oil-PNAC conspiracy to fabricate grounds for the war? No, I don't mean convicting Libby for the Plame incident,.. or merely impeaching Bush & Cheney, either. Aren't there actually about a hundred individuals who have lied, cheated, conspired and committed outright treason in this sordid affair? The entire membership of the PNAC,.. plus executives in Big Oil, Halliburton, Bechtel, KBR, etc, etc? Can a scapegoat or two "account" for what was actually a twisted and malfeasant miscarriage of the entire governmental function? Shouldn't accountability-minded democrats be dealing straight-up with voters about what has actually transpired? Shouldn't they be looking for ways to punish as many of the perpetrators as possible? Substantial prison sentences,... confiscation of all property,.. maybe an execution or two? And corporate influence of all forms thrown OUT of government forever. That's what I want to see. It would be the only justice,... but it won't happen.

--- The minimum wage increase is nice. So is the prescription drug thing. But they do not solve this gargantuan perversion of our Constitutional government, and that should cause folks to wonder just who is actually calling the shots and pulling the strings.