Demands from the Left

[TBF]

This is a list one of my friends did a few years ago, and I posted it here maybe a year ago. I got quite a bit of criticism the first time around, but I'm curious as to whether folks have changed their mind on some of these. Feel free to put up your own list as well. TPTB and M$M want to know what we want, we'll tell them:

DEMANDS:

1) Universal Single Payer Health Care

2) Promotion/Development of Local Food Systems

3) Government subsidized heating programs

4) 90% Reduction In Military Budget

5) Immediate Development Of Nationwide Mass Transit System

6) Immediate Withdrawal Of US Troops From All Parts Of The Globe

7) Triple The Taxes For Anyone Making Over $75,000/ Year. Sliding Scale Tilting Upwards

8) Immediate Dissolution Of All Federal Banking Systems followed by Creation Of Local Currencies

8) Elimination Of Rent/Mortgage

10) Fair Trials For All Members Of The Senate

11) Open Borders For People, Closed Borders For Bananas

12) Elimination of all Free Trade Agreements


Naturally when I skip into my polling place and look for these issues on the ballot I'll be aroused and gleeful to pull that lever "in favor of" but lacking that I'd say it's time for direct action.
____________________________________________________________
HOW TO DO IT:

- Massive boycotts and a general strike.

- A huge 'None of the above' vote-reform campaign

[Scuba]

1. One might characterize this as a mix of good ideas (Universal health care) and ...

... unfathomable ideas (get rid of rent? Where would renters live?)



Still, your list implies a strong caring for the least fortunate among us, and I commend that.

[TBF]

5. I should probably tweak the list a bit -

I think it was written a bit tongue in cheek, but there are some very good ideas. Subsidized rent - and given the current economy I would say nationalize the banks and put folks in all the empty foreclosed houses. There's one in my neighborhood that has been empty at least a year and they are finally cleaning it up and selling it.

No one should be homeless.

[Scuba]

6. "No one should be homeless." Plus 1,000,000. Thanks.

[tama]

7. Everybody owns a home

It's quite simple. The house you live in is yours. You move out or die, the vacant house is free to move in by someone who needs a new home.

[TBF]

8. I think that is an awesome idea -

And this business about billionaires having multiple homes - crazy. Until no one is homeless, no one should own multiple homes.

[tama]

12. Squatters

do that. Locate empty unused buildings, move in, fix em into livable condition. How much empty unused houses in USA? How many homeless?

[mother earth]

2. I would list as number one campaign finance reform &

securing the vote. After that, the rest will follow.

The government's role is to represent the people, not corporate interests whose money can buy influence to suit their greed & agenda.

[justiceischeap]

10. I'd love to see campaigns like they have in the UK

I think they last about 2 weeks and they have a cap on how much money can be spent. That seems ideal to me.

I'd also like to see term limits for all politicians, not just Presidents. Part of the problem, IMO, are politicians who stay in politics for years because it makes them rich. It's a very lucrative gig if you can get it and hang on to it.

[TBF]

18. Can you imagine a 2-week campaign and limit those robo-calls? That would be amazing. nt.

[Skidmore]

3. Why subsidized heating programs and not an attempt to

support industries which would change the way we consume energy? Local currencies doesn't strike me as being something that is practical in a nation made up of 50 states and which is pretty mobile. I'd be darned if I'd want to spend time exchanging currencies to shop in the next city over. I do think something does need to be done with federal banking though, like making it non profit. Otherwise, I could go with most of the list.

[TBF]

4. I like your comments -

particularly the energy consumption. We do need to move to sustainable energy, so I guess we could subsidize heat programs while transitioning, and perhaps put tax credits in place for companies who move into those realms.

[tama]

13. My idea

shut down Federal Reserve (that would be AFAIK the fourth one cancelled), order Treasury to create new money creation system that is not based on debt, interest and private banks. Money creation by citizen salary would do nicely.

Or instead of Treasury, people can create totally new money system by themselves. Bitcoin is one good example of a safe and sound system, similar system as citizens salary would be perfectly doable.

History tells that president (and congress) cant do it alone (Kennedy was offed for trying), there needs to be full awareness and people power behind it.

[blindpig]

9. Well, it's a start...

Nationalize the finance and energy sectors, let's not pussyfoot.

[TBF]

15. Yup - I agree completely with that. nt

[CrispyQ]

11. Love #10. ~lol.

Revoke corporate personhood.

Public financing of all campaigns.

Paper ballots.

[TBF]

17. Yeah, as I indicated above there is a little humor in here too -

but the main point is to look at the demands and see if we can come to some sort of compromise. #1 for example - universal health care - that one I wouldn't compromise on. I'd like to nationalize the banks and energy companies.

No more foreclosures - folks stay in their homes. No more homeless, everyone gets somewhere to live.

I agree with your campaign/voting changes - those are good.

[Abin Sur]

14. You sure about #7?

7) Triple The Taxes For Anyone Making Over $75,000/ Year. Sliding Scale Tilting Upwards

Tripling the marginal tax rates on those make more than $75K per year would result in the following rates:

$75K/year: 75%
$200K/year: 99%
$500K/year: 105%

Note that this does not include state and local taxes...

[TBF]

16. I'm willing to compromise and start it at $500K if we could get enough support.

And you and I both know that even if it says "35%" tax rate, after all the write-offs we're down to maybe "12%" or even less.

Who needs more than $500K/yr? Honestly, that is enough money for anyone. Remember, we're not going to have multiple homes (or personal jets) anymore. We're gonna even things out a little bit.

[TBF]

19. I'm amending #10 -

Fair trials for all members of Congress, and all banksters. I think we'll ask Bernie Sanders to be our Judge.