Jimmy Carter: The U.S. Is an "Oligarchy With Unlimited Political Bribery"

originally posted by: crazyewok


Look on the bright side it could all be worse

Oh, it will be.

Just be patient.

a reply to: interupt42

I think the public has a right to know wht is being asked of and considered by our law makers.

All I know ...

Things are going to have to get a HELLUVA lot worse before they ever get better.

We're talking, really -- really, really bad. A near collapse of everything type scenario.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
The only way to fix the government in Washington is to start with your local government. Elect representatives from your community that you know and move them up the chain of command.
This would take at least a decade to accomplish but would also require every state to do this.

I won't say the only way but, you have your finger on the most efficacious path to possible representation.

At the risk of being accused of having a plan of my own, something I have generally denied, the anticipated circumstance that I would desire is as follows.

Only constitutionally allocated power may reside in the federal government and no more.

The 16th amendment must be repealed and revenue for the federal government should come only from the states (tariff argument aside for the moment), not directly from the citizens of the states.

The states need their representatives back in the senate so the 17th amendment must also be repealed.

This would mean that states would be restored to their role as financial provisors to the central government instead of the federal government controlling the revenue collected from the citizens of the states.

Critically, citizens may then exercise their most powerful political tool, their feet. When a state becomes bloated and non-responsive to citizens they can move to another state taking their talents and property with them.

I believe this would have as good a chance as any to actually keep power, and therefore taxes, in check.

originally posted by: beezzer
a reply to: AlaskanDad

And here we are, arguing over political candidates that are set up by the same power brokers for us to choose from.

To be honest? Right now, the only way I see anyone ever succeeding is by playing the system and siding with the elites.

Campaign Finance Reform isn't as sexy as murderous illegal aliens, gay marriage etc. but I would argue it is the root of much of what ills the average hard working Joe that puts in 60 hour weeks and pays his taxes and is flat out losing.

McCain tried it and had his own party repeal the law.

Hell the only Politicians that get busted for corruption are the ones stupid and unsophisticated enough to stuff a freezer in their garage full of cash!! That is a pretty low bar.

I think new laws surrounding campaign finance and a special investigative division of justice walled off from congress and the WH would serve the country well. Start making a few examples out of people.

A man can dream.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
All I know ...

Things are going to have to get a HELLUVA lot worse before they ever get better.

We're talking, really -- really, really bad. A near collapse of everything type scenario.

Provided to you by The Association of Comfortability to make Americans Soft in the Head.

TA-CASH

For once we agree.

Seems we have at least one US politician who is not totally corrupted yet.

Are we allowed to say it aloud. Fascism 2.0 (Oligarchy control over both political and production power). Corporate power buying political power creating control over all the citizens.

Funny how we have all these Fascist like systems vying for control in the world:

Political Islam with theocracy (Both Iran (Shia) and Saudi Arabia (Wahabi) are example of this) - where religion and political and production power are controlling the citizens in all layers of society for those who control them.

Corporate Banking mafia in the west that have bought up the political power controlling all aspects of the system the citizens have to live in.

Putin and his Oligarchs who control the Russian sphere.

China have their own oligarchy that are very intertwined with the politicians.

No place on earth it seems for real democracy where politicians are not corrupted it seems and where citizens are allowed information and real choice in their lives.

a reply to: Indigo5

McCain/Feingold type bureaucratic bandaids serve only to raise the logistical bar for third parties and enrich software developers (such as myself) while severely reducing the available revenue for campaign related activities.

If you believe in free speech, why can't you speak a whole hell of a lot?

If you believe in political contributions, why can't you contribute a whole hell of a lot?

Before you say "but the big corporations...", the unions are the largest actual political contributors. Unions are associations like corporations. Should they not be able to have free speech or contribute to whomever they choose?

Both should be able to say what they like.

I will vote for whomever seems capable and determined to stop pay offs in Congress. This means lobbyists and corporative representatives would need to be made illegal for a while. We could perhaps bring the lobby back in time, but it's so corrupt now it needs to be discontinued altogether until/if/when we can get it right.

btw, I read a study once on I.Q's of U.S. Presidents, and the highest I.Q's were given as Jimmy Carter and JFK. I remember too who was specified as having the lowest. : )

originally posted by: angeldoll
I I remember too who was specified as having the lowest. : )

Did his last name begin with B ?

originally posted by: greencmp
a reply to: Indigo5



Before you say "but the big corporations...", the unions are the largest actual political contributors. Unions are associations like corporations. Should they not be able to have free speech or contribute to whomever they choose?

Both should be able to say what they like.

Simply not true
Public and Private Union Lobbying, which this thread is about give peanuts to politicians.
See Labor below which includes public and private unions.


www.opensecrets.org...

TOP LOBBYING SECTORS

Misc Business $6,475,074,239
Health $6,382,737,984
Finance/Insur/RealEst $6,361,287,751
Communic/Electronics $5,206,690,371
Energy/Nat Resource $4,706,049,338
Other $3,350,694,508
Transportation $3,219,680,597
Ideology/Single-Issue $2,073,159,556
Agribusiness $1,910,858,997
Defense $1,819,714,550
Construction $694,573,137
Labor $629,156,951
Lawyers & Lobbyists $429,259,405

originally posted by: beezzer

originally posted by: AlaskanDad
a reply to: beezzer

Sorry to tell you that, Bernie does not fit the profile of the Lobbyist loving super pac creeps we usually have in the R & D presidential candidate slots.

Go Bernie!

*laughs*

This is why I enjoy the "Great Game" and grand conspiracies of politics!

Of course Bernie is different. This time, real change is gonna happen!

I have all the "hope" in the world for the "change".

It is almost useless to expect a change in the opinion of anyone that truly believes that any member that is touted as a serious contender of either party (R/D). Everyone that believes the words generated in front of a controlled media outlet is voting for 'more of the same'.

Term limits, smaller federal government, forced budget adherence, Treasury based currency, elimination of corporate sponsorship in elections and cessation of electoral college system are a few good items to look for in a candidate however, I do not expect much from a public that asks questions such as " how many donuts are in a dozen?" at the counter (true story).

While he may be correct in what he says, this situation didn't begin in the last 20-30 years; its been going on for a very, very long time, and he didn't seem to an issue with being the face of it when he was in the oval office.

a reply to: AlaskanDad

God bless Jimmy Carter for saying this.

The American people need to be massively educated on this.

Its the only way to save the country.

Then maybe a guy like Bernie can get elected and save this rotten country.

This is a HUGE story

Let's see whether this is mainstreamed...we wont see it on Fox but CNN, I doubt it, maybe MSNBC.

This is not an endorsement of Trump, but he says the same thing but doesn’t use the word oligarchy.


He says the lobbyist rule and claims he won’t listen to them

originally posted by: AlaskanDad
a reply to: beezzer

When voting I often want to vote no confidence in the candidates, unfortunately that choice is not marked on the ballot, not voting is allowing the system to continue.

How do you stop a corrupt government???

Leadership. People. Education. Awareness.

People have to realize that IT IS THE CONSERVATIVES on the Supreme court who have brought Citizens united

originally posted by: jacobe001

originally posted by: greencmp
a reply to: Indigo5



Before you say "but the big corporations...", the unions are the largest actual political contributors. Unions are associations like corporations. Should they not be able to have free speech or contribute to whomever they choose?

Both should be able to say what they like.

Simply not true
Public and Private Union Lobbying, which this thread is about give peanuts to politicians.
See Labor below which includes public and private unions.


www.opensecrets.org...

TOP LOBBYING SECTORS

Misc Business $6,475,074,239
Health $6,382,737,984
Finance/Insur/RealEst $6,361,287,751
Communic/Electronics $5,206,690,371
Energy/Nat Resource $4,706,049,338
Other $3,350,694,508
Transportation $3,219,680,597
Ideology/Single-Issue $2,073,159,556
Agribusiness $1,910,858,997
Defense $1,819,714,550
Construction $694,573,137
Labor $629,156,951
Lawyers & Lobbyists $429,259,405

I would be very surprised if all of the labor unions in the United States including public sector only spend $700 million dollars, that sounds suspiciously like partial data.

a reply to: jrod

That is the sad thing about Carter, his legacy has been shrouded in name calling and tagging, perhaps because he never sold his soul to the power behind the presidential seat and neither the wealthy backers, but the truth be known that he was the last honest politician in the Whitehouse.

I stand by that statement.

I haven't read all of this thread but here's my two cents. Why do you think that both Democrats and Republicans attacked the TEA PARTY? They wanted accountability in government and spending control. None of the currently serving members wanted their biggy bank broken.

Why would anyone run for office spending millions of dollars to make $174,000 annually? Why does the congress exempt themselves from Obamacare and laws they issue to us?