Moneyed Politicians

We MUST fix the political system, or a revolution will result. In Wisconsin too, or even especially.

By Jack E. Lohman

Democracy cannot survive with our corrupt political system, and we cannot trust our politicians who are enjoying it to fix it. They like things just as they are.

Today there is one way — and one way only — to get things done in Washington or Madison: share your profits with the politicians that make it all happen. Period!!!

That also goes for (nearly) every state in the union. (Except AZ, ME, and CT, who all have public funding of campaigns.)

And you haven’t heard the last of Scott Walker’s handing over of our state’s Department of Commerce to WEDC. More taxpayer waste will be uncovered.

Our political system of corruption is killing our economy and democracy. Thanks to political bribes our “free market” capitalistic system is instead crony capitalism. “Paid-for” politicians, though at market prices.

What should be “representative government” now only applies to those Fat Cats who fund the elections… corporate CEOs and bankers and investors. And other crooks.

If you do not have money, this is not your country. That is not what our founders intended. That is NOT how we will survive.

A Constitutional Amendment

The only thing I’d do to the Move to Amend proposal is expand it.

We need:

• Public funding of campaigns (mandated, not an option!) Prohibit politicians from “taking” bribes.
• Double their salaries, but only IF the country is prosperous.
• Create a non-partisan “private” oversight committee.
• Redistricting by computer and panel of nonpartisan judges.
• Instant Runoff or proportional voting, to give 3rd parties an equal chance.
• A None-of-the-above ballot choice. And if it wins, a new election ensues.
• Blackout of lobbying employment for 5 years after leaving government (members and staff and other government employees).
• Prohibit government’s hiring of lobbyists for staff positions.
• Term limits (no more that 6 years in elected office) or banned forever if convicted of a felony.
• Congress members must put all finances in a (REAL) blind trust.
• Members cannot buy stock or invest, other than through their legitimate blind trust, or share congressional intentions with outsiders.
• No staff bonuses. Salary is enough.
• Ban voice votes. Restore accountability to the people.
• Members and staff on same retirement and medical plan as public.
• Members salaries adjusted downward when economy falls.

Only then will we see correcting legislation: Increased taxation on the wealthy and eliminated stupid subsidies and war spending.

Don’t like it? Be a plumber!

Let’s call this what it is: an illegal conspiracy between the Democrats and Republicans! In many cases “price fixing!”  Political corruption must be eliminated; not just reduced!

Unregulated capitalism is cancer on our nation.  Like tumors, greed has metastasized, strangling once-healthy parts of our economy, and our social safety net.  A new piece on Alternet lists several ways this cancer capitalism has taken hold.  For starters, the hoarding of wealth by the banksters and the 1% has diverted resources away from nutritional aid programs.  Twenty people in our country collected a whopping $73 billion in investment income – all taxed at a lower rate than working Americans.  Compare that with the fact that President Obama couldn’t even get $1 billion to improve childhood nutrition in our schools.

And, while cancer capitalism has lead to higher-than-ever corporate profits, it hasn’t translated into good jobs for college grads.  Because of rising tuition costs, the average student graduates with $26,000 of student loan debt, and adding to that burden, high-unemployment allows the corporate elite to underpay workers, and hoard a larger share of profits.

In addition, tax-dodging corporations have drained much-needed revenue out of our society like a tumor choking off the blood supply to our economy.  According to Alternet, tax exemptions and corporate loopholes drain nearly a trillion dollars from “the body of our society” every year.

And, the worst parasite of all is the unrestrained corporate purchase of our politicians.  Cancer capitalism has left voters feeling weak and powerless, while Congress repeatedly represents only the will of the corporate elite.  We must stop this cancer before it spreads into every last inch of our national body.

Just like conquering any type of cancer, we must attack this problem from all sides, from getting money out of politics, to regulating Wall Street, to breaking up the monopolies that have too much power over our government.  We can do all this, and we must.

From http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2013/05/cancer-stage-capitalism

We must distinguish between “free market capitalism” and “crony capitalism.” The latter relies on political crooks that should face jail time. One builds the country, the other consumes it. One builds everybody, the other simply transfers wealth from the poor to the rich.

Indeed, but it’ll take a change in direction!

By Jack E. Lohman

ObamaCare is so bad that even congress and the staffers want to opt out. And they should, because it is overly complex and WILL self-implode if left on its own.

But our Governor Scott Walker can prevent it from taking down Wisconsin in the process. We have far too many other fires to fight.

What this state needs is a single-payer health care system, paid for by the taxpayers rather than through product prices. We should free employers and businesses from this misdirected burden, drastically curtail the unneeded administrative costs, and simply do what is right.

(Here’s the national proposal, HR676, and it isn’t all bad. Can we adapt it?)

Call it BadgerCare Gold or whatever, but call it workable!

It will be a Republican fix, and the Dems likely won’t like it.

Until they try it, and it moves the state ahead.

Businesses will love it. They’ll now spend their time on marketing and growth, rather than costly health care benefits. And moving their employees to part time. New businesses (and jobs!) will relocate here because we’ll have a business-friendly climate. It’s a win-win for Wisconsin and Walker!

Understand that BadgerCare is simply a billing system, and we’ll still need one. But its payments to physicians and hospitals should be adjusted to match Medicare’s plus 10%. And incidentally, all physicians and hospitals will remain privately owned, though insurers and the Wal-Marts of the world may now opt into the health care business. And insurance employees can become higher-paid caregivers instead.

From the patient’s standpoint it’s simple: you get sick, you get care, and the caregiver gets paid. By BadgerCare Gold if you are under 65, or by Medicare if you are 65+. “Employment” is not a factor. And if you want outside insurance at your expense, have at it.

Simple as that. And things that are simple are also less expensive.

Okay Texas, try this one on for size!