What do we need to put in place to stop future Repug governments from destroying America?

[samsingh]

Sooner or later, the Repugs are going to win the levers of power, be it the House, Senate, or the Presidency or some combination of these. Given how much they destroyed under bush's 8 years, what should our majority put in place to impede future GOP caused disasters?

Some thoughts from me:

- Supreme Court: we need to get a majority of Liberal or Progressives on the bench.
- Media: this is hugely important. We need to get an honest, objective media in place otherwise the lies will continue
- Military: get the Foxnews and other right-wing propaganda out of the military channels
- Healthcare: it should be made more Universal

What are other initiatives that will impede what seems to be the GOPs mandate to destroy America?

[Walk away]

1. Education. The more informed the electorate the better off the country. nt

[samsingh]

4. you're absolutely right.

[NoNothing]

2. My suggestion

- Reduce the size of the military AND enact an ironclad PAYGO

[mmonk]

3. Impeach them when they break our laws or engage in

unconstitutional conduct (as we expect when we elect our representatives).

[madokie]

5. hand counted paper ballots

problem solved

[Vincardog]

12. Bingo: hand counted paper ballots. No more Diebolded elections

[samsingh]

19. yes, an audit trail is important.

[old mark]

6. First, we must VOTE MORE DEMOCRATS into every possible office

and hold power for as long as possible, using that time well. We must really stop the GOP in the November elections of we will accomplish NOTHING till at least 2012.

They play "politics" by their own set of rules, and we must start aplying the same standards to them.

m

[LiberalAndProud]

7. Criminal prosecution for failing to obey existing laws.

If lawbreakers face no consequence, laws won't matter.

[Dappleganger]

8. Raise thinking, compassionate children!

Doing my best. ;)

[Proud Liberal Dem]

9. A REAL "loyal opposition"

If we can't even count on our team to forcefully fight against the Republican agenda tooth and nail when we're out of power, then we are pretty hopeless IMHO, which is how I wager most of us felt during the eight years of Bushco. Also, we need more media "watchdogs" like Media Matters and/or alternative media outlets that can help get the truth out like Fox News gets lies out IMHO. Without a "loyal opposition" in Congress and elsewhere, as well as a right-wing dominated corporate media apparatus, the Republicans would probably not be able to push their agenda and/or lies nearly as well as they can now.

[zipplewrath]

10. Create a "foreign policy academy"

Or some such similar instution. Think "West Point for diplomats". Heck, create 2. These graduates would become ubiquitous in government at all levels and departments. It would stop the strangle hold that the military acadamies have on our governmental institutions.

Having established that, national service for everyone. Doesn't have to be the military, but many will choose that path. But once we are all at risk, and especially all our children are at risk, we will be less likely to fight stupid wars.

[Arkana]

11. We could outlaw the Republican Party.

[Doctor_J]

13. The ship has pretty much sailed on all of these

How are you going to accomplish any of these?

[samsingh]

14. i don't think its too late

the left has to unite like much of the right-wing has done.

[samsingh]

15. i don't think its too late

the left has to unite like much of the right-wing has done.

[alc]

16. don't pass laws or set precedents that are convenient now

The filibuster looks like an unreasonable roadblock now but will be a necessary roadblock at some point.

Mandates are a horrible precedent. I see no reason to think either party considers mandating purchase of health insurance to be a valid government power but nothing else can be mandated. Replace mandates and assert that government does not have authority to mandate purchases. Don't set precedents for expanding government power in other ways.

I agree that media is important but we probably disagree on specifics. I think the administration should not punish or repeatedly criticize Fox or any other media organization. All credentialed media need to have access and criticisms need to come from outside of the administration. The current administration also needs to be more open. When Helen Thomas and other reporters are attacking the lack of openness and townhalls being sold as press conferences, there probably is a real problem. If new reporters are getting their experience in an environment that is not open, they won't be as prepared to challenge a lack of openness in future administrations the way Helen Thomas and others have. Reporters need to have an adversarial relationship with the government and should not put up with any reporter being "put in their place", attacked, ignored, etc. New reporters need to learn through experience, not just books, how to ask the tough questions and push until they get an answer and that it's unacceptable for them to loose access or credentials for doing that or for reporting things the administration disagrees with. If a media organization (e.g. Fox) is reporting lies, the rest of the media needs to police themselves (e.g. correct the lies) and not let the policing be done by the administration.

[JCMach1]

17. Kill the Senate and go to proportional representation (+expand the House)

Time for some minority voices of all kinds in Washington

[BeFree]

20. That is the key

Congress must look more like the real America and the only way to do that is to have, at most, one House member for every 100,000 citizens.

That and properly audited election counts.

[ShortnFiery]

18. It's not just the GOP but corporate democrats who go against BASIC democratic values. eom

[Cid_B]

21. Expand on this one for me...

- Military: get the Foxnews and other right-wing propaganda out of the military channels
_______________________________________________________________________________________

I'd like to be clear on what you think before I post a response.

[samsingh]

22. they show foxnews and listen to limbaugh on military channels.

[slackmaster]

23. A serious push to fully convert our country to the Metric System before 2012

We can do it if we get really serious about it.