Sen. Sanders: "I think we're an Oligarchy and I think it's getting worse."

[kpete]

THE Question - Is America a Democracy or an Oligarchy?

Sen. Sanders: "Right now, what ends up happening, is Big Money interests, whether in fact it is in oil and energy, whether it's in prescription drugs . . ."

Dylan Ratigan: "BP"

Sen. Sanders: "Whether it is in banking, these guys have huge amounts of money, and the situation gets worse with the recent Citizens United Supreme Court decision, and anyone who stands up to the big money interests can expect a huge amount of 30 second ads against them. That's the reality. Are we a Democracy, or are we an Oligarchy where the very powerful special interests exert enormous influence over our Government?"

Ratigan: "What's your answer to that question?"

Sen. Sanders: "I think we're an Oligarchy and I think it's getting worse."

more:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/5/22/867524/-Sen.-Sanders-tells-the-ugly-truth-Were-an-Oligarchy-and-I-think-its-getting-worse-
VIDEO: http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/bernie-sanders-i-think-were-oligarchy-and

[Subdivisions]

1. I agree. Then the question becomes:

How do we wrest our country back from oligarchs?

Or will we continue to be enslaved by them?

[earth mom]

26. Boycott and don't buy whatever the worst corporate offenders and polluters sell.

Yeah, I know it's a tough one, but we've got to cut those bastards off at the knees. :grr:

[Foo Fighter]

34. In theory, that's a great idea.

However, there are a couple of problems with itm the first one being getting a large percentage of the population to go along with it. Then there's the issue that even if absolutely not one single person in this country purchased their products, they'd just sell overseas instead, all the while getting tax breaks here. That forces the poor and working folks here to share a bigger part of the tax burden as they end paying the share that big corps don't. IOW, if you pay taxes, you "buy" their product anyway, whether you want to or not.

So yes, while we shouldn't buy their crappy products, we end up "paying" for them one way or another. That's just the way the system is set up. About the only way to avoid it is to get the hell out of this country and not pay taxes here. If anyone else has another solution, I'm all ears.

[Dan]

35. Plus, this

If the entity finds out who are the parties responsible for said boycott or actions against their corporate interest...they will sue the shit out of you. And, you don't have the money for the battle, nor the loss of job/income that will result - when you attempt to exercise your rights as a citizen. My thoughts.

[stevenleser]

37. In practice it isnt any good precisely because we are a plutonomy

If the wealthy control a vast majority of the wealth of the country, then the amount the rest of us contribute isnt significant and we cannot possibly be austere enough to make a difference

[JDPriestly]

51. Easy for me to follow your suggestion.

I'm not buying much of anything. I'm mostly on Social Security and don't have much money to spend. Boycotting is easy for me. I guess that is the upside of low cash-flow.

[dotymed]

54. Please, lets start a new political party.

With leaders like Sanders, Kucinich, Grayson, Franken...etc.. An actual government FOR THE PEOPLE. The massive 80% of Americans who suffer under our corporate system. We are a young nation, we can learn from many European governments (and other nationalities)who have kept a "capitalistic" society, tempered by the social needs of the majority. We have become an international pariah. Not to mention our domestic governance which puts the interests of the monied elite above all else. We need to impeach those SCOTUS "justices" who have usurped the individual liberties we are guaranteed and replaced them with false privileges bestowed on wealthy institutions.
This is a huge turning point in our history. The question is: are the American PEOPLE ready to demand the restoration of our constitution and repel the corporate invaders, the entrenched monied elite, who currently rule us and demand that "people before profit", become the law of the land?

[gateley]

83. I would love that. And instead of falling like the other great powers

of the past, we could actually 'mend' the country rather than losing it.

But as someone up-thread mentioned, the problem is getting the majority of people to go along with it. The Teapartiers would be told that it's a socialist/communist/fascist movement (they're all the same to them) and believe it, the rest wouldn't be interested.

I think of my brother and sister-in-law. Totally uninterested in what's happening in our country as long as they have good jobs and can live comfortably.

[CrispyQ]

99. Gately, my sister & bil are the same way.

Along with most of my acquaintances.

It's seems to be a sad fact of human beings that they don't really care about something until it touches them personally.

BTW, how are you? PM with an update. I'd love to hear what you're up to!

[sasquuatch55]

95. I think it will inevitably take a violent revolution. What choice is there?

nt

[CrispyQ]

98. While I would love nothing more than to see a party of the leaders you listed,

& I agree with your statement about this being a turning point. But how are we going to accomplish this? The dems have not done one thing to address campaign finance reform, electronic voting machines or the corporate bought-and-paid for media. I think these are three critical aspects of taking back our country & all we hear from mainstream dems is crickets.

I try not to get morose thinking about this, but I have little hope that we'll reclaim our government. The teabaggers think that government & liberals are the problem & the liberals think that the collusion of government & big business is the problem, & both groups are considered the fringe by the mainstream politicians & media. How do we get on the same track here?

I'm now going to sit out in the sun with my dog & contemplate a party of the leaders you listed. :) And I think I'll send Grayson some more money. :hi:

[October]

66. When the corporations find out though...

When the corporations find out what you are buying INSTEAD of their product -- they just buy that company.

[salguine]

31. I personally believe we will never get it back any way but this:

[proteus_lives]

39. Here's my question to whoever brings up "revolution".

How do you have a violent revolution with the Reign of Terror that always follows?

[bvar22]

40. The Answer: Look to the South...

No.
Not the Southern States of the USA,
but to South America.
They have given us a blueprint.
The Populist Reforms sweeping across Latin America are nothing less than a near bloodless revolution.
They have organized, and used the power of their majority to simply vote out the corrupt Oligarchs.

It CAN happen here, as soon as The "Teabaggers" and the Left realize we have MORE in common with each other than we have with the leaders of either Political Party.

VIVA Democracy!
We could use some here.

[annabanana]

44. Well.. Perhaps after we have Voter Verified, Hand Counted Paper Ballots..

(don't hold your breath)

[socialist_n_TN]

59. That bothers me about voting those changes in

Will we ever know if the vote was counted correctly? EVERY election I vote in for the last couple of cycles I complain at the polling station about not having a hard copy verification of how my vote was recorded. And of course, my complaints do no good.

If the Teabaggers win big this year after the left's primary surge, I'm going to be VERY suspicious.

[Enthusiast]

128. And I will share your suspicion. nt

[awoke_in_2003]

77. doesn't matter...

the only candidates who get the money to run for election are already handpicked and financed by the oligarchs. The only choice we ever get is "Lube or no lube"

[tavalon]

46. If the teabaggers are educable,

then you are absolutely right. They are angry and feel dis-empowered and we are angry and feel dis-empowered but they are blaming the wrong things (and the Oligarchs love that we are pitted against one another because divided, we are weak). I'm sure they feel the same about us and again, see my parenthetical statement.

[Enthusiast]

48. The Teabaggers will

never realize anything that doesn't come out of the mouth of Dick Armey or Glenn Beck. They aren't interested in holding those actually responsible accountable. They have been convinced that it is Obama and his socialist agenda that is responsible for every problem we face.

[socialist_n_TN]

60. And they actually think a socialist agenda

is bad for them.

I'm not sure that a large majority of these people CAN be "saved". Some dupes will STAY duped.

[laughingliberal]

70. Exactly! eom

[BlancheSplanchnik]

107. We need some means to communicate, then.

It can happen once we realize we have more in common with each other, but for that to begin, we need to find a way to communicate.

We need to understand where we want to go, we need leadership to understand and coordinate, we need unity (amongst ourselves would be a good place to start), and we need a communication platform.

anyplace one can get a Latin America, Populist Reforms History 101?

[proteus_lives]

112. Depends.

Down South the old oligarchs are merely being replaced with new ones for the most part.

[bvar22]

118. Only if your source of information is the Corporate Owned US Media.

If you go outside the US to some credible sources, you find inspiring stuff like this:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/colombia-set-to-elect-the-worlds-first-green-leader-1980495.html

[tavalon]

45. I think you meant without, not with

That said, I wholeheartedly agree. I was within a hair's breadth of deciding it would have to be bloody revolution and then my kind hubby gave me a quick tour of the pertinent history of what often (almost always) happens with violent revolution. There has to be a plan in place or we get Napoleon or Pol Pot or a number of others not coming to my typing fingers right now.

Yes, things must change. It's the how of it, we need to work on. For as long as we have the internet and cell phones, they will play a pivotal role. Beyond that, I'm not sure. Heck, I think the fight would have been well over and firmly lost by the good guys had the internet not come along.

[proteus_lives]

111. Things will change.

And our technology will have a tremendous effect on the process.

But history does teach us that revolutions are tricky things. There needs to be a new way, a new method.

[Donnachaidh]

64. What is happening NOW in Washington is a Reign of Terror against the middle Class

It's a slow death - but DEATH it is.

Are we going to continue to be sheep led to slaughter? I have children -- I want this shit to stop for his sake.

[proteus_lives]

110. Well, that's part of the question.

Are you willing to kill for his sake?

Are you willing to have a CEO and his family lined-up against the wall for your family?

[Donnachaidh]

114. you know that question cannot be honestly answered here

Because the resulting tombstoning would silence the person answering.

[conspirator]

119. You know, the rich guy doesn't feel any guilt when he sends other people's kids to war

He feels that poor people and their offspring exist to serve him as cannon fodder.
If you could change into a fly and witness a meeting of oligarchs deciding other people's deaths laughing over a glass of champagne, you would be the first to line them up in the wall.

[proteus_lives]

121. Ok.

So you don't feel any guilt about killing his offspring?

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

[ProudDad]

87. No "reign of terror" in Cuba in 1959

The oligarchs left town and headed to Miami with all their goods...

No need...

The USAmerikan Empire and its stooges are the ones running "reigns of terror"...

[proteus_lives]

109. The graves and prisons filled by Castro and Che disagree.

That capitalist produced Che shirt might be cutting off the blood, go up a size.

[JackRiddler]

117. That's not a question, it's a conservative editorial barely dressed up as a question.

It's also a great lie. Two ways.

First, many revolutions have been been relatively bloodless, the events of 1989 making for an obvious recent example. Many events that were revolutionary but not called that were also bloodless and obviously constructive. In 2002, Argentineans fought back against the class war from above. Riots caused nearly half a dozen presidents to topple until one of them finally had the balls to tell the IMF to fuck off and default on the debt. Life in Argentina isn't a picnic but incomparably better as a result. Very few people died in that uprising and there was no Reign of Terror.

Second, you are merely adopting the reactionary lie with which the French Revolution in particular has always been defamed and distorted. The French Revolution was an inevitability brought on by the Ancien Regime. Its wars had bankrupted the country, and its policies contributed to the worst famine in French history, and let's not get into the thousand other injustices of life in France. The Revolution was the starving doing what they had no choice but to do. It was attacked immediately by Europe's royalty and aristocracy, who waged war on France with help from the royal family. Louis sought to commit treason, this is why he lost his head.

Without supporting the Jacobins at all, we can fairly state that they killed fewer people than the Ancien Regime and fewer than their direct successors, the Directorate. Without their "terror" and the levee en masse, France would have succumbed to the Austrian-led attack. Ever since, reactionaries have always held up the Jacobin reign of terror as something close to the worst thing that ever happened in all history, and given the full story the only rational reason for this is if one sympathizes with the Austrian-led attack and the attempt to restore the monarchy. The "terror" is a bad thing because it was, for a change, nobles losing their lives, rather than peasants as had always been the case. And for people today to decry the French Revolution is really precious. I guess you expect you would have been born into the right Estate, if you'd lived back then, unlike the 95 percent who were screwed, starved and exploited from birth.

At any rate, refer again to point 1. Many revolutions have happened without terrors. Your premise is false. Or do you know that already?

[proteus_lives]

120. By putting up that picture....

They are pretty much stating they aren't looking for a bloodless revolution.

You do realize what you're defending, yes? Such charming practices like cramming a barge full of people and then sinking it.

It's not a false premise, you want a violent revolution then you have to want the executions, purges, counter-revolutions and murder that come with it.

The Jacobins have no one to blame but themselves for the bloodshed.

[JackRiddler]

123. This isn't the tenth grade sophistry club, you know.

"You do realize what you're defending, yes? Such charming practices like cramming a barge full of people and then sinking it."

Yeah, anyone reading what I wrote will think I am "defending" the practices you describe.

:eyes:

[proteus_lives]

127. No answer.

Expected.

[Donnachaidh]

63. BRAVO! +100000 n/t

[onethatcares]

73. oh gaud, we don't have to go topless

do we?

We already know that the sight of a womans' breasts is more offensive to the corporate masters than heads and limbs being blown off.

Peace

[salguine]

84. In for a penny, in for a pound!

[tiptoe]

33. see #27 n/t.

[awoke_in_2003]

75. There will only be one way....

just ask the French.

[truedelphi]

2. Just about the only Senator I still hold any faith in. n/t

[glinda]

24. Same here. K & R this baby.

[Solly Mack]

3. K&R

[flamingdem]

4. ouch nt

[Octafish]

5. If only we had a NAME for the oligarchy?

What would sum them up? The War Party.

I wonder what would be a good name for their secret policemen?

"One of the things that is interesting about reading conspiracy theory is that much of what folks think is conspiracy is really many people acting in concert to make or protect their money." -- Catherine Austin Fitts.

She should know. Fitts is the founder and managing member of Solari Investment Advisory Services, LLC. She once served as President of The Hamilton Securities Group, investment bank and financial software developer; Assistant Secretary of Housing - Federal Housing Commissioner, Bush I; and as Managing Director and member of the board of Wall Street firm Dillon, Read & Co. Inc.

[EFerrari]

6. If only.

lol

[Octafish]

11. Sorry. Meant to write: ''OILigarchy''

Know your BFEE: How Smirko Got Rich

Something else: The little turd from Crawford never spent a day in court after doing stuff that got Martha Stewart sent up the river.

[Duppers]

42. +1000 nt

[Jackpine Radical]

12. Wolves never plan out their attack on the injured moose.

They planlessly form in a circle around the victim and enact their roles in absolute concert but there was no conspiracy.

[dotymed]

55. New Constitutional Conventions

held in each state of America. People organized and conducted, so we can agree on a platform and a strategy to accomplish the goals set. We, the people, must be the architects. Organization on a national level is key to everything. I believe that if we could get the entire non-ruling elite class to organize, then the craziness of teabaggers will be overcome. At least, being the followers they have proven to be, maybe they can be educated on who the real enemy is. Turn off the propaganda.
During the first American Revolution, we had to deal with the Tories. They were convinced that only fealty to the crown would would fix the problems of the day. Well, we still have the Tories, always will. They must be shunned if they cannot overcome the propaganda.
Of course, just as England did, they are currently given a prominent pulpit, amplified by the elite. Currently it is the "teabaggers" amplified by Fox and the MSM.
We must overcome....NOW.

[stevenleser]

36. Plutocrats is what they are

Citigroup calls our economy a Plutonomy.

[ProudDad]

88. CAPITALISTS

or, for the squeamish,

Corporate Capitalists...

[Duer 157099]

7. Who can deny this? I'd like to see one person mount an even half credible refutation

And yet even Sanders has to hedge by saying "I think we're an oligarcy..."

Think? That suggests there's a viable alternative view. I'd love to hear it.

[Ruby the Liberal]

8. Bernie is such a treasure

:loveya:

[Bitwit1234]

9. We will never be able to stop the corporations.

Remember these corporations have been around since the very early 1900's when we had the robber barons and it hasn't changed except to get worst.

[ProudDad]

89. Corporate hubris

will cause their downfall...

They have the seeds of their own destruction built within -- capitalism; a quasi-economic "system" (Ponzi scheme) based on the fallacious assumption that there is an infinite amount of resources and places to dump waste on a FINITE PLANET...

Can't work...

www.movetoamend.org

or more importantly;

www.transitionus.org

[TheKentuckian]

10. Everybody needs to see and ponder....wake up people

[laughingliberal]

13. K & R for Bernie. eom

[JNelson6563]

14. This is true.

This is the only voice from on high who would say such a thing though therefore the oligarchy is safe.

Julie

[Codeine]

15. Bernie is, as always, 100% correct. nt

[a la izquierda]

16. But how many know what it takes to oust an oligarchy?

It ain't pretty.

Just ask any Latin American.

[TheKentuckian]

17. Open heart surgery isn't attractive either but it can be absolutely necessary

but no it will take more than voting, strongly worded emails, and peacefully marching on a lawn.

[a la izquierda]

18. Oh, I'm not suggesting we don't do it...

I'm just saying many might not have the fortitude for it...

[TheKentuckian]

21. Gotcha...quite a few can't even handle calls for accountability or even primary challenges

for barely masked TeaPubliKlans.

[a la izquierda]

22. Sad, how much has changed in less than 250 years...

people who have so much less fight and die for incremental gains, while Americans can't be bothered to watch stuff other than American Idol, or ride a bike instead of drive an SUV (if the ability presents itself-I'm well aware of the logistics of living in a rural area).
Sorry, I'm a little on the irritated side nowadays.

[dgibby]

58. You're right.

I've been doing my family's genealogy for several years now, and have traced both sides back to Europe. What impresses me most is the unbelievable hardships they endured and the sacrifices they made down through the generations.

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I have neither their sense of adventure nor their fortitude. The most adventurous thing I ever did was join the Navy, and that was not a sacrifice, but a great career opportunity.

I guess what I'm saying is that I grew up spoiled and complacent just by virtue of the fact that thanks to my ancestors, I was fortunate enough to be born in the USA.

I took my American lifestyle for granted, lulled into a false sense of security by all the propaganda: USA,USA,USA! We're number one! We're exceptional! God loves us best!

And then I woke up, and believe me, it was a rude awakening!

I began to have an inkling of what it must be like to emerge from a coma. Where had I been? What was I thinking? How could I not have seen through the propaganda? Where had the Country I though I knew (and served with such pride) gone, or was it ever really there?

I was(and am), heartsick to realize that I was and am part of the problem. By blindly following all the propaganda, I have squandered my birthright, and, in so doing, have allowed the PTB to run amok.

I will NOT make that mistake again! I will question everything. I will never again go with the flow. Going with the flow is what got us into this mess in the first place! It's what got us St.Ronnie, Poppy, Dubya, and Darth, because too many well-meaning people just like me, walk through life in a political coma!

So yes, I will speak up, I will be critical when I think it appropriate, but not because I hate my country or her govt, but because I love it too much to stay silent any longer, and perhaps, someday before I die, I can live up to my ancestors' legacy, perhaps. I hope so.

[laughingliberal]

71. Sadly, true. What a bunch of wimps and cowards this nation has become. nt

[Greyhound]

28. OK, now imagine the "average American" that lives around you going through that...

Sad to say, they're not worried at all.

[OnyxCollie]

19. K&R. nt

[Swamp Rat]

20. k&r

[Blackhatjack]

23. Imagine a Senate with 60 Bernie Sanders? Now that would be something to see! n/t

[ProudDad]

90. Actually, we would only need 51

People with his courage would repeal undemocratic rules like the filibuster, etc.

[G_j]

25. tell it like it is!

thank you Bernie

[tiptoe]

27. K&R! That oligarchy subsists and prevails via systematic ELECTION FRAUD. Secure the True Vote and

...we get actually-representative-of-the-People Congresses and Presidents (not radical right-wing stooges like Bush)
...Cheney's secret Energy Commission never would have been empowered to screw the environment of the Gulf
...the fraud of 9/11 (that awaits exposure) -- with all its accompanying "rationale" for war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, torture, treason, murder, and the undermining of the US Constitution -- likely never would have happened.
...the murderers, torturers, war criminals and traitors get their due justice.

PROVING ELECTION FRAUD: Mark Crispin Miller and Michael Collins review the book

[Enthusiast]

49. +1000! nt

[housewolf]

29. Let's hear it for truth-teller Bernie!

he's a treasure

[defendandprotect]

30. The right rises on violence -- once the left failed to investigate the political

violence -- the out in the open political violence -- of the right

beginning with the coup on JFK, we were doomed to this.

"The myth of a free press died with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy."<'b>

[ProudDad]

91. And what makes you think the "left" EVER had power in this country?

Revisionist history doesn't recognize it but...

Kennedy was as CORPORATE as they come...

And beat Nixon in part because he ran as a bigger war monger than Eisenhower...

He was about as "left" as Ben Nelson...

[defendandprotect]

103. What??? Kennedy was ending the oil depletion allowance . . .

Shift in taxation was in favor of middle class and poor --

Dem Platfor JFK ran on called for NATIONALIZATION OF OIL INDUSTRY!!

Kennedy moved money printing from Fed Reserve Bank back to Treasury -- !!

Have you never heard of his shoot out with big steal?

Then, too, no one has ever spoke as eloquently to give leadership to

Civil rights, human rights!

Also was withdrawing troops from Vietnam --

That and much more was why the oil industry/elites had him killed!


It was LBJ who gave the MIC complext Vietnam -- Bell Helicopter and

Brown & Root!! On and on -- perpetual war for the MIC!

[laughingliberal]

113. +1 nt

[defendandprotect]

125. Thank you . . . and thanks for not . . .

mentioning the typos!!

:)

[tuckessee]

32. Is this the same guy who bailed on the Audit the Fed Bill?

If so then Sanders is as much to blame for fostering that oligarchy on the American people as anyone in DC.

[TheKentuckian]

38. He took the crumbs of the Fed peek-a-boo

just like he took the clinic crumbs in the Wealthcare and Profit Protection Act BUT at least Bernie secures a little refuse from the table before selling his vote. If more Senators would at least drive similar bargains we'd be in somewhat better shape.

Bernie gets the people's beaks wet a little and sad to say I can't say as much for almost any of the rest of folks supposedly on our side.

[defendandprotect]

104. There's only one Bernie Sanders . . . and I'm thrilled we have him!!

At least we find out a bit about what's really going on!!

[northofdenali]

41. My question is - WHY have we allowed it?

Do we really want to know why we WANT to be ruled by corporations?

[TheMadMonk]

82. Why? Because people got too "rich" to realise at what cost.

Not rich in the ways of Rockerfeller, Trump, Hilton, et al, but little man rich. A house, a car, a plentiful and wide selection of foods (and more than enough to waste), possessions out the wazoo. All the trappings of the middle class and even the urban poor of America.

Once people were comfortable, it was very easy to sell them on the idea of getting comfortable faster on credit.


The Soviets/Eastern Block discovered the hard way the flaw in ruling by using the threat of "taking away" from people. Eventually you run out of things to take. And when people have nothing to lose, then they have everything to gain by upsetting the applecart.


The American model gives enough little men exactly what they think they want (because that's what they've been told), and then arange for it, that no one ever does anything so crass as to take it away (by way of punishment), but by Jove, there is plenty the little bloke can do that will cause him to lose everything in one hit if he fails to toe the line.


Revolutions grow out of a people who have nothing left to lose, not people who are struggling to hang onto what they still have.

[defendandprotect]

126. Agree with that question . . .

but doesn't exploitation of nature begin with "god" -- ???

And Christianity's "Manifest Destiny" and "Man's Dominion Over Natue"????

After all that male god said -- "go for it!!" -- didn't he?

These are suicidal concepts by male-supremacists and we need to knock them down --

Capitalism is based on exploittion of nature --

We are part of nature -- i.e., suicide!!



:)

[Number_Six]

43. No "think" to it, dude

Rome went the same way: Monarchy, Democracy, then, Plutocracy. And we are a cute clone, no?

[Odin2005]

131. Yep. Wellcome to the Age of the Gracchi.

The next 100 years are REALLY gonna suck

[Enthusiast]

47. No question, Bernie.

At the very moment in history when we need to curb corporate excesses the SCOTUS handed down the Citizen's United decision. This is a blow against the the U.S., maybe even an act of treason.

[Lagomorph]

50. Whatever it is, it ain't capitalism...

...if it were, they'd pay for their mistakes, rather than the taxpayer.

[xchrom]

52. Recommend

[NorthCarolina]

53. K&R

[icee]

56. And Obama is the de facto head of that oligarchy. If he does not

separate from it now and step forward with this outrageous demonstration of insolence by BP, he should just step down.

[Javaman]

57. We are already ruled by Malarkey. nt

[ananda]

61. It's a corporate-fascist oligarchy..

.. and utterly insane.

[treestar]

62. If we let ourselves be controlled by 30 second ads

We are too pathetic for words.

[scentopine]

65. Link sums up the problem with the neo-con/neo-lib hybrid comprising mainstream dems

it would be funny if it were satire.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/obama-promoted-to-senior-vice-president-of-america,17321/

[laughingliberal]

74. +1000 nt

[HCE SuiGeneris]

100. Chancellor of America Molly Lipman, whom Obama has never directly spoken to, made the final decision

"I am happy that Barack Obama has decided to take the position of Senior Vice President of American Affairs," Lipman said through a spokesperson. "As for who will take over as President of the United States, we are keeping our options open. The talent pool available through the traditional line of succession is limited, so we may be forced to bring in somebody from the outside

[paparush]

67. Step 1: Kill your television and work on convincing those around you to do the same.

[nashville_brook]

68. Ratigan f'n rocks -- he gets it.

[WillyT]

69. HUGE K & R !!!

:kick:

[treestar]

72. No, we're a constitutional republic

What purpose does this type of hyperbole serve?

[laughingliberal]

76. ...

:rofl:

[Selatius]

78. A state that often violates its own constitution isn't exactly constitutional.

If we ignore the part where our government invaded a nation based on propaganda and where corporations collaborated with the government in spying on American citizens and amasses upon itself vast police powers at the expense of civil liberties, we could call it constitutional.

[Warren Stupidity]

81. you forgot the sarcasm tag

[ProudDad]

93. The "Constitution" is a document designed to

maintain white, male major landholder privilege...

It has been used to do just that since 1787...

"Constitutional republic" does NOT equal Democracy...

[MrMickeysMom]

79. By way of this introduction, are we dubbed a full fledged Corporatocracy

.... a less painful way to acknowledge the rapidly developing fascist state, wouldn't we say?

Tell me, WHO do we boycott???

How do we know who's a subsidiary of WHOM? I don't think we know what to do. I'm ringing to White House again, right after my House member and Senators.

"Make them accountable!", and "Do it NOW!" is my mantra.

[ProudDad]

92. WHo do we boycott?

Answer - every damn one of them we can...

Buy LESS, buy local, buy USED, or don't buy at all...

I know, there are certain necessities that are controlled by the corporate monopolies (like, for instance, internet service)...but do the best you can...and prepare for the Long Emergency;

www.transitionus.org

[MrMickeysMom]

101. You know, I think I might be doing this already...

Buying clothes at consignment shops where proceeds support battered women...

Trying to make as many things from scratch, therefore, reducing the need to support the mega-grocery chain...

Driving my car till it drops, cause I'm not gonna buy another until I'm forced to.

Gardening, looking locally when needing services.

Most of all - making use of a credit card so that WE get the billing cycle benefit and THEY get it paid off.

[Butch350]

80. Solution to Corp. America...

Just keep a big jar of your favorite petroleum product nearby - so it won't hurt too bad
when Corporate America continues to slip it to ya.

They have the money to do what they want, buy who or what they want!

Violence would work - but the pay back in retailiation would be a B***H!

Welcome to the NWO playing in a home theater near you.

[Deadgnome]

85. We need

To clone this guy. I love me some Bernie Sanders.

[ProudDad]

86. USAmerica - founded as an oligarchy by oligarchs

Real motto of the USAmerikan Empire:

Oligarchy today, Oligarchy tomorrow, Oligarchy forever!

Why the surprise...

The Constitution itself is a document designed to protect white male landholder (oligarch) privilege...above all else...

------------------------------

for a band-aid on the wound...
www.movetoamend.org

Or even more importantly, Secede from the dominant paradigm:
www.transitionus.org

[Cleita]

94. It's time for this.

Books that show how to live off the grid or nearly so.

http://www.amazon.com/Off-Grid-Modern-Alternative-Energy/dp/1586855166

Change your banking to the local credit union and get your home improvement loan from them.

Time for all of us to stop buying off the large corporations and make as much of our stuff as we can hippie style.

Those of us who have the expertise also need to form their own businesses cooperative style to provide jobs away from corporate slavery and to provide goods and services that compete with the oligarchies.

You will have to form communes to do this as no one is an island, but they don't have to be communes like the old hippie style on a ranch somewhere, but communities of the mind, clubs for instance, where like minded people meet to exchange ideas and promote their products whether of substance or mind.

You will also have to get involved in local politics to change the laws that you can that make it hard for these huge corporations to get entrenched in your communities.

It can be done. You need the will. There seems to be no point any more in expecting your elected leaders to do much since they have been bought and paid for by the companies who tell them what to do. We have to turn things around ourselves and we have to do it starting locally.

[laughingliberal]

96. +1 nt

[colsohlibgal]

97. Bernie Is Correct As Usual

It's going to take a serious uprising to even begin to chip away with what's in place. We do have the right and indeed the duty to rise up, it's right in the US Constitution, " When in the course of human events...." yada yada.

What a tough road however, they have the trillions,the unverifiable voting machines, and enough politicians in their back pockets to do their bidding.

[davidwparker]

102. Sanders is one of about 3 others who I'd like to see returned to the senate.

Brown and Whitehouse come to mind as 2 others.

[FlyByNight]

105. The good Senator is correct

I'll be surprised if BP is on the hook for ALL of the cost of this disaster (Rand Paul's "accidents" notwithstanding). Corporate accountability has a piss-poor record recently (and for a few decades for that matter).

Chris Hedges described the current economic/political situation as "inverted totalitarianism": politics and policy is subordinate to economics/the corporate.

Pres. Roosevelt once said (paraphrasing), "I welcome their hatred", when describing the economic royalists. I can't see Pres. Obama EVER saying anything remotely that class conscious and truthful.

The republic is dead, or at the very least, on life support.

[whatchamacallit]

106. Yeah, Bernie's right on (nt)

[liberal N proud]

108. Nail just met the hammer

[SleeplessinSoCal]

115. How do we add "The United States of America" to the list of Oligarchies?

In other words, how does the public get the truth out? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligarchy

[just us]

116. Oligarchy

We must unionize organize unionize each trade or similar jobs they would have local needs but answer only to each other and the cause of the middle class.

[RainDog]

122. the legacy of the banana republicans

starting with Reagan.

the Supreme Court Coup of 2000 was the death knell for this nation. Now it's like watching a disaster in slo-mo.

[silenttigersong]

124. Civil war

is the end game, I am sure I will be on my Presidents side,oh goody they have the bigger guns.The GOP have been fighting him 24/7,GOOBERS have put so much mis information out about President Obama,it is truly a shame.I believe that President Obama will end the war,although the goobers will claim he did so for political reasons,it will not matter,because the economy will be booming back,without drilling haha.and we will have a renaissance of America creativity,ingenuity,but beware GOOBERS,we will prevail upon all citizens having health-care.

[TheKentuckian]

129. back up there with ya

[Odin2005]

130. If voting changed anything they would make it illegal. --Emma Goldman