Anti Corporatist/Authoritarian Coalition?

[PredFan]

I wonder if we might compile, in this thread, a list of policy goals that we could all get behind, regardless of favored ideology (apart from the stated anti-coporatist/authoritarian theme).

I was inspired to start this thread after pondering how an issue like ending loopholes and tax incentives seems to draw wide support across party lines. So, I'll throw that out there as a starter.

What else is there?

As long as you keep the anti-corporate rhetoric and ignore other major problems, you are simply on the left only while pretending to be in the middle. You won't get the majority support you will need.

Anti-corporatist is not anti-corporate.

Corporatism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Doesn't matter, your posts show you to be both.

 

[PredFan]

Maybe, maybe not. I think you have to respect the end goal at least - ending corporate dominance over politics. There are ways to achieve that that don't result in state control over our political activities.

This is where you will lose most people. You are stuck in the occupy wall street ignorance that the only problem with government is the eeeeevil corporations. There are much more powerful and influential entities pouring money into politics that you won't address. Until you are willing to compromise on your sacred cows, you won't get a lot of cooperation from the other side.

You misinterpret my point of view. I'm opposed to corporate collusion with government - as well as the collusion with all the other power blocks and interest groups that goes on under the auspices of corporatist government. Seriously, check out that wikipedia article on corporatism before indulging your prejudices.

I'm not aligned with OWS - but I do find value in many of the things they are protesting. They recognize the corruption in corporations lobbying government for preferential treatment and bailouts. And if we can find agreement on that - and end the practice of government handing out favors in exchange for corporate support - then we should. Just because the OWSers might not recognize that the same thing is going on in the name of unions and other interest groups is no reason to count them as enemies.

I understand the difference and grant that I was generalizing, yet,you still go on about corporations as if they and they alone are lobbying politicians and as if they alone are the problem with this country. You won't win many supporters of your view and your goal that way.

 

[PredFan]

In broad strokes, I'm looking to find coalition support for issues that cross party boundaries - yet aren't finding strong representation in either major party. Here's a starter list:

1. Pulling back on our "World Police" foreign policy and getting military spending under control.

2. Restraint on the growing police state. The is primarily expressed through the "Homeland Security" surveillance regime, and the "War on Drugs".

3. End corporate welfare. Many, but certainly not all, corporations have learned that the key to prosperity is in manipulating government policy to their own ends.

4. Reform the corrupt tax code. End the use of tax incentives/credits/deductions as means of controlling society.


... others?

5. Reform the welfare system.

6. End the Department of Education.

7. Reform and downsize the EPA.

8. End welfare to other countries.

9. Audit or end the Fed.

10. Eliminate public sector unions.

 

[dblack]

There is no longer any sizable common ground between the two comties ...

There's lots of common ground actually. But unfortunately most of the commonality is on the authoritarian/corporatist side of things. We need a stake in the ground opposing this trend in both parties.

 

[dblack]

In broad strokes, I'm looking to find coalition support for issues that cross party boundaries - yet aren't finding strong representation in either major party. Here's a starter list:

1. Pulling back on our "World Police" foreign policy and getting military spending under control.

2. Restraint on the growing police state. The is primarily expressed through the "Homeland Security" surveillance regime, and the "War on Drugs".

3. End corporate welfare. Many, but certainly not all, corporations have learned that the key to prosperity is in manipulating government policy to their own ends.

4. Reform the corrupt tax code. End the use of tax incentives/credits/deductions as means of controlling society.


... others?

5. Reform the welfare system.

6. End the Department of Education.

7. Reform and downsize the EPA.

8. End welfare to other countries.

9. Audit or end the Fed.

10. Eliminate public sector unions.

8 and 9 are promising. But, though I agree with the others, we probably wouldn't find broad support on the rest.

 

[Paulie]

These would top my "list". End the unlimited and anonymous funding of our politicians. Fine and jail any politician taking lobbying money. You lobby with votes and speech (money is not speech). I want politicians that work for MY vote, not lobbyists cash.

I'd also like to end the practice of private prisons.

Campaign finance reform is touchy - there are genuine free speech issues to think about - but it's worth considering. Maybe once we get a list of ideas together we could do a poll or something.

Definitely with you on privatized prisons. Not sure how that EVER seemed like a good idea to anyone.

Campaign finance reform is just a cop out for voters too lazy to do a little due diligence.

 

[dblack]

As long as you keep the anti-corporate rhetoric and ignore other major problems, you are simply on the left only while pretending to be in the middle. You won't get the majority support you will need.

Anti-corporatist is not anti-corporate.

Corporatism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Doesn't matter, your posts show you to be both.

How so?

 

[Paulie]

As long as you keep the anti-corporate rhetoric and ignore other major problems, you are simply on the left only while pretending to be in the middle. You won't get the majority support you will need.

Anti-corporatist is not anti-corporate.

Corporatism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Doesn't matter, your posts show you to be both.

There's quite a bit of libertarians on this board, and I swear you're the only one that smacks of republican party lap dog.

 

[GuyPinestra]

There is no longer any sizable common ground between the two parties, for whatever reason the democrats are the only ones who still have moderates. The republicans have chased off their moderate element and I do not see them walking back the raft of reckless ultimatums that comprise their current platform without voting a bunch of them out.

Don't that just figure, you decry the lack of 'common ground' and immediately start laying blame at the feet of those you disagree with. "Oooohhh, it's all the Republican's fault.

Grow the fuck up, or go back to your X-Box. Adults are talking here.

 

[Charles_Main]

It's frustrating to see so many lost opportunities for making the world, or at least our nation, a better place. I find considerable agreement from liberals, conservatives and libertarians on issues like curbing the war machine, protecting civil liberties, ending corporate welfare, ending the pointless drug war, pulling back on the police state - yet we remain locked in the phony left/right puppet show. All the while the authoritarians happily dominate the vested power structure.

It's time we find the common ground and save the fine points of ideology for later. Or we may find ourselves without a country to argue over.

Your sentiments echo a majority of Americans who want our politicians to compromise and work together.

51 percent of respondents said that politicians should compromise rather than to stick to their beliefs, up from 47 percent in November 2010. Only 28 percent of respondents said that politicians sticking to their beliefs was more important.

Conservatives and Republicans were deeply divided over the issue, but were slightly more likely to agree with the sentiment that “it is more important for political leaders to stick to their beliefs even if little gets done,” with 40 percent and 37 percent agreeing, respectively. Thirty-six percent of both conservatives and Republicans preferred compromise.

Liberals and Democrats, on the other hand, were much more likely to favor compromise, with just over 60 percent of both groups favoring compromise and about 20 percent opposing it.

Tea Party supporters were the most fervently opposed to compromise of any of the groups examined by Gallup. Forty-five percent of tea party supporters said that it is more important for political groups to stick to their beliefs, even if little gets done, while 31 percent responded in favor compromise.
​

Poll: Americans want compromise

Looks like we know where the work needs to get done...

Polls are so unreliable.


Sure everyone says speaking Generally that our Politicians should work with each other to get things done.

But when you go Issue by Issue and ask people if they think their Party should Comprise with the other side to get something done, the support for Working together Plummets and people say they want their Leaders to stick to their Guns and not give in.

Kinda like how everyone says spend less, but when you ask them about specific programs they always say NO don't cut that.

 

[dblack]

It's frustrating to see so many lost opportunities for making the world, or at least our nation, a better place. I find considerable agreement from liberals, conservatives and libertarians on issues like curbing the war machine, protecting civil liberties, ending corporate welfare, ending the pointless drug war, pulling back on the police state - yet we remain locked in the phony left/right puppet show. All the while the authoritarians happily dominate the vested power structure.

It's time we find the common ground and save the fine points of ideology for later. Or we may find ourselves without a country to argue over.

Your sentiments echo a majority of Americans who want our politicians to compromise and work together.

51 percent of respondents said that politicians should compromise rather than to stick to their beliefs, up from 47 percent in November 2010. Only 28 percent of respondents said that politicians sticking to their beliefs was more important.

Conservatives and Republicans were deeply divided over the issue, but were slightly more likely to agree with the sentiment that “it is more important for political leaders to stick to their beliefs even if little gets done,” with 40 percent and 37 percent agreeing, respectively. Thirty-six percent of both conservatives and Republicans preferred compromise.

Liberals and Democrats, on the other hand, were much more likely to favor compromise, with just over 60 percent of both groups favoring compromise and about 20 percent opposing it.

Tea Party supporters were the most fervently opposed to compromise of any of the groups examined by Gallup. Forty-five percent of tea party supporters said that it is more important for political groups to stick to their beliefs, even if little gets done, while 31 percent responded in favor compromise.
​

Poll: Americans want compromise

Looks like we know where the work needs to get done...

Polls are so unreliable.


Sure everyone says speaking Generally that our Politicians should work with each other to get things done.

But when you go Issue by Issue and ask people if they think their Party should Comprise with the other side to get something done, the support for Working together Plummets and people say they want their Leaders to stick to their Guns and not give in.

Kinda like how everyone says spend less, but when you ask them about specific programs they always say NO don't cut that.

Again, I don't think compromise is what we want. What we want is real progress on things we can agree on, and that's what's missing.

 

[PredFan]

Anti-corporatist is not anti-corporate.

Corporatism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Doesn't matter, your posts show you to be both.

There's quite a bit of libertarians on this board, and I swear you're the only one that smacks of republican party lap dog.

Nah, it's just that I'm the only Libertarian on this board who isn't a pothead vainly hoping that a Libertarian POTUS will legalize marijuanna.

 

[Oddball]

Nah, it's just that I'm the only Libertarian on this board who isn't a pothead vainly hoping that a Libertarian POTUS will legalize marijuanna.

Oh, stop it.

 

[PredFan]

Your sentiments echo a majority of Americans who want our politicians to compromise and work together.

51 percent of respondents said that politicians should compromise rather than to stick to their beliefs, up from 47 percent in November 2010. Only 28 percent of respondents said that politicians sticking to their beliefs was more important.

Conservatives and Republicans were deeply divided over the issue, but were slightly more likely to agree with the sentiment that “it is more important for political leaders to stick to their beliefs even if little gets done,” with 40 percent and 37 percent agreeing, respectively. Thirty-six percent of both conservatives and Republicans preferred compromise.

Liberals and Democrats, on the other hand, were much more likely to favor compromise, with just over 60 percent of both groups favoring compromise and about 20 percent opposing it.

Tea Party supporters were the most fervently opposed to compromise of any of the groups examined by Gallup. Forty-five percent of tea party supporters said that it is more important for political groups to stick to their beliefs, even if little gets done, while 31 percent responded in favor compromise.
​

Poll: Americans want compromise

Looks like we know where the work needs to get done...

Polls are so unreliable.


Sure everyone says speaking Generally that our Politicians should work with each other to get things done.

But when you go Issue by Issue and ask people if they think their Party should Comprise with the other side to get something done, the support for Working together Plummets and people say they want their Leaders to stick to their Guns and not give in.

Kinda like how everyone says spend less, but when you ask them about specific programs they always say NO don't cut that.

Again, I don't think compromise is what we want. What we want is real progress on things we can agree on, and that's what's missing.

The problem is that there isn't anything that the two sides can agree on. When it seems on the surface that there is, one only has to look deeper to see that even then, the ideas for correcting the problem are completely different.

 

[Paulie]

Doesn't matter, your posts show you to be both.

There's quite a bit of libertarians on this board, and I swear you're the only one that smacks of republican party lap dog.

Nah, it's just that I'm the only Libertarian on this board who isn't a pothead vainly hoping that a Libertarian POTUS will legalize marijuanna.

Everytime the topic of libertarian comes up, there you are firing away insults about "the rest" of them in some way. I find it odd that tou claim a movement that you otherwise seem to apparently think is really just a bunch of junkie opportunists

Enjoy your Romney vote you fraud

 

[dblack]

Polls are so unreliable.


Sure everyone says speaking Generally that our Politicians should work with each other to get things done.

But when you go Issue by Issue and ask people if they think their Party should Comprise with the other side to get something done, the support for Working together Plummets and people say they want their Leaders to stick to their Guns and not give in.

Kinda like how everyone says spend less, but when you ask them about specific programs they always say NO don't cut that.

Again, I don't think compromise is what we want. What we want is real progress on things we can agree on, and that's what's missing.

The problem is that there isn't anything that the two sides can agree on. When it seems on the surface that there is, one only has to look deeper to see that even then, the ideas for correcting the problem are completely different.

I don't accept that. That's what the authoritarians dominating both parties want us to believe. Don't fall for it.

 

[Moonglow]

It's frustrating to see so many lost opportunities for making the world, or at least our nation, a better place. I find considerable agreement from liberals, conservatives and libertarians on issues like curbing the war machine, protecting civil liberties, ending corporate welfare, ending the pointless drug war, pulling back on the police state - yet we remain locked in the phony left/right puppet show. All the while the authoritarians happily dominate the vested power structure.

It's time we find the common ground and save the fine points of ideology for later. Or we may find ourselves without a country to argue over.

When Clinton announced he want a one million man police force, I knew that it was a power play to set up the police state under the guise of them protecting us from ourselves, and we are paying for it!
This is not about party affilation or rights, they will put anyone in jail or 6 feet under.
They are non emoting drones that blindly enforce to many laws and penalties.

 

[PredFan]

In broad strokes, I'm looking to find coalition support for issues that cross party boundaries - yet aren't finding strong representation in either major party. Here's a starter list:

1. Pulling back on our "World Police" foreign policy and getting military spending under control.

2. Restraint on the growing police state. The is primarily expressed through the "Homeland Security" surveillance regime, and the "War on Drugs".

3. End corporate welfare. Many, but certainly not all, corporations have learned that the key to prosperity is in manipulating government policy to their own ends.

4. Reform the corrupt tax code. End the use of tax incentives/credits/deductions as means of controlling society.


... others?

5. Reform the welfare system.

6. End the Department of Education.

7. Reform and downsize the EPA.

8. End welfare to other countries.

9. Audit or end the Fed.

10. Eliminate public sector unions.

8 and 9 are promising. But, though I agree with the others, we probably wouldn't find broad support on the rest.

Out of the 10, I can't see how we'd get broad support for more than maybe one. People on both sides might want to reform the tax code, but you won't find any agreement on how.

 

[PredFan]

Anti-corporatist is not anti-corporate.

Corporatism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Doesn't matter, your posts show you to be both.

There's quite a bit of libertarians on this board, and I swear you're the only one that smacks of republican party lap dog.

Yeah well you just aren't paying attention.

 

[PredFan]

Nah, it's just that I'm the only Libertarian on this board who isn't a pothead vainly hoping that a Libertarian POTUS will legalize marijuanna.

Oh, stop it.

You know it's mostly true.