reply to stenmawson RE#1 -- There is even a significant difference between bad dems and good repugs. For example, every dem voted for card check not one repug; every dem voted for ACA, not one repug; every dem voted for penalties on China for currency manipulations, not one repug. I have about 20 more if you want to hear them.

DAM RE#12 -- In CA where we are from, the green party was given a fairer chance then they have ever been given before. Of course, that fairer chance was still horrible. I am speaking of the primaries where the voters decided the top two choices for the Nov election. We need ranked voting and proportional representation.

Dave inV RE#10 -- The people have not spoken. The people stayed home or were prevented from voting.

It is interesting that you call the Dem party socialist and almost every comment on this blog is they are not socialist enough.

And sorry, it is a VERY good thing that Pat Quinn lost in Illinois. Now there is at least some hope that the state can pull itself out of the downward spiral it was on.

I concur. I met Pat Quinn. He was a nice man, very sincere from what I could tell. But also blind to the truth. Illinois is no longer a destination state for young people trying to get their lives together. Without those young people paying into the pension system, it will all collapse. Why would anyone move to Illinois to start a business or a family? I'd move out if I could.

I was pleased to see that some of the blacks on the South side of Chicago actually supported Rauner, including that one high-profile preacher. You know, if I were Rauner, I'd open a factory on the South side. It doesn't matter what the factory makes. They don't even have to make a profit. Just employ a few hundred people from the neighborhood at a living wage, to show what can happen when you quit demonizing the people with the means to create jobs.

We need to get to a 2/3 majority of progressives in both houses in order to pass a Constitutional amendment to fix our system and ensure that the .01% can't keep control or regain it. Even if we took every Senate seat in 2016, we would still need to flip 8 or 9 more in 2018. The Democratic Party needs to make a long-term strategy to do a big push on the next three Senate elections. Meanwhile, the goal in the House should be conserve resources, but get a simple majority until 2/3 of the Senate is within reach, then do a big push on both simultaneously.

please consider offering more than two choices in your "polls;" you leave no room for subleties or other possible explanations for an opinion than, say, big pharma's opposition to an outcome. such reductionist, sound bite takes on reality are the tools of the right, not suitable for social thinkers.

Excellent, Thom. Thank you!

Here is a letter I have been sending to Democratic representative at state and federal levels. Perhaps it makes sense for you to discuss, as well.

I am very interested in communicating with thought-leaders in the Democratic party, and I am hopeful that you may be able to direct me to someone (hopefully yourself) to whom I could express my observations and ideas.

I have not actively participated in grass-root efforts, but Democratic ops folks have attempted to engage me for a long time with endless emails and phone calls, asking for money. Money (or the lack thereof) is not the antidote for what happened in this election.

I suggest that there are some fundamental actions / strategies that Democrats need to seize upon immediately, or the political carnage will continue, and the people of the US will be the continued victims. These ideas grounded in core beliefs that I hold as a citizen. If Democrats cannot trumpet these notions, there in no point in caring about or supporting the Party. Here are my heart-felt thoughts:

1. Define the Republicans. The Republicans have done a masterful job of defining President Obama from the very beginning, relying on a disinterested and under-educated electorate, with a steady drumbeat of disinformation and by demonizing misunderstood terms like “socialist”. It’s time to turn the tables and create a new drumbeat that exposes the Republicans for who they really are -- more interested in their power than in doing what is right for the country. For example, we all know that if The Affordable Care Act had been proposed by a Republican president it would be hailed as the best ever idea ever conceived.

2. Be the Better Patriot. The phrase “Liberty and justice for all”, does not have an apteryx next to it *unless you are woman, or a minority, or gay, or unless you were brought to the US illegally, as a child but it is now your home, etc. Show the world (especially Republicans) how real patriots think, and how believers in what this country stand for, act. Patriotism is a Democratic value that has been falsely claimed by cynical bumper-sticker Republicans.

3. Establish National Voting Day. Elevate the right and responsibility to vote as our most precious tool as citizens, to the status of a national holiday. The message is to make voting the top priority and flies in the face of Republicans’ effort to suppress the vote.

Of course there much more to focus in, but these are my big three. Democrats can turn the tables on Republicans, by simply drawing attention to the very things they claim are their core values.

I’d like to think that Democrats in key positions might value my input. Perhaps I am wrong. Where and how do I begin to share my thoughts? May I meet with you, as a starter?

And sorry, it is a VERY good thing that Pat Quinn lost in Illinois. Now there is at least some hope that the state can pull itself out of the downward spiral it was on. With four more years of Quinn, there would be no hope. The definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different outcome. By that definition, re electing Pat Quinn would have been insanity. And yes I do realize that Mike Madigan is the real problem in Illinois, but he is not going anywhere until the grim reaper calls him home.

I hope all politicians take away at least this one thing from the election: delaying hard decisions until after the election isn't fooling anyone, and doesn't work. Besides Obama's delay on immigration, here in Illinois the governor decided to wait until after the election to decide on raising property taxes and pension reform. And he lost.

Marc, it's great to have you back. Your comments are always refreshing and spot-on.

Grandpa Dave, I feel your pain.

Old men like the Kochs have strong pimp hands and demand a high return from their so called, "powerful," LOL ... Republican man servants. Destructive souls like the Kochs have existed all through history, only the names change. The concept of good government was established to put an end to this evil. The enlightenment thinkers are rolling over in their graves. Any government that allows extreme concentration of wealth is bad government and needs to be terminated one way or another.

Money is and always has been the real power, arbitrary power often held by heinous and sick little old men whether it be in Ancient Rome or on modern day Wall Street. Much of the rest of the civilized world has learned this lesson and the citizens are happy and healthy living under Democratic Socialism, the purest form of representative government.

A few crazed billionaires have made a mockery out of our democracy. We need to overthrow them now.....and I don't give a damn how anymore. Let them seek asylum in Somalia with other free market capitalists...enjoy their post modern dark ages and leave the rest of us the ffkk alone.

Ou812, it's you who doesn't know what you're talking about. Of course union membership is decreasing but it's not because people don't want to join unions. That's tantamount to saying they don't want good wages, good working conditions or job security.

It's because in a third of organizing campaigns someone is illegally fired for taking part but the laws against that are not enforced. It's because the proccess of organizing a union shop, as it is currently, allows for a lot of threats and intimidation by the employer and, in general, gives the employer too much in an imbalance of power. That's why the Employee Free Choice Act was proposed - even if it was scuttled by moneyed interests (an imbalance of power is cyclical, if you don't have power you can't get power and if you can't get power you don't have power and so on.).

Read this report http://web.wm.edu/so/tlsc/orgmaterials/Busting.pdf of a study by colleagues of mine. I know something about this, I've done labor organizing since I was 17.

We'll likely continue to lose as long as people vote with dollar bills in this country.

Sorry if I make you feel stupid.