Thank you for doing all this. The biggest problem is that we let the conservatives set the agenda for the conversation. As a result we are running around trying to put out fires on a hundred fronts. As soon as we put out one they introduce 10 new ones.

Like a good magician, they do this to keep us from seeing what their real goal is. To see that all you need to do is "follow the money". Whenever they can, they manuver things so that both the nation and individuals go deeper in debt. Since for more than 30 years this has been their only consistant thrust it is safe to assume that it is their core objective. Even shutting down the government and threatening not to raise the debt ceiling has raised the National Debt by billions of dollars.

Why? Their goal appears to be to force the government to privatize all their services and to make the working class so dependent that they will do anything or vote any way for a few dollars.

If the media could just keep their eye on the bouncing ball we might all be singing the same song.

You're doing a great job keep it up.

db999

Its not final vote yet, according to FoodDemocracyNow! Go to their site, check my comment.

Mauiman2 = Island Guy = IG -- You know the equation but others may not. Do you get to spend a lot of time on Maui?

My point is based on the software development company that built the healthcare.org website. That software company is based in Canada. That company was in charge of developing some of the software for the Canadian healthcare system. The canadian govt fired them for incompetence. Due to the small amount of money the repugs wanted to invest in America, they were the only company availabe at the price. You suggested we would not want to put the people in charge of our economy that created the software of healthcare.org. I hope that helps. Once again, I would like to say no one ever accused me of clarifying anything. Dan did but I think he changed his mind.

Cheryl, you've brought up a very important issue and I don't want you to think you're being ignored. Maybe you can suggest to Thom that he bring up court corruption in one of his future posts.

I've had thoughts of doing this myself, as I would like to see some discussion here about the Teabrains' misogynist "War On Women". This could even overlap the issue of court corruption, as I keep hearing about convicted rapists getting ridiculously light sentences from sicko judges. Example: a high school teacher convicted of raping a 14-year-old student, sentenced to just thirty days in the slammer, while that judge more than implied the young victim was partially responsible. This drew attention to the judge, as people were outraged enough to demand his removal from the bench. - Aliceinwonderland

I had a funny feeling that all this gerrymandering and voter ID nonsense would backfire. However, before we pop the champagne corks would someone like to tell me how Initiative 522 in Washington State got voted down? That was a law for GMO labelling I believe. What are they putting in the water up their? I imagine big pharma put out some big propaganda buck to pass that one. Well I guess you can still fool some of the people some of the time.

Is no one else blogging on here ?

Unfortunatly I think this will be a big sucksess for the repubs. I fear that people who are turned away and a great number of those who feel they will have a hassel to vote, will simply not show up and not vote the next time. They will just say "It's not worth the hassel. It won't change anything. They will just throw out the votes anyway. etc. etc." The corporate news will run stories of how good people get right in to vote but bad people and people who "may" be trying to cheat the system and steal your money are turned away. Then ask - did you have problems voting? They will pick beautiful and respectful people, and a few ringers to say "NO Problems!" and skuzzy ones to say "Yea they wouldn't let me vote twice and now they want me to look for work before they give me my welfare check!"

I would welcome being shown I am totally wrong, Not just "Oh no that could never happen here".... talk, but proof people are able and willing to change a system by massive collective action to get everyone able to vote.

Aliceinwonderland ~ Good for Oregon! I'm glad to hear that. We have the same system here in California. Although here we have the option of going to the polls or absentee ballots. I too prefer the absentee ballot system. Here they send the ballot to your address with your name on it. You sign it at the bottom under penalty of perjury. (I think the penalty is something like $20K + 5 years. More than enough discouragement.) The best part like you said is no lines and no rush to vote. You don't have to dress up, and can take your time. Best of all, you don't have to deal with idiots at the ballot center who may want to change your mind at the last minute; or, discourage you from voting altogether. You also avoid mistakes that can disqualify you. You avoid those stupid Diebold voting machines. You avoid the possibility that you might be sick on election day. Also you avoid the discouragement of a long line during your lunch hour. Here, we just put the filled out ballot back into a prepaid envelope and drop it into the mail. We can also drop it into an ballot box on election day. Now that I've done absentee voting I will never go back.

Loren Bliss ~ We'll just have to agree to disagree. My personal perspective is beyond the now. I take samplings of the past, facts from the present, and use them to estimate the future. Remember, as bad as it is now it was far worse in the past. However, somehow the people in this country managed to progress considerably. Slaves earned freedom, workers earned rights, women received the right to vote, minorities received equal rights, the poor were granted the New Deal, the elderly--the weakest segment of the population--received Medicare; and, the middle class was born out of abject poverty. St. Thomas Aquinas described 'Democracy' as a system by which the poor multitude dominate and control the wealthy minority. Nothing has really changed that much since the mid 1800's. In fact, we are currently just two pieces of legislation away from throwing big money out of politics for good--Move to Amend, and Campaign Finance Reform.

In this country we have a nasty habit of fixating on the now like it won't be history tomorrow; and like the future doesn't exist. The housing bubble for instance. People could not wait for home prices to come down to buy a house. They swallowed the idea that, "as it is today, forever it shall be." Then, when the market tanked they swallowed the idea that, "my house is worth less than I paid for it today, and forever it shall be." Reacting to such cost them, and the country, a fortune. Why? Because of shortsightedness compounded by shortsightedness. We are very impatient in this country. We have been conditioned to expect instant gratification throughout our lives and that blinds us to reality. Just because you can't sell an idea today doesn't mean that you won't be able to sell a warehouse full of it next week.

Personally, I firmly believe the concession of Medicare for all has already been made in the halls of Congress a long, long, long time ago. It is a natural step in the evolution of our country and a necessary evil in order for our economy to be competitive on the world market. The announcement isn't going to be made publicly because too many politicians rely on Insurance Company contributions for their campaigns. They want to milk that for all it is worth. However, they will Kabuki Theater their way into stumbling upon that Medicare for all solution eventually. To me, that is a given--regardless of Move to Amend and Campaign Finance Reform. It wouldn't surprise me if the Republican Party in one of the next major elections jumped on that platform to win. You know, like somehow it was their idea. Just like Marijuana legalization is suddenly a good idea. Ten years ago that was a "pipe dream" too, if you remember. That will no doubt be their only hope to win any election in the near future. They are more than cunning and backstabbing enough to do so; and, since they know that Insurance Campaign money is not going to be there in the following elections anyway, this would be the perfect time to use that issue to turn an election. I don't put anything past this group of two faced a$$ holes. Now that they have maneuvered the Democratic party in a position where they have to defend the ACA they are wide open to pull that card out of their rear and look like hero's. BS.

Regardless, you do make an excellent point. It is useless to put too many resources into Medicare for all at this point. What we need to focus on is Campaign Finance Reform and Move to Amend. Like I've said before, everything else is a waste of time and resources. Medicare for all, and everything else we need will fall into place after we succeed at Campaign Finance Reform and Move to Amend.

As far as the stupid electorate in this country is concerned my friend, you are absolutely right. Yet, consider this, the citizenry today is far better educated than the average citizens were during the writing of The Constitution, The Emancipation Proclamation, or The New Deal legislation. Education had little to do with the success of those milestone American moments. We have been, still are, and may always be a stupid Moron Nation. That hasn't halted progress in the past; and, I doubt it will in the future. Call it dumb luck. We were spawn in it; and, we exceed at it.

What is not being talked about is court corruption. I prove with the court record that judges lie and just make things up when the common man who cannot afford $250+ an hour (the pro per). If judges are so accustomed to lying and misrepresenting the facts and evidence within their rulings, then how can they be given the right to choose over criminal issues that involve private prisons? Please See c42009.wix.com/divinejustice

Buss loads of voters going from place to place is NOT Democracy! Poor people need photo ID to get food stamps.

By countermeasure you admit to getting around the one vote only concept?