Tax the Wealthy!

It is always useful to think about what is possible. We often use the term "third party" and that's incorrect. That falls under the assumption that a "two-party" system is normal or natural. It is not, it is designed, just like markets.

Anything designed can be changed. And, in Oregon voters increased taxes on the wealthy!

But many in the Chicana and Chicano Movement are against voting. The same is true in many movements who are frustrated by politics as usual. There has been a lot of money invested in getting people not to vote. Watch this and remember that School Bond Election for Albuquerque Public Schools is Tuesday, February 5.

1/25/10

Looks like the President is a little off balance and needing to "reboot" his agenda. That's too bad as most of it was decent. But obviously not enough as Kucinich takes his party to task.

What is probably of most importance in the last month is the Suprem Court siding with corporatocracy over democracy. It is not like the system was pro-working-class to begin with. But now for sure things will be difficult.

What we will need for a fully functioning democracy is Instant Runoff Voting, Proportional Representation, Universal Voter Registration, and much more. Mainly we need to remove special interest money from politics!

Turnout would help. The US ranks 114th on the planet for voter turnout.

40th Anniversary of La Raza Unida

January 17 is the anniversary of La Raza Unida. And this year marked the 40th. We had a general meeting and not much special here in Albuquerque. Looking at the needs of the US there is a need to approach things on a broader scale.

The winner take all voting system of the US requires that any electoral party have a broad enough platform to attract voters. The US culture of individualism, and generally anti-government libertarianism makes a labor or social democratic party extremely difficult. But, it is not impossible.

That is what we need now, a party, or parties that will engage working people as workers. We need unions to engage all workers as a class. The pretense that we are all "middle-class" doesn't confront the realities of the corporate-driven society we live in now. Class consciousness is difficult to develop in an individualistic society. But, it is not impossible.

We "left" or "progressives" or "radicals" need to learn and move forward. The sectarian ideological purity approach of the past didn't work then and it won't work now. We need to balance practicality and move toward our principles. We need to take what we can get and move forward. There are examples where third parties have made some inroads. We can learn from them and build upon them.

We need to be practical, we need to be connected to the communities we want to impact, and we need to build locally. There are many barriers to parties that represent working families. One of the main ones is the electoral system itself. It is tough, but not impossible!

Register Raza Unida by placing "LRU" in box 5 of NM election forms!

Culture of Overwork

Working over 45 hours a week can be detrimental to your health. France created 350,000 jobs by going to a 35 hour work week. Shorter work weeks reduces green house emissions. Getting rid of the Culture of Overwork even makes employees happier!

Let's get smart and let's give everyone more time to spend with their friends and families.

Proportional Representation and Health

Happy 2010 - Consider the Possibilities

So many people are discouraged with Obama, or Democrats, or all politics that it seems fitting to start the new year with a look at the possible.

Indigenous Presidents....
Venezuelan Social Reform... (Interesting that when you type in "Hugo Chavez on Google the term dictator comes up - wasn't he elected?)
Sandinista Election...

Happy New Year!!!