• Corporations are afforded many of the same rights as people, which they shouldn’t.
  • This allows ease of creation of “non-profits” to make (now unlimited) donations to the politicians of their choice.
• “We have something the founding fathers never intended, career politicians… They make decisions to save their job.” - David Walker on “The Daily Show”.
  • Our “leaders” are no better than any joe off the street.  Coupled with item #1, means that our current laws

Solutions: I am a “liberal” in the current political terms.  However, what I propose should be fairly nonpartisan.

• How do you make corporations behave as responsible commercial entities?
  • The Federal government should regulate them within the bounds of its authority.  They should regulate interstate and international commerce.  (See article linked above)
  • For too long states and cities have pandered to large retail chains and companies by making it appealing to move to their city / state to increase revenues, etc.  Now we’re paying the price.
• How do you make the politicians care about the people instead of their own interests?
  • Politicians need to realize they are in a position of service to the people (and with the previous argument, this does NOT include corporations)
  • Citizens should make city and state politicians more accountable.  Constitutionally speaking, the States are supposed to have the power in the United States of America.  The Federal government is supposed to have limited power.  Citizens need to keep more money locally and become involved in local and state issues.  Vote in city and local elections.
  • The election of Obama does give me hope that those after GenX will not have the same fevered greed I and those older than myself share.
  • In the mean time, there should be a path for people that are exiting the corporate world to enter the world of service (politics, teaching).

As a total side note: I have come to believe that we are at the end of the “Golden age of retail”.  Large department stores and chain stores are an endangered species.  Their huge explosion into all the areas of suburbia was brought on by the availability of cheap credit and lowered costs of goods as manufacturing shifted to China.  Since the former is like totally gone with the last financial crisis, we should really start looking at how to enable the local businesses again, especially service and small scale manufacturing / farming.

I do want to say that I believe in:

• You can treat people fairly, but not the same.
• Every should be given opportunity.  America loves a comeback story, let people fail and pick themselves up.  If they are unable to pick themselves up, then we figure out how to help them.
  • ex: Not everyone needs to go to college.  If kids flunk their high school exit exam, hold them to it.  Don’t lower the damn criteria.  (again, politicians trying to hold onto their jobs)
  • We cannot confuse education for experience.
• I believe Unions are a bane on many industries.  The reasons they were founded for many reasons no longer exist.  People need to take personal responsibility for their actions, and not have a group negotiate on behave of the least capable of a group.  It marginalized the truly talented of the group.
• Morality and religion are not one and the same.  We all want responsible, ethical, moral people with integrity in our political system.  Our country has separation of church and state.  Leave deities out of politics, focus on helping the people.  It usually starts with “treat others as you would like to be treated”.
• Ideologies need to take a back seat to governance of the city / state / county.
  • In our current political climate, we have two parties who throw “wedge issues” into the media (ie. abortion, gay marriage, etc.) things that ideologically are important, but are really secondary to what we really need out of our leader and political parties, the want and desire to make this country a better place for all of its law-abiding citizens.
  • I also think that politicians need to have an incentive to do some core things, ie: their pay should be reduced to $1, if they cannot pass a balanced budget on time.

Now, I need to figure out how to put all these words into a personal action plan.  Support your local and state governments.  Criticism without solutions is a complaint.  Propose solutions.

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1. My problems with the congressman:
   1. Was caught on tape talking about your sexual acts with WOMEN who were not your wife
   2. Denied these in statements to the media point blank.
   3. However, you ran on a platform of family values.
   4. Won award for family values as recently as year 2000
   5. Campaigned against Prop 8 because it opposes traditional marriage
   6. Are a complete hypocrite who can’t even stand up for his own actions.  (Which is somewhat understandable because if you admits guilt, you’re in for a heap of trouble at the state and federal level)
2. My problems with the purported lobbyist. (or any lobbyist in general)
   1. Mr. Duvall was the vice chairman of the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee
   2. You are an energy lobbyist.
   3. You took a ethics test.  It’s recorded on the state’s website
   4. You have now made EVERY LOBBYIST look corrupt

While many blogs and syndicated news outlets have picked up the story, the effect is much greater as the original sources are from his electorate.   (As a side note, NYTimes and Fox News do not have the story, so they likely are holding to their philosophy that internet syndicated content should be paid content.)

As I sit here having trouble telling the difference between the Contra Costa Times, the Argus and the San Jose Mercury News, it’s refreshing to know that at least in one market, the local media has its sights on its local politicians.  I think having increased scrutiny on local government rather than the Republican vs. Obama du jour argument will continue to truly show the value of the media and rebuild a sense of community around the local media.

Please to all local media.  Please give us insight into our local government representatives.  Please cover them with the vigor that the sports guy covers “local boy made good in the pros”.  Local government is AA ball.  State government is AAA ball.  Federal government is the pros.  Stars are made at the AA and AAA level.

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