K&R!!!! Whitehouse Rocks!

The regulars at DU know me to constantly link the issues of the day that are posted here to getting the money out of our political system. By far that has been my primary focus. I am quick to respond to one other type of post, and that is climate change. In fact my urgency is fueled by my worry over climate change and the environment.

I am very encouraged on both fronts right now as there seems to be a fast growing awareness and willingness to push these issues by both politicians and the rest of us. I know that both of these movements still have a long way to go, but they are picking up speed!

If we could make a stand before this election in November to DEMAND that the money be taken out. Demand the Constitutional Amendment to get rid of Citizens United, money = speech, and require Publicly Funded Elections for Federal, State, and Local elections, we can make the serious moves necessary to save ourselves.

As Sheldon Whitehouse says, "The oceans don't lie." They are in very poor condition already and rapidly getting worse. If the phytoplankton in the oceans start to die we all suffocate. 2/3 of our oxygen comes from these organisms. We are messing with things we haven't begun to understand and will already pay a heavy price for our hubris.

Sheldon is also right when he talks about how the rest of the world views our country, even if they don't always like our politics. If we make the serious commitment to the environment, the rest of the countries (the ones not already way ahead of us on renewable energy) will follow our lead!

Whitehouse for the Whitehouse!!!

The Republicans may be in the minority, but as many have stated above they fight dirty.

We could effect the change now, but for the fact that the Republican backers control the MSM and encourage the voter apathy that keeps the majority of the people from making the effort to go to the polls.

We need to find a way to engage them as Obama's run in 08 did. If we could plan on protests and marches starting in September with the sole focus of getting the money out of our politics we could give them a single cause they can understand and get behind. OWS had so many different issues aside from Wall Street it was just too much for most people.

Let's take a page from the Republicans play book and turn the reason for the apathy into the reason to vote, ending the corruption! Republicans are famous for taking a strength, such as John Kerry's Vietnam service, and turning it against him. Well, the corruption has kept the Repugs in power and contributed the lions share of the apathy, let's make that the issue in this election. The more money they raise the more we can show that they are trying to buy votes.

Let's force the candidates to support the Constitutional Amendment process to overturn Citizens United, money is not speech, and add to that Publicly Funded Elections across the board, Federal, State, and Local! Let's make them support COMPLETE Campaign Finance Reform!

OWS did a lot of good, especially in changing the conversation to the rising inequality. Let us refine what they did by keeping this singular focus. If we can achieve these goals, Representative Democracy will return and we can start addressing the myriad other issues facing us such as climate change, education, gun control, infrastructure.... We must act now!

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says suing oil companies for damages caused by Fracking is "frivolous!"