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Showing Original Post only (View all)Former Salt Lake City mayor Rocky Anderson running for President. A progressive alternative to Obama [View all]
Rocky Anderson a progressive alternative to Obama
Former Salt Lake mayor says Democrats, Republicans sustain corrupt system
by Steven Higgs
December 14, 2011
Americans who feel betrayed by timid, capitulatory leadership from Democrats like President Barack Obama and Indiana Senate candidate Joe Donnelly now have a candidate to consider at the presidential level. On Dec. 12, 2011, former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson announced his candidacy on the Justice Party ticket and the next day laid out a cogent progressive agenda on Democracy Now!
"There is clearly a convergence of interests regarding the concerns we have and the concerns of Occupy Wall Street," he told The Guardian. "There's little I've heard from the Occupy movement that I would disagree with, and I think there's little we support that they would disagree with."
Obama's Kansas speech on income inequality last week was "total hypocrisy," Anderson said. The president has accepted more Wall Street money than any other candidate in history, and he is surrounded by alumni from Goldman Sachs.
"All any of us have to do is look at our pension plans, our 401(k) accounts, and we can see the direct impacts of this economic disaster, brought to us through, by and large, these criminal acts committed by these Wall Street firms and their employees," he said. "And not one of them has been brought to justice under the Obama administration." "Just follow the money, and youll see why Congress and the White House are pursuing these policies that are so inimical to the interest of the American people."
Read the full article at:
http://www.bloomingtonalternative.com/node/10879
Rocky Anderson speaking at anti-war rally in Salt Lake City in 2006
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Ex-Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson, Former Democrat, Launches Third Party Presidential Bid Against Obama, GOP
Amy Goodman interview with Rocky Anderson
December 13, 2011
ROCKY ANDERSON: We launched the Justice Party because the entire system is so corrupt. Its so diseased. We know that the public interest is not being served by anyone in the system right now, particularly the two dominant parties who have sustained this corrupt system and who are sustained by it.
AMY GOODMAN: Third party, what does that mean now? How exactly will you run for president?
ROCKY ANDERSON: Well, actually, I consider this a second party. The Republican-Democratic parties havealthough theyre at an impasse, much to the detriment of the American people, on some issues, they really, through their collusion, have brought this country to its knees economically. Without the Democrats colluding with the Republicans, we would not have engaged in an illegal, aggressive war against Iraq. Weve seen Democrats and Republicans together granting retroactive immunity to the telecom companies. Then-Senator Obama promised this nation, before the primary, before he won the Democratic primary for the presidency, that he would join a filibuster against telecom company immunity. And then, as soon as he won the nomination, of course, he not only didnthe didnt back offonly back off on his promise to join a filibuster, he voted for the legislation. Who in this country gets Congress to grant them retroactive immunity for committing clearly felonious acts?
And then, now we see the same thing. He comes into office, and he says, "Lets look forward, not backwards," when it comes to war criminals, people who have engaged in torture, clearly in violation not only of international law, but domestic law. So, we have this two-tiered system of government. Not only a two-tiered system in terms of our economy, with very few privileged people cleaning up while the rest of us are suffering in so many dramatic ways because of the economic upheaval, but we have this special class of people who arent even held accountable under the law. And all three branches of government are part of this. The courts allow the executive branch to come in, and they dismiss cases on the basis of the subversive state secrets doctrine, where the executive branch gets to determine whether these cases go forwardvictims of torture, people who are challenging illegal surveillance programs by the government. Amy, this is unprecedented in this nation and so completely contrary to the notion of an equal justice system.
See the full interview or read the Democracy Now interview transcript at:
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/12/13/ex_salt_lake_mayor_rocky_anderson
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Rocky Anderson's radical third way
US history is littered with failed third parties, but the progressive populism of Salt Lake City's ex-mayor might just break the mould
by Gary Younge
December 12, 2011
As a progressive former Democrat in Utah, the most reliably conservative state in the country, Rocky Anderson is no stranger to long odds or short shrift. Among other things, Anderson has been a fierce opponent of the Iraq invasion, supports gay marriage and is an ardent environmentalist. (Think former London mayor Ken Livingstone surrounded by conservative Mormons.)
His agenda is a familiar one on the left. Broadly speaking, he wants to break the hold of corrupting corporate influence on the two main parties and give a voice to ordinary working people. It also chimes with the general thrust of the Occupy movement, even though the latter has steered clear of engagement with electoral politics.
"The more time has gone on, the more it has become clear that we're not going see change in this country with these two parties," he says. "There are lots of good individuals in the Democratic party, [but] without Democrats voting the way they did in Congress, we wouldn't have invaded Iraq. We wouldn't have suffered as a nation because of these Bush tax cuts.
"Obama received more money from Wall Street than any presidential candidate ever. And they got a great return on their investment."
Read the full article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/12/rocky-anderson-radical-third-way?newsfeed=true
I don't support Anderson's presidential campaign but I think progressives need to pay attention to what he is saying and doing. Perhaps some Utah DU'ers can shed more light on Anderson's political career in Utah and how someone as liberal or progressive as Anderson can be elected the mayor of Utah's biggest city in the heart of right-wing Republican dominated Utah. I'm looking forward to reading your input. BBI
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Former Salt Lake City mayor Rocky Anderson running for President. A progressive alternative to Obama [View all]
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
OP
They sure aren't "pals" anymore! Read what Anderson had to say about Romney in the interview.
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
#3
If this idiot managed to siphon off enough votes, combined with vote theft, voter suppression,
MADem
Dec 2011
#48
Will his old boss Mitt give him the "Token Dem" slot in the Cabinet, I wonder? nt
MADem
Dec 2011
#143
You really don't have any idea who Rocky Anderson is or his politican standing is
Javaman
Dec 2011
#87
Interesting. There will be a well funded 3rd party candidate to run to Obama's left.
Old and In the Way
Dec 2011
#4
I am quite sure the Koch brothers will pony up some donations for the "progressive" candidate!
whistler162
Dec 2011
#180
It would be interesting to see if any of the money Anderson raises is from Romney donors
karynnj
Dec 2011
#46
I opposed anyone running a primary campaign against Obama. Did you conveniently forget that?
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
#6
November 8, 2011 Better Believe It: "I actually don't favor a primary campaign" against Obama.
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
#20
You honestly don't think if a third party candidate beat an incumbent President that nothing would
A Simple Game
Dec 2011
#123
I'm thinking that they are totally blowing off electoral politics for the time being n/t
eridani
Dec 2011
#86
He is a former Democrat but has now joined the newly formed Justice Party
Bjorn Against
Dec 2011
#18
I am not sure, they just announced the formation of the party last week so they may not be on any.
Bjorn Against
Dec 2011
#29
The California Peace and Freedom Party could vote to put Anderson as their candidate on the ballot.
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
#90
Nope...tiny odds on the Rock....unknown and tiny $$ ain't shit in this Realm of the Oval...
opihimoimoi
Dec 2011
#10
Why the Anderson campaign for President will not be like Nader's campaign in 2000.
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
#21
Ever wonder why they only poll Congress as if it were a monolythic body?
Old and In the Way
Dec 2011
#22
True, but it's the only polling that seems to get discussed in the mainstream media.
Old and In the Way
Dec 2011
#28
That's too much work. Independent progressives want a political messiah to fix everything.
Old and In the Way
Dec 2011
#31
So you think Rocky Anderson would be "a weaker version" of the Great Compromiser President Obama?
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
#41
Silly question. Follow the Messiah - he'll lead you to the Promised Land!
Old and In the Way
Dec 2011
#96
Silly question. Follow the Messiah - he'll lead you to the Promised Land!
Old and In the Way
Dec 2011
#104
The last Anderson who ran as a progressive third party candidate helped get us Reagan
RFKHumphreyObama
Dec 2011
#36
Do you have any evidence he "cheated" on his two ex-wives? Links please.
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
#49
He couldn't handle marriage and he couldn't handle working to change the Democratic party
Freddie Stubbs
Dec 2011
#63
I wish I could rec this. I think Clinton's re-elect numbers were about 20 pts. lower. (nt)
Tarheel_Dem
Dec 2011
#162
Because there's not a dime's worth of difference between George Bush and Al Gore...
greenman3610
Dec 2011
#68
Fuck Hr 676. Fuck EFCA 2.0 but some will get their self-righteous buzz on anyway & lie down with
patrice
Dec 2011
#73
OP found out as long as he posts anti-material with a disclaimer at the bottom, he is within
Ikonoklast
Dec 2011
#77
(cough) Everything's getting so cold...(cough) so dark, so cold...(gasp)....
Ikonoklast
Dec 2011
#101
Not this silliness again. Obama approval was at 84% among Dems last week and it's going up.
OregonBlue
Dec 2011
#93
People who think a vote splitting third choice is a good idea should bet the rent money on it.
JohnnyRingo
Dec 2011
#95
Amen. But there is no maximum contribution. The Kochs could bankroll this guy 100%---
McCamy Taylor
Dec 2011
#98
Republicans and Wall Street could also give millions to Obama. They gave a lot to Kerry and Obama
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
#102
It's my charachterization of the repeated anti Obama posts that you make and then add some
grantcart
Dec 2011
#117
Your misrepresentation of my views may fit your Obama talking points nicely but I tell the truth.
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
#133
I of course prefer someone who seems to be delivering a lecture to the uneducated masses.
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
#113
Oh great. Siphon off enough votes from Obama to a guy who seriously has no realistic chance against
calimary
Dec 2011
#119
excellent indeed, especially if you want a GOP president, bert. or one embarrased rocky.
dionysus
Dec 2011
#129
Isn't that a statement of principle within the ToS? That we're here to get Dems elected?
MADem
Dec 2011
#159
In response to your request for more information here's a link to his interview with Cenk Uygur
Better Believe It
Dec 2011
#172