Just remember folks: If you want to change Congress, you've *GOT* to change congressmen...

[Ghost in the Machine]

It's really just that simple... we've got to weed out the corporate whores and corrupt bastards from BOTH parties.

We elect congressmen to represent US.. The People... it's time they start listening to us like they're supposed to do. The 'old guard' has become entrenched and complacent... let's shake them up a little in 2010, ok?


There's only a few keepers I can think of right off the top of my head.. Dennis Kucinich, Robert Wexler, Sheila Jackson Lee, Russ Feingold.... the ones that need to go the quickest are Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid & John Conyers... they've been the biggest disappointments I've ever experienced in my life, and that's saying a lot!


Peace,

Ghost

[Ghost in the Machine]

1. Thanks for the recs.....

here's a :kick: to go with them...

[AwakeAtLast]

2. Small point of contention...

We elect congress*persons* or congressmen and congresswomen.

[Ghost in the Machine]

5. You're right..

and I was going to reword it when I thought of it, but it was too late to edit..

Would 'congresscritters' be ok from now on?

:hi:


Ghost

[AwakeAtLast]

6. Sure!

:hi:

[Angleae]

11. "Critters" is closer in line to the current congress.

I'm still not sure if some of the are human.

[salguine]

3. Waxman really should stay, too. Otherwise—I've been saying all along that

it isn't enough to mount feeble efforts to defeat these shitheads in "the next election", which might be years away. These people need a taste of some genuine popular fury—The public needs to start recalling these assholes and REMOVING them from office NOW, not in 2010. Besides, the chances of defeating even a widely disliked incumbent in an election is sketchy at best—once they're in, there's practically no getting them out again via electoral means; that's why Congress typically has a 98% return rate for incumbents. They've got all the money and connections, and challengers don't.

They need to be REMOVED from office by the people, not merely run against at some point down the road.

If the people did start recalling Congressmen, how many do you think would have to have their asses pried out of their seats and sent home to put a healthy fear of the people into the rest of them?

The worst of them (Reid, Pelosi, Conyers, etc.) should be the focus of the first wave of recalls. Anyone out there in their home districts?

Thoughts?

[Ghost in the Machine]

7. Yes, Waxman would be a keeper, too...

I wish we could do some recalls... I think we should have a review period.. some 6 year terms need to be ended very early....

[bvar22]

4. It seems easy at first glance,

but becomes more difficult in practice.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=160&topic_id=14207

Read the whole thread.
A DUer (local grassroots Liberal) was running in Democratic Primary for a Congressional Seat in Minnesota. He posts to this thread.
He was doing good until Rahm (DLC) and the DCCC came to town.
"They" are the deciders.
Not us.


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone

[Ghost in the Machine]

10. Change doesn't come easy...

While the *solution* may be simple (changing congresscritters), implementing the change may be difficult. Simple doesn't always = easy, either..

:hi:

[bertman]

12. First, you've got to get past the "machine" and be able to raise LOADS of $$$, then

you have to pass the DLC can-you-play-by-our-rules test. Ain't gonna be many populist, progressive Dems running in '10.

[leftstreet]

14. The DLC takeover of the Dem party could end up reforming the Repub party

It's not hard to imagine a (someday) revitalized Republican party pushing for populist, working class economic reforms suck as single payer healthcare, etc.

Wouldn't surprise me at all.

[bemildred]

8. The sine qua non of populist politics is throwing the bastards out. nt

[dcsmart]

9. what about bernie

i think bernie sanders is great. john conyers will have his hands full with HR 676, you have to give him support. the people have the power if they organize and we will have to if we want a health care system that works.

[Ghost in the Machine]

15. Bernie Sanders can stay, too...

John Conyers already had his chance... he blew it. He's nothing but a rollover puppy... all talk (out of both sides of his mouth) and no action.. he gives great lip service though... if you count planting his lips on the asses of the Bush misadministration..

[rhett o rick]

13. Sounds great but not possible. Go to a local Democratic meeting and suggest that you

want to replace a Democratic incumbent. You will get laughed out of the meeting. Do you not understand politics? There is a Democratic machine. And mere citizens can not buck that machine. I have tried. People bigger and smarter than me have tried. It will take big money and a lot of clout to change the existing "good ole boy" Democratic club that chose Lieberman over LaMont. LaMont, with all his money and with all the grass roots backing could not beat the "machine".

[Orsino]

16. Take away the corporate money, and your Congress won't be corporatist.

Trouble is, Congress has to take that step. Catch-22.

It's why we never should have let the money get to them to begin with--because it's so damned hard to undo that.