AFter the 2004 elections I got to thinking about how Ralph Nader had referred to the Democrats and Republicans as the corporate parties, and wondering what an anti-corporate party might look like.

So I sat down at the keyboard and tried to envision one. I failed miserably.

Although it did spur a somewhat lengthy discussion over at smirkingchimp, that's about all it ever did. A few people joined, but only the nutcases stuck around.

I called it the Consumers Party, and many people found the name itself offensive, since they don't like to think of themselves as consumers.

I never did get the by-laws ironed out, or the feedback I'd have needed to do so.

Basically the idea was to form a political party that was not itself a corporation and did not ask people for money. I figured you can't fight corporations by forming a corporation, and you can't fight big money by raising more money.

Anyway, I've become turned off completely by the idea of any more political parties, I just haven't gotten around to deleting the websites which are more or less inactive anyway.

I think publicly-funded elections are probably a better way to go, so that's where I've been directing my efforts lately. The local daily rag emailed me about a letter to the editor I'd written about clean elections, but I don't subscribe, so this afternoon when I go to the library I'll have to check and see if they published it.

Folkie, that's the issue in a nutshell. To be able to run for President ( I know you didn't mention this particualr office but it's the one we wanna shoot for ) you have to be able to put up some big bucks. Every child in Europe knows you can't become President of the USA without being a Millionaire first. The cat bites its tail. No escape from BigMoney.

A poor man will never become President without first selling his sole to BigCorp or the Mafia. Or are they one in the same these days ??



typos edited- pResident for example.

It sure looks like it:

http://oldamericancentury.org/bb/index.php?showtopic=4079

Who was the last relatively poor man to ever run for and become president?

Lincoln?

I don't know how poor he was when he ran,
though we all know he came from humble roots.

It's also been said too many times that if he were to run today,
there is no chance he could ever win.

His face isn't TV pretty enough!


In other words, money might be the root of all evil,
PR is the tree of all evil.

generally, enough root is required to get a satisfactory tree.

Truman. He lived with his mama up until he took office.