Re: Re: OT libertarian/taxes etc - who's accountable? Us?

[Guest guest]

We haven't exactly lost our power we have given it up. Even the federal

government is not as huge and non approachable as it seems. Just look at

the recent obscene FCC ruling giving even more control to the media giants.

There was a huge public uproar! Congress got millions of emails, letters

and phone calls so they decided to do something about it. The amusing and

frightening thing about it is that I saw a bit on FOX on it just the other

night and the reporter was saying that he interviewed the " man in the

street " and he was not interested in media ownership rights. No mention of

the outcry the caused the reversal in the first place.

The big problem is that Americans are seriously apolitical. It is not in my

opinion because we stupid or anything, it seems to be cultural. This is a

very serious problem. Not only because it allows the scoundrels to run

amouk but because we have also lost our facility for political discussion

and are very susceptible to sound bite answers.

The answer? Stay informed, find like minded community (easier than ever

with the web). It is important to be in communications with people that

have the same concerns. Otherwise you end up feeling like you are alone and

what can one person do? Turn off the TV and do something! As a minimum

VOTE. If voting really didn't matter candidates wouldn't be spending

millions to campaign. And if you have the time and energy there are plenty

of organizations fighting for things like campaign finance reform, health

freedom and the like. Just do a seach on campaign finance or genetically

modified food and see what you get. I heard an interesting factoid the

other day. We did not have federal child labor laws in this country until

1938! And that came about almost entirely because of the work of a woman

called Mother .

So take heart. If you do nothing more than write your congressperson about

an issue that concerns you, you have done a lot. More than probably 90% of

Americans.

Cheers,

Irene

At 07:52 AM 9/6/03, you wrote:

>Dear Irene & Christie, I agree that we are the government, however,

>the government has become a non-entity and a hugh unapproachable

>machine. A non-entity that cannot be held accountable. Do we hold

>ourselves accountable? If so, where do we start making changes, i.e.

>getting the government out of religion, marriage, private lives,

>etc.? Does it all start with our votes? But then again, majority

>rules even with votes. If the majority goes along with it, then

>what? But of course you have big money paying lobbyists. Where is

>the most influence? Have we lost our power? If so, how do we get it

>back?

>

>Just my 2c.

>Bee

>

> > >I make my living as a writer. It doesn't matter where I live, I

>could work

> > >from anywhere. In Ireland, I could live income tax-free. I'd

>rather stay

> > >here and pay my taxes. I stay here knowing those are " the rules "

>of here.

> > >

> > >I think a centralized government that takes a share of our income

>in order

> > >to fund things such as roads, currency, a military, schools,

>health care,

> > >and food and shelter for people who lack those things is a

>perfectly

> > >rational and acceptable way to set up a society. I don't object to

>it at

> > >all. That's WHY I go along with it.

> > >

> > >I don't think the government has any business being involved in

>marriage,

> > >religion, or my private life. I believe in private property and in

>capitalism.

> > >

> > >I also think that " the government " is just us. We took some of us

>and

> > >called them " politicians " and we let them run things (to an

>extent). There

> > >is no such thing as " the government. " It is comprised of people,

>also

> > >citizens of, and subject to the laws of, this country. I reject

>the whole

> > > " us and them " dialogue about government - it's all us.

> > >

> > >Like many others, I don't know how to fix the myriad of things

>that are

> > >wrong with our current situation in this country. All I can say is

>I do

> > >not in the least bit object to being taxed to provide things that

>are of

> > >benefit to the country as a whole, and I recognize that there will

>never

> > >be a list of those things that all can agree on. I don't demand

> > >perfection, or that it all be my way. But I am sure it could be

>better

> > >than it is.

> > >

> > >As a lesbian and someone who uses alternative medicine, eats raw

>dairy

> > >products, and doesn't vaccinate her dogs, I have a natural

>affinity for

> > >political beliefs that leave me the ^%$# alone. I don't need to be

>taken

> > >care of, protected from myself, or cradled in a safety net.

> > >

> > >But I also don't want to live in a world that doesn't have one.

>Even just

> > >out of my own enlightened self-interest.

> > >

> > >Christie

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Well with the exception maybe of NOW with Bill Moyers on PBS.

At 08:48 AM 9/6/03, you wrote:

>Turn off the TV and do something!

[Guest guest]

Well the media is almost totally corporate owned which has a big effect on

content. Even PBS gets corporate funding. That is one of Ralph Nader's big

beefs. The airwaves are a public asset, and corporations have almost total

control of them. For different perspectives there are some community radio

stations, and if you live near a Pacifica Station they are funded totally

by donations and government matching grants. Actually some pacifica

stations have live web streaming. You can also get BBC programming from the

web.

At 08:50 AM 9/6/03, you wrote:

>So are the media messing up the works?