tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post7828587057561703929..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: Read Stuff, You ShouldJonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-41526919645940702802012-01-25T20:30:51.715-06:002012-01-25T20:30:51.715-06:00I have family obligations, but the Snyder article ...I have family obligations, but the Snyder article on why we silly idealists should just shut up and accept that our betters will provide some slight amelioration of the flood of truly disgusting ads (on all sides) without actually affecting the power of the corporate elite to buy airtime AND politicians, requires a serous reply with some research. Realistically, this may mean 3 weeks or more from now, on the forum of my namesake website, I'm not a spring chicken anymore and my 3 jobs & my family are very demanding. <br /><br />Those who actually desire serious political reform created by and for the 99% are recommended to follow the Move to Amend activist group and radio host Thom Hartmann, and to ignore Snyder and those (unfortunately including our host here) who try to scare us off a grassroots Constitutional Amendment campaign -- one of the few things in American history that has been proven to cause major shakeups of tired political establishments, though it may take twenty years or more to see the changes. (However some of us have been working on this one, corporate personhood, since the mid-90's, so really we could realistically look for success in five or seven years!)philosophical-ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04329015177186261224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-69433742944778461912012-01-24T15:15:34.175-06:002012-01-24T15:15:34.175-06:00That "It's Get Better" video (#11 on...That "It's Get Better" video (#11 on your list) is totally awesome. A great pick-me-up for a bad day.ModeratePolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01721945380057992971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-19420522207057320332012-01-24T13:36:49.034-06:002012-01-24T13:36:49.034-06:00Fixed -- thanks.Fixed -- thanks.Jonathan Bernsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-87497030918935390262012-01-24T13:26:50.128-06:002012-01-24T13:26:50.128-06:00Jonathan:
Your pointer to the Politico word-graph...Jonathan:<br /><br />Your pointer to the Politico word-graph piece is actually linking to Brendan's CJR article right now.Matt Glassmanhttp://www.mattglassman.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-43124424867425954582012-01-24T12:28:52.529-06:002012-01-24T12:28:52.529-06:00I can't agree with you about "rituals of ...I can't agree with you about "rituals of democracy".<br /><br />The ideal set of rituals for democracy would be ones that tear the President and the Congress DOWN to the level of ordinary citizens, not constantly pump them up. "Hail to the Chief", standing when the President enters the room, announcing his entrance twice, are things that send the message that this guy is a king who is superior to the rest of us.<br /><br />A better ritual would be to have the President enter with the Congress and the public completely ignoring him, until he is ready to speak, and then shutting up and paying attention only then. The same way any ordinary committee witness would be treated before Congress.<br /><br />Similarly, a good ritual would be to make Obama take a body scan and a pat-down search every time he gets on Air Force One. The point is to try to subject politicians to as much of the indignity of being ordinary citizens as possible, both to let them know that they aren't important and also to ensure that they don't impose rules on the rest of us that they would never live by.Dilan Esperhttp://www.twitter.com/dilanespernoreply@blogger.com