Kmarion wrote:
DonFck wrote:
A revolution, that's what we all need.
Insisting that the corrupt and irresponsible be prosecuted or otherwise held accountable is not a revolution. Returning to the idea of a government of the people, for the people, and by the people is not revolution. Our war for independence was not a revolution. The colonist actually just wanted to
continue to govern themselves. If we hadn't molested the idea of
responsible capitalism we would not be here. We allowed Washington to create this mess. It's not a revolution .. it's a purging.
A purging is needed indeed. But once the purge is done (if ever), how do we as American citizens address the increasing disconnect between the population and the politicians? How do we address the inherent problems within our own political system, things like money buying votes and the general failure of government policy?
A revolution is needed - but not an armed overthrow of the power elite or even a benevolent changing of the guard. The revolution starts in the minds of the population - the sole biggest asset the US (and by extension the government) has. The general population for the most part cares about politics once every four years - and even then we mobilize to pull a lever or touch a screen and that's it. If we look back at advances in our society (labor rights, women's suffrage, civil rights, etc) we see that concessions are not given to the public by the government; those concessions are resultant from hard-fought and lengthy battles after which official policy comes in line with often long-felt popular opinion. In short, rights are not given, they are earned.
A lot of people here seem to think Americans need to wake the fuck up in regards to world opinion about our government's policies, as if popular opinion in the US is in line with the policies our government enacts. Well that's simply not the case. The problem is that our government's policy reflects the opinion of those who literally clutch the purse strings. Our political system has become reliant on money to win elections. Politicians aren't elected on platforms or opinion; they are elected on marketability. Political campaigns are run much the same as marketing campaigns, with concentrated capital running the show. Americans know this - it's painfully obvious along every political process. The revolution doesn't come in the form of some mind-blowing realization, it comes by way of the American people saying enough is enough.
Popular activism takes many forms: general protest; economic boycotts; grass-roots mobilization; simple dissent through print and word of mouth. As far as the large picture (the current American political system), Americans have failed at being active in politics. It takes a concerted effort by the population to enact change in our system. We can't expect the entrenched system to be changed within because it's simply not going to happen. We must look inward at domestic attitudes regarding politics if we want a systematic change, and act on those impulses.
A parting quote by American philosopher John Dewey that I think is relevant to this discussion:
“A democracy is more than a form of government; it is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience”
Last edited by KEN-JENNINGS (2009-01-13 16:07:18)