The narissist oligarchy controlling the megamoney is the problem -- The Black Lodge Saloon

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Date Posted: 13:36:33 06/05/12 Tue
Author: coyotyl
Subject: The narissist oligarchy controlling the megamoney is the problem
In reply to: Lawshark 's message, "Oh good god Wayne..." on 07:22:13 06/02/12 Sat

Buddy Roemer was on Rachel the other night singing to this choir. He really starts hittin' the notes around paragraph 8 in his concession address (bottom, below). I must say I'm shocked that this guy has been completely off my radar before now!

He even sorta singled out to the Tesla/TR/Smedley Butler era I've previously alluded to in the Maddow interview (which I somehow can't find a clip of, yet):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mF8Qf861rQ&feature=related (Buddy announcing on Morning Joe)

>>> The day I enjoyed more than any other was the time I gave a speech about smart trade in front of the Chinese embassy in Washington DC. That was a great day, the diplomats were peering out the windows and we had a big crowd of press there, and I spoke for 40 minutes about what I would do to get our jobs back from China, and how I would honor smart trade, but not free trade, because it took two countries that were free and China was anything but free.

I also liked being the first candidate to go to Occupy Wall Street. That was a great day too, to listen to and walk among those who smelled what I smelled�corruption�and corruption has its own odor. It's the odor of being last in line, it's the odor of not counting at all, it's the odor of injustice. It's the odor of favoritism, cronyism and Occupy smelled it.

I came close to getting the endorsement of the tea party organizations in New Hampshire and I worked very closely with them, and when I'd go to Occupy Wall Street I would lose them, and then I would get them back because I'd say 'Hey, they're us.' I enjoyed working with them, they were free spirited and passionate, the whole tea party phenomenon, which is not understood anywhere in America. But I understand it. I'm a tea partier and I'm an occupier. They smell corruption too. <<<

http://www.gq.com/news-politics/blogs/death-race/2012/05/buddy-roemers-exit-interview-maddow-ratigan-for-vp.html#ixzz1wx63SvMV

http://www.buddyroemer.com/splash

>>> America is a nation at risk. Job prospects are inadequate. Trade is neither smart nor fair. The tax code is unreadable and, I say, un-American. The budget is unsustainable. Small business must be re-vitalized. Energy has no strategy. Healthcare is not healthy. Banks are still too big to fail, and comprehensive immigration reform is a fantasy.

We can turn all these problems into opportunities, but we must begin our battle with the special interests who are content with the status quo. They don�t want change. They spend billions to keep their control. They own our political system. They bought it with their fundraisers for incumbents, and with jobs for the already powerful. They bought it with special favors and inside information for those who can return the gesture in amendments and legislation and earmarks. They finance the elections. They hire the politicians upon their retirement. And they own the two major political parties. It�s un-democratic and it�s simply un-American.

Look at the facts. 98% of the electorate does not give a penny to presidential or congressional campaigns. The money comes from Wall Street banks, corporate PACs, the labor union coffers, insurance and pharmaceutical companies, Big Oil, military defense contractors, miscellaneous PACs, Super PACs and the lobbyists. The money comes from all of these special interests, and what do they get in return? �Too big to fail� and the death of Glass-Steagall, insurance monopolies, pharmaceutical profit protection, no-bid contracts, $675 hammers for the military, earmarks, $5.1 billion in profits and pay no federal income taxes, subsidies for the wealthiest corporations, and all of the big givers first in line for any perks or favors.

The special interests give the money and they get a stacked deck in return. And what do we get? We get gridlock, corruption, a do-nothing Washington, and a congress almost certain to be re-elected year after year.

Although there is a cry for action on many critical issues, we have to start with the issue that deals with the control of the system: campaign finance reform. If we are to become a practicing republic again, we must break from the addiction to special interest money.

Reform must be the first issue.

As I am no longer a candidate for president, I am free to pledge a good portion of the rest of my life to enacting campaign reform in the halls of Congress and the corridors of the White House. Instead of using my right to the floor of Congress to lobby for corporate clients, I will lobby for the American people who want reform.

It might require a new organization to get this done, but regardless, we will highlight corruption and its effects on policy and public perception, suggest solutions, build coalitions, and support the advocates of our ideas or those who have better ones.

This struggle will not be easy. The enemies of reform are powerful and entrenched, but this is a struggle that America must win. The key is to realize that I cannot beat them alone. This will take a team effort. We must work together, setting aside inevitable differences on other issues in order to build a reform team. We must dare to look at a total reform package including contribution reform, reapportionment reform, and term-limit reform. I cannot do this alone. True and thorough reform will not occur solely as a �me� effort. This must be a �we� effort.

We must have the spirit to ask all political parties to join with us in this effort. To be successful, this endeavor must cross party lines. In truth, the two major parties are addicted to special interests and corporate money. I have said it many times: they are joined at the billfold. The two parties have been graveyards of reform too often in the past. They don�t want reform. They only want victory and reelection.

You already know this to be true. The latest national polling shows that 42% of the electorate now classify themselves as �independent,� with both major parties shrinking in size, scope, and power.

Join with us. Be unafraid. We�ll put a new organization together and will use the power of the people and new media unlike any organization has ever done with a political goal. We will ask other organizations and associations to join with us in building this team of reform. We will re-energize our republic.

Again, thank you for standing with me. Don�t give up. Don�t lose hope. Together, we will continue to reform our country and make America great once again. We are just getting started. <<<

http://www.gq.com/news-politics/blogs/death-race/2012/05/buddy-roemers-exit-interview-maddow-ratigan-for-vp.html

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Refined & distilled snippet of Roemer's message now -- [Ed.], 14:09:42 06/05/12 Tue