Not-So-Simple Steps for Ridding Your Country of Sociopathic Office Holders
I'm just going to throw this stuff out at you. You decide what you want to do. These are simply thoughts, thoughts about ways to change the situation. I'm sure there are better ones. Here goes:
Forget trying to recognize a sociopath on sight. Sociopaths are very good at hiding. But, the sociopaths in office need to go. This includes both sides of the fence, people. I direct this essay to the left, to the right, to the middle. We're in trouble, y'all. We gotta do something now. Over 80% of Congress appear to be massively corrupted douche canoes. Pardon my slang.
1. Who wants to run for office?
CLAIM: Sociopaths are attracted to these positions because those positions have power and come with attention and money. Emotionally healthy people are often not because, hell, they want to stay emotionally healthy. Nothing is more emotionally tiring than listening to other people complain all day or trying to compromise or maintaining strong principles in a position often fraught with corruption, by its very nature. Also, many of these people are people born to money, who feel entitled to status and power. They are Frat Guys Without A Cause. It's a bad situation.
So, FIRST, we must recruit people to run for office who don't really want to do it, but will, because they see no other way to help others. We need public servants again, not these corrupted fake-elite fools.
I'm not kidding.
2. Forget the President. Seriously, it's one effing job. Forget it for now. We need to concentrate on changing CONGRESS-- a massive change. It isn't a matter of career politicians that "need to go." That's bullshit. Some career politicians might be good people. The key is to find people who don't want to take money from corporations and don't answer to them. Let's face it. Our President, as much as we hoped for him, is a bought and sold lackey of the corporate contingent. The majority of Congress is as well. The Tea Party people are both bought and sold and completely fascist crazy. What more proof do we need, after this weekend?!?
We have to get rid of these people. The Tea Party is "100% on their way to creating concentration camps for non-believers" crazy. We have to crush their initiative and crush it now. Or the Republic as anything more than a fascist state is 'done for.' I'm sorry it's hyperbolic sounding, but unfortunately, it's going to happen. It is happening. We have to stop it now, before we're at some kind of civil war or something.
3. Let's make a plan.
The first part of the plan goes like this:
a. Screw the presidential race for now. We'll deal with that later.
b. Concentrate on replacing the Congress. I mean, replacing about
80% of them.
c. A new party
I know. I know. It's a difficult proposition, and we only have two years. But, I propose a 'party of the middle.' While I hate slogans, an appropriate one would be "We Don't Always Agree on Policy, But We Do Agree on America."
d. We have to get people to vote.
If all eligible people voted, I feel strongly we wouldn't be in this mess. Getting people to vote will be difficult. My own parents, who voted for Obama, now say they won't be at the voting booth in the Fall because "What is the point? They are all the same." They have given up. I can't blame them for feeling this way. So, people need to be determined. Not excited. Determined. Change doesn't happen overnight. But, in this case, if we upended Congress, a sizable dent could be made fairly quickly.
We have an Internet. We have a few wealthy people out there who agree. Screw the soundbites and the slogans. We need better results than the ones we have now, choices that are sending into third world status and making us fear and despise our government. We need to get to work.
***Edited to add the question:
What would you like in a party? What would make you vote for a candidate?
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
Algis Kemezys
zumalicious
A~Muse
delete delete
bnc
J D Smith
Salon.com
Comments
And realize that being on the blue team or red team makes no difference. We got to have Americans' team first and foremost.
I'll vote for that one.
and glad to see ya 'round these parts dear.
Mission--I like your points. What would YOU like in a party, a new party?
If the majority of eligible voters actually did vote the lay of the land might be far different than it is now.
However, I would posit that 80% of Congress is corrupt (a generous assessment) because the same percentage of the population is corrupt. Honest people do not put dishonest people in power over them. Most people want to keep their greed intact before all.
And since we are judged by our fruits and not our stated intentions I just need an explanation why we allow ten-year wars of evil occupations but scream bloody murder for change at the sight of Janet Jackson's nipple (change which did happen, swift and furious). Were we an honest people, those reactions would be reversed. No voting required.
The sin of omission is just as lethal as the sin of commission, no?
well, that he or she takes a comprehensive personality
test, followed by
3 independent
psych evals.
If anything, you might lobby for a parliamentary form of government…which brings its own negatives, but which might obtain the kinds of restructure you want to see—but most likely will not see from a third party.
Keep in mind that the Republicans were once a third party!
I think people get caught up. It's why we have fads. I'm not asking for perfection. Just more realization. Perhaps a smidgen of responsible action thrown in there.
James--HA!
Frank--Well, clearly, it's possible to raise a third party as we've seen in recent years. But, can it be a party based on something other than hate? That's all the Tea Party is really about, in my opinion, solid hate. A third party but without the Neo-Nazis and haters of anyone brown would be good.
I agree that people are people, but in this case, more importantly, the corporations are the problem. Get some good, solid rule changes for corporations and banks over a period of ten to twenty years ... well, that might help.
nanatehay--I'm not hopeful at all. I would rather be determined. I'm a single mother. Determination is the only thing you can have. Hope is crazy. Determination gets me through the day when we both vomit into the toilet from an illness, and I still have to work that night for five or six more hours after she sleeps. That and caffeine.
Damn, I voted for Dennis in that primary. I mean, I'm uber-liberal, but I would compromise (true compromise--not that fake capitulation crap Obama did this last week) with moderate, old-timey Repubs on a few things. You know, keep your guns. Who cares? Not me. Careful, judicious spending and saving. Taxes would have to be their compromise. The whole "Not taxes!!" mentality is asinine and so uninformed. I'd insist on thinking of America as a community of people as well. I know how the Republicans swear they are self sufficient and all ... bootstraps ... whatever, but community working together is smarter as a way to live. Also, that bootstraps shit is a total lie. Come on, now. Everyone who has success had a helping hand or two somewhere in there. Education needs to be revived.
Again, I think the primary focus should be on Congress. The Presidential election won't change anything at this point that I can see. Getting some of these buttheads out of Congress might be a good start. Not that it would ever be over. Just like writing, good government is a process.
I would say the corrupt media system is a big part of the problem.
tune into alternative media.
But a lot of it is like that frog in the boiling water. The water started boiling slowly. We're used to it now. It's hard, for some, to know to jump out.
As for how we do THAT when we can't even seem to get enough honest actors in there to tackle that issue, you're hit it on the head: get people to vote.
But it's almost a Catch-22 at this point, because in order to get people to vote you need to give them someone worth voting for, but we're not going to get candidates worth voting for unless larger numbers of people start getting involved in the political process.
If we can break this vicious circle ourselves, that would be great. But I'm afraid it's going to have to get a lot worse and the middle class is going to have to suffer a lot more economic hardship before they finally start questioning what the media tells them and looking for a serious alternative to the way the system currently operates.
For now I'd settle for even smaller victories, like having Open Salon (and other forums) remain politically active. I fear that tomorrow we'll go back to discussing fluff. It's all about keeping the momentum. I wish the OS owners would create an all-political space where there were a reliable place to meet and discuss that would not be overwhelmed by tabloid nonsense, and that could become the go-to place for people wanting to participate.
Kent--I do think throwing ideas is a good beginning. Action will have to happen soon though. I don't think any of the parties currently in play as third parties are viable. I think we need a whole new ballgame.
Kemstone--Well, I think the first photos of the elderly Alzheimer's patient in the street will be hard to stomach. Well, I hope it will be. I think people are awakening from their stupor, but it's true that most people have no real idea of poverty and suffering. Right now, poverty for many in the middle class is shopping at Target. It's only now beginning to sink in that being homeless is a real possibility. :(
But I don't see any way to avoid these natural human tendencies, so it seems to me the solution isn't to seek philosopher-kings -- good luck with that -- but to work for the sociopath who most closely conforms to your political ideology.
In any case, this may be a moot point in this country thanks to the horrible decision by rightwing zealots in Citizens United.
rated
r./