What's the path forward?

[lumberjack_jeff]

Let's say, hypothetically, that your goal is progressive reform in government. Let's further say that this reform includes:
a) Public financing of elections
b) Public health insurance
c) Reduced reliance on war as a tool of foreign policy
d) A rational energy plan
e) A commitment to civil and human rights including shutting down dungeons.
f) Progressive tax policy that doesn't use tax cuts for the rich as an all purpose solution for every problem.

What is the soonest that we could possibly get those things, and what would have to occur to enable that to happen?

Personally, I think we could get that in 2016.

[Skink]

1. Legalization of everything.

including sodium pentathol.

[Taverner]

2. That would be nice. But I don't see our government 'progressing' any time soon

Which is a bummer, because I am a progressive

[lumberjack_jeff]

4. Here's where we're stuck.

On the one hand the rules say we can't advocate voting for anyone other than a democrat.
But...
We're also "resource for the exchange and of liberal and progressive ideas".

The democrats we have available for us to vote for won't promote those goals.

I've concluded that the only way out of this tunnel involves a swim. A cold, nasty swim. Or, as a former boss would have said; "If I'm going to take a bath, I'd rather take a quick one."

[Taverner]

6. Swim? I don't get what you mean

But I can be that way...

[lumberjack_jeff]

10. Is the situation tolerable?

If not, then what's the solution?

There's no hope of positive change in the next four years, no matter what.

So, what scenario yields the best likelihood of positive change in 2016?

I think there's a good argument to be made that Republicans didn't quite fuck things up badly enough yet for the public to take notice. Maybe in 2016 we'll nominate someone who has something other than the most tepid of goals and some real intention of pushing for them.

[davidthegnome]

3. I think we'll get promises

Of all of the above. I don't expect to see delivery though, definitely not by 2016.

What's the path forward? I don't know. I really think that corporate power in our government is simply too strong for the things you listed to be accomplished. We'll see better media spin, propaganda ads like nothing we've even imagined before. We'll see politicians spending more and more on campaign finance. Citizens United played a big part in making things worse - but it was already bad enough that the stage was set for them.

I don't think we'll get any of those things accomplished unless forced into them.

[scarletwoman]

5. Those things aren't going to happen through electoral politics.

They'll only happen through building a mass movement.

I'm not saying don't vote. I'm saying vote, and understand that it's a merely a small act of mitigation.

The REAL effort needs to be put into organizing outside of party politics.

sw

[leftstreet]

7. +1

[upi402]

8. Piss Tests for Politicians!

:bounce:

[jwirr]

9. The path forward. That is the problem. We do not have a path. We

have only a goal.

I think we are too late at least for a long time. Corporatism has a very strong hold on the our country and show no signs of letting go. So I suggest we ask ourselves what the people of Germany could have done from within to stop the corporatism that almost destroyed their nation. They got help from outside - I don't think we will so we are going to come up with some answers to this problem ourselves.