Petition by We The People

We the People's right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution specifically prohibits Congress from abridging "the right of the people to petition the Government for a redress of grievances".

The utter dysfunction of our Congressional Representatives and our Government in general has become so perverse and so untenable, that many Americans are loath to find ourselves once again on the precipice of insurrection and the destruction of our great Republic. Therefore, We the People hereby demand that: All Salary and benefits for all Congressional members be withheld until such time as the following legislation is passed and ratified, and that NO part of any salary or benefit be paid until legislation is passed by both House and Senate and ratification by the several States is completed.

1) A COMPREHENSIVE FEDERAL/NATIONWIDE JOBS BILL IS PASSED

2) A COMPREHENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL FOR THE ADDITION OF NEW AND THE REPAIR OF OUR CRUMPLING INFRASTRUCTURE

3) COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION BILL IS PASSED

4) COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN REFORM BILL IS PASSED

5) The Supreme Court ruling of CITIZENS UNITED AND MCCUTCHEON ARE REPEALED

6) LEGISLATION THAT IMPOSES AN 8 YEAR TERM LIMIT ON ALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THE SUPREME COURT

7) NO MEMBER OF CONGRESS UPON LEAVING OFFICE SHALL BE PERMITTED TO BE EMPLOYED BY, LOBBY FOR, OR ACT AS CONSULTANT TO ANY CORPORATION, ENTITY, OR INDIVIDUAL IN WHIH THEY HAD ANY INTERACTION WITH WHILE IN OFFICE (EXCLUDES FURTHER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT) FOR A PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARS AFTER LEAVING OFFICE.

8) A CONGRESSIONAL RESTORATION OF SIMPLE MAJORITY RULE (51%) IN BOTH HOUSE AND SENATE, ON ALL CONGRESSIONAL VOTES

9) NO CONGRESSIONAL FILIBUSTER MAY OCCUR WITHOUT A MEMBER OF CONGRESS ACTUALLY STANDING AND TALKING FOR THE ENTIRE FILIBUSTER PERIOD

Additionally, We the People demand the passage of a "Government Sanity Act", which states: Any elected official attempting to put forth any legislation that would undermine and/or cause catastrophic damage or peril to the government or people of the United States, to include its economy, and full faith and credit, shall be immediately taken into custody by the DOJ and charged with the crime of conspiracy to commit acts of Subversion against the government of the United States of America. Additionally, any civilian or entity, giving aid in furtherance of said crime whether monetary or otherwise, shall be guilty of the same crime. For the purposes of this bill, Subversion shall be defined as: A systematic attempt to OVERTHROW or UNDERMINE a government or POLITICAL SYSTEM by person or persons, WORKING FROM WITHIN; also: the crime of committing acts in furtherance of such an attempt.

We the People acknowledge and understand that this petition is in direct conflict with the 27th Amendment to the Constitution. However, given the current dysfunction of our Government and the blatant indifference paid to our grievances by our Government, We the People feel it is our only option, short of insurrection to save the Republic.

A Government, that cares only for the well being of corporations and the aristocracy while marginalizing its poor, its sick, its unemployed, its desperate and disenfranchised populous,sows the seed of insurrection and cannot long endure.

CURE THE DISEASE THAT'S KILLING AMERICA

A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host and maintains its life at the expense of the host. Parasites, masquerading as corporations have infected America. They develop an American corporate identity then suck out the life blood of it’s host...America. These corporations, some in concert with other countries, are effectively killing America from within.

Closing factories, off shoring jobs, destroying middle class families, destroying the environment and endangering the good faith and credit of the United States, all while making billions of dollars in profits. This parasitic corporate disease has spread globally, destroying the lives of the poorest around the world, just as they've done in America.

Our voices have not been heard by the very people we've elected to ensure this kind of thing would never happen. Parasitic corporate influence has blinded OR bribed our government representatives to look the other way while the populous is in peril. It's time to kill this deadly parasite. It's time for corporations to take their medicine to kill this parasitic infection of greed, apathy, indifference, and inhumanity!

Americans need to have their own strong economy in their OWN COUNTRY, where it's people have a roof over their heads and food on their table, a good paying job, good health care, and confidence that their way of life and their American dream isn't placed in eminent danger at the hands of a corporate oligarchy.

We can no longer allow any trade deal that allows corporations to off shore jobs. We must increase taxes on all American corporations, especially those that currently, or plan to, offshore more than 30% of their operations, and if they attempt to move their operations off shore to avoid their corporate responsibilities, they should be fined, and if necessary, have all their assets seized, as well as banning their products and services from sale or import into the United States or it’s territories. Global economy be damned!

We can not allow our laws, our sovereignty, our way of life, and the lives of millions of hard working Americans to be put in jeopardy by our elected representatives, corporations and their lobbyists, or other countries, whose only interests are profits and to succeed by the reckless endangerment of working people all over the world. This has NOTHING to do with protectionism, and everything to do with National Security.

STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT MULTI-NATIONAL TRADE DEALS

It's time for some plain straight talk about this "global economy" and American trade deals. First, I'm in my 60's and I can't think of a single instance in my life where trade deals have helped the middle class. All I've seen is the constant off shoring of American jobs to countries we have trade deals with. 60,000 factories closed in America since NAFTA was passed. The narrative that this new trade deal will open up markets is rhetoric. Those markets are already open. Another narrative is that trade deals will help America sell products in those markets and allow inexpensive goods from off shore to be imported for American consumers. THAT’S WHY WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM NOW! American consumers need money to buy. Yet, everyday thousands of jobs are lost to off shoring. The middle class is in danger of disappearing all together because of lack of jobs and manufacturing shipped over seas. If Americans aren't working, they have no money to buy products. So to say these trade deals and the global market is good for the middle class IS A LIE! It’s only good for corporations. The results of past trade deals like NAFTA? An increase of the U.S trade deficit of $181 BILLION dollars, and U.S. corporations like GE, Chrysler and Caterpillar fired U.S. workers and moved operations to Mexico. Proponents of trade deals argue that the volume of U.S. exports have risen. This is a typical example of double talk and smoke and mirrors because the exports of which they speak are not meant for sale in the country they're exported to. But rather, materials are exported to off shore manufacturers, assembled, and imported back to the U.S. for consumption. Imports that could have been manufactured here before plant closings caused by NAFTA and other bad trade deals. The "catch 22"? If we don't manufacture here, we have nothing to sell there. Open markets are only good if you have something to sell. We've been told we'll be able to sell big ticket technology to those open markets. Really?...What?....I can't think of a single piece of computer equipment, televisions, router, telephones or really any other consumer technologies that are made in America. So I’m guessing the technology our administration is referring to is military weaponry? It certainly can't be clean energy technology, because other countries are "kicking our asses" there. Yes we make weapons...but the MIC will be the only ones benefiting, not the American middle class. And the rhetoric relative to others "dictating" the terms of trade deals is just that, rhetoric. Countries will buy from those who sell what they need, trade deals be damned. Countries will import items that are either not manufactured in that country, or are cheaper. In case anyone has missed it, there are a lot of products that are no longer made in America because those factories have been closed and those jobs were shipped over seas. Sure, it may have an American brand name...but it's not made here. So who really benefits? Multinational corporations benefit, NOT the American middle class worker. The fact is China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and the other countries where we have these so called trade deals in place manufacture products cheaper than America because their labor costs are significantly cheaper. Does anyone really think other countries aren't going to buy those goods cheaper from somewhere else? This is the global economy double talk and the smoke and mirrors proponents of these trade deals are proliferating. If we really want to help America...we must STOP these bad trade deals, we MUST halt the off shoring of manufacturing and good jobs by any and all means necessary, and abolish the bad trade deals America has implemented in the past. We can't afford this kind of participation in a global economy where the "playing field" will NEVER be level unless American wages go down to 35 cents an hour, a situation corporations are counting on. Don't be fooled. Do not allow America to lower our wage standards. Doing so won't make us stronger in the global economy, it will destroy America and the American worker!

Will Sanders Supporters Vote for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump? Or Will They Vote Their Conscience No Matter What?

A dear friend of mine who is "running for office" in Pennsylvania asked me if I thought Bernie Sanders supporters would vote for Hillary Clinton if she wins the Democratic nomination. Here is my answer to him. Yes it's long but he asked.


Well, you asked for it Jack, I'm no political pundit. As you know, I'm just an old, retired, disabled, veteran. But I do have an opinion. I believe that REAL Bernie Sanders supporters won't stay home and most won't vote for Hillary, but I don't believe they'll vote for Trump either. Yes, there may be some outliers, but I believe they will be the exception not the norm. I think what may happen will be historic in that the President may be determined by an unprecedented landslide of write in votes.

There are 43 states that allow write ins. The population of those 43 states dwarfs the population of the 7 that do not permit write ins. The big take away may shake many Republicans and Democrats, this 2 party system at it's core. This may be the year that parties become irrelevant, and frankly, IMO, none too soon.

Why do I believe that you might ask? Because data shows 43% of voters are "independents" that claim no party affiliation. That leaves a split demographic of 57% of the voters as either Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green Party, etc. As has been shown in the 2016 primaries, both the Democratic and Republican parties marginalize Independent voters, the biggest single voting block.

Let say for the purpose of this discussion that the ratio of Dems to Reps is split evenly. That means, without independents, neither Dems nor Reps can win. To be clear, there are in my opinion, two candidates running as Democrats who are not really Democrats. Bernie Sanders is an Independent running on a Democratic ticket, and Hillary Clinton for all intents and purposes a "Republican light" candidate running as a Democrat, or perhaps better stated "in sheep's clothing".

I've been a democrat for most of my life, but I abandoned the Dem party because it abandoned me. The current Dem party no longer represents my ideals, and their election process in my opinion, has become an abomination of democracy and I don't believe I'm alone in this thought. The cry of the establishment; "Remember what happened with Nader" is rubbish. Bernie Sanders is no Ralph Nader, and his support dwarfs the support Nader had. There will be those who will never be swayed, but more understand that this election may well determine the survival of this country as a democracy. I have never been more sure of that and I believe in the disclaimer of: "Past performance does not necessarily guarantee future performance.

The disdain for both the Dem and Rep party candidates by "the people" has reached epic proportions and crosses party lines. To be a "good party member" means hold your nose and vote. Seriously? "hold your nose and vote" is the answer?...uhhh no... I don't expect you to let your true feelings out being that you're running for office as a Republican. It would probably be the same if you were running as a Democrat. It would be detrimental to your quest for office. But frankly, it is exactly what democracy requires. The voice of the people must heard and not be ignored or marginalized, and last I looked, even those running for office make up the demographic of "we the people".

I believe what we're witnessing in this election is the uncovering of the modus operandi of an insidious "shadow democracy" in which the powerful retain the power and are loathe to allow any outsider in. For that reason, I keep a copy of the ACLU's Pocket edition of the Constitution on me at all times (believe it or not), and I read portions almost daily to try to understand the intent of the founding fathers. Unfortunately, what I've come to understand is that the very processes that were used in the creation of America were carefully obfuscated by words and deeds, so that drastic changes in governance, the change the forefathers were required to make, would be difficult if not impossible to ever achieve again.

So, relative to parties, delegates and super delegates?  I believe delegates ensure inherent party control and/or manipulation of an election's outcome. This I believe is a corruption of the Constitution and is not democracy. In a democracy, the people's vote determines the outcome and not the "delegate" or "super delegate". In a democracy, all votes must carry the same weight, or the scales of truth and justice will become unbalanced, and the word of the people will be unheard if not completely vanquished.

Additionally, I implore everyone to read the Constitution. Contrary to what existing political parties would have you believe, there is NO requirement ANYWHERE in the Constitution mandating political party affiliation for the purpose of voting PERIOD!. The primary and general elections are not mutually exclusive, therefore the Constitutional right to vote in Federal, State, or Presidential elections, primary or otherwise, may not be infringed. Constitution before party.

It is my hope that this may in fact be the year of that epiphany. Very soon, this country will mark it's 240th year since it decided "enough is enough". "Lunctus Populorum" is America's greatest strength. Not it's industry, it's wealth, or it's military might. Our country's greatest strength is unity. Political parties work very hard to divide,  not unite the populous. In our current two party system it's "us against them" rather than "we together".

So my advice to anyone claiming party affiliation who wants to unite America? Throw your party under the bus this election. If you can't stand Donald Trump because he represents the hate, ignorance, and division that continues to tear this country apart, and you can't stand Hillary Clinton for those same reasons or others, your choice is clear. You can either give up, vote party line, and watch as the country continues it's downward spiral into lunacy, irrelevance, and division, or you can listen to your conscience to hear if it's telling you to choose country over party. Yes, there are other candidates that you may have to write in once you're in the seclusion of the election booth, or may already be on the ballot (3rd party). Don't worry if you're a democrat or republican, do you civic duty and vote for the best person for the job, EVEN if it means "crossing party lines".

Well, there it is Jack, My no party, non partisan answer. I may in fact be alone in this, but judging from what little facts the media actually reports, I don't think I am. It may not be pretty, or what you wanted to hear, but it's definitely what I think.

Who Carries the Torch of Obama's Legacy?

I had an interesting discussion about the "Obama coalition". Apparently some Democrats think there were no Sanders supporters in that coalition, or that somehow someone was "abandoned" or needed distance from his coalition. They are wrong. Obama's "coalition" consisted of people who had the hope that change could happen with unity. They were right. But what happened along the way perhaps disappointed many. Yes, we had our few successes as well, sadly, less than we'd hoped for. The blatant obstruction of partisan politics had it's toll on our country and our dreams. Race, economy, gender, things one would have thought were non issues apparently were not. The relentless wars against terrorism and injustice we are engaged in around the world continue while soldiers and civilians alike die only to be remembered by family and friends. And finally, little has been done to quell the spread of economic inequality in our homeland.

Obama was the right guy at the right time. That discussion is closed. But today is a different time. We've seen the mistakes that were made. We've seen the undeniable influence money has on politics maintaining the "status quo" to the benefit of the few rather than the many. This was not what the "Obama coalition" had in mind or bargained for.

We simply can not allow our elections to be shams and laughing stocks of the world and a free people. We can not continue on our current path to pseudo-fascism. Our compass isn't working anymore, and we require a new direction. One so important, so apprehensive, and one that can ill afford to be wrong.

If it becomes a discussion about parties, they're both wrong. If it's about the right person for the job, the choice is clear. The TRUE Obama legacy of hope and change is alive and well, and that torch is carried ONLY by only one presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders.

An Open Letter To President Obama

Dear Mr. President,
As a first generation American, and a Veteran who served his country when the war was fought in rice paddies, I voted for you twice. In your tenure as President, I've watched you manage to accomplish many great things, even when confronted daily with unparalleled, partisan obstruction. Many of your policies were instrumental in bringing this country back from the precipice of the financial collapse of 2008. You managed to bring the perpetrators of the greatest attack on America since Pearl Harbor to justice. You managed to bring health care to millions of Americans, where it was unavailable or who before, were unable to afford it.

That being said, I'm reminded of the passage; "Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it". Yes, you saved America from financial collapse, yet none of those on Wall Street OR in Government agencies who shared responsibility for the collapse have had to pay for their crimes. In fact, since then, they've only become bigger and emboldened. Since then, legislation and regulations designed to prevent such things from happening again have been removed. Lobbyists for these institutions and subversives in Congress have allowed the dismantling of these crucial financial safeguards...and history again is repeating itself as I write this letter.

Now, you're pushing very hard for a very bad trade deal. A deal that's great for other countries, a deal that's great for corporations and the rich, but in all seriousness, a death sentence to hard working middle class Americans who can ill afford to suffer the low wages and job losses this TPP deal will bring. I've been around for 60+ years, and I've yet to witness ANY trade deal in place that has benefited America's working class. As I see it, NAFTA was the first nail in the middle class coffin...TPP will be the final nail. This isn't just opposition rhetoric...these are hard to swallow FACTS from the hard hit working class.

Yes Mr. President, It's good in most cases to look forward and not dwell on the past. But when the negatives of history are destructive, irrefutable and remain present...looking past them so nonchalantly is not a good idea. And while you're in your last years as President, I ask that you revisit your decisions to "not look back", and to correct the issues that remain as a cancer on this nation. Holding Wall Street responsible for their criminality, subversion of our system of Government by corporate lobbyists, and the perception that our Supreme Court has been bought by the oligarchy... and we the people are left hopelessly holding the bag.

Yours Truly,
A First Generation American and Veteran

America's Most Important Struggle Since Our Declaration of Independence From England

Whether you choose to believe it or not, in the year 2015, America faces it’s biggest challenge since gaining independence from England. The patriotic forefathers of this great nation came together at great peril to their very survival and forged a document based on the ideas of freedom, dignity, and self determination. For years they toiled under the brutality of the government of England. A government that imposed the unyielding will of the King on the colonies. These patriots knew that if they lost their struggle to rid themselves of this brutal tyranny, all would be lost.

Today America faces the same challenge. Not from a King, but rather from it’s own government. Today, our elected officials have willfully forgotten that they represent the people who elected them to office. Representatives, who line their own pockets with money from corporations and special interest groups that demand a quid pro quo return on their “investments”.

Everyday, the American middle class, the people who built this great nation with blood, sweat, and tears, struggle to survive the hardships and indignities brought upon them by their elected officials, whose only concern is to do the bidding of those able to pay a great deal of money for it, because their salaries and perks, that they voted for themselves, from tax payer monies, are apparently no longer sufficient.

Poverty, greed, a toxic environment, toxic food, racism, marginalization of immigrants, and a monetary system rife with unfairness and criminality. Things that should have disappeared from this country long ago, yet remain today. The problems America faces are ones faced by our forefathers over 200 years ago. For the most part, nothing has changed. The rich and privileged have the advantage, and the poor and working class constantly struggle to survive, while our elected representatives, who are charlatans at best, turn a deaf ear. Their political stature has blinded them and made them deaf to the will of everyday Americans.

We petition, we hold rallies and town meetings, we protest in the streets, and still nothing changes. At what point do we arrive at the realization that our government no longer cares what we want? At what cost, will the Will of the People finally be heard?

The forefathers of this great nations who fought for freedom and justice, and against tyranny by forces of the King were labeled traitors. If We the People attempt the same, if we the people yet again rise up to take a stand against the tyranny and the oligarchy, we too will be labeled traitors and subversives by our government. WE ARE NEITHER, but our government refuses to take us seriously, and will eventually force our hand to stand up, and die if we must, for our beliefs, and for the preservation of this great republic for which many have given their lives to preserve. Those elected officials who are deaf and blind to the will of the people, think they are safe in their congress of tyranny on the hill. THEY ARE NOT!

John F. Kennedy, perhaps one of our greatest presidents said: “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable.”

I am loath to say; “Should our pursuit of those ideals set forth in our Constitution yet again require a revolution to achieve them, the blood spilled by our patriots in our next war against tyranny, will not refresh the tree of liberty, it will drown it!