with the a clear understanding of this. I saw the popular election is burlesque - candidates performing for the crowds to get the votes while promising the corporations their pot of gold for donations. We will vote because there is not much else we can do. And even so - Republicans are still worse.

I consider us about the same as the Soviet Union was when the people gave up on ideals and settled into cynicism. Their authority was the party and ours is the corporate world and their wealthy. Our hope is with the immigrants who still believe in the dream.

a symbolic and sentimental act of patriotism. To this extent Democrats have marginalized people like me who demand simple inalienable principals to represent our system of justice (linked to our government).

When I openly criticize that candidates like Hillary Clinton who represent the problem rather than the solution, I am marginalized at the same order of magnitude as a Tea Party nut job who demands guns in kindergarten and abolishing the EPA.

itself. The US isn't the first nation to collectively agree that the rich should be rewarded at the expense of a middle class, won't be the last.

Non-stop conditioning by our own party to accept the purity of the rich certainly speeds things along.

On edit I should add, that the destruction is easily avoidable, but requires challenging conventional wisdom spewed out by those in power. But even at an institutional level our school systems are doing a good job of beating that behavior out of us.

is the first rule of politics.

Voting is where citizens decide who to hire to fill the position they advertised for. Lots of people apply, only one can get the job.

So we hire one of the candidates for the job.

And then what do we do?

Let's say we want an employee who will make sure the ban on Offshore Drilling remains in place. We choose the applicant who sounds like the most likely person for that job.

But then, once hired, the applicant uses the job we gave him/her to do the opposite.

What is the duty of the citizen/employer at that point?

Big money has corrupted everything...and has stole our soul.

The Wall Street wing of the Democratic Party is controlled by Robert Rubin and the Clintons. This is not a conspiracy theory it's a fact I cannot stomach when Democrats or the news media talks about centrism. There's no centrism it's economic conservatism and that's what they are or if you will, Eisenhower Republican's. I wish that the blue dogs, DLC, new Dems and moderate Republicans would form a new Republican Party a rational one. The rationale for the last 20 years has been vote Democratic because even though they're business oriented they're progressive on social issues and that's the fallacy. Social justice and economic justice goes hand-in-hand you cannot separate them.

do we let the election process be run by a Diebold machine, it use to be pencil and paper and they hand counted the votes-------this is how this country has been dumbed down----let's have a corporation make and count a vote

of interest. THe powers that be complain that we are too dumb and need to learn about technology. Then, as we educate ourselves we learn the inherent risks of this technology and we are mocked as ignorant and paranoid.

I don't get it.

Tampering with US voting machine as easy as 'abcde', says Virginia report
https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2015/04/17/tampering-with-us-voting-machine-as-easy-as-abcde-says-virginia-report/

Candidates from both parties are forced now to become slaves of the big donors. Do not think they like it. They literally have to Appear before these rich scumbags and Prove Themselves. Now, tell me what politician looks forward to that appointment. Then they have to tap dance the whole time they are in office and start fundraising as soon as they get there. They hate it.

With decent political finance, things could be changed. Overturn 1%Citizen's United.

out. Instead, DNC said "no problem" we'll join the Republicans.

Remember Obama said he would immediately address the issue and work to correct it.

That didn't happen because Citizens United is actually quite compatible with 3rd way philosophy of the new Democratic Party.

Now those same monied voices are regularly heard on DU advocating for laws that benefit corporations at the exclusion of middle class and/or below.

It really isn't true that candidates don't like it. The ones who don't like it don't run as candidates.

So we are left with those who are willing serve only for the pleasure of their wealthy sponsors.

fending for them, and I agree with you, but the ship has sailed. It's hard to turn it around. Perhaps that's what created the 3rd way and I've missed the threads calling for more corporate money.

It is a fact. It is installed, and I think we'll find out again as to how Bernie is received. Maybe they can get a Progressive Caucus to apply some pressure. Can someone run who wants to break up the banks? I don't know.

Perhaps he can bring it up again during this time of open discussion. I think he's started the conversation. And I'm hoping he'll be the Democratic Candidate. I think what used to be called Liberal...what I've been for decades...may now be called a Social Democrat, because I agree with about everything he says. I'm not sure what a Progressive is.

speeches to Goldman Sachs have been called shrewd and essential ways to build campaign finances.

Accepting Clinton Foundation donations from wealthy foreign countries while Clinton is Sec. of State is called a great way to leverage the advantage of her position.

I call it something else.

Thanks. You said it much better than I could.