Where am I coming from?

Though my friends find it hard to believe, I started out a Young Republican! I jest that it was Richard Nixon and Watergate that turned me into a Commie! Once I saw that the gods had feet of clay, I began questioning everything. And so I turned from capitalism and embraced a democratic socialist perspective; I turned from military engagement and embraced diplomacy and the peaceful resolution of conflicts; I turned from a foreign policy that actively enforced our (especially economic) way of life on the world and embraced a much less invasive (and much less profitable) engagement in the world; I even left Evangelical Christianity to attend Quaker Meeting! I came to believe very strongly that the influence of money and those with money subvert our democratic process. As our society has matured the only bulwark against the overwhelming interests of those with money is our elected government and truly grassroots organizations, in which I include labor unions.

But now that Obama is president I should be happy, right? Well, no. As glad that I am that Bush & Cheney no longer steer the ship of state, I am already not particularly pleased with a host of appointments and policy decisions of this new administration. That will become apparent as I blog throughout this year. Or just reading my two January posts will verify that!

I believe that both Democrats and Republican are so tied to corporate money that they can no longer respond to the needs of ordinary people. The only difference between them is the speed with which their knees hit the floor when the lobbyists enter the room. This is no where better exemplified than in the attempted solutions to the financial meltdown, the collapse of our economy, the inability to craft a rational health care system for the nation, the refusal to reign in exploding military spending, and the almost 9,000 earmarks in the budget bill that recently passed the Senate.

I obviously stand no where near the center of the political spectrum. Although a New Yorker for the last 30 years, my views are not well represented by anyone in the New York Congressional delegation. Bernie Sanders most closely represents me in the Senate, and Dennis Kucinich in the House. That gives you a pointer to where I stand on issues. And I cannot think of ANYONE in Albany that represents my views; certainly not my State rep, Joan Millman, or my State senator, Velmanette Montgomery both of whom resemble Democratic Party hacks.

But pointing the finger at people who successfully game the system smacks of sour grapes, though it is necessary to make a point and show the the overall corruption of the system.

More important, I believe, is nurturing alternative voices and opening up our process to perspectives not sanctioned by Democrats OR Republicans: Greens, Libertarians, Socialists, Constitutionalists. Through restrictive ballot access laws, district gerrymandering, and two party collusion, all of which distorts a level playing field, these alternative voices are not given a fair hearing when campaigning for public office. And so I heartily endorse those who attempt to open up the system and, through this blog, hope to add my voice to that effort.


Jonathan Fluck