Corruption- It's a Matter of Scale

Scale Starts From The Bottom Up.... (0.00 / 0)

....that's why the Party Democracy Act is so important.

Only by local precinct by precinct progressive political activisim will the people of New Jersey ever be able to take back their government from the monied interests who have purchased it.

And that, frankly, applies to the establishments of BOTH parties.

Sure, the Washington culture is legally corrupted by pay to play campaign financing...but that all starts at the local levels and builds up.

If we all just forget about the recent bust and try to sweep it under the rug thinking that attention to corruption is bad for Corzine's re-election chances we are making a mistake.    

We all know that Christie's "strategy" is to say and do nothing hoping to passively benefit from the poll numbers and the reality that most New Jerseyans truly are disgusted with the corruption on a deep gut level.

It doesn't matter that Jon Corzine and Loretta Weinberg stand heads and shoulders above Chris Christie in terms of ethics and across the board on substantive policy matters IF, what has now become, the central issue of the campaign isn't aggressively and progressively addressed with a full range of legislative proposals that challenge both Republicans and Democrats in the New jersey state legislature to put an end to the pay to play system for once and for all.

Meanwhile, here's the Olbermann video...and pay special attention toward the end when re reads the words I've copied below.   Those words apply to EVERY representative that takes money from the insurance companies and tows their "party line" not just the blue dogs.

I could call them all out by name. But I think you get the point. We don't need to call the Democrats holding this up Blue Dogs. That one word "Dogs" is perfectly sufficient.

But let me speak to them collectively, anyway. I warn you all. You were not elected to create a Democratic majority. You were elected to restore this country.

You were not elected to serve the corporations and the trusts who the government has enabled for these last eight years.

You were elected to serve the people. And if you fail to pass or support this legislation, the full wrath of the progressive and the moderate movements in this country will come down on your heads.

Explain yourselves not to me, but to them. They elected you. And in the blink of an eye, they will replace you.

If you will behave as if you are Republicans-as if you are the prostitutes of our system-you will be judged as such. And you will lose not merely our respect. You will lose your jobs!

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by: Nick Lento @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 20:58:31 PM UTC

My point (0.00 / 0)

was not that we shouldn't be upset about Jersey, but right now, the Health Care debate is taking place and the corruption involved that will derail it DWARFS NJ corruption in its scale.

RIGHT NOW, THIS MOMENT, folks who took millions from Big Pharma are discussing YOUR healthcare. AND they are betting you aren't noticing. By all means, fight corruption in NJ, but don't let the DC creeps get away with it while you are busy still talking about the guys who have already been arrested.


One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 22:09:19 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Are you accusing me (0.00 / 0)

of "sweeping the NJ corruption under the rug?"  

Why can't we walk and chew gum at the same time? Go after corruption in NJ AND in DC?  What on earth is wroing with that?

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 22:13:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

You Answered Your Own Question.... (0.00 / 0)

.....yes, we can walk and chew gum at the same time.

The corruption that allows hundreds of billions of dollars in bailouts for "industries" that had no business ever being allowed to exist (derivatives, credit default swaps, scam mortgage brokerage etc) and yet begrudges another couple of billion to get polluting clunkers off he road....and begrudges spending a trillion over the next ten years to get a single payer system is all connected to the local landscaper or engineer who gets contracts because he pays the local mayor off in campaign contributions or in some hidden off the books ways.  

The connections don't exist in the form of conscious conspiracies but rather in a generalized understood common perverse "code" in which corrupt elements of our commercial and political culture support and reinforce one another.   It is in their collective interests to keep the American people apathetic ignorant and hopeless AND distracted with all manner of trivial
"bread and circuses".

No Carol, you're the next to last person anyone would accuse of "sweeping the NJ corruption under the rug" (Loretta would be the last ;-).

My point is that the progressive movement in NJ needs to some how get itself together as a coherent whole and put forth a legislative agenda/platform that addresses the local, state, national and international (UN, Human Rights,  global environment etc...) across the board.

Frankly, when Jon Corzine and Loretta Weinberg win this election, it is my hope that folks who are passionate about cleaning up the corruption, smart, like you (why not you!)  will be called upon as consultants to work with the state attorney general and to act as the "Ethics Czarina".....this person would be a central focal point through which all whistleblowers and citizens with complaints/suspicions of corruption could channel their information knowing that it would be listened to and paid attention to.

This office should have the direct access to the Governor and LG  and the power to make strong/official/public recommendations to local, state, and federal law enforcement and to the legislature in terms of new law and of amendments to old laws and rules.

The culture of corruption in New jersey can be totally eradicated and replaced with one that makes us the cleanest state in the nation within a decade or less.

Obviously, I'm speaking of matters that go outside of the particular focus of your diary.....but, like I said, it's all connected.

Apologies for any confusion!  :-)

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by: Nick Lento @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 22:53:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]