Officer Wilson not indicted in killing of Michael Brown

by Simon 551 Replies latest social current

• 

  Simon

  Yeah, I think people in the US of all colors and income levels are being screwed by the system that was broken in the mid 70's. Up until then the US was making progress even on equality, since then the wheels have come off the American Dream and it's become big business in league with the politicians they have bought and paid for.

  The inequality affects everyone. What better than to keep people squabbling between themselves?

  Surely though in this day and age we could have a grass roots movement where enough people can get behind an independent to get it on the agenda even if they can't get elected. The corrupt two party "pretend democracy" system only works if people keep going along with it. Why can't somsone stand up and represent regular people whether they are black, white, or latino - everyone wants the same things and could get behind someone promising reform.

  Do we need the same people feeding from the same trough forever? It's time things changed but division tactics work and things like this are too polarizing for people to begin cooperating.

  When I'm taling about voting I wasn't talking about any specific instance but turnout rates in general and especially in Ferguson where 12% seems to be the norm. Local elections are where things start.
• 

  JeffT

  Local elections are where things start.

  Nobody studies basic civics in this country anymore. The town/city and county councils have far more impact on our day to day lives than people in Washington DC. Looking at election turnouts and voting patterns it seems that people don't understand that. I heard a lot of lamentation about voter turnout in off year elections, and how the Democrats have trouble getting the base to turn out. They need to educate their base if that's true.

  This attitude has a direct effect on the lack of viable third parties. Everybody's idea of getting a third party going seems to be to run somebody for President, who promptly loses because nobody's heard of him/her. This needs to start at the local level and cook for ten or twenty years before it can become a national movement.