Our government doesn't work anymore.

[kentuck]

Blame it on politics. Blame it on lobbyists. Blame it on special interests. Blame it on corruption. Blame it on political Parties. Blame it on all of them. However, the sad fact is that our government cannot operate under even the most necessary and dire conditions. Government no longer serves a purpose.

Why should government exist if not to better the lives of the many over the few? With the banks and insurance companies robbing the American people, for their own greedy purposes, and with the military complex robbing our Treasury and our youth, and with the politicians ignoring the needs of the people, for the benefit of the corporate interests that keep them in power, the people are no longer served by our government.

If Jefferson was here today, would he say that it is time to bury this present form of government and start anew?

States are going bankrupt. Corporations have smuggled their jobs overseas with the blessings of polticians in Washington. More and more people are losing their jobs and those that are working are working for less year after year. Government turns the other way as our own citizens die from lack of health coverage.

But Wall Street celebrates as a few wealthy people fight to keep their multi-million dollar bonuses. Our elected officials are frozen in confusion and inaction as our country falters and sinks deeper into recession and depression. They live in another universe.

Government of the people, by the people, and for the people, no longer exists. The "government", which was meant to be We, the People, has become a separate entity unto itself. In essence, it has become an enemy of the people it was meant to serve.

[dkf]

1. Institutions block progress instead of moving it forward.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

2. I DISAGREE.

IT HAS BEEN DESTROYED BY THE CHRISTO-FASCIST REPUBLICANS.

JUST THAT GANG.

[ThomCat]

3. No, it clearly isn't just the republicans or else we'd have a

good health care bill right now.

[Cleita]

4. No, they are a symptom of it.

The real destroyers are working covertly and globally. They need to be exposed but I don't know even if that will help. They are too well entrenched. I mean Stalin operated for decades owning Russia and everyone knew his crimes and could do nothing about it because he was too powerful to bring down, even by us.

[PufPuf23]

9. The enemies of freedom and prosperity are neocons and

neoliberals ("New", "Third Way", DLC). They prey on religious fanatics and poor and poorly educated groups for Empire and Oligarchy.

[mullard12ax7]

5. I agree to a certain extent, remove the Southern states and it's actually better

The "bluedog" dems are hypocrites to the core as is every repuke from the South, along with Utah.

[Double T]

6. All of that doesn't matter...the recession is over with ***cough-cough***.

Jefferson WOULD SAY it is time to bury this present form of massively corrupt and destructive government and start anew. The revolution cometh ye patriots of real freedom and true democracy. The time has come to take up our pitchforks and march over to the hill to take back our nation from the economic and political terrorists.

[Goldstein1984]

11. Pitchforks are good. Premature, but good...

We should try to organize nonviolent methods to shock the ruling class. All we lack is organization. All we need is someone with the people's ear to stick their neck out and ask for something that will shock the system. The shock doctrine has been used against the people; the people should use it back. Economic shock.

[Double T]

19. Shocking 'the hill' is very simple.

VOTE OUT every single congressperson and senator in 2010 and 2012, regardless of political party affiliation. Our message will be LOUD, clear and nonviolent.

[Goldstein1984]

12. Duplicate - Deleted

[readmoreoften]

14. I'm with you. Pitchforks will work better than placards.

And it's fun to imagine flinging Lieberman overhead like a bundle of hay.

[Meldread]

7. A government will always exist to further the interest of those who run it.

It doesn't matter if those interests are good, evil, or neutral. It doesn't matter if the government is democratic, republic, or authoritarian. Humans are self-interested creatures who will always find ways to convince themselves that whats in THEIR interest is in the interest of others.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7249748&mesg_id=7249748">My thread here shows my views on government.

What is your solution?

"Why should government exist if not to better the lives of the many over the few?"

I speak as one of "the few" - a gay American - and I can tell you that the tyranny of the majority sucks.

I don't think the answer to a government that doesn't function is more government.

People are so easily fooled into believing that corporations and big business is the real enemy, yet they never stop to think where they get their powers from... Who gave them personhood? The government. Who takes money FROM US and gives it TO THEM? The government. There is not a single problem with big business that can't be directly or indirectly traced back to government. It is always the root of the problem.

[Goldstein1984]

15. Businesses require customers

70% of the U.S. GDP consists of consumption.

We take that away from them. Short of violence, it's all they fear--lost of revenue.

In addition, we stop buying imported stuff. Read the label. If it's not made in the USA, it goes back on the shelf.

My spending is cut to nothing but absolute essentials. Buying American isn't as hard as it sounds.

I refuse to believe the enemy is just government; it's the people in control of the government. Not just "the few," but the elite few that control most of the wealth and thereby control politicians. They are not invulnerable, just difficult to get at.

Stop consuming. Send a letter to your elected officials--local, state and federal--telling them you are not consuming and why. Tell them what they have to do. If they do it, we punish them a little more, just to make sure they appreciate what we're doing for them.

"They" have a vested interest in the status quo. It's that status quo we have to hurt to hurt "them."

[gateley]

8. Boy, well said! I heartily agree. Recommend! nt

[galileoreloaded]

10. Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol, blame it on the a-a-a-a-alchohol

sorry, couldn't resist. I agree w/ your sentiment as well.

[readmoreoften]

13. It works fine. It just doesn't work for people who work.

It works fine for bankers, trust fund babies, insurers, mobsters, and hedge fund managers (i.e. capitalists).

[laughingliberal]

20. my thoughts when I read the title of the OP

It works just fine. It's just that it's working for the wrong people.

[Goldstein1984]

16. We have to stop letting it work for "them"

The system is set up so that we can't hurt Wall Street without hurting ourselves in the process. So, we have no choice but to hurt ourselves in the process of taking our country back. Class warfare is like any other form of warfare--it's painful.

American Big Business is driven by consumption. It's 70% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). What did George Bush do after 9/11? He told "folks" to spend money to get the economy moving again; he told "folks" to fly to keep the airlines from failing. They need us to spend. We can hurt them the way they have hurt us by not spending.

Will we hurt ourselves in the process? Yes, we will. There is no other way. Their power rests on the assumption that we aren't willing to make that sacrifice.

What we lack is a person with the people's ear, willing to stick their neck out and provide organization and leadership.

And maybe the people have not suffered enough yet to take this kind of action. Yet.

[Goldstein1984]

17. Duplicate - Deleted

[tomm2thumbs]

18. g r e e d - on all levels, in every corner of industry, govt, healthcare, religion, banking, etc

this country has lost it's moral compass on that one issue, to such a degree, that it can't seem to let go of it or even acknowledge it

[Union Yes]

21. Testify! knr

:fistbump: