not much, but something

So I don't have much time to write, nor much of interest to share (partied too much this week, found out exactly how challenging my classes are going to be--very--and am realizing how fast my time here is going to fly). Going to a play tonight at Matucana 100, which is this huge cultural center around the corner from my house (I LOVE my neighborhood!)--of course dinner at my house again, too! But I did want to post something interesting, because I have really been enjoying the polemics about the 2004 US elections, especially the stuff from Peter Camejo and other brilliant Nader defenders. So here ya go for now, until I get my act together for my own intellectual endeavors:

July 29, 2004
Money vs. People: THE MYSTERY OF THE 2004 ELECTIONS
By Peter Miguel Camejo

There is a mystery to the 2004 presidential election; a silence has fallen on America regarding aglaring contradiction. As we enter the second half of 2004, there is massive popular opposition tothe war in Iraq and to the USA PATRIOT Act -- possibly a majority of Americans.

Yet these samepeople are about to vote in overwhelming numbers for John Kerry for President. But John Kerry and his running mate, John Edwards, gave President Bush 18 standing ovations inJanuary, voted for the war, say the war was right, insist on continuing the occupation of Iraqagainst it peoples desires, want to increase the number of troops and Nations occupying Iraq,voted for "unconditional support to Bush" for his conduct of the war, and backed Bush by votingagainst the US Constitution for the US Patriot Act.

The only explanation for tens of millions voting against their heart felt opinions is the lack offree elections in America. There are no runoff elections. Without runoffs people are trapped.They fear expressing their true opinions. If they vote for what they are for they are told theywill only elect Bush. They must learn to vote against themselves, to accept the con game of atwo-party system. People are taught not to vote FOR what they believe but AGAINST an individual.An unpopular policy once identified with an individual can be continued by replacing theindividual, keeping the policy with modifications.

In replacing Bush, Kerry pledges to moreeffectively forward the same policy of imperial domination.If run off elections existed tens of millions would vote against both Bush and Kerry and forpeace. Once the myth of invulnerability of the two-party system is broken the dam againstdemocracy and free elections will break.

Already 25% of Americans are no longer registered Democratic or Republican, they seek alternatives.The Democrats' fear of Ralph Nader is rooted in the programmatic conflict between their Party'sstance and their supporters. This is the real story of the 2004 elections.This mystery is never written about in the media - - it is America's dark secret.The 2000 presidential election was stolen when some 60,000 people, primarily African Americans,had their right to vote illegally revoked in Florida. The film, Fahrenheit 911, opens showing oneAfrican American Congressperson after another asking for an investigation. But their cry forjustice was squashed because not one Senator, not one Democrat, not Paul Wellstone, Barbara Boxer,Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, or John Edwards would defend democracy, stand up for free elections.

Three and a half years later the Democratic Party has not lifted a finger to establish freeelections in America. Not in a single State have they called for runoffs so Florida could neverhappen again. They could not make it clearer, the Democratic Party prefers that Republicans winelections, even without majority support, rather than allow free elections where a third party oran independent candidate could attract tens of millions from their base.

Their answer is simple:Ralph Nader must not run, must not be an alternative.If free elections were held with a runoff system like in most civilized nations, if proportionalrepresentation existed where if a point of view receives 20% of the vote its supporters wouldreceive 20% representation, then every vote would count, and the Democratic Party as we know ittoday would no longer exist. The one hundred million people who never vote would have a reason to vote. New parties would appear and a representative democracy would begin to blossom in America.Ralph Nader has created a small hole in the dam. The danger is real. The Democrats are on an allout effort to attack the Nader/Camejo campaign because if voters begin to vote for what they wantthe entire electoral system would begin to unravel. If twenty million citizens voted for Nader itwould be the beginning of the end of the two-party system. The Democrats would enter into acrisis, the ability of money to control people would begin to crack and the possibility of ademocracy where citizens could vote for what they believe would be born.

The Democrats are determined, not to beat Bush but to stop Nader, to protect the two party pro-corporate rule thatAmerica lives under.That is what is behind all the talk of the miniscule funding by Republican citizens ofNader/Camejo. It is part of a relentless attack against free elections and the first amendment ofthe bill of rights. This is why the Democrats have organized a nation wide "hate Nader" campaign. They seek toobfuscate the issues. They seek to prevent the right of citizens to vote for Nader by preventingNader even his right to be on the ballot.

State by state thousands of citizens sign petitions toplace Nader on the ballot; state by state the Democrats harass, seek technicalities to challengethe signatures, and try to prevent allowing the people a choice that is pro-peace.The attack on Nader by the San Francisco Chronicle with a banner front page article claimingRepublicans are funding Nader is just one part of an on-going campaign. In spite of the relentless attacks against Nader the polls continue to show ten million people behind Nader/Camejo. Wealthy Democrats and Republicans both cross finance their campaigns. It is standard practice forcorporations to donate to both. Republicans donate millions to the Democrats. The verycorporations that Democrats supposedly oppose, Enron, Halliburton, and Exxon, for example, allgive funds to Kerry/Edwards. Kerry/Edwards have no plans to return a penny of their Republican orcorporate backing. These corporate/ lobbyist funds are not really contributions. They are investments or bribes withan expected return of access and policy, precisely like the Kerry/Edwards call for lower taxes oncorporations.

This kind of contribution dominates the financing of Bush and Kerry as well as most major party candidates for Congress and Senate.Corporations once paid 33% of the taxes received by the federal government. Now they pay under 8%,yet Kerry/Edwards are promising to lower their taxes further in spite of the half trillion federaldeficit per year and the increasingly regressive taxes on working people.

Against this domination of money over people stand Ralph Nader and the Nader/Camejo campaign.The Nader/Camejo campaign is seeking votes from all citizens, Democrats, Independents,Republicans, Greens and Libertarians.Just as we seek their votes we ask all of them to help fund our campaign that opposes the war inIraq, the US Patriot Act, and defends the health and well being of our working people.We especially ask for donations for the right to be on the ballot and for free elections in theUnited States, elections that respect the will of the voters, that favor runoffs (instant run offvoting) and proportional representation.

Most working people never give funds to any candidate. Those who do occasionally give to acandidate have no anticipation of personal financial gain. It is that kind of donor thatrepresents the overwhelming majority of contributions to Nader/Camejo. The bulk of ourcontributions are in amounts below 100 dollars per person.The Nader/Camejo campaign does not accept funds from Exxon, Enron or Halliburton as Kerry/Edwardsdo. We do not accept funding from corporations!We ask that Kerry/Edwards stop their hypocritical campaign about the miniscule funding we havereceived from citizens registered Republican. We ask they stop their campaign against the Americanvoters seeking to deny them a choice at the ballot box by allowing ballot access and anopportunity for voters who support Nader/Camejo to vote for them.We, like all other candidates, do not, can not and will not give donors lie detectors to ascertaintheir objectives in funding our campaign. We have proposed a simple solution to the funding issue. Establish public funding of all campaignsto create fairness and end corruption. Kerry/Edwards and Bush/Cheney oppose public funding.

The choice is clear. Continue a corrupt electoral system that closes choices, forces citizens tovote against their conscious and allows money to control people -- or open up the electoralsystem, defend civil liberties and establish free elections.