Is It Time to Trash the Electoral College?

Once again in America, we have a presidential election outcome that places the winner of the election in office even though they failed to win the popular vote. It's not the first time but many in America are protesting in the streets for it to be the last.

Why does the United Sates use the Electoral College and not the popular vote to decide the presidency? What is the Electoral College?

Yes, people are very upset that Donald Trump won the election based on the electoral college. Democrats still have the stinging memory of Bush v Gore in 2000. Gore conceded a day after an exhaustive manual recount in the state of Florida was halted by the United States Supreme Court. 

The decision by the court resulted in Bush getting the state's 25 electoral votes which put Bush over the 270-electoral vote threshold to win the White House. Now, let's be clear the current Clinton v Trump election does not have the same issues as Gore v Bush but it does share one thing the winner of the popular vote lost. The Supreme Court did not decide the outcome.

There weren't any hanging chads to ponder over but the outcome put this year's election results in the highly unusual category. This year's election results marks only the fifth time a president received the keys to the White House without winning the popular vote. [See Source]

Donald Trump won this election fair and square based on the Electoral College system a much maligned and complex system for choosing the presidency. Many are protesting in the streets right now because of this system and many ask why isn't a simple vote count of the popular vote used?

There is a misconception that when Americans go to the polls to vote for a presidential candidate they are voting for that person in the present Clinton or Trump. In fact, this is wrong. They [American Voter] are casting their vote for a group of electors who then vote for the president.

Another misnomer about presidential voting is that the president is elected once the public vote totals are tabulated. This may come as a shock to some but ever since they stopped Civics classes in High School people are quite illiterate when it comes to politics in this country. This tabulation is called the popular vote.

Because of these misinterpretations, people fail to understand or realize that we do not technically vote for the president, but rather for which Electoral College representative will get to vote for president. The president isn't officially elected until January. Soon after the election, the current Vice-President Joe Biden will call for open voting during a joint session of Congress. During this session, the electoral votes will be counted and submitted.

Who Are These Electors and How Are They Chosen?

There are two federal laws on the books that appertain to who can be an elector. The first comes straight from the Constitution of The United States. Article II states: 

"Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector."

The second is a provision buried deep in the 14th amendment that was a direct result of the Civil War which states:

"No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability." 

Other than these two restrictions anyone can be an elector. The political parties have much to say about who becomes an elector. Also, each state legislature determines its own method of selection. To simplify, each state nominates an elector who has a history of being loyal to their respective parties.

Here is where it [Electoral College] gets confusing and in many people's view undemocratic. The number of electors is equal to the number of electoral votes each state is allotted. In turn, this number is generally equal to the number of senators [two per state] and the number of representatives [based on population]. On election day, whichever political party’s candidate receives the most popular votes that party's chosen electors get to vote for the president in that respective state. One of the most confusing and labyrinthine aspects of the Electoral College is there are no federal laws or Constitutional provisions that require electors to cast their vote based on the state's popular vote results. However, most states have put in place laws that require electors to do so.

Has the Electoral College become an Antiquated System?

Initially, the Electoral College was established because without it candidates would focus their time on the big population centers, therefore, they would have the attention of the voters in these population areas and the vast rural areas of the country would be ignored. Essentially, what this meant was national elections would be nothing more than elections between big cities. So, the founders established the Electoral College and later the primary system as a stopgap. But, what did that lead to? It leads to big states being ignored and basically just flipped the whole process around. What this has led to is, in fact, small rural states having a disproportionate power and attention paid to them.

Based on this writer's research and in my view the Electoral College system must go. We have reached a time in our nation where the popular vote should determine the winner of any election not just the presidency. It's not only the simplest way it's the most democratic. The main reason it's unlikely to change no matter the level of protest it would take a constitutional amendment to change the rules and to do so would require three-fourths of the states to ratify it. This ratification is unlikely because more than a quarter of the states would be against it because they are small states and benefit from the Electoral College system.

One of this writer's all-time favorite political shows to this day is C-SPAN’S Washington Journal here is a very good debate for and against the Electoral College.

As we know today the very scenarios these gentlemen were talking about in 2009 came to past this 2016 election cycle. 

Some closing bullet points that we pose are a current modern day problem with the Electoral College.

• It creates the possibility for the loser of the popular vote to win the electoral vote. 
• It distorts the presidential campaign, by incentivizing the parties to write off the more than 40 states (plus the District of Columbia) that they know they either can’t win or can’t lose. 
• The Electoral College system further distorts the presidential campaign by causing the candidates to grant extra weight to the parochial needs of the swing states.
• It distorts governance.
• The Electoral College system further distorts the one-person, one-vote principle of democracy.
• The Electoral College creates the possibility of a 269-269 tie vote, and in almost every recent election there has been a relatively credible scenario for such an outcome.
• Although our system, as evolved, makes it very hard for third parties to win elections and almost impossible for a third party to win the presidency.
• In case of a tie, or if no candidate receives a majority of all electoral votes cast for president, the choice of president is thrown in the House of Representatives but  the election is conducted on a one-state one-vote basis.
• For a deeper analyst of our bullet points, you can review our source here.

Hillary Clinton's Foray into McCarthyism

Hillary Clinton's Turn to McCarthyism!

One of the most exceptional things in the current campaign for the presidency of the United States has been Hillary Clinton's foray into McCarthyism. For just about any of us who grew up in politics or who came of age in the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's understands one of the central attack schemes to discredit your opponent is to somehow tie them to Russia. 

There has always been a demonizing of the Kremlin as the ultimate evil.   To imply that your political adversary is supportive and controlled by Russian leaders, operatives, and Intelligence officers is McCarthyism in its purest form and the Clinton's know it well since it was once used on them by George H. W. Bush during former president Bill Clinton first run for the presidency. 

Understanding McCarthyism

Hillary Clinton's campaign has been using this age-old tactic since day one against Bernie Sanders suggesting he was too far-left a socialist and out of the mainstream. Now, her campaign and the mainstream media her backer's control are engaging in an all-out assault to demonize Russia by accusing them of hacking into the Democratic National Committee [DNC] and trying to influence the current election.

The use of McCarthyism is generally one used by the Republican Party over the years. But, 2016 is different, with Neoliberal Third Way Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton. In the past, whenever Democratic leaders tried to enter negotiations, arms deals, or other negotiations with Russia to decrease hostilities Republicans would accuse these leaders of being Communist. The Democratic establishment with Hillary as their go-to person has totally rekindled this Cold-War McCarthyism rhetoric with an over the top Russia bashing with no real evidence to back it up. McCarthyism in a nutshell.  Even so, American Intelligence agencies do the same thing so at the very least the hypocrisy is nauseating. 

Jill Stein

What has become apparent through the release of emails by WikiLeaks that anyone who dare question the Clinton campaign, for example, Jill Stein, the Clinton's accused her of colluding with the Russians because she appeared at an event in Moscow sponsored by the Putin-controlled television outlet RT. There seems to be a concerted effort by the Clinton camp to accuse anyone that opposes them and brings to light their dark dealings like Julian Assange and WikiLeaks as being Russian operatives. Blame Russia! What's ironic about Clinton's attack on anyone who is opposed to their new Cold War with Russia is that President George H. W. Bush used similar smears against Bill Clinton in 1992 accusing Bill Clinton as a Kremlin operative. Bill Clinton countered this by accusing the elder Bush of McCartyhism and Red-Baiting.

The Clinton's Have Ties to Russia More Than Most!

The hypocrisy of the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton has been a major disappointment for this lifelong Democrat to see and this attack on Russia and in fairness, the patriotism of Donald Trump reeks of hypocrisy in its highest form. It is the Clinton's who have a lot of ties to Russia. The Clinton Foundation with the help of Bill and Hillary helped Russian companies take over Uranium industries in various parts of the world. [See Source]

Former president Bill Clinton has received money for various speeches in Russia. It was the Democratic Party in 2012 that blasted Republican nominee Mitt Romney's comment that Russia was our worst geopolitical enemy. 

There's More:

There is no disputing that the Clinton Foundation has had ties and dealings with Russia. So, now that emails have been leaked that cast a shadow on the Clinton's and Hillary it's the age-old truism of history repeating itself in politics and Mitt Romney was right after all. Disgusting!

Knowing the danger this kind of rhetoric has been in America's political discourse in the past to use it now as a poly to move attention away from their own misgivings is not only problematic it is irresponsible and dangerous. 

Julian Assange and WikiLeaks has provided a great service to " We the People." To those who accuse him of a crime like the Democrats are so out of step with the new revolution in this country. 

What the DNC and the Clinton camp is trying to do with Julian Assange is the same very thing they did to Edward Snowden. From the beginning of the Snowden affair, he was demonized by the Obama Administration and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as being an agent of Russia. It never was Snowden's desire to end up in Russia. While passing through Russia his Passport was revoked by the U.S. rendering him stuck there. First, United States creates the situation that leaves Snowden stuck in Russia and then second because he is there accuses him of being a Russian operative. Typical!

It’s no coincidence that the attacks on WikiLeaks come after damaging evidence of the behavior of the DNC and Hillary Clinton towards Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Primary. Leaks that resulted in the resignation of the top five members of the DNC including chairperson Debbie Wasserman Schultz. The facts are the unbiased reporting by WikiLeaks has made them an enemy of the Democratic Party. And, as a result, their tactic of the day is to return to the age-old remedy McCarthyism. Blame Russia! 

This is a disturbing strategy and to see Clinton supporters buy into it hook, line, and sinkers tell us of the damaging effects party-identification has had on American politics. America is a divided country because of it and this year's elections have brought it out for all to see. Others are turning a blind-eye.

Why this is disturbing and dangerous in the likely event Hillary Clinton wins the presidency and you 

constantly exacerbate the public by proclaiming Russia a world super power is our enemy that have operatives in the U.S. namely anyone who disagrees with her policies will have long term connotations on how the America treats Russia, how the American media and people expect our government to react to Russia. Right now, we see Russia progressing to a war footing, unlike anything we have seen since the end of the Cold War. [See Source]

What About Donald Trump?

On more than one occasion Trump has praised Putin on being a good leader. Moreover, there have been many in the Republican Party that have praised Putin including the Christian Right. [ See: Unholy Alliance, Putin, and The Christian Right] From what our research here in the House of Public Discourse can discern from Donald Trump is that he comes from the tradition that the United States should coexist with the world's dictators unless those dictators become a threat to American Security. Any criticism from the Democrats and Hillary Clinton would be hard for an informed person to take seriously when some of the closest allies to the Obama Administration and the Clinton Foundation are dictators and tyrants like the current Saudi Arabia regime.

Colluding up to dictators in all regions of the world has long been a standard U.S. policy and for Hillary Clinton to attack Donald Trump for saying nice things about Putin is not only disingenuous it's political stupidity.

Trump's admiration of Putin does seem to be a personal one. No doubt, Trump seems to admire the fascist persona, Putin has displayed throughout the years and in fairness mirror some of the policies of the Republican Party itself. This machoism of Putin that seems to draw this praise from Trump is just another in a long line of character flaws Trump possesses.

In Closing, the bottom line many Americans feel we should not be instigating tensions with Russia based on circumstantial evidence at best and blaming and accusing another country of espionage and tampering with our election especially when the United States has a track record of doing the very same thing and more importantly turning to McCarthyism to deflect attention away from your own destructive behavior.

Written By: Johnny Hill

Is Hillary Clinton Really A Lesser Evil?

Is World War III On The Horizon?

For many people across the world, the nomination of Hillary Clinton by the Democratic Party has invoked but one word, Horror! Even still, some progressive leaders say it's a better duty to vote for this neo-con warmonger than Donald Trump for she is a lesser evil. But is she, and what is the consequences of this strategy? World War III maybe? 

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary Rodham Clinton a Wall Street backed infamous warmonger is just one presidential election away from becoming the first woman president in the United States. Many around the world feel her rise to the highest office in the world poses a legitimate threat to world peace. Not just to Americans, but to all of humanity. As both first lady and a New York state Senator, Clinton supported every legal and illegal aggression ever conjured up since her time in the public sphere. In March of 1999, Hillary Clinton urged her then-president husband, Bill Clinton, to bomb the Balkans during the Bosnian War even though, there was no threat to U.S. security. [See Source]

She supported the War in Iraq and most fair-minded Americans know what a disaster that vote has been to our country. Unlike, her opponent in this 2016 presidential race Donald Trump Clinton has a track record of being on the side of warmongering and screwing things up with her judgment and decision making. 

Clinton admits the U.S. role in creating Al-Qaeda!

Despite this admission by Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, Clinton repeated those same mistakes by supporting the uprisings in Libya and the Jihadist in Syria which lead to the emergence of ISIS and the migration problems in Europe. Hillary Clinton is a Henry Kissinger dream child of regime change is the answer to every problem concerning foreign affairs. It was Hillary Clinton who introduced Americans to the so-called Asia-Pacific pivot. This pivot has placed U.S. Armed Forces in a head-on collision with China by placing naval combat ships in the region. [See Source]

She has on more than one occasion and again in the first presidential debates made it known that both Iran and Russia would be targeted if she [Clinton] was to win the White House. She is already making unproven claims that Russia has hacked into the Democratic National Committee servers among other accusations as well. You see Clinton surrogates, her campaign, and her supporters ramble on how dangerous Donald Trump would be with the nuclear codes. But, it's Clinton who has stated that the nuclear option is not "off the table" in dealing with the aforementioned countries. [See Source] Unlike Clinton's many public comments of accommodation for whatever is politically correct at the moment, which she has a history of doing you can be assured that her threats of using the  "Nuclear Option" are not just empty threats. A Clinton presidency would have a partner in this horror in the form of the new Prime Minister in the U.K. Theresa May.

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Prime Minister May has stated publicly her willingness to launch a nuclear weapon.[ See Source] There is no denying Hillary Clinton is a war hawk, neo-con, and untrustworthy, who has skirted prosecution due to her privilege and political standings in the corporatist world. This writer found it rather hypocritical to trash Trump for not releasing his tax returns while she never released her Goldman Sach's transcripts and her deleting of over 30 thousand emails.

So, why are the so -called leaders on the progressive left Bernie Sanders included who would be demagoguing her if she had an (R) beside her name haranguing other leftist that it's now our duty to fall in line and support her?

Noam Chomsky

They like Noam Chomsky are advising us especially in swing states to just " Hold Thy Nose," and vote for Clinton over Trump, Why? Bernie Sanders has done the same as well, Why? There is a clarion message here it's calculated and it's disheartening. We have seen those with influence who could step up to the plate and fight this illegal coronation of a presidential candidate who could be out front and lead us to fight against this outrage are now urging us to fall in line while these leaders themselves fall back into their roles as partisan ideologues. These leaders want us to follow their choices which has much to do with their own "Party Identification" then what is right for our country. 

What they are really saying is there is nothing we can do about the two-party system in America and any other vote would be a wasted one. 

There is no question that this election is different than any other in history. This time more than any other time maybe since the "Cuban Missile Crisis" the fate of our world is at risk. There are not enough words to describe why this is true and our research here in the House of Public Discourse bears it out.

Hillary Clinton's foreign policy stances could very well lead America back into another war and this time with the "Nuclear Option"on the table. Moreover, she has stated a nuclear first strike isn't out of the question. There is no doubt in this writer's mind that an outbreak of World War III would suit Hillary Clinton, and more importantly, her corporate donors including the Military Industrial Complex just fine. War-profiteering is a huge money maker. These realities are real and this issue must be addressed with not just the American people but the world community as a whole. We no longer have a political choice in this country. The Democrats proved that this election cycle. Our democracy has been sold to the highest bidder and our votes are now useless.The system is rigged!

First of all, Hillary Clinton is not "Progressive." Second, there are legitimate questions being asked about her behavior concerning using a private email server and her activity along with husband former president Bill Clinton about their Clinton Foundation. There are allegations of fraud, money laundering, and political cronyism. 

America's Two -Party System Has Left We the People With Quite The Conundrum! 

Our research has found that too many Americans become attached to these political personalities. No different than they do a favorite actor or ball player. So many Americans have become fixated on Party Identification--- the only thing that matters is if they have a D or R by their name. This form of loyalty and allegiances clouds people minds and blinds them to see what these political personalities really are behind the public mask. 

Hillary Clinton is nothing more than a political instrument for the Third Way and other Think Tanks, Wall Street, and other political insiders who benefit from our nation's wars. We highly suggest the following read.

There is nothing exciting about Hillary Clinton. She is nothing more than an ambitious evil person who has positioned herself as the right person to carry out the desires of our nation's war-profiteers. With this power and influence, she tries to pose herself as some kind of expert on world affairs and this above all else entitles her to the presidency. 

Not pulling any punches, Hillary Clinton is the poster child of all that is wrong with America's foreign policy that has developed over the past decades.

Whoever gets elected this November will constitute the biggest tragedy ever in terms of a presidential election. Both candidates are an embarrassment. But, to suggest that Hillary Clinton is somehow a lesser evil in this race is just not borne out by the facts and the recorded history and lastly the public record. 

Written By: Johnny Hill 

Dear World, We're Sorry!!!

Dear World, We're Sorry!!!

Dear World, We're sorry, We are doing our best but our country seems to be suffering from a severe case of oligarchy. There is no excuse for our slumber while the rich and powerful surreptitiously usurped our Government. All we can do now is apologize and promise to work very hard to take our Government back. Then, and only then, can we work on healing the damage we have let happen in the rest of the World? Please bear with us until we get our shit in one sock.

If it's any consolation we are screwing ourselves too. We are killing our own people by choosing asshole politicians who ignore, uselessly wring their hands, or actively promoting policies that redirect wealth, put record numbers of us in prison, profile and target segments of our population, and divide us using identity politics. We are suffering too. That's nothing compared to the millions of tons of bombs we drop and endless crates of weapons we ship that cause so much destruction and pain. It pales in comparison to the exploitation of the poor and powerless among you. Our pain is much less than we visit on you. We are aware of that but it is still deeply felt among some of us.

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Please understand we see the problem now. That's the first step in solving it. We are awake now and we have begun our internal fight to affect the change we all need, us as well as you. Though it may seem like we are fighting for our own rights only at first, we assure you that's not the case. We are fighting for you too. We can't topple the establishment that oppresses you until we overturn the system that oppresses us.

Donald Trump

Nothing epitomizes our problem more than our current election. The economic and political powers in our Country have put forth horrendous choices. I'm afraid that means things will get worse before they get better. On one hand, we have an outrageously bombastic caricature of a wannabe Mussolini. On the other, we have one of the more corrupt war loving puppets of the oligarchy we've seen in recent history. Neither will be good. Neither understands economics, be prepared for another disaster there. Both are a threat to peace and promote violence against you. That's the bad news.

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The good news is the oligarchy has gone too far. To use a U.S. colloquialism, they overplayed their hand. Those of us who are awake now are waking up others. We will end the reign of the oligarchs and put people in power that will end everyone's suffering, yours as well as ours. We will end the exploitation of all of us. We will stop the endless Regime Change Interventionist wars. We will make our corporations and Government treat you and us more fairly. All we ask is that you give us a chance to fix the problems. We will do it and we will make it up to you all by leading you, The World, into a more prosperous and free era without the destructive Neoliberal ideas. [See: Neoliberalism Help Lead To The Decline In Democracy In America.]

We will not try to force our own vision of how others should be down their throats. We will allow the rest of you to choose your own destiny without the threat of our military bombing you until your societies break down. To those of you who we have hurt we will help you rebuild your communities and help you be what you want to be.

Again, we're sorry World. We are deeply embarrassed by our current state. We'll fix it which in turn will help all of us in the end. Just be patient for a few more years. We know that sucks but it's the best we can do. We assure you that while we clean our own house we will not idly allow our Oligarchs to continue to hurt you. That doesn't mean you are completely safe but we'll be fighting for you. We'll be insisting on peaceful solutions. If the oligarchs don't offer you peace then they will have no peace either.

America's Fed Up With The Rigged Two-Party System, Period!

It's Time For A Cool Change In America's Political Process.

What choices has the presidential election in 2016 given Americans? A corporate brand [Donald Trump] versus a political dynasty [Hillary Clinton.] Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have emerged as the nominees for their respective parties Trump a Republican and Clinton the Democrat. 

What has resulted is upheaval in both establishment parties.  Trump talks about building a "Great Wall" on our Southern border. Trump even claims he will make Mexico pay for this wall. Trump's unfiltered conservatism has caused shock waves throughout the Republican Party establishment. Donald Trump has shown more showmanship than political savvy and his rhetoric has no practical political diplomacy whatsoever. Trump has insulted fellow Republicans like John McCain (R-AZ). 

Trump called Hispanics rapist and murders. Trump proclaimed America's leaders as just plain stupid. Many pundits at the beginning called Donald Trump's run for the highest office in the land nothing more than a sideshow. Mainstream media claimed he was an illegitimate contender. What these out of touch pundits failed to realize their marginalization of Trump was a factor that helped him. The media came out with a narrative that suggested Trump was not a mainstream candidate. Trump was a joke with funky hair and the people who supported him resented this narrative. People know matter their " Party Identification" don't want news media telling them who they should vote for under any circumstance.

Hillary Clinton

On the Democratic side, Wall Street and Corporate America darling Hillary Clinton while less sensational than Trump has shown by her record to be just as conservative as any moderate Republican and has faced serious and ongoing criticism from the Progressive faction within the party that mostly supported her rival in the race, Bernie Sanders. Hillary Clinton has once again got herself into a scandal by misusing and overstepping her authority regarding her handling of classified information on her private server and has bolstered already unfavorable trust that many Americans have of her. The issue is still fluid as of the rendition of this essay.

After wiping clean her email server some 30,000 emails total many Americans from all spectrum's are comparing her to Richard Nixon. Right now, more and more Americans are getting sick and tired of politicians, in this case, Hillary Clinton trying to avoid the issues and skating by under suspicious legal and ethical practices. All one has to do is look at the Democratic Party platform for 2016 and see the party has moved to the right on many of the issues.[See: The Democratic Platform is Not Really That Progressive, and Won't Unite the Party.]

The Election of 2016 Has Changed How America's Two Major Parties Are Defined. 

Even though, Bernie Sanders bid for the Democratic Party nominee wasn't successful his messaging and narrative was an American political success story.[See: Bernie Sanders Supporters Are The New American Revolution And It's About More Than Bernie! ] GOP white voters many who left the Democratic Party some 50 years ago have become unruly putting it mildly. There have been many acts of violence at Trump rallies. [See Article] On the Democratic side, real Progressives and young voters alike are rejecting the " Third Way" politics of the party's elites. [See: Corporate Democratic Party Think Tank ‘Third Way’ Exposed] Some may think these feeling are short-lived ones but our research here in the House of Public Discourse suggest otherwise. We see a dramatic change looming on the horizon and to coin a phrase the “Storm Is Coming."

People Who Identify Themselves As Political Independents Is On The Rise In America. 

According to recent polling, the Republican Party is in serious trouble. People who identify themselves as Republicans is at a 25 year low. [See Source]  The Democratic Party while not as bad as the Republican Party has not seen any real increase in membership until the current run by long time independent senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders and have blown that to kingdom come by the actions of vote rigging and sabotage by the Democratic National Committee. [DNC]

In short, more and more people from all walks of life and backgrounds have had their eyes opened to the political corruption in our country and the light bulb has been turned on for good in this writer's view. With access to more information in our digital world, the American voters are slowly but surely becoming savvier to insider politics. The comparisons between the two major parties have never been so closely related than in the present.

There are no real differences in the party of blue and the party of red. They use different labels they pretend to compete with one another while they both are beholden to the same paymasters. They both conspire under the table with one another and it's the two party system that has been the enabler. As a result of all these factors a recent Gallup poll has revealed that over 40 percent of Americans now identify themselves as independent. [See Source]

This rise is a result of many Republicans who became jaded by Bush, Jr  second term in office and now Democrats who have seen President Obama support incognito trade deals, supporting drone strikes, not supporting the labeling of GMO's and now refusing to admit the election process was rigged claiming it was nothing more than a conspiracy theory. What happen to transparency? What happen to "Hope and Change? While the economy improved under Obama who benefited from it? Under the Obama Administration, income inequality rose and the distribution of this new wealth went straight to the top. Nothing changed at all. [See Source]

America's Fed Up With The Rigged Two-Party System, Period!

Partisan politics has always created a lot of drama in America. This partisanship is the main reason that most Americans feel ambivalent towards politics and why getting things done inside the beltway has become so hard. Gridlock is the order of the day in our nation's capital. With the recent events in this year's Democratic race, there is a huge disillusionment with the two-party political system in America. People are screaming and protesting for a real change in our political process from start to finish. The free thinking American sees what's going on here. Growing numbers of these free thinkers are rejecting both the Democratic and Republican parties. Based on the latest Wall Street Journal poll only 21 percent of Americans claim they are Republicans while only 29 percent claim to be Democrats. 

Groves of Americans have lost faith in our political system. Some estimated 67 percent of us have disenfranchised ourselves from the process altogether. Polls have shown that only 25 percent have a strong faith in our courts, 15 percent strong faith in our executive branch, and only a 4 percent strong faith in Congress. [See Source] What makes all these numbers so affright is that the two party system has pinned us in a box. We are told that we can only choose from the two party nominees and to do otherwise will cause them to lose. Vote Shaming! Why the campaign of Bernie Sanders has really won in spite of all that's happened is that now there is a guidepost to formulating a fair and open discussion on the issue. It is time and long overdue to have a real debate about the pluses and minuses of the two-party system. Our democracy not only needs this debate it demands it. And, right now, not tomorrow is the time to do it. 

If all Americans no matter their background can't bring their affirmative values to bear in their choice for a political candidate what good is our democracy anyway moreover can we actually call our governance a democracy in the first place? The House of Public Discourse would suggest what we have now is politics of fear. [ See: The Politics Of Fear And Anger Have Gone Viral In America]

What Is The Solution?

There is a solution to this politics of fear. Voting Reform? These reforms could be implemented on both the state and federal levels very quickly. These legislatures could invoke rank choice voting for example. Which is used in many countries around the world and on the local level in many U.S. cities right now? 

As it stands right now the state of our Democracy is one that tries to eliminate opposition voices. In turn, by doing so, the results has alienated a majority of Americans from taking part in the process. In our history, America has invaded countries that practiced such alienation. We bomb them and call it tyranny. In Democratic states who are concerned about their vote being split, we [House of Public Discourse] would encourage you to talk with your state legislators and tell them they can pass the solution right now that will prevent any so-called spoiling of the vote. Enough with the vote shaming pass measures like the one offered in the above to avoid such political disasters you fear the electorate with.

Why Have They Not Done This Already? 

In a word, FEAR! Both political parties rely on it. Why do they rely on fear? Because you, we, us, are not their major concern. Their influence peddling corporate donors are who they serve and protect not John and Suzie Q public. Their refusal to fix this addiction has been exposed by the Bernie Sanders run for the presidency and this refusal is cause for you not to vote for them and to do so based on their narrative of fear only makes you an enabler of this political corruption.

The New World Of Corporate Feudalism History Does Repeat Itself

The New World Of Corporate Feudalism History Does Repeat Itself!

Feudalism is back! Feudalism was the dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labor, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection. [See Source]

Feudalism has returned from its  grave with a vengeance. All one has to do is look at all the " Right to Work" states. Currently, 25 states and Guam have given workers a choice when it comes to union membership. Labor unions still operate in those states, but workers cannot be compelled to become members as a requirement of their job. Wisconsin became the 25th right-to-work state, with a bill that was signed into law on March 9, 2015.[See Source]

The Resurgence of Feudalism In America Is a Disaster In The Making.

People who work in "Right to Work" states make less money. They receive inadequate health benefits and they're more likely to die on the job. The supporters of this modern day form of Feudalism proclaim it will boost their state economies and rebuild the middle class. However, in reality, and there is a track record to fall back on since 1935 the exact opposite happens with these feudalistic labor laws. Right to work laws bring capitalism closer to its major goal of being unregulated. In turn, unregulated capitalism leads to massive levels of inequality. [See Article] The levels of inequality we are seeing now in America and a major focal point of the Sanders campaign mirrors the times of Feudalism in the European middle-ages. 

At the top, there is this very select few who in the middle ages represented the nobles and monarchs

of the day. In today's world, they are the one-percent Koch Brothers and they are in fact the present day monarchs of our times. Just below these Oligarchs are the so called professional class. Doctors, lawyers, CEO's, and some business owners. The main function of this group is to keep things running for the super-rich. They function as the nobles in a capitalist society. Then at the very bottom of the spectrum is this huge population of the working poor modern day peasants. Most have no real monetary wealth most are in debt most of their lives and barely can make ends meet living from paycheck to paycheck. In natural unregulated capitalism, there is no such thing as a middle-class.

What has become the default options to this modern day corporate feudalism is wealth inequality. This inequality has manifested itself as a direct result of deregulation propagated by the political establishments of both the Democratic and Republican parties. They both have played a part in the dismantling of the New Deal and a thriving middle class that resulted from it. [New Deal]

What we have before us today right now mirrors exactly what was the order of the day in medieval Europe under Feudalism.!

The only way a true middle class can emerge in today's world of unregulated capitalism is by massive social upheaval, or by government intervention. Historically our government [We the People] has been the only mechanism for keeping Feudalism in check. It's what we used here in the United States since the founding of our Republic until the Reagan Revolution to fight the Plutocrats and build a middle class from the ground up. 

Our government has used all of these mechanisms to restrain the natural tendency of unregulated capitalism that creates inequality: Tariffs, workers’ rights legislation, Glass-Stegall Act, and higher taxes on the rich. All of which, on balance, helped create the middle class. However; ever since Reagan and the Nazi-like brainwashing job he pulled on the American people - proclaiming government as the problem, not the solution - we have gutted regulation, busted up the unions and reverted capitalism back to its natural dog eat dog state. What has been the result? Record Inequality!

Now the richest three percent of the world population now controls half of all the wealth. "Middle-Class" incomes have become stagnant and if that is not bad enough the "child-poverty rate" in America is one of the worst in the entire developed world. Things have gotten worse since the "Bush Recession," and the Obama administration promise for "Hope and Change" never came. What gains that have appeared during the Obama years have been absorbed by guess who, the top one percent. So much for hope and change.

The Kings and Noblemen of the monarchs of medieval Europe may be long gone but in the here and now in the United States the Plutocrats and their corporate feudalism reign unmatched and corporate feudalism is the name of the game. We have Ronald Reagan and "Third-Way Democrats" to thank for it. What is the most severe side effect to all of this? The loss of our true democracy that has become nothing more than an Oligarchy? This new world corporate Feudalism is the image of the 14th century, not the 21st century which once again proves " History Does Repeat Itself In Politics."

President Jimmy Carter: The United States is an Oligarchy...

America Needs A Third Party And We Need It Now!

Six out of ten Americans say a third party is needed and the current Democratic Party race between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders proves it beyond a reasonable doubt.

The House of Public Discourse over the last several weeks has been reviewing data concerning the ever growing desire for the establishment of a third political party in America. 

"A majority of Americans, 60%, say a third major political party is needed because the Republican and Democratic parties "do such a poor job" of representing the American people. This matches the high set in 2013. Since 2007, a majority of Americans have generally called for a third party, with the exception of the last two presidential election years." [See Source]

The approval ratings of Congress is at all-time lows. The American people are fed up with the dysfunction of how our government works, The image of both political parties is in the trash bin. To coin a phrase from Bernie Sanders "enough is enough." Now, in 2016 with one Democratic Party primary debacle after another and the outward show of favoritism by the Democratic National Committee [DNC] the Democratic Party establishment and their corporate owned media outlets, and the shutting out of Independent voters by way of closed primaries Progressives and Independents are screaming for a third-party.

Only 26% of Americans polled feel that both political parties are doing an adequate job of representing the American people. 60% of American polled say the two political parties are doing such a poor job that a third party is not only needed it’s needed right now!

At no time in America's political history has there been such an outcry for a third political party to be established. In the past, there has not been a huge variance between Democrats and Republican voters on whether a third party was needed. For decades, Independents have been the loudest voice screaming for a third party. However, with 2016 Democratic Party presidential race taking on the appearance of political rigging and voter suppression within the Democratic Party mostly Bernie Sanders supporters, there has been a huge spike in the call for a new Progressive Party. 

Enough With The “Spoiler Argument" The Two-Party System Is Already Rotten To The Core.

The question at hand for advocates of a third party in America is how do you build on this political momentum?

One thing you do not do is to continue to vote for a lesser evil and reaffirming the status quo. That is exactly what happens when we continue to vote for either party’s establishment candidates. Both the Blue and Red party's have brought us to this point. They have colluded along the way, they have created a corrupt perverse system that works for the benefit of the wealthy and is a true Plutocracy. [See Article]

Our government, as it stands today, works for the wealthy and not in the best interest of all Americans. This malady has happened with the collusion and the corporation of both the Democratic and Republican Parties. It[corruption] will continue if we don't right now " while the iron is hot," by people power take charge and send a clear message that " We the People" are not taking it anymore and we are going to change the system of political corruption once and for all. We are not talking about just changing the players that operate with this perverse system they play we are talking about changing the game period. It's time to change the rules. This is what Bernie Sanders message has been from day one we as a collective people have the ultimate power to effect this most needed change. We all must put our heads together organize and get behind a new Progressive Party that operates with new rules geared for the interest of all Americans and we need to start at the local and state levels right away and start preparing for the mid-terms in 2016.

There Has Been A Line In The Sand Drawn For Many Progressive Democrats Who Feel Betrayed By The Democratic Party Establishment.

Where do you as an individual draw the line? Think about it! As a matter of principle, will you draw a line? There have been violations of the "War Powers Clause,"and the "War Powers Resolution." [See Source] When will the lesser of two evils not cut it for you personally? For many of us, this writer included this is what we got when we fell for the Obama 2008 " Hope and Change" declaration and many of us were not focused on the fact that Obama just like Hillary Clinton has turned out to be nothing more than a " Third Way Democrat." [See Article]

Yes, Obamacare has been a big improvement and most Progressives fought tooth and nail in support of President Obama in his fight against the Republican obstruction to its [Affordable Care Act] passage. However, and this writer remembers like if it was yesterday when I heard that Obama had caved on the single-payer opinion and the private for profit Health Insurance Industry skipped on down the streets happy as a Jaybird on Jaybird street knowing now that every American has to buy their perverse products. What irritated this writer most is he [Obama] did not have to cave in and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IW) said it best.

Top Democrat: 'We Had The Votes' For Single-Payer

As Bernie Sanders has made clear in his bid for the Democratic nomination America remains the only industrialize country in the world who relies on for-profit health insurance companies and Obamacare does nothing to change that and was brought to us by the Democratic Party. 

Will you draw the line with impunity on the war criminals from the Bush Administration that in 2008 he spoke of with such disdain and rightfully so but no sooner that he[Obama] got into office he says " let's not bother with bringing them to justice let's move forward." Will you draw a line now that in 2009 Democratic Party " Hope and Change" president Barack Obama signed into law the power for any president to point out any American citizen deemed them to be a belligerent, or terrorist and have life, liberty, and freedom to move about without no legal counsel, no charges, no trial, and you could be incarcerated for life under this 2009 legislation. The first time in the history of America any such legislation ever became law.[See Source]

Finally, will you draw a line in the sand against the obvious rigging of our political process by both the Democratic and Republican Parties?

This argument based on fear by Hillary Clinton supporters and the corporate media pundits that our " Political Revolution," and Bernie Sanders is doing harm to the Democratic Party and our insistence that we will no longer settle for what we perceive to be a lesser of two evils and that for us " Any Blue Want Do" attitude in fact is not harmful it is the example of grassroots Democracy at its best. 

America Needs A Third Party And We Need It Now!

Bernie Sanders Has Changed American Politics Forever!

No One Ever Would Have Believed A Little Known Independent Senator From Vermont Would Change The American Political Landscape Forever.

The remarkable ascent of Bernie Sanders goes much further than an unexpected hard fought political campaign against a political insider and establishment icon Hillary Clinton. Bernie Sanders political revolution has far greater implications. No matter if the Sanders Campaign wins or loses it has already ensured that America's crony capitalism will no longer go unchallenged. As Bernie has said repeatedly "the same old same old will not work." 

However, at the same time, the ascent of Republican Donald Trump means that America is on the verge of becoming demented. Sanders and Trump are opposite reactions to the same problem. America financial elites have become so corrupt, arrogant, and predatory that political leaders like Hillary Clinton who are beholden to them can no longer provide "We the People" economic or political security. 

Many Americans Have Run Out Of Patience 

What the Sanders campaign and his unexpected success have borne out is that millions of Americans are done with status quo politics. American politics for the first time in decades is truly up for grabs. This is both exciting and terrifying when you really put these developments to study. As we have often advocated here in the House of Public Discourse "History Does Repeat Itself in Politics."

The Great Depression produced Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal while in Europe the "Great Depression" yielded us, Hitler and Mussolini. So just like in our world's past America's reaction to our present corruption and decline of the middle-class could bring out our best Bernie Sanders or our worst Donald Trump. 

We hear every day that if Bernie Sanders supporters do not support Democratic establishment insider Hillary Clinton what we will get is the demented Donald Trump as our president and furthermore if he was to get elected he [Sanders] could never get any of his goals done. No way could Sanders break up the banks for example. 

What the Democratic National Committee [DNC], the Clinton Campaign, Corporate owned media, and Hillary supporters are trying to force feed Bernie supporters is that only a pragmatic moderate insider like Hillary Clinton can get things done. What our research here in the House of Public Discourse has found suggest something totally opposite. America insider politics is so corrupted and dysfunctional that no one within it can get anything done. Let's start with Hillary Clinton and the banks. Her husband former President Bill Clinton made Robert Rubin former President of Goldman Sachs Treasury Secretary later came Larry Summer and Laura Tyson. Bill Clinton also reappointed Alan Greenspan as FED Chairman. Collectively they let the banks run wild in fact the Clinton's help them. Bill with Hillary's support repealed "Glass-Stegall" and she [Hillary] opposes reinstating to this day. The Clinton's banned "Derivatives Regulation" refused to use the federal governments authority to regulate the "Mortgage Industry," and did nothing as security fraud overwhelm the internet. 

After leaving office both Clinton's have made millions of dollars giving speeches to the banks while being silent about the prosecution of finical crimes. Now, Hillary Clinton has stated she will rely on Bill for help with economic policies? [See Source]  Bad Idea!

Could Bernie Do Any Better?

• Yes, he [Sanders] could appoint an Attorney General and head of the Dept. of Justice criminal division who have not spent their entire careers defending corporate criminals. Moreover, he could use his authority to invite these appointees to our Justice Departments to put these people in jail instead. 

• Sanders could also appoint an anti-trust division head that would investigate the much cozy cartel-like associations that evade on paying their fair share of taxes and are nothing more than money laundering schemes. These investigations could lead to anti-trust lawsuits against the banks. 

• Sanders could appoint a Federal Reserve chair who would require banks to divest assets and operate safely. Sanders could also demand a regulation on Bankers compensation so if they once again cause a disaster they could not benefit from it personally.

All of this could be done without a single new law being enacted or debated. 

Win or lose Bernie Sanders 2016 Presidential run has given "We the People" the opportunity to create a powerful and everlasting "Progressive Reform Movement." This country has been needing one for a long time and Bernie Sanders has long been a lone voice crying in the wilderness for these reforms. Now, his voice has been heard and this lone cry has become a roar. 

Insider Politics In America Are Totally Broken, But Donald Trump Fascism and Hillary Clinton Establishment Politics Are Not The Answer!

Written By: Johnny Hill