Political Parties and Elections (Also see Democracy …)

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“Using Lotteries to Create an Open Democracy”

May 25, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The June 2023 episode of “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series helps us think about democracy more profoundly, more creatively, and more boldly than we are used to doing. Instead of narrowly electing one person or another, how could we devise a more profound kind of democracy in which ALL people have real voices and real power?  How could we eliminate the corruption caused by big businesses, extremely rich people, and political parties?  How could we empower real people instead of being dominated by a political class of overlords? Anyone anywhere can watch this June 2023 program through this blog: WATCH […]

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“We the People vs. Corporate Rule: It’s up to Us” — May 2023 TV program and article about constitutional amendment

May 23, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The May 2023 episode of “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series makes a solid case for amending the U.S. Constitution in a way that would greatly strengthen democracy and promote fairness and progress for the wide range of issues people care about. For a long time the Supreme Court has given business corporations constitutional rights that our nation’s founders intended only for human beings – and the Supreme Court has allowed Big Money to corrupt our elections. Glen interviewed two well informed guests who are savvy organizers working with the organization Move to Amend.  They explain how we got into this […]

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Poverty results from this: A Quarter of Biden’s Budget Will Go to Pentagon Contractors. They donate heavily to Congress’s armed services committees.

March 26, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

A Quarter of Biden’s Budget Will Go to Pentagon Contractors March 9, 2023:  Today the White House released the President’s budget request, laying out the President’s priorities for the country. Lindsay Koshgarian Originally in National Priorities Project https://ips-dc.org/release-a-quarter-of-bidens-budget-will-go-to-pentagon-contractors/?emci=25fec40e-5dbf-ed11-a8e0-00224832e811&emdi=2e50aed4-6cbf-ed11-a8e0-00224832e811&ceid=3993183   Congress’s Armed Services Committee members received $5.8 million from military companies during 2022 election cycle By Taylor Giorno March 3, 2023 1:43 pm https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/03/armed-services-committee-members-received-5-8-million-from-defense-sector-during-2022-election-cycle/?emci=0661e8b7-c6bd-ed11-a8e0-00224832e811&emdi=8c04c0d9-c4be-ed11-a8e0-00224832e811&ceid=8396435   Here is an interesting post about budgets and military spending: https://stephensemler.substack.com/p/bidens-fy2024-budget-request   World Beyond War created a billboard that connects the dots between military spending and hunger: https://worldbeyondwar.org/explained/   I wrote this article and produced my […]

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Right-wing extremism is a serious threat to democracy in the U.S. and many other countries

March 26, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The right-wing attacks on honest democracy in the U.S. are occurring in other nations too.  They SERIOUSLY THREATEN democracy in the U.S. and elsewhere.  Ordinary people need to organize smart strategies to protect honest democracy, human rights, immigrants, religious minorities, etc. Here are some recent relevant articles:   It can happen here: Lessons from ‘Rise of the Nazis’ on 90th anniversary of Hitler’s coming to power:  https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/2/2/2149419/-It-can-happen-here-Lessons-from-Rise-of-the-Nazis-on-90th-anniversary-of-Hitler-s-coming-to-power?detail=emaildkre&pm_source=DKRE&pm_medium=email   Right-wing extremists dominate some nations and promote chaos instead of competent governance: John Feffer wrote this article explaining that House Republicans, Euroskeptics, Vladimir Putin, and Jair Bolsonaro are the agents of a […]

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Republicans are persistently WRONG + INCOMPETENT about COVID

March 21, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

It’s surprising that anyone trusts the Republican Party after they have screwed up so badly regarding the COVID pandemic.   When the pandemic struck, Trump denied that it was happening.  Then he said it would completely go away within 2 months.  He said it was nothing more than the flu.  He blamed China in a very racist, xenophobic way.  He put incompetent and corrupt people in charge of it.  When he conducted nationwide TV programs about it, instead of providing honest scientific information he promoted “snake oil” cures manufactured by companies his cronies owned, and he used those TV programs […]

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What to do about right-wing extremists who deny election results and oppose honest democracy?

March 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Decent Americans who want democracy to survive and thrive are deeply concerned about right-wing extremists who deny election results and oppose honest democracy.  These include Donald Trump, Kari Lake, and a great number of Republicans and people more extreme than they are. Actually, people who disagree with us differ in some ways from each other, so let’s not lump them all together and become so frightened that we feel overwhelmed and powerless.  We can devise smart strategies to deal with them. The article here provides some fresh information and insights.  The article is titled, “Forget the Deplorables and Focus on […]

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To solve political-social-economic problems, we must organize PEOPLE-POWER grassroots movements

February 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Several years ago, a guest on one of my TV programs said that only 5% of democracy is about voting, while 95% of democracy is about organizing grassroots movements.  I agree. People who have official power (politicians, big businesses, etc.) want ordinary people to feel powerless and get out of the way, so they themselves can make all of the important decisions. Alice Walker said, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” If ordinary people actually did recognize our power — and our huge potential to organize strategically from the grassroots […]

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House Republicans use the phony-baloney “debt ceiling” to hold the U.S. hostage and cut programs we really need

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Mainstream news media keep giving credibility to Republican propaganda about the “debt ceiling.” The “debt ceiling” is NOT in the Constitution.  It is simply a law that could be repealed, but Democrats keep failing to take that necessary action.  Congress has routinely increased it — including in every year of the Trump regime — but when Republican Newt Gingrich had power in the House and when Democrats Obama and Biden have been President, Republicans act like terrorists and hold our nation hostage and threaten to shut down our government because they want to cut spending for programs we really need, […]

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Here is what a REAL “Christian nation” would look like

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Right-wing Christians and most Republicans keep saying they want the U.S. to be a “Christian nation.” But they do NOT want it to be the kind of society that Jesus was actually promoting. Jesus NEVER objected to abortion or homosexuality or immigration. What Jesus REALLY kept teaching and practicing are ethical, humane, loving, compassionate actions: Feed the hungry Heal the sick Welcome the stranger (and the foreigner and other ethnic groups) with equal human dignity as ourselves Instead of attacking LGBTQ persons or persons who want abortions, Jesus REPEATEDLY LAMBASTED: Rich people who failed to share with the poor Self-righteous […]

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Nonviolent Ways to Heal Our Society’s Dysfunction — Watch Glen’s TV program online or on cable

February 2, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The February 2023 program on “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series provides insights and inspiration to help people solve problems that have been getting worse in our society. After mentioning some serious problems, we pivot toward proposing some smart nonviolent ways to solve the problems.  This TV interview is positive, upbeat, creative and practical. Rivera Sun is the expert guest who helps us explore these topics.  Rivera Sun is an author, activist, and the Programs Coordinator for Pace e Bene / Campaign Nonviolence. People in Thurston County WA who have cable TV can watch it on channel 22 three times a […]

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Urge WA Legislature to repeal Tim Eyman’s anti-tax propaganda on our ballots

January 27, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The 2023 Washington State Legislature has an opportunity to do something good for democracy. For many years, Tim Eyman has CLUTTERED OUR BALLOTS WITH MEANINGLESS “ADVISORY VOTES” that are really ANTI-TAX PROPAGANDA! Some years ago he fooled voters into approving a statewide initiative to put these on the ballot.  They have NO LEGITIMATE PURPOSE.  They merely rile up voters with anti-tax hysteria.  Every time the legislature increases tax on anybody in any way — even by finally making certain kinds of businesses pay their fair share — and even by closing a stupid loophole — Tim Eyman’s stupid initiative triggers […]

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The “debt ceiling” is a Republican scam to prevent funding programs we need.

January 25, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The media are currently obsessed with the “debt ceiling” and are grossly distorting the realities! The “debt ceiling” is NOT in the Constitution.  It’s just a law — a law that has been changed many times. Republicans keep using it to bully Democrats into cutting Social Security, Medicare, and other important programs that people really need.  Republicans NEVER call for cutting the Pentagon budget. Spending is one side of the ledger.  The other side is TAXES.  Republican who are worried about deficits and the public debt NEVER call for raising taxes on RICH PEOPLE or BIG BUSINESSES.  They want to […]

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Nuclear weapons “Doomsday Clock” is the closest to midnight it’s EVER been!!!

January 25, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

On January 24, 2023, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced that they have moved the Doomsday Clock even closer to midnight.  Now it’s at 90 seconds.  This is the closest it has EVER been – closer than the peak of the Cold War and closer than 1962’s Cuban Missile Crisis. See their announcement here:  https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/current-time/   I’m providing more information below about the Doomsday Clock.  But FIRST WE MUST RECOGNIZE that the world needs us to strengthen our organizing to ABOLISH nuclear weapons!  Here are two resources: (1) I’m attaching a list I created of excellent sources of information […]

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CALENDAR of COMING EVENTS — JAN-FEB 2023

January 21, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Every few weeks I’ll be posting a CALENDAR of COMING EVENTS. It lists a CALENDAR of SPECIFIC EVENTS during the next few weeks.  After that long list, it includes some recurring events for every day, every week, and every month, so please scroll down through the entire document to see MANY opportunities for a WIDE VARIETY of issues. Here is my calendar for JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023: CALENDAR — 2023 JAN-FEB      

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Use humor to deal with Trump

January 8, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

One of the effective — and under-used — strategies of nonviolent resistance to bullies is to use humor and satire.  Donald Trump’s exaggerated ego and his cruel and criminal behaviors have made him a perfect object for humor and satire.  Consider these:   In 2 ½ minutes, this rewrite of the decades-old song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” nails Trump!  Click here:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkU1ob_lHCw     Here is a 4 ½ minute video of Trump and The Simpsons.  This really does need to be watched.  It is hilarious, true, and sometimes scary:  https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7zfso2     A new card for Trump:  A new […]