Real Democracy

This blog is dedicated to issues and concerns of "Real Democracy."

What is real democracy? [partial list of criteria]

A system where We the People have a legitimate opportunity to shape, implement and evaluate decisions affecting our lives.
The voice of every person counts. All votes are equal.
All people have adequate time and information to make decisions.
Whether the issues are local, regional, national or global; political, social or economic, decisions made without our direct or indirect legitimate input are illegitimate.
The more directly we're involved in decisions which directly affect us, the more democracy or self-governance exists.

What is unreal or phony democracy? [There's much of this in our society.]

Providing input that is not useful (input after the fact or ignored).
Voting on useless things (i.e. online votes for winners of American Idol, best football quarterback, etc.).
Small group meetings (such as focus groups) or surveys designed to find out what we like/dislike for the purpose of marketing a product or service.
Questionnaires connected to fundraising (from political parties, interest groups, etc). Most of these are primarily concerned about raising money.
Elections and the making of public laws where money and influence from a few (i.e. wealthy) drown out the voices and influence of the many.
Regulatory hearings where the public is provided only token opportunities to offer input and where regulators lack the power to control corporate actions.
Any process where business corporations possess constitutional "right" to influence outcomes

Greg Coleridge [GColeridge@afsc.org]

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Monday, January 19th 2009

5:36 AM (310 days, 10h, 2min ago)

THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS

An insightful video connecting the blank check bank bailout with corporate power, self-governance, and other issues...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5524526231174165759&ei=3c9zSdaJDZPiqQLwjIS7BQ&q=Michel+Chossudovsky+THE+FINANCIAL+CRISIS
THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS
The Great Depression of the 21st Century
with Michel Chossudovsky

Causes and consequences of the financial meltdown;
The speculative onslaught;
Financial fraud and the "bank bailouts";
Bankruptcy of the real economy;
Impacts on employment, wages and social services;
Towards a spiralling public debt;
The economic crisis and its relationship to the Middle East war;
The centralization of corporate power;
The concentration of wealth;
The globalization of poverty.
What are the policy alternatives

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