Sleeping Giant Stirs

I read an editorial in this morning paper that should give Americans food for thought, but I doubt if they even will take a bite.

The article begins by commending Colorado's Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) that restricts government's growth. The bill was initiated and passed as a constitutional amendment a decade ago by the citizens of Colorado. This law requires the state to refund tax payments in excess of the prior year's collections after adjustment to inflation and population growth. It means the state's politicians can no longer tax as much as they want, nor squander as much as they can get away with.

The editorial then go on to laud California Governor, Arnold Schwartzenegger who wants Californians to pass his version of TABOR called "Live Within Our Means Act" that would limit state budget growth to the average budget growth of the past three years.

The difference between the Colorado and California plans, however, is that in Colorado the citizens initiated the program and in California, the state did the initiating. Colorado's is a bottom-up law while California's is the usual top-down sneaky law.

In November, more than a dozen states will have a TABOR bill, or a candidate proposing one, on the ballot. Many states already possess what they call "Taxpayers Bill of Rights". Most, however, are all meaningless, merely declaring what citizens can or cannot legally do. Few of these bills restrict the power of politicians to tax and spend.

Furthermore, as usual, the political power structure in Colorado--via the governor--is currently proposing "Referendum C" that will allow the state to keep excess tax money and, in essence, begin the chipping away of TABOR.

What I wish to point out in this blog is that Colorado's TABOR is an example of how direct democracy (true democracy) works as opposed to how representative democracy (pseudo-democracy) does. In DD the citizens initiate the laws and regulations under which they live, whereas in the pseudo-democracy under which we Americans live, the opportunistic politicians and their wealthy masters do.

Common citizens all over the world are dipping their toes into the waters of DD and bottom-up law-making, timidly beginning their revolution against the corruption, militarization, and wars initiated by top-down governments.

If you haven't already done so, I recommend visiting the website www.movementfordirectdemocracy.com just to see what's really going on in the world outside the fantasy world of illusion created by the American mass media.

Just remember, our world could be a better place to live, for the future will be whatever current generations will it to be. What do you will it to be, and how will you help to make it happen?

Have a wonderful day!

I'm a 75 year old (2005) retired graphic designer. I'm married, and have two children. I spend most of my days on the computer corresponding with other Americans who are upset with the deteriorating conditions in the country and with people all over the globe who feel as I do about the miserable conditions suffered by the masses of humanity, discussing ways to change things for the better.

I'm a quiet person and publishing a diary of my thoughts to be read by strangers is a little intimidating. Add to this the fact that all of the things I'm angry about are social problems many people shy away from in the mistaken belief they are unsolvable, and I doubt if I'll ever get much of a readership. But the problems of poverty, illiteracy, violence and war are not unsolvable, for they have been caused by people (sometimes deliberately), and so they can be solved by people.

The motivation for producing this blog (and my website) is the frightening future American children, and the children of the world will face, if some wealthy Americans are successful in their plans to conquer the planet via economic means. Today, in 2005, not only has their economic strategies been successful, but their political puppets have finally taken full control of the American political system and in their maniacal drive for empire have converted this rich and powerful country into a typical arrogant, war mongering bully, not much different than the Roman empire or any other primitive, powerful nation of the past. But they can be stopped dead in their tracks by a determined, unified people who have the will to stop them, for the only weapon needed is the vote.

The purpose of this blog is to help Americans develop the will to change things for the better, for there are better ways for people to live than the hierarchical "American Way," which is biased toward wealthy citizens and uncaring about the rest of us. And though my blogs may be complaints and criticisms of one aspect or another of government policy or of our traditional culture and institutions, I will always try to end on a hopeful note by pointing to solutions.

I have always believed that most people will do the right thing when confronted with a crisis. And the crisis does exist. Some super-wealthy Americans are determined to extinguish any real possibility of true democracy shining its rays of hope on planet Earth. With "9/11" as their battle cry and with their detestable "Patriot Act," they are quickly removing the protections from their oppressive ways our Constitution has provided us, and just as quickly adding to their tools of repression and oppression.

With that said, let me begin my journey into blogsville.