The Golden Rule, 2010

With apologies to those of you who may already have seen this article via my Facebook page, let me recommend that you take a few minutes to read America's Political Class Struggle, by Jeffrey D. Sachs. I'll wait while you do.

As skewerings of our dysfunctional and worthless political parties go, it doesn't get much more literate and on-target than this. I wish I could have written this quote:

The problem is America’s corrupted politics and loss of civic morality. One political party, the Republicans, stands for little except tax cuts, which they place above any other goal. The Democrats have a bit wider set of interests, including support for health care, education, training, and infrastructure. But, like the Republicans, the Democrats, too, are keen to shower tax cuts on their major campaign contributors, predominantly rich Americans ... The level of political corruption in America is staggering. Everything now is about money to run electoral campaigns, which have become incredibly expensive. The mid-term elections cost an estimated $4.5 billion, with most of the contributions coming from big corporations and rich contributors. These powerful forces, many of which operate anonymously under US law, are working relentlessly to defend those at the top of the income distribution ... (and) both parties are implicated. There is already talk that Obama will raise $1 billion or more for his re-election campaign. That sum will not come from the poor.

Welcome to the 2010 version of The Golden Rule: He who has the gold makes the rules.

Just a little something for you to chew on intellectually as you get ready for the Republicans and the Democrats to compete for the purchase of the presidency in 2012.

You can - and should - go ahead and vote. But if your vote isn't backed by a whole lot of zeroes to the left of the decimal point on your campaign contribution, you might just as well write in my name for all the good it will do.

And no matter what the Tea Party zealots mindlessly shout, I don't think this is what the Founders had in mind.

Get angry about the sale of your government. Demand better from your elected reprehensives, but expect worse. Then you won't be disappointed.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo