[1]Dear Friends and Neighbors:
Far be it from me to criticize people who want to start a new party to address concerns in our political system. As far as I am concerned, both major parties are too dependent on big money. They have both abandoned basic respect for others in their campaigning. They both have abandoned logic and reason in favor of emotional appeals. They both act as if they hate the other side. What I can’t understand is why the Tea Party should end up supporting the less populist of the two major parties.
If a state like Colorado, Alaska, Kentucky or Delaware elects someone who is a Tea Party/Republican, they are electing a Republican. That person will help the Republicans have a majority. The Republican Party does not have populist DNA. The Republican Party opposes regulation of big business. One could call this freedom…and they do, but letting big business do whatever it wants is not good for you or me.
I mean think about it. These are the insurance companies who take your premiums, and when you are sick comb through your documents to see if they can deny you coverage. These are the oil companies who pollute our environment, and oppose renewable energy. These are the banks that pay their executives millions, if not billions, in bonuses after we bailed them out of the financial crisis that they created.
It doesn’t matter that Tea Party/Republicans have, in their rhetoric, captured some of the anger that Americans feel at our government. The Tea Party/Republicans will vote for Mitch McConnell or John Boehner to lead either the Senate or House. These guys are in bed with the non-populist, corporate, big-money abuse of democracy.
The fact that the originally populist Tea Party has become a supporter of Republicans is the biggest bait and switch I can remember seeing in four decades of watching American politics. I can see why populists might dislike both parties, but in choosing Republicans, they have been conned.
Corporate America and the Republican Party have pulled a fast one.
My Last Email: In “Ballot Measures for Dummies: 2010,” [2]I said, “Vote for letters and against numbers.” This is true for the statewide ballot measures however there are local ballot measures that fund schools that have numbers in them that I would certainly support. I wanted to make this clarification.
Autism: I am a supporter of the Autism Society of Colorado. They do fabulous work for children with autism and the entire disability community. It has come to my attention that there are two relatively easy things that you can do to support this worthwhile organization.
First, Border’s or Waldenbooks is giving a donation to the Autism Society for any purchase made this weekend, October 22 to 24. This applies to stores or online purchases anywhere in the country. Just mention the Autism Society of Colorado to the cashier or enter AUSC1024 for an online code. This is a good opportunity for an early purchase of holiday gifts and support for a good cause at the same time.
Second, the Autism Society is participating in a worldwide, one day, virtual communication shutdown. People with autism have problems communicating. This is a way of seeing, in a very small way, what this is like. Please visit www.communicationshutdown.org [3], sign up today, and forward a request to all your Facebook, Twitter and email friends to sign up too.
Sincerely,
Ken Gordon