Do we need the Establishment? Yes or No

[IronLionZion]

The Establishment is the powerful people who can make or break any candidate. They have influence, money, and control of the media. These are the special interests, lobbies, corporations, and other rich powerful people who support both Democrats and Republicans.

Do we need them? Because they will control the president later on. Their laws will be signed, their wars will be fought, their corporations will get contracts, etc.

Or can the people do it ourselves? Complete grass-roots funding and the President will do what the people want him to do.

This is important because it is a major reason that I haven't signed on to the Clark camp. I am currently in the Dean camp.

Your thoughts:

PS: the rich contributors to the Green party are called Woody Harrelson ;-)

[unfrigginreal]

1. HaHa...hoodwinked is a term that comes to mind. n/t

[IronLionZion]

4. how so?

are you saying Dean is fraud? He seems sincere in his anti-establishment crusade. So far he is people-powered Howard with so many small contributions.

:wtf: :bounce:

[redqueen]

2. No.

But many are well-conditioned to believe we do.

[Zorra]

3. No. Every American must have an equal voice in government.

And the "Establishment" insures that we don't.

[loudsue]

We need them as prison labor, only...in the prisons THEY built...

Howzzat?


:kick:

[ShaneGR]

5. We need both, always

People forget what happened to Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, and Gore. All 4 of them had 1 of the two, but neither had both.


4 more years of Bush, think about it. Imagine it. Avoid it.

[IronLionZion]

7. I completely agree

The establishment is welcome to support candidates and average people are welcome too. I just really wish the PEOPLE had the power once he's elected. The Establishment comes down hard on "outsiders" like Dean and props up "insiders" like Gore.

Clinton managed to have both and he won. And for the most part he did a great job.

[arewethereyet]

6. yes

the grass roots can't compete money-wise. It takes a lot more work to get a dollar from a thousand people than a thousand from one and there are only so many hours in the day.

Great idea but its only achieved by eliminating money from the picture altogether. No TV, no print just publish platforms and speak to real people and have debates aired free to all. And absolutely none of those annoying cardboard signs staped up all over creation ! (OK that last one is a personal gripe.)

Do that and then there are no backs that need to be scratched in return.

[maggrwaggr]

8. The establishment is part of the problem

In fact they're a big part of the problem.

They're free to vote for the nominee along with everybody else. Aside from that, fuck 'em.

One person, one vote. To hell with the "establishment".

Throw ALL the bums out!