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[paxamicus AT earthlink.net]

I thank you for taking the time to explain at such length.  I wasn't  
sure where you were going with it so I'm really glad I asked. Pretty  
elegant in it's simplicity.


On Jun 10, 2008, at 10:02 AM, bob ford wrote:

> Everything in politics is tied to "advantage".  Remove
> "advantage" and power shifts, in this case back to
> where the Constitution says it belongs, the citizenry
> (the voters).
>
> A group the size of Moveon , could go against instinct
> and proclaim that it's resources and membership would
> temporarily work exclusively for one purpose.  To vote
> every single incumbent out of office.  Forget party
> affiliation, ideology and dogma.  Simply vote against
> the incumbent.  With an insistence that every single
> newly elected official not hire a single aide,
> staffer, beauracrat that had ever worked for a past
> elected official or that that newly elected official
> would, too ,be summarily dismissed in two or six
> years.
>
> Other groups would follow,and individuals would pay
> attention; the cry to "throw them out" has always been
> attractive.
>
> People who have never worked for a an elected federal
> official have no idea of the power of the unelected
> staff.  They never go away.  When Senator Kennedy
> leaves office, for example, if one of his senior aides
> goes to work for a freshman representative, that
> staffer,immediately,  will demonstrate more defacto
> power than the elected official for whom the staffer
> works.  The non-elected beauracrats form the fluid
> pathways between the elected officials and the
> politically and economically advantaged.
>
> The common adage for this simple idea is "throw the
> bums out".  But, you must me willing to throw out
> *all* of them, even *your* bum and to work to throw
> out your favorite "bums".
>
> The point is not to instill fear in the elected
> officials, the point is to remove *advantage* from the
> powerful outside interests.
>
> The elected representatives, while still having to
> address the grievances of interest groups would no
> longer have to fear or depend on them.  People, in
> general, have no idea of the power of groups such as
> AIPAC, AARP, NEA etc.
> The next step would be to make sure the Moveon sized
> group didn't become a power in and of itself.
>
> This idea is simple, not new; but still revolutionary.
> It has never been done
> I probably did a poor job of explaining its
> simplicity.
> Do i think it will occur?  No.  Because it goes
> against short term *advantage* for any group large
> enough to start such a movement.
>
> Like monkeys, we are primates who will not give up to
> a weaker group of monkeys, a good fruit grove on which
> to feed today , even with the knowledge that we could
> have a much better grove tomorrow.
>
> ....hanging by my tail in my coconut tree, hoping
> Tarzan is out of town and Jane wants to go for a
> swim......bobford
>
>
>
>
>
> --- paxamicus AT earthlink.net wrote:
>
> > > But changing the system in D.C.; as difficult and
> > > revolutionary as it might appear; I repeat: is
> > simple.
> >
> > Another thing I'd like to hear more about if you
> > have the time,
> > please. : )
> >
> > Celia
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>
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