Obama Romney FP Debate: NPR "We pretend to ask, they pretend to answer" A Jeffersonian View
Channel: Jeffersonian Alliance
Date: 23/10/2012

In the Soviet Union they joked "We pretend to work and they pretend to pay us, Here we can say "We pretend to ask questions, and they pretend to answer" 

The Jeffersonian Solution:

Presidential Debates:
NPR Conclusion is that the two candidates did not differ substantively other than in tone and style.
1. I don't care who "won" -- what I care about is what is new here ? In my view nothing substantive
2. Opinion of US in Middle East
3. Romney back pedals from his Master Race Position. The Neo Con Racist :"
4. This is freely understood. In 2008 -- the differences between the positions of Obama and McCain were stark. Unfortunately Obama did not actually implement many of his policies:
a. No Help For Homeowners
b. No serious investigations leading to real jail time for people who had misused not billions but trillions of dollars, a complete collapse of any pretense of a non rigged game in the case of the Libor scandal. No serious questions posed.
c. Poorly executed stimulus.
d. No attention to African Americans
e. A cynical immigration reform instituted at the last minute -- that is held in place only by Obama's reelection.
f. Claims he would fight back against unbridled centralized power, close Guantanamo, and respect the constitution, when in fact all these things were kept in place
g. The impression that marijuana law enforcement would not be a major objective -- when here in California -- cities and their attempts to legalize and regulate the marijuana trade have been hammered.
h. Bush on Steroids, most severe attacks against whistleblowers by Obama of any admin.
i. No investigative questions about the use of a peacekeeping resolution in Libya to be used to create a full scale war, driving neutrals away from NATO.
j. No questions asked, no real answers given, and no other voices allowed.
k. Because these were not perceived as areas where the candidates had substantial disagreement, these critical issues were ignored. Are not the basic freedoms enshrined in our constitution and bill of rights being taken away from us important enough to be asked in the presidential debates?
l. Had a 3rd party candidate such as Gary Johnson or Jill Stein, and uncorrupt voice been on the stage -- people would have come away thinking at the least, as the 2 major candidates coyly smirked and looked at their shoes thinking "one of those crazy questions outside of the bubble"
m. These debates create the veneer of a democracy -- but their message is that politics is a domain where few choices exist, and that problems in our system are technocratic tweaking problems. They confuse people as to the basic essence of the role of a citizen.
n. If our leaders wont lay out the real issues. (The US has virtually bankrupted itself while enriching defense contractors, bankers and big pharma for examples). The press wont ask real questions. 
o. These debates are little better than Soviet debates in my opinion. There they are Jill Stein and Gary Johnson -- needed voices to put some real new blood and liveliness to this debate which is little better than going to a funeral home for excitement. And they are not allowed in. 
p. It makes me sick.
q. What is the solution ?
i. Utility industries that people can be members of.  Analagous to credit unions and coops. 
ii. This necessity economy only takes a small percent of our work force that is our time. By securing these resources -- anxiety is eliminated. Our whole system is based on inducing feelings of wont. If we have basic local communitarian utility industries -- we can ignore the entire consumerist machine -- and refuse to work beyond these utility industries, draining the swamp in Washington by not funding it, not really caring if it collapses.The federal govts' debt does not have to be your debt. They owe it -- you don't. Same is true in every country. The big corporations pay themselves enormous bonuses, eliminate positions, and fund this democracy strangling media and political monoculture masquerading as choice: Pepsi or Coke! San Quentin or Sing Sing -- Don't buy their products.
iii. These community coops are: 
1. Housing -- no property taxes -- this creates insecurity -- you cannot disconnect from the system -- if you have to labor for it -- and no housing debt -- we raise barns until everyone has a place to live -- and they own it forever and owe no one anything ever.
2. Farmland, Water, Energy. Make your own local power. Use it to propel your own local vehicles.
3. Medical Research University
4. Basic Manufacturing
5. Eliminate taxes by and large, and kick them back in if these communitarian libertarian solutions drop below the average.
iv. This can all be done with a 25% labor contribution annually for an average person. That leaves you with no alienation, no wont, no unfulfilled necessities, no anxiety.
v. To be continued.