Another World Is Possible... And It's Necessary!

THE MOTTO:

Another World Is Possible…And It’s Necessary!

THE PROBLEM:

“We, The People” have been excluded from decision making.

WHAT HAPPENED TO DEMOCRACY?

(PUBLIC AIRWAVES AND CORPORATE MEDIA)

The endless pursuit of corporate profit has guided our government policy onto a perilous course that must be changed. Private campaign contributions, lobbyists and personal business interests of government officials have effectively transformed this democracy into a corporatocracy. Private media giants serve their own rather than the public’s interest. A government of the corporations, by the corporations and for the corporations which does not consider the well being of the people at large, nor that of the planet on which we live.

With less than 50% voter turnout, the United States ranks 139^th out of 172 democratic nations. This is likely due to the fact that most people, like myself, recognize that there is essentially no difference between the two corporate parties that run the show. The corporate interest is well represented while the interest of the multitude is left by the wayside. However, by not participating, the public further hands the reigns over to the corporate elites. This cycle must be stopped!

WHAT HAPPENED TO GOVERNMENT?

(PRIVATIZATION = WE PAY AND WE LOSE)

In the past three decades we have witnessed the wholesale privatization of practically every function of government, from highways to military to prisons to disaster relief. This process has left the United States with a dubious reputation among other industrialized nations: 1. Highest number of incarcerated citizens per capita, 2. Highest percent of citizens without health care, 3. Highest death rate from treatable diseases, 4. Highest rate of homicide and violent crimes with guns, 5. Largest military budget, and 6. Largest arsenal of nuclear weapons. The neo-liberal (capitalist) quest for “emerging markets” has made incarceration, illness, warfare and natural disaster response into very profitable industries, and guess who foots the bill? The taxpayers and the environment.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MIDDLE CLASS?

(THE RICH GET RICHER AND…)

The income gap is skyrocketing: according to 2005 statistics, the wealthiest 300,000 Americans collectively received as much income as the bottom 150 million Americans. Per person, members of this top group received 440 times as much as the average person in the bottom half earned, which is double the income gap from 1980. “As of 2001, the top 1% of households (the upper class) owned 33.4% of all privately held wealth, and the next 19% (the managerial, professional, and small business stratum) had 51%, which means that just 20% of the people owned a remarkable 84%, leaving only 16% of the wealth for the bottom 80% (wage and salary workers).” (Domhoff, G. William. Wealth, Income & Power. 2005 www.sociology.ucsc.edu)

The current system and the course on which it has set our nation can only be characterized as insane, destructive and unjust.

THE SOLUTION:

Stand up for policies that really help us! Vote for what you believe, not who you think can win.

INDEPENDENT, GRASSROOTS POLITICS:

(GET UP, STAND UP)

Rallying behind the Democrats, the “lesser of two evils,” will not end this current destructive pattern. The Democratic Party, as Edwin Laing said, is “where social movements go to die.” Independent, grassroots politics in conjunction with direct action are the only way the population at large has ever won anything from the power elites.

The environment, the quality of our lives, the lives of innocent civilians and soldiers in uniform… these are issues that are worth standing up for and at least trying to improve.

While one congressional representative cannot change the entire system, he/she can fight for reforms that will improve our daily lives and, more importantly, develop a political consciousness/solidarity among the people who will collectively make the real changes in the long run.

Please visit my campaign planks as well as those of other candidates, become a well informed voter and cast your vote based on what you believe will best serve us all collectively!

ThankYou,

Todd Vachon for Congress
CT 2^nd District

WWW.VOTEVACHON.COM