[QUOTE]Originally posted by Guntersmurf
[B]My first suggestion would be to stop reading Michael Moore.

 

You can have a great effect if you get on a Planning or Zoning Commission. Guide how you town grows and quality of life

 

Dog catcher...?

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Guntersmurf
[B]My first suggestion would be to stop reading Michael Moore.

 

If you're going to go for a public office do something local and do not have higher aspirations. All the idiots in our city, state, and national gov't. are corrupt and only care about staying in office. They work under the guise of doing what is best for you but all they care about are the political contributions by large corporations that finance their next election. A couple of examples:

1) Our esteemed Governor (California) just postponed the ban on MTBE which was slated to go into effect at the end of this year. I hope you all like poisoned water because we may all be drinking it in the not too distant future. Just ask the residents of Santa Monica.

2) Our wonderful Congress refuses to enact any meaningful campaign finance reform. They've been using soft money to skirt laws aimed at limiting how much contribution can be made by any single entity and refuse to do what's right because it might affect their chances at the polls. Their is only one state that has meaningful limits on political contributions, and not coincidentally, they elected an independent for Governor in their last election.

3) We are supposedly trying to lessen our dependence on foreign oil sources, yet Congress refused last week to increase gas mileage requirements because of lobbying by the auto industry.

These dumbasses don't care about the individual. So get involved locally but avoid the temptation of thinking you can make a difference at any higher level than that.

 

He sees the world throught the jaundiced eyes of a Castro Democrat. Read P.J. O'Rourke instead.

 

His pessimistic (sarcastic) view is no more unfair, inaccurate, and unhealthy as your extremely optimistic view is, although his is dripping with a sarcasm that you must not have noticed. Our government is not a democracy, it never has been, and it never will be. In its current state, the US government is a republic at best, a business oligarchy at worst. At the lower levels, an individual can still make a difference, sometimes. Once you get into the state and national level, though, it really is an oligarchy. The powerful few control what bills get considered, and can muster resources (financially and in voting) to get their way. Those same few individuals are on the receiving end of large amounts of money from their business supporters, who influence the ultimate voting decisions far more than the "peasants" ever could. Were it not for the well designed checks and balances our government employs, our system would closely resemble a monarchy where the president (or governor) dictated "how it's going to be". The only difference is the "peasants" could vote him out, rather than being forced to kill him in the hope his progeny was better.

Anyway, before this thread gets locked for being political, my advice to Mingster: Start on the school board. Many school boards are filled with inept, misguided individuals. A hard working, intelligent individual can make some good positive changes there, and there is definite 2 way communication between the board members and their clients (parents, teachers, and students). The relationships you build there can help you further your political career if you so desire. Just don't expect it to be easy - schools are underfunded, teachers are woefully underpaid, parents want the world for their children but whine and cry when their property taxes go up 1%, and when budget time comes around, you'll be forced to do things you don't really want to.

Good luck!!!

 

ok, i found my opponent:

http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/board/sec...ers/canter.html

Marlene Canter (i voted for her before).

i wonder when her term's up?