Combining Forces

How do we challenge the establishment? There are so many ways. Here's another.

First, we need to remind ourselves that there is such a thing as an honest conservative;

Actually, many principled conservatives came out of the woodwork in the later days of the Dubbya Bush administration. Some of them went as far as to write books, like "What Happened," by former Press Secretary Scott McClellan, and "Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause," by Reagan era direct-mail pioneer Richard Viguerie.

Principled right and left wing constituencies, individually, might be too small to change the establishment power structure. However, when they combine forces, they have proven to have the power to overcome the establishment.

Stopping Media Consolidation: An example was, in 2003, when both conservative and liberal organizations combined forces to stop further ownership consolidation of corporate media. The establishment power-grab galvanized the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Pro-choice group NARAL, among others, into a powerful coalition that led to victory.

Auditing the Federal Reserve: Today, right and left populist leaders Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich are calling for an audit of the Federal Reserve. The Fed, which is actually a chartered private entity, quasi governmental at best, is supposed to balance wall street and main street economic interests. It has, however, tilted strongly toward the big banking interests, of which it is a part.

Obama's proposed response to the on-going financial industry debacle is to give the Fed more power to oversee the financial industry. With so much at stake, and a Fed history of secrecy, Americans should know have access to the Fed's books before giving this institution more power. The left and right coalition could make an audit a reality, thereby overcoming deep establishment power.

AND, with our voices backing this call for transparency, we could prevail.

Psssst... Do Something

• Contact the US Senate
  
• Contact the House of Representatives

What Can We Do?

That's a question most of us hear often; people understand that both the Republican and Democratic parties have been captured by corporate power. We realize we're on our own, and we don't know what to do about it. Or do we?

The answer is 'yes.' We do know what to do... it's just that most people don't really want to do it.... what ever "it" is... it's hard work, long days, decisions you'd rather not deal with, phone calls and schedules, feelings of self-worth, connecting with people who feel the same way you do, hopeful signs of progress, growing numbers of active Americans reasserting their mutual will over their republic. Doesn't sound so that bad, does it?

In the coming days and weeks this blog will delve into bedrock questions about the elephant in the room and what to do about it. I invite people to contribute as co-authors. If you're interested, send an e-mail to gdaeman ak yahoo doc com

Women are Smarter....

I'm in "Challenge the Establishment" mode, and today I provide another strategic element. Women are at the front of the movement in Iran, and have been through out history.

The Greatful Dead knew it:

It ain't me
It's the people that say
Men are leading the women astray
But I say, it's the women today
Smarter than the man in every way

The People are hungry for real change, which is why they voted for Obama, a man whose words, and past deeds, resonated with that desire for changing the established system ... Unfortunately, the Office of the US President is not controlled by Obama, nor his senior staff... it's controlled by the establishment powers that helped put Obama into that office.

Can we change that? If so, how?

The simple answer is that "we the people" need to expose the illegitimacy of that establishment control and assert/insert our control. Simple in concept, yet difficult in practice.

This question of how to change the establishment power structure is at the root of so many other questions about creating positive social change. How? There is no silver bullet; however, women must and will play a central role if we are to succeed.

Examples across history demonstrate that women have the moral authority and courageous capacity to affect deep social change. This theme will be revisited in the weeks to come.

Inviting All Who Want to Challenge the Establishment

Recently I've had the experience of feeling "enough is enough." Obama is beholden to the established order, the status quo, "the establishment," and it's time for those of like mind get organized to strive for real change.

I've already been blogging for a few days on this topic at GDAEman Blog. But I decided that, if the blog name "Challenge the Establishment" was available, then I'd nab it and share it with anyone who wants to use it.

So, let me know if you want to be a partner in this. Contact me at GDAEman at yahoo dot com and I'll hook you up.

More to come.