Recall

Actions have consequences. Closing the government over the Affordable Heath Care Act is irresponsible.  Recall is a remedy. New Jersey and Wisconsin are two of the states that permit recall of Congressmen.  Swing districts in New Jersey held by Republicans are seats 2,3,5 and 7, in Wisconsin they are seats 1, 7 and 8.  If you live in one of those districts, please act now.

The Danger of Safety

Safe districts are the bane of Democracy.  Extremism in the pursuit of job security is a vice.  Only a few Congressman are so lacking in intelligence, or so ideologically impure, as to believe that denying health care to millions is important enough to justify shutting down the government or defaulting on our national debt.  But their reelection may depend on well postured mendacity.

Money has polluted the system.  Presidential elections come as close as we get to pure democracy.  Through free media, and lavish spending by both sides on paid media, each candidate has ample opportunity to communicate to the American people.  A majority of registered voters go to the polls.  Local elections are different.  Motivated voters and ultraconservative donors are skewing low turn out elections.  The result is Republican legislators  have controlled redistricting.  In 2012, Democratic congressional candidates received one million more votes than their Republican counterparts.  But Republicans retained control of the House.

It is often said that, "All politics are local."  Recently that has been painfully true.