Some readers have asked me, given the previous blog, what to do.  Certainly a reasonable question.  I made a quick answer in the comments, here’s a more considered post with five suggestions, the first able to be implemented today.  

First, support local
economies.  These problems are in
large part the result of corporate and especially financial domination of our
government.  No group benefits more
from political centralization and rendering the average American powerless than
big business, despite all their talk of free enterprise and competition.  And they use their power to eliminate
local variations because that makes it easier for them and harder for smaller
competitors. 

Given that reality, all of us,
would be wise to do everything practically possible to support local economies,
local banks, local businesses. 
Shift your accounts to a local or regional bank.  Shift to locally owned grocery stores
if not to farmers’ markets.  Shift
away from chains wherever reasonably possible.  Make Amazon.com the source of last, not first resort, unless
you buy used stuff.  Try and make
being local as important as brand recognition is now. Urge your friends to do the same. 

You might pay a bit more, but
consider that cost the price of possibly someday getting your country back and
enjoying a healthy local economy in the meantime.  Or save a little of your money in the short run, buy from
big corporations, patronize big banks, and be honest with yourself that saving
a little money now is more important to you than weakening this immoral
oligarchy that is destroying what made this country an inspiration to others.  You can start buying
local today if you are not already doing so.

Second, if your state has an
initiative system, help get a “Three Strikes and You’re Out” measure on the
ballot for corporations. 
Corporations claim to be legally people, so treat them that way.  If a corporation is found guilty of
three felonies it becomes a habitual offender, with its assets are seized and
sold, with its shareholders getting nothing, the money raised going to
education for non-managerial employees and to pay off public debt.  In that order.

Third, push for an initiative
mandating that all state elections, as well as to the House of Representatives
and the Senate, be by majority vote with instant runoff for cases where no one
gets a majority unless the state legislature adopts another runoff method
within two months of passage. 
(This latter part is to prevent the main parties from trying to defeat
the measure by criticizing whatever runoff method is adopted.  It’s up to the state legislature, with
a tried and effective method automatically coming into existence if they do not
act.)

Fourth, never ever give the
national Democratic Party or the other party a thin dime.  Save any donations you make for
candidates you know are not – will I almost wrote whores, but whores give value
for services paid. Scam artists is a better term.  By any standard whores are superior to the Democratic
leadership.  Regardless of what you
think of whores (I have no problem with them, myself), these guys are worse.
Give to individuals or to vetting groups whose values are in harmony with your
own. 

Fifth, push for public financing of
campaigns combined with a ban on lobbying for money by any elected
representative for at least 20 years after ceasing to hold office.  This eliminates conflict of interest on
both ends.  They already get a good
pension, and if necessary we’d be ahead of the game to double their pensions
along with a lifetime ban on lobbying. 
If someone wants to lobby, they can do it the way the rest of us do – writing
letters, visiting a congress critter, and NOT getting paid for the effort.  If these requirements are too onerous
for someone who wants to run for public office, the public would be better off
without that person in office.

These are constitution-level
reforms, but are able to be accomplished at the state level in all but the final case.  Even that one could be instituted at the
state level, with good results. 
All are pretty neutral regarding any actual issues other than weakening
the hold of the corrupt on our throats. 
You can be a liberal or centrist or a genuine conservative, and stand
almost anywhere on almost any issue, and find value in them.