Free tool monitors public procurement for corruption

Homepage - Transparency International-USA:

• TI-USA has recently completed the Civil Society Procurement Monitoring (CSPM) Tool, a web-based tool that is meant to support Civil Society Organizations and individuals who are engaged in monitoring public procurement.

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It is unclear if Dr. Gallup's favored govt. reforms will ever become reality on a nationwide basis, but Americans still largely view them as worthy ideas

Americans in Favor of National Referenda on Key Issues:

• A majority of Americans back three political reform ideas, including 68% who favor national referenda on key issues if enough voters sign a petition to request a popular vote on the issue. Roughly six in 10 favor a shortened presidential campaign lasting five weeks in the fall of an election year and a nationwide primary election to select each party's candidates for president.
• Americans have long supported specific reforms to the political system that would increase the influence of average citizens and decrease the sway of elected representatives, political parties, and special interest groups. These reforms include national issue referenda, campaign finance reform, and basing the presidential election outcome on the popular vote. Perhaps it is not surprising Americans would favor steps that would make their voices more influential in determining government policy.
• However, nearly 40 years after Dr. Gallup proposed several reform ideas, few of these have become reality in the U.S. political system. Certainly, it is difficult to amend the constitution to change some of the basic ways the system operates, or even to pass legislation to change long-standing practices. Legal challenges have also thwarted or weakened legislative attempts to reform the system, such as campaign finance reform laws. In some cases, such as with the presidential primary system, the government and political parties have made reforms but stopped short of more radical change along the lines of the nationwide primary Dr. Gallup advocated. And although the federal government has not adopted referendum or term limits, many U.S. states have in recent decades.

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Fight against Corporatocracy

Fight against Corporatocracy
By David Weller


What is the Citizens United case
cost to democracy?
Granted, not all
Americans are democratic.
In fact, some are for
free speech for corporations.
Do you trust companies
when you vote?
Should you trust them
and their campaign messages?
Let's see; corporations
are legal entities.
Their goals are the same--
to increase the dollar value
of their owners.
Does that sound like
the goals of the United States?
Corporations are not people.
People is the population
of America.
Why should I vote for
government benefiting corporations?
How does that help America?
Just think what Corporatocracy
means for the USA--
for the defense department,
for the department of state,
for the department of education?
The overturning of Citizens United
is the best thing real people can do.
Just ask your favorite
Washington, DC ethics watchdog
what you can do right now.

The case for Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein

I know she stands a small chance to get elected, but I'm more than tired of people professedly voting for the lesser of two evils.  Our nation is building a terrible debt for our children and grandchildren, and I don't have any hope for change from the two monoliths that are the Demos and Repubs.

She is forwarding a "Green New Deal" that calls for gov support for new jobs that better the environment (and thus our economy.)  After all, good conservation practices and producing new environmentally friendly products are good for the bottom line-- for companies and the gov.

She would also carry a great mandate to take a lot of money out of today's politics, money that has an undue inside influence over the offices of our own representatives.

Above all, she will fight climate change by improving the environment.  The oceans are rising and will continue to unless we do our part in the world community of lowering the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere; most of the rest of the world is waiting on the US to actually do something about it-- we are one of the world's most wasteful countries.

A vote for Jill Stein is a vote for the positive values of a much greener economy for ours, and the world's, sake.  Thanks for listening.  David Weller, Activism News

For more information, please visit JillStein.org.

Ross Perot's positions for government reform still hold true for today

This is a position statement by Ross Perot when he ran for president of the United States in 1992 and 1996.  Mr. Perot single-handedly opened up the national debates on critical issues such as the national debt, campaign finance reform / special interests, and fair trade / saving American jobs.  Many of his national concerns have now come into full fruition, and it is still up to us to reform our political system for a sustainable future.


POSITION STATEMENT:

I WANT TO BE YOUR PRESIDENT... I care deeply about the legacy we are leaving to our children.  We are at a critical moment in our nation's history and our failure to act now will leave the children of tomorrow a broken and destroyed nation.

With the prospect of a soaring $5-TRILLION DEBT, out-of-control spending is destroying our future.  It is time we - not the special interests - determine our future.

My commitment to you is:

• The highest ethical standards for officials at all levels of government
• Real campaign finance reform
• Balance the budget and pass a balanced budget amendment
• A new tax system that is fair and less complicated
• Trade agreements that promote fair trade and American jobs for future generations
• Protect Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security for the elderly while creating a new sustainable system for future generations

By working together, we can solve these problems and leave a better, stronger country to our children and grandchildren.

As your president, I will be proud to work for you, the OWNERS of this GREAT NATION!

ROSS PEROT