Americans Elect Movement

"Men look at the world

and see it as it is and ask why,

I dream about what the world

can look like and I ask, why not?"

Robert F Kennedy

“I stand for the square deal. But when I say that I am for the square deal, I mean not merely that I stand for fair play under the present rules of the games, but that I stand for having those rules changed so as to work for a more substantial equality of opportunity and of reward for equally good service. One word of warning, which, I think, is hardly necessary in Kansas.

“When I say I want a square deal for the poor man, I do not mean that I want a square deal for the man who remains poor because he has not got the energy to work for himself. If a man who has had a chance will not make good, then he has got to quit…

“We must drive the special interests out of politics. That is one of our tasks to-day. Every special interest is entitled to justice - full, fair, and complete - and, now, mind you, if there were any attempt by mob-violence to plunder and work harm to the special interest, whatever it may be, and I most dislike and the wealthy man, whomsoever he may be, for whom I have the greatest contempt, I would fight for him, and you would if you were worth your salt.

“He should have justice. For every special interest is entitled to justice, but not one is entitled to a vote in Congress, to a voice on the bench, or to representation in any public office. The Constitution guarantees protections to property, and we must make that promise good But it does not give the right of suffrage to any corporation.

“The true friend of property, the true conservative, is he who insists that property shall be the servant and not the master of the commonwealth; who insists that the creature of man’s making shall be the servant and not the master of the man who made it. The citizens of the United States must effectively control the mighty commercial forces which they have themselves called into being.

“There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short nor an easy task, but it can be done…

“I believe that the officers, and, especially, the directors, of corporations should be held personally responsible when any corporation breaks the law…

“The absence of effective State, and, especially, national, restraint upon unfair money-getting has tended to create a small class of enormously wealthy and economically powerful men, whose chief object is to hold and increase their power. The prime need is to change the conditions which enable these men to accumulate power which is not for the general welfare that they should hold or exercise.

“We grudge no man a fortune which represents his own power and sagacity, when exercised with entire regard to the welfare of his fellows…We grudge no man a fortune in civil life if it is honorably obtained and well used. It is not even enough that it should have gained without doing damage to the community.

“We should permit it to be gained only so long as the gaining represents benefit to the community. This, I know, implies a policy of a far more active governmental interference with social and economic conditions in this country than we have yet had, but I think we have got to face the fact that such an increase in governmental control is now necessary…

There’s an old saying that’s seems to be appropriate in the existing political environment. Don't poke the Bear…Fore if you do, the likelihood exists, the poker will get mauled.

Prior to the twenty-four hour news cycle; in the times of our forefathers, the townsfolk would gather at the local watering hole to discuss the politics of the day. Picture Bill O’Reilly and Keith Olbermann facing off 20 paces away from one another in a dual. In its stead present time, we are to be content with a ‘no spin zone’ and ‘worst persons in the world’. Entertaining, yet lacking the fortitude of a face to face confrontation, ultimately without a clear winner.

Interestingly enough, a momentous occasion or circumstance leads to change. Change, by its very nature is excruciating slow, yet it's change none the less. The occasion has arrived as ‘We the People’ are disgusted with the circumstances. The time is now we shall no longer be beholden toward being told how to think, whom to hate, and what to do.

In the infancy of our nation, the political parties would nominate their candidates for the various offices by writing on a piece of paper known as tickets; stuffing the tickets in a Ballot Box on Election Day, then tally up the votes. The people conceded this methodology sometime in the mid 19^th century, acquiescing to government regulated and produced ballots.

The ramifications in the name of progress garnered power to political parties. The nominating process led to the elimination of an unconstrained candidate. Reclaiming the nominating process for the most powerful office in the free world seems like a reasonable starting point.

Enter Americans Elect, it is not a third political party. It does however restore the power to ‘We the People’ to nominate a candidate for the Office of the President and Vice president. A third choice on the ballot in all fifty states, which is no minor task in itself. It provides the people a greater voice through the conduit of the first online Convention.

The Nominees for office need not be politicians; they need not be affiliated with a political party or special interest groups. In short, it is another choice in addition to the primaries and caucuses in the present nominating system. The concern is it will have the typical third party effect, as in 1992, when Mr. Ross Perot, garnered 19% of the vote. Therefore, this warrants further examination.

Given the present political environment; an unstable economy; unpopular Congressional and unpopular Executive approval ratings, lends credulity to recapturing our political system of government.

In the interest of the greater good toward progress, I have volunteered for the advancement of this effort as a Delegate for this cause. Those with questions regarding the participation of this movement should feel free to contact me. I was pleasantly surprised by the organizational professionalism of this grassroots effort, granting the people a more direct voice in the Presidential nominating process.

In closing, what I found most appealing is the immediate feedback of the nearly 2 million participants answering roughly an accumulative 5 million questions. Based on a series of questions regarding the economy, education, energy, social issues, immigration, healthcare and foreign policy, one can see where the participant stands alongside their fellow Americans.

I found the results of my answers renewed a feeling of confidence and optimism with respect to our nation’s future direction. I highly recommend perusal of this movement whether a Democrat, Republican or Independent. If nothing else it is educational. Get out the Vote…