We have to use this new space to organize, to demonstrate, to build support for a TRUE progressive program.

Like any other officeholders, the newly elected Democratic Congress will try to do as little as possible to reward grass-roots and activist support. We have to hold their feet to the fire!

We should now be planning mass rallies to coincide with the swearing-in of the new Congress on peace, social justice, economic justice and electoral reform.

And continued organization to build on the start we have made.

Let's get to it.

Economic justice would comprise measures to reduce concentration of wealth at the very top and to make sure the working people who actually create the wealth get their proper share of it.

It would include a higher minimum wage(at the least) and could also include properly taxing the wealthiest(including preserving the estate tax) and finally creating single-payer health care.

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working people who actually create the wealth get their proper share of it.

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But I'll echo your sentiments Ken... When I left the election coverage and headed to bed, it was 49 repubs to 48 dems in the senate with 3 seats that looked like they were going to the Democrats... My last thought before dozing off was 'Sweet, now I can like my American neighbors again'

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Yes, I know the Democrats are likely to the right of our Conservatives... But I don't see this as a Democrat victory I don't think the majority of swing voters voted pro-Democrat, they voted anti-Repbulican and anti-Bush admin... And I whole heartadely support the American peoples rejection of Bush and quite enjoyed watching the world cheer the results.

[ 09 November 2006: Message edited by: Noise ]

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As I stood in line for coffee on the morning after election night, a Democratic Party supporter ahead of me in line said, "Thank God this country is finally switching trains."

If only that were true.

On Election Day 2006, the U.S. public didn"t switch trains but simply ratified a different group of conductors.

It"s the same old train, on the same tracks, heading in the same direction.

This isn"t an argument that there are never any meaningful differences between politicians; sometimes it does matter who is giving the orders on the train. But on this day after the morning-after, it"s crucial for those with a critical perspective to highlight that this train -- contemporary U.S. society -- is barreling forward toward disaster, no matter who"s punching tickets.

Here"s the unavoidable reality: Our train is on an unsustainable course in cultural, political, economic, and ecological terms. In a predatory corporate capitalist economy in an imperial state -- a system that values the concentration of wealth and power, and devalues people -- certain things are inevitable:

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Just like Canada.

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Originally posted by Porteno_Canuck:

That sounds like capitalism. shouldn't it be from those according to ability to those accroding to need. If someone creates more wealth than they need, i don't see how that can be justice.

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The capitalists are always free to move to deserted island together and start from scratch. That should entail about 2 - 3 million or so high net-worth Americans living on compound interest and the backs of working Americans.

On that new island named Galapagos Inc., the superrich can delegate tasks to other superrich members of society. Like who will build hospitals and roads and pay for education and sewers and water and electric power generation and distribution, policing, schools, and military to prevent other marauding capitalists from taking them over with a mercenary army.