Want change? Restore democracy

From Alternet:

Consumer-Driven Culture Is Killing Our Democracy
Terrence McNally interviews Robert Reich

TM: I've been saying since the 2004 election that we need a Restore Democracy Trifecta: media reform for a more informed democracy -- stop (and reverse if possible) media consolidation, offer less false balance (i.e., global warming skeptics are equal to global warming scientists) and more statements of fact. Campaign reform -- public financing, free TV time. Election reform -- transparent, accurate, inclusive and verifiable.

If all progressives got together, campaigned for those three things and succeeded to a meaningful extent, only then would they have a realistic chance to get environmental, healthcare, education, civil liberties or whatever legislation passed. Is that basically in sync with what you're saying?

RR: Absolutely. I keep telling progressives who have particular issues they want to advance [that] nothing is going to happen on your issue or any other progressive issue unless you get together with everybody else who wants change and rescue democracy first.

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Every time I ponder the social changes that must be made in my lifetime, I end up at the same conclusion: we need campaign finance reform. Bottom line, no buts about it, it's the only way to get government back on the people's side. Most people would agree, yet they don't seem fired up to do anything about it. I for one will never stop talking about the need for this reform and I'll never stop endorsing independent and good Green Party candidates who take anonymous campaign donations.

A wise man once said you need social change before policy change, and that's how we have to go about it. Everyone who realizes that their representatives are putting corporate interests first needs to stop voting for corporate candidates. More people need to talk about candidates who are going to do good for the people. As Jello Biafra says, don't hate the media BECOME the media, and that's what blogs, vlogs, whatever, have made much easier. But it doesn't stop at the internet. Call your representatives and tell them what you want. Make sure they know that you know they're not really working for you. And tell them why you didn't vote for them, or why you won't vote for them and their party again. Tell them. Email, letter, phone, picket line, anything.

The time for change was yesterday.