The Time Has Come

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

If only I were as eloquent as Thomas Jefferson.

In every society there comes a time at which government fails and the voices of the governed are lost. Power, rather than a tool of governance, becomes an end in itself, reserved only for those who can afford to grasp it.

That moment is here. That time is now.

The government of the United States of America has become"destructive of these ends" in that it has become a tool for those in power to retain power, for those with means to amass more fortune. Governance has been replaced with self-aggrandizement. The president has become nothing more than a distraction, diverting attention away from a Congress that concerns itself only with preserving -- and expanding -- its own power.

We have tried following the process, unelecting those who are the worst offenders, only to have the replacements be as bad or worse. This is clearly not working, and it's time to try something different.

It's time to shut it down.

Congress comes back from recess the week after Independence Day (the Senate on the 10th, the House on the 11th). I propose we blockade the Capitol beginning July 11th and prevent anyone from leaving until they have accomplished the following:

• Reassert the commitment of the United States to adhering to the Paris Climate Accord.
• Pass term limits for members of Congress. These limits shall state that no person shall be eligible to stand for election if he or she has served up to 14 years, consecutive or not, in any Federal elected office.
• Eliminate private campaign funding for general elections and establish a public campaign fund. Private contributions may be used for primary elections; however, any money that is left over after the primary is deposited into the general campaign fund, where it shall be divided equally among all declared candidates in the general election.
• Eliminate anonymous donor lists from 501(c)(4) organizations. Currently a 501(c)(4) organization, while not permitted to engage directly in political activity, is allowed to solicit unlimited donations from anonymous donors and to donate that money to a corresponding 527 organization. Basically a money-laundering scheme that allows dark money to flow unimpeded. By removing the anonymity of 501(c)(4) donor lists, we can eliminate dark money altogether.
• Set national election days. Move election days for both primaries and the general election to Saturday, and establish Election Day for both primary and general elections as national holidays.

This is a peaceful protest. We will not tolerate violence, destruction of property, looting, rioting, etc. The idea is to put the Capitol under siege until they do their jobs, which is to reflect the will of the people.

We want our country back. #ShutItDown