Some Thoughts on Politics

[Grambino2012]

You are very thoughtful and pretty, for a white trash girl

[RadicalComedy]

Thats why I am an independent too. I see both sides and agree with them "in parts"...but then being labeled as an independent leaves the stereotypes rolling the ball...I dont have the answer to this but I feel in the end, money brings no fullfillment except fake friends who like a person only because they have money and self indulgence keeps people from ever being happy cause someone elses problems arent theres. ~Raven

[achampag]

@RadicalComedy i miss your comments <3 i hope to be making vids again in may

[DigitalAquarius]

Good job great video!

[substanti8]

You ask a lot of good questions. I'll offer some responses to specific parts of your monologue:

1:40

The elite to which you refer is a capitalist elite. Capitalism is the system that creates the great divide of money and power. Karl Marx showed his genius when he offered the world one of the best critiques of capitalism ever written. Now his proposed solutions are a different matter. But I STRONGLY suggest that you read Marx, or read those who offer summations of Marx.

[substanti8]

(continued)

2:35

Yes, exactly. Greed is a powerful force that undermines the collective good.

BTW ... this video provides an easy introduction to Marx with cartoons set to his actual words:

watch?v=0KUl4yfABE4

It's amazing that he wrote this way back in 1848.

Again, it's important for us to NOT reject his criticism just because we don't like communism. There are other solutions.

[substanti8]

(continued)

3:30

Too many Americans are indifferent to the suffering of others because they have a stunted sense of collective responsibility. Capitalism nurtures the development of individualism, because the unleashing of unsatisfied individual material desire creates the best environment for profit.

In contrast, collectivism is all about RESTRAINING individual desire, through a negotiated process, for the common good.

We have lost the balance between individualism and collectivism.

[substanti8]

(continued)

3:56

The "right-left paradigm" (as you call it) only SEEMS false because the "left" in this country is not against the established order -- even though opposition to established power defines what "left" means in the first place!

Instead, we have two flavors of the same capitalist facilitation. There is no anti-capitalist understanding among the populace because the wonders of consumerism have drowned it out. People are fed just enough prosperity to maintain their complacency.

[substanti8]

(continued)

Another important issue to consider is SCALE. This empire of ours has grown far too large to be democratically run. I say that a republic with 300 million people is an impossibility. The currency of democracy is healthy communication, and we cannot have that with millions of people being represented by ONE person in Congress.

Democracy does not scale.

The solution lies in decentralization -- which means breaking up Leviathan into smaller pieces that are more democratic.

[achampag]

i have enjoyed reading your comments, and thank you for them. i agree w you, esp about the issue of scale....

i will have to reflect on all these tom, after some rest.

i also agree i should read some marx.

[atree3]

good vid

[mrdragon2010]

I really agree with you girl! We need to unite as a human race and see who the oppressors really are. I like to think that the earth is a creature and all of us that live on it are (cells)... We the people are what keep it alive and the people with all the money are a virus.

[j0hnwi11iams]

I don't it is a case of when we stopped giving a shit, to use your vernacular, I think it is a case of people waking up and certainly some earlier than others. There is a very interesting theory of intellectual development called spiral dynamics that gives a lot of insight into how people think and how they are naturally inclined towards one party or the other.

The media is constantly competing with normal life for our attention and I think this does a lot to skew priorities.

[IsaacBickerstaffEsq]

The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when one asked me what I THOUGHT, and attended to my answer. I am surprised, as well as delighted, when this happens, it is such a rare use he would make of me, as if he were acquainted with the tool. -- Thoreau

[achampag]

so great to see you isaac....thank you for the quote, am trying to get it lol

[BrennanNovak]

You are awesome! Such on point questions and use of your brain! So few people have the courage to think and go to the places you do. Keep up the speeches and good thought!

[CrappyCartoons]

Lea, I missed this one when it came out.

It really is one of your great vlogs.

It's really sad that we tend to allow our political thoughts and opinions be created and manipulated when political spin meisters who wish to keep us divided and thwart the realization of a government for the people, by the people and of the people.

[silvercoffeesurfer1]

is this a self made t-shirt ?

[HeidiSaid]

"See if you can comment as a person"- well that pretty much sums it up right there doesn't it?

People love to identify with groups and sets and it has

been taught (I believe learned) to us from years in the public school system... blah blah blah

You know all of this.

I think as Americans we are disgustingly ethnocentric.

Alright then! ;)

[KirneH004]

I say it this way:

"Yes, I'm different from you, but I'm willing to get things done by working with you. rk together to get this done?"

And y'know what? Sometimes it works :)

Stay sweet!

Henrik

[NoSz4]

Human nature, in fact all animal nature is based on selfishness.  The highest form of altruism is selfishness.

[wizkid2000]

I really liked this video Lea! :)

[depointless]

hi lea :)

gonna watch the vid now

[dsfandg]

part 2 I am sorry but they are here to stay . Here's why, it is all in the math.

The left wing nuts have control over 20+% of the population.

The right wing nuts have control over 20+% of the population.

The other 51+% are us. The moral majority that won the election. Unfortunately who have been silent since. We need to make more noise than the wings (and that's not easy they are so loud) but it has to be done or we will miss this chance to level the playing field so everyone can play.

[dsfandg]

Part 1

I totally agree.

Not only can I tell you what happened. I can tell you how it happened.

What your looking at is a lack of moral values. Replacing Gospel (spirit) with scripture (law) removed moral responsibility for our fellow man. So "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" became, I do unto myself as I would like others to do unto me.

As for the right wing nuts and the left wing nuts.

[dvs1572]

I accidentally came across your videos. You seem just as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside.

[twister7boy]

no way im a independent. i have been that way back from the 5th grade. i like to hear everything. there is no right or wrong sides all the time. thats what people dont see. i dont want to be rich. i think everybody should have a nice life and be accepted. but people that make do horrific crimes depending on how you look at it. well im not to thrilled by them. nobody is perfect we all should be able to live without pal verity and fighting everywhere. peace. gregg

[AngelWest]

Jimmy tried to give his opinion in his own way. Just saying. I think Jimmy's a Republican by the way. PS If we don't take care of the US first, so that democracy can be a beacon of truth, places that are oppressed won't have a chance. PPS The US foolishly recently infused 5 trillion dollars into the world economy to help stimulate the "world" to our own demise and is the world thankful? Leaders at the UN said we need to give more to be a full participant. For that reason -America first.

[achampag]

i suppose jimi could be a republican...he already has health care ;)

[livelifealwaystoo]

In general we toe the line, hoping that we will be one of the lucky few that wins the American-way-of-life lottery. Like making it big in a job and getting a huge income. As long as we buy into that idea, they have us fighting for the status quo.

[livelifealwaystoo]

The right/left thing is artificial, its like football teams, something we can identify with. My family routinely gets in terrible political fights on holidays, the only time we are all together. I just learned to never say who I voted for, that is viewed as "cheating"

[livelifealwaystoo]

waiting for Jimmy to start in on his balls..He got there at 2:49

[livelifealwaystoo]

Still with the crickets...

[ALICEandBRENDA]

paused at 1:16 -good point indeed. i never thought of it that way. u kind of are setting your intial conversation up as (i might not possibly like you for your views b/c they differ from mine) however, i dont consider my self to be such a simpleminded person as to let someones political views factor in as much relevance of me liking them. (not saying ur simpleminded at all, im gonna finish watching the rest of the video now) :D

[ALICEandBRENDA]

...continued.

i guess im a simple bastard any ways i look at it. i vote, being told that im "doing my part" and then try to bitch as little as possible. it does no one any good to complain and hassle other people so strongly over something that has already happened. for example i get sick of hearing people talk about how bad obama is or how he isnt doing this right or he wasnt born in the US. theres no sense in wasting your time on these issues when hes already the fucking president...

[ALICEandBRENDA]

...continued

i dont know where im going with this, i think i got lost and just ended up straying far from your topic. but... "jimmy please dont do that" haha...

wanna change the world? vote, harass your congressman or woman, buy a prius and turn the lights of when ur not in the room...

that my thoughts. I LOVE MUSIC. lets have some coffee or a few long island ice-tea's talk about that...

b.walker*

(i gave up trying to make a point, love you Lea!)

[captainfury2007]

Wow. I got scared when I saw the title. I hate talking about politics. This nailed it right on the head.

[flyhghgy]

I'm ready for a revolution!

[livelifealwaystoo]

Hi fly!

[flyhghgy]

Hi livelife!

[flyhghgy]

Hi Lea!

The powers that be use the divide and conquer technique to keep all of us at each others throats so we aren't revolting against them.

[livelifealwaystoo]

Yes, its a old technique- has worked for generations. When will we wise up?

[flyhghgy]

I doubt we'll ever wise up. We need to show solidarity. It worked in Poland.

[timido66]

You make some good points. I have never understood people blocking progress simply because it came from "the other side". It's stupid.

[MrCaltec]

It does seem people have stopped giving a fuck, and I think it all comes down to the same thing that I'm sure youve heard a thousand times before. There interest in there own self preservation has become mutated so that they feel they must concentrates selfishly on themselves. And the mutation is materialism and greed. Its very simple really. Preserving oneself selflessly makes it easier to help others but when your trying to maintain opulence that is not normal, well, you get the idea.

[swaimb]

It's all a game. Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Neverending.

[ockteby]

Your questions are excellent, and I think a shift in thought is in the process of being awakened. For me, I have started to listen to more politically inspired videos especially where people sit back and adlib. Your video fits my search for true spontaneous thinking perfectly.

Frank

[HeavyTrafficAhead]

"When did we stop giving a fuck about our fellow man"?

Well, looking at the history of humanity I think the real question is when the hell are we going to start? I do agree with you on the "Zero Sum" attitude. If humanity can get over that, it would go a long way to solving some of the shit we're been dealing with since we've been using flint knives and wearing bear skins. Conquering our own nature is no easy feat

[IzzieHeartsYou]

Great video honey. You've very insightful.

You're so right. Our two party system might work better then other countries but we still have alot of work we need to do on it.

and in answer to your question. No, I'm honestly not ok with what's happeneing in other countries but it's not as extreme of a desire as opposed to my disire to fix what's wrong with my own.

[ItalianStallionette]

Wow.. Great video my beautiful friend. There shouldn't be a 'us and then' because to 'them' it is the same words.

faved!

[ItalianStallionette]

Damn... It really hit me when you said "If we play the game right" Damn... perfect.

[txnrobin]

You are describing some aspects of the social dominance theory. There are many papers written on the topics you mentioned going even deeper into exploration, one writer of note is F. Pratto out of U Conn.

[GnikNusEht]

the whole system is set up on an "us and them" paradigm. whether it's left or right, power elite or civilian, christian or muslim. there's always a view point or belief, and a counter view point or belief.

there will never be peace and agreement. ever. and that's just realism. unless we evolve or obtain some higher perception or form of logic, it will always remain the same.

we think that "They", need to be combated. but let them win. it will still continue. within that group, and so forth.

[achigurh]

some great points to think about friendo

i don't think the human race as a whole ever started to care about others..we have been killing each other off for thousands of years. Must be a good reason why humans have this need to group together in social groups for protection and political parties prey on this need to "belong" so they make up lies about others to get people to join and so on ... it's all a bunch of crap!

let's kill all the lawyers

A. Chigurh

[binsk]

They will not force us,

They will stop degrading us,

They will not control us,

And we will be victorious!

Artist: Muse

(my new fave song)

[robertpina99]

I gave up my Democratic Party affiliation recently. And, yeah, I'm okay with that. It's a new perspective that has allowed me to consider many sides of important political issues without bias of party or country. I feel free.

[sugarandlance]

Kind of like buying lottery tickets? You will win! You will be rich! But.. you have to keep buying these tickets...

[ZebZachary]

people are scared to death of losing what they have at the moment.

why ?

because we have had corporatism and materialism shoved down our throats since birth.

what people "have at the moment", is all material shit. we've been forced into a society that demands that we use these little slips of paper with green ink on them in order to have ANYTHING.

we have forgotten how to do for ourselves.

most people don't know jack shit when it comes to sustaining themselves.

(cont.)

[ZebZachary]

skills such as farming, hunting, sewing, carpentry, mechanical repair.....etc.

will become paramount....very soon.

i truly believe that money actually IS the root of all evil. (well, most evil, anyways).

our monetary system promotes greed, materialism, selfishness, unnecessary class seperation, condascendance.....

i guess i'll stop ranting now... ha ha !

by the way......great video, Lea !

[TrueBlueAustralian]

The richest people in the world, well richest in Amercia

[incognitopeppermint]

Lea, I love that you are making this vid. I don't think that politics needs to result to labelling or insults.

[justsomeoneallen]

I was hoping that the left right paradigm would eat itself once one party had enough control to have no excuses not to make good on their promises. That did not happen. People will still except the excuses no matter how lame before they will change their beliefs.

[jrsnyderjr]

this dang thing ate my well thought, articulate and educated comment that would have totally impressed you.

[jrsnyderjr]

...that said I'm in general agreement with your analysis. The one thing I will try to write again is about referring to the mysterious "They." Most people mean the "power elite" by that but I think it's important to combat "Them" is more specifically identify who we mean. For instance the DNC, RNC, BofA, Congress, UN, whoever we perceive as "Them" and call them out with facts.

glad I could get you some help on the editing. this came out in HQ very well.

[achampag]

yes, power elite, the wealth hoarders, is what i meant. i will have to add an annotation

[guido70LL]

Discourse between people on political topics, ESPECIALLY in these days. I agree that PARTISANISM is a problem, and indeed a detriment to our political system. THAT being said, the fact that people (due to the Net etc.) ARE discussing political issues more will HOPEFULLY cut the partisan mentality our.

[guido70LL]

"Discourse between people on political topics, ESPECIALLY in these days...."

*Is very important...

Meant to add!

[achampag]

i hope so man...i hope so...

[Perroquet51]

Wow, look how amazingly clear this video is. I see you ended up with HQ, after all. I knew you were going to with those settings.

I couldn't agree with you more. You articulated this very, very well.

[achampag]

thanks marc! you rock so hard btw...

[schoolmaster1945]

Great video...your cat is so cool and the crickets do not care about politics.....I must have some cricket DNA in me...regards...

[achampag]

lol point taken...

[GreatGig1]

It was only an hour?? Seemed so much longer...LOL I'm happy we could help...:-)

It ALWAYS takes a "Village" you know! :-) The willingness to help everyone in the village is a powerful thing...:-)  Long live "The Village"...:-)

[achampag]

caylyn, if you build some cool village, you better get ready for company!! speaking of things like that, you should see THIS vid:

/watch?v=fyeaTLi3EsI

WOW!! what i would give to live like that...

[GreatGig1]

Yes...that vid is similar to what I'm hoping to do with the "village"...:-) Something along that line...so it is years in the making at this point...:-)

[GreatGig1]

I think the internet has helped us to communicate our thoughts about what's happening, BUT, I think it's because we are all "bleeding" so we have gotten involved in politics to try and stop the "bleeding"!

WE need to change things! The middle class has been destroyed in this recent money exchange! The MC has been busy getting not only 1st, but 2nd and 3rd jobs to eat, while their houses are being taken away! I have so much to say on this subject! Another skype chat soon?? ha!

[achampag]

better, you should do a vid about it! am sure you have far better wisdom on the subject than i...

[GreatGig1]

I am TERRIBLE vlogging! LOL When you come for a visit to the Village, we will have the discussion and film it! :-)

[papercuts777]

Tired, tired tired of 'whitey' keeping me down!

I hear ya.

[achampag]

lol cant we shoot this "whitey?" he keeps causing so much trouble...

[SCL0PS]

Good vid!

[achampag]

thanks man! was a lil worried to post this

[3101010]

think of it like this.... Its all about MONEY.

Republicans put money before people.

Liberals put people before money.

They both use self interest just different prioritys.

[achampag]

the way obama keeps appointing ppl like michael taylor, Islam Isi Siddiqui, and Roger Beachy....i dont know that we can say dems put ppl over money anymore...these are men w ties to monsato and agrichemical lobbies...

but yes...money money fucking money...

[3101010]

I think a lot of that has to do with setting up a future for the Party line. GWB did the very same thing. But I would refer more to the people than the government when looking at core beliefs. Goverment will say and do two different things. They look to the next election cycle.

[OneoftheImmortals]

I do not believe the middle class is complacent. In fact, the middle class has been decimated.

America is now a country where capitalism has run amuck. There are no regulations to stop it. 1% has 99% of America's wealth.

Have you seem Michael Moore's movie, "Capitalism: A Love Story?"

The only people talking against it are the ones who have not seen it. The surprising thing is that fierce ultra-right conservatives as well as the most liberal Americans have come out praising the documentary.

[OneoftheImmortals]

Make that: 1% have 95% of America's wealth. This is outrageous. See the movie. It answers your questions and goes after everyone.

BTW where's Logan?

[achampag]

logan is not the cam whore jimi is. but i have uploaded a twitpic just for you...

i plan on seeing the movie for sure! cannot wait in fact! oct 2nd =)

[kingjimsixsix5]

Hi lea great video.The gap between the have & have not's has been there since the beginning of time & I think its high time that this change, Mcgregor coined the X-Y theory I think this applies here to world politics.I think a minimum standard of living is required around the world no person should be hungry,homeless or without access to a doctor but if you work hard you should get paid better. its shocking the way with US politics that if a person supports 1 party, his or her opinion is ..

[achampag]

if you love hard should you get rewarded better?

just playing around and thinking here..but switch out the words work and paid w other words and see if the statement still holds true to you...

[kingjimsixsix5]

good one but thats assuming love is conditional and proportional to effort.

[kingjimsixsix5]

discounted by a person that supports another party without listening to their arguments and points of view. I am sure there is a way to achieve a fairer more balanced system that all people can live happy lives but still allow for achievement to be recognised.

[3101010]

In what way do you define recognition?

[kingjimsixsix5]

recognition by means of pay and position. its human nature to be lazy but people will work hard if they set achievable goals and get recognition equal to the effort put in. but the way the world is operating at the moment not everyone has the oppertunity to show their potential and miss out on the key elements that would help them live and more comfortable life. some fall behind and the world forgets them, they become the invisable poor living on the streets, this MUST change.

[3101010]

So quality of life is mesured by status and finacial rewards? I think great examples of that are Hip Hop artists, clothing designers, football players, hockey players, lobbyist, also bernie madoff and several CEO's.

[achampag]

"still allow for achievement to be recognised."

do you think its possible that if we werent so beaten down by the world...if we lived as we used to, off the land..would we even need recognition? wouldnt...couldnt we have self pride?

[kingjimsixsix5]

good point but I think even a proud person will seek acknowledgment of their work and contributions, thats human nature to seek approval of your peers regardless of pride, infact recognition builds self esteem/pride. even a farmer will be proud if it is recognised that he/she has the best cattle in the county would you not agree?

[clockworkmeltdown]

A lot of good points here lea. Excellent description. :-)

rock on-space

[achampag]

thanks space =)