Divide or Unify?

comebackgirl

dancepartner wrote:

I pulled this thread back. Here's why.

A) from the thread "what I've learned on AMT" I've learned: 1) We are not so divided. 2) You guys feel AMT had better interaction when Ten Club was open to the public. 3) The intention for this moving train is for respectful, thoughtful dialogue geared towards current-day events—political mostly. 4) This group comes well armed with all of the above. It's a smart, entertaining group filled with people interested in talking about all things not superfluous.

I want to conduct a unity experiment. Will anyone participate?

I'm open to it

dancepartner

Okay!
brian, pandora, johnny P (no shock treatment I promise), riotgirl, hedonist (yes, it most definatley is part of the experiment), comebackgirl. That's 6 and that's a start.

To unify: to begin somewhere, somehow.
This is an interactive experiment meaning: we can alter it however we damn well want! I'll put up a game plan. Any alterations from there are decided by majority.
1) We choose a handful of specific topics. Criteria: ones the majority can easily find common unison on.I.E. not abortion but easy topics such as: 1) Super PAC's selling our democracy, 2) insider trading rules on capital hill, 3) fair tax.

To begin somewhere, to find common ground, I think will be easier than we think and that's the experiment.

So, I'd say there should be 3 parameter guidlines, 2 of which we already have in the bag.
1) We all already understand we must do more than vote to then simply haggle over everything politicans do or don't do.
2) We already know we want respectful dialogue (humor allowed).
3) All we have left to do then is figuring out how to specifically stick to the damn criteria!

So for this experiment, here's some thoughts to consider. For instance, if we take above mentioned 3 topics for this first round of consensus building, then: do we stick to only 1 at a time or 3 at a time? Do we decide on a time frame for each topic (a week, maybe two) and then after discussion is closed, do we have a closing arguement before voting for best option?
However we paste this together, I think it should end per each round with all particpants abiding by this criteria upon final vote: We choose a night which most of us can show up for and we begin a 'round robin' by voting for someone elses' closer—not our own. The rounds then whittle down to the best consensus we can come up with!
Just think, winter is coming on where many of us are more inclined to stay inside so why not give it try?
The experiment concludes: we can easily (or not) come to a consensus on topics which should easily give our unity a platform to grow from. Then, if we want to go another round, the winner comes up with the next 1 or 3 topics. I'd say if we start with easy ones, this could go on thru the winter before we hit any walls.
So, whatcha say?

hedonist

I'm game to take part where and when I can, but for various reasons, I don't visit these forums on any kind of regular schedule and am not really looking to do so.

(also, I'm not sure that "fair tax" would be considered an easy topic )

JonnyPistachio

Damn, I signed up for homework! I'll take the nipple clamps instead.
haha, just kiddin...sounds interesting. But I agree with hedonist too -- some tough topics...fair tax is going to get some folks frazzled..

riotgrl

I like it but have to agree that I cannot be here at a specific night and time. How about 24 hours of closing arguments that way we can all have a vote? I think 2-3 topics is fair to tackle. What about Congressional term limits as a topic - surely we all agree that lifetime tenure in the House or Senate is not necessarily a good thing.

riotgrl

Oh and can I say I like the idea of coming up with a plan of action or some sort of resolution. Makes me feel proactive and empowered, regardless of the ultimate outcome.

dancepartner

Okay. No fair tax, replace it with term limits. I agree—ALL of us can surely agree on this.
No scheduled night, but a 24 hour closing time. I would probably be the one who couldnt show up for a specific time anyway, but I do think the night before, or the 24 hr window thereof, might be nice for an interactive round for the ones who can?
How long does it stay open? 1 wk, 2 weeks? When do you want to start?

Yeah, this excites me! (oh God, I just realized my night life sucks) But! my days are grand!
The empowering experiment of 6!

dancepartner

Oops. posted this twice....

brianlux

I'm still in but I have to tell you, I don't know much about super PAC's, I don't know or care much about insider trading and have mixed feeling about term limits. That leaves me with little to contribute which is kind of sad because I like the idea of the experiment. Maybe I'll have to hold off sign up for phase two of the experiment.

Meanwhile, I'm very OK with shock treatment. In fact, gimme gimme shock treatment-- I wanna wanna shock treatment.

comebackgirl

Count me in and I'm on board with the discussion on term limits. I can't come on at a certain time. My posting will be sporadic over the next few weeks until work slows down...but I will make an effort to spend some time on this thread.

dancepartner

Oh no brian, you don't get an easy out pass. You of all people, will pull (outta yer ass I'm guessing') the better info from beyond. I don't know much about term limits either except that incumbents enjoy a 90% reelection chance which is why Super PAC's slather them to begin with (unless of course they really don't deliver) but WE can have some fun sculpting out a plan that could at least let them know we are coming out of our coma.
Keep thinking on it. If we all took the path you are taking, there will never be a second round and as hedonist pointed out: THIS IS—PART OF THE EXPERIMENT.
Honestly, aside from being paid to do so, still, it would be against bad odds they'd possbily come up some good and viable plans when their guiding enforcer remains unmoved to even try themselves.

dancepartner

Comebackgirl; you should give brian a bit of your sass.
Thanks. Now all we have to do is decide when to begin and when to end!

fear4freedom

UNIFY! Has anyone seen Rebellious Truths? If not, please look into it. Its a wonderful concept for all walks of life to get together and talk about the important issues of our day. Talk about our plaforms as individuals and our beliefs and why we think they should be heard. Let us try it soon!

brianlux

dancepartner wrote:

Comebackgirl; you should give brian a bit of your sass.

That's what AET is for.

dancepartner wrote:

Thanks. Now all we have to do is decide when to begin and when to end!

Yeah, let's do it. But PAC's and anything about global economics- well, I've always focused more on local activism and local economy so this is a little like asking Johnny Thunders to play like John McLaughlin. I'll fake it best I can but I'm not likely to be able to play the minor 7 suspended 4 Major 9 chords- figuratively speaking that is.

comebackgirl

dancepartner wrote:

Comebackgirl; you should give brian a bit of your sass.
Thanks. Now all we have to do is decide when to begin and when to end!

ohhhhh I've just been given permission to sass Count me in for sure

dancepartner

fear4freedom; is rebellious truths a flick? If so, could you just give us a quick breakdown?
Actually sum it up more consisely if you will; just give us an idea of what angles we are missing. Hitting even.
thks.

brian; I knew you'd pull thru. Especially when i sicked CBG on you!

CBG; back to when and how long?

fear4freedom

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEA15FDDDEC723208

check this out!

brianlux

fear4freedom wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLEA15FDDDEC723208

check this out!

I don't get it. The video doesn't really say much. The web site doesn't say anything( maybe it didn't load correctly). I looked further and could find nothing substantial about who or what Rebellious Truths are. Probably not what dancpartner had in mind.

brianlux

comebackgirl wrote:

dancepartner wrote:

Comebackgirl; you should give brian a bit of your sass.
Thanks. Now all we have to do is decide when to begin and when to end!

ohhhhh I've just been given permission to sass Count me in for sure

dancepartner

wow! great video. Brian, I do see it's significance and will look rebellioustruths' site up—tomorrow that is.
I really think any wake-up or unifying sites need to promote each other as we are ALL up against the mega opinion-forming gigs which have mega-bucks paving their way.
Here's one site I thought was interesting.... (now lets see if I can do this)
I'm just going to cut this from DP. It's easier.
During my searches, I found a fascinating video of graffiti artist Kalen Ockerman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9p8Og6-YcY&feature=plcp depicting his version of NWO, (New World Order).
Oddly, I found this on the right leaning Alex Jones show. Imagine, a mural depicting commonly-held concerns of both liberal and conservative. Ockerman’s work fascinated me for other reasons too, not the least of which was watching an artist quite literally—express himself but also, the commentary running in the background.A commentary I could easily relate to; a feeling that no one was listening.