Imrie Has a Vision for Colorado's House District 60 (Chaffee, Park, Fremont, Custer & Saguache Counties)
... to become the great American example of an economically, environmentally and socially just rural-city experience.

Email: imrieindependent@sisna.com

Click here for my 2006 Fair Play for Colorado web site

THE LAST DONKUCRAT

America wasn't built by conformists but by mutineers -
we're a big, boisterous, bucking people and now is our time.
Our democracy is being dismantled right before our eyes by our own ruling elites.
This is a crucial moment when America needs you and me to stand up as citizens.
We are not only what democracy counts on, we're what democracy is.
Jim Hightower, "The Public Spirit of America"

The political future is in THINKING GLOBALLY and ACTING LOCALLY

"The liberty of democracy is not safe if people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the Democratic State itself."
Franklin D. Roosevelt

One planet, one future.
"First they laugh at you, then they ignore you, then they fight you, then they lose."
Ghandi

My never ending concern is about the continuing struggle of workaday Coloradoans and Americans to have Health Care, a Liveable Wage, a Clean Environment, Decent Education, and Fair Taxation. The challenge is to try to break the stranglehold that big money has on Democracy. We need candidates who care as much about Doug and Donna Jones as Dow Jones, Main Street more than Wall Street. It's about standing up to the forces of greed that are undermining the greatest 200-year experiment in self government that the world has ever seen. The only real political questions are who's getting screwed and who's doing the screwing. The elephant in the living room of public policy debate that no one is willing to talk about is the division of the nation and the district into two countries. Two-fifths are doing well or better than they've ever done before, three-fifths are standing still or falling behind. The social results of this increasing gap will be incalcuable. Meanwhile, there's nothing coming out of Washington to heal this rift.
This struggle is not about left or right, conservative-liberal, Democrat-Republican...

It's about the scale from top to bottom. My politics is about justice and getting a break for the powerless. Send Fairplay to Congress.

The Democratic Party used to stand for something. Morality, courage, commitment, hope, participation and compassion. Let no one doubt my loyalty to this dinosaur that has sold out the middle class and working poor to the Republicrats, insiders and big money. I'm in it for the long haul. Reform takes a while, and the "donkeys" are still the only chance third party aspirants, traditional Democrats and the rest of the country have for a new damn day in America within our lifetime. Otherwise, it's Barter Town/Fat City, Washington, DC, Congress and Denver Legislature from here on out.

Click here for the History of the Democratic Donkey

In the United States, cash register politics has turned off voter turnout. Democracy is breaking out all over the world, but it is under siege in Colorado and the U.S. where millions more people watch the Super Bowl than vote. 39% of registered voters showed up for the '02 campaign; the rest practiced civil disobedience by staying away. 18% voted Democrat or third party; 16 % voted republican. The real majority is the electorate that stayed home. The GOP 16% determines the direction of the country. That's not a mandate; that's not democracy. That's a cult. Democracy is about participation. More people bowl than vote. One hundred twenty million people were so disgusted, so apathetic, so disenfranchised by our big money, donor dominated campaigns that they didn't even bother to vote. Democracy is on the ropes. We are now the land ruled by plutocrats and oligarchs.

"Some day, years from now... if all the evidence isn't shredded and destroyed... our children are going to look back at this current administration's actions and ask us:
Why didn't you do anything to stop them? A fraudulent election... corporate backroom deals... shadow governments... another nuclear arms race... secret search and seizures... monitoring emails... wiretapping and military tirbunals...
Many of our basic constitutional rights are being stripped away in the name of "FREEDOM" & "DEMOCRACY"... and we let em do it... Hell, we don't even vote anymore... Apparently we Americans are more concerned with just one right and one right only................................
(the right to remain silent)" Keith Knight

There are only two issues that really count anymore... and you can't have one without the other. CURTIS IMRIE IS A TIRELESS ADVOCATE AND MEDIA MAKER FOR: 1.SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, and HABITAT JUSTICE This covers many issues, most of which are in the bulleted list below. For example, we now have a corporate oligarchy that dominates politics, media, sports, science, food, and the environment. This concentration of power and money is calling the shots and exacerbating the gap between the haves and the have-nots. It has produced a Congress more extreme than the Newt Gingrich's and an administration that wants to dismantle the environmental protection laws, give obscene tax breaks to the rich, fund only the national security state/military industrial complex at the expense of healthcare, social security and a world class public education available to all Americans. There's a major disconnect between the kindness and decency of the American people and our national and foreign policy because of the total corruption of the way we send our so-called representatives to Washington and Denver. Conservation, Preservation, Restoration (C.P.R.): Peace with and on the earth. The developed world has gone through a quarter millennium of industrial age growth -- mislabeled "progress" -- that has depended largely on stealing from the future. For the next quarter millennium we must concentrate on putting things back together to the extent that we can find the parts. There will be jobs galore and no investment could be more rewarding. Actually, I'm not "concerned" about the environment anymore. Nature bats last, and she's letting us know with global warming. A warning! It's not the environment that needs saving...Business needs saving ... There's a new business model that recognizes natural resources as capital assets that should be consumed productively and efficiently. Business practices have typically failed to take into account the value of these natural assets. The economy truly is a wholly owned "subsidiary of the environment." This model provides incentives and rewards for reinvesting in natural capital through the practice of C.P.R. This is all based on the premise that the earth's natural resources and ecological systems provide vital, life support systems to society and all living things. 2. BIG MONEY OUT OF POLITICS The reforms implicit in issues #1 are not possible without the implementation of truly meaningful campaign finance reform. Let's face it. The system is totally corrupt. Will Rogers said a long time ago, "We have the best Congress money can buy." The corruption is pervasive and systematic; the entire tree is sick. Enron, WorldCom, and all the rest of the organized corporate special interest money crowd have funded the corporate cabinet, the corporate Senate, the corporate Congress and the presidency. It's no longer representative government. It's no longer a democracy. We have an emergency. And everybody knows the problem is big money. "I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country.... Corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed." Abraham Lincoln A New democrat. Give the government back to the people by shutting down cash register politics/dollar democracy. Provide public financing for public elections and other basic democratic tools for citizens to de-concentrate the power of the few over the many. To truly free the election process from the dominance of big money, we need public funding. With public funding we'd actually have a public result for the common good. The oldest cliche in politics is... You've got to dance with them who brung ya. Until our elected representatives answer only to the people and not the "malefactors of great wealth" as Teddy Roosevelt said, we'll continue to have an emergency where the narrow concentration of wealth and power at the top of our society increases the growing inequality of big money donors to campaigns and the rest of us. This is called purchasing "access," legalized bribery, extortion. A simple check off on our taxes would give us fair and clean elections. Would you give $2.50 to get your democracy back? In this post industrial economy, there is a need for this new form of populism that takes on entrenched big money without mouthing "class war" rhetoric. Where is the journalist who has the fortitude to actually compare the voting records of our sitting politicians with the list of their campaign investors? FOLLOW THE MONEY. When you vote, ask the key questions: Who GIVES to a campaign? Who PROFITS? Who POLLUTES? What do they GET IN RETURN? Who PAYS? If politicians were to wear a jacket like this, the patches would be the elites that count them as wholly owned subsidiaries. Do big dollar campaign contributions represent the people... or bribes from the rich and powerful?

Imrie "running" hard with "Oscar" L. Democrat

It's a new millenium and there are very important issues that the Republicrats and the Corporatist media are not discussing:

Extending democracy to workers, consumers, and citizens.
Replacing corporate welfare ($200 billion in tax breaks, loans and baleouts - our money) with incentives. Each tax payer now spends $1,000 per year for corporate welfare. Protect consumers, workers, and the environment with strong law enforcement, updated anti-corporate crime, fraud and abuse laws. Move for the expenditure of government funds as if PEOPLE matter.
The struggling middle and work-a-day Americans -- just who is bearing the tax burden in this country. Real tax reform and fairness budget with a truly progressive income tax. To jump-start the economy, how about payroll tax breaks for everyone under $36,000. Rescind the $1.3 trillion tax break for the rich. The top 1% got 75 % of the tax break.
Promoting a liveable wage when CEOs are making 600 times (and climbing) as much as work-a-day Americans, and Congressmen declare themselves pay raises every time you turn your back. Kiddding on the level... to return diversity to Congress, these men and women would probably be better sent there by lottery than the cash register system that returns 99% of all multi-term incumbents to the Capitol.
Bring a peace-waging academy to our state that is as good as our Air Force Academy. Create a cabinet level Department of Peace and Conflict Resolution. Too often we've overlooked the long-term solution of peace for the instant gratification of war.
It's still the economy, stupid. The unemployment rate is growing. Factories are moving to Mexico and China. Bankruptcies are at a record level.
A. Immediate tax cut changes. Repeal the tax cuts for the rich. The poor should not pay income taxes.
B. Social security tax reform. Bill Gates pays a lower rate of social security tax than all other Americans. Eliminate the cap and institute an exclusion on the first $15,000 of income.
C. NAFTA reform. The US has lost one million jobs to Canada and Mexico while Mexican standard of living is actually diminished. The Canadian dollar has decreased 30% in value; the Mexican peso has decreased 70% in value. Our balance of payments to our neighbors has shot up dramatically. Only with a fixed currency can North America truly have a free market.
D. The minimum wage has not kept pace with inflation.
E. Excessive bank/credit card charges. Banks now routinely charge $30 for an overdraft even if we pay it. Less than 10 years ago the fee was $5.00 or less. It costs banks only a dollar to handle overdrafts... and it's usury to charge more than that. These fees take from the poor and give to the rich. Reversing this pattern will put more money into the hands of those who really need it and help the economy.
F. Credit reporting reform. Have you ever tried to get errors on your credit report corrected? Bac credit caused by inaccurate reporting hurts the economy. Require credit reporting agencies to get rid of old data. After three years, credit information should be deleted automatically.
G. Preserve full social security benefits at age 65. As corporations walk away from their pension responsibilities, the integrity of the social security program is more important.
H. Promote clean energy and natural resource conservation. Repeal right to pollute laws. Reduce oil dependence. Spur investment in alternative energy sources. Encourage clean energy technologies that produce new jobs.
I. Repeal the Patriot Act much of which violates the Bill of Rights anyway.
J. Promote rural communities and sustainable family farms and ranches. Require country of origin labeling. Ban corporate ag packer ownership of livestock. Put people to work rebuilding public assets: schools, hospitals, libraries, swimming pools, parks, low power radio stations. Offer incentives to teachers, doctors, veterinarians in under served areas.

Total support of a US military capable of winning any war; support of global, verifiable demilitarization, human rights and a sustainable global economy. Feature human rights and multilateral cooperation through the UN, NATO and other international organizations. Turn Iraq over to UN as soon as possible and bring U.S. troops home. >
Flat Tax for anyone over $10 million at 14.3%. A progressive tax for the rest of us. Start instead of end FICA at $36,000 per year. 1% of our population controls over 85% of the wealth. This makes us a third world nation, a banana republic, with such unfair distribution of wealth. The elite donors primary issue in Congress is tax policy. The one-party rule in Washington rewards the elite with a huge trillion dollar tax break for those who need it least. I'm proposing an income surtax on that elite 1%. Think of all the new schools, hospitals, roads, teachers, police, and fire people we could fund.
Everybody in, nobody out for healthcare. 50 million Americans don't have health care. 88 million Americans are under insured or have no health care. 100 million have no dental plan. Provide consumer powered, universal, accessible quality health care for all Americans. Your congressman and incarcerated prisoners get guaranteed comprehensive healthcare. Why can't the rest of us have affordable healthcare?
Stop the government coup d'etat by and for big money. We now have a right wing, corporate junta that selects our "representatives" and installs an illegitimate if not dubiously selected President.
Reestablish a public works program, including the arts and public television and radio.
Federal and State funds for low cost housing.
A bill of rights for kids guaranteeing an adequate standard of health care, nutrition, housing and safety. Replace the facile rhetoric of politicians with actual programs that protect, preserve and enhance the well being and education of children. With the stroke of pen, we could extend Medicare to all kids under 12.
Democratization of the banking and financial system including popular election of those charged with stewardship.
Challenge globaloney - NAFTA, the WTO, and IMF - the multinational stampede to poverty stricken nations that takes good jobs from America and undermines labor rights and environmental protection and our national sovereignty.
Nurture a society where non-commercial values matter more.
We taxpayers own the public lands and the TV and radio airwaves. They are our commonwealth. The "tenants" lease it from us. There should be free TV and radio time to legitimate, ballot-qualified candidates. This would stimulate debate and democracy. All candidates should pledge to appear in unstructured debate and answer questions in Town Hall like meetings. They should be able to question each other. Let's get to the truth of the matter; may the best and the brightest person win. Reclaim the air waves for the common good.
If there's one thing Curtis Imrie is qualified to do it is establish a national film and video board that would fund and encourage socially conscious documentaries to be made on the pressing issues of our day. There would be simple applications and priority given to projects done on the new, low cost, high quality, digital cameras. There should also be a national citizens' channel to air these projects. Let a thousand flowers bloom. Let's use this technology for the common good.

If you agreee with a third of these issues, that would be great. If you disagree with a third, we have something to talk about. If you're indifferent to a third, at least there's a candidate willing to state where he stands. Look, I've seen some of this. I don't ask you to agree with my politics; I just ask you to recognize the truth behind what I'm expressing. That's all.

A DEBATE: IMRIE vs. McGINNIS
Click Here - For a comparison in style, content and issues

Rating the Media

Who is this guy, anyway? Following The Press... Media doesn't tell the story. They don't want to talk about government by, for and of big money because they ARE big money.
curtIs ImrIe ... The eyes that see through the lies
Poster - print a zillion for your rally, forum, potluck
Colorado Central Ad

"I look forward to an America which will not be afraid of grace and beauty ... an America which will reward achievement in the arts as well as regard achievement in business or statecraft. I look forward to an America which will steadily raise the standards of artistic accomplishment and which will steadily enlarge cultural opportunities for all our citizens. And I look forward to an America which commands respect throughout the world, not only for its strength, but for its civilization as well."

--John F. Kennedy, October 26, 1963, from a plaque in John Powers' home

Fairplay to Congress Little Menokin Ranch, Granite, Colorado USA 81228-2141

Return to Top

Return Home

GoTo Donkeys

Go To Drama

Go To Democracy

Last Update: March 2006

Web Author-Gossamer Moon Publishing
Copyright 2000