Got feedback on the new design? We're Listening! Send us Feedback

OpEd: America Needs a Pro-Democracy Movement »

Posted by: idyll 1 year, 5 months ago

5.1

Scale of 1 to 10

Read: 15

Propped: 28

Comments: 10

Click Prop It to Raise Score

Prop it

The Democracy Protection Act includes 40 proposals that reflect a nascent pro-democracy movement among citizens who know something is wrong and have ideas how to make things right.

Read Full Story at huffingtonpost.com

Join the Discussion

+ Add Comment

Comments So Far: 10

54%
YankeesFan511 year, 5 months ago

Thanks for the post. I agree that democracy has been eroded here and before we try to install democracies elsewhere we must work on restoring our own. Liberties have been lost since the "patriot" act.
Reply
0%
disraeli1 year, 5 months ago

These ideas are definitely worth discussion and debate. The current administration has shown how easily rights and freedoms can be eroded.
Reply
29%
ONEMEMPHISDUDE1 year, 5 months ago

These ideas are worth discussion and debate...again, by High School students. Much of this sounds like Socialist party re-hash. Guys, The USSR failed with this stuff. In theory all is grand, until it faces the ultimate test-the real world. Income equality, executive board compensation regulated by The Government, money given equally to all children and invested in a fund, (that provides market returns no less,) and given to the child at age 18.
Let me provide a free market example: Home Depot paid their former CEO (Nadelli?) way too much in compensation for the performance of the chain. HD suffered miserably. Nadelli left with a bunch of bux. The New CEO is working for much less, (lesson learned), and Home Depot has much work to try to turn around the balance sheet.
Now tell me. Why do I require a group of Socialist know-it-alls to tell me how it should work? No thanks, Air AmeriKKA.
Reply
4 Replies
- 100%
  Beau78901 year, 5 months ago
  
  DUDE:
  Your "free market example" contradicts your point. "Home Depot has much work to try to turn around the balance sheet," after being looted by a terrible CEO. Perhaps the new CEO is working for much less, but Home Depot, its shareholders and employees, still suffer the consequences of the old CEO, and will for quite a while. And there are other companies that never learn the lesson, and still others (you've heard of Enron, Tyco, K-Mart, Hollinger, right?) that never get the chance to learn the lesson--they go bankrupt.
  Reply
  3 Replies
  - 0%
    ONEMEMPHISDUDE1 year, 5 months ago
    
    Yes Beau. Ain't it GREAT!! The system works. No, you can't call Bob Nadelli a crook. He was awarded every dollar by an incompetent board of directors. Home Depots shareholders and employees were hurt. and???? It's a big bad world, there are no guarantees. What should we do, investigate every poorly run company? Nope. Trust me. HD board of directors got the message loud and clear that they made a big mistake. Not illegal, but a costly mistake.
    The HD lesson has also been learned by other companies. Enron, Tyco, K-mart, etc...are we to guarantee their success in the marketplace? The criminals were sentenced, K-mart was bought out by Sears. Wow! All this accomplished without the help of politicians!!!
    Reply
    2 Replies
    - 56%
      Beau78901 year, 5 months ago
      
      There ARE still overcompensated CEOs and boards of directors. Not everyone has learned the lesson. And, as I said, the shareholders and the employees continue to suffer, even if the boards ever do learn the lesson.
      You ask what should we do, investigate every poorly run company? Well, perhaps. Checking the compensation of those who are responsible for running a corporation doesn't guarantee that corporation's success, which you seem to have a problem with.
      But even without doing that, we can start--and perhaps prevent that same kind of fraud BEFORE it happens--by implementing:
      "37. Review Corporate Compensation - Require that only independent directors on the Board can vote for increases in pay, subject to shareholders' approval."
      Reply
      1 Reply
      - 0%
        ONEMEMPHISDUDE1 year, 5 months ago
        
        ..just another step towards socialism. Sorry Beau, it has never worked wherever it was tried. What department of The Federal Government do we want judging a private companys' executive compensation? Something like The Post Office?
        There was no fraud at Home Depot. Nadelli was paid by the board of directors. I'm sure that he's smiling at their stupidity, but...that's not illegal.
        Should we close The U.S. Post Office due to its inefficency and poor management? Oh. That would mean we fire The U.S. Congress! Contrast that with Fed-x, a model of efficent service. I don't care what CEO Fred Smith makes. He will reap whatever rewards his board
        decides to dish out. Looking at his track record...he deserves quite a bit.
        I contend that there are CEOs in private industry that may be overpaid. I also know that this is a temporary situation and that the marketplace will provide a correction without more government intrusion.
        Reply
50%
Beau78901 year, 5 months ago

There are plenty of good ideas in this article, and they deserve, at the very least, public debate. Thanks, idyll!
Reply
100%
Amazing11 year, 5 months ago

We certainly need this bill. We need a real discussion and reassessment of our government. At this point in time it is way out of hand. There are some really good ideas in there.
Reply
0%
kboy1 year, 5 months ago

Why should we send ballots to everyone and not make them prove that they are citizens with a right to vote? How about outlawing ALL lobby groups? How about: If you do not like the CEO compensation, do not work there and do not buy stock there.
This is more of the same Socialist stuff that plays well in the blue collar and liberal cities.
Reply