What is PLAN?
PLAN stands for the Progressive Action Legislative Network. What is the purpose of PLAN? Quite simply, as stated by one of its founders and co-chairman David Sirota:
"For too long, conservatives have been able to use huge sums of money to push the most radical right-wing policies through state legislatures. PLAN is committed to putting together the necessary resources and necessary coalitions to help progressive legislators stop this unchecked extremism, and start passing legislation that makes state governments work for ordinary citizens, not just monied special interests."
Government is meant to serve all its people, not just those who can afford to purchase access. A really novel concept when it comes to democracy for citizens.
To me personally, it sounds like a great fight to pick with republicans, especially in their own back yards.
More to come.....
"For too long, conservatives have been able to use huge sums of money to push the most radical right-wing policies through state legislatures. PLAN is committed to putting together the necessary resources and necessary coalitions to help progressive legislators stop this unchecked extremism, and start passing legislation that makes state governments work for ordinary citizens, not just monied special interests."
Government is meant to serve all its people, not just those who can afford to purchase access. A really novel concept when it comes to democracy for citizens.
To me personally, it sounds like a great fight to pick with republicans, especially in their own back yards.
More to come.....
posted by Mark Stufft at 8/19/2005 04:35:00 PM
2 Comments:
Can't we all just get along? I am so sick of this polarizing "ultra-liberal vs. ultra conservative" mindset. Most people (including me) seem to fall somewhere in the middle...we think democratic on some issues and republican on others. I just vote for the person who annoys me the LEAST come election time.
Of course we can. Much of this organization's plan is simply to have the ability to counter and level the playing field when it comes to lobbying and passing state laws that affect citizens.
Too often the main beneficiaries of legislation are special interests, who most often have many more resources than ordinary citizens. I don't believe that citizens should have less access or say, based on money.
Democracy and access for legislation should not be hindered by one's ability to pay for access. While this seems to be the norm for today, I am not a big fan of it continuing into the future.
I like the idea of a bottom up model that offers the ability of many to determine the direction of their communities, not the more current and most often used top to bottom model. It just seems like a better democracy that way; citizens having the ability to help craft legislation that benefits many in the community.
I agree very much with you on the polarization and categorizations people use to divide people. It sucks and usually doesn't deliver the most efficient results. Overall, you and I agree that we don't want to waste tax dollars on pet projects for a select few.
For example, look at this crap for Alaska, the lone congressman from the state also happens to be head of the ways and means committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, coincidence, I think not! Unfortunately, Republican along with Democratic reps think the treasury is their personal piggy bank for wasteful projects. I don't.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/20/opinion/20lende.html?th&emc=th
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