Statement of Principles
The Brand New Bag.com
speaks only for itself. We believe that justice and freedom are intimately
linked, and that no society can sustain itself, if it only benefits a
small aristocracy. The "poor" may always be with us, but we
must work for a society that brings prosperity, justice and fairness to
as many people as possible. We believe in the capacity of human beings
to grow and learn. We believe in the vast potential of individual citizens
to make a positive difference in our society. You are free to agree or
disagree. Our purpose here is not so much to persuade others, but to reach
into our own depths and pursue our own truth. In the end, one is always
left with the difficult task of measuring the effects of the world on
one's own state of consciousness. This 24-hour news cycle-information
age, the "flat world" of 21st Century capitalism, together with
the entire myriad of external "appliances" of culture - all
these things - militate toward our ignoring the "voice within."
So world, get ready for a Brand New Bag! To paraphrase Dylan: It's all
right Ma, we're just thinking out loud for the sake of our own humanity
and history, if anyone's around to read it!
To begin with, The
Brand New Bag wants to know: what kind of country allows Richard Nixon
(so aptly called "the Night Creature" by Jack Newfield, Jules
Pfeiffer and others) to go free and collect a generous pension, while
imprisoning James Brown for a PCP enhanced frolic and detour? Really,
it's a serious question. Here's the great thing: EVERYONE KNOWS THE ANSWER.
What, you ask? You don't understand. O.K., we'll elucidate with a line
by Leonard Cohen, "everybody knows the dice are loaded. Everybody
knows the game is rigged…" You see, those at the top of the
food chain are rarely, if ever, prosecuted for the crimes they commit.
And even when they are, they seldom receive an appropriate sentence. The
Justice Department's own statistics show, compared to "street crime,"
there are very few prosecutions of the haute bourgeoisie. For all you
"Chicago School" freaks out there, that DOES NOT mean they commit
fewer crimes…Class warfare, indeed! The Brand New Bag will explore
the paradox inherent in our society's desire for "law and order."
As the legendary Dick
Goodwin might have said, "let the word go forth…." Or,
was it Ted Sorensen? This is a warning to my colleagues on the left. We
are not who you think we are. From time to time we might surprise you,
by fiercely defending market economics. We just want to make sure the
rules of the "market economy" apply to everyone, including the
wealthy. We are vehemently opposed to socialism for the rich. (Energy
bill, Transportation bill, Katrina relief, anyone?)
The Brand New Bag.com
is not for the meek, but if you clear your mind and relax, we will share
with you our deepest thoughts about the world of ideas as manifested in
our evolving politics. We will try to do this with a sense of humor, with
honor and with as much humility as we can. Feedback is not expected, but
always appreciated. Our site will provide ample opportunity for you to
rant and rave at us. Yeah, and the price is right, too!
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