Working together to help solve America's problems

A town meeting Wednesday night brought out about 50 people to talk about ways to get involved in the political process — or at least start talking about it again.

Local activist Russell Mokhiber invited the public to join the discussion at the Earth Dog Cafe on South Washington Street.


Mokhiber asked the audience if Americans avoid politics and is there is a cost?

"The purpose is to discuss this issue to learn why and how we can confront it," he said.

People avoid politics, but the nation is $14 trillion in debt and it spends $750 million a day on two wars, he said.

Mokhiber said he invited U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, but was told she was had a conflict on Wednesdays and was not able to attend. Mokhiber said he would continue to work with her office to find a date that she could participate in future meetings.

Both U.S. Sens. Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin did not respond to his request, he said.

He said a reason to start talking together is the fact that $700 million a day is spent on two wars that 65 percent of Americans oppose, but a Morgan County woman with cancer and no health insurance delayed treatment until she reached Medicare age.

"She risked her life because of no health insurance," he said.

He said he and his family were in Tucson, Az., over Christmas, and Mokhiber actually jogged by the Safeway Supermarket where six people were killed and 12 others were wounded in a shooting, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Tucson.

He said when he brought up his desire to discuss the issues, he was told "it was too depressing" to talk about or "there's nothing you can do about it, so why talk about it."

"I will not say that we cannot do anything about this," Mokhiber said.

"I want to start a regular conversation," Mokhiber said.

And it is not about Republicans or Democrats, he said.

"This is about engagement — getting involved and staying involved. I want to bring back representative democracy, so it has meaning."

Resident Joe Mogus said the country began around the idea of freedom, but it has it degenerated into "scam and hustle."

"Corruption is the reason. Any corporation can fund the elections," he said.

"We have become too complacent," resident Jennifer Carpenter-Peak said. Husband Bob Peak added the Tea Party people seem to confront issues and not run away from them.

"The Democrats run from issues — run with their tails between their legs," Peak said.