Welcome to Voices on the Square!

We are a community dedicated to open debate on the important issues and policies that concern—and too often bewilder—us all. The conversation on most political blogs is not only decidedly partisan, but, during election seasons, partisan to the exclusion of everything else. Now that election seasons are perpetual, we want a place where people are free to voice their opinions on the fundamental problems and decisions facing America and the world without fear of being shouted down in the name of party loyalty. We believe this deadening of debate is not only unenlightening, but actually harmful to a society that needs access to real information to counter the half-truths and outright propaganda blaring from their TVs every night. Our society has few real choices in a sphere dominated by cynical corporate-owned media monopolies devoted mostly to selling their products and their endless wars. We deserve and need an honest, reality-based alternative.

We are activists, bloggers, and concerned citizens. What we demand is simple: economic and social justice, an end to aggressive war, an end to the insidious erosion of personal freedom, an absolute commitment to reversing impending environmental collapse; in short, a government, no matter who is at the helm, that always acts in the best interests of the people of this country. These principles are timeless, require advocacy, and must be defended at all costs. We expect that the traditional principles of “liberal” America will never be compromised as a means to an end. Principles before party, always.

The system is broken. There was a time when one could honestly say, unequivocally, that every vote mattered. That time has passed in a Citizens United world. That time has passed with a do-nothing or too little, too late Congress. We only support elected representatives who have the courage and political will to stand up for what is right in spite of the moneyed interests working against them. We believe that strong leadership is necessary, especially in these dark times, but we reject the politics of personality.

If we are to believe in Representative Democracy at all anymore, we need sweeping reform of all our government institutions. The current system is out of balance, rigged to favor the powerful interests, unable to hear the voices of those without power. We need a serious policy response on each front, and Constitutional amendments to correct all of this. In addition to advocating and dissecting the right policy prescriptions, it's now time to hit the streets.

Dissent is the prescription of the decade.

We believe in bold, transformative change. We reject the notions of baby steps, moving to the center, bipartisanship, and letting corporations run our government. We reject the conventional wisdom that the radical right aka the GOP is alone responsible for the crumbling of our political and economic structures. Too often, too many Democrats are complicit in the breakdown. We are unapologetic if some of these views of issues and policies offend the ardent party-over-policy partisans of the day.

We welcome and encourage intelligent discussion on a range of progressive issues and policies and substantive communication based on the exchange of ideas. We discourage attempts to define politics as a sporting or money event. The discussion of issues and policy should not prevail on the current definitions of any party. The discussion of candidates should prevail on their character, honesty, and the power of their ideas and plans to effectuate progressive change, not by how much money they can raise, their stature in the polls, silly gaffes, or the whims of punditry.