Rampart Caucus Deli Pulpit

If you’re an American fed up with the non-sense radiating from Washington D.C. then please listen.
First, let me say.
You’re not alone. You are not alone >
In fact, you are in a super majority of American people who either never joined a political party, joined then quit, or are registered to vote under a party label and now say, “my party no longer speaks for me”. Sound familiar? You may even be one of the tens of millions of Americans who choose not to Vote.
Nearly everyone agrees that Congress is nonresponsive. Whether by design or happenstance, political leadership seems content to be stuck in the 20th Century. It’s like they think we’re not watching and we don’t see everything that’s really going on.
I believe that there’s a way for Us to make Congress more responsive without changing the system.
Currently, major party leadership in Congress controls the agenda and the narrative to benefit private and political interests over the will of the people. Just two people have the final word and dictate the Congressional calendar. Most Congress People are helpless to do anything other than comply and side with the party that sent them to Congress. That’s what most of them do, with occasional actions and regular fist shaking.
The difference between recent Congressional membership and membership in past Congresses is the absence of Moderate Republican and Democratic members. Once numbering hundreds, there are now just a handful.
There are Americans right this minute who want to Run for Congress and humbly serve our interests as part of a Moderate red and blue caucus who can influence and possibly control the agenda over party leadership and who will moderate discussions that focus on policies that promote equality of opportunity and economic certainty.
They’re discouraged by the fact that less than 10% of American Voters turnout at Primary elections. Partisan voters who nominate the most partisan candidates. When the rest of us show up in November, most elections are already decided and we send the most partisan candidates to Congress. We lose.
Winning numbers are on our side. 235 Million Americans are eligible to vote. If the normal 65% turnout of General elections occurred at Primaries, we win. That’s it.
Americans who want to Run for Congress need to know whether more of Us than usual will turnout and Vote in the 2022 Primary elections. In turn, we need to know whether they are likely to represent Us.
Let’s listen to them and share what we learn.
Affordable Priorities
Let’s nominate red and blue candidates from the Primaries who are most likely to represent the “affordable priorities” of most Americans. Championing American values on a Budget! What a novel concept.
Let’s do this in 2022 and see how it works. There only seems to be an upside for We The People.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rampartcaucus.substack.com

Our individual sense that My Vote Matters and will cause a meaningful outcome is all each of us want. That has eroded for decades and may never have existed for young voters. Our vote has been relegated to dutifully selecting one of two candidates by party label. Little more.
For our entire lives we’ve relied on the messages of each major Party to translate to policy that works in the interest of the American people. The competing party platforms are summarized by the size of government being reflective of our compassion for people versus a smaller government that is more fiscally responsible and allows people to self-determine.
It’s obvious to all of us that the government is the largest one in history, assimilates every tax dollar and there are 43 million Americans living in poverty. That’s where we are terminally stuck, 21 years into the 21st Century.
We see that each of the messages that we’ve voted for our entire lives have fallen woefully short. Without meaningful outcomes American votes have lost value to most Americans.
This is where I am on my American journey. If you’re like me, then you’re fed up and just want more common-sense and humility in Congress to represent the affordable priorities of most Americans. Most of us like a little from each side, embrace the same American values and want the same equality of opportunity that cohesive policy and economic certainty can promote.
No one represents American interests over political interests in Congress. Not even your Congressperson or Senator. They’re seemingly incapable and despite good intentions and modest actions are trapped by the system. The Congressional agenda is controlled by one person in both chambers, the respective majority leaders, and focuses entirely on supporting political interest and majority control of the chambers. The will of most American people rarely, if ever influences agenda or policy.
Make “My Vote Matter” by Considering Candidates Who Are Likely to be Representative of Most Americans
Anticipate the Potential of a Coalition of Red & Blue Moderates, Who Can Control Congressional Agenda to Protect the Affordable Priorities of Most Americans
Making “My Vote Matter” could be as basic as voting for a Congressional candidate who is likely to caucus as a red or blue moderate, in order to positively influence control of the agenda over the majority leader in each chamber. Voters would need to anticipate that other voters are of a like mind, know the rules for participating in their State’s Primary election, then just as important to the process, a candidate would be encouraged to run by anticipating that voters would turnout motivated to nominate a more representative candidate for the November 8th election.
Matthew Yglesias and Steven Teles, in a recent The Atlantic article, A Moderate Proposal make a case for a coalition of red and blue Congressmembers who could control the agenda and move the Senate forward. They appropriately call the group a “Fulcrum”.
Lee Drutman says in “Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America” that Congress was more responsive before the Civil Rights Bill of 1965 because of a Moderate red and blue membership that he calls “Shadow Parties”. The Republican and Democratic Parties as four parties. The shadow parties were red or blue moderates who identified with their party and who also considered the interests of their constituency. They moderated the debate. (Mr. Drutman hasn’t endorsed this solution. He is more in favor of Proportional Representation)
Joseph Manchin and Kirsten Sinema, Moderate Democratic Senators, became pivotal (a fulcrum) recently. Their pushback was disruptive to bills from the Democratic Party. Their positions forced the two sides to have conversations that would’ve never occurred otherwise. It was not surprising that they were characterized through social media and corporate news as being extremists for their center pos

Congress is unresponsive.
An overwhelming majority of Americans no longer have confidence in that institution to represent the will of the American people and feel helpless to do anything about it. States and the people are promised a Republic that at minimum should give us good faith representation. People, especially in underserved communities feel the impact and betrayal of a government that we all enrich, expecting to see problems cured. We send more money to the US Government than any people in human history. Those dollars are assimilated into a giant government monolith that only grows larger, and never smaller or more efficient. Then, Trillions more dollars are borrowed by Congress, indebting future generations, future families, as casually as dropping gum on the grocery counter.
Rampart Caucus is a national campaign in the planning stages to identify the most moderate red or blue candidates in each 2022 Congressional open Primary.
Governors can be instrumental in identifying Congressional candidates from their States who will be Champions in a moderate Caucus that represents their party message first with an additional commitment to the will of the American people.
Admitting humbly that each party doesn’t truly represent the will of most people is the first step to move forward here.
This is an appeal to you and fellow Governors to lead a campaign in your State to find Champions. Party candidates who would go to Congress and push back against the status quo, consider the will of the American people and moderate policy making to better represent the “affordable priorities” of most Americans. Nothing more.
This is a centuries-old concern that has only tightened its grip on Congress, tighter and tighter as tax revenues doubled each decade since 1930 (sans 2010). The $4 Trillion a year that Americans send to the IRS and unquestionable authority to borrow has become the jackpot that grips Congress and creates an institution where honest people can no longer be honest, who are each trapped in two partisan caucuses, controlled by party Congressional leadership, and incapable of representing a broad constituency, or even offer good faith representation of most Americans.
It’s unfortunate that the following century old words are still relevant.
“Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government, to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.” -Theodore Roosevelt, Bull Moose Party Convention, 1912
A new party is not the answer.
Our political parties represent only a slightly different notion about whether the size of government either says how much we care about our people, or whether the size of government is an impediment to individual liberty and progress. Yet, we’ve been led to believe that our side is the only way and the other side of Americans is evil.
People are fed up.
Rampart Caucus Corporation is a Nevada nonprofit formed for the purpose of educating people about the promises versus reality of political parties and to offer a way forward to Americans who feel helpless and want to be heard.
Now, mere months away from the first Congressional Primaries of the 118th United States Congress, I believe there is a path forward without changing the system. Americans only need to consider whether their party’s candidate will go to Congress to represent the people, or if they will go there and only parrot party narrative and vote party line. A vote which is rarely, if ever, a vote that considers the will of the people. Primaries are traditionally low turnout, partisan, unenthusiastic elections where a party candidate peacocks away from the center.
This is the path forward.
Let’s identify Champions in each open Party Primary in 2022 to send the most electable candidate who is most likely to represe

Is there anyone of us who doesn’t see that Congress has become unresponsive, either by unfortunate happenstance or by strategic design? Regardless of how or why it happened, the people who operate Congress have failed the American people by using the red or blue cloaks we sewed for them to declare their side the only way forward and the other side evil. An on-going concerted effort to divide the country by pitting Americans against Americans in order to maintain control and enrich themselves and a consortium of donors. Enough of us believe that it’s only us versus them and that the solution is a stronger majority for our side to set things right. Not only do we tolerate it, we buy into the misguided concept that party labels transcend American values.
I’m here to tell you in the most grammatically incorrect way possible,
Y’all, it just ain’t so…
American values are the foundation of America. We each hold our heads high and call ourselves Americans because we believe in the values that we’re so eloquently stated in the Declaration of Independence and after fifteen years of debate in the Continental Congress enshrined in the US Constitution, and later made better with much needed amendments. This is where we find ourselves today. American values without American Champions to defend them.
* We never asked the party affiliation of the nearly 3,000 Americans who died on this solemn day in 2001. “Let’s Roll”, was a rally for all Americans on Flight 93.
* We haven’t wondered whether the thousands of soldiers who died fighting the war on terror were red or blue voters.
* We don’t watch a professional sports event and hope the team with the most red or blue party members wins.
* When 13 troops died in Afghanistan to rescue hundreds of Americans, no one said, we should rescue just the ones from the party that I associate with. Or, ever wondered about the way those fallen heroes voted.
* A Twitter message from Mercedes Martinez struck me yesterday as an embodiment of American values that transcend parties, “Did my dad help you on September 11, 2001?”. An account of her Father’s ingenuity to get home that day and take seven new friends grounded in Omaha to their Denver homes.
Congress people from both parties have at some point declared their candidacy under a party label that claims to represent American values.
Americans go to the polls, either associated with a party label, or leaning one way or the other. Sometimes, not really knowing the reason why. Often clinging to one of two slightly different ideals for how the Federal Government should govern.
What are the differences? One party claims that all Americans deserve a government that will provide services to citizens and that government size simply reflects how much we care about our people. The other party claims that the government should be smaller, services limited to the most needy and that individuals should seek their own happiness with limited government interference.
Each party faithful hangs their hat on these two opposing messages that each claim to be the way to uphold American values hinged on the size of government.
Reality reveals that both messages have failed horribly, yet both parties continue to claim to be the only solution to govern America. A country with 43 million people living below the poverty line does not have a government that serves the people. The US Government is the largest in human history, so the message to limit government has become likewise the largest failure in human history.
Blaming the other side is the next step. Both sides say the other side is blocking progress. The left says the right is uncaring (to state it mildly) and doesn’t care about the people. Yet the government continues to grow larger, borrow more money and poverty continues to grow with the population and ungoverned immigration. The right says the left is dragging the government further left toward a model that has proven to be appealing to

Let’s start by stating some truths. Or, go straight to Rampart Caucus is a start point… below if you already know the truth and want to see the path forward.
First, this campaign doesn’t want your money. It’s a proposal for Americans to teach each other a natural way for considering who we vote to send to Congress. We’ll use the Internet available to us and share ideas. I’m just getting the process started. My expertise is cloud programming, which requires daily trial and error problem solving. I’m used to making a hundred mistakes a day, I will listen intently and will be the first to admit I’m wrong.
American values transcend party labels. That’s why hundreds of bridging organizations and civic responsibility projects that bring Americans together to talk humbly brag that red and blue Americans continually find common ground in conversations about politics. It’s true.
Parties are ingrained in American society. Americans only know a system where two parties compete with opposite promises. Parties are here to stay. Americans who associate strongly with a party will continue to vote by a red or blue label.
Most Americans believe that Congress is no longer working for the us. Congress people are incapable of considering even basic ideas when innovative cures to root problems is what’s needed to move the country forward. Whether by design or unfortunate happenstance, this is where we find ourselves.
We send $4 Trillion a year that’s already budgeted, then react to borrowing Trillions more in line with our party preference.
We vote red or blue because of idealistic promises about the size of government and whether the government will take care of us or the government says we should take care of ourselves. That’s about it, or at least that’s about all we hear. The reality of 43 million Americans living below the poverty line in a country with the largest government in human history mocks those ideals.
Party faithful cling to a Vegas-like mentality, “If only we can get a big majority, we can make things better.” In Vegas, the casino always wins with “if I can only get back to even” and “now I’m playing with house money”. All perpetuates losing in the end.
We can’t defeat a rich and powerful system. Agreed. After centuries of fine-tuning the way we vote, the system is a virtual fortress against competition. So, how do we penetrate the system? We don’t have to defeat the system. The American people aren’t in the fortress, we’re all out here living our best lives, doing the best that we can for our family and community.
Most Americans are restless but don’t know where to start, or what to do. Some of us say our party no longer speaks for me, we’re not associated with a party, not sure what the parties stand for, have adopted the party of our parent, been indoctrinated at school or identify with a party out of sense of community. Or, we’re simply fed up!
Americans need to learn that there is something else to consider in addition to their ingrained party position or party leaning. The party messages have failed to yield the promised results, but there’s still merit in a Congress that has those contrasting views. We just need Congress people there who will protect the will of the people instead of fist shaking warm bodies that fill the seats in each chamber of Congress now, voting party line without consideration of the priorities of most Americans and only focus on fixing symptoms instead of curing problems.
Rampart Caucus is a start point with focused ideas about where to start and the path forward.
Red, Blue or other, come as you are! Keep your party ideals. All Americans just want to know before we vote if a candidate is ALSO committed to the will of the American people.
It’s that simple.
We’ll define what that commitment looks like here. The Real American Majority Platform—RAMP will set a nonpartisan standard for electing Congress people regardless of red, blue or m

American voters can overwhelm primaries to send the least partisan candidate to the general election. Let’s consider Flash Voting, something like a choreographed Flash Mob.
Low turnout at primaries and candidates appealing to more partisan voters sends a more partisan candidate to each general election. Primaries are most often said to be the primary cause of polarization in Congress. Any candidate who pledges to support the Real American Majority Platform—RAMP, prioritizing the affordable priorities of most Americans could appeal to and attract fed up party affiliates and in most States unaffiliated/independent voters. By focusing on primaries American voters could nominate a general election candidate more likely to represent most Americans.
Rules to vote in Primaries vary by State. After researching the rules in detail for States with Congressional elections scheduled in 2022 and 2024 I’ll publish another article and link it here. Overview of State Primary Rules
Most States have primary rules that allow voters to participate in just one primary or the other.
The goal is to send red or blue candidates to Congress who pledge to support the priorities of RAMP, not instead of their party’s platform, but in addition to their party’s message. Improving the odds of electing a candidate with influence to protect the interest of most Americans in Congress. To win elections within a system that has been designed to favor the controlling parties, a central RAMP campaign should be designed to promote State campaigns that obtain RAMP Pledges and drum up enthusiasm for a representative candidate that will increase turnout by fed up party affiliates and independents.
It’s a fact that Primaries historically have very low turnout. And candidates tend to appeal to the extremes of their party. This makes them very vulnerable to the higher turnout mentioned and creates a huge contrast to a RAMP pledged candidate, especially one affiliated with the party.
Perhaps a unique process akin to a Flash Mob will work. The recently popular event where thousands of people gather in a public area and mill about. A few people start dancing while a few watch. Those folks start dancing and before long the entire crowd starts dancing in a choreographed event that was staged weeks in advance.
Flash Voting to overwhelm a primary and takeover the nomination with a candidate that may have secretly pledged to RAMP or not announced their pledge until election day. Voters could organize according to the primary rules of their State and one by one each take back Congressional seats occupied by partisan incumbents. Or maybe the incumbent can be persuaded to support RAMP.
The vulnerability exists and could be choreographed to make this plan work.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rampartcaucus.substack.com