I have to admit, the only way I stay sane as I watch this slo-mo train wreck is by posting my frustration at Facebook (which gets more attention than my blog, sadly). I also remember the words in Psalm 146: "Put not your trust in rulers nor in any child of the earth for there is no help in them."
I'm not sure that in my lifetime there's been such a wide disconnect between what the MAJORITY of Americans believe (which is, per always, liberal policies---even if people ID as "moderate" or even "conservative"!), and political POWER.
It's clear that our elections-based representative democracy Just Isn't Working. Large majorities want HIGHER TAXES on the wealthy (over $250K/year), MORE GOVT SPENDING for JOBS, and *immediate* withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan (w/ less military spending, consequently)...
...yet these policies aren't even on the table! >:-0
The Major Problem: these Liberals-Without-the-Name-"Liberal" don't vote (esp. in non-Presidential elections!).
I don't know what the answer is. :-(
[Well, the Ultimate Answer is Jesus . . . but I'm unwilling (still) to accept that I can ONLY see the Kingdom of God when I've shaken off this mortal coil. I want to live the Gospel NOW. But if majorities won't vote for Gospel Values? {Le Sigh}]
Money talks, and money bought it all a long time ago.
My anger and disgust is turning into resignation, which Stendahl described as the ridiculous courage of a man who consents to be hanged without a word of protest.
Counterlight understands. Ian Welsh lays it out: http://www.ianwelsh.net/what-the-debt-limit-crisis-should-have-taught-you/ I'd support a primary if a candidate could be found. Where's Eugene McCarthy when we need him?
Clearly nobody *really* revealed who they *really* were...they just sort of glossed over their own character and kept the ¨surface¨ stuff as tidy, neat, and seemingly well balanced as a Betty Crocker meal (with house, trimmed yard/Cocker spaniel)...I mean that was before people actually talked about what they *really* thought (boy, were many surprised when they discovered many were amongst likeminded bigots and thieves even after Civil Rights breakthroughs)...meanwhile, it´s the same old stuff (for those of us who have listened to a earfull/sh*tfull during a lifetime)...suddenly many are surprised that the good old U.S.A has somewhat gone astray? Oh, the shock and awe of it all-- and to think they wrap themselves in the flag when they are naked as jaybirds on the make...it´s time, way past time that we ALL realize EXACTLY the large slice of greed, ignorance, and, my all time personal favorite, abusive behavior/discrimination, that´s exposed a hornets nest! Demanding to be right, never was so wrong.
"I'd support a primary if a candidate could be found."
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Do you remember 1980? Because I do. The Democratic Presidential primary fight brought us eight years (and Permanent GOP Godhood) of Ronald Reagan, thankverymuch. Can we skip a second (speaking of hanging!) execution thereof?
Look, if anyone says "Bernie Sanders in 2016!", I'm in. But for 2012, it's Obama "or then the Deluge". Do NOT risk this!
Leonardo, I think most Republican politicians reveal themselves clearly. They are scared shitless of the Tea Partiers. I met those folks en masse some years ago at a Mary Landrieu town meeting on health care. One of them was waving her sign so close to my face, that I thought she would hit me. Another woman, after I pointed out that some of what she told me was simply not true, told me, "Fuck you, you bitch!" But still, I stood up to the crazies, and the politicians could, too, if they had any spine.
JCF, I'm afraid the Democrats need a dose of 'shock and awe' to make them realize that they cannot necessarily take our continued support for granted if they choose to vote Republican-lite policies.
"Why do I once again feel that I live in the country of no hope?" Because we do. Until the People rise up with torches and pitchforks against the moneyed powerbrokers who own the government.
Paul, you're right. Now is the time to begin a movement with a view to long-term changes. Sadly, I believe the movement won't gain much traction until things get much worse in the country. Ignorance abounds.
I love Grandmere Mimi - can I adopt you? Check out the manifesto called: Future by Design: Beyond Money Politics & War by Jacque Fresco and Roxanne Meadows. Very enlightening...
Candace, the manifesto you cited led me to the article on the Gaia hypothesis in Wiki. I don't quite understand everything in the article, but it was an interesting read.
I'm afraid the Democrats need a dose of 'shock and awe' to make them realize that they cannot necessarily take our continued support for granted...
ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHH! {face palm!}
Why do Democrats SAY this, every other freaking election???
I heard this in 2000!!! "Well, I'll send a message and vote for Nader". [Please send those "messages" to THE DEAD of the War on Iraq. Go on now. "Shock and Awe"?]
Do NOT make the Perfect the enemy of the Good! Hold your nose, if you have to, but VOTE for Obama!
JCF, if we refuse to even consider alternatives to Republicans and Republicans-lite, how will we ever have change? The circus we've just witnessed can't be called bi-partisan governance. What it looks like to me is one-party governance, with the Republicans having their way, because the Democrats cave.
I'll repeat what I've said here and elsewhere, we need to begin a leftward movement here in the US, but movements don't produce instant results. I fear the movement won't gain a great deal of support until the situation in the US gets much worse. If the Republicans take charge in the next election, they may bring the country to its knees, and that may be enough to get a left movement going to put the kind or pressure on politicians that the Tea Party exercises.
I'm extremely pessimistic about the US in the near term. Obama has boxed himself in by signing on to the Republican policies, and he's left himself little room to accomplish visible positive results in the economy, especially job creation, before the next election.
I have to admit, the only way I stay sane as I watch this slo-mo train wreck is by posting my frustration at Facebook (which gets more attention than my blog, sadly).
ReplyDeleteI also remember the words in Psalm 146:
"Put not your trust in rulers nor in any child of the earth for there is no help in them."
I'm not sure that in my lifetime there's been such a wide disconnect between what the MAJORITY of Americans believe (which is, per always, liberal policies---even if people ID as "moderate" or even "conservative"!), and political POWER.
ReplyDeleteIt's clear that our elections-based representative democracy Just Isn't Working. Large majorities want HIGHER TAXES on the wealthy (over $250K/year), MORE GOVT SPENDING for JOBS, and *immediate* withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan (w/ less military spending, consequently)...
...yet these policies aren't even on the table! >:-0
The Major Problem: these Liberals-Without-the-Name-"Liberal" don't vote (esp. in non-Presidential elections!).
I don't know what the answer is. :-(
[Well, the Ultimate Answer is Jesus . . . but I'm unwilling (still) to accept that I can ONLY see the Kingdom of God when I've shaken off this mortal coil. I want to live the Gospel NOW. But if majorities won't vote for Gospel Values? {Le Sigh}]
JCF, the last poll I saw showed 72% of the people want higher taxes on the very wealthy, but that doesn't count with either Democrats or Republicans.
ReplyDeleteMoney talks, and money bought it all a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteMy anger and disgust is turning into resignation, which Stendahl described as the ridiculous courage of a man who consents to be hanged without a word of protest.
Counterlight understands. Ian Welsh lays it out: http://www.ianwelsh.net/what-the-debt-limit-crisis-should-have-taught-you/
ReplyDeleteI'd support a primary if a candidate could be found. Where's Eugene McCarthy when we need him?
That's right. Follow the money.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don't understand is why so many in what's left of the middle class vote against their own interests.
Murdoch, that's a good piece by Ian Walsh.
ReplyDeleteClearly nobody *really* revealed who they *really* were...they just sort of glossed over their own character and kept the ¨surface¨ stuff as tidy, neat, and seemingly well balanced as a Betty Crocker meal (with house, trimmed yard/Cocker spaniel)...I mean that was before people actually talked about what they *really* thought (boy, were many surprised when they discovered many were amongst likeminded bigots and thieves even after Civil Rights breakthroughs)...meanwhile, it´s the same old stuff (for those of us who have listened to a earfull/sh*tfull during a lifetime)...suddenly many are surprised that the good old U.S.A has somewhat gone astray? Oh, the shock and awe of it all-- and to think they wrap themselves in the flag when they are naked as jaybirds on the make...it´s time, way past time that we ALL realize EXACTLY the large slice of greed, ignorance, and, my all time personal favorite, abusive behavior/discrimination, that´s exposed a hornets nest! Demanding to be right, never was so wrong.
ReplyDelete"I'd support a primary if a candidate could be found."
ReplyDeleteABSOLUTELY NOT.
Do you remember 1980? Because I do. The Democratic Presidential primary fight brought us eight years (and Permanent GOP Godhood) of Ronald Reagan, thankverymuch. Can we skip a second (speaking of hanging!) execution thereof?
Look, if anyone says "Bernie Sanders in 2016!", I'm in. But for 2012, it's Obama "or then the Deluge". Do NOT risk this!
Leonardo, I think most Republican politicians reveal themselves clearly. They are scared shitless of the Tea Partiers. I met those folks en masse some years ago at a Mary Landrieu town meeting on health care. One of them was waving her sign so close to my face, that I thought she would hit me. Another woman, after I pointed out that some of what she told me was simply not true, told me, "Fuck you, you bitch!" But still, I stood up to the crazies, and the politicians could, too, if they had any spine.
ReplyDeleteJCF, I'm afraid the Democrats need a dose of 'shock and awe' to make them realize that they cannot necessarily take our continued support for granted if they choose to vote Republican-lite policies.
"Why do I once again feel that I live in the country of no hope?" Because we do. Until the People rise up with torches and pitchforks against the moneyed powerbrokers who own the government.
ReplyDeletePaul, you're right. Now is the time to begin a movement with a view to long-term changes. Sadly, I believe the movement won't gain much traction until things get much worse in the country. Ignorance abounds.
ReplyDeleteI love Grandmere Mimi - can I adopt you? Check out the manifesto called: Future by Design: Beyond Money Politics & War by Jacque Fresco and Roxanne Meadows. Very enlightening...
ReplyDeleteCandace, the manifesto you cited led me to the article on the Gaia hypothesis in Wiki. I don't quite understand everything in the article, but it was an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid the Democrats need a dose of 'shock and awe' to make them realize that they cannot necessarily take our continued support for granted...
ReplyDeleteARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHH! {face palm!}
Why do Democrats SAY this, every other freaking election???
I heard this in 2000!!! "Well, I'll send a message and vote for Nader". [Please send those "messages" to THE DEAD of the War on Iraq. Go on now. "Shock and Awe"?]
Do NOT make the Perfect the enemy of the Good! Hold your nose, if you have to, but VOTE for Obama!
JCF, if we refuse to even consider alternatives to Republicans and Republicans-lite, how will we ever have change? The circus we've just witnessed can't be called bi-partisan governance. What it looks like to me is one-party governance, with the Republicans having their way, because the Democrats cave.
ReplyDeleteI would never vote for Ralph Nader.
You are right, Mimi. JCF is also right. I guess that leaves Democrat voters up poo creek without the proverbial for the foreseeable future.
ReplyDeleteI'll repeat what I've said here and elsewhere, we need to begin a leftward movement here in the US, but movements don't produce instant results. I fear the movement won't gain a great deal of support until the situation in the US gets much worse. If the Republicans take charge in the next election, they may bring the country to its knees, and that may be enough to get a left movement going to put the kind or pressure on politicians that the Tea Party exercises.
ReplyDeleteI'm extremely pessimistic about the US in the near term. Obama has boxed himself in by signing on to the Republican policies, and he's left himself little room to accomplish visible positive results in the economy, especially job creation, before the next election.