I get the feeling that things may be starting to turn around (after 32 years!)

[MannyGoldstein]

We have a long, long way to go before we're back to having a modern, functional country; we're currently up to our necks in manure much shoveling is needed. And there are certainly folks who'll be shoveling it back at us, and some who'll be swinging at our heads with their shovels.

But for the first time in a long time, Democrats are actually making noises after an election about doing the right thing. Sure it's pathetic that Social Security (which is in superb fiscal health, fake projections aside) is "off the table" only for now. And sad that our opening offer to the Republicans is $2.50 in spending cuts for $1.00 in new revenue (spending cuts in a depression have always been very damaging). And sick that we're hearing talk again of raising the eligibility age for Medicare to 67.

But at least our Democrats finally seem to be holding the line on something!

And Grover Norquist is spinning through the air in flames, trailing smoke as he plummets groundward.

And there's also significant discussion on reforming the filibuster,

I'm still skeptical, but I finally sense a little blue sky. At least the conversation is turning. And for this, I thank the good folks in Wisconsin, and Occupy, and the Chicago teachers, and all of the others who finally screamed BULLSHIT at the tops of their lungs and woke a bunch of Americans up to the war we've been losing for all this time.

Sorry for the rambling rant. Please return to your regular programming.

[leftstreet]

1. Lowest voter turnout since 2004, maybe even lower

Perhaps Americans ARE awake?

[roguevalley]

7. there is a great book out there by a man who charts

political cycles. Every thirty or so years the pendulum swings. He said a few ago that we were going back to the left for about the next thirty-forty years. Its nice isn't it.

[oldhippydude]

2. au contrere..... thanks for the rant!! n/t

[customerserviceguy]

3. If everyone in Washington holds the line

We will end up with all Bush-era tax cuts expiring for everyone, the sequester, no extension of long-term UC benefits, seniors being refused medical care by doctors who don't want reduced reimbursements and the alternative minimum tax hitting hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of middle income families.

I hope the Repukes get 100% of the blame for all of that, but I'm not exactly sure things will work out that way.

[hfojvt]

4. hopeful? Did you forget to sign your post?

3rd way Manny


I could see hope from that quarter since the 3rd way seems to be stronger than ever.

And considering that allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire for the richest 40% would create $2 in "new" revenue for every $1 that 3rs way Democrats are proposing (with 36% of THAT new revenue coming from the richest 5%) I'd call this "new" revenue kinda lame. Rolling back 22% of the Bush tax cuts is "new" revenue? Under this plan, the richest 1% still get $57 in tax cuts for every dollar in tax cuts that a member of the bottom 20% gets. Take that you plutocrats! It's $40 billion for the 1% and $.7 billion for each 1% share of the bottom 20%.

How is that not a victory for the 3rd way?

Well, at least the Democrats fought for something, even if that something is - the extension of most of the Bush tax cuts in a plan which heavily favors the rich.

[Egalitarian Thug]

5. K&R I'd certainly like to share your hope, maybe in 6 to 8 weeks. We'll see. n/t

[RepublicansRZombies]

6. WE the PEOPLE are taking back our power

This is the kind of rant we need to read more often

[Zorra]

8. +1 Got to keep the pressure on. nt