I know, I know, it's partially *my* fault.

[MannyGoldstein]

Things suck. They suck really bad. I'll be the first to admit it.

In fact, I might often be the first to admit it. Not because I love to wallow in poop, I hope, but because I know that the first step in making things better is an honest assessment of the present situation. And the present situation sucks. So I post a lot of negative stuff and it probably doesn't make the place cheery. I even depress myself sometimes.

But there's another thing I know: it doesn't have to keep sucking. We're down, but we're not out - don't write us off yet. We've had awful situations before: the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the Great Depression/WWII were all much worse than today's shitstorm. But in each of these, Liberal ideals prevailed and Americans went on to bigger and better things.

Until the next shitstorm.

We're moving into another one of those times in history where we'll all have some very important decisions to make. Our job as Liberals is to help our fellow Americans to see the light, to see the good, and to take the right path. No reason why we can't do that.

I'm seeing a lot of nihlism on DU these days. "Put a fork in us - we're done".

Bullshit.

While I share the feeling that we've been hit by a truck then mugged while down, the good news is that now that we collectively realize what's happened, we can grab a shovel and some brass knuckles and get to work on fixing it.

We don't know how this budget garbage will turn out in the next couple of days. We may get through it, but then there'll be something else. And something else. Until something huge goes plop on us. We're just too far into the shit swamp swamp now for our heads to stay above the sludge forever. But let's start thinking about the path back to land, because otherwise our heads stay under for good.

Regards,

First-Way Manny

P.S. sorry about all the poop references. Just seems appropriate in these times.

[NuclearDem]

1. I don't blame you.

This governance-by-crisis is starting to take its toll on everyone.

[Scuba]

2. It's all your fault Manny. I read it right here on DU.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Indeed! nt

[Egnever]

4. America the great is propaganda

it has never been that great. It has always sucked for one reason or another. Maybe it was great for a short 20 year period after WWII, but aside from that there has been a pretty constant stream of suck.

What is great about America is our ability to change one suck for another.

[MannyGoldstein]

5. The suck has always been here, but

I think a lot of good stuff, too.

[Egnever]

6. Theres still lots of good stuff

with new good stuff all the time. There's also new suck stuff all the time.

Crime rates are historically low, gay marriage is becoming a full blown reality, pot is quickly becoming legal....there's plenty of great new stuff. There is also a lot of new crap.

Such is life, dwelling on only the crap is not the path to happiness.

[MannyGoldstein]

7. The American Revolution begat the American Experiment

And when the experiment succeeded, it begat more Democracy.

So many wretched, huddled and poor have come to our shores and made a good life.

The US hauled the world back from the abyss in WWII, and set conditions afterward that have kept Europe and Japan peaceful for many years.

All kinds of technology has sprung from the US because of its egalitarian nature.

And, as you say, a lot of crap.