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MannyGoldstein

(34,589 posts)
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 07:49 PM Sep 2014

What has this country come to?

When "not as bad as Republicans" and "not as bad as George Bush" become serious talking points?

Dear Goddess!

I want us to win. I want things to get better. For you, for me, for our children, for everyone on this planet.

And I'm getting mighty @#$%ing sick of swimming through this river of raw sewage.

That is all.

Please return to your regular programming.

57 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
What has this country come to? (Original Post) MannyGoldstein Sep 2014 OP
The US needs some leadership leftstreet Sep 2014 #1
Perhaps Elizabeth Warren? Cali_Democrat Sep 2014 #6
Nailed it! sheshe2 Sep 2014 #8
Hell yes. Elizabeth Warren would be awesome! She has my support Autumn Sep 2014 #13
Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2014 #54
I'm not seeing where she advocates arming syrian rebels and dropping bombs in that article Maven Sep 2014 #16
Interesting how things look MannyGoldstein Sep 2014 #25
isn't it? SammyWinstonJack Sep 2014 #36
+1 Scuba Sep 2014 #30
Elizabeth Warren: "We can't get pulled into another war in the Middle East". sabrina 1 Sep 2014 #50
For a lot of people, the single issue is economics. MineralMan Sep 2014 #34
Lemme fix that title for you. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Sep 2014 #53
We could use publicly funded elections to go along with that leader! Dustlawyer Sep 2014 #19
A sea of drones DavidG_WI Sep 2014 #37
This message was self-deleted by its author polichick Sep 2014 #38
I'd say that we need some representation FiveGoodMen Sep 2014 #39
And also the willingness to gather like that when "our leaders" sell us out. polichick Sep 2014 #44
Amen.... daleanime Sep 2014 #2
You seem to be as big of a shit stirrer as anyone here Manny madokie Sep 2014 #3
And he still won't share his recipe for Shit Stew. nt valerief Sep 2014 #5
I think its a pretty simple recipe actually madokie Sep 2014 #7
Well, there's only one cure for that. If dogs were on DU... valerief Sep 2014 #15
But the shit only stinks when it is not your own. zeemike Sep 2014 #20
Hah! Erich Bloodaxe BSN Sep 2014 #55
Wide Wide River ...of Shit. L0oniX Sep 2014 #10
You took the words right out of my mouth. Andy823 Sep 2014 #11
They have lots of fans too rbrnmw Sep 2014 #17
Manny is speaking out against the mess we are sinking deeper into every day and rhett o rick Sep 2014 #40
Nailed it. So glad to see that everyone is catching on! Number23 Sep 2014 #49
My President Obama cleared a lot of sewage out of the way so a lot of Americans can see their way.. Tikki Sep 2014 #4
And your "President Obama" has given carte blanche to the frackers to ruin our rhett o rick Sep 2014 #41
The Lesser of Two Weevils Martin Eden Sep 2014 #9
It would seem that when the other side is likely to go even further right to a MINORITY candidate! cascadiance Sep 2014 #12
in many ways i agree with every one of your posts.... spanone Sep 2014 #14
Amen Brother. Phlem Sep 2014 #18
What have we come too? zeemike Sep 2014 #21
I'm generally more worried about Republicans than I am about ISIS. Jester Messiah Sep 2014 #24
And wasn't Isis created by a couple prominent Repubs and their Saudi butcher friends? Dont call me Shirley Sep 2014 #47
"Vote Democratic - We're Pathetic but the Other Guys are Nuts" - Bill Maher Douglas Carpenter Sep 2014 #22
taking the Congress back would be huge. WHEN CRABS ROAR Sep 2014 #23
This message was self-deleted by its author marym625 Sep 2014 #26
I voted for Kucinich. flvegan Sep 2014 #27
It's come to the place where unchecked corruption always comes to Corruption Inc Sep 2014 #28
+1 We are ruled by criminals. woo me with science Sep 2014 #31
Kicked and recommended! Enthusiast Sep 2014 #29
Thank you. woo me with science Sep 2014 #32
It's just getting started Manny, don't change the channel Puzzledtraveller Sep 2014 #33
The country has come to what it always comes to. MineralMan Sep 2014 #35
I will continue to GOTV but I don't believe it's the answer. Our election system has been rhett o rick Sep 2014 #42
Here's a powerful OP that addresses the deep challenges we face, please check it out: NYC_SKP Sep 2014 #51
Hey I was just reading the OP before I read this. rhett o rick Sep 2014 #56
I believe that if we could have a roundtable with leaders from the past four generations.... NYC_SKP Sep 2014 #57
We set the bar too low MissDeeds Sep 2014 #43
When a political party repeatedly ignores the demands of its voters, Maedhros Sep 2014 #45
When "not as bad as George Bush" is said in a serious, complimentary way, things are very bad. n/t SylviaD Sep 2014 #46
Every goddamn year expectations get lower, it seems to energize the lazy stfu "reality based" whereisjustice Sep 2014 #48
Truth be known, both political Parties kow-tow to the same 1%. blkmusclmachine Sep 2014 #52
 

Cali_Democrat

(30,439 posts)
6. Perhaps Elizabeth Warren?
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 08:01 PM
Sep 2014
Warren: Destroying ISIS should be our No. 1 priority. Step up tracking of Americans traveling abroad

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday said that the Obama administration should make defeating the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) its top priority.

<...>

"We need to be working now, full-speed ahead, with other countries, to destroy ISIS. That should be our No. 1 priority," she said in a wide-ranging interview promoting her latest book, A Fighting Chance.

<...>

Asked about the dozens of Americans who have reportedly joined ISIS, Warren noted that the U.S. should be "stepping up our efforts to track where people go when they leave the United States."

"The terrorists have moved, and we have to move in response," she said, adding part of that "means we're going to have to change in fundamental ways how we monitor our citizens when they go abroad."

http://thehill.com/policy/international/216559-warren-destroying-isis-should-be-our-no-1-priority

Autumn

(44,980 posts)
13. Hell yes. Elizabeth Warren would be awesome! She has my support
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 08:35 PM
Sep 2014

she is right on so many important issues I can overlook this one.

Response to Autumn (Reply #13)

Maven

(10,533 posts)
16. I'm not seeing where she advocates arming syrian rebels and dropping bombs in that article
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 08:48 PM
Sep 2014

"We need to be working now, full-speed ahead, with other countries, to destroy ISIS. That should be our No. 1 priority," she said in a wide-ranging interview promoting her latest book, A Fighting Chance.

Working with other countries. Sounds a lot to me like diplomacy, not war.

And, there's this, which you left out of your excerpt:

"We can't get pulled into another war in the Middle East," she said. "We need to be working with others to close ISIS down."

Sounds like Sen. Warren is advocating using diplomacy and intelligence to track and shut down the threat, not a bombing campaign or proxy war.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
50. Elizabeth Warren: "We can't get pulled into another war in the Middle East".
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 06:43 PM
Sep 2014

There, just wanted to make sure that the selected quotes obviously meant to show that even 'your fave is a warmonger' did not accurately represent her. Now why would anyone want to do that?

But I hope they understand this about the 'left'. IF she gets on board with the forever war crowd, she will no longer have their respect.

For some reason, maybe it's projection a few people here seem to think that once you find a politician who seems to represent you, that you like, you will remain loyal to that person no matter what! NOT SO!

Why on earth would they thing that? It's not about individual personalities, it's about their actions on important issues, not even about their words anymore. We've learned how much words mean in politics.

MineralMan

(146,254 posts)
34. For a lot of people, the single issue is economics.
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 09:49 AM
Sep 2014

They believe that Elizabeth Warren will somehow transform our economy to provide some sort of successful and equitable distribution of wealth. Nothing else matters for that group. They neglect to mention that the President can't really do any of that sort of thing without the cooperation of Congress.

As long as they hold the mistaken belief that Warren or Sanders or some unnamed presidential candidate can transform our economy, everything else is secondary and doesn't matter. Both Warren and Sanders support President Obama's strategy regarding ISIS/ISIL. That doesn't matter, though, when it comes to their belief that the "right choice for President" will somehow fix everything in some sort of sweeping change.

The saddest thing of all is that once either of those two candidates became President and was not able to make the changes they believe are needed, they will attack them, just as they have attacked President Obama, who also would like to make most of the same changes. He cannot, just as they will not be able to, unless we send a majority of Democrats to both houses of Congress.

The real push right now should be a massive, unprecedented GOTV effort to transform Congress by creating majorities in both houses who will pass bills that implement the changes that President Obama has been promoting all along. The only answer that will work is to:

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

Erich Bloodaxe BSN

(14,733 posts)
53. Lemme fix that title for you.
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 07:28 PM
Sep 2014

"For a lot of people, the main issue is economics."

I would doubt that any great percentage of DU users are 'single issue' voters. Certainly not 'a lot of' them. But each and every one of us have our priorities. You can also change 'transform' to 'focus on' in the body of your text. There's no need to caricaturize people who prefer Warren or Sanders to Clinton.

Response to leftstreet (Reply #1)

madokie

(51,076 posts)
3. You seem to be as big of a shit stirrer as anyone here Manny
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 07:53 PM
Sep 2014

with all due respect.
Day after day, stirring shit

madokie

(51,076 posts)
7. I think its a pretty simple recipe actually
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 08:02 PM
Sep 2014

I'm sure this or the one you are replying to will be a post that I'll have hidden but if it is so be it. Just tired of the shit stirring day in and day out.

Erich Bloodaxe BSN

(14,733 posts)
55. Hah!
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 07:38 PM
Sep 2014

A paraphrase of what I'm told is an old Viking saying. 'To each man, his own shit smells good.'

In a less vulgar and more modern way, one might say 'Each person is the hero in their own story' to indicate that people tend to think what they're doing is good, important, or right, even if it's 'bad' when someone else does it.

Andy823

(11,495 posts)
11. You took the words right out of my mouth.
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 08:31 PM
Sep 2014

Way to many people here trying to stir things up, day after day, the same old shit, all negative and nothing positive. Either they love the doom and gloom or they simply have some kind of agenda that isn't really trying to help keep republicans out of office, but instead trying to depress voters so they won't vote. Either way it doesn't help unite people at all. The one goal should be to replace as many republicans as we can come November, and then start working on the same thing for 2016.

Those who simply want to stir the shit don't really seem to be working towards that kind of a goal. I wonder why?

 

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
40. Manny is speaking out against the mess we are sinking deeper into every day and
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 12:55 PM
Sep 2014

he gets called a "shit-stirrer". I'm guessing you want him to sit down and shut up and be thankful for the status quo. Good luck with that.

Tikki

(14,549 posts)
4. My President Obama cleared a lot of sewage out of the way so a lot of Americans can see their way..
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 07:55 PM
Sep 2014

clearly into the future.




Tikki

 

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
41. And your "President Obama" has given carte blanche to the frackers to ruin our
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 12:58 PM
Sep 2014

environment. He is also unilaterally killing people in multiple sovereign nations without Constitutional authority. What do you see "clearly" into our future? More jobs moving to Asia per the TPP?

 

cascadiance

(19,537 posts)
12. It would seem that when the other side is likely to go even further right to a MINORITY candidate!
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 08:33 PM
Sep 2014

... that we shouldn't have to "sacrifice" getting our progressive goals satisfied bending in that direction like we have in the past. We should be able to have someone that has strong progressive goals that could still beat a Ted Cruz-like candidate, and actually get some FDR moments that this country sorely needs now!

I want a leader that will hold the 1% accountable for the damage they've done over the last 30 years to this country, both generically and punish them hard for specific crimes that in the past would have had them prosecuted and jailed.

I want a leader that will rebuild the middle class and the 99% of us that have suffered during this time, and given tha tit is NINEY-NINE PERCENT of us that we're talking about helping, how is that "far left" in anyone's universe but the 1%er's propaganda! If we don't keep cowtowing to corporate and big money interests, I think we'd become quickly a majority party for years to come! But some in this country in both parties owned by these special interests are doing everything to keep that from happening with their so-called "free speech" money!

spanone

(135,791 posts)
14. in many ways i agree with every one of your posts....
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 08:36 PM
Sep 2014

but they have absolutely nothing to do with the reality that exists....

life and certainly politics are not black or white.

wish they were.

carry on

Phlem

(6,323 posts)
18. Amen Brother.
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 09:00 PM
Sep 2014

Too much money and power in politics. Too many lying liars in politics in it only for themselves. Bush projecting about activist judges.

And in the end there are people who are convinced beyond a doubt that Hillary's our best choice.

Now I know why I sleep in, in the mornings.

zeemike

(18,998 posts)
21. What have we come too?
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 09:51 PM
Sep 2014

A place in history where the Democratic party has adopted the war policies of the right, and the GOP has gone even further into radicalism to make sure that we stay firmly there.

Yes all Democrats now must line up for the next war...because this ISIS is bigger and badder that Bin Laden or Saddam and will probably attack us and behead us all...hell I guess we all know now that it is a permanent war so we might as well sit back and watch the shock and aw on our TV and thank the troops for their service...and we can take comfort in the fact that we are not as bad as the Conservatives.

Down the rabbit hole is where we have gone...and attending the Mad Hatters tea party.

 

Jester Messiah

(4,711 posts)
24. I'm generally more worried about Republicans than I am about ISIS.
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 10:03 PM
Sep 2014

After all, ISIS is way over there, and the Republicans are here, armed, and actively crave CW2. They're one demagogue away from "taking America back" with some "second amendment solutions."

Douglas Carpenter

(20,226 posts)
22. "Vote Democratic - We're Pathetic but the Other Guys are Nuts" - Bill Maher
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 09:55 PM
Sep 2014

I guess that's what we have to work with these days.

Response to MannyGoldstein (Original post)

flvegan

(64,405 posts)
27. I voted for Kucinich.
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 10:33 PM
Sep 2014

I was sick of it then, still sick of it.

But he's short and saw a UFO or something. He was unpopular with our keepers, so there's that.

 

Corruption Inc

(1,568 posts)
28. It's come to the place where unchecked corruption always comes to
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 11:41 PM
Sep 2014

2 tiered justice system.
Worthless and unenforced regulations.
Laws making things like torture legal.
Super rich elites running the govt.
Media is nothing but propaganda.
People getting poorer everyday while being told how great everything is in the economy.

A quick look at the history of the USSR shows where the U.S. is headed. Oops, I applied rational thought and lessons from history to our current environment of "post reality politics".

MineralMan

(146,254 posts)
35. The country has come to what it always comes to.
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 09:54 AM
Sep 2014

It is split, politically. It's governed by people elected by a minority of eligible citizens, since the majority doesn't bother to vote. If we want significant change, the path to it is clear. Those of us who recognize that path and are willing to take it must change how the people of this country deal with elections.

I keep typing the same thing in my posts as a closing, and I will type it again. You want real change? Do this:

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

 

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
42. I will continue to GOTV but I don't believe it's the answer. Our election system has been
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 01:01 PM
Sep 2014

compromised. We must find friendly elites that recognize that killing the middle class will eventually kill the goose.

 

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)
51. Here's a powerful OP that addresses the deep challenges we face, please check it out:
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 07:05 PM
Sep 2014

The problem is deep. Not unsolvable but definitely something that will take time and a sustained concerted effort.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12691212

 

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
56. Hey I was just reading the OP before I read this.
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 08:26 PM
Sep 2014

Thanks for thinking of me. I haven't finished the article but so far I agree. I told KoKo that my disappointment is limited because I felt it wouldn't work. That's not to say that I discourage trying, in fact I was a great supporter of this action. But IMHO the problem is that the Financial Elite currently in power think that it's cool to decimate the lower classes. They are too shortsighted (vision hampered by greed) to recognize they are killing the goose. The lower classes don't have the resources nor the leaders to fix this problem. We must find Financial and Intellectual Elitists that recognize that the current path ends in disaster for all. This in no way means we need to stop what we are doing. If nothing else, it keeps the movement alive. It also makes the problems more visible for those that currently don't understand. I hope that made some sense.

 

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)
57. I believe that if we could have a roundtable with leaders from the past four generations....
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 08:41 PM
Sep 2014

...we would find concurrence that the definition of economically viable has dropped from, say, three generations to one quarter, and continues to fall.

And, that the power of the individual has decreased steadily.

Still, we have some areas in which we gain power: video capability on our phones is a greater boon to freedom than public surveillance is an impediment.

That's all I got, I hope there's more.

In the end, organization and finding the common ground are the two most important things that can empower us. This has always been so.

And, the opposition know that and they work to divide.

Carry on, my friend!

 

MissDeeds

(7,499 posts)
43. We set the bar too low
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 03:15 PM
Sep 2014

"Better than" often is not good enough.

Thanks for the reality check, Manny.

K&R

 

Maedhros

(10,007 posts)
45. When a political party repeatedly ignores the demands of its voters,
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 04:00 PM
Sep 2014

yet continues to gather those votes anyway, this is what you get.

Vote Democrat: Maybe They'll Listen This Time...

whereisjustice

(2,941 posts)
48. Every goddamn year expectations get lower, it seems to energize the lazy stfu "reality based"
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 06:29 PM
Sep 2014

crowd. After all, with no expectations, literally anyone can run as a Democrat. Even a neo-con corporate proxy.


 

blkmusclmachine

(16,149 posts)
52. Truth be known, both political Parties kow-tow to the same 1%.
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 07:21 PM
Sep 2014

Just as in professional wrestling, where both sides/wrestlers/tag-teams report to the same Boss at the end of the day to collect their paychecks and find out the script for their upcoming matches.

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