The enemy wants you to be feel depressed, defeated, and despondent.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Don't.

[madokie]

1. sure they do

its how you win battles

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. I see a lot of defeatism here.

[mcar]

13. Yes

It's maddening.

[Demsrule86]

14. I do to...it is going to be a tough four years even if Trump is impeached...but

we need to think about 18 and 20...elect some Democrats to mitigate the pain.

[pressbox69]

2. Never give up.

Never give in.

[Demsrule86]

15. Resist and persist NT

[Blue_Tires]

4. +1

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. This isn't going to be easy.

But nothing really worthwhile is.

A lot of authoritarian leaders have been able to prop up their popularity by juicing the economy and expanding the welfare state. Thump is intent on contracting the welfare state despite promising to do the opposite .That's good for the resistance. Let's see how successful he is in propping up the economy.

[ismnotwasm]

5. As much as I dispise trump

I still find a great deal of amusement that he was the best Republicans had to offer.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. If this was a documentary it would be okay, but it's not.

Trump is doing real damage to America's image, institutions, and people.

[Ghost Dog]

9. America's "image" abroad?

It was already pretty bad... What's new?

It's Americans who appear to be blinkered, propagandized...

Admirable openness, freedom of expression, though.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. America under our beloved former president was very popular abroad.

Global support for US President Barack Obama appears to have lasted through his two terms in office, a survey of 18,000 people for the BBC suggests.
More than 70% of people in 18 countries polled by Globescan think that his election was a good thing.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36742266

[Ghost Dog]

11. Relatively, yes.

Globally, though, most of us, for a long time now, at least since the loss of rhe Kennedys, think the USA represents the biggest single threat to world peace.

[Demsrule86]

19. Kennedy began the escalation in Vietnam...he was no 'peace' president.

Now everyone loves Kennedy. I don't know...he wasn't in office long enough for me to decide. the bay of pigs was a disaster from what I have read. He cut taxes thus enabling the Reagan myth that tax cuts = prosperity. Also, it is my opinion that we would not have gotten civil rights through the Congress with Kennedy...Johnson sacrificed much in order to get civil rights... I don't know that Kennedy would have done so. He was elected in a very close election and was getting ready for the next one. I have never understood the worship of Kennedy both here and abroad. In my opinion...Johnson was a far better president in terms of the progressive agenda and truly was like Roosevelt. Kennedy had some missteps for sure. Kennedy was far better than Nixon in every way of course.

[Ghost Dog]

23. Yeah, I know (I read, a lot). But we're talking about emotions here,

more than about Reason.

[Demsrule86]

29. That is a really good point...the martyred president is an emotional being and bears

little resemblance to the historical John Kennedy.

[Ghost Dog]

31. LBJ did achieve much. Civil rights above all.

... And, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all at DU, respectfully, as a Brit self-exiled in Spain, for allowing me to be here, these last fifteen years and more, listening; occasionally speaking (metiendo la pata). Sincere Thanks. Thusly I learn so much.

[bdamomma]

18. yes I agree with your post which shows

their choices were not the best to offer to the American people. Sorry a$$ party.

[louis-t]

26. I use this line a lot with repugs

going back to bush: "THIS is your best and brightest?"

[hlthe2b]

7. If we coud "wish away" depression, despondency it would be wonderful, but it doesn't work that way..

If we want to motivate and maintain hope/optimism, we have to give reasons to feel hope and optimism. If only it would work to simply say "don't feel that way". Unfortunately, it DOESN'T.


We all have different levels of resiliency. I think putting major focus on those resistance efforts that are bringing some level of success will help many... Perhaps we can emphasize these in more posts..

[Demsrule86]

24. Well if our folks can't fight back and stay in the game, we will not win.

Part of the problem is everyone wants it all today; they have no understanding of how we get a progressive agenda. We won't get it all at once. For example ACA was a step towards single payer if we can save it...I read about people thinking they might get single payer now...are you kidding? We will be lucky to keep social security and medicare...it is going to be a fight so we should prepare, and we won't win every battle either. This was a terrible election to lose...and there will be consequences (courts) but anything they do can be reversed if we stick together and fight them. We have a shot at the house next year and just as important winning some state elections. I was pleased to see the DNC working on the states which have been sadly neglected..that would be huge and stop Trump in his tracks if we take the house or even end the gerrymander in most states. We might even get the Senate...if Trump remains unpopular in 18. 2020 give us an opportunity to take out Trump and get the Senate if we fail in 2018. In some ways, the situation we find ourselves in is our own fault...you have to vote in state elections and mid - terms...not just during presidential years. The Democratic Party and many of us thought demographics would take care of everything for us...and it wasn't true.

[hlthe2b]

25. preaching to the choir here but I and those like me are not

the ones we need to motivate..Being mad about other's lack of fortitude or fight is not going to motivate them past their paralysis--and that is exactly what deep fear, depression, and despair brings--paralysis.

Show others how to convert that fear to positive, doable, measurable specific action. That is how we empower.

[Demsrule86]

28. We can't worry about such people.

[Demsrule86]

30. The GOP hung in there for eight years and never gave up. They managed to get everything.

If we can't do the same, than I don't know what we expect to happen.

[mcar]

12. K&R

[dalton99a]

16. Convert it to action. Resist and Fight.

Action is power. Silence is acquiescence.

[Dem2]

17. Yeah, they'd like us to feel "beaten" after not taking down the assclown in 50 days

Nope. And if we think historically, we know these things take time to play out. Now is the time to keep up the pressure.

[smirkymonkey]

20. So far, they are doing a pretty good job.

I am trying to keep my hopes up, but every day these bastards deliver a new insult and get away with it.

[Jamaal510]

21. As my Grandma used to say:

"Don't give in; give out." I'll never stop being politically-engaged. It was the GOP that motivated me to become active in the first place.

[bdamomma]

22. yes this is all

psychological they want us to feel defeated, it should fuel us more to be more motivated and keep on top of our Representatives and Senators. I have to agree I have been reading a lot of posts on defeatism on DU.

Don't let them defeat and ridicule us easy to say but don't let them.

We never do this:

[MarvinGardens]

27. This!

And, I will add: A great treatment for the blues is to find and join a local Indivisible group. Just going to the meetings will make you feel better. Volunteering for a task, even a small one, will lift your spirits even more, as you'll know you are making a difference.