The tide has turned, but it's going to leave a lot of garbage on the beach

[July]

Before I get started, let me give a shout out to Redstone and his excellent post about the turning tide (and the ensuing thread). Redstone, you write the best posts.

I'm happy that people are waking up. Really happy, because I'm tired of trying to explain to people that, in fact, up is not down.

BUT, after the tide's gone out, things will be different in some good ways (couple of sane people calling the shots, maybe?), but the surge's effects will still be with us. I mean things like RepubliPods throughout the governmental bureaucracy, new regulations to make life easier for corporations and harder for the rest of us, restructured agencies and procedures (e.g., Foreign Service promotions depending more on PR abilities -- thanks a bunch, Karen), an emptied Treasury, a weakened military short on materiel, the long-lasting legacy of military deaths and woundings, a shredded Bill of Rights, the same old wimpy Dems (with a few notable exceptions) trying to make nice with the thugs, and the VRWC still well-funded and in place, watching for its first opportunity to throw shit.

Don't want to be negative, but when we prevail, what then? Bush and his heinous gang have damn near destroyed this country. Not being young, I wonder if I'll see the beauty of the ideals enshrined in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence prevail again before I die. At this point, that sounds like a ridiculously romantic notion.

[lildreamer316]

1. Of course it is.

And don't we all know it. I know it is going to be one looooooong hard battle. But it is better that I actually see the turning point rather than waiting for it to happen. I am ready to take up the fight; and ready to educate my child to carry on what I cannot complete.

[July]

3. You're right, it's better to see it begin, at least.

I'm just discouraged by all the damage they've done. And I forgot to mention the rigged elections that can still be a part of our future. But I like your optimism.

[lildreamer316]

4. At this point

You literally cannot afford NOT to have optimisim; because it is about ALL we've got. If we keep being pessimistic nothing will get accomplished and many good ideas will not even be concieved. When we lose hope then they have won. I refuse to let that happen; that is something they cannot take away from me unless I let them.

[July]

8. I'll die a flaming liberal.

At the same time, I'm a cynic about human nature and the effectiveness of people with no scruples.

But I'm with you -- they can't take away my convictions.

[Melodybe]

9. We also must take into account China's power

China will undoubtly become the world's next super power.

At this point, I feel like maybe it is past time for the West to sit down and let the East influence culture for a while.

But bullox to that Communist dictator crap.

[MissWaverly]

2. I think the energy is there to jump start democracy

people are mad, I have never seen them this angry, they are aware of
a long litany of republican transgressions, and I mean everyone, I really do think that people will demand reform.

[CrispyQ]

7. The first thing we need to do is put corporations back in their place.

Without that, we will end up in the same place all over again.

Do I really think there is any chance of that? No. Why? Because most people don't even know the phrase 'corporate personhood' much less understand just how thoroughly the corps have hijacked our constitution for their own greedy ends. They have greater rights & greater protection than human beings do & that is JUST WRONG!


I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

"We the People: A Call to Take Back America" by Thom Hartmann

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1882109384/qid=1125092538/sr=8-5/ref=pd_bbs_5/002-2187220-5227244?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[MissWaverly]

12. there's weird whispers all over the internet

I think that the corporations will retreat, rather than lose everything,
it depends on how much comes out, if it turns out that they drove the
getaway car for the wholesale looting of Iraq, I feel sorry for them.

[wli]

13. I think it's time an existential threat to corporations was created.

Like revoking corporate personhood and Soviet-style denazification where corporate assets belonging to the former Nazis were seized to economically disempower them.

[wli]

14. frankly people are *SO* mad I'm scared

I'm scared of getting caught in the crossfire. I have no idea what anyone is going to do, but people are so mad it looks like it may get violent and I don't want to be in the country while gunfights or whatever are going on. Yep, I'm chicken. I'll paint myself yellow if it makes you feel better.

I've never heard anyone seriously suggest anything but this many people who are this angry is inherently dangerous.

[MissWaverly]

18. I think something is in the wind

I read an article the other day where a conservative said that Bush had
pissed away their chance. Why would they say that when he is only in the first 6 mos. of his 2nd term. Also I heard conservatives say last
spring that they would no longer "shelter" Bush, and I heard that the
military said that the "little twit has to go." This was after the
directive that they purchase 25,000 minivans for Iraq. I have been hearing rumors about Fitzgerald and I believe they are true, because it
is the only way that this current administration can be effectively contained. Remember the inauguration when Bush started talking about
fire in the sky and his dad spoke up and said it was only a metaphor.

[txaslftist]

5. Makes me want to move to Mexico...

...which is still a free country.

Then I remember that my grandfather picked up purple hearts and a battlefield commission fighting for THIS country and that my family's been here since before the Revolutionary War.

Can I do less?

[ladjf]

6. It will be a great time to be in the paper shredding business.

The White House shredders will be working 24/7, not to mention the FBI, CIA, NSA and Congressmen.

[NRaleighLiberal]

10. And all of the sheeple that will be in deep denial, or defensive...

still, I'd rather clean the messy beach than keep swimming in the sewerage.

[mbee]

11. You can be sure when this bunch hits the trail after

a few months when things start to improve the pugs will claim it is the chimp's policies kicking in. Mark my word they can't own up to their own incompetence.

[DELUSIONAL]

15. They said that after the RayGun/bushie the elder reign

when Clinton started turning the economy around I heard the claim -- "well see -- Clinton inherited a great economy because of all the structural improvements" by the GOP Prez.

[stepnw1f]

16. We Will Need to Clean House

We also need to break up monopolies, and repeal that Tax Cut.

Let's make it impossible for rich pricks to mess with any SOCIAL PROGRAM and noy to destroy the Estate Tax.

[Carla in Ca]

17. He. Is. Done.