What kills me is how many embrace the phony facade, the hollow gestures,

[henslee]

and fail to see the transparency of an Administration driven by greed, power, exclusivity and racism. They have blundered militarily, cooked the books financially, lied brazenly, savaged the environment mercilessly. I don't get it. It's mass hypnosis.

[Trajan]

1. Mass Ignorance ....

Same as it ever was ....

It's the same as it ever was ....

[Selatius]

2. Ignorance, fear, apathy, and greed

These four are the killers of democracy. I hate to say it, but sometimes I catch myself thinking the only way people will learn is to let it happen, to let it fall. If there is anything that people remember, it is pain. I think the Europeans know what I'm talking about. After it happening twice in one century in their backyard, do you think they would honestly stand another war unless it was a case of self-preservation? Sometimes the only way out of hell is to go through it.

[FormerDittoHead]

4. I've shared the sentiment

>sometimes I catch myself thinking the only way people will learn is to let it happen, to let it fall.

This is why it didn't piss me off so much when Bush won, with all the crap they've passed in Congress in the last 4 years, Iraq, etc etc if Kerry had won the 'house of cards' would have fallen at his feet.

Now, at least they won't be able to pin it on someone else (although they'll try, eh?)

[Supersedeas]

9. Ignorance fed by MSM propoganda and lack of tough questions

[housewolf]

3. You are right - much of America is in a trance

and has been ever since 9/11. It's a group psychology thing. Most of our country was frightened into a trance due to the events of 9/11 and the actions of this administration in promoting fear and trepidation amongst the population has served to maintain the trance state. At some point some major event will occur that will be such a shock that many will wake up, but there's not telling what that will be or when it will occur.

What remains is that a large portion of our population simply cannot see the mis-deeds of the administration. The administration has programmed the population with it's mantra of "we're keeping you safe" so that is all they see.

I don't think we can blame them (the population), nor can we force them out of their trance. The only thing I know of is to keep talking to people one-on-one, telling our truth and planting seeds.

[The Zanti Regent]

5. They are brainwashed by Jesus

Millions go for indoctrination every Sunday.

This country is lost forever.

[Bake]

6. It's that damn Kool-Aid!

They keep a big pot of it mixed up at all times.

Bake

[slay]

7. The Power of Nightmares: Hyping Terror For Fun, Profit - And Power

They lie to us. Massive brainwashing. Check out this article from commondreams.org:

Hyping Terror For Fun, Profit - And Power
by Thom Hartmann

What if there really was no need for much - or even most - of the Cold War? What if, in fact, the Cold War had been kept alive for two decades based on phony WMD threats?

What if, similarly, the War On Terror was largely a scam, and the administration was hyping it to seem larger-than-life? What if our "enemy" represented a real but relatively small threat posed by rogue and criminal groups well outside the mainstream of Islam? What if that hype was done largely to enhance the power, electability, and stature of George W. Bush and Tony Blair?

And what if the world was to discover the most shocking dimensions of these twin deceits - that the same men promulgated them in the 1970s and today?

It happened.

The myth-shattering event took place in England the first three weeks of October, when the BBC aired a three-hour documentary written and produced by Adam Curtis, titled "The Power of Nightmares."

more:
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1207-26.htm

[DaedelusNemo]

8. what they feel in their heart is true

An awful lot of people trust their feelings over their reason, and are thus easily manipulable by a talented performer - which, in that sense, Bush is.

[Castilleja]

10. Yes, that or something very close to it.

Pathology of some kind on a very large scale.

[cattleman22]

11. Question about racism.

I understand why you said this Administration is driven by greed and power, but you explain how this administration is driven by racism?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. I think it's more that they make covert appeals to racism

When they talk about "law and order," or "moving to the suburbs to get away from crime and drugs," or "school choice" or "white males are the only remaining oppressed group," then they are winking and telling racists, "We're on your side."

[Stinky The Clown]

13. It isn't even covert anymore

Everyone knows their code. Its just that the SCLM doesn't talk about it.
But everyone knows it. The left knows it. The right knows it. The SCLM knows it.

Only the mullet headed "morans" still think its a secret.