Why Aren't We Mad Enough Yet?

[Karmageddon]

Why Aren’t We Mad Enough Yet?
By Scott Shuster
January 27, 2006

http://www.dubyad40.com/html/guests/scott01272006.html

We didn’t get mad enough when the conservative-leaning Supreme Court handed the 2000 presidency to W after he stonewalled the recount in Florida.

We didn’t get mad enough after we found out that all reasonable permutations of the recounts would have handed to presidency to Gore.

We didn’t get mad enough when we found out about the tens of thousands of mostly poor people in Florida who were disenfranchised because their names were similar to convicted felons in either Florida or Texas. This would surely have given Gore enough votes to defeat Bush, since he lost by only 537.

We didn’t get mad enough when W stole the 2004 election by owning the Secretaries of State in both Florida and Ohio, as well as the companies manufacturing the paperless, audit-less voting machines. Sure… it was just a quirk that the exit polls didn’t come close to the ‘actual’ results in counties deploying those machines.

We didn’t get mad enough when W’s largest corporate contributor – Enron – fabricated the California energy crisis costing millions of people billions of dollars, and started a rash of corporate corruptions & closures that kicked off the 2001 recession.

We didn’t get mad enough when we were attacked on 9/11 and learned that W had a myriad of warning signals and still failed to act on them to protect our country. After all, he was busy vacationing the entire month of August 2001.

We didn’t get mad enough when W gutted the Clean Air Act for the Clear Skies Initiative allowing measurably more pollution into the air.

We didn’t get mad enough when Dick Cheney formulated the Bush Administration’s energy policy directly from the desires of the energy companies, under a veil of secrecy, and in the process allowed them to gut essential environmental protections.

We didn’t get mad enough when W withdrew our country from every major treaty, in the process alienating almost every international ally.

We didn’t get mad enough when W turned a massive billion dollar surplus into a massive billion dollar deficit, essentially mortgaging our children’s future.

We didn’t get mad enough when W attacked our public educational system with his ‘No Child Left Behind’ farce, and then refused to adequately fund it.

We didn’t get mad enough when W broke down the separation of church & state with his ‘Faith-based Initiatives’ program sending tens of millions of dollars to Christian religious organizations.

We didn’t get mad enough when W breached our civil rights with the USA Patriot Act and started detaining citizens indefinitely, without due process, with no access to legal defense, and no charges.

We didn’t get mad enough when we learned that W was torturing detainees, sending them off to secret prisons, and putting our own troops at risk in the process.

We didn’t get mad enough when we learned there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and that W knew it all along and still coerced us into war.

We didn’t get mad enough when we learned that there was NO connection between Sadaam Hussein and al Qaeda, NO connection between Sadaam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, and NO connection between Sadaam Hussein and the attacks on 9/11, yet he lead us into war in Iraq on that basis.

We didn’t get mad enough when the Downing St. Memos proved that W had every intension to go to War in Iraq and fabricated the intelligence to support his evil plan.

We didn’t get mad enough when the Iraq body count surpassed 2000, the cost of the war surpassed $200b, and with no end in sight, Bush asked for another $82b, while at the same time gutting domestic spending in the new 2006 budget.

We didn’t get mad enough when W leaked the identity of an undercover CIA agent, whose mission was to find & expose the weapons of mass destruction, as retaliation for her husband exposing the unsubstantial reasons for going to war.

We didn’t get mad enough when W let 4 days go by before taking any action in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We thought it was amusing when he was seen playing guitar while FEMA completely fouled up the rescue & recovery effort. Heck of a job they did though! And how are things going now, George?

We didn’t get mad enough when we learned that W invaded our privacy and subverted the constitution, breaking the law, to eavesdrop on our conversations, email, etc. We didn’t even get mad enough when we found out he’s been spying on non-terrorists like PETA, Code-Pink and Greenpeace.

We didn’t get mad enough when gas prices breached $2/gal and shot upwards to nearly $3/gal. Yes, now they’ve settled back down to around $2.40/gal. Let’s see, now… where were gas prices before W started his Jihad? Oh yeah… in our atmosphere!

We didn’t get mad enough when we learned of Halliburton’s no-bid, multi-billion contracts, bilking our military by over charging and not delivering, and then “losing” $8.8b.

We didn’t get mad enough when we learned that W was paying off media pundits for favorable news coverage, giving prime press access to right-wing reporters, and manipulating the media at every juncture.

We didn’t get mad enough when we learned how Tom Delay laundered thousands and thousands of dollars through the RNC and into the Texas state congressional races, redistricted the state, swinging a number of Democratic seats over to Republican seats.

We didn’t get mad enough when we learned how corrupt the Republicans in Congress are by taking bribes and allowing the K Street lobbies to forge their legislation, having created a revolving door of money and jobs between them.

When will we get mad enough to do something about this incompetent, corrupt, hypocritical, arrogant excuse for a presidency (along with their evil henchmen)? Probably not until the ignorant sheeple in this country wake up and stop buying the bullcrap.


Printed in full with permission.

(If you want to email Scott, click on the link and scroll to the bottom of the article to his email link.)

[Clyde_dubyaD40]

1. Could not have said it better myself

[BlueManDude]

2. The People are plenty mad

but we are powerless to make the GOP accountable for their corruption and failure.

It's up to the Democrats in congress to do that. Most people are just trying to live their lives, working, raising children, going to school - sometimes all three at once. Poeple don't have the time or money to chuck it all and march on DC, or watch CSAN for hours a day or make phone calls to Senator's offices. It's up the Democrats in congress to right the above-mentioned wrongs but so many are just flat out petrified of the GOP and their toadies in the media.

We are mad - but most of the Democrats in congress apparently are not.

[liberal N proud]

3. I have been asking many of those questions myself

When are we going to get mad enough?
Obviously our Democrat Leaders are not!

[Jeffersons Ghost]

4. we can't get mad or do anything

If we lack GUTS, there is no "getting mad" no action and no hope for America. All we can do is cower in fear and hope the storm passes quickly.

It reminds my of a story I read long ago about a cautious lamb and a vicious wolf. The lamb being constantly frighted, never gave the wolf any "reason" to attack. In fact, it hid much of the time and gave the wolf very few opportunities to take away a lifestyle the lamb held dear.

One day, however, the lamb got thirsty and went to a stream for a quick sip of water before returning to a hidden sanctuary. You see, all living creatures must creep out of hiding eventually or they cannot survive.

Just as one might expect, as the lamb quickly stole a few sips of precious water from the bank of a stream, the wolf came upon it but for some odd reason the wolf felt a need to justify it's actions.

First, the wolf accused the lamb of muddying water that wolves need but the lamb respectfully replied that she was always careful to drink far downstream of wolf territory. Then, the lamb was told it might drink to much water during its life and clean water was for wolves only, so the lamb agreed to drink only from muddy puddles after a rainstorm while it was young and drink from even more polluted puddles in old age.

Finally the wolf accusations became absurd. The vicious creature began to berate the weaker animal for frolicking when it should be working toward making wolf life better and doing other free-spirited things that one might expect from young animals. The lamb quickly replied, "I stay in hiding most of the time and never indulge in the rights our Creator gave to all young creatures.

Ultimately, the wolf grew tired of its self-indulgent games and attacked the lamb for no "reason" at all. As other forest creatures hid themselves better they began to whisper, "the tyrannical wolf needs no 'reason' to attack."

All dumb animals know; ANY EXCUSE WILL SERVE A TYRANT!

[BlueManDude]

6. Our elected Democratic leaders lack guts

[Jeffersons Ghost]

9. how are you showing your guts Blue?

Are you protesting at a sit-in in DC? What have you done for your country today? "Ask not what your Democratic Party can do for you. Ask what you can do for your Party."

[alicepaul]

13. What we can do for our party - boycott TV News

I saw the boycott for Chris Matthews and think it is great. But, perhaps we need to go further - and boycott all television news. At the same time veer people to read newspapers and blogs. This boycott will stop people from being brainwashed by right wing sound bytes and alert the country that we no longer have a free press.

Boycott Television News and demand a Free Press!

[BlueManDude]

16. what am is supposed to do - call senator johnson and ask him to

change his mind? what are the odds of that happening? like this guy needs to be told that alito is bad for the court. he knows it in his hear yet he's afraid that some bogus rw group "citizens for a an american judiciary" or some such crap will run a 30 second ad next november? gimme a break. as i stated in an above post, most citizens are going about their lives - because they have to. probably many of the people who will be fucked over by the roberts court have no idea who alito is or that this confirmation is even taking place. it's up to the professionals, the people whose business is politics to protect these people. it shouldn't take a million people march for Democrats to oppose this nomination.

the pols have to lead sometimes - it's their job.

[yurbud]

19. it's not that they lack them--they sold them to the same people the GOP

does.

Many are happy in the same role that the Washington Generals play for the Harlem Globetrotters, the hapless opponent how can't shoot straight.

[Karmageddon]

7. Are Americans more like sheep or cows?

Either way, there are a few of us - not nearly enough - who are seriously pissed off. But what's up with everyone else? The country has been standing there like cows in the field, grazing and pooping, blissfully oblivious (maybe purposefully oblivious) to the fact that they are being led to the slaughterhouse. Isn't it time for a stampede? If they can herd the people into docility, what will it take for us to rile them up into a stampede.

Sure would be helpful if a journalist or two would get off their lazy ass and pay attention to what's going on instead of just playing stenographer and spreading the propaganda.
(Thank you Helen Thomas, Kieth Olberman, and Jon Stewart).

[BlueManDude]

17. Most people are just trying to survive

the Democrats shouldn't have to be prodded to stand fast against this nomination.

[baby_mouse]

5. Maybe Americans just don't really get that Mad. nt.

It's difficult to be really angry when the people you're angry with have all the guns. Fear interferes.

[HughBeaumont]

8. Military, media and corporations are on their side.

This ain't like 18th Century France and there isn't a Guillotine in the square with Cheney's name on it. Republican-run corporations have been given the keys to the kingdom by these assholes and they own and operate everything. Republican-run corporations supply the military to guard their precious resources and steamroll anyone who tries to take them. Republican-run corporations own the media so they can supply millions of Dumbericans with one message and label anyone who disagrees with that message a crackpot. Republican-run corporations own the politicians to enable them with tax-cuts and perks. The police won't protect you. Want to collectively storm the Blight House and frog-march these idiots out of here? You'll be fried to a crisp faster than you can say "Get the hell out". And because Republican-run corporations also own the voting machines, you can't even VOTE these assholes out civily.

We need millions. A concentration of millions to be on the side of freedom and truth. We need rich democrats to counter the Faux/CNN/NBC message.

The other problem is that everything you mentioned, at least publicly, doesn't really affect Joe Sixpack and Jane Housewife. The only way it will affect the average Dumberican is if you either have a draft or a depression. Outrage doesn't happen unless it directly affects the constituents. Joe and Jane have pretty much accepted they're elected officials are corrupt and they'll be in debt forever. But they just don't care. They can still eat. They still have a roof over their heads. They can still afford stuff (albeit in hock up to their eyeballs).

[Karmageddon]

12. and that, my good sir, essentially defines "Fascism"

Just like Eisenhower warned us in his farewell address over 45 years ago, we have allowed industry and the military to take control of the reins of power in this country. This is no longer a nation "of the people by the people for the people" - it is now a nation "of the corporation by the corporation for the corporation." Corporate greed fills the halls of government and makes the laws by which it is regulated. People mean nothing. Profit is the primary driving force of legislation. Not profit for you and I, profit for Halliburton and Bechtel and Pfizer and R.J. Reynolds and Exxon/Mobil.

Military, media, and industry is at the wheel, steering us over a cliff. It will take an enormous force to wrest control back. It will take a (and man I hate this frikking metaphor) tsunami of American resistance to bring the government back "to the people." With everything that's happened so far, I'm wondering just what the hell it will take to create that wave? Like Scott said, if people aren't pissed off YET, what the hell do these guys have to do to piss them off?

I swear, bush could stand in the Rose Garden and eat live babies and they'd just talk about how nice his table manners are.

[enough already]

10. I'm too depressed to get mad anymore

I don't know if I'll get over our side caving on Scalito. I KNOW the country isn't going to get over it any time soon. I'm tired of fighting and losing all the time.

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. I think there's a way to act when you ARE mad enough, but are helpless

to do anything about it. One of those things is to socially close yourself off to the people who continually support a corrupt administration. Of course, for me it's easy to do because my mother always taught me, it's better to be alone than in bad company.

[jarnocan]

14. YES many are and MORE should be if

they had a few more clues. Our media bends way over to avoid offending the powers that be, any more than they have to. ALL this CONSTANT editorializing for the far right- during this Alito confirmation process reall nauseates me, whne they repaeat the mandated mantras of how he will be "easily" confimrmed etc.
www.worldcantwait.net We need to get out and make some noise, and.... what next?

[ihaveaquestion]

15. I can't stay mad and disgusted all the time...

which is what I'd have to do to keep up with all the outrages committed by this administration. It's unhealthy to both mind and body and my first obligation is to my own health. They "jumped the shark" a long time ago for me. I'm just beyond outraged by them and fully expect the worst every time they do anything.

[toymachines]

18. It is exhausting isn't it

The people on DU have an extraordinary amount of will power to be able to come back every day, inform themselves, spread the info, and then try and do something about it. It wears me out for sure. But then again, it has become something of a passion for me, something that must be done.

[Karmageddon]

20. The fight is about the only reason I get out of bed anymore.

If not for the fight, I'd be a depressed hermit.
Or a liver transplant candidate.

[pitohui]

21. define "do something"

most here are prob. doing all they can legally to bring abt change in the administration

[Karmageddon]

22. People here are doing what they can. Meanwhile the general populace sleeps

I think he meant "we" as a nation, not we as "the people who are already doing things."

[sirjohn]

23. Mad, madder? Who likes angry people? The "sheep"?

Some call the people sheep. How do people in a rage appear to sheep? Like wolves.

It's votes we're looking for, not blood, not revenge.

[Karmageddon]

24. What will it take to turn the sheep back into "people"?

[sirjohn]

25. I'd be interested in knowing your thoughts on that

It's a great question.