Good grief. Clearly something powerful and FOCUSED needs to ...

[OneGrassRoot]

happen to unite the American public, who can force these extremely dangerous criminals out of power.

I click on DU as I do every morning, and it seems there's a moderate nervous breakdown occurring on the board. Reflective of the national nervous breakdown one thread speaks of perhaps?

It's infuriating to most of us that so many dangerous events are occurring and indeed seem to be coming to the proverbial head, yet the majority of citizens are unaware. They are experiencing their own stress and breakdowns for reasons they have yet to connect to this administration.

My wish this morning is for one of the powerful impeachment groups to make a focused, UNASSAILABLE commercial - with accompanying billboards and other forms of advertising. Have the richest people (obviously mostly Dems) put up the money and clearly state at the top of the commercial that, yes, they have been opposed to this admin all along, but their greatest fears are coming true as to how dangerous B*shco is and we MUST take back our Democratic Republic now...together. Have Dem Presidential candidates contribute....heck, get some ballsy Repubs to contribute as well.....all with the express intent to show that they put country over partisan politics and we are at a significant crossroads.

In these few minutes some brilliant filmmaker SURELY could show in very clear terms the massive failure of this administration and how they have put us in more danger than we were in on 9/11. Deal strictly with unassailable facts, and there's plenty to fill such a commercial. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of money to get a lot of people's attention, but if it truly had the potential to get the attention - in a very focused way, for only a few minutes (with backup through billboards, etc.) - perhaps many people on many levels would put their money where their mouth is. Going through Congress to affect these changes simply takes too long given the dire nature of things. Going directly to the masses to generate a groundswell such that the powers that be CANNOT ignore it would be more effective and more immediate.

Pollyanna? Perhaps. Jon Stewart does a great job of narrowing things down in simple terms for a one-two punch. Maybe his writers could come up with this and others can start raising the funds. Heck, they could put it up on youtube and in some way raise funds by allowing viewers to vote/contribute to have it made into a commercial to saturate the media. And it can't be about partisan politics - remember, it must be unassailable. It is about THE SAFETY AND STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF OUR DEMOCRACY.

I don't know....I'm on the edge myself. Maybe in the time it took to type this out there will be positive news in some of the threads just posted.

Thanks for reading.

[ixion]

1. there is ample evidence to available to anyone who wants to look

there are films and youtube clips and books and websites. The people who do not see, simply do not want to see.

The watershed moment will only occur when the fascism finally comes to their front door, at which point it will be too late.

[OneGrassRoot]

4. I agree, there is a TON of information available for those who seek it.

HOWEVER, there are many people who won't seek it out. For many reasons.

There are those who certainly won't believe the truth no matter what they are shown.

For those who are open, yet apathetic and don't know WHERE to look for truth or are overwhelmed by just how much information there is, I'm asking this morning how we can get a FOCUSED TRUTH CAMPAIGN out there.

[Atman]

11. It will become nearly impossible to do without the cooperation of the media

Why do you think media consolidation was one of the very first things BushCo shored up? You can get "netroots" campaigns going, but ironically it is often the "main stream media" reporting on such efforts which really makes them take off.

Remember, we HAD million-man marches on the White House, and even worldwide protests, but the main stream media refused to tell anyone. The way America is now, it's tough to get a message far and wide without the help of the media, and that's not going to happen.

.

[OneGrassRoot]

13. Maybe a boycott in the form of people not appearing on "news" shows

to hawk whatever they're selling (movies, books)until actual news shows start covering news.

A movement to separate entertainment from news.

A tall order, I know. George Clooney would be a good man to spearhead this movement.

I know I don't have answers...I am simply trying to generate discussion and work through some thoughts to perhaps arrive at an "aha" moment that can make some of us feel better and more empowered, and have a plan, small as it may seem. But something DIFFERENT and FOCUSED.

[Atman]

14. Many of these people are contractually bound to do the promo tours

I'm sure they could find ways around it, but the bottom line is selling their books or movies. If they don't sell, it's considered a flop and that makes their "value" as celebrities go down. So don't look for a celebrity book-or-movie-hawking boycott any time soon. That's their bread and butter you're talking about.

It hardly trumps our constitution. :sarcasm:

.

[OneGrassRoot]

15. Okay, I'm gonna keep playing Pollyanna, as well as devil's advocate....

Obviously $$ is the bottom line for most, even those well-intentioned. I'm not a complete idiot - yet - though trying to have hope is rapidly reducing me to being an idiot, so it seems. LOL

But seriously, isn't controversy the best way to generate publicity? Going against the grain?

I'm just sayin'....... someone's gotta shake things up somewhere and stop this whole "business as usual" crap.

I'm going to send out an energy wave of thought (:hippie: ) to challenge those with influence to shake things up and wake people up.

Like Melissa said - we need to wake up. Live Earth was beautiful and the messages on target, but they were preaching to the choir. We've gotta get a message to those who don't want to be part of the choir but know they have to do something, that they're missing something, and that things CAN get better.

[mmonk]

2. The divisions in America will become permanent

and the constitution lost if a free press centered around facts is not somehow reinstated on a national scale. I had hope but it's nearly all gone. Even people here now accept crimes against the people for the sake of politics. If I don't see any serious movement to at least that imperfect place we used to live in, I'll have to consider how to get my sons out of this country so they can have a better future.

[OneGrassRoot]

3. I agree. The free press (or lack of one of late) is pivotal.

While I often feel hopeless, this morning I am trying to focus on possible actions to take to affect change on a large scale.

How to exert extreme pressure on MSM....hmmmmm.....many brilliant people could probably come up with a coordinated plan.

As I am going to post to the other person who replied, it seems to me that, because their crimes are so many and the affects so widespread, everything seems disjointed. Granted, many people DON'T make the effort to get the truth. Heck, believe it or not, there are many people in the States who don't go online. Soooooo, what I'm asking is: how do we bring the CLEAR, SUMMARIZED TRUTH TO THEM?

[mmonk]

5. I don't know unless we start picketing and protesting

the media instead of the government. I'm willing to do it but not by myself as I would be written off as a kook.

[OneGrassRoot]

7. I said a while ago that this should be Michael Moore's next project.

But we don't have time for that.

I know some boycotts are effective.

Maybe a boycott to let corporations know we reject where they are advertising and to encourage MSM to once again become the free press? (I know such a boycott would be very difficult...I'm just throwing the general concept out there to ponder.) MSM seems on the fence and ready to start doing their job - though I know we've said that before - but things are poised to get their attention. Thanks in large part to Michael Moore's recent slapdown.

But it needs to be done because it's their JOB and not because they sense a change in the wind. I'm not well versed (and no time to research right now) the whole corporatization of the news. Perhaps a full attack on getting that legislation reversed....an expose on how the news becoming for-profit has affected the cause of truth.

[mmonk]

9. Boycotts are extremely difficult unless you have a million

committed people. We somehow need to show up at broadcast studios and picket the entrances and hand out literature. We need to be in their faces and call them out.

[OneGrassRoot]

6. George Soros - THAT's the gentleman's name that escaped me...

as I wrote the above.

Sure, the right hates him, as we do Murdoch, but that's why it would be stated from the beginning that he is helping to fund it and to please pay attention to the content, as he is doing his part as a patriotic American, not a partisan Democrat.

Don't get me wrong, I understand we're all about Democratic Party things at DU and in our lives. But to reach the masses, anything partisan is turning them off in droves (and I don't blame them....too much shit flying around, hard to know what's true and what's propaganda thanks to our lacky MSM).

Any commercials or ad campaigns are quickly ripped apart by "small print" telling who is behind the ad. Hit that issue head on.

Maybe Colin Powell (cough, cough) could come on board and make an attempt to redeem himself as a patriotic American. Seems that lots of military folks would. The former Surgeon General is making the rounds.

There really are figures who would get the attention of the average apathetic American and they might actually pay attention if they hear/see these people discussing the dangers of B*shco. Again, in a FOCUSED - not fragmented - manner. Not many people are like all of us, seeking information here, there and everywhere.

[mwb970]

8. The right-wingers say we underestimate the danger from al Qaeda.

Well, I say that they are underestimating the danger of having out-of-control criminals and their toadies running the country while declaring themselves beyond the reach of any law or restraint.

The biggest danger America faces is from within.

This is why we are having a "national nervous breakdown". The overwhelming criminality of the Bush administration, combined with the absolute powerlessness of anyone, even backed by huge majorities, to do anything whatsoever about it, has left thinking Americans having an existential meltdown right now.

Did you see the guy on Tucker Wednesday absolutely lose it in response to Tucker's sniveling, one-sided "interview" questions? It was amazing. He went totally ballistic, screaming at Tucker and calling him a "punk" while tearing into him for a whole litany of Bush-Cheney right-wing jerkery at the top of his lungs. The Kid couldn't get a word in edgewise. I thought, "Jeez, this is how I feel all the time now." This guy was manifesting the breakdown that is happening throughout America in response to this most vile of governments.

[OneGrassRoot]

10. I didn't see that. Sounds similar to Michael Moore giving it to ...

Wolf Blitzer.

I don't think it's just the left having a breakdown. Others are, too, but they don't understand why. They've been fed so much crap - and seen so much partisan bickering and untruths - that they tune everything out. Meanwhile, they still hear in the background "terra, terra, terra", the economy is crashing, the "impeachment" word is being verbalized more and more.....but they are overwhelmed and things are coming at them in a fragmented fashion.

Once again, I am calling for a way to get the FOCUSED, UNASSAILABLE TRUTH out there in a manner that will hit people in the face - it comes to THEM - before ANOTHER B*shco-inspired horrible catastrophe happens.

I feel a sense of panic that SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. Us calling Congress, marching for impeachment (with no MSM coverage), etc., is getting us nowhere fast. Well, that's not true. It does have an effect, but it's too slow of a path given the dangers we all face.

[OneGrassRoot]

12. I understand what all the posters in this thread are saying, and how ....

it all seems dire, especially with the media not doing their jobs.

Can someone please, please, please - for the same of MY sanity - post an encouraging idea, thought, etc. rather than all the reasons why we're doomed?

It's kind of like Michael Moore said about SICKO. I'm paraphrasing: "We know all the bad things about the other countries' healthcare systems. I'm trying to find the positive things, the things they're doing right, and try to incorporate them into our healthcare system."


We know all the failures of this administration and of the media.

Where can we find hope of turning things around? Is there any model out there we can take cues from as to how to turn this around before it becomes like the French Revolution? Corporate models, social models, national models.....anything that has worked to turn the tide of corruption.

Edited for clarity.

[doni_georgia]

17. Constructive Idea

Look at how many people are here on DU. Use the state forums to gather like-minded people for protests, meetings, etc. Many of us already have meetups for socializing, why not make these meetups purposeful? Gather together with DUers and other like minded people in your communities and brain storm ideas to do something. I have been thinking about this a lot. Bitching here online is cathartic, but does little to address the real problem. It's time for us to put our words into action.

[madokie]

19. Heres what I say, post 18

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1311806&mesg_id=1312790

[doni_georgia]

16. Learning from the 60s

It's going to take a constant stream of protest to get anyone's attention. I am all for the protest on September 15th, but that will not be enough. In the 60s, you couldn't go anywhere without seeing protestors on the streets. It is going to take 24/7 protesting to get the attention of the media and through the media the attention of the people.

Why wait until September? We should be organizing local groups to stage weekly protests building up to the big march on September 15. I'm willing to do so in my community. How about the rest of you?

[madokie]

18. fear not its coming

for the most part most Americans are fed up with the little dunce of a war criminal and many are too waiting for the pin to drop, so many waiting and watching so that when it does all hell will break loose, the *war cabal will all be gone in a matter of days when it does. Never forget our country is much stronger than a criminal cabal who are trying to overthrow the very government they took an oath to serve and protect. In the end you and I will come out the winner and it will be to a big cost as we have already witnessed most of that cost.

[OneGrassRoot]

20. Thank you Doni_Georgia and Madokie for the positivity and hope!

With Little Lord Pissypants (my favorite moniker for "him") on the news now - I refuse to watch - I'm afraid things are going to be ratcheted up a few notches. He'll continue to pull his shit unless the media calls them on the carpet.

Okay, so it seems getting our free press back is the first step in regaining our democracy and getting these shits out, and hopefully KEEPING their type out, putting future politicians on notice that we're all watching.

If we could get people all over the country with any semblance of influence (local media types, politicians, etc.) - people viewed as moderates, that for them to speak out against B*sh and the media themselves would be a SHOCK factor, making people take notice - to take a stand, that would be awesome.

Maybe we could find these types - state by state here at DU - that would could beseech to join this cause of saving our democracy and help them speak out? Again, I fear that preaching to the choir - or the same people protesting - isn't going to shake anything. We have to bring others to speak out...others who will have a shock value, along with respect.

Gotta run....thanks to everyone who's shared here...shall check back later.

[OneGrassRoot]

21. Okay, final thoughts for now....

This is what I'm talking about. Not sure if a link will show, but it's the thread "Rehabilitation of Colin Powell."

Many scoff when, for often selfish reasons, individuals who supported or were actually part of this mess start speaking out against B*sh. Okay, it's late in the game. But, come on, WE NEED THIS TO WAKE PEOPLE UP!!!!! Support more of it rather than spitting on them. Maybe if this type of thing gets enough steam, people in power will realize that truth is the best policy (especially since the Internet is kinda forcing the issue...lol).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=389&topic_id=1312997&mesg_id=1312997


I had to tune in for a sec to shithead's press conference when I saw Helen Thomas (bless her!). The little I've seen, they ARE finally asking good questions. Let's see if there's followup...........