We get NOTHING!

[salinen]

Sorry for yelling. As progressives, we are expert abuse takers in terms of political, social, economic, hell everything that we champion. Wasn't it just recently that Health Care providers drank champaign? Now Wall Street is uncorking. BP will NEVER face what should happen to them. I could go on and on about how we don't even get scraps from this government. But, we never have. So we become the battered wife syndrome as a group. No reason to call 911, they don't respond to progressives.

As a fairly substantial sized political group, we have no representation at the national level. Sure, Bernie and Russ and Greyson and Dennis. They are so powerless because of the overwhelming opposition that they almost disappear.

Just because I'm all hot and upset doesn't mean I have any solutions. Better heads than mine are working here. Basically I'm complementing progressives for being the toughest creatures on the planet. Boy, can we take a hit and keep standing.

Thanks for being a loser with me.

[mmonk]

1. That's the way big money works.

[lunatica]

2. Being Progressive is always being ahead of the curve

And it's always been an uphill climb. Losers having self pity parties are not Progressives.

[daleanime]

11. I'm having quite a bit of trouble....

responding politely to your post. So in your view Progressives are not human? We never get tired, or frustrated, etc..? Let's have a little more empathy with our fellow boulder pushers. At least of much as we use trying to understand the other side. Now on the count of 3, 1, 2,....

[salinen]

13. Well

maybe too human. After all, we're fighting so tea-baggers won't lose their social securtiy or medicare.

[lunatica]

15. You're the one calling us all losers

Speak for yourself. Being disappointed and frustrated comes with the territory and the fact that we don't get exactly what we want as fast as we want it doesn't make us losers.

[Saturday]

3. Come on, it's my birthday.

I don't want to get mad on my birthday. Can't you just lie to me on my big day?

[Call Me Wesley]

5. Happy Birthday!

:toast: I hope you're having a wonderful day and countless more to come! :hi:

[salinen]

6. Happy Birthday!!!!

Hey Gemini, mine was Friday.

[Saturday]

8. Well, happy birthday right back at you! :) nt

[Jamastiene]

7. Think puppy dogs and butterflies and gently floating rose petals

and nice, crystal clear water you can drink and/or swim in. Think happy thoughts for your birthday. Happy Birthday. :party:


I wish I could lock myself away and think nothing but happy thoughts. If you are going to dream, dream BIG, dammit! That's my philosophy. :thumbsup:

[Jamastiene]

4. You're telling me.

This morning while I was in the shower, I dropped the soap. The City was outside trimming trees. My first thought when I bent over to pick up the soap was, "I hope they don't lose control of any of the larger limbs. That'd hurt. Plus, I probably no longer have any rights to sue them for medical expenses, thanks to our government's habit of writing laws expressly to screw our asses."

Well, it was a quick thought in not as many words as that. Still, that was the basic gist of what went through my mind as I finished my shower.

We are truly fucked. We are like Timex watches only we don't have the same rights as those Timex "persons." We take a licking and keep on ticking.

[KharmaTrain]

9. Turning 180 Degrees...

I think most of us here are frustrated at the half-assed and half-hearted "reforms" of the past year. But maybe it's worth looking at it from this perspective. For the past 30 years we underwent one "deregulation" after another. Be it banksters, health care, environmental...there wasn't a sector that hasn't been affected. Many bought into the mantra of "Government is the problem" and that included too many Democrats. It lead to the corporates gaining more and more "regulation" in their favor. It wasn't creating "fair trade" or "market capitalism", it was a deliberate and gradual movement to create a special corporate class protected from its own abuses and then "regulated" by those who could job the system. As long as the market went up, people were making money, it was all good. No one dared to look under the hood to see how this new corporate culture was eroding the social fabric of this country...until it all came crashing down in the final years of the booosh regime.

So here we are, my friend. At the bottom of a steep decline and working our way back uphill isn't easy. Erasing 30 years of "trickle down" without destroying the economy is a tricky dance...especially when placed in the hands of politicians who are conflicted and remain under the influence of the cash the corporate culture gives them to maintain their jobs. Doing what's right for the majority is always trumped by what's best for the politician...and their corporate benefactors.

But I like to think we're starting to move in the right direction. Yes, these "reforms" are far from what they should be, but the tide has turned...we're no longer thinking about more deregulation and it appears people are starting to wake up to the need of a beneficial government...one that does regulate and serve the people rather than the corporates. We may even owe a thanks to the teabaggers for stirring up some outrage (even though they're too ignroant to realize it).

The road back wasn't going to happen over night. Be angry...stay frustrated...but, most important, stay engaged. The only way more regulation and reforms can happen is if Democrats and Progressives remain focused on fighting against rushpublicans and not among ourselves. It's electing better Democrats...but even with the ones we have, it's to maintain control of the levers of power and to continue to chip away at the largess of the past.

Cheers...

:hi:

[salinen]

12. Yes

It's been worse than "government is the problem" ala Reagan, it evolved into government is the enemy. So, therefore, according to all who were programmed by talk radio, the hero was the private sector. Those well meaning free marketeers would all benefit us if they were left to police themselves. So when all the dust settles, the free marketeers do corruption even bigger and grander than the government.

So now the government is attempting to wrestle back control of the country from those who are in control and who won't give up control because they don't have to. For many years, corporations have told Washington what to do. Entities will not release power without a struggle. So you think were moving in the right direction? The citizens united vote would say otherwise. It basically says that government can be owned by the biggest donor.

I'm not trying to pee in your punch. But.........

[KharmaTrain]

14. Pee Away...

Things are never clean or simple. You hit the nerve with the mindset that the "Government has become the enemy" meme...creating a boogie man that is echoed by hate radio except when rushpublicans are in power and then it's "unpatriotic" to question.

Remember, Citizens United is another byproduct of the raygun/boooosh era...all those voting in favor were GOOP appointees and we knew that Roberts and Alito would be rubber stamps for the corporates. In my mind the jury is out about the long term damage this ruling will be...if there actually is something as too much money being thrown around or if our endless campaign subcutlure will continue to grow.

No, the corporates won't give back their hard-won gains...and thus the pressure has to remain and push for more reforms...enough half measures can add up to a fuller one (or my hope). Look at it this way...look at the agenda of the government in 2005...Schaivo, sham prescription drug "reform", bankruptcy "reform" (that led to the bubble bursting when interest rates went out of sight) and surges and defense spending "off the books". Now look at the focus. I'd say that's progress.

Cheers...

[Romulox]

10. Gene Wilder is fucking amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5QGkOGZubQ