We've seen blood in the streets in other nations when people rebelled against a

[Atticus]

government that either caused or allowed conditions which made their lives intolrerable.

People rioted. They held geneal strikes. People clogged the streets of the capitol city carrying signs and chanting slogans.

And, sometimes, people got shot.

And, sometimes, the people shot back.

And, sometimes, an entire nation became a crucible in which new governing philosphies and new operative assumptions were melded into an entirely different society.

Will that happen here?

Within the next decade or two?

[spanone]

1. well, if the republicans win again, anything could happen

[Rosa Luxemburg]

5. there will just be one Rupert Murdoch/Saudi-owned corporation

and no government

[Newsjock]

2. Only if 'Dancing With the Stars' goes off the air

Otherwise, America won't care.

[muntrv]

3. "American Idol" will also have to go off the air.

[stray cat]

4. Somalia or Haiti - do you really think you would be creating anything of worth.?

Why do you think peace loving anti- gun progressives will be better off under militant tea par tiers at best

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. we are bleeding from the decisions of the Republican congress in the 1990s

it will take a lot to get back. You seem to blame the current admin for it.

[Atticus]

9. There is absolutely nothing in my OP that seems to "blame the current administration" for crying

out loud!

My underlying concern for the post was the radical Teabaggers and the increased polarization of our society in which they seem to revel. I believe some of them are actually looking forward to what they see as the annihilation of everyone who refuses to fall in line with their twisted view of "liberty".

I don't believe they can be reasoned with and I won't be ruled by them. So, where are we headed?

THAT is what I blame.

I busted my ass to elect this president and I am doing all I am capable of to preserve a Democratic Congress, so peddle your speculation somewhere else, please.

[RKP5637]

7. I'm uncertain of the future. I've never seen/heard so many crackpots getting

recognition and followings in politics as we have today. I still contend many Americans are asleep at the wheel. They just don't seem to get how far south this country could go with solid republican majorities.

I think many Americans think everything will just resolve itself without their involvement. It might be because some of the real restlessness and violence of the past is now out of generational memory. And even 8 years of Bush apparently has not woken some people up.

Democrats are not perfect, but IMO they're a hell of a lot better than republican / tea party majorities.

[Orsino]

8. Boiling frogs.

It seems to be human nature to pretend that all is well until the absolute last moment, then panic and turn violent.

I am afraid that our government's corruption and inertia have made peaceful change nearly impossible, and am terrified of what may be the inevitable outcome.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Yes, it will

It has in the not so distant past.

You can push so-far.

But dear there is a reason we are not hearing of fhe troubles in France, let the peasant get ideas.

[david13]

11. It absolutely will not. First the american people are mostly fat

and lazy. And stupid. That is why the fanatical garbage is being strewn around the entertainment media. TV, radio and films, movies. Trash. Tripe. And the young people all seem to be skinny yuppies.
So, do I think any such thing will happen here? No. For one thing, it's all too diverse.
dc

[Earth_First]

12. Perhaps you might try the Facebook Event Invite...

:shrug:

[struggle4progress]

13. We should hope we never see this. But the best possible preparation for it

would be intelligent dedicated political organizing. By this, I do not mean only organizing to support particular candidates or parties: I mean issue-oriented community organizing that actually got people involved in nitty-gritty day-to-day nuts-and-bolts work intended to agitate people around important matters, educate them about those matters, and put them into motion to accomplish specific concrete (non-philosophical) political objectives

Revolutions and civil wars are ugly affairs, that typically leave resentments lasting generations. And the final outcome of revolutions often depends on who is best organized: that often means that the original state survives, because it usually has the original organizational advantage, but even if a revolution is "successful" what often happens next is a pause in which everyone looks dumbly about and says Well, we overthrew the government! And what now?

So a primary question, when one contemplates potential revolutions from any point of view whatsoever, must be: How well organized are we? This is because, even if might be direct issues involving firepower, there are even more important questions regarding intelligence and communications and analysis and morale and popular support (which in turn involves matters like political agenda and moral conduct)