Would someone please freeze off these warts, because I'm tired of applying cream.

[Writer]

It truly seems to me that the nation has swapped one fear for another - from ter'ists to the economy. The populist anger right now is not directed at Obama, or the GOP, or to congressional Republicans, but to the current structure of the US Federal Government. Both liberals/progressives and the tea party protesters believe that the government structure is rigged against their interests, and they will not be satisfied - at least not anymore - with a new face in the White House. They want real structural changes to our political-economic system.

But real structural changes are not easy, because those changes have to be made within the structure that exists: A structure that people already distrust and that also is set up to maintain democratic "stability." All of the rules in place in the Senate, for instance, with the 60 vote filibuster override, etc. are there to make sure that change is DIFFICULT to put forth. And this is the dilemma that all incumbents have at the moment.

Right now, the only true means is by completely dismantling the federal government structure as it now stands and rebuilding it. This would necessitate that every bourgeois peep - from every race and section of this nation - actually abandon their daily routines and fight to amend the Constitution, or throw out the Constitution altogether.

Wait a minute - dismantle the federal government and rebuild? Really? Is that realistic? Probably not. But if we're not willing to reconstruct our system constitutionally, especially the way bills become laws, we will have to wait for change within a system that is constructed with the intention of limiting the amount of change.

Right now, however, public discourse on the condition of the nation is starting to feel like warts. Seriously - would someone please burn them off?

Sigh.

[sandnsea]

1. Nobody knows what the fuck they want

Frankly, it's time for Michelle's mama to teach the President about running the House when the kids are a bunch of unruly teen-agers. You don't listen to any of them, you just go about doing what needs doing.

And keep the warts where you can see them.

[Writer]

2. I think that's how Obama's been operating for the last year...

but I think economic discontent has driven a populist fire from both sides of the political spectrum. No one is happy. About anything. And Obama has to find a way to connect with the current fire, but I think it's an incredibly tall order, because people are more apt to cynically dismiss anything he says.

[sandnsea]

4. No he's been trying to listen

Trying to find reasonable people to work with, to appeal to the better angels we're all supposed to have. There's too many people who are opposed to everything except their own narrow agenda. Maybe they were right when they called boomers the "me" generation and we're just starting to really see it manifest itself on the greater political scene. Bill Clinton had the WWII generation, not quite as selfish. This is the first Congressional generation of primarily boomers, right? I'm not surprised they all want it their own way, that coming from a boomer by the way.

[Jennicut]

3. In bad, uncertain times, people react emotionally and seek out to blame something

It is based on pure fear. Looking to punish anyone and anything. I can't blame people....the economy was pushed over the edge by Dems and Repubs a long time ago.