Amazing what a difference a few months make...

[PhillySane]

Does anyone still care about America's decline? Are you all better off than you were two years ago? Four years ago? When do we focus on America, now? Our future? Can we get focused? Can we only lead when military action is necessary? When Big Oil and Big Nukes are needed? No innovation anymore? No big vision? Is that dead? No change? No hope? Yes we can? Can what?

Is that all we got?

[JoePhilly]

1. I'm better off than I was 2 and 4 years ago. nt.

[PhillySane]

2. I'm not

in so many ways.

[DJ13]

4. Im not either

Being disabled and having no cost of living adjustments for two years of rising prices is a real squeeze.

[Vinee]

13. me neither.

[bobbolink]

Yup... for many of us, it is coming to a crisis. Yet, all we hear is about the middleclass.

They are the only ones hurting, the only ones being "squeezed".

Fuck it.

[JoePhilly]

25. Given your OP, I suspected that ... but ... you asked ...

and so I answered.

[PhillySane]

51. Happy for you!

Not happy about all the oil spilled in the gulf. Tax breaks for the SUPER rich. Money for banks, too big to fail. Bullshit propped up car companies that deserve to be out of business, no matter what country they come from. AIG. Goldman Sachs, Bank of America. Chase. Wells Fargo. Citigroup. Exxon-Mobil. BP. Haliburton. Defense Contractors. NRA. Gun Industry/Lobby. Health Insurance Companies. Pharma. Frackers. Republicans. Tea Baggers....

should I go on?

[JoePhilly]

55. Rant away.

The tax breaks you complain about were already there ...

The bank bailout saved millions of 401ks, including mine.

The auto bailout saved millions of jobs, not mine.

You then return to the bank bailouts, which Obama did not start, but which, again, saved millions of 401ks.

After that you ramble incoherently ... NRA? really? NRA????

Oh ... my niece, who was diagnosed with a deadly cancer at 2, who is now 12, and who the insurance companies would not cover for anything but a cold, or a sports injury because of that pre-existing condition, is now fully COVERED.

So go ahead, rant on.

Again ... you ASKED the question ... I answered it. Much better in the last 2 and 4 years.

[PhillySane]

58. As I said

Happy for you. Seems it all worked out just fine.

[JoePhilly]

59. Yes, for me and millions of others. nt.

[PhillySane]

60. Then you and those millions

are in the pink

[JoePhilly]

62. Yea, that is how we see it. We're in the "pink".

Again ... you ASKED the question, and I answered it directly and honestly. You can be a snide as you like.

Given your responses to me, you clearly did not ask this question with an open mind, you asked it make a point about yourself, and perhaps to make the point that things are worse then they were 2 or 4 years ago.

And if some one responds that they are "better off" now, you respond with a snide remark.

My suggestion ... if you don't want to hear the honest answer, don't ask the question.

[xiamiam]

66. not by a long shot..i doubt i will be able to recoup what i lost..toast..nt

[SoCalDem]

57. We are too, but ONLY because my husband is lucky enough to have a great boss

and he started collecting SS.. When he actually retires in 2.5 years, things will be much different, I suspect:(

[polichick]

3. That hope and change thing was campaign rhetoric...

The same corporate masters that have been in charge for decades are still in charge - and they have no intention of rebuilding America.

[tridim]

6. The entire US auto industry disagrees with you.

They would not exist today had McCain won.

[polichick]

9. Proof of my claim - instead of building a new green auto industry...

...we forked over a boatload of cash to keep the same ol' thing running - same ol' corporate masters at the helm.

[JuniperLea]

15. Not really...

they have a whole list of new requirements for cleaner engines sooner... a far more steep incline toward advanced energy savings than before they were bailed out... plus, I really am pleased that so many jobs were saved.

[tridim]

16. The Volt is real.

And for the first time in my life I'm looking at American cars.

I don't think you know what you're talking about.

[PhillySane]

19. The volt is 20 years

overdue

[EstimatedProphet]

45. So you're blaming Obama for Clinton and Bush I?

[PhillySane]

48. What did I blame Obama for?

Except mediocrity? Sorry. I expected more. Lots more.

[polichick]

20. The production number is minimal - we should have nothing but green vehicles...

It was an opportunity to reshape the industry - an opportunity wasted, like so many.

[tridim]

28. Goalposts moved yet again.

You're in denial, things are changing. Change this huge doesn't happen in less than 2 years.

[PhillySane]

32. Are you talking about the Chevy Volt?

Which was on the drawing board 10 years ago?

[polichick]

33. You're the one in denial - we had a golden opportunity to reshape the entire industry...

And, just as with other golden opportunities, the prez went largely with the status quo.

[JoePhilly]

30. Your either / or scenario would have ensured millions more out of work now.

We do need to shift to a new "green" auto industry ... but of you think that decimating the current US auto industry would have accelerated that, you are dreaming. And in the mean time, those folks would be out of work, and you'd be screaming at Obama to create jobs for them ... NOW!!!!

[PhillySane]

34. The US Auto Industry

decimated itself. By propping up big oil. Fuck that.

[polichick]

37. True - with the help of Congress and several presidents.

[PhillySane]

46. Everything is ok now with GM

just took billions of US taxpayers dollar to prop them up. Sorry WI, don't have any bailout money for you.

[JoePhilly]

56. So FUCK those middle class auto workers .... got it..

[polichick]

35. What "either/or scenario"??? When the gov't bailed them out...

...there was an opportunity to make significant changes in product - has nothing to do with laying off the workers.

[PhillySane]

47. The US auto industry knew that oil was running out

in 1975. What did they come up with? The SUV. 10 mpg.

[PhillySane]

11. Well

they shouldn't, if you believe in free markets. But, I'm sure they won't tell you that they are socialists like the govt. workers in WI. No. They're hard working capitalists.

[hlthe2b]

5. All is relative... certainly better off than about 1 million Japanese

left homeless and under great threat from radiation exposure in Northern Japan.

Still worried about America's decline? Damned right, but somehow it seems a little insensitive to only focus on our own plight at the current time. That said, I can surely multi-task on important issues. :shrug:

[PhillySane]

8. Its all tied in

I have friends in Japan. They are not better off. Maybe if Obama had smashed nuclear power instead of promoting it. maybe.

We're fucked.

[Tx4obama]

12. Go do some research regarding Obama's good works re nuclear proliferation. n/t

[PhillySane]

17. okay

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obamas-support-for-nuclear-power-faces-a-test/2011/03/18/ABQLu8r_story.html

[Tx4obama]

27. 'nuclear proliferation' as in Obama rounding up nuclear WEAPONS. n/t

[PhillySane]

39. I wasn't talking weapons

talking green energy, which Mr. O isn't THAT friendly to. He's okay with offshore drilling, nukes, and fracking. Which by the way is killing us. Check into it.

[Tx4obama]

41. I was. I wanted you to see some of the 'good' he has done. n/t

[PhillySane]

44. I know,

but, I guess, I expected...

oh fuck, I should've known

you're right

he's wonderful

[Tx4obama]

7. Folks in the USA are better off than those in Japan, Haiti, Libya, Sudan, Eygpt, etc.

Who started that 'talking point' about 'being better off' anyway? The GOP?
We were better off BEFORE the eight years of BUSH!

[PhillySane]

21. Not so sure

still bombing shit in the middle east. Oil still rules.

we're fucked.

[polichick]

29. And before Reagan began the raping and pillaging of America.

[DainBramaged]

10. Uh, ask Unca Bonner where are the jobs

[PhillySane]

22. Fuck him

he ain't president

[DainBramaged]

50. He promised jobs now, he's in charge.....

[PhillySane]

52. Now, you know,

no Republican ever promised a fucking job for no one! You know that, right?

[DainBramaged]

63. Hmmm, you must know everything yessiree

Using the fucking and we're not even friends, is pretty ballsy

[Shiver]

14. I was doing better, actually.

Then Walker came into office.

[JuniperLea]

18. I'm better off than I was two and four years ago...

But it was so bad that it's going to take me at least another four to feel the benefit.

[PhillySane]

23. ?

[JuniperLea]

67. I'm paying less in taxes, have more cash flow...

But I'm in debt and I'm trying to help family, so I'm not going to feel my better situation in the pocket for a while, even though it's quite apparent in my check book.

[Stinky The Clown]

24. You must have missed the memo

Its all good!

BooYAH!

Turn Libya to glass, by gawd.

[PhillySane]

26. No

Unfortunately, since December, I've gotten every memo they sent out. They have broadcast themselves loud and clear.

[tridim]

31. Has anyone said we're nuking Libya besides you?

[Stinky The Clown]

36. Have you always had the distinct handicap of taking everything literally?

:eyes:

[tridim]

38. You've said much crazier things than that and you were serious.

So, ask yourself why I took it literally.

Anyway, I guess the answer to my question is no. So maybe you should stop talking bullshit about the goal in Lybia.

[Stinky The Clown]

40. Really?

And of course, you never meant that as a personal attack.

[tridim]

43. I used to respect your opinions in the old days, I just don't any more. Sorry. nt

[Stinky The Clown]

61. Yeah, we parted company back around 08.

Oddly, however, I tend to simply ignore you. You, on the other hand, seem to have this ongoing need to try to school me.

Its okay. I understand.

[PhillySane]

42. No, baby

weez nukin' ourselves

[Fire1]

49. Well, it's like two steps forward and four steps back. When

things started looking like I might just survive this thing our republican govenor decides retirees are not suffering enough. So, not only have we not had COLA for five years, now we're getting taxed. Shit just keeps getting better.

[MedleyMisty]

53. Stop watching the TV

Seriously. I'm beginning to think that this whole disconnect between reality and perception that I'm seeing all over DU is because so many of you guys still watch American state TV.

You obviously have an internet connection. Use it for something other than bitching on here about what you see on TV during commercial breaks. Search. Follow links. Get on Twitter and search using hashtags like #wiunion, #usuncut, #usdor. You will see that all over the country, people are talking about what's happening. They are protesting. And not only in Wisconsin. You know why those five insane immigration laws in Arizona weren't passed? Because people, including a lot of school children, protested them. There are protests all over the country. There are discussions about fascism and psychopathic corrupt corporations all over the place.

But I guess if you sit around watching CNN and MSNBC and Fox, all you see is what they want you to see.

Also, you may want to search Anonymous. I swear sometimes the only way I get to sleep at night is to think of the world as being safe in the hands of Anonymous. And they're all over the world, but based on simple internet statistics I'm willing to bet a large percentage of them are young Americans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw0icQIXVOE

Link goes to an awesome LOLcat revolution video. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ii9ShTR230

And that one explains the philosophy of Anonymous.

Take their advice. Turn off the lies. Write. Create. Search out the truth, and share it. Use the internet for good.

[PhillySane]

54. In the streets!

Just would like to see it take over America's consciousness.

Stop worrying about oil. energy. take back your country. demand less. demand more. fuck the rich. take back your country.

[DainBramaged]

64. You're not from around here, are ya?

such potential, darn.....

[Hugabear]

65. Nothing like war to take your mind off other problems!

Amazing how that works, isn't it? Doesn't matter that we still have unacceptably high unemployment, we got a fuckin' war to watch on TV.

[Cal Carpenter]

68. The billionaires are happy

War means profits. War is a racket. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x715040

The 'economy' is improving for them, and that's all that matters.

The other 99% of us don't matter. And look how easily even we can be distracted - and fleeced.

We need to catch up and get on the same page as the *people* of Libya (and Egypt, and Madison, Wisconsin, and Yemen, and so forth...) as opposed to counting on a political and economic system that *never* has the best interests of the people of the US or anywhere else at heart.