I think the next few years will launch a revolution of some kind

[Hawkeye-X]

I got a feeling. A good gut feeling. The corporation's iron grip will not last long. And it won't be with the Supreme Court, it will be the people of the United States demanding true reform and removal of all corporation-held politicans. I have some few ideas what we need to do with the politicans in the meantime, but if I say it, I could get arrested.

But, a revolution will happen.

Hawkeye-X

[snappyturtle]

1. When I read your subject line, my gut reaction was:

God, I hope so!

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. It is coming, I agree with you

and partly due to the fall of the US as an empire, that is also written in stone.

[NNN0LHI]

3. Yea, when we are all unemployed we can all drive our imported cars to the revolution

:eyes:

[bluestate10]

38. Wearing our made in China shoes, jeans and shirts. nt

[Forkboy]

4. I don't see it. It's just not in us.

I admit to being a hardcore pessimist, but I think you're giving us way too much credit.

[Hawkeye-X]

7. Everyone should be reminded how American Revolution was started..

and we need one against the corporations.

[Forkboy]

13. A revolution would more likely kill us, not save us.

This kind of talk sounds great until we get into details. How would it unfold? Who initiates it? How does the government respond? How does the world respond? Who fights who and how? Is is state against state, or neighbor against neighbor?

It's easy to say fight the corporations, but what, in detail, does that actually even mean? Fight them how? With guns? With talk? Do we storm Mastercard headquarters?

I don't ask any of these questions to be a wiseass, I'm genuinely curious about exactly those who say we need a revolution see it going down, because I don't see it happening. Not in this day and age. :shrug:

[ZombieHorde]

22. We just send in a bad ass kunoichi!

Problem solved.

[ejpoeta]

21. i don't think it will be as soon as some think. it will happen when people can't feed their kids.

now i know there are plenty that can't feed their kids right now. but when enough people can't feed their kids or provide for them then you will see it happen. as long as folks 'feel' like they are ok then they will keep their heads down.... but when that quick sand pulls them under with those they want to think are 'lazy' and that's why they don't have jobs, then you will see it happen. the gap is widening. not sure how much of a gap there needs to be, but history has shown that at some point marie antoinette lost her head.

[southernyankeebelle]

32. Your not disperate yet. When you see around you the in justice I am sure you'll be there. We just

haven't been pushed there yet. We are no different than the europeans. People do anything when they can't find a place to go to get the help they need.

[emilyg]

5. One can hope.

[elocs]

6. No, don't agree. There may be a revolution, but it won't be good.

This nation is becoming more polarized than ever before with little in the middle. The political landscape will only get worse.

Oh, you must be referring to the change we can count on revolution. Been there, done that, don't believe.

Ultimately I would prefer to be a pessimist who is proven wrong than a pollyanna who is proven wrong.

[liberal N proud]

8. As long as reality TV keeps the masses plastered to Cable

and the media machines keep the voters polarized, nothing will happen.

If however the public wakes up to the propaganda that is being fed them in their own living rooms, then maybe, just maybe you will be correct.

[NNN0LHI]

9. Try saying something bad about American Idol around here once

I did once and soon thereafter the sword of Damocles came crashing down on my neck.

I was amazed.

Don

[DCKit]

12. Ah, but for how much longer? Who can really afford cable or satellite anymore?

They're going to have to start giving it away for free if they want to keep us zombified.

[valerief]

18. Yeah, and giving away food and shelter with heat and medical care and...

[Newest Reality]

10. Agreed!

However, what kind of revolution is the issue when so very much is now at stake.

A revolution in thinking and acting, (none of us is too old or fixated to become more flexible) would be a great start considering we are up against a technologically superior, military-industrial-complex that has funneled our collective wealth into the means to detain, control and even destroy, (or Unexist) us.

When there emerges a noteworthy degree of consent by those who are well-informed that starts to stand-out rather conspicuously, that is when a revolution can influence beliefs and could be followed by more obvious changes in what is most important for us all: behavior.

So, revolution, in this sense, and in an age of information and propaganda, does not have to imply or suggest violence, but it certainly requires insight and the flexibility to begin informing and changing ourselves, our lives and our environments. Rather than thinking of it as huge, organized efforts of gargantuan proportions, I would suggest that a discipline of looking for small opportunities to make transformations can mount-up to waves of impact.

These are very different times indeed. Maybe we should act like it?

[Capn Sunshine]

11. This refrain has only been repeated since the panic of 1917

Not until people kill their TVs and get offline Hawk. As in NEVER.

[Forkboy]

16. Even if we had it in us, which I don't think we do, how would it unfold?

I've yet to see one realistic scenario where the "people" will revolt against their corporate masters here in the U.S.

No offense meant to the OP at all, but this kind of stuff just comes across as sloganeering to me. That in itself can serve a purpose, but as Jello Biafra says, "Anarchy sounds good to me. Then someone asks, "Who'd fix the sewers?"

[JVS]

14. That would be nice.

But I think the teabaggers are going to topple the government. Not that I particularly give a fuck anymore.

[bluestateguy]

15. I'm getting kind of tired of these never ending predictions of the inevitable Class Revolution

It's getting to be like the play Waiting for Godot.

[JVS]

27. I'm getting sick of this never ending oppression from the upper class.

[jtown1123]

34. +1000

[intheflow]

17. I have the same feeling.

Though I wouldn't describe it as a "good" gut feeling. But revolution is inevitable. Just as in the early 20th century labor rose, child, women's, and veteran's rights movements gained steam, public education was reformed, and the NAACP was reformed.* Those were pretty revolutionary seeds planted that flourished in the 1910s and '20s, then again in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Theirs was a peaceful revolution. That's the revolution I hope for.

OTOH, a century ago also saw the rise of the Big Oil/politics link, and all the plundering and environmental damage that has wrought across the globe on many levels. Those seeds planted something malevolent. The people who seek revolution as retaliation for wrongs done done to them will not be peaceable in their redress. That's the revolution I fear for.

In truth, I believe both types are a-coming.


*Ironically, during this same time, prohibition was enacted (mostly as a woman's right issue because sober husbands don't beat and rape their wives), but that just illustrates that revolutions come in many, often parallel, forms.

[kgnu_fan]

19. When I see so many obesity, ignorance and wastefulness in general in our country, I feel very

pessimistic about any changes coming. American people may just take all the downfall without fighting back.

http://www.tomdispatch.com/archive/175327/
Tomgram: Alfred McCoy, Taking Down America


<snip>
If America's decline is in fact on a 22-year trajectory from 2003 to
2025, then we have already frittered away most of the first decade of
that decline with wars that distracted us from long-term problems and,
like water tossed onto desert sands, wasted trillions of desperately
needed dollars.

If only 17 years remain, the odds of frittering them all away still
remain high. Congress and the president are now in gridlock; the
American system is flooded with corporate money meant to jam up the
works; and there is little suggestion that any issues of significance,
including our wars, our bloated national security state, our starved
education system, and our antiquated energy supplies, will be addressed
with sufficient seriousness to assure the sort of soft landing that
might maximize our country's role and prosperity in a changing world.

Europe's empires are gone and America's imperium is going. It seems
increasingly doubtful that the United States will have anything like
Britain's success in shaping a succeeding world order that protects its
interests, preserves its prosperity, and bears the imprint of its best
values.

[RKP5637]

20. It is all going to cave in on itself because the pilings are now rotten to the

core. Despite hoping for better, I see a dim future for America.

We had a formula here that worked for the betterment of the country and citizens. There are so many variables now in the current equation, most of them unsolvable, because of the cataclysmic nature of them.

Additionally, none in control of the real wealth and power in this country are going to let citizens interfere with their profits, and the politicians we elect are for the most part window dressing to try to appease the dumbed down masses. And the masses can't seem to get the point that we all need to work together than all of the polarization.

IMO it will eventually all cave in on itself because the foundations are collapsing. Then it will all be built anew and I don't think there can be a forgone conclusion that it will be for the better or worse.

[AndyTiedye]

23. No Revolution, Just More Random Violence

When people here can't take it anymore, they go for their guns.
Many are isolated. They couldn't find "the movement" even it it existed.
The result is usually random violence or suicide.

The not-so-isolated are more likely to find the "teaparty",
a piece of astroturf engineered by the powers that be to
coopt such sentiment and turn it to their service.

We might get THEIR kind of "revolution". I sure hope not!

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

24. I don't think so

I'd like to be optimistic. But people always say this kind of stuff.

Revolutions typically don't just happen. And there are all kinds of things about American society and the way that we live that makes revolution unlikely.

It's hard to even sustain a serious grassroots movement based on street presence. I've been part of so called "movements" before, and the least actions and protests take a ridiculous amount of work.

[donheld]

25. The sooner the better

more hope of actually being able to do it with less bloodshed.

[hootinholler]

26. Well it has been 150 years since the last one.

:shrug:

I think thing will have to get much more chaotic for that to happen. Even the massacre at Homestead and similar events during the last guilded age didn't bring one in.

-Hoot

[felix_numinous]

28. Yep I agree

one way or another. The next election better see a Democrat in office or all hell will break loose.

[Javaman]

29. I agree, but sadly I don't agree with your outcome...

given the slide to the far right this nation has taken us, I don't see a positive coming out of a "revolution".

If the revolution be a peaceful one, then perhaps, their might be a settle agreement of sorts, but it will be far from a "revolution". It will be more of an agreement to disagree with no measurable achievements.

If you are talking a "hot revolution", I believe it will be far from what is considered a "traditional" one.

It will be revolution by skirmish. Which, to me, would be far far worse in the end for us.

All a skirmish revolution would do is create a further atmosphere of repression when the members are eventually suppressed and imprisoned. We squawk about body pat downs now, I can't even imagine what it would be like after a failed "revolution".

Like all dictatorial governments, be they outright dictators, fascist, communist or totalitarian, they all eventually fall.

And if the US does take the final plunge into that area, it will only be a matter of time before it collapses under it's own top heavy weight. In order for a nation to exact that kind of control, it would need to have a massive expansion in size to cover all possibilities of civil disobedience.

We have already taken a huge step in that direction with HLS. Another step wouldn't be that tough to take.

What I honestly see playing out is the following.

The repubs sweep back into power either in 2012 or certainly in 2016. They continue with their now traditional platform of cutting taxes on the very wealthy and to a degree, everyone else.

They continue to push fear and create an quasi-fascist state where one can not move without being watched on, spied on or checked on.

And because of this, the nations infrastructure rapidly fails because the taxes to fund such have been cut drastically and as a result, hits critical mass.

Along the way, various infrastructure type corps will begin to fail. And with no tax money coming at a calculable amount to offset anything, the typical repub fall back will be print more money and deficit spend us out of the problem. But this time they run up against the debt ceiling. Which, I might add, will become a much more common occurrence as they try their best voodoo economics ju-jitsu. When they try to raise it again and again, the other nations of the world will call BS on us and our rating as a nation, in regards to over economical health, will fall dramatically.

Under all this weight, the banking industry finally implodes from yet another bubble. No bank corp at that point will be "to big to fail". The result? Repubs are left, finally, bold faced, holding the bag, with no one to blame, no matter how they spin it, but themselves.

People will look back at Obama as a man who tried. But due to repub obstructionism, his efforts at any sort of real change were retarded by the right. And people will also realize, while Obama did try, he also tried to placate the right way to often. Trying to reach a middle ground when thoughtful change from the left was in dire need.

The nation will be a hollow cinder.

When we go down, we won't be alone.

The US dollar, which is based on oil, will hemorrhage. First in a wild rise of inflation, then pancake in deflation. Unless Europe and Asia quickly pull in the reigns, they will suffer as massively as we do. China's exports will collapse and all the Asian cheap labor markets will vanish.

The world resets.

What then? Will there be a far left resurgence? Or will the nation cling desperately to a failed empires dying embers of nationalism? Will the Union survive? Will we fracture?

I don't know.

I think of Rome. While the ruling elite fled from the goth invasion, many of the citizens welcomed the invaders with open arms. The people were tired. They wanted a fair shake, even if that meant a foreign power taking over to get one.

But alas, we aren't Rome, there will be no foreign power to take us over for a very long time. No one will be able to afford it.

Will collapse come in my life time? Damn, I hope not, but alas, given the current landscape I don't honestly see how things will get better.

And on a personal note: if we get a revolution, it better be a damn good one, because frankly, if it turns out that we will be going from the frying pan into the fire, no thanks.

[Odin2005]

30. It's coming.

[southernyankeebelle]

31. I have that same feeling. I can't wait to see this government shock when it finally happens.

[kctim]

33. A revolution will happen?

Not until We the People can agree on who to revolt againt: Evil corporations or Evil government.

[handmade34]

35. knowledge is power!

we all were joyful at the prospect of change when Barack Obama came into office... (I still consider this election a very good thing)... but we all know now that the power of corporations and others is much too overwhelming to overcome through prosaic, routine means. Revolution will happen. I welcome it with open arms and I will go down fighting (literally or figuratively)

[woo me with science]

36. The pain is getting deeper

and more widespread.

The middle class is trying to hold onto dignity by denying it to their neighbors. A lot of people are still in their houses by a thread, hanging on to what outwardly makes them appear middle class. But they are losing health insurance, they are sinking deeper into debt, they cannot afford to maintain what they have. Their children are struggling and coming back home for help. They may be trying hard to appear just fine to their neighbors, but their private ledgers are sinking into disaster.

Once families are at a breaking point and realize that their neighbors are experiencing the exact same thing,...

then maybe.

[newtothegame]

37. Sorry just don't see it happening. Had a chance in the 60's but drugs became more important than...

the revolution itself.

[RagAss]

39. Not until the family pets have been cooked on the grill !