Politics everywhere seems to have descended into a farcical instrospective fog.

[sibelian]

Image and perception used to play a part, but so did fact.

There doesn't seem to be any interest in reality any more, anywhere, on any side.

It's all a little bit disturbing.

[MissMarple]

1. Well, somebody, somewhere is benefitIng.

[sibelian]

2. Who?

How?

I don't disagree, but....

[MissMarple]

3. The obfuscators who can't live with transparency, the ones who benefit from anger,

distrust, and confusion. In good part, the corporations.

[sibelian]

4. So is transparency the antidote? Reason doesn't seem terribly effective...

Revolution doesn't seem like a very good prospect, incremental progress seems to be doomed, triangulation is a disaster...

Sorry, I'm thinking aloud...

[MissMarple]

6. Reason,most likely, will continue to be least effective

Transparency has a better shot. Check out Jonathan Haidt. He explains it well. Google, his University of Virginia site has links to info. The TED talk is good, as is the Bill Moyers one.

[sibelian]

10. Most interesting, thank you very much.

[tabasco]

5. Yes, both parties are the same. Don't bother voting.

LOL.

[sibelian]

8. Bad thinking. Even if there is nothing in particular to vote for

there is always something worth voting against.

[tabasco]

15. Thanks for clearing that up. n/t

[sibelian]

16. You're more than welcome. nt

[YoungDemCA]

7. We all know that the GOP is dominated by far-right fanatics and corporate elites...

The question is, will the Democrats stand up to Corporate America?

[sibelian]

9. They have a tendency to think in the short term.

I suspect the amount of time necessary to take away the effect of corporate sponsorship will take a lot longer than one election cycle.

[coalition_unwilling]

11. WTF? How's this for a fact? 1% of the country controls 40% of the wealth? Democratic

Socialists are, first and foremost, materialists. We live in the realm of facts. Can't and don't speak for the Blue Dog wing of the Democratic Party.

Your title has a typo, btw. (Speaking of facts.)

[sibelian]

13. Oh, it's you! Hi!

What are you talking about?

[turtlerescue1]

12. Wish it were not so.

Bit if wishes were horses...all would ride eh?

Its more than a little bit disturbing, the stakes are too high this time, there is way to much to lose and there's more of losing what is already being lost.

"Romney Hood" hit the nail directly, which is different for my political party. Still will Americans actually wake up? Remember when the Terror Alerts first came out? How it felt like a way to control fear nationwide? Up and down. less and more?

Get out Kurt Vonnegut's short stories: "Welcome to the Monkey House"

Dunno, maybe its just that fear and unknowns became a part of life too long ago. For several years after the death of my mate, it was somewhere between Murphy's blasted Law and being locked in Imelda Marcos' closet with all her 600 pairs of shoes, one dropping at a time. There was no choice but to feel like a spectator in life, because there was nothing that could be done to alter or end the events. The only defense was Humor. And for those who do not like Christianity, am sorry, but it took hope that Faith can help, because not one other thing was around.

Get out your little mental radios courtesy of Diana Moon Glompers, the Handicapper General, because Harrison Bergeron it may get really nuts.

[sibelian]

14. "There was no choice but to feel like a spectator in life"

That's exactly it.

If there was some clearer way of making the way we live affect the political sphere more directly, we might stand a better chance.