Looking back over the recent past, I am caused to wonder how fucked we really are

[Stinky The Clown]

In the wake of the Zimmo acquittal, the racist gun humpers are emboldened. Zimmo is increasingly being seen as heroic. Heroic for killing a black kid and then triumphantly surviving the system that sought justice for the black kid. Wow. Some gun humpers are calling him a patriot. Think about that. A fucking patriot???? He's saving his country by killing one of its citizens? Are you kidding me?

Things that, in the past, might have taken change for the better out of deep, deep tragedy only made things worse. Where some thought the gun humpers would be diminished, we saw Crazy Wayne cast dead kids as antagonists to his Gun Fetish Army.

While all this is going on, underreported is the ongoing transfer of wealth to the already wealthy. Witness today's bankruptcy in once great Detroit, with the state essentially taking over from the elected city officials. While the bankruptcy and pension purloining is the headline, the real story is the right wing coup that is slowly evolving. Michigan's teafucker governor has already tested this ploy in Benton Harbor. Emergency Manager, my white pasty ass.

I don't even need to discuss the overturning of the Voting Rights Act by the right wing dominated Supremes.

Our government is a sham. It is all smoke and mirrors. Nothing happens that benefits Everyman while what does manage to happen always seems to benefit The Man.

We seem to be under assault from all quarters.

[BeyondGeography]

1. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

[Pholus]

2. Ummm, you mean the Japanese right?

The Germans then declared war a few days later.

Yes, history nitpicker here. SOrry!

[BeyondGeography]

3. Hell no

[Pholus]

6. Awesome! :)

[AnotherMcIntosh]

32. 7 years of college down the drain

[BeyondGeography]

58. It just gets better with time

[calimary]

24. Forget it. He's rolling!

[Boom Sound 416]

55. We declared war on Germany

The day after we declared on Japan. I think it was the 9th of December.

[Pholus]

59. Germany declared war first. We responded.

There was some concern in the years up to the war that Germany might let Japan go it alone and then the US would have no reason to declare war in Europe.

[rhett o rick]

9. Believing the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor is a Conspiracy Theory which are not allowed

in DU. Consider yourself warned. What next? The USofA has unmanned drones that use missiles to kill suspected terrorists. Sheesh!

[mstinamotorcity2]

42. I love the good

old days here at DU

[Laelth]

4. We are, in fact, under assault from all quarters.

Recognition of this reality is the first step toward reversing its progress and its effects.

-Laelth

[heaven05]

15. People

have been 'recognizing' since the 60's, just got worse.

[Fumesucker]

5. To paraphrase Roseanne, we are so far beyond fucked ...

That the light from fucked won't reach us for ten billion years.

[rhett o rick]

10. Well she exaggerates. It actually comes out more like 9.3 billion years.

[neverforget]

68. Just a rounding error.....

[rhett o rick]

72. Is that a fat joke? Shame on you.

[Arkansas Granny]

7. Follow the money. It's going to get even worse due to Citizens United.

"Justice" will be awarded to those with the biggest bankroll.

[Triana]

8. Actually, after some f*cking loon shot up 6-yr olds in a school...

...and the gun laws did not change or become stricter, I knew we were well & truly fucked in regards to any expectation of public physical safety here.

The inmates are running the asylum.

Te teabillies plan an armed revolution. They plan to have all the guns. They own & control the govt and judicial systems. They're not the majority, but they're the guys with all the money and guns and power thanks to Citizens United and the Teabilly's friends on the USSC. Now they gutted the VRA because Teabillies are nothing if not racist.

If you're a liberal, woman, any color than white, they'd just as soon shoot you dead or screw you up physically or financially as look at you.

Count on it. THIS is the disembodied states of AmeriKKKa. Racism, sexism, unmitigated greed and selfishness, blight, needless death and the "I got mine fuck you" mentality is now the national mantra.

Unless "we the people" get a clue who WE are and who our enemies are and until we organize as a whole and unstoppably vote them out no matter what obstacles they put in the way of that, we may as well leave the country to them since that's what most people are sitting around doing anyway.

People aren't fighting back.

[bvar22]

43. Or How about when corrupt Wall Street Bankers brought this entire country to its knees,

and 10s of MILLIONS Working Class Americans Lost their HOMES,
and our "representatives" passed paper thin, token "Banking Reform" that does NOTHING to prevent the same thing from happening again,
all the criminals walk FREE with Billion Dollar Bonuses,
and Too Big to Fail is an automatic grant of Immunity.

[Triana]

45. And then there's that. . . .

. . . honestly if we listed all the hideous happenings since bu$hit in 2001, we'd have a very very thick volume or a very very long thread.

I know that in my own lifetime, all the damage done in the past 10 years will not be undone. It may never be undone.

[lunatica]

54. I'd only add to what you say by remembering the 2000 selection of George Bush

That was a cold coup. No one got killed and there was no violence, but it was a coup nonetheless.

[rhett o rick]

11. I am willing to fight on, but I honestly dont see a path out.

Our salvation relies on an elitist group willing to fight for our behalf. The capitalists know no end to their greed. From history we know they will continue to drain the 99% until we are slaves or dead.
To believe a revolution will help is only fantasy. Just look at the Middle East.
First of all only a part of the 99% recognizes who the enemy is. Many have been convinced by the Ruling Elite that the liberals are the enemy.
Any attempt at revolution will end up being a civil war between the liberals and the "law and order, gun totin', authoritarians" that worship the Big Daddy Bully of the 1%.

Having said that, I say we stay and fight.

[A Simple Game]

26. We must stay and fight. The problem is

too many of us, and by us I include Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated, don't know who the enemy is. Why? Because the real enemy has us fighting each other instead of them.

One thing that could save us is that the real enemy is becoming bold. Look at the Koch brothers, they are becoming obvious even to the far right. The Koch brothers aren't Republican, Republicans are just easier for them to buy and use.

We have 90% or more of our problems in common with the rank and file Republicans, we need to focus on our common interests.

[Redford]

29. Totally agree

Keep Black fighting White, keep Reps fignting Dems, keep rich fighting poor, keep Christians fighting atheists, keep Jews fighting Muslims, etc. That way we won't look around and ask questions of our keepers.

[Triana]

39. The real enemy also gets zero publicity. National "news" media largely doesn't cover

any of that. Because they are part of who the enemy is (wealthy & big corporations - all media is owned & controlled by them).

Most people are paying no attention. They don't read stuff on the internet, remember names, who voted for what. They can't connect facts and history together - if they're even aware of facts or history. They operate on emotional reaction and not reason - the very thing the psychologists hired by Big Tobacco, Big Insurance, Big Pharma, Big Oil etc. count on. It's why the propaganda works so well ie: "death panels" and such.

People think they can just coast...be complacent...and wait for someone else to do something to help them. I wish more people would take ownership ie: responsibility for learning who the enemy is and for fighting against them - not just for 24 hours or one news or twitter cycle but for a LIFETIME. And instill activism in their kids too.

I know many do - maybe even most - but it's not enough.

[bvar22]

44. Our neighbors in Latin America have given us the Blue Print for "CHANGE".

In many South & Central American countries, they have successfully taken their governments back from the hands of their 1%. in near bloodless Ballot Box Revolutions.

When the American Working Class & The Poor realize that WE have more in common with each other
than we have in common with the RICH, Ruling 1% and their Mouthpieces in Washington,
THEN we can have CHANGE too!

Spread the Word!
VIVA Democracy.
I pray we get some here soon!




[font size=5 color=firebrick]Solidarity-Occupy![/font]

[A Simple Game]

60. They are also taking back their national resources, that scares the 1% the most. n/t

[bvar22]

61. Anf THAT is WHY....

*You will see & hear NOTHING about the Economic Successes of these emerging Democracies\in Latin America from the US Media, OR the spokesmen for either Political party,

AND

*the Political Leadership of BOTH Dominant Parties try so hard to DEMONIZE these emerging Democracies

AND

*The short sighted and ill conceived Foreign Policy of the US Government is to fully support the
few remaining Right Wing Police State Oligarchies, like Colombia,
who just received a Brand New "Free Trade" Treaty in addition to BILLIONS in Aid and Military supoport from the Obama Administration.

You would think that in a country such as ours that pays so much Lip Service to words like "Democracy", and "Free Transparent Elections", and "Will of the People",
there would be more respect for the REAL thing!

[font size=3]"The worst enemy of humanity is U.S. capitalism. That is what provokes uprisings like our own, a rebellion against a system, against a neoliberal model, which is the representation of a savage capitalism. If the entire world doesn't acknowledge this reality, that nation states are not providing even minimally for health, education and nourishment, then each day the most fundamental human rights are being violated."[/font]
----Bolivian Reform President Evo Morales

[font size=1]FDR said much the same thing in 1944 with his Economic Bill of Rights.
So there is precedent HERE for THESE Values and Policies.[/font]




You will know them by their [font size=3]WORKS.[/font]

[Bluenorthwest]

36. You do know that actual history does not show returns to slavery or increases in

bondage but the very opposite, a constant unwavering progress away from such abusive practices? That's just the fact.

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always."
Mahatma Gandhi

[Myrina]

41. Depends on the definition of 'slavery' and 'bondage' ...

With the VAST numbers of African Americans in prison - civil rights essentially revoked for the rest of their lives - and the impoverished's behavior controlled/monitored (drug tests for your welfare check, baby-daddy can't live in the household with the mother recieving benefits, you must check in with a 'caseworker' x times per month, etc etc) I would venture to say that traditional types of slavery and bondage have morphed into less recognizable forms but still exist in this country.

[rhett o rick]

50. So after all these thousands of years of this "constant unwavering progress", we all should be

sitting pretty. I would say that working conditions in many parts of the world are as bad as ever. In China, people are chained to their work stations. They have nets around the factories to discourage workers from attempting suicide. How many people die each year from poverty? Isnt that slavery? Look at working conditions for mine workers in West Virginia. People are revolting around the world because they aint seen the "unwavering progress."

In the end game of capitalism you will see slavery, or very close.

[cantbeserious]

64. Thank You - Well Said - I Agree Completely

eom

[rhett o rick]

65. Thank you. nm

[markiv]

12. 'While all this is going on, underreported is the ongoing transfer of wealth '

you just explained why that story got wall to wall coverage

because it divided the people the wealth is being transfered FROM

[Jerry442]

25. Exactly. While we're arguing about:

1. Zimmerman and Martin,
2. Health care plans covering (or not covering) contraception,
3. Concealed carry laws and (the nonexistence of) sensible gun regulations,
4. Stand your ground,
5. Ten Commandments posted in public buildings,
6. Whether the earth is billions or thousands of years old,
7. Taking your shoes off when you fly,
8. Abortion rights...

We are not talking about:
1. The growing wealth gap that is turning the U.S. into a Third World country,
2. The totally dysfunctional Congress,
3. Takeover of states by the Kochs and various Koch-oids,
4. Climate change that could cause mass extinctions -- including humans,
5. Massive theft and open criminality in financial institutions,
6. Surveillance that will soon put every scrap of data anywhere in the hands of secretive government bodies -- if it isn't already,
7. Word-wide assassinations by drone aircraft in the absence of any publicly reviewable process or declaration of war...

Note that the items in the first list are still real issues that affect real people in profound ways, but they're just being played for their divisiveness and inflammatory value.

[Enthusiast]

30. There is great emphasis on inflammatory value these days.

Serves to distract from the obvious.

[Triana]

40. +1000 - great post

The 1%'s best propaganda technique is distraction and "Divide & Conquer"

[truedelphi]

69. Pay no attention to that manbehind the curtain!

At the very moment today when Obama made his great and wondrous speech about Trayvon Martin, the US Foreign Surveillance Court "approved a renewal of an order allowing the National Security Agency to continue collecting data about phone calls made by most Americans, the Office of Director of National Intelligence said Friday.

The news marked a rare public announcement about such government or orders issued by the surveillance court. An announcement by DNI said it was taking that step “in light of the significant and continuing public interest” in the NSA program that scoops up telephone “metadata,” the information about when calls were made and the numbers involved."

Full story on the "usually very secretive Surveillance Court, right here:

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2013/07/19/secret-court-renews-nsas-phone-record-authority/

[GeorgeGist]

13. Leadership is in short supply.

[truedelphi]

70. While self serving bureaucrats thrive.

Who cares abut a few hundred million living breathing people, when the are transfers of wealth to arrange for, and contracts worth tens of millions of dollars relating to the MIC? Those contracts can buy someone a home "with views to die for."

Sure, over time, rabble rousing groups on the left will have their panties in a knot, but that is a small price to pay for power, money and more power!

Anonymous' Operation NSA's first target: Californian Senator Dianne Feinstein. She has taken over $698,000 in bribes from security and defense contractors to vote in favor of them and against you.

[TRoN33]

14. Agreed!

This article would says a lot about how most of people are feeling about this country being messed up by over zealous far-right wingers who actually believe that they are being given by God to have the rights to do whatever they really want to do with this country. They are the truest domestic terrorists that Fox News will never murmur about. They are practically being gullible to believe that 1% and no minimum wage laws would be very great for this country.

Jesus would rather to hang out with very nice atheists and agnostics. Its because the history would show that atheists and agnostics have never wage the war against each other at all. I'm strongly Christian without religion and I do believe in God and Jesus. Its just that I can see the facts about the history and the true face of Catholics that I decided to leave that church for good.

[calimary]

27. You're not alone there.

It's a twisted outcropping of the whole "American Exceptionalism" crap-spew as well. That's what goes outward to other nations from our imperialist (we're more entitled than you) mindset, and manifests internally through the whole "states rights" mentality. Seems to me, just from the God I studied in Catholic school (yep, Catholic schools) that God does NOT bless closed-mindedness or money-worship or screwing thy neighbor. Disgraceful!

[Civilization2]

16. "Witness today's bankruptcy in once great Detroit" now the fullon privatisation of Detroit begins..,

What we need is a functioning democracy,. where the people get to have a say, not just a four year rotating dictatorship.

[Enthusiast]

31. They had to kill organized labor somehow,

even if it meant outsourcing the livelihood of millions of Americans.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

34. They also had to kill public education. Too many teachers teaching about democracy.

[Enthusiast]

62. That too.

And we must have more creationism in place of biology.

[mstinamotorcity2]

49. Privatization has been here about 30 years now.

Where were you when they gave up things like work done in the city by city residents. First thing it did was shrunk the tax base. Put liquor stores on every corner. Bring in some cheap dope called crack cocaine. Flood the hood with Guns and say you have that Gangsta mentality and well you have the perfect storm for corruption. Detroit is having a fire sale and we are just participating in daily lives.

I am looking at Governor Snyder and Kevin Orr have never experienced the Media Hell they are going through now. This is just doing me good because they are silly. We have some long term Monetary issues that needed to be addressed. I am glad it is Federal Bankruptcy. I would rather it would be handled by the Federal Government, than EFM. He has already come in and finished what Mayor Bing was placed here to do. Check out all the sales of the last three years of expensive real estate that has gone for a song. Dan Gilbert and Mr. Ilitch are having themselves a shopping spree. It is also known that people who had property near the Fisher Freeway/Woodward area where they want to build new Hockey Arena Megaplex, have all died deaths like car jackings, and car accidents and suicides. None of natural causes. Over the last twenty years. Each of the men I mention all say they have a vision for Detroit. But I don't think it includes it current residents.

[CrispyQ]

17. I don't see a way out.

Voting for the lesser of two evils got us this mess. Doing the same isn't going to fix it. I posted on another thread that there is only one senator in the Progressive Caucus & another DUer pointed out that he isn't even a democrat. That's how bad it is.

We are experiencing Shock Doctrine state by state.

[Bluenorthwest]

37. On the other hand, the Progressive Caucus was founded recently, 1991 and has

grown in membership. 20 members have been added since 2005. It is a House based organization co founded by my very own Rep Peter DeFazio and 5 others including then House Member Bernie Sanders who was the first chairman. Bernie stayed in the caucus when he was elected to the Senate.

[bvar22]

47. The Progressive Caucus is the LARGEST Caucus in the Democratic Party,

...but they are completely marginalized and neutered.

Our White House won't return their calls,
nor will our Media give them Face Time on TV.
It is like they don't exist.

[MelungeonWoman]

71. Don't count on the media to promote the progressive cause.

That would be like Lincoln inviting General Lee over to give a speech to the union troops. The television media is part of the problem, the answer lies in working around it.

[KarenS]

18. ok,,, so this made me go find my favorite Frank Zappa quote:

"The illusion of freedom [in America] will continue as long as it’s profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater."


*sigh*

[AgingAmerican]

19. Notice how the sequester fell off the radar?

Everything given up to the republicans, even if 'temporary' becomes permanent.

[bvar22]

48. "The Sequester" was a brilliant piece of Political Fraud perpetrated on the American Working Class.

The Sequester was a brilliant strategy that gives BOTH Parties involved Plausible Deniability. Each side can NOW point their finger at the other side while claiming,
"Hey. We didn't want it. It was the OTHER guys"
while they quietly restore funding to the Military,
Social programs and programs that help the Working Class are slashed.

...[font size=3]"But its not OUR fault.
Its "The Sequester!!!
There is nothing we can Doooooo [/font]"

It reminds me of the Perfect Timing of the Wall Street Bailout,
the heist that was committed during the narrow window between administrations,
that lends Plausible Deniability cover to BOTH Parties.

These crooks are good,
and great at the Kubuki Theater that fosters the illusion of a choice.




You will know them by their [font size=3]WORKS.[/font]

[Civilization2]

52. excellent comment, misdirections and distractions keep coming faster and faster, wealth disappearing

faster and faster as well,. well being shifted into the giant piles the 1% maintain, for whatever the hell it is they think they need all our wealth for,. There seems to be a lot of people seeing all this clearly now, we just don't seem to have much left to fight them with.

[Stinky The Clown]

53. ^^^This^^^

I have been saying this for quite some time.

Harry's little gem of a skit with the nuclear option was a case in point. He NEVER had any intention of doing anything. It just gave them an opportunity to make it LOOK like they were doing something.

Yes, indeed, it is ALL ABOUT giving each other the chance to blame the other guy.

What can we doooooooo?

He didn't have the vooooooootes.

It is always a good excuse, but never a good a result.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

63. Who first suggested and promoted the sequester? The Chessmaster.

[Aldo Leopold]

20. I've been feeling the same way for a while now

and finding it harder and harder to feel good about any of the big issues in life. Clinging to the small things, the beautiful wonders of the small things in life, that is where I find my solace and comfort.

[zeemike]

21. Don't worry, they know how to keep us fighting

for the scraps that fall off the table and other things they don't care about while they consolidate their power and wealth...and they know we will keep falling for it.

[russspeakeasy]

22. I am glad I'm old.......Good luck everyone.

[grahampuba]

23. Naomi Klein

Anyone else here view these developments through the lens that is fashioned from an understanding of Disaster Capitialism / Shock Doctrine?

When I hear progressives called socialists and communists, I wonder if those consenting to those terms know of the footsteps that they walk in.
One of those times where I hope for ignorance, but I think that if they knew, it would not change their actions.

presently looking for a place in somewhere that is well adjusted to its third world status.

[Enthusiast]

28. K&R. It is unprecedented in American history.

The nation is under attack by our greatest enemy ever. Yet some, even on DU, will argue how wonderful we have it.

[MisterP]

33. the system did its darndest to shelter Zimmerman--remember the police chief sniveling?

[sorefeet]

35. America is a lie

and it's sheeple don't have a spine to fix it. Does anyone realize what $1.00 a gallon of gas would do to the economy in America right now. Greed from the rich have oppressed the progress of millions of people just from the price of gas. I would have no problem calling any politician a liar and a bought off puppet to their face. Has Lindsey Graham done one thing for the betterment of the country??? These people are not criminals only because THEY make the laws for themselves. There is another set of laws they make that are for us, that make us criminals.
Shut the fucking country down for one fucking week. Don't buy NOTHING. The people can't sit on their ass and suffer for one week??? Then shut up and suffer for your entire life. One week of loses and the rich would be jumping out the windows. We are used to loses all the time.

[Bluenorthwest]

38. Never trust anyone who speaks of the people in contempt, be it jade hipsterism

or regular grade Republican rhetoric.

[sorefeet]

46. Do you see the sheeple doing

anything besides waiting for the next materialistic trinket to keep them occupied, while the country is robbed.

[datasuspect]

57. i agree with everything you say

this is a nation of stupefied, cowardly, screen fixated, smartphone and device fingerfucking idiots who deserve all the calamity they are getting and all that their children will endure.

[lunasun]

51. Will the state take over in DTRT or turn it over / sell off to or settle with a private entity?

sisnt some other area of MI already go?
regardless of Motown's fate
Yea we are F' d in the A big time - all sides now

[flvegan]

66. I voted for Kucinich.

Sorry I can't buy into "gun humping" or the most recent trial on the lips of salivating DUers quick to emotion and slow to law, a/k/a the Zimmerman affair. Fact is a kid is dead and the vultures feed on his corpse for their benefit, for or against guns, Florida, black, white...whatever.

Did I read properly that in Texas or somewhere that allegations were raised that a 13 year old was raped by 10 men? I think I saw one thread on that. Not enough outrage...or maybe I'm not looking hard enough.

I won't suggest that our government is a sham, as we elected them, blue links of you-know-what and all. But maybe, just maybe, it's time to look beyond the D or the R next to the name.

No, nevermind...that would require thinking, and might play versus just being stupid and throwing our hands up in the air. But hey, it gives us something to bitch about.

Blah, blah, couldn't be elected, short, weird, saw a UFO, whatever. He was against the war(s) and for impeachment, health care...sigh. None of these other fucks can live up to that. Wait...what did these senseless wars cost us again? Whoops, didn't mean to remind everyone that it's all about the money.

Sorry, America.

Under assault from all quarters? Nobody needs to assault a circular firing squad. Shit, we buy our own ammo.

[tavalon]

67. Here, let me help you

We are, and have been, for some time, really, really fucked. It's the decline of an Empire. I just hope it's slow and sad, not bloody and fast.