We are in a REALLY bad spot

[Cosmocat]

as a country.

I don't think people get the gravity of the situation we are facing right now, here in the United States in particular.

I have been politically aware since the early 90s, and politically active since Bush II got elected.

During the last 15 years, people have WANTED to believe, "THE REPUBLICANS ARE IN THEIR LAST THROES!"

But, the simple reality is that they are in a BETTER position now than in the early 90s when they took the turn to being deranged lunatics.

As of the first Tuesday of this month, they have effectively taken near complete institutional control of this country.

They effectively control the Supreme Court, and will for decades at least.
The have a strong majority in the House of Representatives and will unless we get a major wave election in two years, which isn't looking like any kind of possibility.
They have control of the senate, and while they face a tougher go there in 16, they still have control and the democrats have to TAKE it back.
They control more state houses and senates and governorships.
They have extraordinarily locked in gerrymandering in key states such a VA, PA, and Michigan that gives them more congressional seats than they should have.
They have the media 100 percent in their corner.
The people of this country are fat (figuratively) and distracted, and very much prone to eagerly swallowing whatever bullshit they advance.
The democratic party is at an all time modern low - they have effectively killed the labor movement, which provided the energy and toughness to the democratic party. The democratic party is heartless and directionless.

But, they are losing?

Seriously?

The BEST case scenario is that some presidential candidate provides energy to the democratic party, keeps the oval office out of their deranged hand and brings enough senators along with him/her to get the senate back. But, sorry, that will be the high water mark and they do what they have effectively done two times now - After Bill Clinton was elected and after Barrack Obama was elected - throw a hissy fit of epic proportions, the country will capitulate and give them even MORE power.

The republicans are absolutely relentless, the democrats have almost completely capitulated and this country becomes more prone to accepting what republicans throw out there every day.

Not sure what can be done, frankly.

[Dont call me Shirley]

1. We must shake people awake out of their mass insanity. Keep shaking.

[ladjf]

2. You have summed up the political situation very succinctly. nt

[Hortensis]

3. You assume the wolves will always control the conservative henhouse.

Last edited Fri Nov 14, 2014, 11:01 AM - Edit history (1)

Conservatives, per se, aren't evil, or stupid. Sure, we would never advance or our nation be what it was and should be if only conservatives directed it, but the dysfunctional decline engineered by greedy business and extremist ideologies will have its natural end. Just as it did in much the same situation some 85 years ago or so. Of course, it took the "natural end" of the Great Depression to push the rest of the citizenry into action, but act they did.

[Lochloosa]

6. Your correct about the natural end. It was called the Great Depression.

[Cosmocat]

12. I think it is a pretty safe assumption

that the "wolves" will continue to control the conservative henhouse.

In the 90s, they TRIED to put some veneer on it, they babbled about the constitution and they had some weak intellectual reasoning to what they were advancing.

Today ... They don't even try to pretend, they just scream bloody murder and get what they want.

And, it is important to note that they opposition party is pretty much DOA.

The Democratic Party literally has no agenda, nothing to present in opposition, and even if they DID have something, they have absolutely no heart, none whatsoever, to fight FOR their agenda, and don't even have the gumption right now to fight AGAINST the republicans.

AND, the people calling the game, the media, have given up the pretense to even pose as "unbiased' and are out and cheerleaders for the republicans.

We live too affluent of a lifestyle to reach a great depression situation short of something apocalyptic. And, that would work FOR the republicans, see 9-11, when they had pretty much total control of govermment, including POTUS and somehow managed to use it TO their advantage for half a decade.

[Cal33]

22. For that we need a second FDR. I think E. Warren could fill that role, but she ain't runnin'.

My second choice would be Sanders, then Grayson and Franken.

[VanillaRhapsody]

31. but not the candidate with the numbers to prevent that?

hmmmm

what do you tea leaves say about them against Jeb Bush?

[Arthur_Frain]

4. I keep wanting to believe

that republicans are on their last legs, but (as I've posted before) they always seem to find a willing group of young people to inculcate with their poison.

....and as for republicans not being evil, I can't believe this anymore, as much as I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. Some of the shit that comes out of their mouths, and some of the actions that they take.....yes, they are nasty, evil, bad people. Not all of them. But some of them, and notably ones in power.

[Cosmocat]

30. Yeah

I know so many truly decent and good people who are hard core republicans. I don't get it, but there just is something about the bullshit that connects with even really good people at some visceral level.

So, honestly, I do think that MOST "republicans" are good people like anyone else.

But, as noted, the more in power they get, the more it just completely overwhelms them, and once you get to elected office, the higher you go, the more they truly believe the bullshit they spew and the more it becomes reality to them.

It is a REALLY good gig being a republican - you get to be a TRUE patriot, someone who REALLY loves the country, you get to be absolute in your sense of self and all your true grit and self responsibility, while being able to concern yourself with the responsibilities of others and pass your responsibility off to countless boogymen.

Your shit doesn't stink, and there is this never ending mass of scumbags around you that you get to look down on.

[brush]

5. And they have Citizen's United — the country is screwed

Even the White House in 2016 is in doubt as long as that stays in place.

Rove the toady has had two election cycles now to perfect using the dark money — 2012 and
2014. He's gotten way past his blubbering miscalculation meltdown on election night 2012.


Rove's Crossroads Media poured tons of money in my state to unseated popular freshman Congressman Steven Horsford, formerly a long-time state assembly majority leader with high name recognition, with a hitherto unheard of nobody.

They ran attack ads endlessly against the Congressman and he lost after just one term in Congress.

And this happened in many states. Just look at Kansas — Brownback totally screwed up the state's economy with teabagger policies that produced record revenue shortfalls — and dark money helped him get re-elected.

[hollowdweller]

7. I think it matters less in presidential races.

Because those are so covered by other media and the influence of money is still there....but lessened.

However in House or Senate races, where the voters really don't get a lot of media contrasting the candidates, they ability to define your opponent with negative ads is really a winning strategy and makes a huge difference.

[brush]

9. 2012 was the first presidential race where Citizen's United was in place

It's the game changer they needed to overcome our demographic advantages. Repugs are more experienced at using the money now thru all media — online ads, radio, podcast, as well all traditional advertising.

I don't think we should fool ourselves either, the MSM is NOT liberal like the repugs like to shout. It's long been bought up by right-leaning corporations so there's definite right wing slants to FOX of course, FOX-lite CNN, all the networks and local TV, even MSNBC except for midday to evening political block. There is no longer unbiased reporting. The talking heads know who pays their big salaries and most of them won't go rogue by reporting the truth and endangering that paycheck.

We all need to fasten our seat belts because unprecedented levels of money is going to pour into the aforementioned media from who knows where in 2016.

We haven't seen nearly the worse from Citizen's United.

[JayhawkSD]

8. "Since the early 90's" is not very long

"During the last 15 years, people have WANTED to believe..." People? That is certainly less than specific, and your premise lacks impact, given that more people are voting for Republicans than are voting for Democrats at the moment. (The key part of that is "at the moment.")

"... in the early 90s when they took the turn to being deranged lunatics." What makes them lunatics? That they do not agree with you? Perhaps they think that it is you who is the lunatic. Why can we not have discussions without resorting to name calling?

That being said, I do not agree with the premises and principles offered by the Republican Party, and am not pleased to see them in control. But they have been in control before and we have survived. I have been politically aware a lot more than your couple of decades, I have been paying attention for almost three times that long, and I have seen Democrats act like dreanged lunatics at times as well as Republicans doing so.

I have seen Republicans in a position where they thought they would be in control forever. They called it "The Conservative Century," and they lost control of both houses of Congress in a mere four years.

"Not sure what can be done, frankly." Have faith in your nation. It is a lot stronger than either party. It has survived world wars, class five hurricaines, dust bowls, depressions, plagues, major earthquakes and, yes, Republicans. We have a democracy where people vote. All people, not just the people who agree with me. I love democracy, not just when my side wins but always. If no side was allowed to win other than my side, it would not be democracy.

[Cosmocat]

14. Not sure

how you can look at the republican party today and not come to the simple conclusion that they are deranged lunatics.

And, not sure how democrats being whatever they were in the past has anything to do with what republicans are now.

This isn't a my team is losing thing, this is a this country is losing thing.

And, the elements to this are different from the things you note - natural disasters primarily.

This country is at a point of affluence that makes the people of this country eager to swallow their bullshit.

Great place to live, great people overall, the complete senselessness relative to government aside.

But, we the people, keep giving more and more power to the party that out and out wants to take our health care and retirement and take more and more our money to allow the rich to keep more of theirs.

[JayhawkSD]

23. Way to miss the point.

Do you think that this country is so feeble and pathetic that it cannot survive free elections? That it can only survive if one side wins? That it can be destroyed by a handful in Washington, either Republican or Democrat?

It is utterly pathetic how little faith people have in this nation that they feel we are sunk merely because Democrats lost one election.

Instead of whining about how bad things are and about how badly we are doomed, act like a grown up, suck it up and go win the next one. 47 Super Bowls have been won by teams with imperfect records.

And, a minor point but worth making, I don't look at anyone and call them a "deranged lunatic." I do not turn differences of opinion into mud slinging contests.

[Cosmocat]

29. Yeah

cause you are making an honest response to my post?

I posted nothing remotely close to saying free elections are the problem or that we can only survive if one side wins.

Not even close to my point.

This "whinner" has run for office, held office, regularly canvasses this republican precinct, works the polls on election day, votes every election and does all that can be done personally to try to make a difference.

But, please hop back on your high horse and misconstrue the points that were made a little more.

[jillan]

10. Not only that - they win by lying. You may have heard on Rachel that Az passed a prop that lets

Az do what it wants without regard to Federal laws.

You know how they did that? They sent out flyers, emails saying that this proposition PROTECTS Abused Children and voting against this will take funding away from those children. They had a picture of a beautiful, white girl on the mailings who had the saddest expression on her dirty face, and her hair was a mess.

What this prop really does?
Lets the state ignore EPA rules and now we can drill in the Grand Canyon and kill all the wildlife we want.
Oh - and Obamacare? Not any more.

That is how they do it. They are fucking liars and the media is so damn lazy that they do not even find out the truth so they can inform the people.
And the Democrats? Not wanting to ruffle any feathers in a red state because - gasp! - they might not get elected. Newsflash - they didn't get elected anyway because people didn't show up to vote because no one gave normal people a reason to get to the polls.

We're screwed.

[Cosmocat]

28. Yep

I just don't get how people don't see the bullshit.

To me, stuff like you describe it is pretty thinly veiled and obvious.

But, somehow, people just gobble their bullshit up.

Yeah, we are screwed.

[Jackpine Radical]

32. The media are complicit, not merely lazy.

Journalism no longer exists anywhere but online & a few places like Rolling Stone (fer Chrissake, Rolling Stone, a music rag!)

[world wide wally]

11. I sadly have to agree with the OP.

We are pretty much up Shit Creek without a paddle and we're taking on water.
When the SCOTUS betrayed their country, it was like your star quarterback switching to the other team for the championship game and bringing your playbook with them.
A once proud, and even noble, institution has become nothing more than another Republican operative without pride, loyalty to our Constitution, or even conscience.
Our news media is virtually nonexistent except to further propagate Republican propaganda except for a few brave individuals that are very few and far between.
Our right to vote has been diminished to the point of dangerously low, just barely enough to delude people into believing this is still a democracy.
I know America has not always been perfect, but even as recently as 2008, we always at least had a glimmer of hope that everything was going to get better and work out. Now that the highest court in the land has betrayed the American people for 30 pieces of silver, and locked us in this downward spiral, I think the best we can hope for is some other country to come liberate us.
Are you listening, New Zealand?

[Old Nick]

13. The Law of Elemental Democracy: Ultimately, countries get the government that suits them

In other words, we're fucked!

[Cosmocat]

27. cliche

but, sadly, true ...

[jalan48]

15. Sliding

It's been sliding for a long time I'm afraid. Who really controls the massive secret bureaucracy of the FBI, CIA, NSA and our enormous Defense Dept.? It seems rather that those folks control the politics of the country now. 9-11 only enhanced the power these organizations gained after WW ll. Congress and the President are simply there to give legitimacy to today's system. Ever wonder why there is very little difference between the majority of candidates and very little robust debate at election time? Or why Obama suddenly abandoned his progressive campaign promises after he was elected? Check out a new book that talks about this. "National Security and Double Government". It's by a political science professor at Tufts University, Michael Glennon. There's a free abstract by the author on the web as well. It's not conspiracy theory, it's a well thought out explanation of what has happened to our government since the end of the Second World War and the advent of the modern security state.

[Phil1934]

16. Blame it on gerrymandering

They drew districts where Republicans were safe from Democratic challenges, but were susceptible to challengers even further to the right (tea party). So their party keeps moving right.

[Kablooie]

17. It's not really Republicans that are the problem.

It's corporate and Wall Street tycoons that created this world.
They own the Republicans but have also bought a majority stake in the Democratic party.

Now they have infiltrated the justice system and soon, if not already, will own our whole government.
Everything has been warped to rely on exclusively on wealth as the deciding factor as to who wins elections and what policy decisions will be implemented.

There are a few holdouts in government but they have too little power to make a difference.
If any of them started to gain actual power you can be sure they would soon be destroyed before they could implement change.

Money has become the sole measure of human worth and power and is likely to remain this way unless there is a true revolution of the people. A revolution which probably will never come.
Get used to it.
Get rich or die, the new American motto.

[Feral Child]

33. Best, truest assessment

Last edited Mon Nov 17, 2014, 06:39 PM - Edit history (1)

in this entire thread.

Unfortunately, people, responsible, progressive people, are refusing to see how bad things are. How much we've lost.


Progressives of my generation were overjoyed, ecstatic when Nixon got caught. We were sure the Republican Party was finished.

Ford mousily finished up the term, then we got Carter. An able president and an honorable man (despite his own evangelical beliefs) but he was blockaded and didn't get a second term.

Next, Reagan. No different than Nixon, the same Dominionist heresy, but even Democrats suckled at the dry teat. The rest has been a downhill slide. Neocons and Dominionists are the Republican Party, no true republicans endure. Ike was the last true republican.

The party of progress, our Democrat Party, emulate Eisenhower but kowtow to and collude with the Dominionist insanity. We are royally (and I mean that in every sense) fucked.

Yes, they let us have black man in office. They've used that to incite racism on a national, institutionalized, level. They've blocked most of what the man has tried to do, and, truth be told, he hasn't tried to accomplish all that much. In his last two years, they'll do their best to dismantle ACA. Gay Marriage doesn't matter to them, they've given us that as a ruse de guerre. Remember the same percentage of conservatives are gay as our side of the aisle. It's actually not an issue for the Rulers, but they can use that issue to scare fuck out of our Puritan Club. Fundies are pouring money, emotional support, and votes into the Republican Party just because of that issue alone.

They've embroiled us in a Cold War, a class war against they're own people and many in our class are collaborating with them. And they're winning.

I'll be shouted down for this post, I know. The trolls, even the less perceptive of our progressive members, will ridicule me for my "conspiracy theory".

In the future, the far future, the tumbrels will roll again. Until then, our untitled aristocracy will rule us, unchecked in their greed and exceptional ism.

[Nay]

34. Your post and the post you responded to are the best posts ever. Yes, I

have also thought that they "let us have a black man in office" for exactly those racist reasons, and also to show that "blacks can't do anything right." If Hillary becomes president, the same will be said of her, substituting "women" for "blacks."

At the beginning of a collapse, women and POC get put into office and into CEO positions to further the idea that "women and POC ruin everything." That's why there was a woman heading up the Secret Service when the final scandal broke -- before she was in office there were plenty of scandals, but notice she was the one who had to resign.

To me, this all represents the final throes of a corrupt system; with looming environmental and scarcity problems, the system only exists to extract the last gobs of wealth from a system that is breaking down. What will replace that system is already in evidence -- a corporate feudalism that will pit all against all in a desperate race to survive. The "kings" and "lords" who will be our masters will amuse themselves at our expense.

[Feral Child]

36. We are in absolute agreement, Nay.

Thanks for the compliment, I really appreciate that.

[glinda]

18. and they break laws and usually never serve any time if even convicted while they

ignore people's requests such as taking their land or ignoring the fact they oppose wolf hunts, etc.....

[Mr. Mustard]

19. If you look at history change comes when

the oppressed finally reach their breaking point.

Like a mule who finally just sits down after years of abuse and never getting the dangled carrot. The mule knows he's probably in for a beating, but just can't carry the weight anymore.

A beating is preferable to the daily grind of humiliation, hopelessness.

Pardon me for this assumption, but if others are like me - we've lost the will to contribute because after 40 years in the work force and Wall. St. stealing money of mine during the Putnam Voyager, Comcast scam in the 1990's, then more money of my family's in the 2008 crash, along with pensions being given back to corporations it's a fool game to believe in the system anymore.

When we always have money for bombs, and tax cuts for the rich, but can't afford social programs (so they say) AND they're talking about increasing the Social Security retirement age to what 68 years of age now then the average person like me is faced with working soul sucking jobs, barely getting by, if at all until we drop dead - like the mule, then why should I believe a word anyone in D.C. says anymore?

Corporations have figured out they don't have to reward work due to globalization and a glut in the workforce. Which says everything about the profit-motive system. People don't count.

When the judicial system knowingly applies two sets of rules, three really - one for rich folks, one for middle class white folks, and one for African Americans then all seems pointless.

I sat in utter despair when my government allowed BP to spill oil in our gulf, then allowed them to spray the dispersants instead of scooping up as much oil off the top as possible, due to what - appeasing the oil company?

Citizens United, Bush v. Gore, Iraq, Halliburton, bank bailouts it never ends.

And guys - Read the PNAC created by the neocons that is why we invaded Iraq, why we didn't scramble the jets on 9/11 and why Bush sat for SEVEN minutes while America was under attack.

He sat there to allow the attack to happen, so the "crisis needed" would have enough impact to warrant the invasion of Iraq.

It's bad guys, and now the psychopathic corporatists have won, and we have to fend off the obnoxious Tea Party who get in our faces too.

Shoot, I was "clever" I thought when we bought our home, we went through a local bank for the loan. Not going to reward Bank of America, so I thought. Two weeks later, BOA bought our mortgage and no one asked me if I wanted to do accept it or not. He, he , how quaint.

Yea, I'm at a point where I'm downsizing as much as possible. No more loans, no credit, cash only and living as cheaply as possible so that maybe I can finish out my years with a few years of peace and happiness. Where I'm not constantly pressured to do more, work harder, PRODUCE dammit or we'll replace you! Work overtime for the company! But we don't get time and a half anymore. Thanks guys.

I simply don't know the answer, except I do really and that means going underground and then jail or death. Who wants to do that? So, I try one more time, ONE more time to believe that voting and playing the game will bring about change. Then, 2010, 2014.

The problem? It's the system of money, where consumption and wealth equal success. Even to the point of planet destruction.

The answer? Be willing to live in the woods, - oh wait that's illegal too now isn't it? Can't be homeless even which is now criminal in many states and cities.

My bones are tired, my heart is empty and I simply wish to walk with my family, eat a good meal, enjoy a puff or two and strum the guitar on the porch in the evenings. Can't do that because the low wage part time job I am trying to get has random drug tests because efficiency I guess, and the only reason we have our home is because we're frugal and our mother in law lives with us now, and guess what - she has SSI so a guaranteed income. Without that, we're in trouble.

At least now I do have health insurance, and that has helped alot - but Republicans and inexplicably businesses seem to want to take that away, where I won't be able to afford it, if they give it to me at all. Minor pre-existing condition you see.

Sorry for the downer, but then again why am I sorry - I simply don't have reason to be excited and I don't see the Democrats being able to solve this mess, which they helped create. Thanks Bill and Hillary Clinton. But THIS time, she'll revisit NAFTA, bankruptcy laws, overtime rules, this time. As soon as she's done with her next speech on Wall St.

Congress receives the money, and they make the rules about money. Congress won't enforce anti-trust laws either. Authoritarians worship billionaires like their gods. How do you overcome those obstacles?

America worships money and now it seems cruel corporations who don't have the constitution guiding them. But that's okay with the Tea Party, as long as government doesn't interfere with their ability to profit, at the expense of everything.

I ain't marching anymore, no more phone calls, no more letters to the editor (which has damaged my job prospects), no more money.

I will vote and try to teach the next generation what they're up against. Teach them to never sign a contract, read the fine print and stay out of debt.

Finally: beware white men in suits.

[Cosmocat]

26. Yeah

I agree on the point that we are set on a path until such time as things get bad enough for people to tune in.

I think the biggest issue is our relative affluence. Yes, it is based on debt for the most part, but people in this country just live too comfortable of a life to be serious and really look at things.

You are right on most of your observations, and I just am completely mystified that people put up with it, even more so that the buy the bullshit that is wrapped around it to support it.

But, again, I think people are just too comfortable to be serious about things.

I have penned many LTE, also. Generally, people like and respect what I have to say, but as a democrat in a republican area, you are dead on that it hurts with employment. Speaking truth to power is not something people tend to be comfortable with in putting you in a position of power.

I am turning back to my roots with youth, also.

Key point, as you noted, WATCH YOUR DEBT!

[gmb92]

20. If voter turnout was the same in midterms as in presidential election years,

Democrats would be in a much better position.

The midterm results also put Republicans into state leadership, causing extreme gerrymandering and the House advantage.

[Cosmocat]

25. This is part of the problem

the democractic party is so useless right now that it just cannot tune people in to get out to vote in non-presidential elections ... Hint, blowing up your inbox with 100 e-mails isn't doing it.

This is in the context of republicans knowing the importance to THEM to chip away in any way possible to suppress voting.

[Bluenorthwest]

21. "... in the early 90s when they took the turn to being deranged lunatics." They were deranged

lunatics long before the early 90's. If you think otherwise, you are not well informed. The Republicans under Ronald Reagan were confronted with the global public health crisis of our era and they laughed about it a bit then did nothing at all while more than 20,000 Americans died and another 50,000 became infected and the disease spread to over 100 other countries. To date 36 million people have died. They did nothing. Well, they reelected Reagan to continue that murderous policy.
That's but one example. You want to tell me that the people who did that were not deranged and that doing nothing about a virus that kills millions is not lunacy? Really? That was reasonable?

[Cosmocat]

24. Yeah

If you read what I posted and your came away thinking it was a statement of how republicans were really kind and reasonable prior to the 90s ...

Well ...

[craigmatic]

35. We should go left so we can win. We need a good nominee in 2016 so we win back senate.

[kwolf68]

37. The left will never win big

until all the shit we are warning people about comes true. By then it will probably be too late.

Until then enjoy the political theater, big corporate money, third way shills and the ebb and flow of campaigns orchestrated by entities with only their interests at heart.

[Zorro]

38. The best lack all conviction

while the worst are full of passionate intensity.