Why? I'll tell you why we are so screwed

[BeFree]

It's because of the Sheeple.

As an activist working within the system, one comes to recognize that real change comes about only when the People demand the change. As it now stands, the Sheeple are more than happy allowing the Republican system to go on about it's business of screwing over true Democracy.

The elected leaders will continue on their way only as long as the Sheeple allow. The blame for our corrupt government lies squarely at the Sheeple's hooves.

[drthais]

1. but I must say

that
when asked
many Republicans are truly embarrassed
they feel 'duped' (as of course they were)
and hog-tied running up to the election

my sister is one of these
she says
'keep talking'
and so I will

but, many times I feel like that posed below

[Kamika]

2. but..

Does the sheeple vote?

[mlawson]

9. They did in 2000.

If I had a dollar for every voter who voted for bush, because they LIKED him more than they did Gore, I would be very, very wealthy.

[movonne]

3. I think that there will always be a group of people who would

vote for Bush... no matter what he does, they like the way the country is going. Religious nuts, racist, etc.

[SharonAnn]

4. Aside from you use of the word "sheeple", I agree with you.

Much as I want * to be gone and a Democratic administration in place, and I will do everything I can to make that happen, I fear you may be right.

The way I explained it to another Democrat was this "As bad as things are, I'm afraid that things aren't really quite bad enough yet for people to revolt against this corruption. They still have hope that it's going to work out and until the problems hit them, others in their family, and all their friends they may not 'get it'."

But when they do "get it", watch out. We won't be able to be Progressive enough, fast enough, to make the changes they want.

[Cleita]

5. It's worse than that.

It's our kissy, kissy Democratic representatives that are handing over the store. Time to light a fire under them or replace them with activists.

[maggrwaggr]

7. exactly. Whose fault is it that the "sheeple" don't know?

The dumbocrats in power are the lamest bunch of pussies I've ever seen.

They need to raise a stink, and if the media doesn't report it they need to figure OUT HOW to raise a stink so they will get noticed and that people will learn about the crimes of this misadministration.

I mean my GOD this administration has handed over so much ammo to be used against them -- every day there's a new scandal -- that if the "opposition" party can't make hay with it they fucking deserve to lose.

It's our job to make sure we get people in there who know what to do and who aren't incompetent kiss-ass boobs.

[Old and In the Way]

11. The real cowards are the Republicans who have controled both

Houses for 7 years. They are the ones who don't hold this President accountable.

This meme about the "dumbocrats" being the problem is total bullshit. You do understand how Congress works, right?

[Q]

29. Sure...but do you understand how the two-party system is...

...suppose to work? The very reason for having two parties is to have them watch over and keep each other 'honest'. They also have a Constitutional duty to apply checks and balances, investigations, hearings, prosecution and impeachment if required.

- The way things are going...we might as well just have ONE party.

[maggrwaggr]

33. exactly. Daeschle couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag

if his life depended on it.

The guy probably doesn't even slap mosquitos.

He's a worthless Repub enabler.

[ShaneGR]

6. I do not agree

First off, people are not sheeple. They make up their own minds. Second, if people are sheeple than more than of those sheeple are well aware that Bush is an idiot. Every poll. Every conversation. Bush gets worse.

You're pessimistic and depressing.

[BeFree]

18. Depressing?

I'll tell you what's depressing.....

The fact that the sheeple don't want to know what really happened on 9/11

The idea that the sheeple don't care about the stolen selection in 2000...or 2002

That the deficit has grown to the largest ever because of tax-breaks to the richest, meanwhile children go without food or health care.

And....
The sheeple support the Iraqi invasion. How's that for depressing?

[ShaneGR]

19. Blah blah blah, plenty of people want to know

You're just pessimistic and depressing. People want to know, it just takes time. No matter how much you want instant gratification, it takes time.

[BeFree]

21. Instant gratification??!?!?

It's been two and a half years since 9/11.
Almost two years since the WMD were foisted on us.
At least two years of tax-breaks for the rich.....

People want to know? Yeah, the real people do, it's the sheeple that I'm complaining about, duh.

[maggrwaggr]

37. most people have the "official story" of 9/11 engraved in the stone of

their minds.

Nobody's gonna be erasing what is imprinted there for a long time.

The people would LIKE to know, but they THINK they already know.

Again, it's the goddamn media's fault.

If we need a revolution in this country, we need one against the MEDIA. They need to be eliminated and replaced.

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

8. "Sheeple" - Brilliantly clever.

Did you make that one up? I'm guessing it is a combination of the word "sheep" and the word "people".

I'd never heard the term before. Outstanding!

[BeFree]

12. Not as clever as halfmanhalfbiscuit

What will you produce? A son of a biscuit eater? <grin>

The only other term I can think of to describe the sheeple is dumb sob's. I use Sheeple a catch all term to describe citizens who are more than willing to allow Republican shepherds to shepherd them. I like to think that on DU at least, we are the type to find our own way, and in so doing, change our government for the better. The dumb sob's are holding us back.

[davekriss]

10. I see a dim light growing brighter

I have been discouraged since 1980. I watched Reagan/Bush rape the nation to the benefit of advantaged classes. Then I watched the 'vast rightwing conspiracy' very effectively blunt the full effectiveness of the Clinton administrations. It has been very hard to see past the continuous success of our plutocracy. Looking at American history (think Zinn), and it's hard to believe its ever been very different.

Having said that, I'm encouraged. I'm very "left" and very vocal. But in the last six months I've been approached by more and more staunch Republicans who say to me they feel duped, lied to by Bush; that they think that (like good woman Helen Thomas) Bush is the worst President, ever. This is good.

However... I am not encouraged enough to say that things are likely to improve soon. I watched what I judge to be electoral theft in 2000 and more blatant theft in 2002. 2002, in effect, was the trial run of black box voting and a test to see what the public reaction would be to poll reversal. The reaction was ... silence. My guess is easy-to-manipulate black box electronic voting, added on top of traditional manipulations (e.g., effective disenfranchisement of many democratic voters in Florida in 2000), plus a full $200 million whirl of the Rovian Wurlitzer, will be enough to secure four more years of GWB, the worst pResident ever.

I would geniunely love to have to come back here after Election Day and tell all that I was wrong. Please! :)

[Q]

31. You're paying attention...

...and want results instead of lip service. We need more in the party like you.

[JohnLocke]

13. Uh, sure....

Yes, yes. The American people, I suppose, I incompetent to choose their nominee. In fact, they are simply "Sheeple" being led by a huge media conspiracy to deny the left a voice. The DLC runs everything, blocking Kucinich! :eyes:
---
</sarcasm>

[davekriss]

14. Sadly my candidate runs about 1% of primary votes

I refer to Kucinich, of course.

(Note that I will be 125% behind Kerry when he gains the nomination.)

[JohnLocke]

15. It's not that I don't like Kucinich...

...it's just his supporters' constant refrain that the congressman is the only true progressive, that the DLC is more evil than the RNC, that Kerry and Edwards are little better than Bush...

It's just annoying to me.

Edit: grammar.

[Skittles]

16. It may be annoying

but it is DAMN WELL TRUE.

[JohnLocke]

22. It's not true.

To say that "Kucinich is the only true progressive" is ludicrous.

[Skittles]

23. compared to Kerry and Edwards

I would have to say he is

[JohnLocke]

24. Uh, no.

Even a cursory view of each senator's views shows them to be aligned with traditional progressive values.

[JohnLocke]

25. Kick

[Sugarbleus]

17. What I see is

that the "Message" isn't getting out across the vast expanse of America. Sure, some will vote for Conservatives no matter what, others are dumbed down for lack of "knowledge".

I'm older, I don't get out and about as often as younger peeps, but when I do, I've got "Relevant" bumper stickers on my vehicle. Now I've taken to making my own "mini poster" pins for my blouse. I want the truth to be right in the faces of all those I meet in everyday places. The pins are an opener for any who inquire;of course I need to be informed myself and ready with valid answers to what the problem is with right wing agendas and Herr Bushler.
I call it: political evangelizing...}( It's what I can do for the cause.

Another point; I listened to a radio host talk on the subject of writing to representatives; he said emailing is the least successful approach..they just delete/ignore it if it's "unpleasant". Phoning is a good way to get a point across to politicians but writing--snail mail-- was at the top of the list.

Emailing friends and acquaintances is still a way to get the truth, the knowledge out to the masses/sheeple.

[Disturbed]

20. Problem

Kerry voted for the blank check to invade Iraq, the Patriot Act, the tax cuts for the wealthy, NAFTA, trade with China. Kerry is still in favor of keeping troops in Iraq and even sending 40K more. These things make it real difficult for me as a Green Party member to be enthusiastic about voting for him. In my case I needn't worry about it. CA will go Dem even if I write in Kucinich, the real Democratic Candidate.

[Sugarbleus]

26. Yeah, I hear that....I much prefer Kucinich..I voted him in Primary... n/t

[spanone]

27. Can't quit and negative thinking won't help. Get Active!

[struggle4progress]

28. If you believe in Democracy ...

you have to ultimately have faith that ordinary people can figure things out and make the right choice. They may be ignorant of facts, they may be naive about the machinations of those in power, they may make up their minds based on first impressions. But democracy is a struggle. Permit me humbly to suggest that if there is a big population of "sheeple" out there, we ourselves need to take some responsibility for agitating, educating, and organizing them.

[Q]

32. But you've left something out of the equation...

...of an informed citizenry: a free press. How can they vote with 'informed consent' when the American corporate media won't tell them the whole truth about their government?

[DebJ]

34. If people had been getting an education on Democracy, we'd be in a

much better position today then we are. I love history, but I had great teachers and an interested parent. When I have mentioned this to the many many people I have worked with over the last thirty-plus years, I always hear groans, and History! yuck! names and dates and battles. Unfortunately, this is how history has been taught for too many years. It should be taught as the history of movements, ideas, changes, evolutions, and revolutionary thoughts. That is history, and that is where the excitement for democracy is found.

[DebJ]

35. My conspiracy theorist friend adds that this miseducation is intentional!

[maggrwaggr]

36. of course, and for the same reasons it was illegal to teach slaves to read

those who control the corporate media certainly do NOT want an informed citizenry, otherwise they might find themselves hanging from ropes.

[ljm2002]

30. I talked to my "ex" today...

...he lives in Montana. He asked me who I'll vote for, and I told him "anybody but Bush." He laughed, and said he's voting for Kerry. Note, he's a registered Republican. He said he would not have been able to vote for Dean (*I* would have preferred Dean, but then again, really, I prefer anyone who can beat W, and if that's Kerry, so be it). He said he hasn't voted on anything but local issues for a long time, but he'll vote in the presidential election this time to oust Bush -- and he said lots of people in Montana feel the same way and will vote against W due to the civil liberties / aka Patriot Act issues.

Food for thought ... in a good way!