Let's ponder the unthinkable. What if we lose this election?

[Cyrano]

Or what if it's stolen by our current "masters of the universe?"

Egypt, Greece, Rome, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, and every other empire in the history of the world had people who pondered what we are agonizing over right now. The loss of privilege/power/dominance. And each citizen must have feared what would happen to them once their "protectors" were no longer holding the levers of power.

What I'm stating here is a personal belief. If McCain/Palin win or steal it, history will mark that moment as the end of the American empire. The saddest part is that we will have not have been done in by giants. McCain and Palin might turn out to be the most pathetic and embarrassing coffin nails in the history of the world.

The dream begun by Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, et.al. was an incredible step forward for humanity. But there was never any guarantee attached to it.

The world has always had villains who thought of no one and nothing but themselves. And even though technology advanced at an astonishing pace, human nature remained trapped in some distant, prehistoric bog. Human beings have always suffered at the bloody hands of the Karl Roves of the world, who have always won out in the short term.

It's been said that for every step humanity takes forward, it takes two steps backward. But perhaps this is changing. It's just possible that most human beings are becoming suspicious that they are endlessly being screwed by those who crave wealth, power, absolute control, and the ownership of everything.

In any case, I still believe in my heart, if not my head, that Obama will beat back these barbarians and, at least for a while, provide a better world.

[Blue_Roses]

1. let's not.

it really gives me heartburn.

[Fresh_Start]

2. if that happens we better whip the Dem Congresspeople

to do their jobs.

[spanone]

3. i will not ponder that.

[RichGirl]

4. What you think, you attract.

Don't think about it!

[SoonerPride]

5. If they "win" then the end of the dream was officially in 2000

If they 'win' I'm leaving this country.

[RichGirl]

9. If they win...

...our country has left.

[TheKentuckian]

6. We will win

Refuse to Lose!

BRING THEM DOWN!!!

[Triana]

7. We won't "lose" it..it WILL be stolen. n/t

[WeDidIt]

8. New Zealand

Defintely a move to New Zealand.

Gets me as far away form here as possible.

[Erin Elizabeth]

19. That's a very hard country to permanently immigrate to.

They have tough immigration laws there. I'm assuming you know that and have a special set of skills and/or education. And/or lots of money.

[ComplimentarySwine]

30. Have you looked at New Zeland's women's-choice laws?

Probably might as well stay under Palin.

[demo dutch]

10. The unthinkable is not so unthinkable but the only saving grace is that Republicans are facing steep

losses at the Senate and House levels, so the presidency would be all they'll get.

[corkhead]

11. I just sent my passport in for renewal.

[Peacetrain]

12. Lets not and say we did.

Now back to winning this election :)

[gateley]

13. I have pondered it, and I've already pretty much

decided that I'll move from the country.

It's been heading this way for a while, and we've been losing more and more of 'who we are'.

If McCain is voted in, or if the vote is so close that it makes it easy enough for them to steal it, I will be so disgusted with my fellow Americans that I'd almost be willing to wash my hands of them.

But like you, in my heart, I think we'll be victorious, and in that case I'm willing to stay, sacrifice, do what I can to help heal America.

[chatnoir]

14. We're already discussing AU or NZ

if they steal it again.

[Erin Elizabeth]

15. I've tried. I can't.

I really can't. I can't even MAKE my mind go there. I'll obviously deal with it when the time comes, I don't have the resources to go anywhere else and goddamnit, this is MY country and my state and I'll be damned if I'm leaving it to a bunch of hateful assholes.

But I can't even go there. Hopefully I won't have to. I couldn't even read your OP, only the title. It's that hard.

[eissa]

16. I just can't do it

I can't even imagine it. 2000 was heart-breaking. 2004 was mind-boggling. If we lose in 2008 against such a weak candidate......I simply cannot fathom it. The pain would be overwhelming. I'm going back to my happy place now!

[Erin Elizabeth]

22. Yep

I told my husband it would be two-fold pain: not only the pain of dealing with the idea of at least four more years of total crappiness (and maybe worse than ever), but the loss of opportunity to have such a good president and to really make things better.

Ok now I'm going to my happy place, too. Can't stay here long. Heartbroken in 2000. Heart demolished in 2004. Can't think about it happening again.

[KillCapitalism]

17. Well, I see it like this...

if we lose this one, I think we will have better chances in '12. Look at what is going on in the financial world, it's terrible, everyone is begging for a bailout. Every bailout just adds more on to our country's debt. I don't think this financial house of cards will hold up a whole lot longer. I'm thinking it could all come crashing down by 2011. If it comes down on McCain/Palin's watch & there's a serious depression, I think neither of them will be elected in 2012. It will be about as futile for them to run as it was for Hoover in '32. Although I could be wrong, because the electorate is MUCH more stupid now than it was in 1932.

I'm sure a lot of people will still think "Hey, I'm living here in this cardboard box eating dandelion soup, but our vice President is still a major hottie, so everything's OK." :crazy:

[Franks Wild Years]

21. The longer the Repubs stay in the WH...

...the harder it will become to remove them. People's views are shaped and moulded, especially simple minded people. And there are many millions of them.

[Erin Elizabeth]

29. Can I have your permission to do something?

That last line was so sadly hilarious it made me ad lib off of it and I came up with a whole skit based on it. Can I write it and give you credit for the line and the inspiration?

[KillCapitalism]

31. Sure.

Do with it as you like, I won't scream plagiarism.:rofl:

[Erin Elizabeth]

34. Ok here it is.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7028728

[David Zephyr]

18. The turning back of FDR's New Deal was fast-forwarded by a "magic" bullet in Dallas in 1963.

That was our nation's turning point toward corporate/war domination of the U.S. government and the beginning of the seeding of fascism.

If Ross Perot had not run in 1992, the brief and minor reversal of the tide by Bill Clinton, would have never even happened.

[WinkyDink]

20. The American Empire HAS ended. We are owned by China.

[WI_DEM]

23. let's not ponder that instead get to work.

[Teaser]

24. It will be a sign that democracy is dead

an entirely different political strategy will be required.

[rufus dog]

25. It will be huge!

People talk about moving, I think the bigger thing will be a meltdown of markets. Foreign debt holders will lose faith in the USA causing worldwide financial instability. A power vacuum will be created and Putin and Russia will immediately go aggressive along with Saudi Arabia, Iran, China and North Vietnam.


Actually I don't know jack shit, but I tell it to my Republican friends. If they want to be motivated by fear I will motivate their sorry asses.

[jobycom]

26. So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

[liberal N proud]

27. The scenes will be something link these

Bank Runs


Unemployment


breadlines


housing


Segregation

[Cyrano]

39. One of my greatest fears that we will once again see this version of America.

[TwilightGardener]

28. I believe, if they win, we are proving to be in serious decline as a nation and culture.

There's no other way to view it--if we throw away the highly intelligent, highly educated two men in the election who have dedicated their lives to making other people's lives better, dedicated years to understanding the Constitution and the world, for a mentally unsound, mediocre, vicious-tempered "war hero" celebrity and his religious-nutcase shallow celebrity show pony, we deserve what we get.

[Window]

32. I feel you, but I'm not claiming that.

[RaleighNCDUer]

33. The american empire is done for, regardless.

But we can control how we relinquish empire.

We can elect people who will shut down our overseas bases and bring them all home, or people who will be forced to evacuate our overseas bases under political and/or military duress.

We can elect people who will preserve our constitution and democracy, or people who will destroy that dream on the way down.

I, personally, celebrate the end of empire. I would far rather be the first among equals, or even one of the many, than be the 'Leader of the Free World'.

[kestrel91316]

35. I'm not crossing that bridge until and unless we come to it.

Not gonna give that possibility any of my mental energy.

[Sensitivity]

36. What will it take for Americans to get on the street and fight the power

[Romulox]

37. The American dream ended when kids started experiencing lower standards of living than their parents

and nobody cared. :shrug:

I could give a fuck about whether our army is the tool multinationals use to continue their "dominance". That "dominance" was never exercised for my benefit, so I have no stake in it.

[Cyrano]

38. I'm so disappointed that most of the posts thus far have focused

on the headline of this thread rather than the heart of it.

With the exception of Egypt, the empires of the past are doing very well, thank you.

Being "the most powerful nation (tribe) in the world" has proved to not be such a great honor. And ever since the end of WWII, we have probably been as great a threat to world peace as has the former USSR, or an other entity that ever existed.

Would more of you DUers out there please skip the bun and comment on the meat?