Do you ever get the feeling that you are being played for a fool?

[kentuck]

By the entire political system? Does it sometimes seem like you are only an innocent bystander in a political game? How do you convince yourself otherwise?

[emilyg]

1. Every November.

[Jennicut]

2. Politics has always been a game of fools. Corruption and other unseemly elements of politics has

existed for over 100 years in the U.S. Look up Harding's administration. The days of Boss Tweed were worse then now. But big corporations are much more powerful then ever before and their influence on politics is the most it has ever been right now.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

5. Thank God for the Supreme Court reigning them in!

:-(

[Jennicut]

9. It iwll only get worse. I know it sounds depressing but I do not kid myself.

The best we can do here is hope the corporations don't ruin the United States anymore then they already have. There are no trust busters out there anymore. No Teddy R.'s. Nor bank busters. The financial reform the Dems proposed is but a tiny step in the right direction.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

12. I am beyond being depressed by the state of affairs.

That occurred 5 years ago. My global view is about as dour as it comes, but I focus on the things that I can impact to keep me getting up in the morning.

[tularetom]

3. Every day of my life, my friend

"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."

-Reinhold Niebuhr

I do have a problem with that "wisdom" thing sometimes.

[jody]

4. I believe both parties have sold their souls to the Corporatists and We the People to hell on earth.

Other than that, how did did you enjoy the play Mrs. Lincoln?

[Bluebear]

6. more and more. nt

[The Straight Story]

7. Often I do feel that way, which is why I envy the Amish at times and wish for more freedom

The more freedom individuals have (notice I am talking about you and me here, not corporations) the better off we are and the less dependent we are on others ruling our lives.

I long for a day when I am not seen as a threat (via homeland security, no fly lists, etc), when I am free to choose where to eat and drink (and those who have such places are free as well).

Yes, we are being played as fools because we are allowing the VERY FEW to determine what freedom is and we keep giving them the power to restrict it for 'our own good'.

We don't need a RW or a religious right or puritans in power, but for some reason we seem ok with letting others who want to tell us how to live into office.

The military budget grows, our taxes go up, we bail out the rich, and then impose more taxes on the poor (like with SCHIP) and spend a ton of time debating whether or not gays should marry or even serve (dadt is a law so needs congress to overturn it, but Obama could stop enforcement), etc and so on.

Yeah I am being played - sadly not just from a few in Washington but from many who think 'your body, your choice' applies to only one thing.

[bvar22]

8. On bad days...

I suspect that even the Progressive Caucus is "IN" on the scam, and are only following their script in the Kabuki Theater to maintain the illusion that the Working Class still has a small voice in the Democratic Party.


"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone

[Tailormyst]

10. I now know we are

Same thing every time.

When the conservatives get in they act like corporatists.
When the Democrats get in they act like corporatists.

The along comes an election so they toss out gays and abortions. Both side gets whipped into a frenzy and forget all the corporate corruption in DC. Then they don't actually change much in relation to gays and abortions so they are free to use it again next election. Wash, rinse and repeat- then they laugh all the way to the bank. Both sides, same side.

I am fed up with the lot of them.

[The Straight Story]

11. Well at least they tell people what they want to hear - which is good enough for votes (nt)

[unkachuck]

13. of course....

....we have to be fools to take this crap and keep coming back for more....

[Kahuna]

14. That goes without saying. nt

[KharmaTrain]

15. A Fool Never Learns...

We all have been promised one thing and seen another...be it from politicians or friends...life isn't that simple. Some wish it to be...to live in a world of certainty and absolutes. Those are the true fools as they can and are constantly played...and usually against their own best interests.

I've never put blind faith into a system or individual and over the years have grown both cynical and numbed to the affects that power, ego and money can have in our national discourse. Politics IS a game...it's played in a highly competitive atmosphere and is rated by winners and losers. Despite all the window-dressing of being altruistic and "dedicated to public service", politicians are professionals...whose paycheck comes from "legislating" and the current competitive system offers little job security unless you focus on the money and power. When it comes down to their livlihood and altruistic interests, the paycheck comes first.

Since I don't live in the political world, only observe, in that sense I am a bystander and blissfully so. I can take a step back and see a bigger view not jaded by "winning" and "losing". But I am also an active participant in a small part of this game through my votes and contributions. I hope to support politicians who stand for similar issues as I do, but I don't believe they "owe" me...with that kind of attitude one can easily be let down.

Cheers...