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that cause such depression. Believe me, the corpo/fascist powermongers who control the media want exactly that reaction from you--depression, feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness. These deliberately induced feelings--if they result in citizen lassitude, and in failure to join with others to organize political reform--serve their vast greed. They want the people of the U.S. in particular--one of the potentially most powerful progressive forces on earth--to GIVE UP. Your giving up is their victory.
The human race will either make it, or it won't. Those who stay informed and who think for themselves know how perilous our situation is. I think you have to be philosophical about it--unpanicked, thoughtful--and active at the same time--not hyperactive, not to the point of personal exhaustion, but just doing your part, as with your post here, for instance. It has always been such people--people like you, who have seen through the bullshit of prior political/economic establishments--who have been responsible for all progressive advances in history. It is NOT a comfortable role. It never has been. It never will be. And right now we have a complex of problems--not just an environmental crisis that threatens all life on earth, but also a grave crisis in our democracy--that are truly staggering. I don't underestimate this complex of problems. But I do know this: 1) We must resist depression and inaction; and 2) We need to start thinking in very practical and strategic terms. As to the latter, push aside the thought that something is wrong or even terrible, and give some room to deep, tough analysis of how that wrong or that horror came about and what are the mechanisms of power that could correct it--and how to create or restore those mechanisms of power.
My own analysis has led me to the voting machines--now largely controlled by ONE far rightwing-connected corporation (ES&S, which just bought out Diebold), using 'TRADE SECRET,' PROPRIETARY code to tabulate all of our votes, with virtually no audit/recount controls. This is SO WRONG as to be nearly unbelievable. Voting is OUR ONLY REAL POWER as a people. That is how we directly transfer our sovereign power to our representatives in government. And we are longer permitted to see how our votes are counted!
I think of it as the last "Iron Curtain" door clamping down on our democracy. The final blow--after a long series of other kinds of blows--ever more filthily corrupt campaign financing, ever more corrupt and monopolistic corporate media, etc. Now the actual power of our vote has been taken from us with the counting of our votes being removed from our sight. There is no public official in this country who can prove that he or she was really elected. Some of them might have been. We can never know. This power over the vote count is toxic, in the wrong hands--whether it is used or not.
I think we need to peel back this latest control mechanism--'TRADE SECRET' vote tabulation--before we can address other critically needed reforms. It's still doable, because the power over voting systems still resides at the local/state level, where ordinary people still have potential influence--although it will take a big and widespread citizen movement to accomplish it. (The fast-tracking of e-voting all over the country, during the 2002 to 2004 period, occurred mostly by means of corruption--a $3.9 billion boondoggle from the Anthrax Congress, and lobbying and media corruption, and corruption of local officials. It is not, to this day, required by federal law.)
This is a VERY PRACTICAL suggestion. And that is what I urge you to consider. Put aside lamenting. Put aside depression. Shove off feelings of powerlessness. And start thinking very practically and strategically. The human race will either make it, or it won't. But do we want to go down for the count, without having landed a few punches on these corporate fuckers' noses before we do? They think very practically, how to loot, control and propagandize us. We, too, need to think in those practical, strategic terms--to counter their game plan. Just like a boxer in a ring. What are the keys to their powerful punches? How to block/disable them, one by one? What are the keys to OUR power? Think it out. Decide what YOU think is the most practical and effective strategic action that could be taken to restore democracy in the U.S., and join with others to accomplish it--rather than bearing the whole burden yourself. You CAN'T solve it yourself. That's ALL we can do--maintain our honor and dignity as human beings and go out fighting--not literally with fists--that is quite useless--but with our SOULS--our spirits, our intelligence, our sparks of life and creativity, in a collective effort to save ourselves, our planet and our country. If we don't, well, that will be pathetic. But if we do--IF WE DO put up a mighty fight against the corporate rulers, here at the vortex of corporate power--and especially if we are smart about it, we might just win!
There is nothing that the American people have wanted more than strong environmental protection. This has been true since the 1970s--stratospheric numbers in opinion polls (in the 80% to 90% range). The Bush Junta's wars and Great Depression may have depressed those numbers a bit--putting other worries on top--but it is still a VERY BIG priority of the American people. Give them transparent vote counting, and REAL representation in Washington DC and in state governments and we will begin to see the will of the people being implemented, on this and other reforms. That is my very strong belief and I have closely watched opinion polls since early 2003 (pre-invasion of Iraq, 60% of the American people opposed to it--Feb '03, ALL POLLS).
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