"It's slightly sickening to realize that the big winners in the midterm elections

[Cal33]

are likely to be the very people who first got us into this mess, then did everything in
their power to block action to get us out."

Paul Krugman | 1938 in 2010
Paul Krugman, The New York Times

Truer words were never said. Are we Americans deliberately choosing, for whatever reasons,
to self-destruct?

[Pirate Smile]

1. More then slightly, Paul.

Very true.

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. Yes.

Because we're the Saudi Arabia of stupid. Because this is the first country in the world where marketing was a university-level discipline, like law or physics. Because too many of us approach voting the same way we approach buying stuff -- not as part of being a self-governing community, but as an opportunity to express ourselves, and to engage in social signaling via our choice in consumer products.

[Cal33]

13. I must agree with you that we are a very materialistic people --

more so than most of the other people in the world. Greed is never satisfied. It always wants
more, and this spreads more greed. The old adage that money can't buy happiness seems to fall
on deaf ears.

All the great empires of history eventually fell because of greed, corruption and the inevitable
decadence that followed. Rome lasted a thousand years. We became Number One only since WW II,
a scant seventy years, and we are already headed downhill.

Yes, greed is a powerful force for self-destruction.

[Chulanowa]

3. But at least the progressives "sent a message to Washington!"

That message was, of course, "We're fucking idiots and there's no reason you should ever listen to us"

[w4rma]

4. How are progressives sending any message like that to Washington? Such BS. (nt)

[slampoet]

11. Name ONE ......or STFU

[rhett o rick]

5. I am afraid the American public are going to get what they deserve. nm

[Cal33]

6. Too many Americans aren't very knowledgeable in

what's actually going on in the political world which is directly affecting
their lives, nor do they make any efforts to look for the truth. I suppose
this is what you mean by "are going to get what they deserve."

[rhett o rick]

7. Sadly, that's exactly what i mean. nm

[okieinpain]

15. i agree. american people have become zombies wanting nothing

that will get in the way of the brain candy, like the truth.

[Greg K]

8. The sad thing is, whatever they screw up, the RW media will promote as Obama's fault. nt

[Cal33]

10. The founders of the Neocon Party (among whom Irving Kristol is one)

have advocated that lying to and deceiving the masses for political gain was justified.
This naturally attracted psychopaths to join the Neocons, since pathological lying is one
of the characteristic personality traits of psychopathy. A high percentage of the leaders
of the Neocons have this personality trait, and it is paying off great dividends for them.
Having defective consciences, it doesn't bother them to practice deceit and corruption
to boot.

[Cal33]

14. It's even sadder that there are tens of millions of us who fall for

the lies of the Neocon propaganda machine that works 7/24 non-stop.

[stray cat]

9. And progressive voters claim they don't care

[Cal33]

12. I think of myself as a progressive or liberal. Some of us might not

care, but I do. In fact, I wrote the original post. :o)