The national political discussion is a joke- All of it

[Panaconda]

Fuck man people everywhere are struggling and all we get are lame sound bytes and political personalities.

There's no grinding poverty, no people hurting with health care debts, no dead businesses everywhere you look, no homelessness, no war crimes, no Wall St. crimes, no nothing...

Just a bunch of fucking idiots in suits reciting party platitudes.

It's a disgusting joke. It's on us.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. What I Say (parts 1 & 2)

[Cronus Protagonist]

2. It's entertainment

All that emanates from TV is entertainment.

[subsuelo]

16. Too much is not just entertainment. It is calculated propaganda. n/t

[ixion]

3. There is a status quo narrative that they stick to, no matter what...

It's painful to watch if you live in the Real World. That's infotainment.

[leftstreet]

4. Oh HELL yeah!

K&R

[handmade34]

5. I feel the disconnect

I watch the people talk on TV and then I go out into the cities and towns and see the homeless and the poverty and the environmental exploitation and...

I have always said that anyone who is a position to make our laws or rules should live like you and me for a few months

[truedelphi]

43. Our laws and our rules are not even made by "us" anymore.

Everything going on has been carefully planned by the Inner Circle of Uber Rich, who saw to it that NAFTA, WTO and GATT are the normal everyday operations of our Political Class.

Just a few years ago, for the first time in the history of the world, our farm imports exceeded farm exports. While our farmers are denied credit. While our food prices go up and up.

Obama himself had a campaign pledge that he would end NATA, but I guess once he was in the oval Office (or shortly before) the real working of the "government" were explained to him.

Yet how often do you even hear anyone running for office talk about this?

People here on DU gave Obama High Marks for the speech he made at the G 20, but it is exactly that style of organization that is plotting our downfall. No President or Senator should even be in attendance.

[spanone]

6. but it's not a funny joke.

[Luminous Animal]

7. Yep. And only a smattering of a movement to counter the pablum.

[emilyg]

8. k/r

[Tatiana]

9. Well, I have to say, Peter DeFazio was just on Lawrence O'Donnell's show

and kicked some major ass.

O'Donnell asked him why he didn't support Pelosi as speaker of the house and why would he make such a statement at this time. DeFazio calmly but firmly articulated his reasons, including the weakened HCR billn without a public option, the cap & trade legislation, and a lack of standing up for progressive principles.

[pa28]

10. Well, the joke is going to end at some point.

I'm sure things look fine from inside the D.C. bubble but pretty soon the only thing keeping the status quo alive will be hope.

A large swath of the middle class is gone, the social contracts of previous generations have been broken and yet quite a few people cling to the hope of some sweeping fix that will make everything better.

When hope is gone the joke will end IMO. The window of an operational status quo seems to be closing faster than our desire to actually "change".

[opihimoimoi]

11. Its all part of the Learning curve....we have yet to discover true UNITY in solving pertinent issues

such as rising ocean levels, diminishing food resources, rising acid levels in our oceans, loss of coral reefs, water scarcity, unemployment, etc etc

instead we lose valuable time discussing who is murdered/missing and the murder weapon , perp, etc....who survived dancing w the stars....

all moot shit

the GOP never ever talks about global issues...its too deep for them...no vision no interst in benevolency

[subsuelo]

17. oh the GOP has plenty of vision and interest

Talk to them about increasing corporate profits and they can get real visionary and real interested about it...

[opihimoimoi]

21. yup...reflective of self interest mostly...all MEism ...no USism....they suck at advancement

[blindpig]

30. MEism

Why is this?

It is because that is the core of Capitalism, if it OK for us proles then surely it is right for the Capitalists, only they got a shitload more of 'me'. Thus they inflict their philosophy upon us in their own self defense.

" The ruling ideas of any age are those of the ruling class."

[txaslftist]

26. Well, you hardly need to talk to the GOP.

Hell, half the effort of the media is intent on keeping them from talking to us and us from talking to them.

The difference between the Dems and the GOP is not whether they are about increasing corporate profits. The Dems and the GOP just have different corporations in mind.

[druidity33]

12. i think...

this'll be at the top of the Greatest Page when i wake up in the morning.

:noappropriatesmilie:

K&R

[Radical Activist]

13. Total fucking joke.

[pa28]

22. Your comedy shines through on it's own.

No reason to work blue.

:hi:

[knowbody0]

14. what so rips my sack

is the gabillions of dollars thrown away at this facade in their most disgusting attempts to convince us to vote for them. especially now, when there is so much suffering that could be eliminated with those same dollars. it's sick.

[readmoreoften]

15. +1

[txaslftist]

27. Think of it as an investment in their future.

The gabillions of dollars that donors give them translates in gazillions of dollars in perks, government contracts and future employment.

[Warren Stupidity]

18. We have two parties defending the status quo.

Consequently the political 'dialog' between them is a farce.

[txaslftist]

28. Yes it is. Cleverly orchestrated farce.

There are two political parties in America. The government and the people.

The government keeps winning and the people keep losing.

[raccoon]

35. Amen! nt

[donheld]

19. Did you not understand what George Carlin told you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYIC0eZYEtI

[pa28]

20. I'm sure Carlin said many things but he gained immortality from that monologue.

You can't repeat the truth too many times so I'm all for DU'ers posting it until they feel content and for kicking it like I just did.

[maryf]

39. I sometimes wonder

although he was getting old, if his immortality wasn't brought on early from that speech...

[Mojorabbit]

23. +10000 nt

[Panaconda]

24. Understand it well

Bears repeating until we do something about it.

[Paper Roses]

38. I never saw this Carlin monologue. He nailed it.

We are owned. There is probably a little difficulty with the paperwork but 'they' still own us.

[nicky187]

44. K&R

Thank you.

[awoke_in_2003]

45. Can't see youtube at work...

but if it is the one where he says "It's called the American dream- you have to be asleep to believe it" then I agree, it was great.

[donheld]

53. That was it.

[awoke_in_2003]

57. I am at home and re-watched it...

Carlin was ALWAYS spot-on. He said things people didn't want to hear, but he was right.

[txaslftist]

25. Right on.

Like it's really gonna matter if we replace GOP suits with DEM suits. Hell, they are all the same plutocrats.

[Gregorian]

29. Everyone has ADD

We're reaping the "benefits" of the nuclear family.

I've been having fairly deep discussions with some people about this. Last night on Democracy now there was a doctor discussing this very thing. It was so revealing I could hardly believe my ears. I thought I knew it all. No. What we are seeing is the dysfunction from a society that didn't get what is required by natural beings when they are being nurtured. So all we get now are sound bytes, and interruptions during so-called interviews on the so-called news.

I'm afraid this is far more endemic than people realize. And we're heavily into it now. It's not going to get better until we slow the fuck down, and wake up and start being conscious of the need of the human being.

[catzies]

32. Interesting idea, got link? Which Democracy Now program?

I'd really like to listen to that, TIA. :)

[Gregorian]

36. Found it!

I think. It was on Linktv last night. I am on a crap connection, so I can't watch it to verify. But it's more than likely the one. I found it amazingly revealing. I'm 54, and now that I look back, it helps to put my life into perspective. I should add that having seen Goodall on 60 Minutes, revisiting her chimpanzees, it makes even more sense. I like refrigeration, but it might not be worth the loss it takes to create. You might not understand that.

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/2/15/dr_gabor_mat_when_the_body

[catzies]

46. Very awesome of you. Many thanks!

And I do understand the point you made about loss in creation.

It's kind of cost-benefit anaylsis, where the cost will always be our natural world, rgardless of benefits of convenience we modern humans so adore.

[Lorien]

55. +1. nt

[wiggs]

31. Polarization, fear, hate, media control have intentionally disabled public discourse. nt

[woo me with science]

33. The news is a joke.

We turned on CNN recently as an experiment to see what actual news and information would be offered. It was all tabloid crap. Even the election coverage was all personality-driven. We were told over and over again that "this person is winning" or "that person is behind." No talk of policy positions at all. No real information at all about what these people actually stand for.

There were at least 3 junk science segments. One was a ten-minute "feature" about how body language can help you in a job interview. We got to watch a pretty blonde practicing her "power stance."

This is what passes for news in the US.

You don't notice the absolute lack of content when the TV just plays in the background. When you actually listen to what they are feeding you, it is damned depressing.

[Hannah Bell]

34. what "national political discussion"? i see a bunch of shills & manipulators talking *at* people.

[butterfly77]

37. KICKIN..

:kick:

[maryf]

40. K&R

how long can we allow ourselves to be the brunt of the joke?

[lumberjack_jeff]

41. Sing it, Ray. n/t

[bvar22]

42. The "Ownership Class" has a vested interest ...

...in narrowing the frame of the National Dialog as a fight between the Democrats and Republicans. They have been successful at branding Obama as the Liberal Edge of the Democratic party, thereby completely marginalizing any discussion of the economic ISSUES most Americans (Democrat & Republican) support:

Where is "The Center"?
Here is what the MAJORITY of Americans (Democrats AND Republicans) want from OUR government!

In recent polls (2005!) by the Pew Research Group, the Opinion Research Corporation, the Wall Street Journal, and CBS News, the American majority has made clear how it feels. Look at how the majority feels about some of the issues that you'd think would be gospel to a real Democratic Party:

1. 65 percent (of ALL Americans, Democrats AND Republicans) say the government should guarantee health insurance for everyone -- even if it means raising taxes.

2. 86 percent favor raising the minimum wage (including 79 percent of selfdescribed "social conservatives").

3. 60 percent favor repealing either all of Bush's tax cuts or at least those cuts that went to the rich.

4. 66 percent would reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.

5. 77 percent believe the country should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment.

6. 87 percent think big oil corporations are gouging consumers, and 80 percent (including 76 percent of Republicans) would support a windfall profits tax on the oil giants if the revenues went for more research on alternative fuels.

7. 69 percent agree that corporate offshoring of jobs is bad for the U.S. economy (78 percent of "disaffected" voters think this), and only 22% believe offshoring is good because "it keeps costs down."

http://alternet.org/story/29788/

8. Over 63% oppose the War on the Iraqi People.

9. 92% of ALL Americans support TRANSPARENT, VERIFIABLE elections!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x446445

Things won't get any better until the Working CLass & The Poor realize that we have more in common with each other than we have in common with the Ownership Class Leadership of BOTH Political Parties. THEN, there will be the possibility for "CHANGE".

Look to Latin America for the Blueprint for "CHANGE".

[walldude]

47. And by the time it's over candidates will have spent

over 5 BILLION dollars to get elected. 5 Billion.

The political system in this country is a fucking joke. I heard some Senator on Thom Hartmann yesterday saying how on election day we are all equal, we all hold the same power on election day. How nice it must be to live in a bubble like that. Where you actually believe that you hold some semblance of power. That it's your vote that counts, not the billions spent on lies.

[Motown_Johnny]

48. it has been said ....

... that in a democracy you get the leadership you deserve

(since we are the ones who vote them into office)



Scary thought, isn't it?

[MissDeeds]

49. Could not agree more

Issues don't seem to make it into the talking points here in the KS-MO region. It's all about smearing the opponent. Hardly a word regarding vision or platform, only "My opponent is scum."

K&R

[UrbScotty]

50. So are you going to sit around and complain? Or actually DO SOMETHING about it?

I'm talking to everyone in this thread who agrees with this sentiment - including, in some ways, myself.

Yes, even I have fallen into the trap of believing that all politicians are the same.

They're not. Not by a million miles.

[rucky]

51. We can multitask!

[Panaconda]

52. I don't wait for the politician

I do things every day.

Organize.

Get unruly.

[Lorien]

54. Yep. They seem to want to promote the idea that none of the real problems exist

because if you talk about the Real Problems you'll sound like a "liberal', and none of them want that.

[Joe Fields]

56. I agree 100%

Sorry to say...