One person's copout is another's practicality. Sure we all compromise. This is what's wrong/right with the left. Visit a right-wing discussion group and they're all reading from the same talking points. We on the left realize that there are, and argue over, different (dare I say say nuanced?) points of view. Thus we leave ourselves open to the onslaught of the rightwing bloc which, in a country split 50/50, with the help of various voting "irregularites", pushes the right wing into power. In that scenario, we did give it away, and willfully. We have to unify to start the change at the top or we'll be looking at President Giuliani in 2009...

wcdevins wrote:
The fish stinks from the head down - we can't change much of anything until Bush and the Republican devotion to trickle-down market forces are gone.

----

that sounds like just another cop-out to me. well, the fish does stink. the fish is you and it's me.

every day in every way, individuals abdicate their personal power and responsibility. at work. at school. while shopping/buying/consuming. then they complain that they have none. that somebody "took it" from them. wrong!

Corruption of all kinds were tolerated by Bu$h, congress etc. The Republicans are primarily responsible because they had the power to police their own. But the Democrats - as a group tolerated and ignored corruption as well.

The lack of logical debate that was the result of the corruption resulted in the majority of the worst problems we face today. The wasted resources in government contracts to get campaign contributions is crippling. Now the attitude pushed by many politicians is that government can't do anything right. Why then do they vote to have tons of extra government? Could it be just because most of the excess government is borrowed money and looks free at the moment? Do the rich want excess government because the rich get the graft in the contracts and have much less tax liability recently. How much of the stuff government is doing would people agree to pay for.

walt - your scenario is much more chilling than mine. In your ability to see the true deviousness of the administration and the Republican vision you've provided a real service. An excellent and frightening post.

The fish stinks from the head down - we can't change much of anything until Bush and the Republican devotion to trickle-down market forces are gone. The repressive workplace has been around longer than Bush and will take longer to dismantle. In order to accomplish the change of long-entrenched problems we need at change at the top, at least to someone who is willing to think about such change, and a Congress willing to listen.

The post above by "wait" is an unfortunate vision I share.

it has always been high time
but it has never been a "good" time for many of us to do what is needed, not just what we've wanted. we've been waiting for that rising shout from the throats of the masses. we ignore the urgency because it interferes with our personal plans and options and ambitions and obsessions. we need to work harder to end this war and come together around a positive direction for all beings, and we need to do this now! the longer we wait, beyond any notion of so-called partisan or pre-election strategising, the deeper we collectively sink into the various pits (take your pick...despair, destruction, choas, madness, etc). all the gloomy scenarios forecast by the "seers" - scientific community or spirit community -
are already upon us. we begin to make the present look good by comparison when we imagine how bad the future's going to get. that's the wrong way to look at it. it's already bad!!!! "how many death's will it take till he knows that too many people have died?" what is it going to take for this nation of celebrity/idol watching, mindless consuming, sleepwalking, almost human beings to begin to look more carefully at the tragedy unfolding in front of their very own faces - that they themselves have created? of course we are all culpable for the damage already done. but even moreso for those of us who know and process things differently but don't commit ourselves accordingly to make the necessary changes. our lives depend on it. contrary to commonly held belief, however, this can be a very rewarding experience!

Fully two years ago I had a discussion with a right-wing friend of mine (which devolved, unfortunately, into a shouting match) in which I ultimately told him his president was a worthless piece of crap for not spending every moment of his life figuring out a plan for his war in Iraq, any plan. Staying the course was not a plan; vacationing in Crawford was not a plan; rushing to "save" Terry Schiavo was not a plan; campaigning for Republicans in 2006 was not a plan; going to bed at 10 pm and reading Camus (does anyone believe that he reads anything?) were not plans; sending battle fleets to rile Iran was not a plan. Where does this guy get his support from? He has accomplished less than zero as president, so even if you were fooled into thinking he might be a good choice in 2000 how could you vote for him in 2004?

He has to be impeached now, not in September after Gen Petraeus, our new saviour, issues a wishy-washy report and every talking head in the administration and out gets to "analyze" it to their point of view - another 500 Americans will have died by then. That's apparently OK with my conservative friend and his Bush-adoring ilk who say "they're volunteers - they knew part of their job description was getting killed."

Bu$h can stall until hell freezes over and it won't make a damn bit of difference. The war was lost the day of the invasion because it's a criminal war without a single shred of a just reason, certainly not imminent threat. Stall so Bu$h can say he didn't lose the war, even if it costs another 600,000 lives. What a shameful coward.

Sure... you will be free when you die.
As long as you don't choose to come back.

Equal Rights Amendment

The Complete Text of the Equal Rights Amendment

Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the
United States or by any state on account of sex.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation,
the provisions of this article.
Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

Ever wonder why nothing happens to end the madness? Ever had a discussion with friends or co-workers about how things are bad at work for instance but no one speaks up?

No wonder nothing changes. Most people have petty little personal concerns and comforts and they are not even willing to risk a little loss by standing up for what they know is right.

Well their much-touted "freedom" is destroyed by the obedient and cowardly silence. Courage begins with each individual -- not with a savior out there somewhere.

I am seeing and hearing diversions being pumped into the media with the same neo-humor of FOX half news hour. I can't imagine anyone finding that Saturday Night Live parody funny!

The most frightening thing for a minority power is to actually get power - and the responsibility it brings.

They can make ending the war their top issue, and with enough work make it happen. But like with bushco's invasion the Democrats have yet to solidify the exit. Once they have a concrete exit that gets the troops out, the bases closed and an educated guess on what will happen to Iraq once we've left, it will happen. The question is will they ever get that together?

They are afraid that if they do something it may fail. and rightfully so, a lot can go wrong if the exit is not done competently. But the right thing to do is often frightening.

If they continue to do what they are doing they will also fail.

Friends,

Bush cannot pull out of Iraq right now --- he'll look like a failure … and the neocons will lose heart.
So he will shift responsibility for staying or leaving to the capable hands of General D. H. Petraeus, a military professional and the first of his kind Bush has openly consulted with since he stared this pointless war.

Come September, he'll accept the judgment of Gen. Petraeus.
He'll agree it's time we leave.
He'll "aw shucks" his way through "I tried. I'm the Try-er!"
He'll nod boyishly. He'll make a face and then he'll save face with his base.

The government will set a time-line for with drawl
This time, Bush and Rove (back in business again) will most certainly allow us to see video of living soldiers coming home from Iraq. Flags unfurled. Not draped.

All through the fall and into the New Year, we'll see American troops leaving Iraq.

We won't know and we won't ask how many are staying behind.
- To defend freedom and guard a fledgling democracy
- To protect Americans - consultants and contractors - who are there heroically "building freedom."
- To guard the military installations (which will then be legion)
- To guard the Oh! Eye! El!

Anti-war Democrats will wither on the campaign trail
Well-rounded, progressive candidates will by then be so beaten and bloodied by extremists from within their own party, they will disgust us and we will reject them ... even though they are our best hope.

Bush will continue his rehabilitation (and regain his innocence) throughout the Summer.
Born Again … Again

The Republicans begin a deadly momentum.
America slumbers like Little Nemo, dreaming of candy.

Christmas is approaching. Wii 3D will ship in small quantities
A hi-def, 50" flat plasma screen appears for under 500 USD.
It's made in China.

Hollywood does its part too:
The dumbed-down gets dumber
The lewd behavior index gets recalibrated

Everyone ... everyone feels much better.

Someone mentions John Kerry and then asks why we couldn't have brought them home sooner?

They continue to die however.
Americans. They die and are crippled in smaller (more agreeable?) numbers.
For years and years.
We hardly notice.

Gas holds at below three dollars.

Every night, Rudolph Guiliani gets on his knees and prays to the darkness.