Did you mean Vico?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giambattista_Vico

I will concur that human behaviour will shape itself around the type of society it lives in. It more the nature of that societies economic structures and social structures that give the perception.

Capitalist societies where everyone is in it for themselves and trying to grab all they can get while they can will definitely reward the ruthless and the greedy more then it will those who work in common. It is in those societies best interests, and especially those in power to continually tell its members that this is the way it must be and the only way it can be. Those in power will then demonize any other system.

A simple example. A local beach had been harvested for centuries by native tribes for clams. They harvested the clams for the collectibve good of the tribe in that all shared equally in the resource. It did not "belong" to any one member. No one member could say these clams are mine and no one elses.

(BTW I am a Canadian)

This clam bed serves to feed the many members of the tribe for thousands of years. Then we get Capitalism and the concept of ownership. The Canadian Government takes over the responsibility for the clam bed. They decide in their infinite wisdom that locals should all be allowed to "profit" off the resource.

They open the clam beds to any and all. People arrive from all over to get every clam they can possibly get, The large, the small. If they do not fill their buckets and sell it for a profit someone else will so they feel forced to take all they possibly can.

The Clam bed was harvested to the last clam. No clams have since been harvested. They are all gone.

Capitalism ignores the concept of the collective good and the commons. Everything must be owned by someone. In giving ownership of resources to certain small groups of people they are given inordinate power and the only check on the power theoretically is the will of the people, those masses with out.

To keep them down they must be conditioned from birth to accept the status quo. They are brainwashed into believing that those of wealth and power are somehow more deserved of power . That some how they are the elite that drive all societies forwards.

rebelnow,

I'm gonna keep pitching the Democrats until they either succeed or fail this year. As far as them "coming to our rescue", I think it's more like we need to rescue them, so they can get straight and help. I may be naive, but I believe that is what Obama is trying to do. And he'd probably rather drink vinegar than tap Hillary---but he NEEDS her and her supporters to make a coalition work.
We'll see. Maybe someday I'll go Nader or something, but I need to stick with the Dems for now. If they have a "year", this is it.

We seem to pretty close, if not in, a hyperinflationary period...perhaps not as bad as the weimar republic of the 1920's...perhaps that will knock more Americans out of their stupor on how badly they have been served by politicians for since Nixon who took out Bretton Woods...Nixon should have been hung for it.
I expect my precious metals to do quite well which the founding fathers knew was the only legitimate money in the world...as my metals do great...I will be grieving for once was a reasonably decent country as it falls into full blown fascism.

Moyers, a Christian, continues to ignore the American Indian Genocide in which one hundred million plus American Indians lost their lives. He also continues to ignore the continuing genocide in the theft of money, land, and resources that results in deep poverty and death. Nor does he even address the failure to keep a single Indian treaty by the United States. I cannot take Mr. Moyers seriously when he allows this great moral blot to remain purposefully hidden. Mr. Moyers is a part of the problem, not the solution. His selective reporting lacks moral strength.

Daniel David, I know you've gotten a lot of flack here for so steadfastly supporting the democrats, despite the fact that they (except for a very few, like Kucinich) have so far done little or nothing to end the war in Iraq, but I'm going to have to back you up a bit here.

I'm going to try to give the dems one more chance this year, too, for the very simple reason that I'd like to see what would happen if we give them what they want, which is a big numerical superiority in both the House and Senate. They've been claiming that they don't have the votes to end the war, and they don't if they want to end the war by bringing the troops home without cutting off the funding to it.

They do have the numbers to end the war by cutting the funding, though, but they won't do that, possibly because they're afraid of the repubs' "cutting the funding is synonymous with not supporting the troops" tactic, and possibly because they want to control Iraqi oil just as much as the repubs do.

If we give them what they want and they still don't end the war, then we'll know, once and for all, that the dems are just as complicit as the repubs re this stupid war, and we can finally give up completely on both them and the repubs and vote third party (Green Party would be my choice) without having any doubts whatsoever that we will be wasting our votes.

And, besides, Kucinich endorsed Obama, at least for one state, and if there's any politician out there that I can trust, it's Kucinich. And Edwards, whose ideas are more progressive than either Obama's or Hillary's are, endorsed Obama, too. And maybe, just maybe, both Kucinich and Edwards know something about Obama that we don't.

~TICONDEROGA~ Here's something you probably didn't know about Obama, the man who "refuses" to take PAC money and got "ALL" of his campaign funds in small amounts from his many "grass root" supporters.

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.asp?id=n000096388&cycle=2008

Kem: Obama is FAR from perfect, and may very well end up a tool for the health insurance lobby, which he especially seems to be getting money from.

The key is to make it clear that our support of him is conditional. Republicans made a HUGE mistake by continuing to support Bush after 2005, when there should have been immediate and profound statements of policy and philosophy difference between the party and the president. I think Obama would be far more likely to follow the will of his party and his people then Bush. Though honestly, Bush's people STILL haven't told him off as they should be.

You people supporting McKinney are just not serious. We don't need her to save this country, and she's a globalist in, ummm, "sheeps"? clothing anyway.

The loss of our democracy is a most serious issue. But you know what? I have an issue that's far, far more serious to me.

It's been very warm here where we live for the past six weeks, spring has sprung full time. This evening, as is our normal practice, we ate our dinner out on our rear patio deck and watched the georgous Arizona sunset. Not a single fly or any other type of bug bothered us. We didn't need OFF or a fly swatter and we never use any poisons on our property and we are very isolated.

I left the patio lights on for two hours after sunset and there is not a single moth, miller, spider or praying mantis anywhere near the lights.___ NONE.__ It's been that way all year and it is neither normal nor good. The walls should have been covered with bugs.

Our trees are now in blossom, we have dozens of trees near the house. Not a single bee of any of Earth's known 20,000 different specie has shown up, no wasps, no hornets, no bats and very few birds now. Our place was a liken too a wildlife refuge until two years ago. Now it's feels sort of like we live in a dead zone.

The air seems to be clear enough, the mountain stream is still falling and running across it's rocky bed nicely, we can hit the full moon with a rock, or so it seems. At 3am we can count every constellation in our blackend sky and the Milky Way is as wide as a mighty river, but it's so damn quiet now, it's errie. It's like the still before the storm.

That is my most important issue. __But, that's me. I am sorry for the interupption of this important issue.

Good post, Araquin; I especially liked your sentence about how,"Every time I am here, I shake my head in disbelief when uneducated people in their trailer parks still honestly believe that this is better than everything the rest of the world has." I have met garbage collectors in the U.S. who voted for W.Bush, but who could not tell you what the First or Fourth, or any other amendment states, or that they are part of the Bill of Rights. How can we speak of "we the people" or "the American people," when these people are very much divided among themselves and within themselves? There is probably 30 percent of the American public who would root for any war that Bush started, and who would also simply say, "so?" if you told them that American wages have remained stagnant for 30 years. A large portion of Americans believe that there is no global warming or overpopulation. To whom are "we" referring when "we" say "we the people"?

As always, I stand in awe of Mr Moyers and his vision. He, and the rest of you, may well also agree with the 25 characteristics of a civilised country posted at http://www.blognow.com.au/mrpickwick/89890/Costs_nothing_to_be_civil.html. I wonder how you would score the America of 2008 on that scale.

Moyer fans, and I'm one of them, please take note of 5/16 programs second half with an interview with Melody Perterson(?), who is the author of the "Medicine Cabinet... (I think this is what it was called), " about the corruption of the pharmaceutical industry. I new most of this stuff but she has it all wrapped up in this 30 minute interview with Bill. Not only does a lot of this expensive alchemy not work, it can kill you dead away. It is an absolute must see and if you need any verification you can dig back into the "Front Line" archives as they have a couple of programs on the Pharmaceutical industry (big prices, big profits and little efficacy).

Remember for the coming hard times one needs to be as healthy and pure is possible and that means eating real whole foods, of course exercise and if at all possible (some peoples conditions are so compromised that they need allopathic medicines) avoiding the poison pushers lies about health coming from some overpriced pill that you might well end up taking the rest of your life - which might very well be shortened by said pill.

Remember the revolution/evolution is inside as well as outside.

To chezgebaude 1:49 am:

Absolutely! Ask most Americans who their congressperson or senators are, and you'll get a lot of hemming and erring. Ask them to name the head of the NSA, Sec'y of State or Defense. Ask them to name the PM of Great Britain. Blank looks. Ask them the score of their favorite team's latest game, and you'll get every stat and detail imaginable.

Americans walk around (I'm sorry, drive around) yelling about how their country (and their state, their town, their team, their high school) is the best on the planet. Ask them what metrics they are using, and you'll get the same dumb look.

Does anyone out there REALLY think the war & occupation in Iraq would be unpopular in this country if things were going well (and for half the price)?!

After all, when American Idol is beckoning, and that Powerball ticket in your wallet is going to solve all your finaincial problems, what really matters to most American voters is (1) would I have a good time drinking beer and killing other creatures with this person and (2) is this person gonna protect me and mine from all the gays who wanna get married?

Fuck this place.

Bill, so true - the media is failing us in ways that are incomprehensible, and totally irresponsible, more so when it becomes apparent that they have been sitting on the biggest story in our human history, yet fail to report on it in any serious way.

There is amongst us a spiritual Goliath awaiting the invitation to come forward and inspire us to rebuild the planet by implementing the principles of sharing, brotherhood and justice. We need these answers now to solve the critical issues we face as a planet - climate change, rising poverty, wars and energy and food shortages.

The media of the world know every facet of this information, however little they inform the public of its nature. Many of its representatives have met this individual, have heard Him speak, and yet stay silent themselves.

They are not alone - politicians, economists, scientists, artists, religious leaders and everyday people from all over the world have also met Him.

This individual is Maitreya - the World Teacher, and intends to serve as such for the next world cycle. His impact on humanity cannot be comprehended. His coming is a truly momentous happening, which must be prepared for beforehand, and adequately explained to men of every station.

The world's media are ideally placed to acquaint us with the true happenings of our time. They are looked to for information, and often guidance, by millions of us thirsty for the truth, for knowledge and hope. It behoves the men and women of the media, men and women of goodwill, to acquaint themselves with this information, where necessary, and to serve the public by its serious introduction.

Bill Moyers, will you be one of them?

Kem, I know that Obama didn't get all of his money from the little guys. I also know that he did get a lot of his money from the little guys. And I also know that if he refused to take any money from any of the big corporations, like Kucinich did, he wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting elected.

I also know that Hillary got a hell of a lot of money from the big corporations.

And, yeah, I know that global warming is a very serious problem, and I also know what might happen if the arctic tundra melts and releases all it's stored-up methane into the air.

But thanks for the tip.

Thanks for sharing Kem. I too, agree that the most important issue facing us is the environment.

Bill Moyers only hits the tip of the iceberg, 99% of that iceberg remains unseen and unknown by the general public, although with the advent of the internet more are becoming aware.

Here is and excerpt from speech given by David Rockerfeller in 1991 to the Trilateral Commission:
"We are grateful to the Washington Post, The New York Times, Time magazine and other great publications who directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost 40 years. It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But the world is now more sophisticated and prepared to march toward a world government. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto-determination practiced in past centuries."
Senator Barry Goldwater in 79 said "What the trilateralists truly intend is the creation of a worldwide economic power superior to the political governments of the nation-states involved. They believe the abundant materialism they propose to create will overwhelm existing differences. As manager and creators of the system they will rule the future".

Thanks kgarry. I love Bill Moyers, but big media is not the only problem, and we have never had a democracy in the United States; we have had a peculiar republic. Write a letter to a big Hollywood production company and ask them why they make so many movies about crime and violence, and you will receive a reply to the effect that "this is what the public wants." As the controversial psychiatrist, Thomas Szasz has written, " a large portion of the public finds the destruction of life, liberty, and property endlessly entertaining." Hmmm . . . do these people vote?

After the coming energy driven Depression (circa 2015), the financial and environmental reforms enacted by FDR (old model) and whoever steps into the mess (new model) should be a Constitutional Amendment instead merely normal laws which can be trashed by an administration of looters.

The tumbling down of the government sponsored ponzi-mortgage bubble is going to really hurt if delayed much longer.

Brilliant analysis by Moyers, one of the FEW journalists who tells the truth and thank God gets some media time!

Excellent postings by: NAMASTE, FLYERMAN, REBELNOW, CHRIS HORTON, BILL BRG, ARAQUIN & GW NORTH.

KEM: There ARE bees here... but I know what you mean. Florida could well be the insect capital of the world. My using fire ants as the symbol for Aries, the "first ray or MARS-RULES coalition" in my children's allegory is apt. There's no way to get rid of them! This year they are really into attack gear. Seems nature, the elementals are saying they've had enough of mankind's thought-less encroachment, as if the WEB of life didn't require all species to retain its integrity.

Thank you presence_aka_NamasteI like cornflowerblue.And purple! Namaste...

The film makers give the public what it will buy, Television give the public what it will watch, Corporations give the consumer what it will buy so my friends the majority of the public has what it wants except cheap energy.
The article above is just an excerpt of Bill Moyer book so it is possible it is a bit out of context but it was addressing journalism and not all the other ills of the "American" society.
I am 70 years old and I feel that the Government has been in a slow drift to the political right throughout my lifetime. A dozen box-cutters in the hands of a few religious extremest has put that drift into a plunge. "The people" have set on their asses for all of my 70 years the only period of time there was any real grassroots revolt against the drift was in the 60s but those days are gone, those who participated have mostly succumed to greed. I supposed that as one gets older and takes on more responsibilities (family, job etc.) it is human nature to get mentally flabby but where is the youth of today?

Thanks again Presence, Maybe I'll get it right this time.

Barn Burner,

Thank you for your insight. It pretty much sums it up.

For my 56 years greed has not entered the picture. We have led a very low resource lifestyle. Except for a few short years in the 80's my husband and I have been self employed since neither of us fit the corporate mold very well. That meant not a lot of frills. We could have been at home as commune members then.

Now we would like to reconnect to earth at an off the grid level. Problem is the drift has turned into a raging river and the floodwaters are sucking many of us downstream. All the plans we can make cannot be implemented fast enough against the rising tide. For us that is the problem.

The youth have followed the elders example. Too few of us rejected Empire while it rose to power. Many of us found the luxuries of dining out, movies, shiny toys and travel irresistible. Now the cost is upon us.

I have no confidence that the youth or the elders will be able to turn this around. My team of two here in West Palm Beach cannot do much with those who willfully remain ignorant of the gravity of our predicament.

Our governments have lulled the public into believing that they still have control over the events of the day. No one wants to believe otherwise. That would require them to lay their toys in the toybox and not pick them up again for a very long time. How likely given the attitude of most around you do you think that would be?

Thank you for modeling the role for 'connecting the dots'. The task ranges far beyond what Mr. Moyers has alluded to in this except, however. The 'dots' in the incomprehensible explanation for the events of 9/11/01 are a good example. But there are other, more potentially troublesome dots that could also be connected. We live in a world in which systems of communications, transportation, and infrastructure interweave one another. I sketched out how connecting the dots can also be of a far more visceral concern to everyone in a short story I wrote this past week, called "Cascade". You can read it at:
http://klurgsheld.wordpress.com/2008/05/14/short-story-cascade/

A lot of interesting stuff here. I will add my 2 cents, and I'll also send a copy of "Women: DOWN through the Ages, How Lies have shaped our Lives" to Mr. Moyers.

What is missing is this debate is this: women have been missing, absent from the "picture" since the beginning of "history," when men took over the ownership and running of the earth. It's that simple: men are simply incapable of doing it all alone. They do, at best, a half-assed job. At worst, where we are today, they're endangering the very planet.

And remember, they are supposed to be the "rational ones," women the irrational ones. Why is it that women are always blamed for men's shortcomings?

This is the real elephant in the living room, the real, ultimate revolution. That would change everything: for starters, no more false pretences for war. Not that women are anymore perfect than men; it's just that when you have a genuine (not a Thatcher or Hillery) woman's voice to balance a scared, little-kid, sabre-rattling voice like Georgie's, you'd have a different outcome. Assuming she had the same stature which is the way it should be. I'm sure Finland isn't perfect, but look at the dramatic difference between that country, where women have parity with men at every level, and the USA. (note: checkout the article about Bernie Saunder's interview with Finish diplomat).

Of course it is a tiny percentage of men, maybe 1% or less, who are in charge of the world, who dictate what is "right" and "good." It's been that way since men kicked women down the stairs to the basement in the patriarchal period. And that's where they still remain, a few steps further down in some places, a few steps up in others.

But all men are implicated, to a degree, simply because we all share in the continuing debasement of women. It's part of our culture. If we didn't share in it, rape would be unheard of.

Men will not easily give up the perks. But we're reaching a point where we may have to. Our hand is being forced by Mother Nature herself. She's pissed, and she's storming back. And no matter how catastropic the situation is all over the globe with tin-pot dictators and genocides getting to be commonplace, the response--again by the men who own the planet--is more of the same disastrous decisions and policies that got us here: full speed ahead (keep the money coming and the wars raging) come hell or hight water, and both of those aren't just coming. They're here, brought to us by our corporate sponsors.

Thank you Bill Moyers.
The 'crazy' part about this recent surge of "owner-class" elitists.. is, gee, how did most of them acquire their land?.. Most of their parents got a GI loan after WWII and bough a humble house. These houses, with time and inflation, values became worth beyond their parent's imagination and, et voila~ the kids got to become what they always wanted and aspired to be, wealthy land-owners.. Tada. In a nation teeming with immigrant's and homeless people, suddenly the homeowners take on a new meaning than it ever did prior in my lifetime. It drives me nuts, because when I was a kid, almost everyone owned their house and Nobody was That special.

Bill Moyers is certainly reasonable in his questions concerning Democracy. Certainly the idea of Democracy has always been in question when we consider the electorial college, conspiracy theories, the absence of non landowners, blacks or even women to vote. The nation has aspired to overcome these obstacles many times through hardship or even bloodshed. The reality as Moyers has pointed out is that we have a new form of authority because we have now have an administration which squashes opposition by invoking the "War on Terrorism" to deny, destroy, manipulate or investigate basically any person or business which is seen as a threat.

The "new social order" has been brought about by a "new world order" characterized by the all fair policy of supply and demand, supply side economics, Reaganomics, Limbaugh, Fox news philosophy that protects the interests of the very rich and Bildebergers employing ideas that support the top two percent (such as the estate tax) and force feeding the population that its in their best interests. Our advice is fed to us via all the media that listening to "How to be a billionaire" (although most inherited their money) should imply this opportunity should be enough for us to lay it all on the line-- meaning homes, jobs, savings and of course justice itself to feed the frenzy of big money opportunities.

Meanwhile the reality is that the new social order exists. This reality suggests that the social quest implemented by showing off the Oprah's, Donald Trumps, Michael Jordan's, Tiger Wood's or even Sam Walton's gives us all a chance. But the real story also means that a large majority of people are leveraged, enslaved, denied, disappointed and asked to accept their new found insecurities as destiny because of their ineptitude and lazy, negative attitude. Millions losing their homes is their own damn fault. Wars are fought because our leaders know better. Health care bankrupts those who therefore are simply unfortunate. Individual Rights have never meant to be applied to large corporations or large banks. Our President cares enough to keep the populace in line with a rebate to keep "Wall Street" kicking. They keep us all believing were alone in our plight, while they increase surveillance, police authority and wait to squash those most passionate about that thing we've all come to believe "Democracy". Yeah Bill may be right, but lets hope not.

CUTBANKID: Excellent posting. I, too, have brought this issue up in the forum. My favorite illustrations for how the imbalance works include the idea that BOTH oars are necessary for any vehicle to make progress, and with only the male, pro-logic (anti-feelings, including compassion and the mystical sense of ONEness that LOVE can rouse in people, not to mention the whole of humanity) "oar" guiding the global vessel, it circles endlessly and redundantly and what the "experts" note appears to be inevitable. Rather, it's the fault of asymmetric conditioning and an apparatus of church-state that maintains the imbalance and inequity.

I tend to relate matters here on earth to their celestial counterpart. From the cult of the ancient astrologers, I honor (and constantly see grounds for its veracity) the "As above, so below" Divine equation. In my view, the monotheistic orientation pushed on the masses to the point that any dissenters were labeled heretics and often put to death, does not worship the God of Jesus, a God of compassion, mercy and Love; but rather an Old Testament Saturn (judgment) Mars (war/violence) hybrid that in the name of this faux deity has brought the world, as evidenced in the conflagration in the "Holy land," birth of all three "great religions" to the brink of catastrophic decimation. I could add Mammon to the list of faux gods worshipped to complete the trio of madness, militarism and materialism that have made of humankind an equivalent virus devouring and everywhere destroying its own nest and taking the grand galaxy of diverse species along with it.

Yes. Women with open hearts and clear minds could do much to change the tide... if asked or allowed or invited! (Same can be said of other marginalized voices starting with the Indigenous of all lands who generally best understand a symbiotis as opposed to exploitative relationship to the natural world).

Oops.. symbiotic!

As much as I feel great respect and admiration for the principles that Bill Moyers stands for, and for the stories he reports on often underreported topics and issues, I can't help but be disappointed by his seeming indifference to alternative parties and their candidates, and in the Green Party in particular, of which I'm a member and delegate. I must admit that I was surprised when I learned he read one of my email comments on the air after his recent show on alternative candidates in which I criticized the show for not interviewing alternative party candidates but only Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul who are still products of the major parties if not exactly embraced by them. All of the issues Moyers brings up in this article have been, and continue to be addressed by candidates such as independent Ralph Nader and Green Party candidates Cynthia McKinney, Kat Swift, Jesse Johnson and Kent Mesplay. Aside from Nader and possibly McKinney, who did you say? And that's the point. Moyers, possibly of all journalists today, is in a position to present these alternative voices to the public and yet, at least to my knowledge, has not done so. In pollings that the Green Party has done, a majority of respondents agree with virtually all of our platform and yet say they will not vote for our candidates because it would be a wasted vote. So they'll continue to vote for candidates, as Moyers describes, as beholden to a two party system controlled by corporate interests and not their interests. It's easy to dismiss alternative parties and candidates because we're not well known. We're not well known because we're not reported on and don't have the resources to compete with the corporate powers. A truly independent press might be able to change that fact.

It's interesting to note that when our candidates have the rare opportunity to particpate in debates, as happened recently with Illinois Green Party Gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney, our polling numbers jump markedly - Whitney garnered 10-11% of the votes a very high number for Greens. Not impressed? Most of our candidates are lucky to break 2 or 3%. Ralph Nader, as our Presidential candidate in 2000, couldn't break 5%, a thresholdv that, had it been reached,would have ensured us matching funds and major party status by the Federal Elections Commission.

A majority of the American people are dissatisfied, disgusted and downright scared by the direction in which this country has been headed. Unfortunately, until we all know that there are alternative candidates and parties that we can rally 'round we're in for more of the same, if not worse.

Can America be saved? is a question for our candidates to explore and answer responsibly-re poverty and riches, war not peace, authoritartianism vs democratic rule and so on.

Elme, are you posting this information elsewhere? Go to Larry Johnson's No Quarter blog. This is important --- so important to the future of all of us.

I agree with the sentiment that TV/ Cable is undoing our democracy right under our noses. We all need to WAKE UP ! ! !

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! Democracy is going down; the planet is going under, but don't talk about the cause. Don't talk about 6.5 billion naked apes whose everyday needs cause the mountain tops to be ripped off and the land destroyed or the fact that we allow politicians to deny woman the right to contraception and sex education and safe abortions.

Come on Bill MOyers and all you progressives, get real about the need for controlling our numbers. It is already too late to avoid catastrophe, but we can prevent more children from being born into the coming crash as oil is depeleted and food scarcity brings on famines. The degradation of our democracy is just one more symptom of a world where hope and opportunity is fast leaving the scene because of overpopulation and its concommitant destruction of the planet. If you have money to spare give it to those organizations that provide family planning. All other causes are already lost!

As this roll of comments demonstrates -- "We the People" is still around ... how to turn this all into a democratic influential force is the key ... words turned into organization, into resistance, into huge voting blocs that will alter the current course, into wise decisions about this kind of choice, into the dedication of time involved to be "we the people."

Bill Moyers, like always, makes the complete description of "The State of The Union" Webster would have been proud.

One key detail he mentions is that Propaganda rules our elections and our business.
If I may go further on this....
Propaganda and Advertising are based on the study of the emotion to manipulate the voter, and the buyer, to "buy" the right thing or the candidate being promoted. With two exception, in California, the candidate that spends the most wins. This has to do with power, not with Democracy.
But, and this is my dubious extension, we seem to have promoted Emotions over Reason.
One candidate insists in repeating the word "tought" as if no one cares "Tough on What?", to what purpose and objective, she never says, and up to what limits does she intend to be "tough".
That is the choice we face now: A Choice Between Meaninglessness and Meaningfullness. We get to think and consider the views of one candidate or we can "share the emotions", like she said once "I just don't want us to go back!"
Does she believe that she is the ONLY qualified person in the US that could be President?
How about Bill Moyers For President?

I'm not an American but I've lived in the USA for 16 years. Where Americans get the idea you have a democracy is just simply hogwash, you don't and I don't think you ever have. For a real democracy requires the whole spectrum of political philosophy not only to be represented but to take an active roll, but in the USA it's either extreme right wing or right wing. I've heard some politicians being labeled "liberals " what is that somebody with a little empathy, someone who has some thoughts about the welfare of another person or persons rather than me, me and me.

Not only is this dog eat dog society bad policy it's criminal. Small children being deprived of basic needs when others live in palaces all over the world and want for nothing. The poor are their own worst enemy, they look up and admire these greedy gluttons because they dream of being one of them one day, where is democracy in that, worst of all where is the common sense.

Everyone complains (done a lot myself), but we all know the problems - for a change, for a look at a positive vision of where we ought to be going, try Green Island http://www.rudemacedon.ca/greenisland.html

The best part of any Moyers article on CD is usually the discussion that follows. A wide range of people bring up a wide range of concerns and even those who post to dispute points mostly do so with courtesy and respect. Such is the power of Moyers.

I am glad Bill Moyers got out of politics (LBJ aide) and has stuck with journalism. I would love to hear him blister the ears of the Democratic Party elite at their convention in Denver in a couple of months with an unforgettable keynote address, but know better than to seriously expect it. I hope he devotes some of his remaining time on earth to mentoring replacements for his dying breed of journalism.

Wilmor, I commend your personal example and believe that multiplied by the millions such practice could change things for the better. I disconnected from the cable a long time ago and fully expect to stop watchng any TV (maybe I watch 1-2 hours a month now) come February next year when all existing non-HDTV TV's will become obsolete.

I give to the local food bank, homeless shelter, battered women's and children's shelter, and the Vietname Veterans of America clothing drives. I also support several community radio stations around the US (which, thanks to the Internet, I can hear) when they have their pledge drives.

To my former Philadelphia colleague Kem Patrick: In Florida I have noticed the same thing, even the bugs are getting scarce. I saw a garter snake in the back yard today while raking leaves but even the mosquitos are way down. I too have wondered exactly what the rest of the natural order is trying to tell us by their disappearence and so far the speculations are not very comforting.

Siouxrose, your occasional meta-views of our plight are both welcome and interesting. Do you ever feel like Cassandra alluded to by Moyers in his article? The role of prophet or prophetess seems to be mocking if things they predict don't immediately come true and resentment or anger at them if they do. Either way it is not an easy calling.

Well, here's an issue that's important that gets little coverage: John McCain was part of the Keating 5, S&L scandal. Today several McCain Staffers stepped down in a lobbyist purge, one of which was John McCain's national finance co-chairman Loeffler.

I did a google search and this is what I found:

"As a congressman, Loeffler was the top of five members of Congress who received illegal donations from Vernon Savings & Loan. The S&L was eventually bailed out by $1.3 billion in taxpayers money. Loeffler also tried to set up a meeting with then-US Secretary of Treasury James Baker III to discuss the S&L paying off the debt accumulated from his failed 1986 gubernatorial race."

And

Bush Family:

"There are several ways in which the Bush family plays into the Savings and Loan scandal, which involves not only many members of the Bush family but also many other politicians that are still in office and still part of the Bush Jr. administration today. Jeb Bush, George Bush Sr., and his son Neil Bush have all been implicated in the Savings and Loan Scandal, which cost American tax payers over $1.4 TRILLION dollars (note that this is about one quarter of our national debt)."

I only hope that other people will do some research for themselves.

Listen to Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, and all the other right-wing bloviators. They absolutely deny that anything's seriously wrong with the Bush's America and refer to those who do see the truth and try to warn of what's coming as various kinds of idiots, morons, loonies, and whackos. These people have millions of fawning, eagerly believing listeners who grasp on their every word like it's Holy Gospel. If America is going to avert catastrophe, it can only happen if there is unity of purpose. We are nowhere near to that. Half this country can't even be bothered to vote in a Presidential election, and half of those who do vote, voted twice to install the biggest gang of the most greedy, arrogant, and power-hungry thieves, thugs, crooks, shysters, and whores in history into the halls of power. Turning around that kind of entrenched, bone-deep stupidity would be difficult in the best of circumstances. With the likes of Limbaugh, Coulter, O'Reilly, and Hannity reinforcing it daily, it is pretty much impossible. America had a great run. The good news is that we'll leave a detailed account of our collapse so that future generations can perhaps learn from our example.

Self-interest rules all unfettered species. National interests only differentiate our primary concern if our National interests require it. The Vietnam War was the last time we nationally showed up to the party. Since then, many have assumed that "autopilot" is all the oversight that Citizens need endorse of our officials.

The deeper into history one travels, the clearer it becomes. For the lower class to expect any consideration at all, our leaders require regular monitoring.

Autopilot conversely, is akin to falling asleep at the wheel.

Every generation prior to the Baby Boomers, understood both the need to contribute as well as embrace the nation. Ask any generation prior to the baby boomers. The contrast between the prevailing senses of civic obligation, against that of today is compelling. Our elder's descriptions often point toward the source of our lack of community.

In order to develop a sense of community, devoid an accompanying societal demand, remains easier said than done. The autopilot generations, now charged with oversight, are no longer capable of identifying impending hazards. Let's just say that we have never seen a need.

It seems rather obvious that global concerns require global participation. Global participation summons global unity as well. Now let's evaluate whether global unity serves the many or the few. Democracy by definition describes the many. If you consider yourself among the many, we need not continue any further.

Divisiveness, opposes the concerns of the many in a Global realm. We have however, globally as well as nationally grown more and more opposed since the Vietnamese national muster.

Moderation, acceptance and community, this is where we have been heading all along. We must collectively determine where our allegiance lies. The factions that fight most furiously often have the most in common as well. Perhaps like our forbearers we should unite as one for our common good.

"United we stand, Divided we fall"

Kem Patrick et al.
The second biggest stumbling black to critical thinking is your idea of human nature. The first is religion. While I applaud most of what you write, maybe all else, I find the ideas represented by your mere words on human nature quite intellectually limiting. Human nature is what we make it; each day, each word we write. Without this core truth, for me, hope is just foolishness.
Thanks for listening

Kem, In addition to the many obvious ramifications of Global Warming, including methane madness, I believe that Depleted Uranium blowing all over the planet may be another major cause of mass die-offs around this beautiful Earth. Silent Spring...ugh...I can sadly say that each year I hear/see fewer birds in the woods I live in...including bees, spiders and so forth.

I admire Bill Moyers for his integrity and unflinching honesty in speaking truth to power. I would add one more item to his list of factors leading to the end of democracy in America: the privatization of the election system, as described in "Loser Take All", edited by Mark Crispin Miller. When the ballot box, the people's last resort for registering its common will, is taken over by private companies (such as Diebold and other staunch Republican supporters), our last resort is stolen, and democracy as we know it is finished.

With so many informed and intelligent and interesting comments posted on this website it would be fascinating to see these posts pooled together into concrete ideas to solve the many problems we are facing now and in the future. We all have a lot to say and many have provided good sound ideas, have researched, compounded and digested the information to reach conclusions that are well thought out and positive in their nature. These are the things that it will take to begin the nuturing process that this country is needing. Kudos to all!

Like many of the Hopi mentors Ive known who assert one thing to the younger brothers and sisters: "PREPARE!"

Indeed, Huck.

The whole Message from the Hopi Elders goes like this:

You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour.
Now you must go back and tell the people that this is The Hour.

Here are the things that must be considered:

Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

This could be a good time!

There is a river flowing now very fast.
It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid.
They will try to hold on to the shore.
They will feel like they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.

Know the river has its destination.
The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off toward the middle of the river,
keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.

See who is there with you and celebrate.

At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves!
For the moment we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.

The time of the lonely wolf is over.
Gather yourselves!

Banish the word struggle from your attitude and vocabulary.

All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

The Elders,
Oraibi, Arizona
Hopi Nation

Bill Moyers is simply chronicling the events that are taking place in the natural evolution of decay before a new order can be built up.

The question now seems to be not how we can stop this decay, but how we are going to build up a new order after this one falls. We have to do it within ourselves and within our social networks. The time of the lonely wolf is over. WE are the ones we have been waiting for.

Iammyself: There is great beauty and wisdom in your post. Thank you.

Bill -- truth -- well spoken!

I AMMYSELF: Thanks for the Hopi quote.

POET: Funny you should mention it! My astrological allegory for "children of all ages" is now published and ready to share! It's entitled, "Cassandra's Tale: Invitation to the Circle," and I did give the child, (Cassandra, that is) my birthday, shared with Queen Buzz bee, ambassador of the 5th ray, Leo. (It's Bill Clinton and Obama's sign, interesting how Hillary has both in common. I seem to recall that Tipper Gore and Bill Clinton had the same birthday, too.)