Corporate America, Inc

If you're a corporation, especially one providing services in Iraq, you measure success MONEY and lots of it.  

If you were a middle class American you count the national debt your children will have to pay and call it SELL OUT with no end in sight.

Nice Article, I agree with voting your heart, the pessimist in me says it will take a hell of a lot more than a vote.

We voted for change in 2000 and 2004 and have been given one hell of a ride and sometimes it seems unstoppable.

What can we do? 

by August Adams (10 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 465 comments) on Wednesday, January 2, 2008 at 9:52:27 PM
 

What do we do?

I take your comments as an expression of the frustration we all feel.  Each of us has our own ideas about how we correct this terrible situation our nation has fallen into.

But I think we have to begin treating 'causes' rather than 'symptoms' as a first step.

In my opinion, of the candidates we see and hear, the Republicans are just fairly well satisfied and therefore don't agree that we have a problem at all.  Ron Paul does say that we have serious economic problems underwritten by poor policy and giving him credit, he is the only candidate of either party who understands that the cheap dollar only multiplies our World economic woes, as the price of oil, for example is multiplied to us using dollars (oil in up three fold when measured in dollars; two-fold when measured in Euros; and not even doubled when measured in other currency).  Why can't we do anything beyond simple math in public policy?

Among the Democrats, I see three primary candidates each immulating the previous President they feel is needed now.  John Edwards is emulating Teddy Roosevelt who said NO to the monopolies and trusts and broke the anti-trust hold on America at the turn of the last century.  Barack Obama is emulating John Kennedy as the great orator and healer and the one president able to mobilize the youth in a campaign.  Hillary Clinton is emulating Bill CLinton and asking for four more years of the Clinton policy.

 As of this moment, the leadership word is "Change".

Of course we have to remember that change has been used in every campaign when a new President was elected.  Nixon used it in moving into the White House after Johnson and the Democrats.  Carter used it to defeat Ford.  Reagan used it to defeat Carter.  Clinton used it to defeat Bush. And GW Bush used it to defeat Gore.

Change didn't work at other times as well.

The work and spirit is an expression of the key point within an election.  But whether it resonates is the key.  And don't forget that the Democrats almost always seem invincible in the winter and early spring and the Republicans seem totally out of it.  But once the fal sets in the Republicans can always manufacture enough fear and arrogance - and cash to engineer swift-boaters, and other pure fiction into a competitive race.

Between now and election day, we'll actually see a 50+ million dollar manufactured issue of fear of invasion by some unknonw group - the bogey man campaign.  We'll witness a 50+ million dollar campaign of good versus evil by the evangelicals and non-evangelicals.

And the networks will literally use each of the candidates own dollars and their own choke hold on reporting, editing, positioning and commentary to shape and redirect public opinion into a close contest where one does not exist.  Why?  Because it makes them money and exalts their influence.

So other than staying true to your heart and disciplined in your own approach and thoughts, the only thing you can do is pick a candidate that suits you and work like hell to get them elected.  And share your thoughts openly knowing you will be attacked and derided.  You have as much right to speak as that arrogant individual that will attack you, and don't wither under the storm.  Fight back.

This is Standing up to a bully 101.  And that's what we first have to do, is break the back of the bullies and take our country back.  I agree with John Edwards populism, honestly, that we must stand up to those that have a chokehold and take our country back.

by Bill Burkett (16 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 22 comments) on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 6:50:05 AM