This mess America is in didn't start with Bush/Cheney, they just brought it to a head. We have been going backwards since the Reagan years with no break even when there was a democrat? in the White House.  The Clintons are rich elite corporatists just like the repugs who are now in office.  All we need to do is look at who owns most of the wealth (that means income producing assets) and that tells us.  Fewer and fewer of us own our own homes, land or means of production. Most of our once publically owned goods, such as clean water and power generating plants have been privatized.  Even our prisons are now for-profit. Is it any wonder that we incarcerate more citizens than any other country? The social safety net has disappeared and now we survive at the pleasure of the rich and powerful.  This is no longer a free country in any sense of the word.

by macdon1 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 113 comments [4 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, May 4, 2008 at 9:04:26 PM

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In my mind - Bush and Cheney have destroyed American Democracy.

Before Bush/Cheney American Democracy was seen by many as an ideal for government - a government of the people and by the people, with checks and balances like a free press and separate Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of Government.

Bush and his corporate backers have gained control of the U.S. Government and the main-stream media through bribes, extortion, and acquisitions.  There is no longer a free press.  All branches of Government are just puppets of big business.

I think the general public feels that government is not working for the people as indicated by polls that show what the public thinks about the President and Congress.  The main-stream media however is able to keep the lid on any citizen revolt by controlling what the public sees and hears.

The only hope I have for America is if a spiritual awakening should happen such that people who think doing what is best for America and it's people is much more important than power and money choose to run for office.

  Another possible turning point is the Internet and it's power to give voice to other views of the world. 

by Philip Pease (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 210 comments [11 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 10:41:05 AM

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We need to be very concrete about what people can do and about what needs to be done right now. Because the leading institutions of the society absolutely refuse to do what must be done and what is right, it is up to the people, you and me, to do what must be done. 

This isn't on the one hand, easy, because people are accustomed to following the lead - and relying upon - their leaders: public officials and mass media.

What must happen now requires that people step out of that habit and act independently and individually to raise our voices against the monstrous things being done.

The logic of what Bush and Cheney have spearheaded is obvious if you think about it: nothing, absolutely nothing, stands in the way of accomplishing their program as long as their basic rationale remains unchallenged - the idea that American lives are better than those of non-Americans.

On the other hand, what needs to be done is disarmingly simple. Show in your daily life how you feel. Declare your opposition to torture, unjust war, and tyranny. Wear orange everywhere you go.

Some people say: what good will that do? The answer is also simple: we need the mass sentiment against what's going on to become a visible, material force. Every single person who begins doing this is creating a different atmosphere around them and establishing a different political pole for others to gather around. A single person of conscience has a great deal of power because the existing authorities are so utterly bankrupt. As more and more people do this, and as we reach critical mass (around 1% of the population), then many things that are now impossible, open up as possibilities.

As World Can't Wait has said: "If you're against this but don't show it, it doesn't count. If you act, but act too late, then it doesn't matter."  

by Dr. Dennis Loo (40 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 78 comments) on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 11:51:48 AM

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I agree.  In my daily life, and I work full time, I wear an orange bandana tied to my purse.  And a yellow ribbon on my Coach bag!  I work in downtown Manhattan and everyone does turn to look at it.  Occasionally people will ask, and I tell them what it stands for.  they like the idea, and I give them a ribbon to wear.  I have probably gotten 10 people to wear ribbons, and it's posted on www.declareitnow.ning.com.  Anyone interested, should sign up and show your resistance!

by Elaine Brower (21 articles, 3 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 24 comments) on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 5:03:49 PM

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that have been slowly been put into place over the past 30 years, and what we are witnessing is these powers starting to be implemented.

If Bill was "impeached" over a lie about a personal matter, then All former and current Bu$h & Co. should be impeached, with guilty verdicts of Treason issued before being handed over to the Hague for War Crimes. They then need to spend their life sentences at Gitmo enduring what "Enemy Combatant's" have received, for their pre-empted tactics based on lies to augment illegal occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq.

I refer to the continuing misguided foreign policy snafu's as the "War Of Terror", since it is Bu$h & Co. who began this travesty with the false flag operation of 9/11. People of the world were shown the "Shock & Awe" these fascist's "Goon's & Thug's" are willing to unleash so as to follow through on an imperialistic agenda of control of the ME oil supply.

They monopolize the illegal amassing of profits while culling a sect (Muslim) of the "Useless Eaters" population they deem unfit with their "Crusade".

I too am embarrassed of being an American citizen while the self-appointed administration of Bu$h & Co. continue their terroristic aggression policies against all who are not a part of the "Either With Us Or against Us" mentality.

by Stanimal (2 articles, 229 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 1265 comments [237 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 5:26:15 PM

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When it comes to sacrificing others lives, the fascista state takes no note of citizenship, witness the 9/11 deliberate murder of 3,000 citizens of the world. The sacrificial 4,000+ US armed forces only matter as the corporate press allows it to rise to a level of public discourse. The vampire elite  only recognize the privilege  of class based on net worth.

by Ramon Puga (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 30 comments) on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 6:23:08 PM

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I suspect few want to think about the consequences of Presidents breaking humankinds most important social contracts with impugnity but of course anything that important and conspicuous will have consequences.

Torture and aggressive invasion weren't previously prohibitted on political whim.

Impeachment is/was the ONLY peaceful solution.  

Before Nelson Mandela was an old statesman he was a young man. Sometimes the only choices are between degrees of violence.  

I don't know exactly how history proceeds without impeachment but I can't see any peaceful resolution to a state in which Presidents can torture and aggressively invade against their treaty obligations and their own oaths.

If national democracies can't or won't check rogue national leaders then national democracies aren't good enough and humans will find something different.  

The United States can't treat the whole world like American Indians without creating Geronimos and billions of sympathisers.  

by Brett Paatsch (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 23 diaries, 1308 comments) on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 9:50:24 PM

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I love this idea of wearing orange to draw people's attention to the crisis. I think many people are appalled by our government, but because the media put across the impression that there is nothing to be alarmed about (except terrorists), they feel isolated and alienated. If everyone who agrees Bush and Cheney should be impeached for choreographing (such an apt word!) torture wears orange as conspicuously as possible, more people may be emboldened to speak out or take action. I live in Japan, but even here, the media tend to parrot America's MSM. There are occasionally very good documentaries on the national NHK station and most people know things are rotten in America--they have more awareness on 911 than most Americans--but they just don't know how bad it has gotten recently. This would be a good conversation starter.

by Oh (7 articles, 5 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 321 comments [41 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 7:54:54 AM

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