Make appointments that transfer 15 to 16 trillions of Main Street's wealth to the Big Financial firms, appointments that allow the Biggest Pollutant of cropland (formaldehyde levels in RoundUp sprayed wheat in the USA are now sky high!) to become an entity more powerful than the government itself (Monsanto now owns BlackWater!) and continue to claim we need to put all of our remaining wealth into Surveillance Programs while our infra structure and health system crumbles - and you too can be a Nobel Prize Winner.

But what can any one do? Like the Germans portrayed by Milton Mayer in "They Thought They Were Free," did in the Thirties, most Americans simply put their fists in their pockets and hope no one will notice their silent protest.

would be brought. In that case, a moron brought charges. A jury rightly decided that the charges were ridiculous. Checks and balances. All part of our republic, and still functioning, too. The guy walks, because he was exercising his first amendment rights, and the jury recognized that, even though it was not allowed to come up in court.

That's why we have juries in our republic. It's in the Constitution, and is one of the safeguards we enjoy.

The case itself was an abberation. If another, similar one appears, then a discussion of tre n ds can happen. One case with a logical result. The DA and the judge were morons. Morons abound.

writing an anti-bank message on the sidewalk. NO DEMOCRACY!

And, most importantly, one jury. Morons also are judges and DAs. One case says nothing about our system.

but there is plenty of damning material that does.

I did not start this thread, though.

As the surveillance state becomes more open about it...and people become concerned about opposing the state...you know, like in the USSR and China under Mao
Don't tell us it could not happen here...it is right before our eyes and yet some will ot see.

There was some outsourcing and union bashing before him but he, or rather his handlers, opened the floodgates. Every President since has acted under the guidelines of Reagan and has practiced Reaganism. All of them. And our current leader is as bad if not worse than Reagan when it comes to corporatism, undermining American workers and dismantling and disposing of government workers.

We lost the country in November of 1980 by a landslide. 1984 sealed the deal with millions of middle class voters happily jumping off a cliff and willingly killing the future of their children.

The corporations came roaring thru.

we are now living in. They had been caught, even prosecuted and indicted, and even convicted in some cases, yet they were rescued, and with the help of a Democrat. THAT should have been the clue that something needed to be done, quickly. And Nixon's gang of conspirators also, all were allowed to go free despite the treasonous actions they were involved in against this country.

And when you let a criminal go, they do what these criminals did, they do it again, and again. And they have and now there is NO Rule of Law that applies to them.

I blame the extreme partisans on both sides for were we are and I am sick to death of them, frankly.

As they struggle to raise their own kids in this crappy economy. This country has been circling the drain since the Reagan years.

Not them individually but them collectively. Their whole generation, all blue collar union workers that fell for the welfare queen bullshit and voted for that son of a bitch.

They reluctantly agreed but said Carter was so bad that it was an easy mistake to make. It must have been, Reagan destroyed him in that election. Still, it's not an acceptable excuse.

An ad for a school for troubled teens.

Amazing what can be accomplished with a ton of money and a fickle,willfully ignorant and disengaged voting public.

Add blind party loyalty to that.

"It's not wrong if MY guy does it!"

Examples abound.

Our republic died a horrible, lingering death.

Establishment of a permanent war footing as the basis for the American economy led to massive explosion of private profits for companies providing the weapons and services for war...followed by a 25-year spending binge in Vietnam that enriched those companies beyond the dreams of avarice...so they bought into other areas (media, oil), bought congress, and the rest is history.

"National Security." Most successful sales pitch in history.

thanks for adding that.

and why we've also had one of the worst social safety nets of any western Democracy.

It's never been the same. Corporate interests via the Felonious Five proved they could trump established law, even the constitution, by getting their boy announced as president without winning the votes.

It's all been downhill since then.

Where it would have been if General Smedley Butler had carried through on his assignment from the oligarchs to assassinate FDR.

-90% Jimmy

and achieved approximate fundraising parity with the gop. Republicans had traditionally had a fundraising advantage before then. We should build a time machine and go back to '92 and all change our primary votes to Tom Harkin or Dick Gephardt.

point. He let the Koch brothers in through the DLC.

If our elected Democrats want to continue down the corporatist path we will have to start sinking their asses come primary time. The Democratic party is going to have to learn to fear their base more then they fear Wallstreet and people like the Koch brothers. We are going to have to let them know that if they don't support poor and middle class Americans we will vote them out. Just saying it isn't enough anymore or actions need to speak louder then the Koch brothers money.