What are you doing differently since the "election"?

On November 3, minutes after Kerry's concession speech, I called my old temp agency and requested a second job. Within an hour, I had a second job and I started Nov 4. This decision has kept me very busy, which is good because without the distraction I am sure I would have gone insane.

I saving all the money from my second job. I am saving it in a bank, but I am considering keeping it in a foreign locale. I don't have enough money to switch to gold, or I would. My plan is to save money and if things continue to get worse, which they seem like they must, I will leave in a year or so for a more "primitive" country, if it is still possible to leave. I think a Depression is increasingly likely.

Like the rest of you, I did everything I could to support JK and to denounce Bush. I was completely, totally unprepared for the election "results." It was the worst shock of my life. I never thought the American people were this bad, but it seems the effects of rampant evangelical fundamentalism, of non-stop media propaganda, of an out-of-control consumer culture, of battered public schools, and of racism, have been successful in reducing a majority of Americans into Nazis.

While my trust in politicians has never been strong, it is even harder now to trust ANY politician. The whole political process seems like a game to me or, at best, the Democratic party has no clue how to fight fascism. This doesn't mean I am leaving the party or criticizing the JK campaign. Some of the best people I've ever met worked for the JK campaign and even if the game is fixed, they were fighting for real and with everything they had.

The worst thing to me remains the Occupation of Iraq, the murdering of our troops by our government, the looting of Iraq, the buildup of military bases, and all the other horrors we are inflicting on these people who did nothing to us. I have never accepted this horrible, monstrous Invasion/Occupation and I never will. I will never be a Nazi, I will never be a Crusader, I will never love Big Brother, and I will never acknowledge this government as legitimate.

I am not spending money on non-essential shopping, but I haven't done that in years. I don't watch TV or listen to corporate radio, but I haven't done that in years. I really don't know what else I can do.

So this is where I stand. Stunned, furious, terrified, and hopeless. I am finding people like Alex Jones more and more believable. I am encouraging my Muslim friends to leave the country and the other students to consider studying abroad. My worst fear is another 9/11 MIHOP and a subsequent draft.

I wish I could offer something more encouraging, but it would be dishonest. I know some will feel I am quitting, but I feel I am simply preparing myself for the inevitable, always-worsening, catastrophes to come. My sad, heartbreaking slogan for America is now: Soviets at home, Nazis abroad. I hope against hope I am wrong and if I can do anything to stop this, I will.

I will always be politically active and I still love DU with all my heart. I have been posting less, but I still lurk and find comfort in my friends here and their brilliance.

Keep your eyes open, everybody, and be honest to yourself about what you see. Please don't get caught flat footed and no matter how you react to this tragedy, I wish you all the best of luck.

a Sufi shaykh who said, "don't worry about politics, worry about soul". I am praying more, paying more attention to my spiritual practices. Even so, I don't have a good feeling about the coming months. Keep your woodpile and larder well stocked.

I'm spending my money on stuff I need while it's still worth something, and I'm getting involved in political activism at the local level because I absolutely refuse to give up. I'm a veteran of the anti-Vietnam war protests of the 60s, and learned a thing or two then about how you get a movement going. You have to do what's right for you, but I don't think despair is the answer. Politics is a pendulum. The '60s were a reaction to the '50s and the fear, repression and McCarthyism of those days. There will be a reaction to Bush's fascism, too. I intend to be a part of it.

but i do not feel hope.

thanks for your words. i find them brave and encouraging!

i don't watch the news either, barely read the papers (got a LTTE in the LATIMES, yay) and i am pretty grumpy a lot of the time.

i think you are right about a reaction to this fascism, at least i hope you are, but w/ no fairness doctrine and bushco's control of congress and the media and many of the courts, and w/ the r/w churches on his side, how do we find our way out? it seems like they manage to blindside us every time. like the law about painkiller prescriptions and chipping away at roe/wade. all these sneaky maneuvers that get by.

i was more optimistic in the 60s. now all i feel is dread; maybe it's because i hate the thought of living out my 'old age' under repugs and that my daughter will have to live under them too. i'm isolated here at home w/ a 'good german' husband who takes everything that bushco hands out. i have no doubt that he'd hand me / our daughter over to bush if he asked.

As I sit here watching the dollar fall, I don't quite see the point of working hard to make more dollars that are worth less and less.

although i agree that the dollar is going to fall much, much more

I joined Costco right away and bought a lot of food and am adding to my stash, a little each week. I've haunted survival sites gathering hints and ideas.

progressive supporting businesses

i am spending more time on my spiritual life and am in the process of feng shuing my whole house

luckily my partner is totally ready to change our lifestyle from consumerism to living lightly

i am researching what veggies i can grow here in my desert home and will start to slowly stock up on dried food every time I go to the farmers market

i am also researching economical used cars I can get to replace my SUV on days I don't need it's cargo capacity

any extra cash I can get my hands on will be spent at the pawn shop buying gold in the form of rings. First I will put a bit of cash away ing the safe since the dollar will be used as currency in the US despite it's degraded status on the world market

if I had land and a farm, i would feel a little more secure.

but an apartment in a city is no place to be when a Depression hits.

It is a tragedy, and a difficult thing to deal with. This election was perhaps even more important than even we imagined.

Little things I do differently: I am somewhat cured of my newsjunkie syndrome. I am finding that there are other channels on cable besides CNN and MSNBC. I hate turning on TV and seeing The Chimp.

Also, I am socially boycotting all righties.

Thanks for putting your thoughts on the election in writing. You have eloquently summed up the wretchedness of it all.

as always, writing down my thoughts improves my thoughts...

good luck, HB

I spent four years waiting for 11/2/04 in order to right the wrong of 2000. I was so angry, so sickened by 2000 and events that followed. The arrogance, the ineptness. I truly belived that America would not reward Bush for his record so riddled with incompetence and so against the economic interests of the majority.

I came to respect and believe in John Kerry, I so looked forward to his leadership.

When it became obvious that he would not be our next President, I decided to back away from the national scene. While I had mostly given up cable news and corporate media, I now steadfastly stay away. I just scan the local paper, watch Jon Stewart, and read DU. That's it...and I don't dwell.

It took me a long time to accept the 2000 result. I didn't linger this time and have worked hard to purge feelings of anger, hate, and disgust, It does no good.

Quite honestly I don't expect much to change in two years, four years or eight. America has bought into government by delusion on a grand scale over the past 24 years. It will take major events to shake some common sense into our fellow citizens who have followed the Republican rubicon.

So I'm focusing on finding new interests and rediscovering old ones.
I've adopted a bit of arrogance like "Who cares what they think. The actions of my government has little if any impact on my day-to-day life so I'm not going to waste my time or emotional energy on them any longer.

Too bad for the soldiers killed in Iraq, it's what people voted for. If women lose the right to have an abortion, well they should've thought about who they were voting for. When the economy tanks, too bad on us. Of course we all have to suffer for this misdirection.

Like the old saying that Bush mangled, "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me." The American people have been fooled again. I don't blame Bush, I don't blame Kerry. The blame lies with the American people so I'm just doing my best to move on.

and everyone else's children and my desire to make this world a better place. I can so relate to what you are saying about looking forward to Nov. 2, 2004 after the horid debacle of 2000. I just can't accept that we can't cause change in time for my kids to avoid a draft, for our civil liberties to erode, etc, etc. - you know the drill - all the things we need to fight for.

So, I don't avoid Republicans because I want to know what they are all about so that when I work in the 2008 election, I will know what the other side is thinking.

I watch the news because I want to keep Bush and Co. accountable, as much as I can. Again, I am looking ahead to the 2006 and 08 elections and want to stay very informed, so that I can be a better contributer to the cause.

I think we all have to stay well informed and keep on our toes. The pendulum will swing in our direction and maybe sooner rather than later if we are ready to act when we have an opening.

They're older (17 & 21), very intelligent yet I don't think they have any idea what they might be in for.

I lay much of the blame on fellow baby boomers (I'm 49) and especially the later generations of the '70s and '80s, the ones who grew up with Reagan and just think everything he and the Republicans have done is great. Of course they've nothing to contrast it to and have heard nothing but the right-wing propaganda machine of the past 20+ years.

It is up to the newer generations to affect change but they've got to wake up before anything will happen. Life is very comfortable for them for the most part and there are many diversions.

It took a lot of dying in the '60s to get people active and their activism only continued until the danger of getting sent to and killed in Vietnam ended.

Unless and until it gets personal, Americans can't be bothered.

With Peak Oil and all, a collapse is coming regardless.

I am looking forward to 2005 and how much money I will be able to give to others who need it more than me starting with family members who have fallen on hard times because of lost jobs and illness.

Happy 2005 everyone!!!

I've stepped off the Consumer Hamster Wheel myself. It's very freeing!


:hi:

I only wish many, many more would join us!!

so maybe I can get 6-8 more people going in that direction :)

If enough of us do that (and let them know), maybe they'll change, because of ratings?

-wildflower

or ignoring redneck anti liberal comments. I try to shop local and used to make sure to point out that I was a local small family rancher now I may start pointing out that I am also NOT a republican and that I do not support what we are doing in the world right now.

Stopped ignoring rightwing propaganda e-mails. Even the funny ones. Now I may be losing the friendship of someone I once really respected but they seem to be brainwashed. So sad as this person is the most "question authority" type I have ever known. now I am narrowminded because I don't believe what the administration or military is telling me? WTF? What happend to you, E?

The last thing I watched on TV news was Kerry's concession speech. All my news comes from print media sources now.

I've made a conscious decision to surround myself and my family with positive and supportive people as much as possible. I'd rather have a crappy social life than to feel like I'm compromising my convictions or feeling stressed out all the time by friends and acquaintances.

I'm trying to focus on my family as much as possible these days. I'm also trying to distract myself with hobbies and the like - simple things that I can control. It's helping with my sanity and providing normalcy for my kids as much as possible.

I've been really focused on the holidays. I've always loved the holidays, but this year I'm more involved than usual because, dammit, I need something positive to look forward to. As much as I'd like to starve the beast altogether, I have instead been researching 'blue' companies and making a real effort to make sure our money stays out of red hands as much as possible.

To sum it up - I'm living in a bubble right now. I know I can't maintain it, but for now it's the only thing keeping me sane.

I don't watch news any longer. I rarely read the paper. I only get news from DU and online news sources. I'm also spending less and trying to 'starve the beast.' Buying from local businesses, Costco, and the local farmer's market.

I'm focusing on my family and my business. Trying to enjoy our time together. I'm doing my best to not be as angry as 2000 but instead to focus on possibilities. I just can't be angry for another 4 years. I'm also focusing local.

just buying what I need and not necessarily what I want

Most christmas/hannuka presents this year will be homemade -- either a painting or a "gift basket" with some of our jams, jellies and other such goodies

sorry - when the economy is this shitty and with bush*'s "YIPPEE-YAHOO!" economic policy in place the only thing I can see around the corner is another depression

Everything I would write if I could organize my thoughts so well.

The last two years have rendered me poor, which I am almost thankful for when considering the uses US capital and production are put to lately. I contribute less than most. What I would change I mostly changed during term 1. Gone back to school, to be a more effective advocate of my own beliefs. Limited participation in the economy. Turned off the TV.

Local politics is the next step - change may come city by city, rather than from the top down.

i must agree that local is the only logical venue left.

i want to speak to the person i am supporting, and ask QUESTIONS.

keep on, friend...

I voted for the first time this year, and I felt deeply wronged when word of all the voting irregularities started coming in. On Nov. 3rd, I decided that I don't want to live in this country anymore. However, it'll take a little while for me to save up enough money so that I can jet off to a foreign country that has yet to be determined.

In the meanwhile, I've been getting the word out about http://votergate.tv . I have like a 100 flyers in the back seat of my car, and I post them up in places where I hope a lot of people see them. I also target cars with a lot of W or Bush/Cheney stickers on them. I got special flyers that I stick on their windshields, and I believe a little bit of freeway blogging deep in the heart of republican country is in my near future.

I'm fired up, and as long as I'm in this country, I will do what is in my power to bring this regime down.

good luck with your freeway blogging!

Olbermann, Daily Show, and 60 Minutes.

and making sure that I can leave the country in a hurry if need be. Accumulating as much money as I can and accumulating less material goods so that leaving is easier.

keep your wits about you and i hope you can escape in the manner you want.

.... I live in S.C. , where there are Piggly Wiggly's. I worked at a couple of them as a teenager. There's a "super-sized" one down the street from me, where I had gone for years to buy my staple items. Now, let me tell you, although my state is full of right-wing nut jobs, the neighborhood where I live is actually a sort of liberal oasis in Columbia. The State Newspaper ran an article about the Senate race between Inez Tanenbaum and (nutjob) Jim DeMint, and my zip code turned out to be the leading contributor to Inez' campaign. Not only that, but Kerry won my county (Richland) with 57% of the vote - the biggest county he took in the state, and you'll note that the percentage is higher than he got in California (55%).

Well, the Piggly Wiggly down the street planted a bunch of signs in the grassy knoll fronting it's parking lot. Election signs for Bush, DeMint, and the most loathsome of them all, Joe Wilson (my congressman - and a fawning Bush lackey if there ever was one).

I haven't stepped foot in the mother fucker since, and I've been scouting choosetheblue.com for nutjob contributors ever since, and I've been passing the word. We've got to get the money away from these rednecks - that's their achilles' heel.

Also, a local business owner and friend of mine is getting together a group of progressives to try and raise money and do something (we're not sure what yet) to get the Dems going around here again. I'm in.

I'm in Columbia, Richland county too - please EMAIL me with any info on how other local dems here are organizing. I am very interested. I have a "DU" at my work place that has been growing steadily that keeps me sane and would also be interested in something like you describe. The local dem party here hasn't been a whole lot of help, but it seems to be getting better ...

And I thought I was as cut back as one could possibly get. The distinction between what's a need and what's a want is becoming clearer and clearer to me. A lot of the things we're told we need by the corporate culture, are simply lies we've bought into. If something breaks, we're told we should throw it away and buy a new one. Now I'm all about salvage and re-use. Well, I always have been, to some degree. But even more so now.

I'm paying a lot more attention to where my money goes and who it supports. I'm seriously cured of bad habits like letting food spoil in my fridge because I'm so scatterbrained I forget it's there. And I'm more determined than ever to get out of the city and find a piece of land in the wilderness. Selling off the extraneous crap to pave the way.

I am trying to limit my scatterbrain-ness, as well!

... this isn't good.

Winner takes all and losers give all.

I'm also boycotting Walmart.

:kick:

This is Goddess40's mom. I have withdrawn from just about everything. The only time I go out of the house is to attend my grandkid's school programs. I canceled my Time and Newsweek subscriptions and gave them comments about their sheep-like(so called) journalists. I do not watch any MSM news--too depressing. I have lost 10 pounds because I just don't feel like cooking or eating. I have a '97 Camry and was going to buy a new car if Kerry won so no new car for at least four years. I quit pestering Goddess40's husband about buying a new house because I don't want anyone to put money into this economy. (I house share with Goddess40). I told my kids not to get me anything for Christmas and will buy only for my little grandkids, the older ones are getting money. I will not send Christmas cards this year. I quit giving to charities and ask them to send money to me or ask Bush for money. I did give to Amnesty International. And I sure as HELL will not talk to or communicate in any way with any Bush supporter.

i am exhausted

i have been fighting the Bu$h junta since he was running against Gore in 2000.

after the selection, i was devastated....

supported Dean in the primaries, wrote letters, made calls etc....
then, with Kerry nomination, volunteered with Move On...canvassing door to door, phone banking etc...

i am one of the tinfoilers who believe that this election was stolen...

at 1st, i felt a sense of shock and disbelief that Kerry lost/conceeded...then, i got hope that he was doing things "under the radar"

but now, i feel tired & weary and wonder why we are not out in the streets screaming like the Ukranians....

sigh...

I hope, for all of us, a miracle.

I'm reading "The Handmaid's Tale" and it is the scariest thing ever...

Probably even scarier than Handmaid's Tale. :evilgrin:

my nerves can only handle a serious book every other read.

i have to re-read 1984 soon...

thanks for the recommendation, hatrack!

Oryx and Crake is a great book, it is about the future but its' story line is so close to todays events, it could be tomorrow.

Great book.

news channels. I watch DemocracyNow! I've increased my reading; also, I've more time to devote to house cleaning and I've become more focused on finding inner peace since no peace on the socio/political level seems possible while bush holds on to the white house, to our boys and girls in the military, to our country and submits the will of our country to a right wing agenda, but once i start writing about bush and the meaning of his evil presence in our national/international political life, it is difficult to keep to inner peace as the focus of my attention.

Any advice?

Seriously.

We're so upset and feel we have to stop waiting for a leader to emerge, and instead lead the way best we can.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2764422

this must be stopped. very few citizens will support this and most will FIGHT it.

good luck to your spouse!

I've read this thread...and have been keeping tabs on this issue.

I will be sure to forward this to my husband.

post fewer comments, and watch how quickly the administration tries to implement it's agenda (and pray it falls on it's face).

(and I gain support from you guys)

If you are perhaps a little at sea about the differences between "us and them", or thinking that the next four years might best be spent in hibernation, read Carl Sagan's "The Demon Haunted World". Its both informing, bone chilling, and inspiring. I had admired his popularizations of science since I was a kid, but this book made him my hero, and sent me back to college.

I hope no one minds my additional 2 cents, a little off topic here.

thanks!

I've read about that book somewhere else here. I've read Sagan and he is amazing.

We've got disposable income, at least for now, but I stopped spending it. Food and gas, that's it for me, and if I need clothes, I'm happy at salvation army.

My shopping was at a regular grocery store until the elections. Now it's all Whole Foods Market or other more local markets or Costco, and as was mentioned, I'm a lot more aware of what I'm buying for certain meals, not letting things spoil.

I switched my gas purchases to Shell. Mobil can rot in hell.

My husband and I are going to switch credit cards to get away from republican companies. And for Christmas, I think I'll ask for some netting to cover the fruit trees so the birds and squirrels don't keep eating our harvest.

I've quit worrying about saying whatever is politically correct. If I think Bush is like Hitler, I'm saying so, and I don't care who is offended by it. If someone talks about cancer, I bring up arsenic and mercury in the drinking water, I am not afraid to say that Bush is FOR cancer. I am in touch with my ugly inner being, which I did not know existed, but honestly if one of my (former) republican friends came to me and said he had cancer, I know that I would not have sympathy or lift a finger to help him, I would tell him that's what he voted for. And I am shocked in myself to see that, but there it is. I've lost some friends, and they are surprised and seem sad, while I don't feel anything about the loss at all. On the other hand, through MoveOn and houseparties and meetups, I've met a lot of new people, where normally going to hang out with a group of strangers is something I never would have done because I'm not all that social.

And I haven't cut out the news completely, but it's close. It's disconcerting to read what's going on in Fallujah, then cut to CNN and see giggly anchors interviewing shoppers in Christmas hats. I was talking to someone over the holidays who doesn't have a tv; he was in a bar and saw the news for the first time in a while. He was laughing at it, then people started to stare at him, then he realized it wasn't a news parody like an SNL skit; that's really what CNN had turned into. He had no idea when he was laughing about it that it was the "real" news.

I was very rude to an old friend over Thanksgiving b/c he supports this Hitler motherfucker Bush...it felt bad, but hey, not all Nazis knew they were Nazis, yet they were Nazis.

I haven't watched much TV over the last 12 years, so watching CNN is literally impossible. HAVE YOU SEEN THE WAY THEY DRESS AND GRIN? it is sickening, retarded, and the worst thing ever. i hate those plastic fascist idiots.

so yeah, i am letting out the venom a lot more than usual...

:hi: